For folks that have a front-end development background or were Dreamweaver users, Webflow has a short learning curve - unfortunately, this is not the case for all.
Don't Shy Away So Quickly
Some may not initially understand how to use Webflow because
- They feel intimated by the designer
- Have purchased a template and started to build without understanding the webflow designer or having ever previously created a website
- They cloned a complicated project from the showcase without understanding how it was built
Building a website in Webflow is like assembling IKEA furniture; there are many components and screws. You can't put them together without first reading the manual and documentation and ensuring you know all the correct components to complete your end product.
🧠Learn
Before jumping in to build, understand the core structure of websites
- Read about [HTML Layout Elements](https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_layout.asp)
- [Webflow 101 crash course](https://university.webflow.com/courses/webflow-101-crash-course)
- Learn [the box model](https://youtu.be/MrAnu4zdjjY)
- Get to [know the designer](https://university.webflow.com/lesson/intro-to-the-designer)
🗺Explore
See how existing Webflow websites are built by viewing website structures through the navigator in the designer
- [The Finsweet client-first](https://www.finsweet.com/client-first/) style system and their templates
- [Webflow templates](https://webflow.com/templates/new)
- [The Webflow showcase](https://webflow.com/websites/showcase)
My favorite community-centric websites built on Webflow are
- [Frauvis](http://frauvis.com) (my company, also recently migrated to the client-first system)
- [Makerpad](http://Makerpad.co)
- [Trends.vc](http://Trends.vc)
- [The Unicorn factory](https://www.unicornfactory.nz/)
🏗Build
After taking the time to learn and explore Webflow, it will become easier to build websites faster.
Start small! Build a 1-page portfolio, a sales page, or a blog.
Don't get too caught up reading many blogs and watching numerous videos about building. Get going and gain hands-on experience.
