How to Do Native Filtering in Webflow Without Any Code

In this tutorial, we will learn how to implement native filtering in Webflow without the need for any code. Many filtering options available in various platforms typically require coding and only filter items within the current page. However, with this method, we can filter all items, regardless of the total count. The only limitation is that only one filter type can be selected at a time.

Setting Up the Native Filtering

1. Setting up the Collection Lists: Start by setting up the collection list with the items you want to filter. For example, if you have a collection of sermons, create a collection list for them. Additionally, create separate collections for each filter category, for example, topics and speakers.

2. Adding Topics and Speakers Collections: Add separate collections for topics and speakers. Each topic and speaker should be associated with the sermons in the main collection.

3. Connecting Dropdowns to the Sermons Collection: Open the settings for the sermon collection. Add either a reference field or a multi-reference field. If you want to allow multiple topics to be associated with one sermon, use a multi-reference field. Add topics and speakers collections as required fields in the sermon collection.

4. Associating Sermons with Topics and Speakers: Associate each sermon with at least one topic and one speaker. This setup is essential for filtering the items based on these associations.

Adding Collection Lists for Filtering

1. Adding Collection Lists: Add collection lists for each filter category, such as topics and speakers, on the page where the selection will be made. These collection lists will populate the dropdown options for filtering.

2. Linking Dropdown Items to Collection Pages: Connect the dropdown items to their respective collection pages. For example, if filtering by topics, link the dropdown items to the collection page for topics.

Creating Filtered Collection Pages

1. Setting up Filtered Collection Pages: Create filtered collection pages for topics and speakers. On these pages, configure the filters to display items based on the selected filter category.

2. Configuring Filters for Topics: On the topics collection page, set up a filter that checks if the sermon contains the current topic. This results in showing only sermons related to the selected topic.

3. Further Refining Filtered Topics: Further refine the filter to exclude the current topic from the list, as it may be redundant to display the currently selected topic as an option.

4. Configuring Filters for Speakers: Similarly, on the speakers collection page, set up a filter that checks if the sermon contains the current speaker. This ensures that only sermons associated with the selected speaker are displayed.

Testing the Dynamic Filtering

1. Testing the Filtering: Once the setup is complete, go back to the main sermons page and test the filtering functionality. By selecting different topics and speakers, verify that the sermons are filtered accordingly.

This method provides a powerful way to implement dynamic filtering in Webflow without requiring any code expertise. It enables clients to easily add and remove filter options in the future, while also ensuring scalability in managing different filters. By following these steps, you can achieve native filtering capabilities in Webflow, enhancing the user experience and usability of your website or web application.