Culture

Business websites

.com

Brand protection

Online stores

Hosting

Data privacy

Policy-making

Registrars

Investing & reporting

Internet Basics Series

How to

People

Cybersecurity

Web trends

Tech news

Security

COVID-19

Technology detection

domains

Software

WordPress

TLDs

GDPR

Eelco Blaauw

JavaScript libraries have become the fundamental building blocks of modern web development. These collections of pre-written code handle common tasks like animations, form validation, or data visualization, and allow developers to focus on creating unique features rather than reinventing the wheel. Most libraries are open source and free to use, creating a collaborative ecosystem where developers worldwide contribute to and maintain these essential tools.

The widespread adoption of libraries has democratized web development in remarkable ways. Techniques that once required specialized knowledge can now be implemented with just a few lines of code, enabling developers of all skill levels to create sophisticated, interactive websites. In many ways, these libraries represent the collective wisdom of the developer community, packaged in a form that anyone can use.

Our data shows just how integral libraries have become to the web ecosystem. Across the 84.4 million websites where we detect JavaScript libraries, we've identified 245 unique libraries in active use. While this diversity demonstrates the rich ecosystem available to developers, Figure 1 reveals that the most popular players are well established with jQuery leading at 14%, followed by core-js at 9.1% and Swiper at 6.9%.

This concentration at the top represents millions of websites relying on a relatively small set of trusted, battle-tested tools. The long tail of specialized libraries reflects how developers increasingly seek purpose-built solutions for specific requirements rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.

Despite being released in 2006—making it ancient, by web technology standards—jQuery continues to demonstrate remarkable staying power, running approximately 67.4 million websites. This versatile library simplifies webpage element manipulation, event handling, animations, and data loading without page refreshes through a concise, easy-to-use syntax that transforms how developers write JavaScript.

jQuery's mission was simple, yet revolutionary: “write less, do more.” It achieved this by abstracting away the complexities of cross-browser compatibility issues that plagued web development in the 2000s. While modern browsers have since standardized many features, jQuery's intuitive API and vast ecosystem of plugins continue to make it an attractive option for developers at all skill levels.

Looking at Figure 2, we can see jQuery's evolution over time. The significant jump in detected instances around August 2024 reflects improvements in our detection methodology rather than a sudden increase in adoption. Since then, jQuery has maintained a stable presence of approximately 67–68 million websites, showing its enduring relevance despite the emergence of newer alternatives.

Several factors explain jQuery's continued dominance:

Legacy support: A vast number of existing websites built with jQuery remain in production, and the cost of refactoring to newer technologies often outweighs the benefits.

Simplicity: jQuery's straightforward API makes it accessible to developers at all skill levels, from beginners to experts.

Browser compatibility: While modern browsers have standardized many features, jQuery still offers a consistent interface across different environments.

Extensive ecosystem: The library comes with a rich ecosystem of plugins and extensions that extend its functionality.

This persistence challenges the common narrative that developers must always adopt the newest technologies. As our data demonstrates, tried-and-tested solutions typically continue to provide value long after newer alternatives emerge.

Beyond the dominant libraries, a diverse array of specialized tools constitutes the next tier of JavaScript's development framework. Figure 3 highlights the libraries that are ranked 10–30 and fall under the ‘other’ category of the previous figure. Ultimately, it reveals interesting patterns in how developers address specific needs.

This second tier of top libraries reveals how specialized needs drive library adoption. jQuery UI (1.6%) extends jQuery's core functionality, while GSAP (1.5%) powers sophisticated animations. Performance optimization appears with LazySizes (1.3%), while Axios (1.2%) has become a standard for handling HTTP requests. The presence of MooTools (1.2%)—another legacy library released in 2006—further confirms that established solutions retain significant market share.

Notable in this list is React at position 22 (1.1%), a component-based library released by Facebook in 2013 that helps developers build interactive user interfaces. Utility libraries like Underscore.js (1.1%) and Lodash (1.1%) remain popular for data manipulation tasks, despite significant overlap in functionality. This diversity of specialized tools demonstrates the maturity of the JavaScript ecosystem.

Modern front-end frameworks: a growing presence

While traditional Document Object Model (DOM) manipulation libraries remain prominent, modern JavaScript frameworks designed for building complex user interfaces continue to gain traction. React appears at position 22 in our rankings with a 1.1% share (approximately 5.4 million websites), making it the most widely adopted modern framework in our data.

The relatively modest share of React compared to jQuery might seem surprising given its outsized presence in developer discussions and job postings. However, this disparity highlights an important distinction: while developers frequently discuss and learn these tools, their actual implementation across the broader web happens more gradually. Many websites simply don't require the complexity and overhead that comes with a full-featured framework.

The shift toward performance optimization

A notable trend in our data is the growing adoption of performance-focused libraries. LazySizes (1.3%, approximately 6.1 million websites) has become increasingly popular as developers prioritize page speed and performance metrics.

This trend aligns with broader industry shifts toward performance optimization, driven by both user expectations for instantaneous experiences and search engine algorithms that favor faster-loading websites. 

JavaScript Cookie (0.9%) represents another specialized utility that helps developers manage browser cookies efficiently, addressing both performance and user privacy concerns.

Data visualization continues to be a significant use case for JavaScript libraries. Among the libraries in our second tier, GSAP (1.5%) stands out for enabling sophisticated animations and interactive content.

The presence of image-focused libraries like jQuery imagesLoaded (1.3%), PhotoSwipe (1.0%), Slick (1.0%), and Owl Carousel 2 (0.9%) demonstrates the continued importance of media handling in modern web experiences. These libraries help create engaging visual experiences while managing performance concerns around image loading and display.

Beyond the major categories, our data reveals specialized libraries serving specific niches within the top 30:

Form enhancements: Libraries like Typeahead.js (1.2%) improve standard form elements with features like autocomplete functionality.

File handling: Dropzone (1.3%) provides drag-and-drop file upload capabilities with preview functionality.

Animation tools: Animate.css (1.2%) offers easy-to-implement CSS animations.

