Building a CMS Slider with Attributes in Webflow

Webflow provides a powerful feature to create a CMS-powered slider using attributes. This enables users to create a dynamic slider without the need for any code. In this walkthrough, we will go through the steps to build a Webflow native slider CMS powered by a collection list and utilize attributes effectively. By the end of this tutorial, you will understand how to create a dynamic slider component with ease and visualize the slider content for better customization.

Step 1: Adding the Script to the Head of Your Site

The first step to implement the CMS slider with attributes in Webflow is to add a specific script to the head of your site. This script is essential for enabling the attribute functionality within Webflow. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Project Settings in Webflow.
2. In the Project Settings, navigate to the Custom Code tab.
3. Select the Head Code section to add the script provided in the attributes documentation.

By adding the script to the head of your site, you enable the use of attributes for creating a CMS-powered slider.

Step 2: Implementing in Webflow

After adding the script to the head of your site, the next step is to implement the CMS slider in Webflow by using collection lists and sliders with attributes. Let's walk through the process.

Setting up the Collection List

The dynamic content for the slider will be sourced from a collection list. To set up the collection list:

1. In the Webflow Designer, locate the collection list that will serve as the dynamic content source for the slider.
2. The collection list should be connected to a specific collection in your Webflow project, containing the items you want to display in the slider.

Configuring the Slider Component

Before adding attributes, it's essential to set up the slider component that will display the dynamic content from the collection list.

1. Drag the Slider component onto the page in Webflow Designer.
2. The initial slider will appear as an empty container with no content.

Adding Attributes to Elements

With the collection list and slider set up, it's time to add attributes to the elements. These attributes will establish the connection between the collection list and the slider component.

1. Access the attributes documentation in Webflow, which provides the specific attribute names and values needed for this implementation.
2. Copy the name of the CMS slider element from the documentation and apply it as a custom attribute with a value of list to the collection list in Webflow Designer.
3. Similarly, copy the name of the slider element from the documentation and apply it as a custom attribute with a value of slider to the slider component in Webflow Designer.

By adding these attributes, you establish the link between the collection list and the slider, enabling the dynamic presentation of content within the slider component.

Visualizing the Dynamic Slider

Once the attributes are applied, publish the changes made in Webflow to see the collection list transform into a dynamic slider component. At this stage, the slider will display the content from the collection list as individual slides.

Enhancing the Slider Appearance

To further improve the appearance of the dynamic slider, additional styling adjustments can be made within Webflow's Designer. These adjustments can include setting the height of the slider to auto, ensuring that the slides adjust dynamically to the content within them.

Visualizing the Slider Content

To better visualize the slider content while designing and customizing the dynamic slider, a visual guide can be used within Webflow. This approach facilitates the visualization of the slider's structure and content arrangement.

Creating a Visual Guide

To create a visual guide for the slider content within Webflow:

1. Duplicate the collection list or list wrapper used as the dynamic content source for the slider.
2. Apply a class to the duplicated list wrapper to hide it using the display: none property. This makes it the official hidden list for the slider.
3. Limit the duplicated list to a single item, making it easier to visualize the content within the slider.
4. Drag the duplicated list into the first slide of the slider component to use it as a visual reference for the slider content layout and styling.

With the visual guide in place, you can easily visualize and customize the dynamic slider's content and appearance.

Customizing Slider Content and Styling

Using the visual guide, you can proceed to customize the content and styling of the slider to align with your design requirements. By directly manipulating the visual guide within the first slide of the slider, you can accurately tailor the appearance and arrangement of the dynamic content.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating a CMS-powered slider with attributes in Webflow offers a seamless and intuitive way to build dynamic sliders without writing any code. By leveraging the attributes functionality and visual guides within Webflow, users can effortlessly design and customize dynamic sliders driven by collection lists. This walkthrough demonstrated the step-by-step process of implementing a CMS slider in Webflow using attributes, enabling users to harness the full potential of Webflow's native slider component for dynamic content presentation.

Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to build a CMS-powered slider with attributes in Webflow, empowering you to create engaging and dynamic sliders with ease.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to explore the official Webflow documentation or reach out to the Webflow community for support.

Now, go ahead and unleash your creativity with CMS-powered sliders in Webflow!