How to Bulk Dereference Webflow Collections With a Free CLI Tool
This article is based upon the work of and video by Magnaem at Memberstack
TL;DR
An open-source CLI tool lets you bulk dereference Webflow collections in seconds. Clone the repo, run npm start, paste your API token and collection IDs, and the tool clears all cross-references so you can delete items freely. Watch the full walk-through in this week's Webflow Weekly video.
If you have ever tried to delete items from a Webflow collection that references other collections, you know the pain. Webflow will not let you remove those items until every reference and multi-reference field pointing to them has been cleared. Doing that manually, one item at a time, across multiple collections, is tedious.
What the Tool Does
In this week's Webflow Weekly video, Magnaem walks through an open-source CLI tool (built by Hari) that handles the entire process in seconds. Below is a summary of everything you need to know to get started.
The CLI scans specified Webflow collections and automatically clears all reference and multi-reference fields between them. Once those links are removed, you are free to bulk delete collection items without Webflow blocking you.
What You Need
- A code editor with a built-in terminal (the video uses Cursor, but VS Code or any similar editor works)
- Node.js and npm installed on your machine
- Your Webflow site API token
- The collection IDs for every collection you want to dereference
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
1. Clone the repository and install dependencies
Open your terminal, clone the repo from the link in the video description, navigate into the project folder, and run npm install.
2. Generate a Webflow API token
In your Webflow site, go to Site Settings > Apps & Integrations > API Access and generate a new token. The tool only needs CMS permissions, so you can limit the scope to that.
3. Run the tool
Run npm start in the project directory. The CLI will prompt you for two things: your API token and a comma-separated list of collection IDs you want to dereference.
4. Verify the results
Go back to the Webflow Designer and refresh. Open each collection you targeted and confirm that the reference and multi-reference fields have been cleared.
FAQ
Q. Does this tool delete my collection items?
A. No. It only removes the reference links between collections. You still need to delete the items yourself afterward if that is your goal.
Q. What permissions does my API token need?
A. CMS access only. You do not need to grant broader permissions.
Q. Can I target specific fields instead of entire collections?
A. The tool dereferences all reference and multi-reference fields within the collections you specify. There is no option to target individual fields.
Q. Is this tool maintained by Webflow?
A. No. It is an open-source community tool built by Hari. The repository is linked in the video description.
Written by
Neal
Content Writer