The Internet is teeming with website builders who take the strain out of creating a website for individuals and professionals. These platforms' strengths lie in removing the layers of complexity to make website creation accessible. While there is no archetypal model, a Website Builder typically includes features that enable users to create websites without coding (or with minimal coding). These features define how user-friendly and flexible the platform is. Here are the key ones:-

1. Web-Based Platform

  • Cloud-Hosted & Accessible Anywhere: No need for local installation; accessible via a browser.
  • Automatic Updates & Maintenance: Platforms handle software updates, security patches, and performance optimisations.
  • Collaborative Editing: Multiple users can work on a website in real-time, similar to Google Docs.

Examples: Webflow, Wix, Squarespace, WeWeb.

2. Visual Editing & Drag-and-Drop UI

  • Live, WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) Editing – Users can see changes in real-time.
  • Drag-and-Drop Interface – Visual placement of elements like text, images, buttons, and sections.
  • Pre-designed Blocks & Templates – Ready-made sections (headers, footers, galleries) for faster design.

Examples: Webflow, Wix, Squarespace, Elementor (WordPress).

3. Design Flexibility & Customisation

  • Custom Layout Control – Support for CSS Grid, Flexbox, or absolute positioning.
  • Breakpoints & Responsive Design – Full control over how elements behave on mobile, tablet, and desktop.
  • Animations & Interactions – Advanced motion effects like hover states, scroll effects, and parallax.

Examples: Webflow, Framer, Wix Studio.

4. Built-in CMS (Content Management System)

  • Dynamic Content Collections: Allows users to manage content like blog posts, products, team members, etc.
  • Structured Data Management: Users can define fields (e.g., title, image, category) for their content.
  • Automatic Page Generation: The dynamic creation of pages based on structured content within templates.

Examples: Webflow CMS, WordPress (via Elementor), Squarespace.

5. Hosting & Performance Management

  • Built-in Hosting – No need to set up separate hosting (e.g., Webflow, Wix, Squarespace host your site for you).
  • CDN Integration – Ensures fast global loading speeds.
  • SSL & Security – Auto-generated SSL certificates, DDoS protection.

Examples: Webflow, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace.

6. SEO & Marketing Tools

SEO-Friendly Code – Clean HTML, automatic meta tags, sitemap generation.

Schema Markup Support – Helps with Google indexing.

Integrations – Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, email marketing tools.

Examples: Webflow, Framer, Wix.

7. E-Commerce & Payment Integration

  • Product Management – Ability to list products, set pricing, and track inventory.
  • Checkout & Payments – Support for Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, etc.
  • Custom Cart & Checkout Pages – More advanced platforms allow for styling and logic customisation.

Examples: Shopify, Wix eCommerce.

8. Code & Developer Support

  1. Custom Code Injection – Allows the addition of JavaScript, HTML, or CSS for deeper customisation.
  2. API & Webhooks – Enables integration with external databases and services.
  3. Exportable Code – Some builders (like Webflow) let users download clean HTML, CSS, and JS.

Examples: Webflow, WeWeb, WordPress.

9. AI & Automation Features

  • AI-Generated Designs – Some platforms create layouts automatically.
  • AI-Powered Content Writing – Auto-generates website copy.
  • Automated Image Optimisation – Ensures fast loading speeds.

Examples: Framer, Wix, Squarespace.

10. Memberships, User Logins & Custom Logic (A Lesser Feature in 2024)

  • Membership & User Accounts – Users can log in, access gated content, and have custom experiences.
  • Custom Logic & Workflows – Some platforms allow for conditional logic, automation, and dynamic actions.
  • No-Code Databases – Connects to backend tools for deeper functionality.

Examples: Bubble, WeWeb.

Website Builders have limitations—Decoupling is the Solution

Website builders' features make them accessible and efficient, often delivering solutions to various use cases without stepping outside the native feature set. A website builder and a robust CMS will be sufficient in these instances. However, the limitations become apparent for those requiring greater control, advanced functionality, or seamless integrations with external databases and services. Many platforms rely on proprietary CMS structures, restrict back-end flexibility, or lack robust API integrations, making it difficult for businesses to scale beyond their original choice. These in-built limitations create challenges which necessitate a different approach.

Decoupling is the separation of the front-end and back-end to create a more modular, scalable, and platform-agnostic architecture.

The web development industry must increasingly shift towards decoupling to address these challenges, and this is the separation of the front-end and back-end to create a more modular, scalable, and platform-agnostic architecture. Decoupled systems provide more flexibility and long-term sustainability by allowing developers to pair powerful front-end tools with specialised back-end solutions like Xano, Supabase, and Firebase.

Where Webflow and its competitors stand in this shift

Webflow with its many great features, remains a Website Builder of choice, but like other CMS-driven platforms, it does have back-end limitations. With continual pressures on developers to create connected and more complex ecosystems like membership, directory, community and interconnected websites across the web and mobile, the decoupled model is the stand-out solution. Platforms like WeWeb, Bubble.io, Plasmic, Builder.io, Draftbit, Retool, Appsmith and other front-end builders, often using Xano, Supabase & Firebase powered back-ends, are leading this evolution. They are increasingly offering an attractive alternative approach to website design and development. The ability to switch front-ends, maintain back-end consistency, and scale without being locked into a single vendor separates future-ready builders from those who will struggle to adapt.