Template handling: Handlebars.js (1.0%) remains a popular choice for client-side templating.

Data management: PubSubJS (1.1%) facilitates communication between different parts of an application.

This specialization trend reflects the maturing JavaScript ecosystem, where developers increasingly seek purpose-built tools for specific requirements rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. The presence of Glide.js (1.4%), focused on creating lightweight slider components, further illustrates how developers gravitate toward specialized tools that solve particular UI challenges efficiently.

The JavaScript library landscape is in constant evolution. Performance optimization is becoming increasingly vital, with specialized tools gaining traction as page speed becomes a critical success factor. Meanwhile, the universe of specialized libraries continues to expand, addressing niche needs from cryptography to accessibility.

What's fascinating is the balance between innovation and stability. While new frameworks regularly emerge, established solutions like jQuery demonstrate remarkable staying power—reflecting the genuine value these tools continue to provide in addressing fundamental web development challenges.

JavaScript libraries represent a beautiful example of collaborative achievement: collective knowledge refined into practical tools that extend what's possible on the web. The internet of 2025 stands as a testament to this collaborative spirit—a tapestry of shared solutions pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the browser, enabling more powerful, efficient, and engaging digital experiences for everyone.

Tech

When you visit a website today, you're experiencing multiple JavaScript libraries working together behind the scenes. These pre-written code collections create those sleek interfaces and smooth animations you see. But which libraries are actually powering the web in 2025? Read on to learn more.

The invisible engines: JavaScript libraries that power today's internet

Veronika Vilgis

Although the pandemic might have been the peak for online stores, e-commerce is far from a fading trend. It’s the way we shop online is simply evolving. Influencer-led commerce, live shopping streams on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, and the increasing dominance of online marketplaces have all become powerful engines of digital retail. Major players such as Amazon and Walmart continue to expand their platforms into broader ecosystems, allowing third-party sellers to reach global audiences while capturing a slice of online spending.

To understand where e-commerce stands today, we analyzed global data over the past 10 months, focusing on the number of active e-commerce websites across regions. The overall number of global e-commerce sites has remained relatively stable in the past seven months. Figure 1 shows newly detected online stores (shown in blue) and the number of online stores that disappeared in that month (orange). The dark line shows the overall change—an amount close to zero in most months. But stability at the surface masks important regional shifts that reflect deeper economic, technological, and consumer behavior trends.

The monthly growth in the number of e-commerce websites across continents, measured relative to June 2024, reveals varied regional dynamics (see Figure 2). North America and Europe experienced moderate increases, perhaps reflecting an already mature digital commerce ecosystem.

Asia, on the other hand, showed the most pronounced growth, with figures peaking at nearly 28% above the June baseline, signaling an uptake of online retail infrastructure. This surge highlights the region's accelerating digital adoption, driven by factors such as rising digital payment solutions and the expansion of local logistics networks. Asia is home to over 60% of the global population, and its digital economy is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years, particularly in Southeast Asia and India.

South America's trajectory was more volatile, with some months showing a slight contraction, likely influenced by regional market fluctuations or infrastructural limitations. Oceania maintained relatively consistent gains, gradually increasing by over 11% by March 2025. These trends illustrate how different global regions are engaging with e-commerce at varying speeds, shaped by local economic conditions, digital readiness, and consumer demand.

Next, we take a closer look at the data country by country. In Figure 3, you can see the top 10 countries with the fastest-growing number of e-commerce websites, as well as the lowest 10 countries. The top countries are United Arab Emirates (AE),  Saudi Arabia (SA), Egypt (EG), Philippines (PH), India (IN), Indonesia (ID), Peru (PE), Turkey (TR), Albania (AL), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA).

Of these top 10, many are emerging or frontier markets where digital commerce is still expanding rapidly. In the Middle East, governments have prioritized digital transformation. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have launched initiatives like Vision 2030, investing in infrastructure, fintech, and logistics to support e-commerce. Egypt has also seen a boom in mobile commerce, supported by improved connectivity and financial inclusion programs.

India and Indonesia, two of Asia’s largest economies, continue to benefit from expanding internet access, youthful populations, and growing digital payment adoption. Platforms like Flipkart, Shopee, and Tokopedia are reshaping shopping habits across the region. Similarly, countries like the Philippines and Turkey are seeing increased digital entrepreneurship, where small businesses are turning to e-commerce platforms to reach both local and international consumers.

Declining e-commerce activity: countries losing ground

Not all countries are seeing a digital retail boom. The countries with the largest relative decline in active e-commerce websites are Ukraine (UA), Singapore (SG), Brazil (BR), the Netherlands (NL), Canada (CA), Argentina (AR), Malaysia (MY), Germany (DE) and Russia (RU). Finland (FI) is among the bottom 10, but actually shows a 1% growth over the past 10 months.

Several factors help explain these downturns. Ukraine continues to face wartime disruptions, making it difficult for small businesses to maintain operations online. Russia has seen tightening internet controls and sanctions, which have affected access to global platforms and payments. 

In countries like Germany and the Netherlands, where large retailers dominate, smaller e-commerce players may struggle with competition and rising operational costs. Argentina and Brazil have experienced macroeconomic challenges, including inflation and currency devaluation, making online retail difficult to sustain for small businesses. 

Malaysia has faced regulatory shifts and increased market saturation, leading to consolidation among online sellers. Singapore, despite being a tech hub, is a small market with limited expansion space, and its e-commerce growth may be stabilizing after years of early adoption. 

E-commerce isn’t going anywhere, but it is changing. While the global number of e-commerce websites has remained stable, growth has clearly shifted toward emerging markets, particularly in Asia and parts of the Middle East. Mature markets like North America and Europe seem to be stagnating, while others are seeing contractions influenced by war, economic instability, or market saturation.

As digital infrastructure continues to improve and consumer behaviors evolve, the shape of global e-commerce will keep adapting. What’s clear is that while the growth of the pandemic may have subsided, the momentum behind online retail remains —just more nuanced and regionally diverse.

