Theme/Page Builder2M+ users

Divi Alternative for Next.js & Astro

Elegant Themes' all-in-one theme and visual builder with 2M+ active users. Learn how to replace Divi's monolithic approach with modern, modular alternatives.

TL;DR

You don't need Divi after migrating to Next.js or Astro. Modern frameworks give you full control over your design system with React components and Tailwind CSS—no page builder overhead, no theme lock-in, no license renewals. See the alternatives below.

Official docs: Next.js Documentation · Astro Documentation

The Problem with Divi

Divi loads its entire framework on every page—often 1.5-2 MB of combined CSS and JavaScript—regardless of which modules you use. Its shortcode-based content storage means your content is locked in Divi-specific markup that becomes unreadable gibberish if you deactivate the theme. The Divi Builder's inline editing creates deeply nested DOM structures, and its "Divi CSS" system generates thousands of redundant utility classes that conflict with any custom styling.

Modern Alternatives

Next.js + Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui

A modern stack that replaces Divi's all-in-one approach with best-in-class tools for each concern.

framework

Pros

Modular—add only what you need
Sub-second page loads vs Divi's 3-5s
Full TypeScript support
Component reusability across projects

Cons

Requires development skills
No built-in visual editor
Steeper initial learning curve

How to Implement

Create a Next.js app with `npx create-next-app@latest --tailwind`, add shadcn/ui components, and build page templates that mirror your Divi layouts.

Framer

A visual design tool that publishes directly to the web, offering Divi-like visual editing with modern output.

builder

Pros

Visual design canvas
Beautiful animations built-in
Fast hosting included
Clean React output

Cons

Monthly subscription
Less control over hosting
Limited backend functionality

How to Implement

Design your pages in Framer's canvas, add interactions and animations visually, and publish to a Framer subdomain or custom domain.

Astro + Starlight

For content-heavy Divi sites, Astro delivers the same visual richness with near-zero JavaScript overhead.

template

Pros

Ships zero JS by default
Markdown/MDX content authoring
Partial hydration for interactive sections
Incredible Lighthouse scores

Cons

Less suited for highly dynamic apps
Smaller component ecosystem
No native visual builder

How to Implement

Scaffold with `npm create astro@latest`, use content collections for blog/page content, and add Tailwind for styling.

Webflow

A no-code platform that gives designers Divi-like visual control with clean, standards-compliant output.

builder

Pros

Visual builder with clean output
Built-in CMS
No shortcode lock-in
Professional animations

Cons

Monthly hosting cost
Platform lock-in
Limited server-side logic

How to Implement

Recreate your Divi layouts in Webflow's designer, migrate content to Webflow CMS, and publish on their hosting.

Migration Steps

Install the Divi shortcode parser or use a plugin like "Flavor" to convert Divi shortcodes to clean HTML before export

Export all pages, posts, and media from WordPress—note that Divi content in the database is wrapped in [et_pb_*] shortcodes

Parse Divi shortcodes to extract raw text content, images, and layout structure

Map Divi modules to component equivalents: et_pb_text → <p>, et_pb_blurb → Card, et_pb_cta → CTA component, et_pb_slider → carousel

Recreate Divi's Global Presets as Tailwind theme configuration (colors, fonts, button styles)

Build a component library matching your most-used Divi modules (typically 8-12 components cover 90% of pages)

Migrate Divi's built-in contact forms to React Hook Form + Formspree

Replace Divi's A/B testing with Vercel Edge Config or PostHog

Set up proper image optimization with Next.js Image or Astro's built-in image component

Redirect all old Divi URLs and test for broken links

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I extract my content from Divi's shortcode format?

Divi stores content as nested shortcodes like [et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column][et_pb_text]Your content[/et_pb_text]. Use a shortcode-to-HTML converter script, or install the "Flavor" plugin to render clean HTML before export. The WordPress REST API returns rendered HTML, which is easier to work with than raw shortcodes.

What replaces Divi's built-in split testing?

Use Vercel's Edge Middleware for server-side A/B testing with zero performance cost, or PostHog for feature flags and experiments. Both are more statistically rigorous than Divi's built-in testing.

Can I keep Divi's animation effects?

Framer Motion handles everything Divi's animation system does—and much more. Scroll-triggered animations, page transitions, layout animations, and gesture-based interactions are all possible with better performance.

Is there a Divi-to-HTML converter?

Yes—several options exist. The simplest is to view each page in WordPress (which renders Divi shortcodes to HTML) and save the rendered output. Alternatively, use the WordPress REST API with ?_embed to get fully rendered content.

Will my Divi shortcodes break if I switch?

LeaveWP cleans shortcodes during export. Content converts to clean markdown.

Is Divi faster with the new theme builder?

Marginally, but still loads 1MB+ of CSS/JS. Static sites load under 100KB.

Can I keep Divi for some pages?

Not recommended. Mixed approaches cause maintenance headaches. Full migration is cleaner.