What are some suggestions for creating a website with two main categories, multiple subcategories with 20-150 software programs each, and individual pages for each program using Webflow's CMS functionality?

You're building a large, structured website with two main categories, many subcategories, and hundreds of individual software pages. Webflow CMS can handle this, but you’ll need to plan your CMS Collections, relationships, and template-use carefully.

1. Plan Your CMS Structure

• Create three CMS collections: Categories, Subcategories, and Software Programs.
• Categories: Each entry here represents a top-level category (e.g., "Design Tools", "Productivity Tools").
• Subcategories: Each should reference a Category using a Reference field.
• Software Programs: Each program should reference a Subcategory using a Reference field.

2. Define CMS Fields Strategically

Set up fields based on how you'll display the content:

• Category: Name, slug, description (optional).
• Subcategory: Name, slug, description, and Reference to Category.
• Software Program:
• Name
• Slug
• Description/Features
• Logo/Image (Image field)
• Website URL (Link field)
• Tags (if needed – use Multi-reference field or plain text)
• Reference to Subcategory

3. Create CMS Collection Pages

Webflow will auto-generate Collection Pages for each collection:

• Category Page: Displays a list of Subcategories under that category.
• Subcategory Page: Displays all Software Programs within that subcategory.
• Software Page: Shows full detail of the individual software program (auto-generated template).

Use Collection Lists filtered by reference fields to show relationships:

• On the Category template page, add a Collection List of Subcategories where Category equals Current Category.
• On the Subcategory page, add a Collection List of Software where Subcategory equals Current Subcategory.

4. Utilize Nested Collection Lists (with limits)

• Webflow allows 1-level deep nested collection lists, useful for showing Software items inside Subcategory lists.
• Note: Native Webflow restricts nested collections to 5 items unless the list is placed inside a Collection Page, where the limit is increased to 100 items.

5. Use Pagination or Load More Buttons

For Subcategories containing 100+ software entries:

• Enable Pagination in the Collection List settings to break content into manageable chunks.
• Alternatively, use the "Load More" button via custom JavaScript or a third-party tool like Jetboost for extended performance.

6. Consider SEO and Clean URLs

• Use Slugs strategically. For example:
• /category/design-tools
• /subcategory/logo-design
• /software/canva
• Webflow doesn’t support deep nesting in URLs (e.g., /category/subcategory/software), but you can simulate hierarchy visually and with breadcrumbs.

7. Maintain Performance

• Webflow’s CMS supports up to 10,000 items across all collections.
• Collections are limited to 60 fields per item and 30 reference fields.
• Plan field usage accordingly to avoid hitting limits as you scale.

8. Optional: Add Filtering for UX

• Use tools like Jetboost or Finsweet’s CMS Filter to allow visitors to filter software by category, subcategory, or tags.
• Gives users a dynamic, app-like search experience without leaving the page.

Summary

To build this structure with Webflow CMS:

• Set up three CMS collections: Categories, Subcategories, Software.
• Use Reference fields to link them together.
• Build template pages for each type and use filtered Collection Lists.
• Optimize with pagination, filters, and SEO-friendly slugs.
• Manage scale carefully to stay within Webflow’s CMS limits.

This setup will provide a scalable, flexible structure for your website’s content.