Business Information

E-commerce saw explosive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, with brick-and-mortar stores closing and digital platforms becoming a lifeline for both businesses and consumers. But, as we revealed in a previous analysis, the surge came with a caveat: many of the online stores created in 2020 and 2021 proved to be short-lived. Within just two years, a significant portion of these new digital storefronts had gone offline, unable to sustain operations, customer interest, or both.

Analyzing global e-commerce trends: top growing and declining markets

Around two years ago, we wrote a blog article about languages on the web. Dr Daniel Pimienta, a language researcher, reached out to find out more about the data behind that article and how we determine languages on the web: his enthusiasm for language data led to a fantastic collaboration! Daniel has since dug deep in our database, extracting all kinds of insights. Based on his report and recently published research, we’re sharing Daniel’s findings about European minority languages on the internet.

Depending on your global location, you may mostly be presented with content in your own language—thanks to geotracking—and this is certainly true for most dominant languages like English, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese. But what if you speak a minority language? Can you access digital content in that language? Well, based on Dr. Pimienta’s research, it depends on which minority language you’re looking for.

Previously, we showed that English is the dominant primary language online, with approximately 51% of websites created in English. This prominence is particularly striking when juxtaposed against other major languages: Chinese, for instance, accounted for roughly 10% of websites, despite being the most spoken language worldwide. German followed with 7%, while Spanish and Japanese each comprised about 4% of online content. 

Another approach to measuring languages on websites involves calculating the percentage of languages used across all webpages. This method considers the fact that many websites incorporate multiple languages beyond just their primary one. By focusing on the overall distribution of languages across content, this metric offers a different perspective on the multilingual nature of the web, potentially resulting in a different proportion of language representation.

While the internet offers a platform for countless voices, many languages struggle for representation.

This scarcity is concerning, especially for languages UNESCO classifies as 'endangered', raising concerns about preservation and transmission to future generations. 

GeoTLDs: carving digital niches for local languages

In an effort to promote cultural and linguistic communities online, geographical top-level domains (geoTLDs) were introduced in 2012. These domains aim to provide localized digital identities, fostering a sense of belonging and representation. 

For the present analysis, we focus on 10 European geoTLDs that have a unique language associated with them, beyond just cultural and geographical boundaries. Specifically, the analysis focuses on two aspects: the representation of the primary language as part of the TLD and the prevalence of multilingualism, i.e., whether a website is offered in more than one language.

We see in Figure 1 that .eus, the TLD associated with the Basque Country in Spain, has the highest share of multilingualism. This means that all the websites are offered in more than one language—as you would expect, Spanish and Basque are the most common offering, but not exclusively. Next in line for multilingualism are .gal, representative of Galicia, and .cymru, one of the TLDs for Wales, with 60% and 63% of websites being offered in multiple languages, respectively. On the other end, .frl (associated with Friesland), .irish, and .scot exhibit the lowest share of multilingual websites. 

Next, the analysis investigated the correlation between the geoTLDs and the availability of associated websites in their associated minority languages. The three TLDs with top representation of the language are .cat, .gal, and .cymru, showing 72% of websites offered in Catalan, 66% offered in Galician and 45% offered in Welsh, respectively. In contrast, the .scot domain sees a mere 1% of its websites using Scottish Gaelic. Ultimately, this highlights that the impact of geoTLDs on language promotion is variable, and is likely shaped by the level of community engagement and the presence of supportive policies.

Finally, the research examined how well the TLD is represented geographically. It essentially looked at how the overall size of the TLD represents its people (accounting for population), and represents multilingualism, considering the number of people speaking more than one language as well as the number of people speaking the primary language. The table in Figure 2 summarizes the findings.  Both .eus and .cat perform best in terms of multilingualism and promoting their respective languages but are moderately represented given the number of speakers. In contrast, .corsica is well represented online given its overall (speaker) population, but scores low on multilingualism representation of the Corsu language.

The internet is a living, evolving entity that shapes and is shaped by its users. Linguistic diversity online supports cultural preservation and inclusivity, enabling individuals to access information in their native or new languages. While geoTLDs offer an opportunity toward greater linguistic diversity online, significant differences in the way linguistic diversity is promoted remains. The dominance of a few major languages often sidelines others, creating a more uniform digital environment. Addressing this requires coordinated action: governments can enact policies to support minority languages in digital spaces; developers can build tools that make multilingual content creation easier; and communities themselves can drive change by producing and promoting content in underrepresented languages, ensuring these voices are not lost in the online landscape.

The internet's linguistic landscape is a reflection of our world's diversity and disparities. While English and a handful of other languages dominate, countless others strive for recognition and representation. By acknowledging these imbalances and championing initiatives that promote linguistic inclusivity, we can aspire towards a digital world that truly mirrors the rich tapestry of human language and culture.

This blog post was written in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Pimienta founder of the Observatory of the Linguistic and Cultural Diversity on the Internet (OBDILCI). As the current head of OBDILCI, Dr. Pimienta develops indicators that measure the presence of various languages on the web. His work challenges biases in language data and advocates for multilingualism in digital spaces. For more information on the current study and methods, access the publication here.

Domains

The digital world reflects our global diversity, but not equally—while a few languages dominate online, countless others struggle for representation. GeoTLDs can help! For regions with minority languages, having dedicated spaces online where these languages can be used, protected, and shared, is a celebration of human communication. Read on as we explore the data behind languages on the web, together with Dr. Daniel Pimienta and his research.

How geoTLDs promote European minority languages online

Dataprovider.com

Who controls the internet’s infrastructure?

A handful of tech giants—Google, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft—wield monopolistic control over key aspects of the web, from search engines and social media to cloud computing and app marketplaces. Their influence dictates how billions of people access information, communicate, and conduct business online. However, beyond these five companies, other critical parts of the internet are also dominated by just one or a few powerful players, creating a digital ecosystem where choice might often be more illusion than reality. Let’s dive into the data. 

