The Dreamweaver interface was awful and the code output was a curse for the web for years to come. If I look at framer it’s the opposite. Are you commenting on new people being enabled to make websites?

This is the only response I found that's not a template.

I actually love having the ability to export your entire Webflow sites HTML/CSS/JS/Assets in a single zip for backup/archival purposes. For sites that don’t rely strictly on CMS and ecommerce, it gives me peace of mind to have a static copy that I can host elsewhere if needed.

For code lovers that sounds epic. Like a superpower. But for me I’m getting flashbacks to Dreamweaver 😜

Yeah, they pivoted enough to find the PMF. This, I don't feel like they'll abandon. My only concern is about the vendor lock-in.

I’d counter with what’s there now is built on the ashes of what came before, and the last product is even still embeddable. Framer’s problem was not that they are fickle but that the other attempts were businesses that were not working. I think that’s different this time around.

Same setup as Webflow. Ok, in theory you can export your html but I can’t imagine why you’d want to. The reason it works is because most of us can’t be arsed with the whole separation between dev and hosting, and even design (Figma/Sketch). It’s no code for a reason.

Every time Framer has pivoted (are we up to 4 now?) its previous offering gets canned. It's that reason I can't justify getting involved in their tools and the original comment context only goes to validate that sentiment further.

You could also get a workflow going with local copies of everything before you publish. Never a bad idea to have a backup.

That said, you’re right to be cautious. I am not a naive fanboy either — capitalism will always come around to stab you in the back. Let them know loud and clear what you are thinking.

I think Figma will enter this arena soon.

I think it is holding them back not to have export and they know that. They are starting to go after enterprise and no CISO would allow migration to a platform where their data is trapped.

Don't build your livelihood on tools that want to lock you in

Does anyone have a different perspective on this?

Agree about the separation… but no code? How about visual interface that is built on a super code foundation that is always open to you cracking it open to code as much as you like?

The cynic in me says the lock in is probably intentional

I’ll try. Framer doesn’t have a pattern of deceit. They do things right. It’s not a small lift to add export and they might be waiting for upgrades to the CMS before they get this out. How many years has it been since iPad calc came out? 24 theme for good software: patience. ;)

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