# Squarespace At Squarespace, our mission is to provide creative tools that help anyone bring their ideas to life. In this blog you'll learn about the ups and downs of our engineering endeavors. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## Stain the Page: How I Prototype with AI DevFeed: [Stain the Page: How I Prototype with AI]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Hannah Tipperman Published: 2026-07-24T16:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [coding](), [Code](), [User Experience]() Tags: [ai](), [architecture](), [coding](), [prototype](), [prototyping](), [time]() ### AI overview The article argues that AI-assisted prototyping can quickly turn ideas into rough proof-of-concept builds, allowing engineers to focus their cognitive energy on architecture, user experience, and creative decisions instead of boilerplate and low-level implementation details. ### Source excerpt AI is incredible for rapid idea and hypothesis testing by prototyping. It isn't about writing code -- it's about protecting your most valuable resource: cognitive energy. As engineers, we often face the overwhelming task of determining the look, feel, and architecture of an idea through hundreds of tiny decisions. By the time we get to the novel part of the problem we're trying to solve, our brains are tired. We can burn out before we even truly begin. To solve this, we can steal a trick from artists and writers. ## The Importance of Documentation in B2B API Adoption DevFeed: [The Importance of Documentation in B2B API Adoption]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2026-06-23T16:15:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [API](), [Support](), [Feathers]() Tags: [api](), [b2b](), [documentation](), [support](), [technical-documentation]() ### AI overview This article explains how improving public Commerce API documentation reduced support tickets and how documentation for the Domain Reseller API became a product asset. It argues that effective documentation can reduce support questions, align teams, and help potential B2B partners evaluate an API. ### Source excerpt We read reviews before buying a TV, a sweater, almost anything. Businesses do the same - potential enterprise partners evaluate APIs through every piece of content they come across. So, what happens when you improve all of it? ## How To Use Standard HTML Video & Audio Lazy-Loading on the Web Today DevFeed: [How To Use Standard HTML Video & Audio Lazy-Loading on the Web Today]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Scott Jehl Published: 2026-04-07T14:30:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [HTML](), [lazy loading](), [web-standards](), [browsers](), [Web Development]() Tags: [audio](), [best-practices](), [browsers](), [gotchas](), [how-to](), [html](), [lazy-loading](), [video]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how to use standard HTML video and audio lazy loading on websites. It covers recommended practices and common implementation pitfalls, noting that the feature is gaining support in major browsers. ### Source excerpt HTML video and audio lazy loading is now a web standard and quickly gaining support in all major browsers. Given Squarespace's role in proposing and implementing it, we're very excited to see how developers use it on the web. Let's cover some best practices for using video and audio lazy loading in any website, as well as some gotchas to avoid. ## Squarespace & Web Standards: How We Helped Bring HTML Video & Audio Lazy Loading to Today's Browsers DevFeed: [Squarespace & Web Standards: How We Helped Bring HTML Video & Audio Lazy Loading to Today's Browsers]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Scott Jehl Published: 2026-03-30T21:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [web-standards](), [lazy loading](), [HTML](), [Web platform](), [WebKit](), [Chromium](), [Google Chrome](), [Firefox]() Tags: [browsers](), [chrome](), [chromium](), [firefox](), [html](), [lazy-loading](), [standards](), [web-standards]() ### AI overview Squarespace engineers describe how they helped add lazy loading for HTML video and audio to the HTML Standard. They contributed proposed implementations for Firefox and WebKit, worked with Chromium developers on a Google Chrome implementation, and added automated testing. ### Source excerpt At Squarespace, many of our core products are built on web standards, and our engineers are constantly pushing the boundaries of the web's capabilities. Occasionally, those boundaries reveal a limitation: an opportunity for the web's native capabilities to grow. This post is the story of how we found such an opportunity to work with the standards community to improve the web in a way that we - and everyone who uses it - can benefit. ## Making Documentation Simpler and Practical: Our Docs-as-Code Journey DevFeed: [Making Documentation Simpler and Practical: Our Docs-as-Code Journey]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Rafael Peixinho Published: 2025-10-10T16:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Development](), [CI/CD](), [Git](), [Pull Request](), [Software Engineering]() Tags: [ci-cd](), [docs-as-code](), [documentation](), [git](), [pull-request](), [workflow]() ### AI overview The Squarespace Domains engineering team describes adopting a docs-as-code approach in which documentation and code are versioned together in Git, reviewed through pull