We’ve explored the corporations behind internet infrastructure in previous blog posts. Web hosting, for instance, is largely concentrated in the hands of just three companies. The vast majority of websites are built using WordPress, and the backbone of the internet—such as domain registration and SSL certification—is overseen by just a few key companies.

When it comes to some fundamental online services, just a select few lead the way as well. As seen in Figure 1, WooCommerce, Shopify, and Wix eCommerce account for two-thirds (70.4%) of the shopping cart system market. Microsoft 365 holds a 57.7% share of online email marketing services, while Calendly manages 63.6% of online appointment scheduling. Regarding live chat solutions, Meta’s Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Business lead with 61.3% of the market, and Google Tag Manager, Analytics and Call Conversion Tracking power nearly half (46.6%) of all web analytics tools.

Other key sectors of the internet are similarly concentrated. The largest affiliate program on the web is Amazon Associates with a ​​53.9% market share. Google reigns supreme in both online advertising and mapping services, with its ad network comprising Google Publisher Tag, AdSense, Ads, AdSense Custom Search, and Marketing Platform dominating the industry with 69.2% and Google Maps holding a 74.2% share of map technologies. Meanwhile, YouTube is the undisputed leader in video playback, accounting for two thirds (66.7%) of all embedded video players on the web.

Even crucial behind-the-scenes elements of the internet remain far from decentralized. 46.6% of SSL certificates are issued by Let’s Encrypt, while GoDaddy is the largest domain registrar with a 27.1% share.

The concentration of power discussed here raises serious concerns. Tech oligopolies not only collect vast amounts of user data, but also shape what information people see, often with little transparency or oversight. Critics argue this threatens privacy, innovation, and even democracy itself. Supporters counter that these companies offer valuable, widely used services and that users are free to seek alternatives. However, with such overwhelming market dominance, true competition remains stifled, leaving consumers with limited choices.

Governments and regulators worldwide are now wrestling with how to curb this growing power. Potential solutions include breaking up major companies, restricting mergers and acquisitions, enforcing interoperability between platforms, implementing stricter data usage rules, and demanding more algorithmic transparency. Whether these efforts succeed remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the internet, once envisioned as a decentralized and open platform, is now largely controlled by a select few corporations.

In a world increasingly dominated by centralized or concentrated internet services, a fascinating anomaly persists: the control of core internet security rests, surprisingly, with seven individuals, scattered globally. Each holds a unique key; each key a component of a system that (theoretically) allows for the shutdown and reboot of the entire internet. While the details of the keys' precise functionality and security measures remain rather opaque, this system demonstrates a remnant of decentralized control. That said, it entails other risks, like being potentially vulnerable to circumstances like the unavailability or compromise of keyholders. 

This seemingly retro approach offers a counterpoint to the consolidation of power within the digital realm, and highlights a tension between security and the potential for both exceptional control and catastrophic failure in this model. This system’s reliance on human trust and geographical dispersion stands in stark contrast to the ever-increasing concentration of power within the tech industry. 

Further, blockchain and related technological developments are built on the idea of decentralization. At its core, a blockchain distributes control among more than one participant and thus transfers decision-making authority from one to many. Tech privacy activism is growing in the digital sphere, and one group has even launched an experimental data-leak warning system based on the principles of a gas leak: the Smell of Data device (seen above) alerts users if digital insecurity is present or data is leaking.

Of course, it’s hard to compete against the interests, cashflow, and (political) influence that big tech has on the web and our modern world. But this does not mean we have no options: decentralization remains a core tenet of the internet, and people are still fighting for its value in the face of challenge. Our own choices come down to ensuring our privacy settings are up-to-date, knowing where our information goes, and supporting small and growing (digital) companies over the big one, where possible. Importantly, policy is a key way to shape the behavior of big companies: according to the NYT, 

Successes in these fields are a quiet testament to the enduring possibility of decentralized power and a vital reminder that even in our hyper-connected world, some critical functions can still rely on a balanced distribution of authority, far removed from the monolithic structures of modern tech giants.

Our data shows that just a few companies control key aspects of the web, from communications to email to appointment scheduling. While this concentration raises serious concerns about privacy and innovation, we also take a look at the efforts to bring core internet values like decentralization back to the forefront. Who really owns the internet, and how can we reclaim it? Read on to learn more.

The overlooked monopolies of the internet: who really owns the web?

Loura Kruger-Zwart

Squarespace is one of today’s most popular website management platforms. From what started as a blog hosting project in 2003, the company has grown beyond its core as a no-code, D.I.Y., drag-and-drop website builder. These days, it delivers innovative features like domain name services, analytics capabilities, e-commerce tools, and AI integrations. 

Content management systems (CMSs) are the part of the digital ecosystem that helps individuals, organizations, and businesses structure their online content. WordPress is a hugely popular CMS, dominating the industry and accounting for almost 60% of all active websites (Figure 1). This is followed by Wix, but Squarespace has staked its claim in the top 3 of CMSs used globally. 

The popularity and online adoption of Squarespace as a content management system has been strong and steady: in Figure 2 we see that its presence on the web as a CMS has close to doubled in the past four years. Since early 2024, especially, the growth of Squarespace usage has been significant. 

Templates are to Squarespace what themes are to WordPress: the starting point of shaping and building a new website. Selecting the right one for the purpose of a site shapes how visitors interact with it, what impressions it leaves, and what capabilities it has. It can be a delicate balance: too whimsical, and visitors might not take the brand seriously, or too formal and casual visitors might be alienated. 

The most recent Squarespace iteration is Squarespace 7.1, released in 2020. It brought with it a big change—this edition doesn’t operate in the same way that the templates before it did. Pre-7.1 templates differed from each other in that they offered different functionalities: some were more appropriate for online stores since e-commerce features were built in, while others may have worked better as portfolios because of design, customizability, or contact options. These days, all templates are functionally the same, differing only in style and layout. 

