News, sports, stocks, weather.
What do these websites have in common?
Dynamic content.
You see, these websites are updated every single minute of the day, if not seconds.
Having dynamic content on your website is crucial for engaging users and keeping your site up to date.
With Framer's latest feature, Fetch, integrating dynamic data has never been easier.
This guide will walk you through what Fetch is, why it matters, and how you can use it to enhance your Framer projects without any coding experience.
Glossary of Terms
Before we dive into Fetch, let's go over some basic terms that will help you understand the process better.
API (Application Programming Interface)
Think of an API as a menu in a restaurant. When you visit a restaurant, you use the menu to request a dish.
Similarly, an API allows different software applications to communicate with each other.
In the context of Fetch, an API is a way for your website to get data from another service, like weather information or stock prices, without you having to code it from scratch.
Path
Imagine a path as a specific route or address to a piece of information.
When using an API, the path tells Fetch what type of data you would like to show.
Fallback
A fallback is like a backup plan.
If the primary data source is unavailable, a fallback option ensures your website still functions correctly by using a default set of data or a placeholder.
Dynamic Data
Dynamic data is information that changes automatically.
Unlike static data, which remains the same, dynamic data updates in real-time, allowing your website to display the most current information available.
Cache
Cache is a way of temporarily storing data so that future requests for that data can be served faster.
In Fetch, you can set how long the data should be cached.
Options range from "never" (no caching) to specific time intervals like "10 seconds" or "1 minute," which means the data will be re-fetched after the specified time expires.
What is Fetch in Framer?
Fetch is a new feature in Framer that enables you to incorporate dynamic data from APIs into your website seamlessly.
Think of Fetch as a bridge that connects your Framer project to external data sources, bringing live information directly into your design.
This allows you to display real-time information without writing a single line of code.
For example, imagine you have a news website. With Fetch, you can automatically display the latest headlines from a news API, ensuring your visitors always see the most recent updates without manually changing the content every time.
How to Use Fetch in Framer
Here’s a simple guide to getting started with Fetch in Framer. Let’s say we wanted to create a website to display the live currency prices.
Here's how we'll do that:
Add Fetch to a Text Layer
Select a text layer in your Framer project, click the Content property, and choose the Add Fetch option. In this case we will be showing the following fields:
Name
Symbol
Price
USD rate
Enter Your API URL
Provide the URL of the API you want to use. Framer also offers a list of example endpoints to help you get started. In this case we’ll be using the API from this website.
To get started we will sign up for the free API, copy the request URL, and paste it into our Fetch. We will apply a fetch to every text layer that will need to be updated.
It's similar to mapping fields in the CMS.Select Your Data Path
Use the Path field to specify the exact data you want to display from the API. These paths may vary depending on your API.
Configure Caching Options
Choose how long you want the data to be cached, from never to several minutes, depending on how frequently the data updates.
Customize as Needed
Configure Fetch to match your design needs, including setting up loading and error variants.
You can remix this file here.
With these steps, you can effortlessly incorporate dynamic data into your Framer project.
Features and Benefits of Fetch
Fetch offers several advantages for enhancing your Framer projects:
Automatic Request Deduplication
Fetch automatically handles repeated requests for the same data, ensuring your website runs efficiently.
Built-in Caching
This feature stores previously fetched data temporarily, so your site loads faster for returning users.
Versatility with Loading and Error Variants
Fetch provides options for displaying loading animations or error messages if data retrieval fails, improving the user experience.
Why Does Fetch Matter?
Dynamic content plays a significant role in enhancing user engagement on websites. It allows you to provide personalized experiences and relevant information to your audience. Here’s why Fetch is important:
User Engagement
Dynamic data can make your website more interactive and interesting. Visitors are more likely to return if they see fresh content each time they visit.
Efficiency
Fetch saves you time and effort by automatically pulling data from APIs, eliminating the need for manual updates.
Real-Time Updates
Websites can provide up-to-the-minute information, such as current weather conditions, stock market prices, or sports scores.
Fetch transforms static text into dynamic elements, keeping your website relevant and engaging.
Types of Websites You Can Create with Fetch
With Fetch, the possibilities for creating dynamic websites are endless. Here are a few examples:
News Websites: Automatically update headlines and articles with the latest news stories.
E-commerce Sites: Display real-time product availability, prices, or reviews.
Weather Apps: Show current weather conditions and forecasts.
Stock Market website: Show the realtime price of stocks.
Sports Portals: Present live scores and statistics for ongoing matches.
Live currency: Show the realtime prices of different currencies.
These examples highlight how Fetch can bring your website to life with real-time data.
Closing thoughts
Fetch is like the new kid on the block who’s about to shake up the web design world for those of us who aren't into coding.
Sure, it’s still in the early stages and has a bit of a learning curve, but give it time, and it could really change the game.
Think about it.
As someone working with Framer, you now have the power to create websites that pull in real-time data. This opens up the possibility to design interactive web apps without diving into code. Pair this with some code overrides and third-party tools, and suddenly, creating complex things seems doable.
But let's keep it real. Fetch is still in its early days. Yet, as it matures and becomes part of other Framer tools, like the CMS, it’s only going to get better.
The future looks pretty exciting for those of us in the design world!
