Is Webflow considered a headless CMS due to its provided API for querying CMS data?

Webflow is not considered a true headless CMS, even though it provides an API to access CMS data.

1. What a Headless CMS Is

• A headless CMS is a backend-only content management system that provides content via API, without dictating how or where it’s displayed.
• Common examples include Contentful, Sanity, and Strapi.

2. Webflow’s CMS Structure

• Webflow is a coupled CMS, meaning it combines content management with a tightly integrated front end (the Webflow visual designer).
• The Webflow CMS API allows for limited reading and writing of CMS data, but it’s primarily intended to support content updates for websites built in Webflow itself.

3. Limitations as a Headless CMS

• No full schema management via API: You cannot define or modify CMS collections (content models) programmatically.
• Rate limits and auth: The API is rate-limited and requires token-based auth, which restricts flexibility for large-scale JAMstack or headless apps.
• Read access is available for published content only, and more suited to syncing data to front ends hosted outside Webflow—not for rebuilding the full front-end experience.
• Webflow-native interactions and CMS rendering rely on its designer, not API/fetch-based rendering logic, which is key in true headless architectures.

4. Suitable Use Cases for Webflow’s API

• Syncing basic content into another platform (like blog articles).
• Building internal tools or admin dashboards to manage Webflow CMS data.
• Performing automated CMS updates (e.g., via Zapier or custom scripts).

Summary

Webflow is not a headless CMS—its API provides limited CMS access, but it’s designed primarily for use within Webflow’s coupled design system. While you can query CMS data, the platform lacks the full decoupling and flexibility of a true headless CMS.