What you choose to build on Wix shapes the tools you work with, the audience you reach, and how Wix services fit into your project. There are 3 main paths to choose from:
- Extend websites: Customize a Wix Editor or Studio site using code.
- Go headless: Build your own frontend and connect to Wix services using Wix APIs.
- Build apps: Build installable apps that Wix users can add to their sites.
When you extend a Wix site, you add custom code to a Wix Editor or Studio site or dashboard using the JavaScript SDK. Code runs on the site itself, both in the frontend and the backend. You have full access to Wix business solutions like Stores, Bookings, and Events, plus the Wix CMS for data.
Extending a Wix site is a good fit when:
- You want to use Wix's drag-and-drop design tools.
- You're building or extending a single site.
- You want a managed backend without setting up infrastructure.
- You want to use Wix business solutions and a managed CMS.
Note: Harmony sites don't support extending with code.
Editor and Studio differ in their design tools and target audience:
- Wix Editor: Wix's classic site builder, suited to standard sites and simpler design needs.
- Wix Studio: An advanced web creation platform for agencies, freelancers, and enterprises, with more powerful design tools and team collaboration features.
From a developer's perspective, the 2 are very similar. They share the same site code model, business solution access, and app-extension support. The choice is primarily about design tooling, as well as several additional differences, such as:
- Custom CSS: CSS styling via global.css and a per-element CSS Classes panel is only available in Wix Studio.
- Dev Mode: Coding requires enabling Dev Mode in the Wix Editor. In Wix Studio, coding is always available.
- Wix IDE (Beta): Wix Studio offers a browser-based VS Code environment.
To get started, see Extend Websites with SDK.
In a headless project, you build your own site or app using any framework and any tech stack. You then connect to Wix services like the CMS, eCommerce, and Bookings through Wix APIs. Wix users manage these services through the same dashboard used for Wix sites built in the Wix editors.
Going headless is a good fit when:
- You want to develop your own frontend while benefiting from Wix's business solutions.
- You're working in a non-JavaScript language or framework.
- You need to integrate Wix services into an existing site or app.
- You're building a mobile app or other non-web client.
Headless projects can be Wix-managed or self-managed:
- Wix-managed headless: The recommended variety for most headless projects. Wix handles hosting, scaling, and infrastructure for you.
- Self-managed headless: Choose self-managed when Wix-managed doesn't fit, for example when you need specific hosting infrastructure, want to integrate with an existing app, are building your frontend in a vibe coding platform like Base44 or Lovable, or are deploying from Claude Design. You handle hosting, deployment, and scaling.
Both give you full access to Wix's services and APIs. The choice is primarily about how much infrastructure you want to manage.
To get started, see Go Headless.
When you build an app, you create an installable package that Wix users add to their sites. Apps bundle extensions for site UI, dashboard functionality, backend logic, and business-solution integrations. You distribute apps through the App Market or privately to specific sites.
Building an app is a good fit when:
- You want your code to be reusable across many Wix sites.
- You want to distribute your software through the App Market or privately.
- You're building functionality that isn't site-specific.
Apps can be installed on most Wix site types. Some extension types are limited on certain site types.
Apps use one of the following frameworks:
- Wix CLI: The recommended framework for most apps. You develop locally with a standard JavaScript stack using TypeScript, React, and Node.js, collaborate through Git, and deploy to Wix's cloud. Wix handles token management, scaling, and infrastructure for you.
- Self-managed: Choose self-managed when the CLI doesn't fit, for example when you need to integrate an existing service, work in a language other than JavaScript or TypeScript, or run on your own infrastructure. You handle token management, hosting, deployment, and scaling.
- Wix Blocks: A visual app editor for building widgets and dashboard extensions with drag-and-drop UI and coding similar to the way you extend websites.
These frameworks aren't mutually exclusive. You can mix them within a single app, with extensions using different frameworks if it makes sense. Most apps start with the CLI and add other frameworks only when needed.
To get started, see Build Apps.
Use this decision tree to find the right Wix tool for what you're building. Start at the top and follow the branches that match your needs.
- Types of Wix Sites covers how site types interact with each development path.
- Wix Business Solutions covers how each path integrates with Wix's built-in business tools.
- Developer Tools covers the tools each path relies on.