Creating API wrappers with Webflow Cloud

Developers can enhance their Webflow sites by integrating Next.js or Astro apps and utilizing Webflow Cloud’s features, such as Cloudflare integrations and flexible data storage options. This capability allows for the creation of powerful data-centric applications, such as an API wrapper, which safeguards API keys and enables data shaping, caching, and flexibility in API management. The article illustrates this through a practical example using the Pirate Weather API, where a server-side proxy is implemented to control the API's output and improve data efficiency by shaping and caching responses. By hosting the proxy on Webflow Cloud, developers gain the advantage of a cohesive platform that simplifies API management and improves performance by reducing unnecessary data loads and allowing for the quick switching of API providers if needed. The process involves iterating through different versions, starting with a basic API wrapper, then enhancing it with data shaping to reduce payload size by a third, and finally integrating server-side caching to further optimize performance and cost-efficiency.