Webflow has made some efforts to keep up with these demand-pull requirements; however, its focus on core website builder functions, albeit with more advanced components and third-party integrations like the Wized application layer and API capabilities, leaves the door open for competitors looking to advance in this area. If, for example, Framer were to introduce a native integration with Xano, Supabase, or Firebase, extending or even replacing its current CMS, it would provide a significant leap toward a truly scalable and flexible platform.

Despite its legacy, WordPress continues to evolve with headless capabilities, allowing it to remain relevant in the shift toward decoupled web development. While it remains adaptable with its open-source and highly customisable MySQL database, built-in user management, and expansive plugin ecosystem, its core architecture is still fundamentally monolithic. The emergence of headless WordPress setups and third-party integrations with backends like Xano reinforce its flexibility. However, unlike fully API-first platforms, WordPress' role in decoupled web development remains secondary—dependent on third-party tools and integrations rather than a built-in API-first approach. As far as WordPress is concerned, the lack of native API-first architecture, security concerns, and performance overhead keep it positioned alongside other traditional (monolithic) CMS platforms rather than as a true decoupled solution.

What is a Traditional (Monolithic) CMS?

A traditional (monolithic) CMS is a system where the front-end (presentation layer) and back-end (content management, database, and logic) have a tight integration into a single platform. This configuration means the CMS stores content and delivers it to users through built-in templates and themes.

Key Features of a Monolithic CMS

Tightly Coupled Structure – The CMS controls the content and its display.

Predefined Front-end – Websites use the CMS's built-in themes and templates.

Built-in Database: Content is stored and managed within the CMS's database.

Plugins & Extensions: Plugins & extensions add functionality within the CMS environment.

Examples of Traditional (Monolithic) CMS Platforms

WordPress

WordPress is the most widely used CMS, with 10x that of the closest competitor, relying on PHP and MySQL with built-in themes and plugins. It powers a significant portion of the web, over 500 million websites, and is highly extensible through plugins but remains fundamentally monolithic unless used in a headless configuration.

Drupal

Drupal is a modular CMS that offers greater flexibility and developer control but remains tightly coupled by default. While it provides more structured content management than WordPress, it still follows the monolithic model unless decoupled manually.

Wix

Wix is a hosted website builder integrating front-end design and back-end content management into a single platform. Wix provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface with built-in hosting but lacks the flexibility of a decoupled system.

Squarespace

Squarespace is a monolithic website builder offering an all-in-one website creation and content management solution. While it provides elegant design templates, its backend and front end remain tightly coupled, limiting advanced customisation options. Hosted website builders that integrate front-end design and back-end content management into a single platform. These platforms are user-friendly and offer built-in hosting but lack the flexibility of a decoupled system.

Shopify

Shopify is a monolithic eCommerce CMS with a built-in storefront and database. It is highly optimised for online retail but restricts customisation outside its predefined structure, requiring third-party apps for advanced functionality.

Joomla

Joomla is another popular monolithic CMS that offers more flexibility than Wix or Squarespace but remains tightly coupled with its backend, requiring extensions for added functionality.

Adobe Commerce (Magento)

Adobe Commerce (Magneto) is a powerful monolithic CMS designed for eCommerce. It provides more control than Shopify but remains a heavy, server-intensive solution without built-in decoupling.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a SaaS-based eCommerce platform that operates monolithically by default but offers robust headless capabilities for enterprise scalability.

‍How Traditional CMS Platforms are Adapting

While traditional monolithic CMS platforms have limitations, many are evolving to bridge the gap between fully coupled and decoupled systems. Through API integrations, third-party tools, and two-way sync solutions, these platforms are offering increasing levels of flexibility.

Decoupling WordPress

  • Headless WordPress – Using WordPress as a backend while leveraging a separate front-end built with Next.js, Gatsby, or React.
  • Whalesync – Two-way sync between WordPress and Airtable or other databases.
  • GraphQL (WPGraphQL) – The open-source WPGraphQL Plugin is a more efficient way to fetch data from WordPress for decoupled front-ends.

Decoupling Shopify

  • Shopify Headless Commerce - Hydrogen & Oxygen – Shopify's headless framework for building custom storefronts.
  • Third-Party Front-end Builders – Using tools like Builder.io or Shogun to separate front-end control.
  • API Integrations – Connecting Shopify to JAMstack front-ends for enhanced flexibility.

Decoupling Webflow

  • Whalesync – Two-way sync between Webflow and Airtable or other databases.
  • Custom API Workflows – Using Webflow CMS while exposing data to external applications.
  • Wized – The "application layer on top of your Webflow project" adds API-driven functionality, making Webflow more dynamic.
  • Outseta & Memberstack – Enable authentication and user accounts.
  • Custom API Workflows – Using Webflow CMS while exposing data to external applications.

