Is it possible to design and develop a website in Webflow and then connect a third-party headless CMS, such as Hygraph or Sanity, by using custom JavaScript code with API calls? Does Webflow support GraphQL integration for this purpose?

Yes, it’s possible to design a website in Webflow and connect it to a headless CMS (like Hygraph or Sanity) using custom JavaScript with API requests, but direct GraphQL integration is limited and must be handled entirely on the frontend or through external services.

1. Designing in Webflow

• You can fully design layouts, components, and interactions in Webflow without relying on Webflow CMS bindings.
• Use CMS placeholders or static elements in Webflow as design references for where external content will be injected.

2. Using Custom JavaScript to Fetch Data

• After publishing your Webflow site, include custom JavaScript code to fetch content from a headless CMS using REST or GraphQL APIs (depending on the provider's support).
• Use Webflow’s Embed or Page Custom Code features to insert your JavaScript.
• Use fetch() to send API requests and inject the responses into your Webflow DOM using client-side rendering (e.g., innerHTML or DOM manipulation).

3. GraphQL Integration Caveats

• Webflow does not natively support GraphQL or server-side code execution. All calls must be made client-side or through a backend proxy.
• To use GraphQL on the frontend, your API must support unauthenticated or token-based browser requests.
• Some GraphQL providers (like Hygraph or Sanity) require authentication headers, which means you must:
• Expose a public token (riskier)
• Or proxy the request through an external serverless function or backend to keep credentials secure

4. Dynamic Rendering Limitations

• Webflow pages render statically, so dynamic content from your headless CMS won’t show up in Webflow’s Designer or CMS backend.
• You must handle routing, filtering, and pagination using custom JavaScript or external tools (e.g., Next.js if you decide to export and host outside).

5. Alternative Approach with External Frameworks

• If tight integration is needed, consider using Webflow solely for design exports, then building the live site with a framework like Next.js or Nuxt, where GraphQL and dynamic rendering are first-class.
• This retains the visual power of Webflow but shifts deployment and logic to a more flexible stack.

Summary

You can use a headless CMS with Webflow using custom JavaScript and API calls, but all integration must be client-side due to Webflow’s static nature. Direct GraphQL integration is only possible via frontend calls or proxy servers, not natively in Webflow.