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Atlas Overview

Atlas Overview

Section titled “Atlas Overview”

Atlas is WP Engine’s headless WordPress platform that combines the power of WordPress as a content management system with the performance and flexibility of modern JavaScript frameworks.

What is Atlas?

Section titled “What is Atlas?”

Atlas provides a complete solution for building fast, scalable headless WordPress applications. It seamlessly connects your WordPress backend with front-end frameworks like Next.js, Gatsby, and React, delivering exceptional performance and developer experience.

Key Benefits

Section titled “Key Benefits”
  • Lightning Fast Performance: Pre-rendered pages and edge caching ensure your site loads instantly
  • Developer-Friendly: Modern tooling and frameworks that developers love
  • Enterprise Security: Built-in security features and compliance support
  • Scalability: Handle traffic spikes with ease using our global CDN
  • Content Flexibility: Use WordPress for content management while building with modern frameworks

Core Features

Section titled “Core Features”

Headless WordPress

Section titled “Headless WordPress”

Atlas transforms WordPress into a powerful headless CMS, exposing your content through GraphQL and REST APIs. This allows you to:

  • Separate content from presentation
  • Use modern front-end frameworks
  • Build multi-channel experiences
  • Maintain WordPress’s familiar editing experience

Smart Plugin Manager

Section titled “Smart Plugin Manager”

The Smart Plugin Manager automatically detects and recommends plugins optimized for headless WordPress, helping you:

  • Avoid compatibility issues
  • Optimize performance
  • Extend functionality safely
  • Maintain security best practices

Blueprint Templates

Section titled “Blueprint Templates”

Get started quickly with pre-built templates for common use cases:

  • Marketing sites
  • E-commerce stores
  • Documentation portals
  • Member areas
  • Multi-site applications

Performance Optimization

Section titled “Performance Optimization”

Atlas includes built-in performance features:

  • Edge Caching: Content served from 300+ global locations
  • Image Optimization: Automatic image resizing and WebP conversion
  • Code Splitting: Automatic bundle optimization
  • Prerendering: Static generation for instant page loads

Getting Started

Section titled “Getting Started”

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • A WP Engine account with Atlas access
  • Node.js 18.x or higher installed
  • Basic knowledge of JavaScript and React
  • Familiarity with WordPress

Quick Start

Section titled “Quick Start”

  1. Create a New Atlas Site

    Terminal window
    npx create-atlas-app my-app
    cd my-app

  2. Connect to WordPress

    Terminal window
    atlas connect

  3. Start Development

    Terminal window
    npm run dev

  4. Deploy to Production

    Terminal window
    atlas deploy

Architecture

Section titled “Architecture”

Atlas uses a modern JAMstack architecture:

┌─────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐     ┌─────────────┐
│   Browser   │────▶│  Atlas Edge  │────▶│  Next.js    │
└─────────────┘     └──────────────┘     └─────────────┘
                            │                    │
                            │                    │
                            ▼                    ▼
                    ┌──────────────┐     ┌─────────────┐
                    │  Global CDN  │     │  WordPress  │
                    └──────────────┘     └─────────────┘

Request Flow

Section titled “Request Flow”
  1. User requests a page
  2. Atlas Edge checks cache
  3. If cached, serve immediately
  4. If not cached, render on-demand
  5. Cache for subsequent requests

Use Cases

Section titled “Use Cases”

Marketing Websites

Section titled “Marketing Websites”

Build high-performance marketing sites with:

  • Landing pages that load instantly
  • SEO-optimized content
  • A/B testing capabilities
  • Analytics integration

E-commerce

Section titled “E-commerce”

Create fast shopping experiences:

  • Product catalogs with WooCommerce
  • Seamless checkout flows
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Inventory management

Documentation Sites

Section titled “Documentation Sites”

Host comprehensive documentation:

  • Searchable content
  • Version control
  • API references
  • Code examples

News & Publishing

Section titled “News & Publishing”

Deliver breaking news fast:

  • Real-time updates
  • Media-rich content
  • Comment systems
  • Subscription management

Best Practices

Section titled “Best Practices”

Content Strategy

Section titled “Content Strategy”
  • Structure content with custom post types
  • Use ACF or custom fields for flexibility
  • Implement proper taxonomies
  • Plan for content reuse

Performance

Section titled “Performance”
  • Enable preview mode sparingly
  • Use ISR for frequently updated content
  • Optimize images before upload
  • Minimize client-side JavaScript

Security

Section titled “Security”
  • Keep WordPress core updated
  • Use environment variables for secrets
  • Implement proper CORS policies
  • Enable two-factor authentication

Support & Resources

Section titled “Support & Resources”

Documentation

Section titled “Documentation”

Community

Section titled “Community”

Get Help

Section titled “Get Help”

Need assistance? Our support team is here to help:

What’s Next?

Section titled “What’s Next?”

Ready to build with Atlas? Here are some next steps: