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webflow-migration-deep-dive

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$97 forever

Execute major Webflow migrations — from other CMS platforms to Webflow CMS, between Webflow sites, or large-scale content re-architecture using the Data API v2 bulk endpoints, strangler fig pattern, and data validation. Trigger with phrases like "migrate to webflow", "webflow migration", "import into webflow", "webflow replatform", "move content to webflow", "webflow bulk import", "wordpress to webflow".

Web Devsaasdesignno-codewebflow

What this skill does

# Webflow Migration Deep Dive

## Overview

Comprehensive guide for migrating content to Webflow CMS via the Data API v2.
Covers assessment, data mapping, bulk import (100 items/batch), validation,
and rollback. Handles WordPress, Contentful, Strapi, CSV, and JSON source formats.

## Prerequisites

- `webflow-api` SDK installed
- API token with `cms:read` and `cms:write` scopes
- Target Webflow site with CMS collections created in the Designer
- Source data exported (JSON, CSV, or API access)

## Migration Types

| Migration | Source | Complexity | Duration |
|-----------|--------|-----------|----------|
| CSV/JSON import | Static files | Low | Hours |
| WordPress | WP REST API | Medium | Days |
| Contentful/Strapi | Headless CMS API | Medium | Days |
| Site-to-site | Another Webflow site | Low | Hours |
| Full replatform | Custom CMS | High | Weeks |

## Instructions

### Step 1: Assess Target Collection Schema

Before importing, understand exactly what fields the target collection expects:

```typescript
import { WebflowClient } from "webflow-api";

const webflow = new WebflowClient({
  accessToken: process.env.WEBFLOW_API_TOKEN!,
});

async function assessTarget(siteId: string) {
  const { collections } = await webflow.collections.list(siteId);

  const schema: Record<string, any> = {};

  for (const col of collections!) {
    schema[col.slug!] = {
      id: col.id,
      displayName: col.displayName,
      itemCount: col.itemCount,
      fields: col.fields?.map(f => ({
        slug: f.slug,
        displayName: f.displayName,
        type: f.type,
        required: f.isRequired,
        // Types: PlainText, RichText, Image, MultiImage, Video,
        //        Link, Email, Phone, Number, DateTime, Switch,
        //        Color, Option, File, Reference, MultiReference
      })),
    };
  }

  console.log(JSON.stringify(schema, null, 2));
  return schema;
}
```

### Step 2: Build Data Transformer

Map source data format to Webflow's `fieldData` structure:

```typescript
interface SourcePost {
  title: string;
  content: string;      // HTML content
  excerpt: string;
  author: string;
  date: string;          // ISO 8601
  categories: string[];
  featured_image?: string;
  status: "published" | "draft";
}

interface WebflowFieldData {
  name: string;          // Required system field
  slug: string;          // Required system field
  [key: string]: any;    // Custom fields use slug format
}

function transformPost(source: SourcePost): {
  fieldData: WebflowFieldData;
  isDraft: boolean;
} {
  return {
    isDraft: source.status === "draft",
    fieldData: {
      // System fields (always required)
      name: source.title,
      slug: slugify(source.title),
      // Custom fields (must match collection schema slugs)
      "post-body": source.content,
      "excerpt": source.excerpt,
      "author-name": source.author,
      "publish-date": source.date,
      // Image fields use Webflow asset URLs
      // You must upload images to Webflow first, or use external URLs
      ...(source.featured_image && {
        "hero-image": {
          url: source.featured_image,
          alt: source.title,
        },
      }),
    },
  };
}

function slugify(text: string): string {
  return text
    .toLowerCase()
    .replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, "-")
    .replace(/(^-|-$)/g, "")
    .substring(0, 256); // Webflow slug max length
}
```

