Framer Custom Code

Framer, as a SaaS website design and building platform aimed at designers and creators, emphasizes zero-code visual editing and highly flexible front-end performance. Although it does not provide direct access to backend code modification, it offers ample room for front-end customization. Whether implementing more complex interaction logic or integrating third-party applications and services, users can safely load JavaScript, CSS, or embedded code into their projects via Framer’s built-in Custom Code input feature, thereby overcoming the limitations of native functionality. This article will guide you through the entry points for custom code in Framer, the specific methods for adding code, and important considerations, helping you create more distinctive and competitive websites while maintaining the platform’s ease of use.

Location of Custom Code Settings in Framer Projects

The entry point for adding custom code in Framer is not directly located on the canvas interface but is centralized within the project's overall settings panel. To find this entry, you need to first open the Framer editor and then follow these steps:

1 Enter the Project Settings Interface

In the top right corner of the editor, you will see a Settings button shaped like a gear. Click it, and Framer will navigate to the settings page for the current project.
The system will default to displaying the General tab, which mainly contains the project's global basic information settings.

2 Locate the Custom Code Section

Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you will find a separate section called Custom Code at the very bottom of the General tab.
In this section, Framer provides an input box where you can paste or write your own front-end code — including JavaScript, CSS styles, or embedded scripts provided by third-party services (such as analytics tools, chat plugins, etc.).

3 Custom Code Operation Tips:

Save and Publish: After pasting or entering your code, remember to click the save button and publish the latest version. Then, access the website directly in a browser environment and verify whether the code is executed correctly by checking the page’s front-end code or using the browser’s developer tools.

Scope of Effect: Custom Code added in the General tab applies globally to all pages within the project, not limited to any single page.

Security Considerations: Avoid using scripts from unknown sources to prevent potential impacts on website performance or security.

Types of Custom Code Supported by Framer

Framer Custom Code feature essentially embeds the code you write or paste into the input box directly into the front-end pages generated by the website. Therefore, it only supports code types that run on the browser side, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These languages are parsed and executed by the browser instantly when a user visits the page, enabling style adjustments, interaction controls, or functionality extensions.

Conversely, any backend languages that rely on server-side execution—such as PHP, Python, Ruby, Node.js, etc.—will not be executed within Framer’s environment even if written in the custom code input box. This is because Framer architecture is entirely front-end rendered and does not provide backend compilation or runtime services.

1 Frontend Code Types Supported by Framer Custom Code

1). HTML

HTML code is mainly used to insert structural elements into the page, such as embedding an <iframe> video player, adding third-party form components, or including DOM nodes from external widgets.

2). CSS

CSS can be used to further customize the styles of existing pages, such as overriding the default theme fonts, adjusting colors and spacing, or implementing complex animations.

3). JavaScript

JavaScript is the most flexible front-end scripting language, suitable for controlling interactive logic, loading external APIs, analytics, chat plugins, ad tracking, and more. With JavaScript, you can add dynamic effects to Framer pages or seamlessly integrate with third-party services.

2 Why is backend code not supported?

• Architectural Limitations: Framer runtime environment does not have a backend server execution engine; all code is rendered and executed on the user’s browser.

• Security Considerations: Restricting backend code execution helps prevent server-side security vulnerabilities and data leakage risks.

• Positioning Difference: Framer focuses on rapid visual website building and front-end experience optimization, rather than full-stack development.

Different Loading Locations of Custom Code Within a Framer Project

In a Framer project’s Custom Code settings, two input boxes are displayed by default for users to add HTML, CSS, or JavaScript code. However, if you need more precise control over the code loading order, you can click the “Show Advanced” button at the bottom of the Custom Code section.

After clicking, the interface expands from the original two input boxes to four, each corresponding to one of four predefined locations in the front-end page’s DOM. This means you can decide whether the code loads in the page’s head or body, and whether it executes at the beginning or the end of the loading process.

1 Four Loading Locations and Their Functions

1). Start of <head> tag

When code is placed at the Start of the <head> tag, it is loaded at the very beginning of the HTML document’s <head> section. This is typically suitable for declaring global CSS styles, importing font files, setting page metadata, and similar tasks, as these elements are parsed before the browser renders the page, helping to prevent style flickering or delayed font loading. However, code added in this position can also block rendering earliest, so it is not advisable to place large script files here.

