Hello All, As a next step, I’ve created an OFBIZ-13410 <https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-13410> to track and scope the Headless Commerce Plugin work. This will serve as an umbrella ticket for defining and breaking down the individual APIs and related components into child tasks so we can progressively refine scope and track execution more effectively.
I'll soon plan some initial child tasks and add more details to the ticket itself. Please review and share any initial thoughts. Thanks & Regards, Ankit Joshi Engineering Lead *HotWax Systems* *Enterprise open-source experts* cell: +91-8989267238 office: 0731 - 3622711 http://www.hotwaxsystems.com On Thu, Apr 23, 2026 at 5:03 PM Ankit Joshi <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello All, > > I would like to reinitiate this discussion around *Headless Commerce in > OFBiz*, which was previously discussed in this thread. The direction and > ideas shared earlier still feel highly relevant today, especially with the > continued shift towards API-first architecture. > > Continuing upon the earlier efforts and discussions, I have started > working on defining *REST API specification for Order Management Services > *with the intention of defining OFBiz aligned APIs that could easily > integrate with external systems. > > Just to give a head start on this, I have prepared the Rest API > specification document for *Create Order *endpoint which is currently in > progress and will definitely evolve with community feedback. > > Document link - > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBIZ/WIP%3A+REST+API+Specifications+-+Create+Order > <https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBIZ/WIP:+REST+API+Specifications+-+Create+Order> > > The next APIs that could be targeted: > — getOrder, updateOrder, cancelOrder, completeOrder > > Looking forward to thoughts on this. > > Thanks & Regards, > Ankit Joshi > > On 2020/10/20 12:06:15 Arpit Mor wrote: > > Thanks, Ravi for the update. The documents look awesome. > > > > Best Regards > > Arpit Mor > > ENTERPRISE QUALITY ENGINEER > > mobile: +91 9098005893 > > email: [email protected] > > *www.hotwax.co <http://www.hotwax.co/>* > > > > > > On Thu, Oct 15, 2020 at 6:46 PM Ravi Lodhi <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Hello Team, > > > > > > As per our last community discussion on headless commerce, we decided > to > > > prepare wiki pages to list down the eCommerce features that OFBiz > provides > > > so that the API roadmap can be defined. I have worked on preparing > those > > > documents. It will be great if we could get these documents reviewed by > > > more members of the community. Here are the docs- > > > > > > *1. OOTB OFBiz eCommerce Feature Set*: This document contains the > > > eCommerce features that OFBiz provides and will help us to define the > API > > > roadmap and quick-start implementation. > > > > > > Here is the Wiki Page: > > > > > > > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBIZ/WIP%3A+OOTB+OFBiz+eCommerce+Feature+Set > > > > > > *2. Headless Commerce (OFBiz) - API RoadMap: *This document contains > the > > > API endpoints to expose the OOTB eCommerce functionalities. > > > > > > Here is the Wiki Page: > > > > > > > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBIZ/WIP%3A+Headless+Commerce+%28OFBiz%29+-+API+Roadmap > > > > > > *3*. *Headless Commerce Requirement Specifications: *The purpose of > this > > > document is to describe the standard features that a modern eCommerce > > > system should have. So even if it is not implemented in the OFBiz yet > can > > > be added to this document. At the end of this effort, we can compare > the > > > OOTB eCommerce Feature Set and the Headless Commerce specification > document > > > to identify the gaps. It will help us to identify the new features > that we > > > can plan to introduce in the near future. > > > > > > Here is the Wiki Page: > > > > > > > https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OFBIZ/WIP%3A+Headless+Commerce+Requirement+Specification > > > > > > These documents are work in progress. Please feel free to share your > > > feedback and collaborate to further refine these documents. > > > > > > Kind Regards, > > > -- > > > Ravi Lodhi > > > > > > > > > On Sun, Aug 30, 2020 at 8:12 PM Arpit Mor <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Hi Devs, > > > > > > > > We had a community meeting on 25th August, here is the link for the > > > > recording of the meeting: > > > > > > > > > > > > https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RSu998vsUSbnF4q_YL3MSMVpR3vql2SE/view?usp=sharing > > > > > > > > Following members participated in the call: > > > > • Aditya Sharma > > > > • Arpit Mor > > > > • Avnindra Sharma > > > > • Mohammad Kathawala > > > > • Mridul Pathak > > > > • Nitish Mishra > > > > • Pawan Verma > > > > • Pranay Pandey > > > > • Pritam Kute > > > > • Ravi Lodhi > > > > > > > > Following are the MOM details of the call: > > > > • What is headless commerce: Decoupling of front end and backend > using > > > API > > > > to expose core backend functionalities > > > > • Why headless commerce is needed: Increasing number of frontend > > > > touchpoints like apps, voice assistant, social media plugins, IoT > > > Devices, > > > > websites > > > > • Benefits of headless commerce: Integration with frontend > application > > > will > > > > be easy, economical and quick, maintenance of presentation layer > will be > > > > easy, more focus of user experience, decrease time to market of new > > > > features > > > > • Using REST API implementation for headless commerce plugin > > > > • Open source reference for Headless commerce: Vue Storefront, POP > > > Commerce > > > > • Challenges while implementing headless commerce > > > > • Refactoring of ShoppingCart which is maintained in the session in > OFBiz > > > > will be needed > > > > • Explore if there are any ways we can expose current shopping cart > as > > > API > > > > • Evaluate order data model approach for working with shopping cart > > > > • Replacing shopping cart with the order data model will be very > > > > complicated as many other backend systems (like order entry > workflows, > > > > dropship, etc) depends on the shopping cart > > > > • We can have two implementations of the shopping cart one version > will > > > be > > > > object-oriented while the other version will be data-driven. We can > > > enrich > > > > the new data-driven version with time so that is support as many use > > > cases > > > > as object-oriented version > > > > • If we plan to have data-driven version of the shopping cart we can > also > > > > have data-driven version of order entry. The user will have two > different > > > > versions to choose > > > > • For the initial proposal of headless commerce we can use the OFBiz > Wiki > > > > and once we start developing the code we can prepare ASCII doc or use > > > > Swagger UI for API documentation as well > > > > • Prepare a Wiki page for the list of OFBiz eCommerce features that > needs > > > > to be exposed using API > > > > • Prepare a Wiki page for defining the list of the API endpoint that > > > needs > > > > to be exposed to support eCommerce features > > > > • Define MPV for headless commerce plugin using API endpoint doc and > > > > Ecommerce feature doc > > > > • Initially plan headless commerce implementation with customer > profile > > > > which is simple before jumping on to more complex functionalities > like a > > > > shopping cart > > > > > > > > Following conclusions were drawn from the meeting: > > > > • Prepare wiki pages for a list of eCommerce feature that OFBiz > provides > > > > and list of API endpoints that need to be exposed to achieve these > > > features > > > > • Define MPV using the above documents and initially plan headless > > > commerce > > > > implementation with customer profile > > > > • Explore if there are any ways we can expose current shopping cart > as > > > API > > > > without making many changes to it > > > > • If it’s not possible to expose current shopping cart as API then > inform > > > > the community about it and ask their opinion on implementing a new > > > > data-driven version of the cart while keeping object-oriented > version as > > > is > > > > > > > > If anyone has any suggestions/questions regarding this > implementation, > > > > please let us know. > > > > > > > > Thanks!! > > > > > > > > On Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 12:03 PM Arpit Mor <[email protected]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hello Team, > > > > > So far we got the awesome replies that are giving us the clue of > what > > > we > > > > > can achieve through the Headless capabilities. Headless Commerce > plugin > > > > > will definitely provide the high flexibility to use the existing > > > > eCommerce > > > > > business functions in the form of APIs. > > > > > There could be certain challenges