If you are still thinking of Squarespace as “that platform where you pick a template and swap the photos,” you are living in 2022.

In 2026, the concept of the “Template” is effectively dead.

With the maturity of Fluid Engine and the rollout of Blueprint AI, Squarespace has shifted from a strict, grid-locked builder into a highly flexible visual canvas that rivals tools like Figma. For developers, this shifts the job description. You are no longer “editing a theme”; you are building bespoke interactions on top of a powerful, proprietary framework.

Here is what it means to be a Squarespace Developer in 2026.

The Core Shift: Fluid Engine is the Standard

The “Classic Editor” is now a relic. Fluid Engine is the operating system of Squarespace 7.1.

Why it Matters for Developers:

• The Grid is Your Playground: Unlike the old block stacker, Fluid Engine uses a CSS Grid-based drag-and-drop system. You can overlap elements, bleed images off the edge, and create “magazine-style” layouts without writing a single line of CSS.

• Independent Mobile Breakpoints: This was the biggest pain point for years. In 2026, you can completely rearrange the mobile layout independently of the desktop version. You don’t need complex media queries to hide/show elements; you just drag them where they need to go on the mobile view.

4 Trends Defining Squarespace Development (2026)

1. The Rise of “Blueprint AI”

Clients don’t want generic starting points. With Blueprint AI, you don’t browse a gallery of templates. You describe the brand (“A brutalist architecture firm in Tokyo with a focus on dark mode”), and the AI generates a unique starting infrastructure, color palette, and font pairing. The developer’s role is now refining this AI output, not choosing it.

2. “Glassmorphism” & “Archival Index” Design

Squarespace’s 2026 design language has embraced complex aesthetic trends.

• Glassmorphism: Using native blur filters to create frosted glass effects on headers and cards.

• Archival Index: A trend favoring dense, grid-heavy data displays (like a library archive) which requires advanced use of Summary Blocks and filtering plugins.

3. CSS is Still King

Because Squarespace 7.1 still does not have a true “Developer Mode” (access to raw HTML/PHP templates) like the old version 7.0, the “Developer” value add is almost entirely in Custom CSS and Code Injection.

• The Workflow: You build the layout visually in Fluid Engine, then use the CSS Editor to add things the UI can’t do: hover states, custom cursors, and sticky scrolling effects.

4. Course & Member Areas

Squarespace has aggressively expanded its “Monetization” tools. It is no longer just for portfolios; it is a full LMS (Learning Management System). Developers are now hired to build “Member Areas” with gated video content, effectively replacing tools like Teachable or Kajabi for small creators.

The “Low-Code” Toolkit

Since you cannot edit the source code of the core template in 7.1, you need external tools to break the limitations.

3 Pitfalls to Avoid in 2026

1. Sticking to 7.0 “Developer Mode”

Some old-school devs still cling to Squarespace 7.0 because it allows full Git access to the template files.

• The Reality: 7.0 is legacy software. It does not get Fluid Engine, it does not get the new AI tools, and it will eventually be sunset. Do not build new client sites on 7.0. Learn to work within the constraints of 7.1.

2. Overloading the “Code Injection”

Since you can’t edit the theme files, it’s tempting to dump 50 scripts into the generic “Header Code Injection” area.

• The Fix: This slows the site to a crawl. Use a script manager or consolidate your Javascript into a single file hosted externally (e.g., on GitHub Pages or a CDN) and link to it.

3. Ignoring “Saved Sections”

You cannot create “Global Classes” in Squarespace like you can in Webflow. If you style a button on one page, it doesn’t automatically update on another.

• The Fix: Use the “Saved Sections” feature (the heart icon). Build a perfect “Call to Action” section once, save it, and drop that exact component onto every page.

Conclusion: The “Strategic” Developer

Squarespace development in 2026 is less about engineering and more about curation and CSS wizardry.

You aren’t being paid to code a nav bar; you are being paid to know which CSS snippet makes the nav bar transparent, which plugin creates the perfect filtering system, and how to use the AI tools to launch a 20-page site in three days instead of three weeks.

It is the most profitable platform for “Speed-to-Market” projects.