requests, and delivered through a CI/CD pipeline. The article explains how this workflow aims to simplify maintenance, improve consistency and context, and clarify contribution and approval responsibilities. ### Source excerpt In the fast-paced world of software development, documentation often gets a bad rap. It's perceived as a chore, a necessary evil, and sometimes, unfortunately, an afterthought. But what if writing documentation could be as dynamic and collaborative as writing the code itself? What if it could be simpler to write and more practical to use? ## Leveraging Change Data Capture For Database Migrations At Scale DevFeed: [Leveraging Change Data Capture For Database Migrations At Scale]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Pravish Sood Published: 2025-05-13T20:30:01Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Databases](), [migration](), [CockroachDB](), [PostgreSQL](), [systems]() Tags: [cockroachdb](), [database](), [distributed](), [downtime](), [migrations](), [postgresql](), [scale]() ### AI overview Squarespace describes migrating databases from PostgreSQL to CockroachDB to improve horizontal scalability and reduce downtime and operational risk. The Databases team developed a migration plan and in-house tooling to handle schema, user, and data migration across varied workloads. ### Source excerpt Our teams love relational databases and the benefits ACID properties bring to us as engineers, but they have their limits, especially in horizontal scaling. We had to adopt new database tech across a fleet of highly available services while eliminating as much risk as possible... but how? Enter: change data capture patterning. ## Unfold's Modern Mobile Release Process and the Subtle Art of Making Them Boring DevFeed: [Unfold's Modern Mobile Release Process and the Subtle Art of Making Them Boring]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Alan Cooke Published: 2024-07-12T21:40:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Mobile](), [Release Management](), [Android](), [iOS]() Tags: [android](), [ios](), [mobile](), [release](), [release-management](), [release-notes](), [slack]() ### AI overview This article explains how Unfold at Squarespace changed its mobile release process from ad hoc, cumbersome releases to weekly release trains for Android and iOS. It describes shared release-captain responsibilities, limited manual intervention, Slack coordination, and remaining tasks such as checking translations and updating release notes. ### Source excerpt On the Unfold team at Squarespace, our mobile releases don't require much in the way of manual intervention or human oversight. In fact, we don't have to give releases much thought at all. But, this was not always true. This post is a look into what these non-eventful mobile releases are like, dig into how much more eventful they used to be, and walk through the work it took us to get here. ## Why We Built a Write Back Cache for Our Asset Library with Google Cloud Spanner DevFeed: [Why We Built a Write Back Cache for Our Asset Library with Google Cloud Spanner]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Wenshuo Liu Published: 2024-03-21T20:46:59Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Cache](), [Library](), [Google](), [Cloud]() Tags: [cache](), [google](), [google-cloud](), [library]() ### AI overview Squarespace describes why it built a write-back cache for its Asset Library, which is backed by Google Cloud Storage and an in-memory cache. The post introduces the Alexandria service and explains the storage and read-performance considerations behind the system. ### Source excerpt Recently we introduced a write back cache to our Asset Library. This improvement makes life easier for both our customers and our developers. This post walks through the why, the why not and the how. ## Outro: What You Did and What's Next DevFeed: [Outro: What You Did and What's Next]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2023-12-06T19:22:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Tutorial](), [Information Architecture]() Tags: [collection](), [community](), [existing](), [information-architecture](), [technical-documentation](), [technical-writing]() ### AI overview This tutorial outro recaps the process of drafting, revising, testing, and publishing technical documentation. It then introduces next steps for organizing documentation collections with information architecture, revising existing documentation, and developing technical writing skills. ### Source excerpt The outro recaps what you did - write technical documentation! - and introduces next steps like organizing a collection of documentation, revising existing content, and expanding your technical writing skills by joining the technical writing community. ## Part 4: Test, Edit, And Publish Content DevFeed: [Part 4: Test, Edit, And Publish Content]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2023-12-05T19:46:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Tutorial](), [Testing]() Tags: [documentation](), [technical-documentation](), [technical-writing](), [testing](), [tutorial]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how to turn technical writing into technical documentation by testing, editing, approving, and merging the content. It presents the A-TEAM process and emphasizes testing content against the reader's goal and using a style guide during editing. ### Source