This said, not every Squarespace website has made the switch yet. As seen in Figure 3, over 33% are not yet using 7.1, despite its improved flexibility and speed. Squarespace continues to support sites using the earlier templates, but only 7.1 is receiving updates and upgrades in the future. Website owners that still use 7.0 templates may hesitate to change because for many, it means rebuilding pages that took considerable time and effort to build in the past. Especially if they are not feeling restricted or slowed down, there’s not yet much pressure to switch.

Squarespace’s expansion: Google Domains become Squarespace Domains

Changing their template system has been part of the company’s shift to an all-in-one, comprehensive platform. Another major change has been their absorption of Google Domains. In September 2023, Squarespace acquired all domain registrations from Google Domains—including associated customer accounts—and began migrating them to become their host. Domains owners who previously logged into Google to manage their domains now were given Squarespace accounts, or if that Gmail address was already known, the domain was added to the existing account. 

Why this change? There was no official communication about it, but some speculate that the small margin on domains, combined with customer service needs, combined with low upsell opportunities (i.e., Google doesn’t offer the website building hosting plans that Squarespace or other CMSs do), were a recipe for Google wanting to move the domains along. 

The migration did not go entirely smoothly, however: according to Security Week, hackers exploited a flaw in Squarespace's domain transfer process from Google Domains, hijacking control of several cryptocurrency domains. This vulnerability allowed malicious actors to create fake accounts, just by guessing email addresses without email verification, and access the new Squarespace account before the real domain owners could. From here, they could alter DNS records and redirect visitors to malicious websites. 

The July 2024 attack affected major (crypto-related) platforms like Celer Network and Compound Finance, but Squarespace has since addressed the issue and urges users to update their settings and secure their accounts with two-factor authentication. Fortunately, the affected platforms have regained control and there are no ongoing threats.

Squarespace has continued to grow in the last years, adjusting to consumer preferences and embracing emerging technologies. From the company’s acquisition of Acuity Scheduling in 2019, to its purchase of Tock Reservations in 2021 (although it sold this again to AMEX in 2024), to its full adoption of generative AI tools in its website creation toolbox, Squarespace is determined to be the one-stop option for web needs.

The company went public in 2021, but in late 2024—after a back-and-forth of almost half a year—private equity firm Permira purchased all remaining shares and took Squarespace private again for around 7.2 billion USD. 

As explored here, our data shows that Squarespace is a mainstay in the CMS industry and a firm competitor to the domination of WordPress. Its updates and upgrades make it attractive for new clients, and the features and support it offers keep older customers happy. As Squarespace continues to add more services to its repertoire and manage its security, its growth is likely to continue. Only time (and structured web data) will tell where Squarespace ends up.

Let’s talk Squarespace: this top CMS is growing, not only in popularity but in its services and product offerings too. From blog hosting only to becoming an all-in-one platform, they’ve also recently taken on domain registering and scheduling software. What does the data tell us about the state of Squarespace? Dive into our explainer to learn more. 

The many hats of Squarespace: from blog hosting to all-in-one

It's not just people roaming the web anymore, and we’ve known about the new kids on the block for a while: robots. A company or organization’s online robot—also called a bot, crawler, scraper, or spider—is tasked with exploring the internet for specific reasons, like indexing to rank websites or collect data. For most websites, being open to these bots and being indexed by a search engine, for example, is an excellent way to optimize and rank higher in search results. But not every website wants each of its webpages accessed or indexed by a bot—what then? The robots.txt file is this modern problem’s modern solution. 

Essentially, robots.txt is a text file that a website administrator adds to their site to tell bots and crawlers where they can or cannot go, and what they should or shouldn’t index. It's the digital bridge between human and machine, one that helps maintain a symbiotic relationship between the two online.

The bots that traverse the web and collect information are looking to index your site and its webpages, ready to be shown to searchers (in the case of Googlebot) or broken down into technical details, as the Dataprovider.com spider does. SEO is improved when search engine bots can quickly and accurately identify the pages of a website. 

This is where a robots.txt file comes in: it indicates how crawlers can index the web by setting rules and directing to sitemaps. The website owner explicitly allows or disallows (particular) robots to access or index the site, and outlines which bots can access what parts of the site. The owner can direct bots to the unique sitemap, which usually outlines the relevant and appropriate pages to be indexed, and excludes private, irrelevant, or administrative parts of the site. In contrast to LLMs.txt, which gives additional information and specific details, robots.txt is intended to be a more ‘objective’ and straightforward resource for our robotic co-surfers.

However, all of this hinges on an important agreement: adherence to the robots exclusion protocol. First developed by Dutch engineer Martijn Koster in 1994 and used across the web since then, Google sought to upgrade the protocol to an official industry standard in 2019. In 2022, Koster and Google wrote the Proposed Standard together, and it was accepted by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IEFT). As with other kinds of .txt files, this one can also be added to a website root as a markdown file. Website administrators can include incredibly specific instructions to bots, as long or short as needed. Find the original guidelines here and more modern recommendations here.

Robots.txt is the practical outcome of the robots exclusion protocol, but, of course, it is still up to crawlers, bots, and the organization behind them to adhere to the rules. Safe to say that most do—there is a benefit for sites to be indexed, but there is also a benefit for crawlers to have access to these sites and their relevant webpages. Crawlers would rather not be denied access, and so, they adhere to the rules. For example, Wikipedia’s robots.txt file is very explicit about its various instructions: it includes small written explanations (for a human reader’s benefit, no doubt) about which bots are in the ‘naughty corner’ for not following the rules. There are too many bots out there to have specific rules for each, but having some indication on a website about the expectations for robots seems integral to the internet today. Ultimately, however, the protocol remains advisory—a polite suggestion—despite using terms like allow and disallow. 

Curious to see some examples of robots.txt on major websites? Take a look at the notable files at Nike, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, and Wikipedia, or add /robots.txt after any domain name to see that website's bot rules.

