BigCommerce Unveils Catalyst Storefront Technology

BigCommerce, an e-commerce platform provider, has launched Catalyst, its next-generation storefront technology, for developers and agency partners.

Purpose-built for mid-market and enterprise B2C and B2B manufacturers and retailers, Catalyst is designed to provide a simplified starting point for BigCommerce customers, e-commerce developers, and agency partners to build online stores using a composable architecture. Catalyst combines popular headless technologies and proven best practices into a reference storefront targeting Google Lighthouse scores of 100 out of the box. Catalyst includes fully customizable storefront components and a streamlined GraphQL API client optimized for the latest version of Next.js and React Server Components.

"Catalyst introduces BigCommerce's reference composable architecture, equipping developers with the most preferred, highest performing technology, and brand users with the world's best no/low-code Next.js visual editor," said Brent Bellm, CEO of BigCommerce, in a statement. "This new reference architecture serves as a composable starter kit to help customers launch faster and with greater success. Our partners now have a simplified gateway to offer their clients a comprehensive e-commerce solution that easily unlocks the full potential of composability on the BigCommerce platform."

A key component of Catalyst is Makeswift, a composable page builder for websites built using the Next.js framework that BigCommerce acquired in the fourth quarter in 2023.

In developing Catalyst, BigCommerce collaborated with some of its agency partners who specialize in composable commerce, including 10up, AmericanEagle.com, Apply Digital, EPAM, Huge, Mira Commerce, Orium, Space 48, VML and ZaneRay.

"Brands and retailers need choice and flexibility to take advantage of new innovations and meet changing customer expectations," said Everett Zufelt, vice president of product and partnerships at Orium, in a statement. "With Catalyst, we can make composable builds easier to execute and significantly accelerate the time to launch new stores while also making them easier to operate over time."