Exporting CMS based content

Hello All,

I just had a quick question about the CMS. I really like the way that you can automatically create elements that follow the same structure, like a blog post index. I am hoping to use this functionality to rebuild my portfolio work. Can I use the database options so they populate information and styles easily and then export them as static? I don’t need to update my own site outside of webflow and I can go into webflow to add parts. I just want to have it render any edits I’ve made as static so I can export and host elsewhere. Is this possible?

EDIT: What I am referring to is called dynamic lists in the CMS.

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Kind of similar post here: Using CMS for Designing Static Sites - CMS - Forum | Webflow

Depending on the volume pages your are building/rebuilding it would be quite handy if dynamic elements were exported as static. It would be easier to populate a bunch of form fields instead of duplicating and creating pages.

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Hey @cyberdave, @PixelGeek, @brryant, @bart, @thewonglv … etc.

I know work has been crazy busy for you guys this week but could you guys please take a quick look at these 2 trends and reply upon.
I am also wondering if using the CMS and exporting static would be possible, because I am very eager using it upon my current project but hesitant, due to the fact that I know I would be exporting this particular project out, though uncertain if after using the CMS tools … I might have a very unstable site or worse … not being able to export.

Please respond.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you and keep up the amazing work.

Cheers,

Diana

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I’d very much like to know the answer to this as well @cyberdave @PixelGeek @brryant

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If you use the CMS features in Webflow and then export the site, all the dynamic lists and dynamic pages created will be blank. So if you plan on exporting, don’t use the CMS features (for now). If you do use the features you will have more than an unstable site. Hopefully down the road webflow will allow dynamic elements to be converted to static on export. But that isn’t the case right now. Hopefully the webflow guys can let us know if this is a feature they are thinking about or not.

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So @KProServices,

You’re saying that even if I put pictures and text within the list as a efficient way to design my structure of the site … the exported site will not display and contain these elements?

I am not saying the functionality and effects of the list and cms could provide but just the elements.

Correct. That is what I experienced during my testing.

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and also import, maybe with Zapier?!?

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@callmevlad

Thanks for the update, this will keep alot of people happy.

But what about exporting CMS websites? this was a big discussion all over your forum but seems to be missed?

Your hosting may suit some people, but what about those people who run their own servers? I run a web hosting company and love what webflow offers but you’re stopping me from using it.

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Yes I agree, at the core my understanding has always been that webflow was built to be a designers tool by designers themselves, in the browser and with the convenience of world class hosting for those that could benefit from that convenience but again, at the core, it should still remain a tool (SaaS), but something that designers truly love because it makes our lives easier.

With the addition of the CMS capability it would make sense to leverage the built in hosting capability of webflow but to also remain a truly flexible designers tool, in which the CMS is also a part of, even down to export capability.

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I love the flexibility of the service, and im not a developer or anyone that understands complex code…i know the basics so this really puts development jobs on my desk instead of outsourcing it…so its a win!

I guess the only problem is that coming from South Africa and the Dollar being 16 Dollars to 1 Rand, CMS hosting is like 150% more expensive that local hosts here…so its a bit of a hard sell to my clients, so exporting dynamic data as static data when exporting html i think would be a real win.

I’m happy to pay the extra cost when you’re getting the amazing CMS features…but if you’re not, i think it would still be cool to use dynamic data just to make the design process easier.

I just wanted to add my desire to have this possibility also …

I’m having trouble selling my websites for my clients because on say that the webflow does not export the database they prefer host somewhere else.
I am design and work with a programmer would not be hard for me to get this stuff and host on another platform.

This would be to provide some security for my clients.
Even though I prefer to stay in webflow forever. :slight_smile:
Thank you.

A simple way to get around this issue is to use a tool called site sucker SiteSucker for macOS

I had a similar need to export CMS content because 1. webflow doesn’t support SSL and so we need to self host, and 2. Since our site makes great use of the CMS features, most of the content of our pages doesn’t export.

I will be posting a tutorial on a few tricks to using this method. as seen in production on our agency website here: https://thomasarts.com

You need to set the suck settings right and then also create a .htaccess file so that the urls of your site don’t show .html at the end etc etc.

Message me and I’d be glad to help.

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+1 for CMS content export please.

(I just found out its not possible via the limitations page).

I feel like I need to tell my client (who I’m half way building a blog for) about this limitation in the interest of honest-disclosure. The obvious concern for the client would be the feeling of being over a barrel – “you better keep paying cause you ain’t going anywhere else now!”

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I get people want the CMS on their own servers but doing so would be a support nightmare for Webflow - too many configs and giving the general public too much freedom is a recipe for disaster. People are careless with things they don’t fully understand. Having it on the webflow side of things is optimal for them, especially when they’re selling a product for non-coders.

It would be nice but I doubt it’ll ever happen and if it does I’d put all support on the user if I was Webflow. If you’re comfortable setting up a database and on your server are asking for this because you don’t want to pay extra for Weflow hosting than you might as well just get one of those ultimate Wordpress themes and use that for the rest of your career. lol.

When a client wants re-assurance that they can move their site to a different system I design the templates on static pages first. This way you can export and use those templates with other systems.

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Hi, I can’t seem to private message you, but you say you can help setup site sucker so it can download the entire webpage aswell as CMS as static.
I would very much like your help with that.

email me at james@mastermindesigns.com