At Dataprovider.com, we closely monitor robots.txt files as part of our web crawling process. Since our spider scans the web on a monthly basis, the robots.txt file is our first checkpoint to determine whether we are permitted to access a website: if the file explicitly disallows crawling, we respect those directives and do not access the site. This is part of our privacy by design protocol. While we have always recorded whether a robots.txt file is present, we did not systematically track which bots were specifically allowed or disallowed until recently. This has revealed some impressive numbers: in March 2025, our crawler detected mentions of 112,327 unique user agents specified across all robots.txt files. While some of those mentions may be typos, or for bots that are no longer ‘in service’, the total number gives an indication of just how important it is to provide structure and instructions.

As the web becomes increasingly crowded with more LLM crawlers and other automated agents, understanding who’s out there and what they’re allowed to do is increasingly relevant. Robots.txt provides an interesting glimpse into how website owners manage bot traffic—who they welcome and who they prefer to keep out.

In Figure 1, we break down the share of websites based on whether they have a robots.txt file and whether they allow or disallow crawling. The data reveals that 79% of websites include a robots.txt file, indicating that a significant majority of website owners take bot management seriously.

Next, we examined the bots most frequently mentioned in robots.txt files. One key observation is that among the 70 million robots.txt file analyzed, 24% explicitly allow all bots by using a wildcard directive (*). When looking at specific mentions, various Google-owned bots dominate the list, with one major exception: AhrefsBot. This SEO-focused crawler appears in 4% of robots.txt files, making it the most frequently mentioned bot overall (see Figure 2).

To take the analysis a step further, we focused on bots that are explicitly disallowed from crawling—meaning they are entirely blocked from accessing any part of the website. In Figure 3, we highlight the most frequently disallowed user agents. Among the top bots are PetalBot, Nutch, and MJ12bot.

PetalBot is operated by Petal Search, a search engine developed by Huawei, and is used to index web pages for Huawei’s search ecosystem. Nutch, on the other hand, is an open-source web crawler widely used for research purposes, custom search engines, and large-scale web scraping projects. MJ12bot is the crawler for Majestic, a search engine and SEO tool specializing in backlink analysis and website rankings.

None of these crawlers are inherently malicious; their impact largely depends on how they are configured and used. While concerns about PetalBot stem from Huawei’s ties to the Chinese government (given past allegations of surveillance and data privacy issues), there is no direct evidence that the bot engages in malicious activity. Wikipedia’s robots.txt specifically calls out MJ12bot, saying “Observed spamming large amounts of [...] and ignoring 429 ratelimit responses”, despite MJ12bot’s website saying it obeys robots.txt. 

Creating a robots.txt file on your website isn’t complicated and has plenty of benefits, so why not? Depending on the nature and content of a site, it may be useful to indicate clearly which URLs the crawler can access on your site, to indicate the (ir)relevance of certain pages, or to manage and avoid unwanted visitors. Without it, crawlers can and will access all parts of a site. Website owners put different degrees of detail into their robots.txt instructions: Reddit, for example, disallows all crawlers with two lines of text, while LinkedIn’s robots.txt is over 4,000 lines of specification and rules.

As discussed in our recent article, the rise of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) has introduced another visitor to the digital world. Large Language Models (LLMs) also gather all kinds of information from the web; including LLMs.txt on a website specifies which relevant details the bot should share if asked via ChatGPT, Claude, or another service. However, since this development is still rather recent, many website owners opt to include LLMs instructions in their robots.txt files. 

The internet is an ever-evolving place, as we know, and keeping up with the changes is complicated. Access, security, privacy, and responsibility must be considered when new developments arise, and protocols like robots.txt are one way to bridge the gap between humans and our machines.

Robots surf the web alongside us, but have a different set of rules for how to traverse the digital world. Whether they’re indexing pages for a search engine, tracking changes for SEO, or collecting information for a structured database, bots need structure and instruction. How do we ensure they’re doing the right thing? Read on to explore the wonderful world of robots.txt.

The digital bridge between human and machine? How robots.txt works

Web3 is among the newest tech lingo, alongside LLM, NFT, crypto-anything, and comparable developments. But before exploring Web3, it is essential to understand its predecessors: Web1 and Web2. The first iteration of the internet, Web1, was characterized by static content and a lack of interactivity. Websites served as digital brochures, where information was provided solely by the website owner, and users could only consume content without contributing or engaging with others.

Web2 introduced a paradigm shift by enabling user-generated content and promoting interactivity. This era brought the rise of social media, blogs, and collaborative platforms, allowing users to create, share, and interact with content dynamically. The widespread adoption of Web2 technologies transformed the internet into an interactive and socially connected space we know and love today.

Now, the internet is undergoing another transformation with the emergence of Web3. This next phase of the web is built on decentralized technologies, aiming to redefine digital ownership, enhance privacy, and reduce reliance on centralized authorities. Web3 is, in part, a response to the ‘walled garden’ ecosystems created by platforms like Facebook, Apple, or YouTube, where user data is harvested, privacy is compromised, and control over personal content is limited. The goal of Web3 is to return power to internet users, and to diminish the dominance of Big Tech.

This shift is made possible by blockchain and related technologies, including cryptocurrencies, decentralized applications (dApps), smart contracts, tokens, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). As a result, Web3 is often referred to as “the blockchain edition of the internet.”

We were approached by a university researcher from TU Delft, interested in measuring the adoption of Web3 technologies across the web. Our technology detection team took up the challenge, conducting intensive research to develop a new classification field: Web3 Technologies. To accurately identify and track these emerging technologies, we overhauled our detection algorithms, significantly enhancing our insights into the internet's evolving technological landscape. Our enhanced methodology now probes deeper into website code by extending analysis to externally loaded JavaScript files—a crucial adjustment, as Web3 functionalities are often deployed via external scripts rather than being directly embedded in the page.

Among the detected Web3 technologies, some stand out due to their widespread adoption and impact on the ecosystem:

Web3.js (26.4%) – One of the most widely used JavaScript libraries for interacting with Ethereum-based blockchain networks, allowing developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) efficiently.

Ethers (19.4%) – Another popular JavaScript library for Ethereum, known for its simplicity and security, making it a favorite among developers working with smart contracts.

