BigCommerce Launches GraphQL-Powered Storefront API, Bolstering Capabilities for Creating Differentiated Shopping Experiences

Enhanced architecture for connecting open APIs introduces brands to a new era in SaaS customization

AUSTIN, Texas — Nov. 19, 2019 — BigCommerce, the leading open SaaS ecommerce platform for fast-growing and established brands, today announced the open beta release of its new GraphQL Storefront API, purpose-built for creating faster, personalized customer shopping experiences that differentiate brands from competitors. By leveraging the power of GraphQL, brands can quickly develop and launch rich commerce experiences that are both contextual and unique to each shopper by delivering data across multiple BigCommerce services in just one API call. 

Additionally, the GraphQL Storefront API enhances developers’ ability to leverage BigCommerce in a “headless” architecture through its open APIs to forge seamless integrations with their preferred content management system (CMS), digital experience platform (DXP), Progressive Web Apps (PWA) framework, and alongside innovative front-end tools emerging from the growing JAMstack (JavaScript, APIs, and Markup) ecosystem. 

“By releasing the new Storefront API in GraphQL, BigCommerce is taking a critical next step in evolving into the most open, customizable, developer-friendly SaaS ecommerce platform where brands can push their creative boundaries and connect with customers in new, meaningful ways,” said Jimmy Duvall, chief product officer at BigCommerce. “The success of our merchants is directly tied to how well we enable developers to build on top of BigCommerce and give them a secure and stable foundation from which they can create the next generation of commerce experiences.”

Featuring a GraphQL data layer, BigCommerce merchants will benefit from an enhanced Storefront API that is:

• Fast and Efficient: GraphQL is designed for meshing APIs to deliver a personalized storefront to the shopper’s device in one API call

• Real-Time and Contextual: Deploy omnichannel storefronts that are updated in real-time and contextual to the active shopper 

• Future Proof: GraphQL makes it easy to experiment with and adopt modern, best-of-breed front-end and personalization tools

• Developer-Friendly: With a built-in request runner, changelog and documentation portal, developers can freely explore the API and get up to speed on GraphQL

The GraphQL Storefront API also unlocks information previously only available via the BigCommerce backend to be accessed via front-end javascript, which allowed Austin-based CBD retailer Canvas 1839 to leverage Gatsby—through the Gatsby-BigCommerce source plugin developed in partnership with Third and Grove— to build a PWA ecommerce website on BigCommerce in less than one month. 

“Working with BigCommerce’s open APIs allowed our team to build in our preferred environment using the tools we’re already familiar with, while benefiting from the reliability and ‘batteries-included’ nature of a SaaS ecommerce platform,” said Corey Ward, a full-stack web developer who worked with Canvas 1839 to architect and develop its online store using BigCommerce.

Following the recent launch of DEITY Falcon for BigCommerce, BigCommerce also released a new Gatsby-Netlify CMS template to jump-start developing a serverless PWA storefront. Merchants and developers interested in more information about how PWAs can benefit their business can download BigCommerce’s new ebook, “Guide to Progressive Web Apps for Ecommerce.”

About BigCommerce

BigCommerce is the world’s leading open SaaS ecommerce platform for established and rapidly-growing businesses. Combining enterprise functionality, an open architecture and app ecosystem, and market-leading performance, BigCommerce enables businesses to grow online sales with 80% less cost, time and complexity than on-premise software. BigCommerce powers B2B and B2C ecommerce for more than 60,000 stores, 2,000+ mid-market businesses, 30 Fortune 1000 companies and industry-leading brands, including Assurant, Ben & Jerry’s, Skullcandy, Sony and Toyota. For more information, visit www.bigcommerce.com.

BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.