CMS Detector & Checker

What CMS is this website using?

If you want to know what CMS a website is built with, enter the domain above and run a check. Stackcrawler looks for common CMS fingerprints, page structure, scripts, metadata, generator tags, public assets, and other technology signals.

The result helps you see whether a site uses a traditional CMS like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla, a headless CMS like Sanity or Prismic, or another publishing platform.

Stackcrawler is a free CMS checker and website CMS checker for identifying what platform a site uses.

How to check what CMS a website uses

1. Enter the website URL: Paste the full domain or page URL into the CMS checker.
2. Run the CMS detection: Stackcrawler scans the website for public technical signals.
3. Review the detected CMS: If a CMS is found, you will see the platform name along with related technologies detected on the site.

CMS Detector vs CMS Checker

“CMS detector” and “CMS checker” usually mean the same thing. Both describe a tool that checks a website and tries to identify the content management system it uses.

People may search for “CMS detector,” “CMS checker,” “check CMS,” “CMS finder,” or “what CMS is this.” Stackcrawler is built to answer all of these questions with a single URL check.

How to use our CMS detector?

Step 1: Enter any domain

Getting started with our CMS detector is easy!

Scroll to the top of this page and enter the website for which you want to check CMS.

Step 2: View CMS detection results

If a CMS is detected, it will display a green notice indicating the CMS in use.

Other detected technologies will be shown beneath the green notice bar.

Which CMS does our tool detect?

Our tool detects these CMS:

• WordPress
• Drupal
• Joomla
• Sanity
• Ghost
• Duda
• HubSpot
• Prismic
• Notion

What is a CMS?

A CMS stands for Content Management System, a software tool that allows users to create, manage, and modify website content without specialized coding knowledge.

Essentially, it provides an interface for building and managing a website’s content, including text, images, and other multimedia elements, often allowing multiple users to collaborate and contribute.

For example, WordPress is a popular CMS that allows users to easily build and manage their websites.

Using a CMS offers several benefits:

• User-Friendly Interface: Most CMS platforms provide a dashboard that’s easy to navigate, making it simple to add or update content.
• Design Templates: CMS platforms often come with a variety of templates, allowing users to change the look of their website without extensive design work.
• Plugins and Extensions: By installing plugins, users can add extra features to their website, like contact forms or photo galleries.

What is a CMS detector?

A CMS detector (also known as CMS Finder) is a tool that checks a website for signs of the content management system behind it.

It can help identify whether a site is built with WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Ghost, a headless CMS, or another publishing platform.

This is useful for competitor research, lead generation, web development, migration planning, security reviews, and understanding how a website is built.

A CMS detector is an online tool or software designed to identify the Content Management System (CMS) a particular website uses.

Content Management Systems enable users to create, manage, and modify website content without extensive technical knowledge.

Popular CMS platforms include WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, and Shopify.

How Our CMS Checker Works

Stackcrawler checks publicly available website signals to identify the CMS. These signals can include HTML patterns, metadata, script paths, asset URLs, generator tags, API endpoints, common file structures, and known platform fingerprints.

A CMS checker analyzes various website elements to determine the CMS in use.

We look for various hints such as:

• HTML Source Code: Looking for unique meta tags, comments, or code structures specific to certain CMS platforms.
• URL Patterns: Identifying URL structures that are characteristic of particular CMSs.
• CSS and JavaScript Files: Checking for file names or directories commonly associated with specific CMS platforms.
• HTTP Headers: Inspecting server response headers that might reveal the CMS technology.
• Cookies: Analyzing cookies set by the website that may indicate the CMS.

Some technologies, such as Shopify and WordPress, are easier to detect because they can be detected in the source code without checking headers or static files.

Other CMS and technologies depend on checking, e.g., HTTP headers, which require more advanced detection methods.

Because the check uses public signals, results can vary. Some websites hide or remove CMS fingerprints, use custom builds, or sit behind security tools that make detection harder.

Types of CMS

CMS comes in many shapes; some are built for e-commerce platforms, some as pure CMS, and others as website builders.

Let us take a look at popular CMS across different niches.

Blogging CMS Platforms

1. WordPress.org: An open-source platform that is highly customizable, powering a significant portion of the web, and suitable for blogs and complex websites.
2. Ghost: Explicitly designed for professional publishing, offering a clean writing interface and robust content management features.
3. Blogger: A free blogging platform by Google, suitable for beginners looking to start a simple blog.

Website Builders CMS

1. Wix: A cloud-based website builder with a drag-and-drop interface, ideal for small to medium-sized businesses seeking design flexibility.
2. Squarespace: Known for its sleek, professional designs, it’s popular among creatives like photographers and designers.
3. Weebly: Offers a simple drag-and-drop interface suitable for users seeking an easy way to build websites without technical skills.
4. Webflow: Combines a CMS with advanced web design tools, allowing designers to create fully customizable websites without coding.

