Codux

Introduction

Codux was a low-code, visual editor developed by Wix. It integrated Git and allowed designers and front-end developers to asynchronously collaborate on the same projects.

The problem

User research showed that designers frequently had to pause their workflow to look up Git concepts. They didn't understand most of the terminology, and the existing microcopy added by the development team was too technical and difficult to follow.

My goal was to make Git actions understandable and accurate for all user types.

Target audience

Codux had 3 types of users:

• Technical — developers or full-stack designers who already understand Git.
• Semi-technical — junior developers who are new to Git but comfortable with technical concepts.
• Non-technical — designers with little or no technical background.

To support all three groups, the microcopy needed to be:

• ✓Contextual
• ✓Guiding
• ✓Technically accurate

Content audit

To identify what needed improvement, I mapped the existing microcopy and user flows in FigJam.

Organising the content into logical sections made it easier to align with the product team and move quickly into implementation.

Research and competitors

Competitors like GitHub and Abstract rely heavily on documentation. They don't offer any supporting microcopy within their applications.

I compiled a list of references, including Codux's own documentation, and consulted with the technical writing team to ensure consistent terminology. For example, always using "repository" instead of "repo".

To better understand designers' mental models, I also reviewed articles explaining Git specifically for design audiences.

Explaining Git

I updated the microcopy across Codux to explain Git features more clearly, using language accessible to all user types while staying aligned with Wix's style guidelines.

Commit changes

I avoided terms like "save" and "snapshot", which designers and developers interpret differently. I also recommended adding floating labels to improve accessibility.

Research showed designers needed reassurance that their changes would not go live at this stage, so I made that explicit.

Revert changes

The confirmation modal repeated information and used vague references like "this file", which was inaccurate because the modal could be triggered from multiple entry points.

I removed redundant text, and switched to change-based terminology, which better reflects what users care about.

Resolve conflicts

Codux offered very limited conflict-resolution capabilities compared to its competitors like GitHub. Users could not resolve conflicts individually.

The product team wanted to encourage users to accept others' changes, so I clarified the impact of doing so and removed inaccurate details.

The cancellation modal for conflict resolution was also confusing because both CTAs were unclear. I made the title and body copy more direct and concise.

Impact

Before these changes, only 6% of active users consistently performed Git actions. 8 weeks after the updated microcopy was released, this increased significantly.

Further improvements

The Git-related microcopy remained static for all users, regardless of their experience level. A future enhancement could be adaptive microcopy that adjusts based on a user's role or familiarity with coding.