Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
– Steve Jobs
With WordPress drag and drop builders, design isn’t just for developers anymore—it’s for everyone. These tools take the mystery out of website building, making it easy to create something visually appealing and functional without a single line of code. Imagine dragging images, text boxes, and buttons exactly where you want them, watching your vision unfold in real-time.
In this post, we’ll understand how to create a drag and drop website builder, why these intuitive tools are so popular, and how they’re changing the way we think about website design.
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What Is Drag And Drop?
A drag and drop WordPress page builder enhances user experience, allowing users to place elements precisely where they want on a page or post. These WordPress drag and drop visual tools enable you to build web pages without any coding knowledge. With an intuitive interface, you can select from a variety of pre-designed elements, drag them onto a canvas, and arrange them freely. Customizing elements like text boxes, images, buttons, and columns is easy with simple point-and-click controls, letting you see the results of your changes in real time.
Why Use a Drag-and-Drop Builder on WordPress?
Before we get into specific features and tools, let’s take a look at why a drag and drop in WordPress page builder might be ideal for your website.
- Ease of Use
Drag-and-drop builders eliminate the need to understand complex coding languages. With an intuitive interface, you can visually place elements on your page, so what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG).
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Time Efficiency
WordPress drag and drop builders streamline the design process, allowing you to quickly create pages that look polished and professional without endless back-and-forths with a developer.
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Creative Control
Drag-and-drop editors allow you to control layout and design more freely than many ecommerce theme customizers alone. You can experiment with different styles, layouts, and colors, achieving a unique look.
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Cost Savings
By using a drag-and-drop builder, you can save money on development fees and still create a well-designed site. Many builders come with free versions or affordable subscriptions, making them budget-friendly.
How Do Drag-And-Drop Builders Operate?
In this section, we’ll delve into the technical workings of WordPress drag and drop page builders:
A. Frontend vs. Backend Editing
A defining feature of drag-and-drop builders is the flexibility to edit content on either the front end or back end, each with advantages and considerations.
Frontend Editing: Frontend editing offers a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) experience, allowing users to make changes directly on the site’s live view. This feature is often made possible by JavaScript tools like React or Vue.js.
Backend Editing: Backend editing takes place in the WordPress admin panel, where users work with an abstract version of the site, often represented by blocks or modules.
B. HTML Structure and CSS Generation
WordPress drag and drop builders must generate clean, semantically structured HTML while enabling extensive customization.
CSS Generation: As users customize the design of each element, the builder generates corresponding CSS rules on demand, either embedding the CSS directly in the HTML or adding it as a separate stylesheet.
C. JavaScript Frameworks (e.g., React, Vue.js)
React: With its component-based architecture, React aligns well with the modular nature of page builders and allows each element to be encapsulated as a component.
Vue.js: Known for its simplicity and flexibility, Vue.js supports reactive data binding, providing immediate visual feedback when users make adjustments.
D. Database Interaction and Content Storage
- Content Serialization: Builders often serialize content and layout information into JSON or a similar format before storing it in the database.
- Versioning and Revisions: To enable features like undo/redo and version history, wordpress drag and drop builders require a strong version control system.
- Performance Considerations: Database interactions can slow down as page complexity grows. To counter this, many builders use caching at the database query and object levels.
Also Read
8 Best WordPress Landing Page Themes
9+ Most Popular And Best Ecommerce WordPress Themes
Best Drag And Drop Page Builders
Here is the list of the best WordPress page builders that everyone should know:
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SeedProd
SeedProd is a premium WordPress page builder that lets you create custom themes and websites without coding. It offers a drag-and-drop builder with hundreds of pre-made templates. It also includes landing pages, sales pages, and more.
SeedProd is fast and SEO-friendly, featuring custom blocks, integrations with email services, and WooCommerce support. Its AI builder generates content and translates your site into 50+ languages. This WordPress drag and drop page builder is suitable for agencies with its domain mapping feature.
Why we recommend it: SeedProd is the fastest and most affordable page builder with a diverse template library and customization options.
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Thrive Architect
Thrive Architect is an intuitive page builder with 357+ pre-designed layouts. It allows for easy front-end editing and the addition of conversion-focused elements like call-to-action buttons, testimonials, and countdown timers. It’s ideal for creating custom blog layouts and testing pages with Thrive Optimize.
Why we recommend it: Thrive Architect is perfect for beginners. It offers a fast and easy way to create custom pages with a vast library of templates.
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Beaver Builder
Beaver Builder is a user-friendly drag-and-drop page builder with a live interface. This WordPress drag and drop page builder includes 170+ templates, modules for sliders, carousels, content blocks, and more. It’s beginner-friendly and fully compatible with WordPress Gutenberg.
Why we recommend it: Beaver Builder is exceptional for web professionals as it offers a simple and efficient design experience.
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Divi
Divi is a versatile drag-and-drop page builder with WYSIWYG editor. It includes dozens of modules, customizable layouts, and a lifetime plan option. You can use it with any theme, offering limitless design possibilities.
Why we recommend it: Divi provides a powerful builder with tons of design options at an attractive price.
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Elementor Pro
Elementor Pro is a famous drag-and-drop builder with live editing. It includes a wide range of widgets and pre-made templates, making customization simple. The WordPress drag and drop page builder also integrates with other plugins and tools for added functionality.
Why we recommend it: Elementor Pro is ideal for users seeking an easy-to-use page builder with extensive features and integrations.
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Visual Composer
Visual Composer offers a drag-and-drop editor for building custom layouts. It supports editing headers, footers, and sidebars, making it a true website builder. It’s compatible with all themes and includes design options like parallax backgrounds and flexible layouts.
Why we recommend it: Visual Composer is great for beginners who want to build a website with a front-end editor.
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Themify Builder
Themify Builder is a versatile page builder with a drag-and-drop editor and backend editing options. The free version lets you create custom pages, while the Pro version allows full-site customization, including headers, footers, and templates.
Why we recommend it: Themify Builder is ideal for advanced users who want proper control over their website’s design.
By now, you’ve got a solid grasp of WordPress drag and drop. But sometimes, you might need expert development support for your site. No worries—Passion8Press is an incredible platform where you can easily hire WordPress developers who specialize in website optimization. Let’s explore more of the features it offers.
Features of Passion8Press:
- Comprehensive WordPress development services
- Seamless e-commerce integration to boost conversions
- Expert plugin development to add valuable features
- Customizable plugins and themes tailored to specific needs
- Speed optimization for maximum performance
- 24/7 website editing for up-to-date content
- Robust security protocols to defend against threats
- Mobile and tablet responsiveness for a smooth user experience
- Efficient virus removal to safeguard online reputation
- Premium 24/7 support for fast issue resolution and managed blogging assistance
Wrapping Up
WordPress drag and drop page builders offer a user-friendly and efficient way to create and customize your website, even without coding skills. It does not create any difference in which tools you are using, they make web design accessible for beginners and experienced developers.
These builders provide customizable templates, advanced design elements, and seamless integration to enhance the user experience.
For those looking for a WordPress development solution that combines customization, speed, and expert support, Passion8Press stands out as an excellent choice. Its focus on creating tailored WordPress websites and offering the best WordPress developers to create your desired website makes it stand out from the crowd.
Passion8Press can help bring your vision to life while ensuring optimal performance. Whether you’re a business owner or a developer, Passion8Press is here to help you navigate the world of WordPress design with ease.
