Published Date: June 15, 2024
In the vast universe of the internet, websites come in all shapes and sizes, each crafted with its own unique set of tools and technologies. But have you ever stumbled upon a stunning website and wondered, “What website builder was used to create this?”
Whether you’re a curious web enthusiast or a savvy developer looking to glean insights from your competitors, uncovering a website’s underlying technology can be enlightening and empowering. Fortunately, you can employ several methods to decipher a site’s digital DNA and unveil its construction secrets.
Website owners and developers use several methods and tools to build websites, such as WordPress, Wix, Webflow, Kemo Saas website builder, etc. Most websites on the internet are made using these website building platforms but sometimes can be extensively customized to meet certain requirements, changing the look and functionality of the website. So, when you like a website, you must know the website builder and platform behind it so you can design the website you want.
So, let’s dive in.
Fortunately, numerous websites can analyze a website and provide insights into the technologies used to build it, including the website builder, with just a few clicks.
BuiltWith is a comprehensive tool to determine how a website is made. It not only tells what content management system (CMS) is used but also provides all the technical details about the website, such as widgets, frameworks, web hosting providers, email hosting providers, name servers, web servers, and more. Just copy and paste the domain URL of the website you’re interested in to find out the underlying technology.
For example, when we searched the website https://www.forbes.com/ in the BuiltWith tool, It showed WordPress as the Content Management System (CMS).
What CMS, as the name suggests is a dedicated platform to figure out the content management system or CMS of a website. Additionally, it also shows the website builder used. Just copy and paste the domain URL of the website and select “Detect CMS” from the dropdown next to the search bar to unveil the CMS and website builder.
Sitechekcer is mainly an SEO audit tool for SEO analysis. However, the platform has a CMS checker feature that you can use to check a website’s CMS. Just enter the domain URL and click “Check,” and you will be promoted with results showing the CMS used on that particular website.
Netcraft is also a tool to check what a website is running. Enter the domain URL and click the “LOOK UP” button. You will get a comprehensive report comprising the CMS used and the network, web trackers, site technology for both client and server side, CDN, web stats, and much more.
With the Website Lookup feature of SimilarTech, you can do a lot. You can see the recent technology changes on the website and can even track the changes. And just like other tools, you can get all the information about the construction of a website such as CMS, Server, CDN, email services and more.
W3Techs is a simple interface website that fetches website technologies such as CMS, programming language, web server, hosting provider, and much more. Just enter the website domain URL and click “Site Info,” and you will get all the information.
For a quick and easy way to uncover the website builder and CMS of a website, browser extensions (both Chrome and Firefox) are your go-to solution.
Wappalyzer has both a website and extensions (for different browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc.) to find all the underlying elements that make up the whole website. To use the Technology Lookup Tool on the website, sign up for free, enter the domain URL of your target website, and search. You will get a list of the software and technologies used. For on-the-spot results, you can install the extension and click it to fetch the website information, including the CMS and website builder, while on the website.
Whatruns is an extension that you can use to unveil all the technologies used to make a website, including the website builder and the CMS. Just install the extension and click it in the toolbar whenever you come across a stunning website to see the technology used.
Sometimes, a bit of old-fashioned sleuthing is all it takes to uncover the website builder behind a site. If you pay attention to details, the following are the different manual methods that you can use.
If you’re a web developer or have basic programming language knowledge, you are likely to be familiar with source code. There is a way for you to find out how a website is built by reading its source code.
There are different ways to open the source code of a website/webpage.
Just right-click anywhere on a blank space inside the webpage and select View Page Source.
The source code opens in a new tab with a URL structure like this: view-source: https://www.website.com
Now, inside the source code, the following are the things that you can do to find out how a website is built;
Meta Tags: Many CMS platforms and website builders include meta tags in the HTML source code. Look for meta tags like;
This can give you a clue about the platform used.
Hit and Miss: This is a hit-and-miss method. Just simply search for the names of the most famous CMS and website builders, such as Elementor, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Weebly, Webflow, Wix, WordPress, Shopify, etc. If you find a name, congratulations, you have found the CMS or the website builder.
Comments in the HTML Source: Sometimes, developers leave comments in the HTML source code indicating the CMS or website builder being used. Look for comments like <!– This site is powered by WordPress –>.
This method is similar to reading the source code but slightly different. Instead of reading the webpage’s source code, we see its folders, files, and directories. All advanced browsers have developer tools to see how a website is built.
You can either right-click on a blank space on the webpage and click “Inspect” from the Menu or open the developer tools from the browser menu under the More tools. You will see the breakdown of the website.
Under the Sources Tab, you can look for different words that give you a hint – for example, wf for webflow, wp-content for WordPress, Shopify for Shopify, etc. This is a quick method if you know what words to look for and what they mean.
Different CMS platforms have distinct file structures and naming conventions. For example, WordPress sites often have URLs with “/wp-content/” or “/wp-admin/” in them, while Wix sites may have URLs with “/editor/”.
Also, check the extensions of the individual pages on the website.
This is one of the fastest ways to identify the website builder and CMS behind a website. However, it doesn’t work if the webmaster maps the extensions to .html, etc.
Often, when the website is made using the free version of the platform, it is most likely to have the platform name in the footer of the website. For example, powered by, made with, etc. The platforms do their branding in exchange for offering the free version and even link to their platform.
If the website is using a publicly available theme or template, you might be able to identify the CMS or website builder by searching for the name or characteristics of that theme/template.
Sometimes, the favicon (the small icon displayed in the browser tab) might give you a clue about the CMS or website builder, especially if it’s a default icon associated with a particular platform.
If you can’t find the CMS or website builder through any of the methods mentioned above, consider reaching out directly to the webmaster. Contact information is often found on the website, usually in the footer or on a dedicated “Contact” page. If this also doesn’t help, try reaching out through social media channels where developers gather, or simply post your query there!
By combining these methods, you can usually determine which CMS or website builder was used to create a website. Keep in mind that some websites may have custom-built CMS or use a combination of different technologies, making identification more challenging.
By combining online website analysis tools, browser extensions for on-the-spot checks, and even manual code inspection, you’ll be well-equipped to crack the code behind any website. Don’t forget to explore the footer, themes, and favicon for sneaky clues. While some custom-built sites or those using a mix of technologies might pose a bit more challenge, this comprehensive guide empowers you to delve into the fascinating world of website construction.
Copyright 2024 KEMO DIGITAL L.L.C – All Rights Reserved