Creating Dynamic Webflow CMS Generated Anchor Links and Sections

Webflow is a powerful tool for building websites without needing to code. In this tutorial, we will learn how to create dynamic Webflow CMS-generated anchor links and sections to make the user experience smoother. This technique will allow us to link to different sections of a page.

Setting up the CMS

1. Creating the CMS Collection

   To get started, we need to create a CMS collection in Webflow for the data we want to display and link to. This can be done by navigating to the CMS Collections section in the Webflow Editor and clicking on "Add Collection."

2. Creating Anchor Links

   Within the CMS collection, we can create a link field to represent the anchor link. For example, if we have a section for "Hello Sign," we would create a corresponding link for it in the CMS collection.

3. Creating Sections

   We also need to create sections in the Webflow Designer for the content that we want to scroll to. Each section should have a unique identifier (ID) that matches the anchor link in the CMS collection. For instance, the "Hello Sign" section should have the ID "hello-sign."

Building the Webflow Layout

1. Create Collection Lists
   In the Webflow Designer, we will need to add collection lists for the anchor links and the sections. These collection lists will pull in the data from the CMS collection we created earlier.

2. Setting Sort Order
   It's crucial to ensure that the items in the collection lists are ordered in the same way. This is necessary for the anchor link hack to work effectively. The sort order should be consistent for both the anchor links and the sections.

3. Using Filter Buttons
   To enable the dynamic anchor links, we'll create filter buttons in Webflow and bind them to the corresponding CMS link field. This will be a part of the user interface, allowing users to navigate to different sections dynamically.

4. Styling Sections and Buttons
   Each section that we want to scroll to should be given a class. Additionally, the filter buttons should be styled and linked to the CMS name field.

Implementing the JavaScript Hack

1. Adding jQuery
   Before the closing body tag in the Webflow Designer, we'll insert a script to initialize our jQuery code. This ensures that the script runs when the DOM is ready.

2. Creating an Array for Link Text
   We'll create an empty array in our jQuery script to store the link text strings. This array will be populated with information later in the code.

3. Generating Link Text and IDs
   For each filter button, the jQuery code will extract the text content and reformat it to create a valid, easy-to-access ID. This reformatted text will become the basis for the anchor link. Similarly, the script will create unique identifiers for each section based on the link text array.

4. Building Dynamic Links
   Using jQuery, we will dynamically generate anchor links for each item in the CMS collection. The href attribute of these anchor links will be created based on the reformatted link text.

5. Linking Sections
   The script will also set up unique IDs for each section based on the link text array. These IDs will match the anchor links, creating a seamless connection between the filter buttons and the sections.

6. Testing and Cloning the Project
   Once the setup is complete, it's essential to test the functionality to ensure that the dynamic anchor links and sections work as expected. Users can clone the project provided to get hands-on experience with this Webflow hack.

Conclusion

Creating dynamic anchor links and sections using Webflow CMS is a great way to enhance the navigation and user experience on a website. By leveraging the power of Webflow's CMS and jQuery scripting, we can seamlessly link to different sections of a page without writing complex code. This technique enables web designers to build interactive and user-friendly websites with ease.

By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, users can implement this feature in their own Webflow projects and customize it as per their specific requirements. Additionally, staying updated with new hacks and techniques in Webflow can further enrich the web development experience. For more tutorials and hacks, consider subscribing to our YouTube channel and visiting our website for the latest updates and resources.