Can I build a Webflow site that pulls content from my own CMS through an API (JSON or XML)?
TL;DR
- Use automation tools like Make, Zapier, or Pipedream to fetch external CMS API data and push it into Webflow CMS via the Webflow CMS API.
- Alternatively, fetch API data at runtime using custom JavaScript in an Embed element, or use third-party tools like Wized to bind API data directly to Webflow elements.
You cannot directly connect an external CMS API (like a JSON or XML feed) to Webflow’s native CMS or Editor. Webflow does not currently support dynamic API-based data fetching on the front end or within its CMS without external tools or intermediary systems.
1. Use Webflow CMS + API Integration Tools
- To display external CMS content in Webflow, you must import the content into Webflow's CMS or dynamically load it using custom code.
- Tools like Make (Integromat), Zapier, or Pipedream can be used to fetch your external CMS content (via API) and push it into Webflow CMS via the Webflow CMS API.
- You’ll need to structure Webflow CMS collections to match the fields of your external data.
2. Embed Custom Code to Fetch Data at Runtime
- If you want to fetch content directly from your API at page load, you can use custom JavaScript inside an Embed element.
- Fetch your external JSON/XML feed within a
<script>tag and append it to the page dynamically. - However, this content is not SEO-friendly because it won’t be crawled by search engines (it loads client-side after page render).
- Also, this method won't work with Webflow’s native CMS features like Collection Lists.
3. External Hosts or Reverse Proxies
- For full integration, some developers host Webflow sites behind a reverse proxy (like on Vercel or Netlify) and inject dynamic content at the server level. This requires advanced setup and falls outside Webflow’s default capabilities.
- Alternatively, you can build Webflow as a front-end shell and use solutions like Wized (third-party layer) for connecting dynamic data through APIs.
4. Wized + Webflow for API-Driven Apps
- Wized (https://www.wized.com) is a no-code tool that connects Webflow with APIs in a native-like experience.
- With Wized, you can set up front-end components in Webflow and bind them to external API data (JSON or REST).
- This is the preferred no-code/low-code method for deeply API-connected apps using Webflow.
Summary
Webflow cannot pull live data from an external CMS API out of the box. You can either import the data into Webflow CMS via automation tools or use custom code or third-party platforms like Wized to render API content on your site.