Description
Headless Bridge by Crux is a high-performance headless WordPress solution that pre-compiles your content into optimized JSON responses. Unlike traditional REST API or WPGraphQL solutions that calculate data on-the-fly, Headless Bridge compiles everything when you save a post, resulting in lightning-fast API responses.
Why Headless Bridge?
Traditional headless WordPress setups suffer from “Plugin Bloat”:
* They calculate data on-the-fly, leading to slow TTFB (Time To First Byte)
* Complex, nested JSON structures that frontend developers struggle with
* Every request hits the database and runs PHP logic
* Performance degrades as your site grows
Headless Bridge uses a “Zero-Runtime” architecture:
* Pre-calculates the entire API response when a post is SAVED
* Stores flat, optimized JSON in a custom database table
* Serves responses via a single, fast REST endpoint
* Includes SEO metadata and responsive images automatically
Performance Benefits
Traditional WPGraphQL:
* TTFB: ~500ms
* Response size: 15KB (nested)
* Database queries: 12+
Headless Bridge:
* TTFB: ~50ms (10x faster!)
* Response size: 8KB (flat)
* Database queries: 1
Free Features
- ✅ Pre-compiled JSON – Zero runtime overhead
- ✅ Flat JSON structure – Intuitive for React/Next.js developers
- ✅ SEO ready – Auto-includes Yoast/RankMath metadata
- ✅ Image optimization – Srcset data for next/image
- ✅ Background processing – Uses Action Scheduler or WP-Cron
- ✅ API key authentication – Secure preview access
- ✅ Rate limiting – Built-in DDoS protection
- ✅ UUID-based IDs – Prevents ID enumeration attacks
- ✅ Multi-language – WPML & Polylang support
Standard/Professional Features (Separate Plugin)
Upgrade to the Standard/Agency addon plugin for advanced functionality:
- 🚀 ACF Integration – Automatically include Advanced Custom Fields in your API responses
- 🚀 Webhooks – Trigger external services (Vercel, Netlify, etc.) on content updates
- 🚀 Priority Support – Email support with 24-hour response time
- 🚀 Automatic Updates – Seamless plugin updates through WordPress
STandard/Agency is a separate addon plugin that extends the free version.
Perfect For
- Next.js websites
- React applications
- Jamstack sites
- Mobile apps
- High-traffic headless WordPress sites
API Endpoints
Base URL: https://your-wordpress-site.com/wp-json/bridge/v1
GET /page?slug={slug}– Get page by slugGET /page/{uuid}– Get page by UUIDGET /pages?type={type}&limit=20– List pagesGET /stats– Get cache statistics (admin only)
Developer Friendly
- Clean, flat JSON structure
- TypeScript-ready responses
- Comprehensive hooks and filters
- Well-documented codebase
- Built with security in mind
Support
For support, please visit:
* Support Forum
* Documentation
Standard/Agency users: Priority email support included with your license.
Privacy Policy
This plugin does not collect or transmit any user data. All data processing happens locally on your WordPress installation.
Screenshots
Installation
- Upload the plugin files to
/wp-content/plugins/headless-bridge, or install through the WordPress plugins screen - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ screen
- Go to Headless Bridge Dashboard to verify installation
- Click “Recompile All Content” to process existing posts
- Use the API endpoints in your frontend application
FAQ
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Does this replace WPGraphQL?
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Yes, for most use cases. If you need complex nested queries, WPGraphQL might be better, but Headless Bridge is significantly faster for standard content delivery.
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How does it handle content updates?
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Content is automatically recompiled in the background when you save a post. There’s no manual cache invalidation needed.
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Does it work with ACF (Advanced Custom Fields)?
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Yes! ACF support is available in the Pro addon plugin (sold separately). The Pro addon extends this free plugin with ACF integration, webhooks, and more.
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What about custom post types?
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Yes! Enable them in Settings Enabled Post Types.
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How do I invalidate the cache?
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The cache auto-updates when you save a post. For manual clearing: Dashboard Clear All Cache
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Can I use this with WPML/Polylang?
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Yes! Multi-language support is FREE and works automatically with WPML and Polylang. See MULTILINGUAL.md for setup instructions.
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How do I preview draft content?
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Generate an API key in Headless Bridge API Keys, then use it in your requests with the
preview=trueparameter. -
Is it secure?
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Yes! Built with security in mind:
* API keys stored as SHA-256 hashes
* Rate limiting to prevent DDoS
* UUID-based IDs to prevent enumeration
* Preview access requires authentication
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Headless Bridge by Crux” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
ContributorsTranslate “Headless Bridge by Crux” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.2
- Fix: WordPress.org compliance – Removed all license validation code from free version
- Fix: WordPress.org compliance – Changed all prefixes from “hb” to “headbridge” (4+ character requirement)
- Enhancement: All features now fully functional in free version with zero restrictions
- Info: Standard/Agency features (ACF, Webhooks, Auto-updates) available as separate addon plugin
1.0.1
- Fix: Added locale fallback for post queries to ensure posts appear in API
- Fix: Improved database query handling for multi-locale environments
- Enhancement: Better error handling when posts have strict locale matching
1.0.0
- Initial release
- Core API endpoints (/page, /pages, /stats)
- SEO metadata support (Yoast, RankMath)
- Image optimization with srcset
- Background compilation with Action Scheduler
- API key authentication
- Rate limiting
- UUID-based public IDs
- Multi-language support (WPML/Polylang)
- License validation system
- Standard/Agency features: ACF integration, Webhooks
- Auto-update mechanism for Pro users



