Key Differences in Complexity: Old Wix Editor vs. Wix Studio Editor (Developer Perspective)

Wix Studio is a significant evolution from the classic Wix Editor, particularly in terms of complexity and developer-oriented features. Here’s how they compare:

Wix Classic Editor: Simplicity and Accessibility

• User-Friendly Drag-and-Drop: The classic Wix Editor is designed for ease of use, with a highly visual drag-and-drop interface. This makes it accessible for beginners and those with little to no coding experience.

• Limited Responsiveness: While you can optimise for mobile, the classic editor does not provide granular control over responsive breakpoints or advanced layout behaviours. Developers are constrained by the editor’s layout engine.

• Basic Customisation: Custom code can be added via Wix Velo, but the scope is narrower, and the development environment is tightly integrated and less intimidating for non-developers.

• Ideal For: Quick, simple sites where speed and ease of use are prioritised over advanced customisation or scalability.

Wix Studio Editor: Advanced Features and Increased Complexity

• Professional-Grade Responsive Design: Wix Studio offers true responsive layouts, custom breakpoints, and fluid grids, providing developers with fine-grained control over how sites appear and behave across various devices.

• Component-Based Design: Developers can create and reuse components, manage design systems, and implement scalable solutions—features typically found in more advanced web development environments.

• Enhanced Customisation and Coding: Wix Studio supports more extensive custom code integration, advanced marketing tools, and third-party app connections. This enables the creation of highly dynamic and interactive sites.

• New Developer Experience: The introduction of the Wix VSCode IDE (for backend code) and changes to Dev Mode mean developers now work in a more sophisticated, less visually guided environment. This can be a barrier for those used to the old, more accessible Velo interface, especially on smaller screens like laptops.

• Learning Curve: The advanced features and new workflows introduce a steeper learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with responsive design principles, component systems, or modern IDEs.

• Ideal For: Professional developers, agencies, and advanced users building complex, scalable, and highly customised websites.

Wix Classic Editor: Simplicity and Accessibility

• User-Friendly Drag-and-Drop: The classic Wix Editor is designed for ease of use, with a highly visual drag-and-drop interface. This makes it accessible for beginners and those with little to no coding experience.

• Limited Responsiveness: While you can optimise for mobile, the classic editor does not provide granular control over responsive breakpoints or advanced layout behaviours. Developers are constrained by the editor’s layout engine.

• Basic Customisation: Custom code can be added via Wix Velo, but the scope is narrower, and the development environment is tightly integrated and less intimidating for non-developers.

• Ideal For: Quick, simple sites where speed and ease of use are prioritised over advanced customisation or scalability.

Wix Studio Editor: Advanced Features and Increased Complexity

• Professional-Grade Responsive Design: Wix Studio offers true responsive layouts, custom breakpoints, and fluid grids, providing developers with fine-grained control over how sites appear and behave across various devices.

• Component-Based Design: Developers can create and reuse components, manage design systems, and implement scalable solutions—features typically found in more advanced web development environments.

• Enhanced Customisation and Coding: Wix Studio supports more extensive custom code integration, advanced marketing tools, and third-party app connections. This enables the creation of highly dynamic and interactive sites.

• New Developer Experience: The introduction of the Wix VSCode IDE (for backend code) and changes to Dev Mode mean developers now work in a more sophisticated, less visually guided environment. This can be a barrier for those used to the old, more accessible Velo interface, especially on smaller screens like laptops.

• Learning Curve: The advanced features and new workflows introduce a steeper learning curve, especially for those unfamiliar with responsive design principles, component systems, or modern IDEs.

• Ideal For: Professional developers, agencies, and advanced users building complex, scalable, and highly customised websites.

Conclusion

From a developer’s standpoint, Wix Studio is distinctly more complicated than the old Wix Editor. While it offers vastly greater power, flexibility, and scalability, it does so at the cost of a steeper learning curve and a more complex development environment. This makes it better suited to professionals and teams with experience in modern web development practices, while the classic editor remains ideal for those seeking simplicity and speed.

Conclusion

From a developer’s standpoint, Wix Studio is distinctly more complicated than the old Wix Editor. While it offers vastly greater power, flexibility, and scalability, it does so at the cost of a steeper learning curve and a more complex development environment. This makes it better suited to professionals and teams with experience in modern web development practices, while the classic editor remains ideal for those seeking simplicity and speed.