I Used Elementor for Years
I think Elementor is a fantastic tool. I’ll probably use it again in the future, but it’s not WordPress. I’ve leaned on Elementor since before the Block Editor was introduced because it works well. I love it for many of the same reasons people love platforms like Wix- everything you need is built in, and all the design can implemented within the UI.
As an engineer, I like to think of the UI as a “solved problem.” Tools like Elementor allow me to implement designs without needing to write new code or spend extra time creating custom components. It’s quick and flexible, and I can go from concept to page in minutes.
The Problem with Proprietary Builders
Platforms like Wix or Squarespace have made creating websites incredibly accessible for users, but they come with some drawbacks. While these platforms likely don’t claim ownership of the content you host through their services, there’s a catch: your site’s design and structure are wrapped up in their proprietary systems. You don’t fully own the presentation of your content because it’s implemented via their application.
This isn’t about picking on Wix (their name is just conveniently short); it’s about how their platforms are built. You can host your content, but if you want to move your site away from their platform, you’re faced with a lot of limitations. Moving from Wix to a new platform would essentially require rebuilding your UI from scratch if you want to maintain the same look and feel.
Why I Advocate for the Open Web
I believe in the open web, where full ownership of both content and its presentation is possible. This is why WordPress is such a powerful tool: I can move this site to virtually any server running a PHP stack within minutes. My content, design, and functionality all come with it. There are no proprietary dependencies preventing me from owning my site outright.
WordPress’s open-source nature means freedom and flexibility for anyone who builds and manages their site with it. That ownership is something I don’t want to compromise on, and it’s why I’m deliberately learning the Block Editor at last.
Elementor: Great Tool, but It’s Not WordPress
Don’t get me wrong—Elementor is a great product, and I will use it again. But by relying on it, I’ve been avoiding digging deeper into WordPress’s native Block Editor (Gutenberg). The Block Editor is still a WIP in my opinion, because I can’t use it like I can use Elementor. But it’s also clear that it does a lot more than I know how to use. So I’m here to learn the Block Editor inside and out, because it IS WordPress.
Leave a Reply