Migrating from Sitecore JSS SDK to Content SDK – Best Practices and Pitfalls

The Sitecore JSS SDK has been a staple for building modern headless websites with XM Cloud and Sitecore XP. It offers deep integration with the Sitecore Layout Service, letting frontend developers render content directly based on Sitecore-managed components.

Now, with the introduction of the Sitecore Content SDK, teams have a lightweight, REST-first way to fetch clean JSON data, leaving rendering entirely to the frontend. For projects focused on performance, composable architectures, or custom rendering logic, the Content SDK can be a compelling choice.

If you’re considering a switch from JSS SDK to Content SDK, this guide walks you through how to migrate, best practices, and the pitfalls to avoid.

Why Migrate to Content SDK?

  • Lightweight: No dependency on Layout Service rendering.
  • Faster payloads: Returns only the requested fields, reducing over-fetching.
  • Flexible rendering: Total control of frontend presentation.
  • Better for static generation: Ideal for frameworks like Next.js, Angular SSR, or Gatsby.

Key Differences to Keep in Mind

Feature

JSS SDK

Content SDK

Data Source

Layout Service

Content Delivery API

Output

Full component tree + content

Raw JSON content only

Rendering

Sitecore-defined layouts

Fully frontend-controlled

Personalization

Built-in support

Requires manual handling

Performance

Larger payloads

Smaller, faster responses

Best Practices for Migration

  1. Audit Your Current JSS Usage
    • List all components using SitecoreJssPlaceholder, SitecoreContext, or layout service fields.
    • Identify which components can be purely content-driven.
  2. Separate Content from Layout Early
    • In JSS, content and presentation often mix.
    • In Content SDK, you fetch only the content; layout decisions happen in your frontend.
  3. Redesign Data Fetching
    • Replace getStaticProps or getServerSideProps calls to Layout Service with Content SDK API calls.
    • Use filtering, language, and version parameters to replicate your existing data needs.
  4. Map Old Data Models to New Ones
    • Create a mapping layer to adapt the Content SDK’s JSON into your component props.
    • This avoids a complete frontend rewrite.
  5. Test in Parallel
    • Run both JSS SDK and Content SDK in dev mode for a few routes.
    • Validate that your content matches, especially for multilingual and versioned items.
  6. Document New Patterns
    • Update your project README with new API usage patterns.
    • Share example calls and component integration for your team.

Migration Path

  1. Install the Content SDK

npm install @sitecore/content-sdk

  1. Create a Content Client

import { ContentClient } from '@sitecore/content-sdk';

 const client = new ContentClient({

  apiKey: process.env.SITECORE_API_KEY,

  endpoint: process.env.SITECORE_CONTENT_ENDPOINT,

});

  1. Fetch Data

const item = await client.fetchItem('/my-item', { language: 'en' });

console.log(item.fields.title.value);

  1. Replace Layout Service Calls Gradually
    • Start with non-critical pages.
    • Move to core components once patterns are established.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Expecting Experience Editor to work
    The Content SDK does not provide layout data, so EE editing will not work out of the box.
  • Forgetting Rendering Parameters
    If you use rendering parameters in JSS, you’ll need an alternative approach since the Content SDK does not manage them.
  • Not Handling Linked Content
    The Content SDK returns linked items as references—you may need extra calls to resolve them.
  • Underestimating the Refactor
    If your project is tightly coupled to the JSS layout service, migration may require more than just API changes.
  • Ignoring Caching Strategy
    The Content SDK can deliver data faster, but you need to plan CDN or frontend caching for performance.

Recommendations

  • Start with a hybrid approach — use Content SDK for static content, keep JSS SDK for personalization-heavy pages.
  • Use TypeScript types to ensure data safety.
  • Keep your GraphQL queries modular and reusable.
  • Store your PAT securely in environment variables or an API layer.
  • Avoid replacing Layout Service calls directly without refactoring rendering logic, it may lose Sitecore’s automatic component mapping.
  • Avoid requesting all fields, over-fetching data defeats the purpose of the SDK’s lightweight design.
  • Implement workaround and do not directly skip caching, it can lead to unnecessary API calls and slower performance

Summary

Migrating from Sitecore JSS SDK to Content SDK is less about a “drop-in replacement” and more about rethinking how your frontend consumes content. The Content SDK offers speed, flexibility, and simplicity — but it requires you to take ownership of rendering and personalization.

Start with one or two components as a pilot migration, validate performance gains, and gradually phase out Layout Service calls where the Content SDK fits best.

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