Wix for Developers: Quick Guide to Custom Sites

If you think Wix is only for drag‑and‑drop hobbyists, think again. With Velo, Wix’s built‑in development platform, you can add JavaScript, connect APIs, and build dynamic pages that behave like a traditional web app. The best part? You get Wix’s hosting, SEO tools, and visual editor all in one place, so you can focus on the code that matters.

Getting Started with Velo

First, enable Velo in your Wix dashboard. It adds a code panel at the bottom of the editor where you can write JavaScript that runs on the page or in the backend. The API is straightforward: wixData for database actions, wixFetch for external calls, and wixLocation for navigation.

Start with a simple contact form. Drag a form element onto the page, give each field an ID, and add this snippet:

export function submitBtn_click(event) {
  let name = $w("#nameInput").value;
  let email = $w("#emailInput").value;
  wixData.insert("Contacts", {name, email})
    .then(() => console.log("Saved"))
    .catch(err => console.error(err));
}

The code runs on the client, but you can move it to a backend file if you need extra security. Velo also supports server‑side modules, so you can create REST endpoints, handle webhooks, or run scheduled jobs without leaving the Wix environment.

When to Choose Wix Over Traditional Stacks

Wix shines when you need a fast launch, built‑in SEO, and a visual design workflow. If you’re a freelancer building a portfolio site, a small business needing an online store, or a developer creating a proof‑of‑concept, Wix cuts weeks off the timeline.

However, keep these limits in mind:

• Complex server architecture (micro‑services, custom load balancing) isn’t possible inside Wix.
• Performance tuning is limited to what Wix offers; you can’t tweak server configs.
• Exporting the site to another host requires a full rebuild.

Use Wix when you value speed, low maintenance, and a unified platform. Switch to a full stack framework like Next.js or Django if you need full control over the backend, custom databases, or advanced scaling.

Another tip: leverage Wix’s built‑in SEO settings. Set meta titles, open‑graph tags, and URL slugs directly in the editor. Combine that with schema markup via Velo’s wixSeo API, and you’ll see search rankings improve without extra plugins.

Finally, test your site on real devices. Wix’s responsive editor helps, but adding a few media queries in the Velo CSS panel can fix edge cases. Remember, the goal is a smooth user experience, not just a pretty layout.

In short, Wix for developers gives you a hybrid approach: visual design for speed and code for customization. Master the Velo APIs, know when the platform’s limits match your project, and you’ll deliver polished sites in record time.