How to check which website platform is used?

When you visit a website that looks super cool, have you ever wondered, “How did they make this?” or “What platform is behind this website?”
Well, guess what? Every website uses different tools and platforms, similar to how other houses are built with various bricks and designs.
In this article, we will be like detectives, uncovering the secrets behind how websites are made. We’ll learn how to check what platform a website is built on, whether it’s WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, or something else.
This is useful if you’re considering making your website and need inspiration or curiosity.
So, grab your detective hat, and let’s start this journey into the world of websites and their platforms!
Use a tool
There are many different tools for this purpose, and I would check with more than one tool to ensure it gives the correct answer.
Let’s dig into the list by starting with website tools.
Website Tools
- Stackcrawler: Go to the front page and type the website you’re curious about. This tool is completely free; you can analyze as many websites as you like.
- BuiltWith: You go to their website, type in the website address you’re curious about, and voila! It tells you the platform and other tech stuff the site uses.
- Wappalyzer: This is another super tool. It works as a browser extension to add it to your web browser. When you visit a website, you can click on the Wappalyzer icon, which will show you the technology behind the site.
- WhatCMS: From the name, you can guess it tells you about a CMS (Content Management System) like WordPress. Just type in the website’s address to find out if it’s using a CMS and which one.
- SimilarTech: This one’s cool because it explains the tech and provides stats and insights about the website’s usage and popularity.
- Sitechecker: This tool is excellent for a quick peek into a website’s platform and offers extra goodies like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) analysis.
Chrome extensions
You can add some extensions to your browser for Chrome users who love exploring the tech behind websites. These extensions make finding out what platform a website is built on.
Here are a few you might want to check out:
- Stackcrawler: Stackcrawler technology profiler is a tool designed to help developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts uncover the technology stacks behind any website. It can detect CMS, e-commerce platforms, WordPress themes, Squarespace themes, Shopify Apps, etc.
- TechStack: This extension gives you a quick view of the technology stack of a website. It’s simple to use; click on the TechStacks icon on a site, and it’ll show you the tech it’s built with.
- BuiltWith Technology Profiler: Like Wappalyzer, this extension gives you a rundown of all the tech behind a website. Click the BuiltWith icon for a detailed website technology stack list.
- WhatRuns: Want to know the platform, plugins, and themes a website uses? WhatRuns can tell you that. Just click on the WhatRuns icon to get a detailed report on what’s running on the site.
- Wappalyzer: Click on the Wappalyzer icon in your browser, and it’ll show you the technologies used on your website, from the platform to the analytics tools and everything in between.
Firefox Addons
Firefox fans who want to learn about the tech behind websites can also use cool add-ons.
Here are some great ones to try:
- Wappalyzer: Just like in Chrome, Wappalyzer is also available for Firefox. It’s super easy to use. When you’re on a website, click the Wappalyzer icon, and it’ll tell you all about the tech the site is using, from the platform to other excellent tools.
- BuiltWith: Yep, BuiltWith is here for Firefox users too! Install this add-on, and with a simple click on the BuiltWith icon, you’ll get a detailed list of all the technologies powering the website you’re visiting.
- WhatRuns: This add-on is like having detective eyes for your browser. When you click on the WhatRuns icon on a website, it reveals the platform and any plugins and themes the site is using.
- New Library Detector: This one’s a bit more specific. It’s great for discovering what JavaScript libraries are used on a website. Click the icon to show you libraries like jQuery, React, and Angular.
Check the source code
Here’s how you can check a website’s source code:
- Open the Website: First, visit the website you’re curious about.
- View the Source Code: Right-click anywhere on the webpage (but not on images or videos) and select “View Page Source” or something similar. This opens up a new tab with the website’s HTML code.
- Look for Clues:
- CMS Clues: For websites built with popular Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, you might see specific comments in the HTML, like
<!-- This is WordPress -->
or similar lines that mention the CMS. - JavaScript Libraries: If the site uses JavaScript libraries like jQuery or frameworks like React, you can find references in the
<script>
tags. Look for lines that include links or names of these libraries. - Theme and Plugin Hints: Sometimes, you can tell if a site uses WordPress or another CMS by looking for theme or plugin names in the URLs within the source code. URLs might include
/wp-content/themes/
or/wp-content/plugins/
, indicating WordPress themes and plugins.
- CMS Clues: For websites built with popular Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, you might see specific comments in the HTML, like
- Search for Specific Patterns: Use the browser’s search feature (usually Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to find keywords like “WordPress,” “wp-content,” “Joomla,” “Drupal,” “Shopify,” “Magento,” or any other platform you suspect the site might be using.
- Check the CSS: Sometimes, the CSS file names or comments within them can give away the platform or the theme being used. Look for links to CSS files and check if they contain any platform-specific terms.
One tip: Some websites might minify their HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files (compressing them to load the website faster), making it harder to read the source code. But don’t worry; even in minified code, you can still search for keywords or the patterns mentioned above.
Christoffer Pettersen
Founder, Web developerPettersen is the founder of Stackcrawler, a platform that helps analyze tech stacks. He is passionate about new trends and technologies in the software industry.