Frequently asked questions

Yes. Webstudio uses the IPX optimizer to serve optimal formats (AVIF, WebP, or optimized JPEG) based on browser support. Cloud hosting works out of the box. For self-hosted Docker setups ensure:

1. You pulled the latest container image
2. Dependencies are installed (pnpm install / npm install)
3. No proxy strips Accept headers (required for content negotiation)
4. Caching layer (CDN/reverse proxy) isn’t serving stale JPEG variants

If you only see optimized JPEGs, typically the Accept header is lost or optimization config is blocked.

Slow server response times are often caused by Resources (API calls) placed at the root level. If you're using a Resource globally but only need it on specific pages (like Airtable for a careers page), move the Resource to the body of that specific page instead of the root. Airtable is particularly slow - consider switching to Baserow for faster API responses. Server response times can drop from 1200ms to 200ms by moving Resources appropriately. Caching options for Resources are planned to help with slow APIs.

Slow server response times are often caused by API resources being loaded on every page, even when not needed. Solutions:

1. Move API resources from the root to specific pages where they're actually used,
2. Consider faster CMS alternatives - Airtable is notably slow while Baserow is faster,
3. Implement caching for API responses when data doesn't change frequently. Moving a slow Airtable resource from root to page-specific usage can reduce server response time from 1.2s to 200ms.

Export timeouts can occur even with simple sites. If your export consistently fails, try reducing the complexity of your site temporarily or contact Webstudio support. The issue may be related to server resources or specific elements on your page that are causing the export process to hang.

This is a known issue that some users experience intermittently. If you cannot drag elements into an Item Trigger, try refreshing the page or checking if the element you're trying to drag has any special properties or constraints. This bug may affect specific element types like h3 or footer elements.

API limits vary by platform: Airtable's free plan has very restrictive limits that can be hit quickly. Baserow has more generous limits (around 10 concurrent requests) and works well for sites with under 1000 visitors per day. For production sites, consider self-hosting Baserow for more freedom, or use dedicated blog CMS platforms like Ghost, Hyvor Blogs, or Zenblog. Always implement caching to avoid hitting limits on every page load.

Webstudio uses atomic CSS where each CSS rule contains one property, which makes CSS stop growing after reaching a certain size. This approach dramatically reduces file sizes - Webstudio.is was reduced from 160kb to 16kb CSS. Unlike traditional builders like Webflow that can generate 75,000+ characters just for grid-spans, atomic CSS prevents bloated stylesheets and improves performance.

The most common cause of slow server response (1+ seconds) is API resources being loaded globally at the root level when they're only needed on specific pages. Airtable is particularly slow and can cause 1.2s response times. Moving resources to page-specific usage and switching to faster alternatives like Baserow can reduce response times to 200ms. Caching options for resources are planned for future implementation (GitHub issue 4077).

Intermittent server-side issue or heavy assets. Steps:

1. Retry later (could be transient load)
2. Optimize large media / reduce oversized assets
3. Temporarily remove unusually large collections or heavy embeds
4. Check browser console & network panel for failing requests
5. Contact support with project ID if a minimal single-text page still times out

Export timeouts can occur even for simple sites with basic text and images. This is typically a server-side processing issue rather than a problem with your site content. If you're experiencing consistent export failures, try again later or contact support, as this usually indicates a temporary server issue rather than something wrong with your site structure.

Export timeouts can occur due to various factors including large assets, complex pages, or temporary server issues. Try reducing image sizes, optimizing assets, or breaking complex pages into smaller components before exporting. If the issue persists with a simple page containing just text and a few images, it may be a server-side issue that should be reported to support.

Export timeouts can happen with larger projects or those with many assets. If you have a simple site with just text and a few images that's timing out, this may be a temporary server issue. Try again later or contact support if the problem persists.

Yes, Webstudio plans to add cache options for resources (GitHub issue 4077). This would allow users to override CMS/API cache headers and enable Cloudflare edge caching, which would improve performance and reduce API calls to the origin server. This is particularly useful for data that doesn't change frequently.