In simple English
Silex lets you build websites visually by dragging and dropping pieces on a page. You do not pay any monthly fees, and your work does not get trapped on someone else's server. It builds standard web pages in HyperText Markup Language (HTML, the code that structures a web page) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS, the code that styles how a web page looks). You can host those files anywhere you like. The project costs nothing to use and is run by a non-profit group.
What it is
Silex is an open-source visual web builder powered by the GrapesJS framework (a library for building drag-and-drop web page editors). It provides a drag-and-drop interface alongside code editors for fine-grained control over design and data.
What it is good for
Solo builders and freelancers who want to design client websites visually without paying high subscription fees or suffering vendor lock-in.
- Exports clean, standard HTML and CSS that you can host anywhere.
- No subscription fees, tracking, or platform lock-in.
- Includes an Application Programming Interface (API, a way for different software programs to talk to each other) to connect local coding tools via the Model Context Protocol.
- Self-hosting requires managing a Node.js (a way to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser) server or Docker container.
- The desktop app is still in an early alpha stage of testing.
- Online storage requires a GitLab account to save your work.
Webflow
GrapesJS
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git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/silexlabs/Silex.git cd Silex pnpm install && pnpm build && pnpm start