while developing the APIs. Some > of > > > them > > > > > are indicated by Mridul and Deepak regarding ShoppingCart use that > > > needs > > > > to > > > > > be worked upon. There could be many more but I am sure some of us > (in > > > > OFBiz > > > > > community) already worked on a similar kind of solution and they > will > > > be > > > > > having much to share and guide this effort. > > > > > > > > > > I propose to have a meeting to discuss this further, it will be > great > > > if > > > > > everyone interested could be part of the discussion. Please find > below > > > > the > > > > > hangout meet details – > > > > > Date: 25th August 2020 6:00 PM IST, 8:30 AM EST, 1:30 PM GMT > > > > > Join Hangout Meet: meet.google.com/pca-mitq-cgs > > > > > Join By Phone: +1 860-391-6148 PIN: 206 921 601# > > > > > > > > > > Thanks & Regards > > > > > Arpit Mor > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Sat, Aug 22, 2020 at 7:41 PM Chandan Khandelwal < > > > > > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > >> Thanks Arpit for this initiative and +1 for the separate headless > > > > >> commerce plugin. > > > > >> > > > > >> Kind Regards, > > > > >> Chandan Khandelwal > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> On Thu, Aug 20, 2020 at 2:46 PM Mridul Pathak < > > > > >> [email protected]> wrote: > > > > >> > > > > >>> +1. This is a great suggestion. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> OFBiz has been mainly adopted for its business applications, > eCommere > > > > >>> being one of the top ones. Though its tightly coupled nature > doesn’t > > > > make > > > > >>> it well suited for the modern day web or mobile application > > > > development. It > > > > >>> definitely needs to be revamped to make it more relevant in this > ever > > > > >>> changing world of technology. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> Of course there will be some challenges that would need to be > > > addressed > > > > >>> to be able to build a truly REST API but that opens up the path > to > > > the > > > > long > > > > >>> needed refactoring/reimplementation of some of these business > > > > processes and > > > > >>> objects, for example shopping cart. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> It is high time that we start taking steps to move from somewhat > > > > >>> monolithic implementation towards a more micro service based > approach > > > > and > > > > >>> eCommerce would be a great start. Headless capabilities are must > and > > > > >>> dedicated plugins could be a great way to expose existing > business > > > > >>> functions as REST APIs in the form of micro services without > needing > > > to > > > > >>> change the core implementation much. The newly introduced REST > plugin > > > > would > > > > >>> play a major role in this journey. > > > > >>> > > > > >>> Thanks. > > > > >>> Mridul Pathak > > > > >>> > > > > >>> > > > > >>> > On 20-Aug-2020, at 12:40 PM, Deepak Dixit <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > Hi Arpit, > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > Sounds like a plan, As now ofbiz supports rest, so we can > think of > > > > >>> headless > > > > >>> > commerce. > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > I think you need to work on the B2C ordering process, as per > > > current > > > > >>> > implementation it's tightly coupled with ShoppingCart. > > > > >>> > All the e-commerce related processes are bound with > ShoppingCart > > > and > > > > >>> OFBiz > > > > >>> > use session to maintain shoppingCart. > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > Thanks & Regards > > > > >>> > -- > > > > >>> > Deepak Dixit > > > > >>> > ofbiz.apache.org > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > On Tue, Aug 18, 2020 at 8:52 PM Arpit Mor < > > > > [email protected] > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> > wrote: > > > > >>> > > > > > >>> >> Hi Devs, > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Hope everyone is safe and healthy amidst Covid-19 pandemic > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Most of you might have heard about “Headless Commerce” or API > > > first > > > > >>> >> commerce, but in case you haven’t, here is a brief summary of > what > > > > >>> headless > > > > >>> >> commerce is and why it is the need of the hour. