Slater Glossary: Webflow Scripting and AI Terms

This glossary defines key terms used in Slater and Webflow JavaScript workflows so your team has a shared, unambiguous vocabulary.

Core terms (A–Z)

  • AI assist: Slater’s capability to help write, refactor, and document code within your project context.
  • Bundle: A group of files loaded together; in Slater, you can control file order.
  • CMS (Webflow CMS): Webflow’s content system; custom JS often reads or filters CMS‑rendered elements.
  • Deployment: Publishing Slater files to staging or production so Webflow pages load the latest scripts.
  • Environment: Staging vs. production contexts. Slater separates these to test safely before going live.
  • Load order: The sequence scripts execute. In Slater, you set this explicitly to manage dependencies.
  • Minification: Removing whitespace and shortening names to reduce file size; can improve load times.
  • Obfuscation: Transforming source code to make it harder to read casually; used to reduce copy risk, not as a security boundary.
  • Page targeting: Choosing which Slater files run on which Webflow pages or templates.
  • Script scope: What DOM and data your code can access at runtime (e.g., after Webflow finishes rendering).
  • Smart Script: The single embed you paste into Webflow that auto‑detects staging vs. production and loads the right files.
  • Staging: Your webflow.io domain where you test changes safely.
  • Production: Your live custom domain where end users see changes.
  • Webflow API: Interfaces Slater may use to discover pages or project data; availability depends on what the API exposes.
  • Throttling/debouncing: Patterns to limit how often functions run during events like scroll or resize.
  • Selectors: CSS or DOM queries used by your scripts to target elements.

How this glossary helps

  • Faster onboarding: New teammates learn Slater and Webflow terms quickly.
  • Fewer missteps: Shared language around environments and load order prevents production surprises.

FAQ
Q: Does obfuscation protect secrets?
A: No. Never store secrets in client‑side code. Use server‑side storage or secure proxies.

Q: Do I need to minify in Slater?
A: It’s optional; enable it when you want smaller production payloads.

Q: Where should I start if I’m new to Slater?
A: Follow the quick start and getting started guides, then explore load order and security best practices.

Sources