EthereumJS (18.4%) – A collection of JavaScript libraries designed to facilitate Ethereum-based blockchain development, supporting everything from transactions to cryptographic functions.

OpenSea (7.3%) – The leading NFT marketplace, allowing users to trade digital assets on the blockchain.

WalletConnect (4.7%) – A protocol that enables secure connections between dApps and cryptocurrency wallets, allowing users to interact with decentralized platforms seamlessly.

The big question is, how much of the promises, ideals, and functionality of Web3 have been embraced by the masses? Out of the 166 million active websites we currently detect, only about 80,000 (~ 0.05%) have implemented one or more Web3 technologies, reflecting a very modest overall adoption rate. When broken down by country, Figure 2 illustrates that the United States leads far ahead with an adoption rate of 57.8%, while China (3rd) stands at 3.7%, the Netherlands (5th) at 2%, and Japan (11th) at 1.2%.

Let’s dive deeper into the numbers and take a look at the growth of the field over time. Figure 3 shows that since March 2024, the detection of Web3 technologies has been steadily increasing. Notably, during July and August 2024—when our updated technology detection methodology was implemented—the total count jumped from 37,435 in July to 65,528 in August, peaking at 79,076 in September. Following this surge, the numbers remain relatively high, with a gradual rise continuing through January 2025.

In extension of the adoption of Web3 technologies as a whole, Bitcoin as an online payment method has experienced remarkable growth. Figure 4 shows that the number of websites accepting Bitcoin increased from 203,469 in February 2021, to 270,990 in January 2025—an overall growth of approximately 33%. Notably, early 2023 marked a significant surge, with the total peaking at 283,411 in January 2023, representing nearly a 10% increase compared to the end of 2022. This robust adoption is largely driven by the integration of cryptocurrency payment solutions via payment service providers, which inherently support digital currencies without requiring specific Web3 technologies like Web3.js or Ethers.

One of the most well-known aspects of Web3 is undoubtedly cryptocurrency, having unleashed a whole new market and redefined the concept of digital assets. Ever since its inception, it has taken the internet by storm and sparked debate among experts, policymakers, and everyday users alike. From being dismissed as a speculative bubble to being hailed as the future of finance, cryptocurrency remains a focal point of Web3 adoption.

The 2024 U.S. presidential election further amplified its relevance. Since Donald Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States last November, the cryptocurrency market has witnessed a surge in interest and investment. Trump’s vocal support for digital assets, combined with promises to create a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment, has fueled a bullish trend in the industry, as shown by CoinMarketCap data beginning November 6, 2024.

Going against the decentralized spirit of Web3, centralized exchange platforms for cryptocurrencies started to emerge. A few exchanges, shown in Figure 5, highlight this growth.

Despite this momentum, Web3 still faces significant challenges, including regulatory uncertainty, scalability issues, and skepticism from traditional financial institutions. Governments worldwide are debating how to regulate cryptocurrencies without stifling innovation, while companies continue to explore new use cases for blockchain technology.

The post-election surge in cryptocurrency adoption underscores a larger shift: Web3 is no longer a niche concept, but a transformative force shaping the future of the internet and global economies.

Is Web3 truly on the rise, or is it just another buzzword with little real-world traction? Despite the hype and speculation, tangible evidence about its adoption might surprise you. Where does Web3 stand today?

Web3 in the real world: from decentralized tech to global impact

In 2000, Joost Zuurbier, a Dutch citizen from Amsterdam, visited an island that you can only reach by first flying to Samoa, then boarding a ferry that runs only every two weeks with a variable schedule. The island Tokelau is a remote group of atolls in the South Pacific Ocean. Tokelau was home to just over 1,600 people in 2019, and back in 2000 there were those who had a difficult time grasping what Joost was trying to do. Most could never imagine the future of their nation’s country code top-level domain (ccTLD)—not even the man himself.

Zuurbier’s vision was to identify an unused ccTLD and make it freely available. He discovered that Tokelau’s ccTLD, .tk, was unclaimed and inactive. However, launching and expanding .tk came with three significant challenges. First, he needed to communicate his plan to the people of Tokelau and gain their approval. Second, navigating the bureaucratic process posed another obstacle—he had to secure official approval and delegation of the ccTLD from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Lastly, due to a requirement from IANA that the servers needed to be built on the island, all the equipment had to be taken to one of the remotest islands in the world. At the time, Tokelau had only three computers for 1,500 people, with only a 9,600 bits per second (bps) connection for e-mail with no attachments. For reference, one million bits make up one megabit (mb), and a good modern download speed is 100mbps.

Fortunately, the final challenge was resolved with the help of an Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) employee who had visited Tokelau in the 1970s. Understanding that hosting global servers from the island was impractical, the employee recognized that some level of internet activity was still necessary for Tokelau to claim administrative control over its ccTLD. This meant that before anything else, Zuurbier had to introduce internet connectivity to the island.

Once this requirement was met, Zuurbier and the islanders reached an agreement on how the revenue from the ccTLD would be used. With their case prepared, they presented it to IANA. As a result, both initial challenges were also overcome, and IANA officially delegated .tk to Teletok, the company overseeing Tokelau’s telecommunications from 1997 onward, while Taloha, Zuurbier’s organization, managed the technical administration of the domain.

Because .tk domain registrations were free, the extension quickly gained popularity and became one of the most widely registered country code domains, surpassing 25 million registrations. However, the free model also drew the attention of cybercriminals. With the ability to create websites anonymously and in large numbers, scammers exploited .tk domains for various malicious activities, including phishing for passwords and payment details, hosting intrusive pop-up ads, and distributing malware.

Until recently, domain registrations for the .tk ccTLD were managed by OpenTLD B.V., part of Freenom, a registry that manages several freely available TLDs. In November 2023, ICANN terminated OpenTLD's accreditation due to multiple breaches of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). Despite this termination, the registration and maintenance of .tk domains remains under Freenom. As a ccTLD, .tk primarily operates under the authority of Tokelau and is not governed by ICANN's RAA.

