CMS Detector — What CMS Is This Website Using?

Key takeaways

• The CMS detector identifies WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Webflow, Squarespace, Drupal, Ghost, Joomla and 50+ platforms.
• Detection reads public signals: HTML fingerprints, meta generator tags, asset paths, cookies and response headers.
• Headless and heavily customised builds may return no match — that itself indicates a custom or headless stack.
• Knowing the CMS tells you the likely hosting requirements, plugin ecosystem and migration effort.

What this page covers

• Instantly identify the CMS or website builder behind any URL.
• Uncover popular platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Wix, and custom solutions.
• Gain insights into competitor technology stacks for strategic analysis.
• Aid in migration planning by knowing the exact platform.
• Enhance cybersecurity posture by understanding known platform vulnerabilities.
• Free and easy to use for webmasters, developers, and digital marketers.

How the CMS detector works

Detection is signature matching, not magic. When you submit a domain we fetch the public homepage exactly as a browser would and read four layers of evidence. First, the meta generator tag — Drupal, Ghost, Joomla and many WordPress installs still announce themselves there in plain text. Second, asset paths: /wp-content/ and /wp-includes/ are WordPress, cdn.shopify.com is Shopify, static1.squarespace.com is Squarespace, parastorage.com is Wix.

How to read your CMS detection results

The platform name is the CMS the evidence points to. The signals list shows the specific markers found — treat a result backed by three independent signals as reliable and a single-signal result as a hypothesis. A framework detected alongside the CMS (Next.js, Astro, Nuxt) usually indicates a headless setup where the framework renders and a separate CMS stores content that is invisible from outside.

Real-world use cases

Troubleshooting

CMS not detected or shows 'Unknown'.

Some custom-built websites or highly optimized commercial sites may intentionally obscure their CMS fingerprints. The tool relies on detectable patterns; if none are found, it might indicate a proprietary system or advanced obfuscation techniques are in place. Try checking for server headers manually.

Tool shows a generic web server (e.g., Apache/Nginx) instead of CMS.

This often means the CMS itself isn't directly advertised in the server headers or common file paths. Focus on analyzing the HTML source code for meta tags, script includes, and unique class names that reveal platform-specific patterns. Sometimes, deeper inspection is required.

Inconsistent results for the same URL.

This is rare, but could happen if a website uses a CDN or reverse proxy that serves different content or headers based on geographic location or caching. Clear your browser cache or re-run the tool from a different network location to see if the issue persists. Ensure the URL is consistently formatted.

Results are too generic (e.g., 'PHP' instead of specific CMS).

Detecting 'PHP' indicates the server-side language but not necessarily the specific CMS built on it. Our tool aims for specifics, but if only language is found, it suggests the CMS's unique fingerprints are well-hidden or it's a very light custom framework. Look for complementary clues like framework traces (e.g., Laravel, Symfony) in the JavaScript or CSS.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Expecting a match on a headless or hand-coded site

Check the HTTP headers and JavaScript bundles instead; a blank CMS result often means a custom front end.

Assuming the CMS also identifies the host

Run the host checker — Shopify and Wix host their own sites, but WordPress runs on thousands of providers.

Testing a staging or cached page

Detect on the live canonical URL; cached or password-protected pages strip the fingerprints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Use this free CMS detector to check what platform any website is built on before a redesign, migration, competitive audit or outreach campaign. Pair it with the HTTP header checker for server details and the host checker to find who hosts the site.