Decoupling BigCommerce

  • Headless Commerce APIs – BigCommerce provides REST & GraphQL APIs that allow developers to fetch product data, handle authentication, and manage checkout flows without relying on the default storefront.‍
  • Next.js & Gatsby – These popular front-end frameworks integrate seamlessly with BigCommerce for dynamic or static site generation.‍
  • Third-Party CMS Connections – BigCommerce can be paired with Contentful, Sanity, or WordPress to create a hybrid backend.‍
  • Hosting Options – Netlify is often used for JAMstack deployments due to its serverless functions and automated buildsther hosting options like Vercel, Cloudflare Pages, or AWS can also be used for a headless BigCommerce storefront.

By leveraging these adaptations and integrations, traditional CMS platforms can provide the best of both worlds—the ease of use of monolithic systems with the flexibility and scalability of a decoupled approach.

How is a Decoupled CMS Different?

A decoupled CMS separates the back-end (content storage and management) from the front-end (presentation and user experience). Instead of being locked into a single platform, developers can use APIs to connect any front-end framework to their CMS, allowing greater flexibility, scalability, and control.

Examples of Fully Decoupled Front-end Builders

While some platforms fall behind or adapt, a substantial selection of fully decoupled front-end builders lead the way.

WeWeb

WeWeb is a powerful front-end builder that allows developers to create dynamic, API-driven applications with complete design freedom. WeWeb integrates seamlessly with backends like Xano, Supabase, and Airtable, making it an excellent choice for businesses that need scalability and flexibility without backend constraints.

Bubble.io

Bubble.io is a no-code platform that enables users to build complex web applications without writing code. While Bubble provides an internal database, it fully supports external API integrations, making it a flexible option for those looking to connect to headless backends like Xano and Firebase.

Plasmic

Plasmic is a visual development tool and front-end builder for React applications. Plasmic is unique because it allows developers to design UIs visually while integrating them directly into modern front-end frameworks like Next.js, making it a strong option for API-first architectures.

Builder.io

Builder.io is a headless visual CMS and front-end builder that allows teams to create dynamic, API-driven websites while maintaining complete control over the design. Builder.io integrates seamlessly with modern frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular, making it a popular choice for headless CMS implementations.

Draftbit

Draftbit is a visual development platform for building React Native mobile applications. Unlike traditional mobile app builders, Draftbit enables developers to connect their applications to external APIs and databases, allowing complete backend flexibility and decoupled architecture.

Retool

Retool is a low-code platform designed to build internal business tools. Retool is frontend-focused, providing easy integrations with databases like PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Firebase and API-based backends like Xano and Supabase.

Appsmith

Appsmith is an open-source front-end builder geared towards internal business applications. Appsmith allows teams to create dashboards, admin panels, and workflows while integrating with external databases and APIs, making it a strong contender in the decoupled development space.

The Future of Web Development: The Shift to Modular and Decoupled Systems

As the demand for greater flexibility increases, the ability to connect a front-end builder to a high-performance backend like Xano or Supabase is becoming a crucial advantage. Businesses that adopt a decoupled architecture can innovate faster, reduce reliance on restrictive ecosystems, and future-proof their applications.

The website builders who will win the race embrace this model, offering true platform agnosticism, where front-end and back-end technologies can mix and match freely, ensuring adaptability, scalability, and long-term sustainability across multiple digital platforms. This separation allows businesses to update, modify, or completely replace one layer of their tech stack without disrupting the other, leading to lower costs and enhanced performance over time.

Moreover, as artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven decision-making become more integral to digital strategies, decoupled systems provide the agility needed to integrate emerging technologies seamlessly. The companies and platforms that invest in this approach today will be in the best position to scale across the web, mobile, and beyond—delivering cohesive user experiences without being locked into a single vendor's limitations.

The question is no longer whether decoupling is the future but whether traditional CMS platforms can adapt quickly enough to remain competitive. Monolithic systems that fail to evolve will struggle to keep up as businesses increasingly seek modular, API-first architectures that offer scalability and freedom from vendor lock-in.

Full decoupling makes the most sense for some—moving away from the CMS model entirely and leveraging headless backends paired with flexible front-end builders. Others may take a hybrid approach, adapting their existing CMS with API-driven workflows and third-party integrations to achieve greater modularity.

Ultimately, the platforms that thrive will embrace either full decoupling or modular evolution, allowing businesses to scale beyond the limits of traditional web development. As AI, automation, and cross-platform experiences continue to shape digital strategies, only those who adopt adaptable and interoperable architectures will remain ahead of the curve.—those who hesitate are at risk of sidestepping in a market where adaptability and interoperability define success. As the demand for more flexibility grows, the ability to connect a front-end builder to a high-performance backend like Xano or Supabase is becoming a crucial advantage. The future of web development is no longer a choice between monolithic or fully decoupled systems; instead, it is a choice of how to blend these two models to maximise flexibility. Platforms that embrace modularity, API-first architectures, and third-party integrations will dominate the industry, allowing businesses to scale without limits.

Those who recognise the power of decoupling—while leveraging the best of monolithic systems—will be the ones to gain the competitive edge.