Given the controversial recent history of the .tk ccTLD, we were curious to look at the domains currently active online. In our database, we detect a total of 6.3 million .tk domains, which includes domains that are no longer active but were at some point within the past twelve years. However, as of January 2025, only 8,862 of those are currently active, 2,430 are redirects, and another 18,231 do not allow crawling. Of the redirects, 53.5% redirect to a .com domain, 10% to another .tk domain and 6.8% redirect to .cf (ccTLD of the Central African Republic).

Among the active domains, just over a third can be traced to Ireland, followed by the Netherlands, and then the US (Figure 3). In terms of security, over 50% have no or an invalid SSL certificate, as shown in Figure 4. 

The rise of the .tk domain was a remarkable story of growth, driven by its unique offering of free registrations that attracted millions of users. At its peak, .tk became one of the most registered country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) in the world. However, its rapid growth came with a dark side, creating a haven for malicious actors who exploited its anonymity and accessibility. The association with online fraud damaged its reputation, and as a result, it became known for its role in hosting dubious websites. Despite efforts to mitigate abuse, the damage was done, and .tk's image has never fully recovered.

Digital colonialism and the future of .tk

The rise and fall of the .tk domain also highlights the broader issue of digital colonialism. Tokelau, a small, remote territory in the Pacific, found itself at the center of a global internet phenomenon. While Tokelau's local population had limited internet infrastructure, the income generated from .tk registrations—millions of dollars, some years—provided vital financial support to the territory. This arrangement, however, raised ethical concerns about digital colonialism, as a foreign entity (Freenom) controlled the domain's registration process and its profits. The revenue, which was meant to benefit Tokelau, was regularly diverted through intermediaries, leaving the island with limited direct control over the wealth generated by its ccTLD.

With the uncertain future of .tk, Tokelau faces potential financial ramifications. If the domain's usage continues to decline or becomes further restricted, it could impact the income the territory has relied on. Although the digital space has provided an economic lifeline, the loss of .tk’s popularity also exposes Tokelau to the realities of digital dependency. The implications go beyond simple financial loss; they reflect the challenges small nations face in navigating the complexities of the digital age and how they manage valuable assets like ccTLDs, which can be both a source of income and a symbol of sovereignty.

Today, while .tk domains can still be registered through Freenom, the landscape is uncertain. Despite the possibility of registration, the reality is that most domain names appear unavailable, and new registrations have effectively stagnated since October 2024. No new registrar has been announced, and the lack of clarity about the future of .tk raises more questions than answers. It’s clear that while .tk still exists, its glory days may well be behind it. What remains is a small, largely insecure domain extension that continues to attract a few unsavory characters, but for most legitimate users, it’s a relic of the past. The future of .tk remains up in the air, and its tarnished reputation means that it will likely never regain its former prominence in the world of domain registrations.

Tokelau is a remote island in the pacific. You can reach there only by a ferry that runs every 14 days. But it is the third most-visited island. How so?

From tiny atolls to digital dominance: the .tk story

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software solution designed to streamline the creation and management of digital content. From personal blogs to large-scale e-commerce platforms, CMSs provide the infrastructure needed to publish and maintain online content efficiently.

With over 100 different CMS platforms detected across 50+ million websites, the market is highly diverse, each solution catering to distinct business needs, technical preferences, and monetization strategies. The evolution of CMS technology has been driven by the demand for more flexible, scalable, and user-friendly solutions. Businesses increasingly prioritize low-code or no-code approaches, security, and integrations with emerging technologies such as AI-driven content automation. As competition in the digital space intensifies, understanding the landscape of CMS offerings is crucial for businesses looking to optimize their content strategy.

Figure 1 shows the most widely used CMSs across the internet. Choosing the right one for your specific needs ensures a strong foundation for managing your content effectively.

Despite the multitude of options, a few key platforms dominate usage across the web. As shown in Figure 1, Wix (9.6%) and Squarespace (8.0%) are among the most popular choices for users seeking all-in-one, hosted website builders. E-commerce-focused platforms such as Shopify (4.5%) and GoDaddy Website Builder (4.8%) also hold significant market share, catering specifically to businesses looking for ready-to-use solutions that simplify website management. Traditional CMS platforms like Joomla (1.4%) and Blogger (1.0%) remain in use but have seen a decline in popularity as newer, more user-friendly solutions gain traction. However, despite the growing competition, WordPress continues to dominate the market, powering nearly 60% of all CMS-based websites. Far surpassing any other platform, this dominance has firmly established WordPress as the industry leader.

The rise (and reign) of WordPress in the CMS landscape

For years, the market leader in CMS solutions has remained unchallenged: WordPress. Originally developed as an open-source blogging platform, WordPress has evolved into a versatile system supporting a wide range of use cases, including forums, learning management systems (LMS), and e-commerce.

As an open-source platform, anyone can contribute to its code, extend its functionality with plugins, or design themes to customize its look and feel. Best of all, it's completely free to use. This has led to a digital ecosystem where countless businesses thrive by offering WordPress-related services, from hosting to theme and plugin development.

No other CMS comes close to matching WordPress in terms of community size, functionality, and years of development. The numbers speak for themselves. Figure 2 illustrates WordPress’s continuous growth over the past few years.

For an even deeper dive into WordPress’s dominance, take a look at our previous article with a detailed breakdown of the WordPress versions on the web.

WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com: what’s the difference?

One thing not covered in the previous article is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, two separate entities that often cause confusion.

WordPress.org is the home of the WordPress CMS, where the open-source community lives. Here, users can find themes, plugins, and documentation to customize and expand WordPress. This version is self-hosted, meaning users need to install it on their own web server. It is maintained by the WordPress Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Matt Mullenweg, the creator of WordPress.

Follow us

Questions?

Web trends

An overview of Nordic business and e-commerce sites

Exploring cityTLDs: Adventures of online travel

Most commonly used DNS name servers on the internet

What is ads.txt and why is it important?

Do most online stores have a physical store as well?

Where have all the placeholders gone?

Uncovering networks of websites spreading misinformation about COVID-19

Start today