excerpt After completing Parts 1, 2, and 3 of this tutorial, your once blank page now has technical writing - you're officially in the home stretch! Technical writing on a page becomes technical documentation only after you test, edit, and publish the content. Do not underestimate the exponential payoff that comes from testing and revising content. More than one technical writer can claim that revision has either uncovered bugs in software or improved it. ## Part 3: Draft Content That's Accurate, Consistent, And Concise DevFeed: [Part 3: Draft Content That's Accurate, Consistent, And Concise]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2023-11-28T17:59:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Tutorial]() Tags: [documentation](), [glossary](), [guides](), [how-to](), [technical](), [technical-documentation](), [technical-writing](), [tutorial](), [writing]() ### AI overview Part 3 of a technical writing series explains how to draft documentation that is accurate, consistent, and concise. It recommends maintaining a glossary, defining terms and personas, using consistent terminology, and keeping content focused on readers' needs. ### Source excerpt In my opinion, creating good headings and organizing them in a way that's helpful to readers is much more challenging than drafting content. So pat yourself on the back for completing Part 2 of this series and making it to Part 3. 👏 👏 👏 However, there are three things that undo exceptional headings and structure in technical documentation: content that is inaccurate, content that's inconsistent, and content that's inflated. ## Part 2: Use Good Headings For Structure And Scanning DevFeed: [Part 2: Use Good Headings For Structure And Scanning]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2023-11-21T15:35:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Tutorial]() Tags: [documentation](), [reading](), [structure](), [technical-documentation](), [tutorial]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains how good headings and content structure make technical documentation easier to scan. It discusses headings as a blueprint and map, their role in automatically generated tables of contents, and how structure should reflect the content type and the reader's goal. ### Source excerpt Part 1 of this tutorial introduced you to the content types that are most common in technical documentation. You also evaluated a real-life example as a reader, and you may have realized how headings are essential to a good reader experience. It's because readers on the web do not read - they scan ¹ . People actually read 25% slower on the web² and they only read 20% of the content on a page³. (This data is from 2008; I'm scared to know the percentage today.) ## Part 1: Learn The Different Types Of Technical Documentation DevFeed: [Part 1: Learn The Different Types Of Technical Documentation]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2023-11-14T19:48:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Tutorial]() Tags: [documentation](), [technical](), [technical-writing](), [tutorial]() ### AI overview This tutorial explains the different types of technical documentation and how reader behavior, patience, experience, and goals distinguish them. It also provides examples of each content type. ### Source excerpt In the same way the term "books" includes fiction, nonfiction, and biographies as genres, the term "technical documentation" includes many different content types. But what sets technical documentation apart from books are reader traits. These traits are a result of what the reader does as they read technical documentation - they use the app. ## Technical Writing: How To Start DevFeed: [Technical Writing: How To Start]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Anila Zaidi Published: 2023-11-07T17:55:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Documentation](), [Tutorial](), [Learning]() Tags: [article](), [guide](), [how-to](), [technical](), [technical-writing](), [tutorial]() ### AI overview This tutorial introduces technical writing as a learnable skill and presents a structured approach to creating technical documentation. It covers documentation types, headings, drafting, revision, organization, and community participation. ### Source excerpt Writing is a learned skill. No one person is a good or bad writer. 🙂 When a colleague asked me to mentor them on technical writing, I searched for a single technical writing article, guide, book, or tutorial that addressed three key things. Since I couldn't find one, I decided to create a tutorial on technical writing. ## Developing Fluid Engine DevFeed: [Developing Fluid Engine]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Jonathan Kaufman Published: 2022-08-31T16:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Development](), [implementation](), [Usability](), [User Experience](), [User interface design](), [Website]() Tags: [blog-post](), [development](), [feature](), [implementation](), [technical](), [usability](), [user-experience](), [website]() ### AI overview This article explains the development of Squarespace's Fluid Engine, a new drag-and-drop editor designed to improve the usability and predictability of page layout. It describes user research into moving, resizing, and aligning blocks, the limitations of the existing Layout Engine, and the decision to develop a new system so those actions would not affect other