Automating Webflow Site Deployment to Custom Servers

Step 1: Setup Your Webflow Project

Start by creating and designing your website on Webflow. Ensure your site is thoroughly configured within the project settings, including your domain and SEO preferences.

Step 2: Export Your Webflow Site

Manually export your Webflow site by selecting the Export Code option, which will give you a ZIP file of your HTML, CSS, JS, and assets. For automated exporting, use the Webflow API:

- Create an API key in your Webflow account settings.
- Set up a script to fetch the exported files programmatically.
- Install Node.js and create a new project directory, running npm init -y.
- Install Axios with npm install axios.
- Write a script in a JavaScript file (like webflow-export.js) to handle file fetching using the Webflow API.

Step 3: Set Up Your Custom Server

Determine your server type, whether a VPS, dedicated server, or a cloud service like AWS or DigitalOcean. Install web server software (such as Apache or Nginx) and set up your domain. Ensure FTP or SSH access is available for remote uploads.

Step 4: Use an Automation Tool

Use a CI/CD service like GitHub Actions to automate deployment whenever you push to your repository.

- Push your configuration, including the fetch script, to a Git repository.
- Configure GitHub Actions by creating a .github/workflows directory with a deploy.yml file.
- Define a workflow that runs on pushes to the main branch, specifying actions to export from Webflow and deploy to your server.
- In the script, use placeholders like user, your-server-ip, and path, and replace them with your actual server information.

Step 5: Test Your Setup

Make a small change in your Webflow project and push it to your repository. Check your CI/CD pipeline to ensure the deployment process runs smoothly. Verify the updates on your website by visiting your custom server URL.

Step 6: Maintenance

Regularly maintain and update your scripts as needed. Continuously monitor logs from your deployment tool to troubleshoot any issues that may occur during export and deployment.

By automating your Webflow site deployment, you will save time and minimize the risk of errors. Once set up, changes you make on Webflow can be live on your server within minutes. Happy deploying!