In short. Framer documents an optimized-version fallback for crawlers that rely on static content and do not run JavaScript.
Definition: Framer's Traffic-aware Pre-Rendering (TPR) sends crawlers that rely on static content and do not run JavaScript the latest available optimized version of a page. Framer says those crawlers never receive the unoptimized version.
Key facts
- Framer's Traffic-aware Pre-Rendering documentation says static-content crawlers fall back to the latest available optimized version.
- Framer optimizes each page on its first visit and caches the result until the next publish.
- Framer pre-renders and optimizes the most-visited pages on publish using live traffic data.
- A small share of visits may see an unoptimized version when a page has not been visited since the last publish, while the crawler fallback remains the latest optimized version.
- Google Search Central describes crawling and rendering as separate stages and says pre-rendering helps because not all bots can run JavaScript.
What does the fallback return?
Framer's documentation, updated 15 September 2026, defines the fallback for crawlers that rely on static, optimized content. When such a crawler requests a page, TPR selects the latest available optimized version. The documentation explicitly says the crawler never receives the unoptimized version.
The fallback matters because Framer's optimization state can vary by page. Framer optimizes each page on its first visit and caches that result until the next publish. It also pre-renders and optimizes the most-visited pages at publish time from live traffic data. A page that has not been visited since the last publish can therefore be unoptimized for a small share of ordinary visits, while the crawler path uses the latest optimized result.
Why does JavaScript execution change the request path?
Google's JavaScript SEO basics documentation separates crawling, rendering, and indexing. It says an HTTP response containing all content works for server-side rendered pages, while an app shell can require JavaScript execution before the actual content becomes visible.
The same documentation says server-side or pre-rendering makes a site faster for users and crawlers because not all bots can run JavaScript. That distinction matches Framer's TPR rule: a crawler that depends on static output uses the optimized fallback, while a crawler capable of executing JavaScript may continue through its own rendering process. Framer's statement covers the version selected for the static-content case; it does not define a different Framer page version for every JavaScript-capable crawler.
How can you test the crawler response?
Framer's FAQ says to use curl with a crawler User-Agent such as Googlebot when testing this behavior manually. A request can be made with the following command:
curl -A "Googlebot" https://example.com/page
Google Search Central explains that Googlebot first fetches and parses the HTML response, then can queue a page for rendering and execute JavaScript with headless Chromium. For a static-content check, inspect the returned HTML before any browser-side execution. Compare the content and optimization markers with a normal browser request only after recording the User-Agent used for each request.
Related terms
FAQ
Does Framer send the unoptimized version to a crawler that cannot run JavaScript?
No. Framer says that crawlers relying on static, optimized content fall back to the latest available optimized version and never see the unoptimized one.
Does TPR optimize every page at publish time?
Framer says the most-visited pages are pre-rendered and optimized on publish from live traffic data. Each page is also optimized on its first visit, with the result cached until the next publish.
Which User-Agent can you use for a manual check?
Framer gives Googlebot as an example of a crawler User-Agent for a curl test. The User-Agent identifies the request used in the test; it does not by itself establish the identity of a remote crawler.
Sources
- Framer, "What is Traffic-aware Pre-Rendering (TPR)?", 15 September 2026
- Google Search Central, "Understand the JavaScript SEO basics", 4 March 2026
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