Challenge
A niche directory needed a way for store owners to submit and manage their own listings without creating user accounts or remembering passwords.
The platform also required lightning-fast page loads for thousands of location-based listings while maintaining an easy content management experience for administrators.
Solution
We built a headless CMS architecture combining WordPress as the backend API with Hugo for the static frontend.
Store owners submit listings through a passwordless magic link system that verifies email ownership without requiring account creation.
When administrators approve a listing, the system automatically triggers a Hugo rebuild to update the static site within seconds.
The result is a directory that loads instantly for visitors while giving store owners full control over their listings through secure email-based access.
Technical Implementation
- Headless WordPress serves as the content API, with custom REST endpoints for listing submissions, updates, and retrievals.
- Hugo, a static site generator, builds the public-facing directory with location-based URLs for state, city, and individual store pages.
- Magic link authentication uses SHA-256-hashed tokens with configurable expiration times for secure, passwordless access.
- Cloudflare Images integration enables direct browser uploads with automatic optimization and global CDN delivery.
- Meilisearch powers full-text search with typo tolerance and instant results across all listings.
- Automated Hugo builds trigger whenever listings are published, updated, or removed, keeping the static site current.
Results
The static Hugo frontend delivers sub-second page loads regardless of traffic volume.
Store owners can submit and update listings in minutes without creating accounts or remembering credentials.
Administrators review submissions through the familiar WordPress interface with one-click publishing that updates the live site automatically.
The architecture scales effortlessly since the static frontend requires no server-side processing for visitor requests.
Security is maintained through tokenized access and complete separation between the public site and the administrative backend.
Further Reading
Dev blog post:
https://84em.dev/posts/headless-wordpress-hugo-directory/
Blog post specifically about Meilisearch & WordPress:
https://84em.dev/posts/meilisearch-for-wordpress/