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> What is Headless Commerce? > > > > >>> >> In its simplest form, headless commerce is the decoupling of > the > > > > >>> >> presentation layer (frontend) of an eCommerce from backend > such > > > that > > > > >>> both > > > > >>> >> are able to function independently. This decoupling is > achieved by > > > > >>> using > > > > >>> >> APIs to expose core backend functionalities. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Why Headless Commerce? > > > > >>> >> Today, customers are consuming context from various channels > and > > > > >>> >> touch-points. Gone are the days when customers primarily > needed to > > > > >>> visit a > > > > >>> >> website to buy online. With the rise of smartphones and the > > > Internet > > > > >>> of > > > > >>> >> Things (IoT), customers can now shop from multiple channels > like > > > IoT > > > > >>> >> devices, progressive web apps (PWAs), social media platforms, > > > mobile > > > > >>> apps, > > > > >>> >> smart assistants, smart TV, kiosks, and many more. > > > > >>> >> By decoupling frontend from backend - user interface, social > > > > commerce, > > > > >>> >> mobile apps, IoT, and many more – can be changed or updated > > > > >>> individually, > > > > >>> >> without interfering with backend. Data is available to > separate > > > > >>> frontend > > > > >>> >> applications via API calls and the backend runs invisibly in > the > > > > >>> >> background. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Benefits of Headless Commerce > > > > >>> >> Unlimited Channels and Touchpoints: With API first Headless > > > > Commerce, > > > > >>> >> integration with the new channels and touchpoints becomes > easy, > > > > >>> economical, > > > > >>> >> and quick. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Innovation and Engaging User Experience: With traditional > > > monolithic > > > > >>> >> Commerce, making user-centric changes to your website requires > > > both > > > > a > > > > >>> front > > > > >>> >> and backend transformation. But with headless commerce, all > the > > > > >>> >> frontend/app developers have to focus on is user experience, > > > > >>> >> personalization, and consistency without having to worry about > > > > >>> changes to > > > > >>> >> the backend. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Easy-to-Manage Integrations: Headless commerce not only > includes > > > > >>> providing > > > > >>> >> API support to the frontend, but it also includes > communication > > > > >>> between > > > > >>> >> various components (like ERP, WMS, OMS, CRM, POS, etc.) via > APIs. > > > > >>> This will > > > > >>> >> reduce the complexity of the integration and its maintenance. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Business Agility & less time to market: Companies must be > able to > > > > >>> respond > > > > >>> >> quickly to new market opportunities by constantly releasing > new > > > > >>> features. > > > > >>> >> In traditional commerce, each component is tightly coupled > with > > > > >>> another > > > > >>> >> which makes changes a complex task. But with Headless commerce > > > > >>> different > > > > >>> >> components communicate via APIs, which make changes to one > > > component > > > > >>> easy > > > > >>> >> without having to worry about changes to other components. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> I’d like to put forward a suggestion for developing a headless > > > > >>> commerce > > > > >>> >> plugin, to keep the competitive edge of OFBiz with the rapidly > > > > >>> changing > > > > >>> >> technological trends by exposing core backend functionalities > via > > > > >>> APIs (The > > > > >>> >> REST capabilities are already added to OFBiz recently). > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Looking forward to suggestions and feedback. > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> >> Thanks & Regards > > > > >>> >> Arpit Mor > > > > >>> >> > > > > >>> > > > > >>> > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > Kind Regards, > > > > > Arpit Mor > > > > > Enterprise Quality Engineer > > > > > > > > > > *HotWax Systems* > > > > > *Enterprise open source experts* > > > > > cell: +91-9098005893 > > > > > office: 0731-409-3684 > > > > > http://www.hotwaxsystems.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Kind Regards, > > > > Arpit Mor > > > > Enterprise Quality Engineer > > > > > > > > *HotWax Systems* > > > > *Enterprise open source experts* > > > > cell: +91-9098005893 > > > > office: 0731-409-3684 > > > > http://www.hotwaxsystems.com > > > > > > > > > >