### Step 3: WordPress Migration

```typescript
// Export from WordPress REST API
async function fetchWordPressPosts(wpUrl: string): Promise<SourcePost[]> {
  const posts: SourcePost[] = [];
  let page = 1;

  while (true) {
    const res = await fetch(`${wpUrl}/wp-json/wp/v2/posts?per_page=100&page=${page}`);
    if (!res.ok) break;

    const wpPosts = await res.json();
    if (wpPosts.length === 0) break;

    for (const wp of wpPosts) {
      posts.push({
        title: wp.title.rendered,
        content: wp.content.rendered,
        excerpt: wp.excerpt.rendered,
        author: wp.author_name || "Unknown",
        date: wp.date,
        categories: wp.categories || [],
        featured_image: wp.featured_media_url || undefined,
        status: wp.status === "publish" ? "published" : "draft",
      });
    }

    page++;
  }

  return posts;
}
```

### Step 4: CSV Import

```typescript
import { parse } from "csv-parse/sync";
import { readFileSync } from "fs";

function importFromCSV(filePath: string): SourcePost[] {
  const content = readFileSync(filePath, "utf-8");
  const records = parse(content, {
    columns: true,
    skip_empty_lines: true,
  });

  return records.map((row: any) => ({
    title: row.title || row.Title || row.name,
    content: row.content || row.body || row.description || "",
    excerpt: row.excerpt || row.summary || "",
    author: row.author || "Imported",
    date: row.date || row.published_at || new Date().toISOString(),
    categories: (row.categories || row.tags || "").split(",").map((s: string) => s.trim()),
    featured_image: row.image || row.featured_image || undefined,
    status: "published" as const,
  }));
}
```

### Step 5: Bulk Import Engine

```typescript
interface MigrationResult {
  total: number;
  created: number;
  skipped: number;
  failed: number;
  errors: Array<{ slug: string; error: string }>;
  duration: number;
}

async function bulkImport(
  collectionId: string,
  sourceItems: SourcePost[],
  options = { batchSize: 100, delayMs: 1000, dryRun: false }
): Promise<MigrationResult> {
  const start = Date.now();
  const result: MigrationResult = {
    total: sourceItems.length,
    created: 0,
    skipped: 0,
    failed: 0,
    errors: [],
    duration: 0,
  };

  // Get existing items to avoid duplicates
  const existing = await fetchAllExistingItems(collectionId);
  const existingSlugs = new Set(existing.map(i => i.fieldData?.slug));

  // Transform and filter
  const newItems = sourceItems
    .map(transformPost)
    .filter(item => {
      if (existingSlugs.has(item.fieldData.slug)) {
        result.skipped++;
        return false;
      }
      return true;
    });

  console.log(`Migration plan: ${newItems.length} new, ${result.skipped} skipped (duplicates)`);

  if (options.dryRun) {
    console.log("DRY RUN — no items will be created");
    result.duration = Date.now() - start;
    return result;
  }

  // Batch import
  for (let i = 0; i < newItems.length; i += options.batchSize) {
    const batch = newItems.slice(i, i + options.batchSize);
    const batchNum = Math.floor(i / options.batchSize) + 1;
    const totalBatches = Math.ceil(newItems.length / options.batchSize);

    try {
      await webflow.collections.items.createItemsBulk(collectionId, {
        items: batch,
      });
      result.created += batch.length;
      console.log(`Batch ${batchNum}/${totalBatches}: ${batch.length} items created`);
    } catch (error: any) {
      result.failed += batch.length;
      result.errors.push({
        slug: `batch-${batchNum}`,
        error: error.message,
      });
      console.error(`Batch ${batchNum} failed:`, error.message);
    }

    // Delay between batches to respect rate limits
    if (i + options.batchSize < newItems.length) {
      await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, options.delayMs));
    }
  }

  result.duration = Date.now() - start;
  return result;
}

async function fetchAllExistingItems(collectionId: string) {
  const allItems = [];
  let offset = 0;

  while (true) {
    const { items, pagination } = await webflow.collections.items.listItems(
      collectionId,
      { offset, limit: 100 }
    );
    allItems.push(...(items || []));
    if (allItems.length >= (pagination?.total || 0)) break;
    offset += 100;
  }

  return allItems;
}
```

### Step 6: Post-Migration Validation

```typescript
async function validateMigration(
  collectionId: string,
  sourceCount: number
): Promise<{ valid: boolean; checks: Array<{ name: string; passed: boolean; detail: string }> }> {
  const checks = [];

  // 1. Item count check
  const { items, pagination } = awa

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