Behind the Scenes of Building Nimara - The Future of E-Commerce Storefronts
Joanna Staniec
Nimara Storefront redefines e-commerce development. Powered by Next.js, Tailwind, and shadcn/uI, it enables rapid iteration and invites community-driven innovation - giving businesses and developers an agile, customizable solution for creating unique storefronts.
To get an inside look at what makes Nimara unique and the journey behind its development, we sat down with Michał, the Chief Operating Officer at Mirumee. As one of the key figures driving Nimara's evolution, Michał shares his insights on how it addresses the real-world needs of businesses and developers alike.
Michał Ociepka
COO at Mirumee
How did Nimara get started?
Michał: Nimara began as a response to challenges we encountered during various headless commerce projects. The existing storefront options didn't offer enough flexibility and customization.
They often look good, but adapting them to user needs can sometimes become more work-intensive than starting from scratch—something we, as developers, frequently encounter. Our clients are e-commerce leaders and require more tailored solutions.
We initially created a basic storefront template to speed development and reduce repetitive coding tasks. However, we quickly realized that a simple template wasn't enough to address our clients' broader challenges.
To improve performance, they needed a flexible architecture for rapid modifications, enhanced user experience (UX), and reduced page load times.
We needed a solution beyond just a frontend template - it had to be a complete system, including a design framework and the ability to integrate with various platforms. That's when Nimara started to take shape.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in building Nimara?
Michał: One of the most significant hurdles was choosing the right technology stack. We opted to use Next.js 14 with server-side components, which was a relatively new approach at the time.
There wasn't much documentation or community support available, which made the development process more challenging. However, we were committed to using the latest technologies to ensure that Nimara would be a truly future-proof solution.
This decision paid off. Unlike many existing storefronts built on older technologies or even older versions of Next.js, Nimara benefits from the latest advancements, ensuring it doesn't accumulate technical debt.
This means our users can enjoy a more streamlined development experience and high performance as the platform evolves.
What makes Nimara different from other storefront or frontend-as-a-service solutions?
Michal: The biggest differentiator is the level of customization and control we offer. Many FaaS lock you into their ecosystem, limiting what you can do and resulting in higher costs.
With Nimara, you have full ownership of the code so that you can customize every aspect of your storefront. You're not stuck with a rigid setup or forced to pay extra fees for basic functionality.
We also tackled one of the most significant pain points in e-commerce: checkout flexibility. Using just one payment gateway doesn't always make sense for large companies operating in multiple regions.
Nimara allows you to optimize the checkout experience based on the market. For example, you might use Stripe in the USA and Adyen in Europe, depending on what's most cost-effective for each region.
This approach allows businesses to avoid the high transaction fees often associated with third-party checkout services.
You mentioned the importance of flexibility. Can you give us some examples?
Michał: Absolutely. One of the most common requests we get from clients is to make their storefront look and feel unique without compromising performance.
For instance, we often hear something like: "The user profile section is good enough, but the product page needs to look as polished as Apple's". With Nimara's architecture, we can meet those demands because a rigid set of features or outdated technologies doesn't constrain us.
Flexibility extends to technical choices as well. We use a unified stack, so developers don't have to juggle different languages for the backend and frontend layers. This consistency reduces friction during development and makes it easier to maintain the codebase over time.
It sounds like Nimara is more than just a storefront. How do you view its role in the e-commerce ecosystem?
Michał: That's a great question. We don't see Nimara as just another storefront. It's a comprehensive solution for building and scaling e-commerce experiences. When a client comes to us, they're not just getting a set of tools—they're getting an entire product design process.
It begins with in-depth product discovery to understand each client's unique requirements. Together with the client, we create a detailed project roadmap, map user stories, and hold collaborative workshops to align every aspect of the project. Then, using our design system, we determine what should be customized to create a tailored platform.
We stay in close touch with the client throughout the project, providing regular updates and keeping everyone on the same page. Our commitment doesn't stop there; we support clients from initial development through long-term maintenance and growth.
For example, if you have a Magento-based platform with over 200 plugins and need a tailor-made solution to handle complex integrations - Nimara will deliver.
We provide a set of building blocks that clients can use to create a highly customized and scalable storefront. Unlike other solutions that eventually become a "plugin nightmare," Nimara's approach ensures the code remains clean and maintainable.
Let's talk about open source. Why is it so important for Nimara?
Michał: Open source is at the core of our philosophy. It's not just about transparency. We want to create a community around Nimara where developers can contribute, share ideas, and grow.
We believe that when code is open, it drives higher quality because people know their work will be visible to the world. It also encourages innovation because ideas can be validated by the community, not just within the company.
We've had positive feedback from companies that appreciate our commitment to open source.
One of our clients recently shared feedback from their architecture team, who praised the quality and impact of our open-source contributions, noting their positive influence on project outcomes.
They told us, "It's amazing that you're not afraid to share your work with the world," which is exactly the recognition we aim for.
Open source also helps us attract top talent because contributors who are passionate about our code sometimes even join our team.
What's next for Nimara? Are there any exciting features on the horizon?
Michał: We aim to continue expanding Nimara's capabilities while keeping it as flexible as possible.
Right now, we're focused on enhancing integrations with more payment providers and exploring new e-commerce backends like Shopify. We also want to add more automation to streamline processes like stock synchronization and order management for large retailers.
Our long-term vision is to make Nimara the most adaptable storefront solution, with a modular architecture that allows businesses to customize their e-commerce setup without limitations.
Any final thoughts for those considering Nimara for their e-commerce needs?
Michał: If you're looking for a flexible, future-proof storefront, Nimara is definitely worth exploring.
We've built Nimara Storefront to solve real-world problems, whether it's avoiding vendor lock-in, optimizing checkout, or customizing the user experience.
Our open-source approach and cutting-edge technology stack give you the tools to create something truly unique.
So, if you're ready to take your e-commerce strategy to the next level, we'd love for you to try Nimara. Reach out to us for a demo presentation - I think you'll be impressed by what Nimara can offer.
Discover Nimara: Open-Source, Ready-to-Use Storefront for Business and Developers
