How is Webflow utilized by the Webflow team for building new webpages and integrating with the backend?
TL;DR
- Webflow builds and hosts marketing and content pages using its visual Designer and CMS, enabling designers and marketers to manage content without engineering.
- Custom code, APIs, external integrations, and staging workflows connect Webflow frontends to backend systems for advanced functionality and app support.
Webflow itself uses its own No-Code Designer and CMS to build marketing pages, documentation sites, and some internal tools, while integrating with backend systems via APIs or custom code.
1. Designing and Building with the Webflow Designer
- Marketing, product, and landing pages are built using Webflow’s visual Designer by the internal Webflow design/development teams.
- Designers create reusable symbols, components, and styles aligned with the company’s brand system.
- Pages are hosted directly on Webflow’s hosting infrastructure, enabling fast publish and rollback.
2. Using Webflow CMS
- The Webflow CMS is heavily used for dynamic content such as blogs, changelogs, customer stories, and docs.
- Content editors and marketers can add or edit content without needing engineering support.
- CMS Collections are structured based on content types (e.g., blog posts, authors), and Webflow’s visual Collection List elements render this data dynamically.
3. Deploying and Version Control
- Webflow projects exist outside of traditional Git version control, but versioning is managed through Webflow’s built-in backup and restore features.
- For significant work (e.g., product launches), teams often clone and test pages in a staging project before going live.
4. Custom Code and External Integrations
- For custom needs, Webflow supports embedded code and external JS APIs in
<head>,<body>, or via embeds. - Forms integrate with backend systems using Webflow’s native form handling or by forwarding submissions to tools like Zapier, Make (Integromat), or custom APIs.
- Scripts and analytics (e.g., Segment, Google Analytics) are added using the Project Settings → Custom Code area.
5. Integration with Backend Systems
- Webflow does not serve as a backend for apps. For app-related infrastructure, Webflow uses:
- Headless CMS layers or custom APIs hosted separately.
- Reverse proxies or custom scripts to blend Webflow frontends with backend services.
- Authentication and user dashboards are handled outside of Webflow, often using React or other frameworks embedded via iframes or links.
- Webflow’s Enterprise team also uses Webflow Logic (now in beta) to add backend-like workflows with conditions and triggers.
Summary
The Webflow team uses Webflow primarily for frontend marketing and content sites, leveraging the Designer and CMS for scalability while connecting to external backend systems via API integrations, embedded code, and staging workflows.