E-commerce CMS Platforms

1. Shopify: A user-friendly platform designed specifically for online stores, offering a range of customizable templates and integrated payment solutions.
2. Magento (Adobe Commerce): A robust, open-source e-commerce platform for large-scale businesses requiring extensive customization and scalability.
3. BigCommerce: Provides comprehensive e-commerce tools with scalability suitable for businesses aiming to grow their online presence.
4. PrestaShop: An open-source e-commerce solution offering a variety of features for building and managing online stores.
5. OpenCart: A free, open-source e-commerce platform known for its user-friendly interface and extensive plugin options.

Headless CMS

1. Contentful: A headless CMS that allows developers to create content structures and deliver content across various platforms.
2. Strapi: An open-source headless CMS that allows developers to create APIs tailored to their needs.
3. Sanity: A platform offering real-time collaboration and structured content that is suitable for delivering content across multiple channels.

Can our CMS detector detect more than CMS?

Absolutely! Stackcrawler can detect CMS such as WordPress, Sanity, Drupal, HubSpot, and more.

It can also detect platforms that act as CMSes, such as e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Wix Commerce, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce.

Website builders can also be CMS, and our tool can detect website builders such as Wix, Webflow, Canva, Framer, Weebly, and more.

You can get an overview of all CMS and technologies we detect here.

Detect website CMS with our Chrome Extension

If you want to automatically detect a website’s CMS, we have a Chrome extension that does so.

Go to our Stackcrawler Chrome extension page and install the extension there.

When enabled in Chrome, it will automatically detect CMS, web frameworks, libraries, and more.

How to Detect a CMS Manually

You can sometimes identify a CMS manually by viewing the page source, checking metadata, looking for common asset paths, or inspecting scripts and stylesheets. For example, WordPress sites often expose paths containing /wp-content/ or /wp-includes/.

Manual checks can work, but they are slow and incomplete. A CMS checker can scan multiple signals at once and return a clearer result faster.

Why Use a CMS Detection Tool?

• Competitor Analysis: Businesses may want to know what CMS their competitors use to inform their technology choices.
• Security Assessments: Identifying the CMS can help assess potential vulnerabilities or plan security measures.
• Website Development: Developers might use CMS detectors to learn how certain website features are implemented.
• Educational Purposes: Individuals interested in web development can gain insights into different CMS platforms and their usage.

Benefits of Using a CMS Detector

• Time-Saving: Quickly identifies the CMS without manual inspection.
• User-Friendly: Typically requires no technical expertise.
• Accessible: Many CMS detectors are available online for free.

Limitations

• Accuracy: Some websites use custom CMS solutions or heavily modify existing ones, making detection challenging.
• Ethical Considerations: Using CMS detectors responsibly and respecting privacy and legal guidelines are important.

How can you detect which CMS is being used by a website by looking at the source code?

Since CMS comes in many choices, many ways to detect a CMS exist. Remember that each CMS is unique and can differ significantly.

In each section below, we have listed some hints for checking the website’s source code.

Start by opening the source in your browser and look for an option called “View Source” or “View Page Source.”

We will search the source page for hints about the CMS used.

Beneath is a list of some CMS we identify:

WordPress

• Search for “wp-content” in the search field to scan the code for mentions or links to WordPress themes or plugins.
• You can also look for meta tags that include “WordPress” in the content attribute, e.g. <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 5.6" />, indicates the site is running on WordPress.

Read our full guide on how to detect a WordPress site.

Drupal

• Search for “drupal”-related terms. If you find <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 9 (https://www.drupal.org)" />, you can ensure the website is built with Drupal.

Tip: The meta attribute can be hidden, so search for Drupal in the source code, not only the meta attribute.

Read our guide on how to detect a Drupal website.

Joomla

• Look for Joomla-related terms by simply searching for “joomla”.
• You can also check for the meta tag <meta name="generator" content="Joomla! - Open Source Content Management">.

Read our guide on how to detect a Joomla website.

Sanity

• Search for “sanity”-related terms. If you, e.g., find cdn.sanity.io, you can be sure that the website is built with Sanity.
• You can also check the network headers and search for “X-Sanity-Age” or “X-Sanity-Shard.”

Read our in-depth guide on how to detect a website using Sanity.

CMS checker FAQ

What CMS is this website using?

Enter the website URL into Stackcrawler’s CMS detector. If the site exposes publicly recognizable signals, Stackcrawler will display the detected CMS.

Is this CMS checker free?

Yes. You can use Stackcrawler’s CMS checker online without creating an account.

How accurate is the CMS detector?

Accuracy depends on the signals a website exposes. Some websites clearly reveal their CMS, while others hide fingerprints, use custom setups, or block automated checks.

Can Stackcrawler detect WordPress?

Yes. Stackcrawler can detect WordPress when public WordPress signals are visible, such as common asset paths, metadata, plugins, themes, or other WordPress-specific fingerprints.

Can it detect headless CMS platforms?

Yes, Stackcrawler can detect some headless CMS platforms when their public signals are visible, including platforms like Sanity and Prismic.

What is the difference between a CMS and a website builder?

A CMS manages website content, while a website builder typically combines content editing, design tools, hosting, and templates into a single platform. Some platforms can behave as both.

How does our CMS identifier work?

A CMS identifier scans a website’s source code, HTTP headers, server, and static files (such as CSS or JS files) and matches the findings against a database to identify the CMS and other technologies.

The identified CMS will be returned to the results if a match is found.