What I’ve Learned from Building the Most Complex Squarespace Websites for Clients
When people hear “Squarespace,” they usually think “simple template website.”
Yet a big part of my work over the last 10+ years has been the complete opposite: highly customized, complex Squarespace builds with advanced layouts, animations, custom interactions, and integrations.
A pattern I see again and again:
A client hires one or two developers or agencies.
Everyone says, “That’s not possible on Squarespace.”
Or they try, but the result is a fragile mess that breaks when the client edits content.
Then the client shows up to me skeptical that what they want is even doable.
And almost every time, the problem isn’t Squarespace.
It’s the approach and the level of frontend knowledge of the developer.
In this article, I’ll share what I’ve learned from developing some of the most complex Squarespace websites, and why — when you actually master frontend web development — there are virtually no UI limitations on Squarespace.
The real limitation isn’t Squarespace — it’s frontend skills
Many developers treat Squarespace as a “drag-and-drop only” tool where you sprinkle a bit of CSS, maybe add a tiny JavaScript snippet, and that’s it.
That mindset works for simple sites.
It completely fails for:
Pixel-perfect Figma-to-Squarespace builds
Complex landing pages with custom components
Highly interactive sections (tabs, filters, sliders, dynamic content)
Custom behaviors based on scroll, clicks, or user state
When these developers hit something slightly advanced, they usually say:
“That’s not possible on Squarespace.”
But what’s actually happening is this:
They only know how to tweak CSS.
They don’t really understand the DOM (Document Object Model).
They aren’t comfortable manipulating HTML structure with JavaScript.
If all you do is adjust colors, fonts, spacing, and border-radius in CSS, of course Squarespace feels limited.
If, however, you can read and manipulate the DOM, create components, and extend what Squarespace already gives you…
the platform becomes extremely flexible.
Why “just paste HTML + CSS into a Code Block” is not a real solution
A classic example is Figma to Squarespace.
Here’s the “quick and dirty” way I see often:
Developer exports or recreates Figma sections as standalone HTML + CSS.
They drop this entire block of code inside a Code Block on the page.
It looks close to the Figma design.
Client is initially happy… until they try to change something.
What’s the problem?
No real editor experience – The client can’t easily edit text, images, or links using the Squarespace editor. Every small change means diving into raw HTML.
No content structure – Nothing is using native Squarespace blocks, so you lose all the benefits: image editor, text editor, built-in responsive behavior, etc.
Fragility – One mistake in the HTML can break the entire section.
This is not engineering. It’s a static embed.
It works for a one-off landing page that will never be edited.
But it’s a terrible solution for a real business that needs to update content frequently.
The right way: extending Squarespace instead of fighting it
The smarter approach is to:
Build the structure using native Squarespace blocks
Use text blocks for text, image blocks for images, summary blocks, lists, buttons, etc.
Organize sections in a way that a non-technical user can still understand.
Add custom classes or data attributes (via the built-in tools or minimal HTML tweaks)
This gives you “hooks” to target elements with CSS and JavaScript.
Use CSS and JavaScript to transform and enhance the UI
With proper DOM manipulation, you can reshape the layout, reposition elements, create advanced components, and build custom interactions.
From the client’s perspective:
They can still log into Squarespace.
Click on a text block, change the text.
Click on an image, upload a new image.
Update links, lists, and content just like any other Squarespace site.
From the engineering perspective:
The front-end behavior and layout are powered by custom code that respects the platform, instead of replacing it.
The site is maintainable and future-proof.
This is what I aim for on every complex build:
a fully editable Squarespace site that looks and behaves like a custom-coded website.
Mastering the DOM: the real “secret” to advanced Squarespace development
If you really want to push Squarespace to its limits, you need to go beyond “CSS tricks” and understand:
How Squarespace renders its HTML structure
How to select and manipulate elements with JavaScript
How to listen to events (clicks, scroll, hover, resize, etc.) and respond to them
How to insert, remove, or reorganize elements in the DOM
Examples of what becomes possible when you master this:
Turning a basic list of items into a filterable gallery
Transforming basic sections into tabbed content
Creating sticky headers, dynamic navigation, and scroll-based effects
Building accordion components from standard text/image blocks
Reordering elements for better responsive behavior on mobile vs desktop
All of this can be done on top of Squarespace’s existing structure.
The platform provides the content and base markup.
Your JavaScript and CSS provide the advanced layout and interaction layer.
Figma-to-Squarespace: turning complex designs into editable websites
Let’s come back to the Figma example, because it’s a common pain point.
When clients come to me with a detailed Figma design and say:
“Other developers told me this can’t be done on Squarespace.”
Here’s what I focus on:
Break the design into logical content blocks
Which parts are headlines, paragraphs, images, lists, CTAs, repeating items, etc.?
How will the client want to update them later?
Map each piece to a Squarespace component
Text block, image block, summary block, code block, etc.
Use the platform’s strengths instead of ignoring them.
Use classes, IDs, or data attributes as hooks
This allows custom styling and behavior without locking the content.
Rebuild the exact layout through CSS + DOM manipulation
Rearranging elements, adjusting spacing, adding animations, and matching Figma as closely as possible.
The end result:
The site matches the Figma design very closely.
The client can still edit everything from the Squarespace editor.
There’s no “mystery code blob” that only a developer can touch.
That’s the difference between “we pasted code and prayed” and “we engineered a flexible system on top of Squarespace.”
Are there any UI limitations on Squarespace?
From a User Interface perspective, if you truly master frontend web development — especially JavaScript and the DOM — the limitations are surprisingly small.
You can:
Build custom layouts that look nothing like default Squarespace templates
Add complex interactions and animations
Transform native blocks into sophisticated components
Integrate with third-party services via JavaScript
Of course, there are platform-level constraints (for example, how routing, collections, or certain internal systems work), but when we talk strictly about how the UI looks and behaves, the canvas is much more open than most people think.
What looks like a “Squarespace limitation” is often just a skill limitation.
What you should look for in a Squarespace developer
If you’re planning a complex Squarespace project — especially one based on a custom Figma design — here are a few questions to ask any developer you consider:
Do you work with custom JavaScript and DOM manipulation, or only CSS tweaks?
Can my team edit all texts, images, and links through the Squarespace editor after you’re done?
How do you handle complex Figma-to-Squarespace conversions?
Have you helped clients after other developers said their ideas weren’t possible?
If the answer is mostly “we only do CSS” or “we just paste HTML into code blocks,” you’re likely going to hit the same wall many of my clients hit before working with me.
Final thoughts
After more than a decade of custom work on Squarespace, my conclusion is simple:
Squarespace is not “too simple” for complex websites.
The difference is whether the developer actually masters frontend web development.
If you combine:
A solid understanding of JavaScript and the DOM,
A respect for Squarespace’s native content editing, and
An engineering mindset focused on maintainability,
you can deliver complex, custom-coded Squarespace sites that still feel easy to manage for non-technical clients.
If you’d like help turning a complex Figma design or advanced concept into a fully editable Squarespace site, this is exactly the type of work I specialize in.