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As you may have noticed, DXP is somewhat of a catch-all term for an entire ecosystem of different options that serve many different purposes. This is still a relatively new space, so the definition of DXP is going to continue to shift and evolve as more options enter and leave the market.
What exactly constitutes a DXP is similarly up for debate:
Some argue that a true DXP must allow marketing teams to assemble sites without developer involvement and that most headless platforms technically don’t qualify as enterprise DXPs. While this perspective highlights an important distinction in DXP usability, it’s an outdated way of looking at how the DXP space is evolving.
Regardless, the future of a business’s digital presence is going to be DXP. Anyone who doesn’t use a DXP will get wiped out by the comet of obsolescence. Here’s why:
The definition of DXP has shifted
Brought on by the advent of Adobe Experience Manager, DXPs were traditionally all-in-one monolithic platforms that included built-in page builders, WYSIWIG editors, and other no-code tools for marketing teams. This approach did make building and executing much easier, but it came at the cost of vendor lock-in, bloat, and limited flexibility to scale.
Today, DXPs are evolving toward a more composable, API-driven model. This allows businesses to mix and match best-of-breed tools while still enabling seamless site management for marketers. Composable DXPs offer the same level of marketing control that made DXPs a force to be reckoned with but also bring greater flexibility and scalability.
Uniform is a great example of a modern DXP that accomplishes this effortlessly and is one of the top contenders in the DXP space right now. Their goal is true composability, with the goal of allowing you to add to your tech stack without having to replatform.
Headless DXPs now empower marketers
There’s a misconception that headless CMS platforms lack marketing-friendly tools. This used to be the case when early versions of headless CMSs emerged on the scene.
The leading headless CMS platforms in 2025, like the aforementioned Uniform, Contentful, and Storyblok, are extremely marketer-friendly. They include:
Visual editors with drag-and-drop UIs for assembling pages
Pre-built templates with reusable components to reduce dependency on developers
AI-powered content personalization
Deep integrations with most CRMs, CDPs, and marketing automation tools
These features bridge the gap between a fully no-code DXP and a developer-centric headless CMS. This makes modern headless DXPs powerful developer tools while still fully empowering marketing teams.
Uniform, in particular, is focused on providing a strong marketing and developer experience, giving marketers full control but allowing developers to use their preferred frameworks and tools and stay ahead of industry trends.
The myth of no developer involvement
What do Hercules, Icarus, and DXPs that don’t require any developer involvement have in common? They’re all myths.
No matter what type of DXP you choose, some level of development work is required - especially at the enterprise level. Even monolithic DXPs like Adobe and Sitecore require developers for customizations, integrations, and deployment.
Don’t look for the mythical being that is a DXP that doesn’t require development; instead, ask the question, “How much control does a marketing team have after initial setup?”
With the right implementation of a headless DXP, marketing teams can accomplish a lot without developer intervention. They can:
Manage and publish content without engineering bottlenecks
Create and modify landing pages without writing code
Launch campaigns faster using modular content structures
DXP maturity is about enabling agility - not eliminating developers entirely. It’s about marketing being able to accomplish the day-to-day tasks without looping in developers for simple changes and updates.
Composable DXPs provide these capabilities without locking you into the ecosystem of a single vendor (i.e. Adobe Experience Manager). This gives you the flexibility needed to make your DXP suit your business rather than make your business suit your DXP.
DXPs like Uniform make this possible and are a great option to consider if you’re worried about flexibility and the ability of your marketing team to self-serve.
Final Thoughts
Modern DXPs aren’t about “no-code” or “all-in-one” anymore. They’re about flexibility, composability, and enabling collaboration between marketers and developers.
If your current platform feels like a relic—or if you're evaluating options for the first time—make sure you’re looking at platforms that reflect where DXPs are headed, not just where they came from.
Need help figuring it out? We’d love to chat. We can help you evaluate your options, implement the right solution, and make sure your DXP evolves with you.
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