2). End of <head> tag

If the code is placed at the End of the <head> tag, it will be loaded just before the closing of the <head> section. At this point, the page’s head structure is mostly declared, allowing you to include scripts or styles that depend on the initial page information, such as SEO tracking codes, analytics scripts, or JavaScript files that need to complete before the <body> renders. The advantage of this location is that it ensures dependencies are ready without impacting the early rendering phase.

3). Start of <body> tag

Placing code at the Start of the <body> tag means it will run as soon as the <body> begins rendering. This location is often used for page functionality initialization scripts, such as cookie consent pop-up logic, global navigation interaction initialization, or preloading specific DOM elements. However, since scripts here execute almost simultaneously with the page’s initial rendering, adding too many or heavy scripts at this position may impact the first screen load speed.

4). End of <body> tag

Finally, choosing the End of the <body> tag means the code will load during the final stage just before the entire main content of the page finishes rendering. This is the optimal place to introduce secondary features such as chat plugins, scroll event listeners, lazy loading logic for images, and so on, as these scripts do not block the rendering of the main page content, minimizing performance impact. For interaction scripts that depend on the complete rendering of DOM elements, this is also the safest and most stable loading timing.

2 How to Choose the Appropriate Loading Location

• Code required for above-the-fold content → Load inside the <head>.

• Scripts that need to execute after DOM elements have rendered → Place at the end of the <body>.

• Scripts that need to register listeners early or define global variables → Place at the start of the <body> or end of the <head>.

Global Loading of Custom Code and Page Load Control in Framer

In Framer, custom code is not limited to the global scope of the website. In addition to the Custom Code settings under the General tab, each individual page’s Page Settings also offers the same feature. This design allows developers to apply unified front-end code across the entire site while also loading separate scripts or styles for specific pages, enabling more flexible control over functionality.

1 The Role of Global Custom Code

When you add code in the Custom Code input box under Project Settings → General, this content is automatically injected into all pages of the website. Whether a visitor opens the homepage, a blog post, or a landing page, the browser will load and execute this global code in the corresponding location. This approach is ideal for loading site-wide scripts or styles, such as:

• Site-wide unified CSS stylesheets

• Analytics and tracking tools (Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, etc.)

• Global interaction logic (navigation bar animations, cookie pop-ups, etc.)

• Advertising and tracking scripts

Since global code runs on every page, it should be kept as lean as possible to avoid loading unrelated or performance-slowing scripts.

2 The Role of Single-Page Custom Code

When you enter the Page Settings of a specific page, you will see the same Custom Code input area. This feature allows you to load separate front-end code for that particular page without affecting other parts of the website. It is suitable for scenarios where independent functionality is needed on a specific page, such as:

• Loading a countdown script on a single event page

• Introducing a third-party form plugin on a specific landing page

• Embedding experimental interactive effects within a particular article

The greatest advantage of this mechanism is on-demand loading—these scripts are only loaded by the browser when the specific page is accessed, thereby reducing unnecessary resource consumption.

3 Collaboration Between Global and Single-Page Code

In practical projects, global code and single-page code can be used together. For example, you can load the core interaction framework or common styles globally, then add supplementary functional scripts on specific pages. It is important to note that if both global and single-page code contain the same DOM manipulations or style declarations, the later-loaded code will override the earlier one. This override mechanism can be used to customize styles or logic for specific pages.

Conclusion: Unlock More Possibilities with Custom Code in Framer

Through this article, you should now have a clear understanding of where to access custom code in Framer, the supported code types, the significance of different loading locations, and strategies for flexible use of both global and single-page code. Although Framer is fundamentally a visual website builder, leveraging the custom code feature allows you to create websites that are more distinctive, interactive, and functionally rich while maintaining an efficient editing experience.

If you want to fully unleash your creativity, integrate more front-end functionalities, or even build unique user experiences within your Framer projects, effectively using custom code is a key step to enhancing your work’s competitiveness.

Jane Framer Studio specializes in website design and development services focused on Framer. We excel at combining visual creativity with technical implementation to make every page both beautiful and practical. If you are looking for a professional team to bring more possibilities to your Framer website, feel free to contact us.