blocks. ### Source excerpt Last month we shipped the biggest change to our core website editing experience in ten years: Fluid Engine. This blog post addresses how we arrived at the implementation, in addition to walking through a few technical and user experience issues that were core to the development of this feature. ## A Better Way to Upload Images DevFeed: [A Better Way to Upload Images]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Prabhat Godse Published: 2022-08-10T14:25:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Website](), [Mobile](), [browser](), [App](), [Library]() Tags: [app](), [browser](), [images](), [library](), [metrics](), [mobile](), [user-research](), [website]() ### AI overview This Squarespace engineering article describes the design and development of a photo-importing experience that lets users access photos from the Squarespace Mobile App while editing a website in a desktop browser. It discusses user research, design trade-offs, and an initial Mobile Image Uploader whose engagement was below expectations. ### Source excerpt Imagine you are editing your Squarespace website on your desktop browser and you want to add great photos that make your site stand out. At that moment, you realize those great photos are actually on your phone. Wouldn't it be great if you could cut out all the intermediate steps and directly access your phone's photo library right from the desktop browser into your Squarespace website? ## How we use WebGL at Squarespace DevFeed: [How we use WebGL at Squarespace]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Szenia Zadvornykh Published: 2022-04-08T14:25:33Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [WebGL](), [Web Development](), [browser](), [Canvas]() Tags: [browser](), [canvas](), [graphics](), [web-development](), [webgl]() ### AI overview Squarespace describes using WebGL to generate customizable animated Background Art graphics client side for website section backgrounds. The article introduces the WebGL canvas and rendering-context model and discusses integration challenges in the Squarespace website editor. ### Source excerpt Recently, we introduced Background Art as a new way for customers to add graphics to their websites. This feature leverages WebGL to generate abstract animated graphics client side. These graphics can be seamlessly added to a web page, offering an alternative to images and videos for section backgrounds. ## Engineering Manager Forum DevFeed: [Engineering Manager Forum]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Dan Na Published: 2021-12-15T17:23:03Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [meetings](), [engineering-culture](), [Processes]() Tags: [collective](), [community](), [culture](), [engineering](), [engineering-culture](), [engineering-manager](), [management](), [meetings](), [organizational]() ### AI overview Squarespace describes how independently organized engineering councils and forums share knowledge, encourage discussion and learning, and foster community across the organization. The article introduces a proposal for an Engineering Manager Forum to address management-specific concerns and provide front-line engineering managers with a collective voice. ### Source excerpt More so than any other level of the management chain, front-line engineering managers are the most attuned to the day to day realities of shipping software. Giving them a collective voice to surface what works and what doesn't is critical to understanding the efficacy of organizational policy and process. ## The Nuts and Bolts with Tom Drapeau DevFeed: [The Nuts and Bolts with Tom Drapeau]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Squarespace Engineering Published: 2021-10-15T16:08:12Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [engineering-culture](), [Job]() Tags: [culture](), [manager](), [q-a](), [team-lead](), [times]() ### AI overview A Q&A with Tom Drapeau about moving from engineering into management, choosing an Engineering Director role at Squarespace, and defining and building engineering culture. ### Source excerpt "The Nuts and Bolts" is a reoccurring Q&A with Squarespace engineers. Questions are compiled by their peers to guarantee we get right to the good stuff. ## Collaborating to Build an Uncertain Layout DevFeed: [Collaborating to Build an Uncertain Layout]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Yaphi Berhanu Published: 2021-09-22T15:30:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Squarespace](), [Squarespace Engineering Blog]() Topics: [Website](), [configuration](), [implementation](), [consistency]() Tags: [auto-layout](), [engineering](), [flexibility](), [functionality](), [layout](), [product-engineering]() ### AI overview Squarespace engineers and designers collaborated to create Auto Layouts, a system that lets users rearrange website content into different layout styles with less manual block manipulation. The system favors ease of use and design consistency while retaining traditional block-based layouts for greater flexibility. ### Source excerpt How do you make a website look good when you can't know how that website will look? It turns out this is one of the fundamental questions we work with at Squarespace. Since one of our goals is to make it easy for our users to create beautiful websites, we need to walk a delicate balance between constraints and freedom. So, how do we navigate that balance?