Can Collection and Item IDs in Webflow change over time and cause 404 API responses even if the slugs still match?

In Webflow, Collection and Item IDs do not change over time unless you manually update them. They serve as unique identifiers for each Collection and Item within your project. Slugs, on the other hand, can be changed, but if the slugs still match, it should not result in 404 API responses.

However, it is important to note that if you have connected your website or application to the Webflow CMS using the Webflow API, changes in Collection or Item IDs can potentially lead to 404 responses. If you have made any updates to the Collection or Item structure, you need to ensure that your API calls are properly updated to reflect the new IDs.

For example, let's say you had a Collection with an ID of "xyz" and an Item with an ID of "abc". If you were making API requests based on these IDs and then changed the Collection ID to "123" or the Item ID to "def", your API calls referencing the old IDs would result in 404 errors.

To avoid this issue, it's recommended to store and retrieve Collection and Item IDs dynamically in your application instead of hardcoding them. By querying the API for the specific Collection or Item based on slug or any other unique attribute, you can obtain the correct IDs to use in your API requests. This approach ensures that your API calls remain accurate even if changes are made in the Webflow CMS.

Overall, while slugs can be changed without affecting API responses as long as they match, modifications to Collection and Item IDs can lead to 404 errors and should be handled carefully in your API integration.