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Why we built Attributes
The Webflow community is filled with a new wave of non-technical web developers. These are people who excel in HTML and CSS due to the visual nature of Webflow, but may face challenges in coding, particularly in JavaScript.
Many of us non-technical people struggle with simple coding challenges. A comma is missing. A word is misspelled. A bracket was in the wrong place. A snippet that should work but doesn't work. Sound familiar?
By creating a tool that automates the implementation of commonly used JavaScript code, our goal is to reduce the dependency on technical developers and streamline the development process for non-technical web developers.
This will lead to fewer roadblocks and a more enjoyable web development experience.
By increasing efficiency and expanding team capabilities, Attributes will help scale Finsweet Agency services. Since we released Attributes to the community, it will help scale other Webflow agencies as well.
We set out to build a no-code solution to implement the most common JavaScript code needed on Webflow projects.
What is Attributes?
Attributes is a collection of JavaScript functionalities that can be implemented on a web page through HTML attributes.
The goal is to give developers to ability to add simple and complex JavaScript their Webflow project without writing code.
A simple example of this is the "Count List Items" implementation, which allows you to count the number of Webflow Collection Items in a Collection List and display that number on a Text Block in Webflow.
- Add the script to the page.
- Add a custom attribute to the Webflow Collection List element in Webflow.
- Add a custom attribute to a Text Block element in Webflow. This will display the amount of items in the list.
- Publish the Webflow project and view the published page to see the working example.
In a few simple, no-code steps, we implemented a solution that normally needs JavaScript to accomplish.
Regardless of your experience level with code, this solution is useful and efficient for everyone to use.
Attributes offers a wide range of solutions for different use cases, from complex functionalities like CMS Filter, which enables you to set up a custom filter system for users on your website, to simple functionalities like "Copy to Clipboard".
The plan is to continue expanding the Attributes code base based on the needs of clients and the feedback from the community.
If clients consistently request a certain functionality, we will find a way to build it into Attributes. If the community suggests a new functionality, we will work towards incorporating it into the collection of solutions.
Extending the capabilities of Webflow developers
Attributes is our most popular solution because it expands the capabilities of Webflow developers.
When Webflow lacks native support for a certain functionality, Attributes aims to provide the solution. This allows Webflow developers to add more custom functionality to their projects, making it feel like it's built right into Webflow itself.
The satisfaction of setting up a custom load feature for a Webflow Collection List or creating a complex filter system with multiple specific filters using Attributes is exhilarating.
Attributes helps create the feeling of accomplishment in Webflow developers. The “Wow, I created that” feeling when something “out of your league” is working on your website. It feels good. We know this feeling and want to share it with the community.
Releasing Attributes for free even though we could have made lots of money
People constantly ask us, “How can you offer Attributes for free?”
It’s all part of our grand long-term plan of providing the most amount of value as possible. What’s more valuable than free?
It's true that we could have monetized CMS Filter by putting a paywall in front of it, potentially earning a significant amount of money at $10/month/site. Finsweet could have seen CMS Filter as a lucrative revenue source. However, we chose a different approach.
Instead, we decided to offer all of Attributes for free. Rather than using it as a direct source of revenue, we view it as a marketing and brand tool. By providing a premier solution at no cost, Attributes has helped Finsweet gain widespread popularity in the Webflow community, building our reputation and creating trust.
Attributes showcases the quality of Finsweet's solutions and establishes a positive reputation, leading to more Agency work and opportunities.
We prioritize building a community and gaining brand recognition over immediate monetary gains.
This strategy allows us to create a community of Attributes users who are familiar with our brand and trust our offerings. When we do introduce paid products like Wized, we have a loyal customer base to market to. We have already built trust and demonstrated value through Attributes, and now we can provide additional services for which customers are willing to pay.
Our focus right now is building relationships and establishing ourselves as a trusted provider in the Webflow ecosystem, rather than solely pursuing monetary gains. We believe that offering free access to Attributes ultimately benefits both the community and our business in the long run.
What’s next? Open Source it
We love giving value so much that we decided to release the entire Attributes code base as Open Source.
Our goal is to encourage third-party creators to contribute to the Attributes library by building their own solutions for Webflow projects and web applications.
Essentially, we want to make it easy for developers to create their own Attributes functionalities for their personal use cases. As developers release their solutions, the Attributes footprint will grow.
Since Attributes was never intended to be a paid product, we believe open-sourcing it is the best way to enable growth and collaboration. The idea of making Attributes open source was quickly embraced by our team, and we are excited to take this next step towards further democratizing access to valuable web development tools.
Read our Open Source announcement article for more details.
