Ailiniyazi Maimaiti
Founder, AI Website Detector · 2026-04-02
Knowing what technology stack a website runs on gives you real insight into how it was built, what team maintains it, and what capabilities it has. This step-by-step guide shows you every method for uncovering any site's tech stack — from automated tools to manual inspection.
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The fastest starting point is an automated technology detector. Paste the URL into AIWebsiteDetector.com for an instant readout:
This catches 80–90% of cases instantly. For edge cases and more detail, continue with the steps below.
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Press Ctrl+U (Windows) or Cmd+U (Mac) to view source. Search for these patterns:
To find the builder:
/wp-content/ → WordPresswebflow.com in URLs → Webflowframerusercontent.com → Framercdn.shopify.com → Shopifystatic.wixstatic.com → WixTo find the frontend framework:
or → React/Vue app
_next/static/ → Next.js
__nuxt → Nuxt.js
ng-version attribute → AngularTo find the CMS:
Look for the generator meta tag: ---
Step 3: Check Network Requests
Open Chrome DevTools (F12) → Network tab → reload the page:
Filter by All to see everything loading
Click the main document (first entry) → Headers tab
Look at response headers for platform signals
Filter by XHR/Fetch to see API calls — these reveal backend frameworks API call patterns:
/wp-json/ or /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php → WordPress
/api/builder/ → Webflow CMS
/storefront/ or /cart.js → Shopify---
Step 4: Read the JavaScript Globals
Open the browser console (F12 → Console) and check for global variables:
// Check for common platform globals
window.Shopify // Shopify
window.woocommerce // WooCommerce
window._wpemojiSettings // WordPress
window.Webflow // Webflow
window.__framer // Framer
Type these one by one in the console. A defined object means the platform is active.
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Step 5: Use DNS and WHOIS Data
DNS records can reveal the hosting provider:
CNAME to vercel-dns.com → Vercel
CNAME to netlify.com → Netlify
CNAME to webflow.io → Webflow (before custom domain)
MX records starting with aspmx.l.google.com → Google Workspace Use MXToolbox or dig from the terminal:
dig CNAME example.com
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Common Tech Stacks You'll Find
Startup marketing site: Framer + Cloudflare + Segment + Intercom
E-commerce store: Shopify + Klaviyo + Meta Pixel + Gorgias
Content site: WordPress + WooCommerce + Google Analytics + Yoast
SaaS app: Next.js on Vercel + Supabase + Stripe + Posthog
Portfolio: Webflow + Cloudflare + Google Analytics
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What If You Can't Identify the Stack?
If automated detection fails and manual inspection is inconclusive:
Try different pages: The homepage might be custom; the blog might run on Ghost.
Check the careers page: Job listings often mention the tech stack explicitly.
Look at GitHub: Many companies have public repos with their stack visible.
Ask LinkedIn: Engineering posts often mention the technology used. ---
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I detect the tech stack of any website?
You can detect most sites' stacks with high accuracy. Sites that actively obfuscate (proxy CDN assets, remove generator tags, custom-bundle scripts) are harder to identify, but patterns still leak through in DOM structure and API calls.
What's the easiest way to find what framework a website uses?
Use AIWebsiteDetector.com for an instant readout. For manual inspection, check for _next/static (Next.js), __vue__ in the DOM (Vue), or ng-version attributes (Angular).
How do I know what CMS a website uses?
The fastest method: check for /wp-content/ in source (WordPress), ghost.io in scripts (Ghost), squarespace.com in CDN URLs (Squarespace). Or use AIWebsiteDetector.com for instant detection.
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