RFC: The Next Generation of Faust.js - Evolving into a Adapter for Headless WordPress

[josephfusco]

Overview

Faust.js is evolving from a Next.js-only framework to become the premier headless WordPress solution for multiple JavaScript frameworks, powered by the Headless WordPress (HWP) Toolkit. This architectural shift maintains everything you love about Faust while delivering better performance, flexibility, and framework choice.

Why This Evolution?

The Faust.js community has been clear about what's working and what isn't:

Current Pain Points:

• Apollo GraphQL is bundled whether you need it or not
• The monolithic FaustWP plugin includes features available elsewhere in the community
• Developers using Astro, SvelteKit, or other frameworks need to build their own headless WordPress solutions

What's Working:

• Framework integration patterns
• Developer experience and workflows
• Template hierarchy implementation
• Community engagement

We've already proven this modular approach works by successfully extracting preview functionality to HWP Toolkit as the hwp-previews plugin.

What This Means for You

If you're currently using Faust.js with Next.js: Your development workflow remains familiar. The main difference? A lighter, faster framework with more choices.

If you're using other frameworks: Faust.js will soon support your framework with the same great developer experience.
What stays the same:

• Template hierarchy patterns
• Framework-specific optimizations
• Excellent developer experience

What improves:

• Framework Choice: Next.js, Astro, SvelteKit, and more
• Performance: Smaller bundle size, faster builds
• Flexibility: Bring your own GraphQL client
• Modularity: Install only the WordPress plugins you need

Client

The new Faust.js will provide helpers that work with any GraphQL client, not forcing a specific client on you.

WordPress Plugin Evolution (faustwp)

The HWP Toolkit already provides modular plugins: https://github.com/wpengine/hwptoolkit/tree/main/plugins

# Before: Everything in one plugin
wp plugin activate faustwp

# After: Choose what you need
wp plugin activate hwp-previews
wp plugin activate wp-graphql-webhooks
# Future: additional modular plugins

This modular approach means:

• Smaller WordPress footprint
• Easier debugging
• Install only what you need
• Community can contribute individual plugins

The Vision: Multi-Framework Excellence

Think of it this way:

WordPress is the engine that powers millions of websites.

JavaScript frameworks (Next.js, Astro, SvelteKit) are different vehicle types - each with their own performance characteristics and driver preferences.

HWP Toolkit is the raw parts manufacturer. They provide unopinionated building blocks (preview systems, authentication modules, API enhancements) that could work with any framework but require assembly.
Faust.js is the specialty shop that creates pre-tuned, framework-specific kits:

• @faustjs/next - Optimized for Next.js App Router and ISR
• @faustjs/astro - Tailored for Astro's partial hydration
• @faustjs/svelte - Tuned for SvelteKit's performance patterns

Each framework kit includes:

• Pre-configured HWP Toolkit integration
• Framework-specific optimizations and patterns
• Opinionated best practices
• Ready-to-use templates

In essence:

• HWP Toolkit = Universal building blocks (unopinionated)
• Faust.js = Framework-specific implementations (opinionated)
• You = Choose your framework, get optimized headless WordPress

Questions for the Community

1. Framework Priority: After Next.js, which frameworks should we support first?
2. Timeline: How quickly should we add new framework support?
3. Breaking Changes: What features are absolutely critical to preserve?
4. Client Preferences: What GraphQL clients are you currently using?
5. Documentation: What examples would be most helpful for your framework?

[tuanfront-end]

Awesome, thanks team for your great work 🚀🔥🎉♥️
I can't wait for the release