Okay, so an update on my experiences of successfully getting a Webflow export via Pinegrow converted into a Wordpress theme.
Summary:
It’s not an easy process to get your static template into a dynamic Wordpress template. Pinegrow is marketed to be an alternative to webbuilders such as Webflow. But that’s only true if you fully (want to) understand HTML, CSS and a bit PHP. Only if you really need a Wordpress template after you’ve completed your design with Webflow, go with Pinegrow. Everyone else I’d advice to go for Webflow CMS over a Pinegrow migration. Every. Single. Time.
Cons:
- Pinegrow software has a steep learning curve, you really need to get familiar with it’s user interface to get anything done. This took me about a week.
- At first it feels like, there’s 100 things you need to figure out to get your template into Wordpress. And it stays that way with every new project.
- Pinegrow is a stand alone web development tool. And the static HTML to Wordpress conversion is a bonus feature they have integrated later. So, you need to enable this functionality. [See also the next bullet]
- There are somewhat difficult “must-do’s” before you can get simple things working in Pinegrow, such as enabling Wordpress functionality and configuring your template.
- Pinegrow is designed by and for programmers, that is something you definitely “feel” using the software.
- You should only use Pinegrow if you want to get into code. They are improving rapidly to become an easier click-and-drop software, must be said. But for now, if you don’t like code: use Webflow.
Pros
- You can actually get your static WF-template into a Wordpress template yourself;
- Once you know how Pinegrow works, you can do things fast. Very fast. As you can make symbols (as with Webflow) that you can re-use;
- You can use/import current Wordpress content into your design within the software, and thus see what changes to the design will do without working on a live website;
- You’ve got a library full of components that come well documented (and based on bootstrap);
- There’s a bunch of tutorials that you should view and try-out before you start, that are a great help.
- There’s only a one time fee to use PG, no monthly recurring cost.
- There’s the possibility to connect libraries, that allow you to do well… almost nearly everything. Although this can be confusing to the novice user.
Looking back, my migration was a slow, at times painful and finally a rewarding process, that I couldn’t have done without help. In fact, I needed to start designing in a complete different way to get templates working. That has to do with the famous Wordpress Loop, which is similar to the way the Webflow CMS works with a dynamic lists.
Advice 1: If you don’t understand code, or want to go deep into tutorials, stick with Webflow
Advice 2: Please, please, please convert a template for fun first, before you even think of doing something for a client. If you know what kind of fields are required for Wordpress, you’ll design completely different in Webflow to make conversion easier.
Advice 3: If you do want to convert a Webflow export to Wordpress, follow this Pinegrow tutorial.
Hopefully this gives you guys some clarity. Let me know if you have questions.