Why Most Webflow Developers Use Client-First — And Why I Do Too

One day, a client asked me to make “just a few quick changes” to a project I hadn’t touched in months.
Let’s just say… I spent more time figuring out what I had built than actually doing the updates. That’s when I discovered Client-First — a naming convention and build system by Finsweet that completely changed how I work.

What is Client-First?

In simple terms, it’s a guideline for how you name, organise, and structure your Webflow projects so they’re easy to read, edit, and scale — whether it’s you, another developer, or the client making changes months later.

Advantages of Using Client-First

From my own projects, here’s why it’s a game-changer:

• Cleaner builds – Everything follows a predictable structure, so I’m not digging through a mess of unnamed div blocks.
  
  
• Faster handovers – Clients can understand the site structure better, which means fewer training calls.
  
  
• Easier collaboration – If another developer jumps in, they can quickly pick up where I left off.
  
  
• Consistency across projects – I can open any build from two years ago and still know exactly where everything is.
  
  
• Better scalability – When clients want to add new sections or features later, I can do it without breaking the site.
  
  

Disadvantages (Because Nothing is Perfect)

Even though I swear by it, there are a few trade-offs:

• Steeper learning curve at the start – It takes time to learn the naming conventions and stick to them.
  
  
• More effort upfront – You spend more time setting up classes in the beginning compared to “just building.”
  
  
• Overkill for small projects – If it’s a one-pager that will never be touched again, Client-First might be too much.
  
  

When I Use Client-First?

Based on my experience, Client-First really shines in these situations:

1. Ongoing Client Work – If I know the client will come back for updates, I always use it.
   
   
2. Team Projects – When collaborating with other devs, consistent naming is a must.
   
   
3. Template or White-label Builds – Makes it easier for someone else to resell or repurpose the build.
   
   
4. Large-Scale Sites – The bigger the site, the more valuable an organised structure becomes.
   
   

Last year, I built a multi-page site for a SaaS company. Six months later, they came back wanting to double the number of pages and add a blog.
Because I had used Client-First from day one, I could duplicate and adjust layouts without starting from scratch.
What would’ve been a 3-week headache turned into a smooth 5-day update.

Client-First isn’t just a “developer preference” — it’s a future-proofing tool.
After three years of building in Webflow, I’ve learnt that a good build is more than just how it looks; it’s how easy it is to manage, scale, and pass on.

If you’re a Webflow developer who’s still winging it, I’d recommend giving Client-First a try on your next project. Trust me, your future self (and your clients) will thank you.