Connect to Webflow Data in the Denodo Platform

Denodo Platform is a data virtualization product providing a single point of contact for enterprise database data. When paired with the CData API Driver for JDBC, Denodo users can work with live Webflow data alongside other enterprise data sources. This article explains how to create a virtual data source for Webflow in the Denodo Virtual DataPort Administrator.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live Webflow data. When you issue complex SQL queries to Webflow, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Webflow and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying allows you to work with and analyze Webflow data using native data types.

Create the Webflow Virtual Port

To connect to live Webflow data from Denodo, you need to copy the JDBC Driver JAR file to the external library directory for Denodo and create a new JDBC Data Source from the Virtual DataPort Administrator tool.

1. Download the CData API Driver for JDBC installer, unzip the package, and run the JAR file to install the driver.
2. Copy the JAR File (and license file if it exists) from the installation location (typically C:\Program Files\CData\CData API Driver for JDBC\lib\) to the Denodo external library directory (C:\Denodo\Denodo Platform\lib-external\jdbc-drivers\cdata-api-19).
3. Open the Denodo Virtual DataPort Administrator tool and navigate to the Server Explorer tab.
4. Right-click "admin" and select New -> Data source -> JDBC.
5. Configure the JDBC Connection:
   • Name: your choice, e.g.: api
   • Database adapter: Generic
   • Driver class path: C:\Denodo\Denodo Platform\lib-external\jdbc-drivers\cdata-api-19
   • Driver class: cdata.jdbc.api.APIDriver

   • Database URI: Set this to a JDBC URL using the necessary connection properties. For example,

     jdbc:api:Profile=C:\profiles\Webflow.apip;AuthScheme=OAuth;InitiateOAuth=GETANDREFRESH;OAuthClientId=your_client_id;OAuthClientSecret=your_client_secret;CallbackUrl=your_callback_url;

     

     Information on creating the Database URI follows:

     Built-In Connection String Designer

     For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the Webflow JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

     	java -jar cdata.jdbc.api.jar
     	

     Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

     Authentication

     Webflow uses OAuth 2.0 authentication to ensure secure access to sites, CMS collections, e-commerce data, and other resources. This authentication method allows you to securely connect to your Webflow workspace and manage resources with proper authorization.

     OAuth 2.0 Setup and Configuration

     Step 1: Create a Webflow OAuth Application

     To set up OAuth authentication:

     1. Visit the Webflow Developer Portal
     2. Navigate to "Apps & Integrations" in your Webflow account
     3. Click "Register an App" to create a new OAuth application
     4. Configure the application name, description, and redirect URI (CallbackURL)
     5. Copy the Client ID and Client Secret for use in your connection

     Required Connection Properties

     • AuthScheme: Set this to OAuth (required)
     • OAuthClientId: Client ID from your Webflow OAuth application (required)
     • OAuthClientSecret: Client secret from your Webflow OAuth application (required)
     • CallbackURL: Redirect URI specified in your OAuth application (required)
     • InitiateOAuth: Set to GETANDREFRESH for automatic token management (recommended)

     Required OAuth Scopes

     The Webflow API Profile requires the following OAuth scopes:

     • sites:read - Read access to site information and configuration
     • pages:read - Read access to site pages
     • cms:read - Read access to CMS collections and items
     • forms:read - Read access to forms and form submissions
     • assets:read - Read access to media assets and folders
     • ecommerce:read - Read access to products, orders, and inventory
     • authorized_user:read - Read access to the authorized user
     
6. Click the "Test connection" button to confirm the configuration and click Save.

View Webflow Data in the VirtualPort Administrator Tool

After creating the data source, you can create a base view of Webflow data for use in the Denodo Platform.

1. Click the "Create base view" button in the newly created VirtualPort (admin.API).
2. Expand the object tree and select the objects (tables) you wish to import.
3. Click the "Create selected" button to create views of the Webflow data.
   Optional: Click "Create associations from foreign keys" to define relationships between the objects.
4. With the view(s) created, navigate to a table (cdata_api_sites) in the Server Explorer and double-click the selected table.
5. In the new tab, click "Execution panel" to open a query panel.
6. Customize the query in the "Execute" tab or use the default:

   SELECT * FROM cdata_api_sites CONTEXT ('i18n'='us_est', 'cache_wait_for_load'='true')
   

   
7. Click Execute to view the data.

With the base view created, you can now work with live Webflow data like you would any other data source in Denodo Platform, for example, querying Webflow in the Denodo Data Catalog.

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData API Driver for JDBC and start working with your live Webflow data in Denodo Platform. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.