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Headless Frontend Options for Intershop Compared
Choosing a frontend for Intershop is a deliberate decision. Intershop is the enterprise B2B commerce platform with an API-first architecture and a single REST API for B2B and B2C. Intershop exposes every function through its REST API and ships an Angular PWA blueprint as a reference frontend. Teams usually weigh three paths: use the default frontend, build a fully custom one on the REST API (intershop.REST), or put a Frontend Management Platform (FMP) like Laioutr on top. Here is the honest comparison.
The starting point
Because Intershop is headless and exposes its REST API (intershop.REST), the backend stays the source of truth for catalog, pricing and orders, and the frontend layer is genuinely yours to choose. The default option is Angular PWA blueprint.
Option 1: the default frontend
Staying on Angular PWA blueprint is the path of least initial resistance. The trade-off is that customization and ongoing maintenance, performance budgets and accessibility remain your team's responsibility, and marketing changes typically require engineering.
Option 2: a fully custom build
A bespoke frontend on the REST API (intershop.REST) gives maximum control. The cost is a multi-month build, a dedicated frontend team and permanent ownership of hosting, upgrades, Core Web Vitals and accessibility. It makes sense when frontend engineering is a strategic core capability.
Option 3: Laioutr FMP on the REST API (intershop.REST)
Laioutr sits as a frontend layer on the existing REST API (intershop.REST). The Intershop backend stays untouched. You get a visual editor, more than 70 prebuilt commerce components, EU hosting and a Lighthouse 100 target, with marketing teams composing pages and campaigns without engineering tickets and WCAG 3.0 and BFSG as a platform baseline.
Side-by-side
- Time-to-launch: default and custom = weeks to months of engineering; Laioutr = weeks
- Year-1 TCO: default and custom = engineering-heavy; Laioutr = predictable subscription
- Maintenance: default and custom = your team; Laioutr = platform-operated
- Accessibility: default and custom = your responsibility; Laioutr = WCAG 3.0 and BFSG in the standard
- Backend optionality: custom = locked to Intershop; Laioutr = backend-agnostic across Intershop, commercetools, Shopify and more
When each option wins
The default frontend or a custom build wins when you have a strong engineering team and pixel-level control is a strategic priority. Laioutr wins when you want weeks to go-live, marketing autonomy and built-in EU compliance on top of Intershop.
FAQ
Does Laioutr replace the Intershop frontend?
It is an alternative frontend layer on the same REST API (intershop.REST). Keep the default, or use Laioutr for faster time-to-launch and no-code page composition.
Does the Intershop backend change?
No. Laioutr consumes the REST API (intershop.REST). Catalog, pricing and order logic stay in Intershop. See the Intershop pillar page.
How does pricing compare to building it ourselves?
Total cost of ownership is typically lower because hosting, components and the editor are included. See pricing or book a strategy call.
More on Laioutr: Personalization.
Related reading: Headless Frontend Options for BigCommerce Compared and Headless Frontend Options for Pimcore Compared.