How to Use Bubble to Create a No-Code App

Bubble is a no-code platform that enables non-developers to build apps without the need for coding. It handles everything from setting up your own servers to building a database and more.

While the main purpose of Bubble is to help anyone create web applications, it can be used for a wide variety of other types of projects. This includes mobile and PWA apps, too.

Design

Bubble’s mission is to make it easier for non-technical people to create web applications without writing code. This sounds simple enough, but the reality is that creating software programs and web apps requires multiple parts that can’t be managed by one person.

The user interface, for example, is a crucial part of any app’s success. It should be easy to use and attractive. It should be secure and safe for users, too.

It should also be scalable to accommodate large numbers of users. And it should be able to integrate with other tools, like CRMs and social media platforms.

Moreover, it should have the flexibility to support various types of content, like images and videos. Lastly, it should have the ability to connect to external APIs, so that you can send data back and forth.

This is a great feature, and it makes Bubble much more flexible than other no-code apps. It lets you build a database that is customizable in every way, and that can store and process any type of information.

You can easily schedule workflows, so that your app automatically executes certain activities when a certain event occurs. This can be very useful for handling repetitive tasks.

Lastly, there are hundreds of plugins in the Bubble marketplace that allow you to connect your app to other tools and expand its functionality. This is a fantastic feature that can save you tons of time and effort.

Ultimately, if you’re crunched for time, it’s better to learn Bubble concept development than to try to tackle development on your own. This can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary frustration and stress, and it will ensure that you’re able to take decisive action when you need to.

Workflows

Workflows are the backbone of any app on Bubble. They define how your app behaves when users interact with it, and you can create them to trigger a series of actions.

When you create a new workflow, you pick an event that will trigger it and the elements in your app that it will apply to. For example, if you want to send an email whenever someone signs up for your newsletter, you can set the event to “Signup” and choose the element that it should be applied to, like an Email action.

You can also build a custom workflow that can run in multiple places. If you need it to be available in many areas, use the “trigger a custom event from a reusable element” workflow. This way, you can trigger the workflow in one place, and the action will be triggered in another, avoiding any duplication of work.

Often, you’ll want to process lists of data in an efficient manner. For instance, if you’re working with thousands of signups for your app, using a recursive workflow might be the best approach for you.

However, there are also certain bad practices that you’ll need to avoid when developing your database and workflows. For example, storing large amounts of data in your database is not the best practice.

This can lead to performance issues that you’ll likely have to deal with down the road. It can also make it harder for your Bubble app to perform searches and filter through the data it contains.

You can avoid these issues by ensuring that you’re strategically planning out your database before building your app within Bubble. This will put you in an efficiency-first mindset, which will ultimately lead to a more scalable app.

Plugins

Plugins are a great way to add functionality to your Bubble app without needing to code it yourself. They can also save you a lot of time and hassle.

You can find all kinds of plugins on the Bubble plugins page, including everything from basic functions like email validation and file storage to complex ones like localized translations and payment processors. However, it’s important to know which ones are safe to use and how to integrate them correctly.

Some plugins can be very vulnerable to breaches, so it’s best to look for those with solid reviews and comments on their pages. It’s also a good idea to check whether the developer offers any documentation for the plugin.

One plugin that’s very popular is Techblocks’ Screenshot Image Generator, which allows you to create screenshots of your app and customize them in a variety of ways. It also supports a variety of other features, such as custom toggles and animated transitions.

Another highly popular plugin is Beyond Identity, which enables developers to build passkey-compatible apps in a matter of minutes without needing coding expertise or knowledge of identity protocols. It protects end-users against phishing, password bots, and credential-based breaches while reducing app development costs and time to market.

Moreover, Beyond Identity also makes it easy to protect your users against rogue third-party APIs and services. Using “something you own” (private keys in secure enclaves) and “something you are” (local device biometrics), Beyond Identity authenticates users in a more robust way than passwords and can help safeguard your app against account takeover fraud.

Adding plugins to your Bubble app is an effective way to expand its functionality and increase user engagement. They also provide a great opportunity for you to showcase your creativity.

APIs

Bubble is a powerful no-code app creator that allows you to connect your app to a wide variety of different services. These include native integrations, APIs and plugins.

For example, using native integrations you can connect your app to your favorite social media platforms or email providers, and even send push notifications through Bubble to users. You can also use APIs to integrate with Google Sheets or Apipheny, and many other apps.

You can then make your app more powerful with APIs by allowing your users to interact with those services directly from within your app. This is a very convenient and useful way to allow your users to create a new account, edit an existing one, or perform other functions on those services.

Creating APIs in your app is relatively straightforward. First, you need to understand what an API is and how it works.

If you are a developer, APIs can help you build a more robust and feature-rich app that is faster to develop than a bespoke solution. You can also take advantage of the no-code capabilities of your app creation platform to attract a whole new category of citizen developers – people who don’t have extensive technical skills but have a natural aptitude to use tools.

Another key benefit of no-code apps is that they are often very flexible and can be easily customized. For example, you can configure your app to expand its contents automatically or suppress notifications when a user taps on a button.

You can also enable a modal popup that displays a resizable and embedded bubble whenever a certain condition is met. For example, if a user selects an option to start a chat, you can enable the popup so that when the conversation starts, the bubble appears in the expanded view automatically.

Monitoring

Bubble is a platform that lets non-developers and developers build apps without the need for coding and setting up their own servers. You can use it to create a website, mobile app, and web app, all with a drag-and-drop interface.

When compared to traditional development, Bubble’s approach to web development is faster and more flexible. It also takes care of a lot of other tasks that developers need to do, such as hosting, version deployment, and security.

This makes it a good choice for startups, as they can create customer-facing web platforms and internal tools in hours rather than months. It also allows them to get started faster and test their product before investing in technical resources.

It also allows them to scale their database to support any number of users, while maintaining a high degree of data privacy. This also helps them to keep their costs down.

Another key advantage of using Bubble is that it allows you to use third party APIs from all over the Internet, making it easy to add any functionality you need to your app. This can be used to add features such as payments, maps, and more.

In addition, Bubble allows you to build responsive, HTML5-based web apps that look great on all devices. This is important for any startup that wants to reach a wide audience.

Finally, Bubble also has a plugin store where independent developers create free and paid plugins that can dramatically extend the capabilities of your app. This allows you to build hundreds of additional visual elements, features, and a database right within your Bubble editor.

While Bubble may not be as customizable as other no-code platforms, it does offer a ton of functionality that can help you build your product quickly and efficiently. However, it does take some time to get used to the platform and to understand how it works. This means that it’s not a good option for someone who isn’t willing to put in the time and effort to learn the platform thoroughly.