Budibase

No-code is gaining ground and is gradually replacing traditional programming. Tools like Budibase were designed to simplify and accelerate the creation of internal tools for businesses. A low-code platform, it features a set of integrated tools, including a database, a graphical interface design, and an automation section. This gives users greater flexibility and total customization.

In this guide, which serves as an introductory tutorial to Budibase, we'll introduce you to its pros, cons, and capabilities. You'll also learn about its essential components and how to get started by creating an internal web application.

What is Budibase?

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Budibase is an open-source platform for developing internal web applications, characterized by its low-code approach. Its main mission is to help companies create internal tools quickly and efficiently, significantly reducing the time required to develop internal web applications.

With Budibase, you can create solutions such as dashboards, forms, management tools, customer portals, and much more.

What makes Budibase an all-in-one design tool is that it includes a built-in external database that connects to external data sources, a graphical design interface, and an automation section. Additionally, you can modify your application's source code at will for greater customization.

Advantages and disadvantages

Budibase is a powerful tool that has several advantages, but also some disadvantages.

Benefits :

• Budibase connects to a wide range of data,
• Budibase's low-code approach makes it easier to build applications, providing greater flexibility for developers and non-developers alike,
• You don't need to invest a lot to create a successful application,
• The learning curve is steep.

Disadvantages:

• Complex customization due to the need for coding skills,
• Budibase basic

Budibase Features

Budibase has a working process that sets it apart from other no-code tools. Here are some of the basic features you'll find on Budibase.

User interface

The Budibase interface is divided into three main sections, each playing a distinct role in the application development process. This promotes an organized and user-friendly approach to creating internal web applications. The data management section allows you to add data and organize it by specifying the category to which it belongs in a table.

The "design" section of Budibase allows you to create, organize, and customize the elements of your application. This helps you improve the user experience by giving your application a user-friendly and attractive interface.

Once you've completed the application development process on Budibase, there's an option to help you publish your solution. To make this deployment easier, Budibase allows you to connect your application to a hosting service like Amazon AWS.

Workflow Builder

Before we go any further, let's first explain what a workflow builder is . Workflow creation is a set of actions intended to automate a workflow by following a pre-established logic. The main elements of a workflow are the triggers that follow the actions.

Budibase workflow automation allows you to create rules and actions in response to specific conditions or events. This automated process integration follows backend logic (the part not visible to users) in your application. You can automate processes such as adding or uploading a file, sending an alert message or email, and a multitude of other custom actions.

Automations run in the background on the Budibase hosting platform and work autonomously as soon as they are triggered. However, they only take effect in published applications, although it is possible to test them before publication.

Data storage

Budibase can store a wide range of data thanks to its external tool integration system. It has a built-in data source, Budibase DB, as well as other external data sources such as Integromat, Zapier , Airtable, MySQL and PostgreSQL.

Long before you start building your app on Budibase or any other no-code tool, you need to establish the structure of your data, including tables, columns, etc. A well-structured database makes it easier to manage your data. A well-structured database makes it easier to connect to the elements that will be added to your interface.

In addition to external data sources, Budibase connects to APIs (Rest API connector and Web API connector). To connect data sources and APIs to Budibase, simply access the interface and select the "Add Source" option in the "Data" tab. From there, simply select the data sources you want to use and configure them by providing the required connection information.

When it comes to using APIs on Budibase, all you have to do to interact with them is write custom queries. These will be configured in the "Queries" tab of the corresponding data source. This entire process is an asset that expands the design and customization possibilities of your application.

Collaboration

Collaboration on Budibase is seamless and promotes team member productivity. You can assign roles to each user as you add them. Access is updated in real time, and you receive a notification when the initial user leaves or closes their tab, with changes immediately transferred to the other user.

In the Budibase interface, all application users are visible in the upper right corner of the screen, with icons of different colors. This way, when a user completes tasks on the project, you can easily distinguish what he or she had to do.

Who uses Budibase?

Budibase offers greater flexibility as a comprehensive platform, and its low-code approach allows it to adapt to all types of profiles. Its open-source and low-code nature is advantageous for developers looking to save time and reduce development complexity.

For example, a manager looking for a solution to streamline their workflow might consider creating a management tool. This will allow them to better plan, track, and manage certain tasks without interruption. Let's say you're responsible for managing product distribution.

The application's functionality could include assessing inventory, revenue, and costs for each order. It can also allow you to analyze more deeply how products are distributed. This way, you can identify new channels that offer greater market share.

How does it work?

If you're new to Budibase, here's a basic tutorial to help you get started.

Step 1: Create an account

To begin your Budibase adventure, you must first create an account on the site. During the registration process, you will be asked to provide information such as a username, email address, and password. Then follow the verification and confirmation steps to complete your account creation.

Step 2: Adding Data

Once you've logged in to your Budibase account, access the interface to begin the first step of creating your application. To begin, it's best to use the default data provided by Budibase. However, it's entirely possible to customize each data column by specifying its type, text, number, date, etc.

Step 3: Interface design

Go to the " Design " section at the top of the page, where you can design and style your application. This section is divided into four main areas: Screens, Components, Theme, and Navigation. To create CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) screens for your tables, click "Add Screen " and choose "List view ."

Step 4:   Automatically Generated Screens

Once the screens are generated, you can customize them by adding components. For example, you can add tables to display data. To quickly access the components panel, click the table block or any other element you want to customize.

Step 5: Preview and Publish

As you develop your application, you can preview the result by clicking "Preview ". This allows you to check how your application works during development and test each action.

If you are satisfied with the appearance of your development, click "Publish " to publish your application. Budibase will generate a public link for your application, which you can share with others.

Step 6: Automation

If needed, you can add automations to handle specific tasks in the background. For example, you can set up automation to automatically send emails or integrate your app with external services.

Step 7: Settings

In the Settings section, you can manage various aspects of your app. These include automation history, backup management, integration with other services, app version management, and many other configuration options. Be careful, however, not to click the Delete App option , as this will permanently delete your app.

Despite its simple approach, Budibase is a fairly extensive tool. So take the time to explore and understand the advanced features to customize your application and build it from scratch. You can work on elements such as forms, table links, actions triggered by specific events and conditions, and even create custom plugins to extend the functionality of your application.

Budibase Pricing Plans

Here is an overview of Budibase's offer

Comparing Budibase with other No-Code and Low-Code Development Tools

Budibase is very powerful, but what about other alternatives? We present Budibase vs. Appsmith and Budibase vs. Bubble.

Appsmith vs Budibase

AppSmith is also a no-code tool for building in-house apps. It uses a grid interface with JavaScript functionality. It's ideal for developers who want complete control over app creation and use JavaScript to add dynamic features. AppSmith offers team collaboration features, enhanced security through a proxy layer, and responsive layout flexibility.

Budibase takes a modular approach with extensive data and screen customization. It allows users to customize their data in a table-based interface and create dynamic user interface screens. Its modular approach, with extensive customization options and varied integrations, makes Budibase a tool that offers a wider range of options than AppSmith.

Bubble vs Budibase

Compared to Bubble, Budibase offers a more intuitive interface, with fewer sections than Bubble, simplifying the development process, making it ideal for beginners. Real-time collaboration is equally powerful, improving team project management.

Unlike Bubble, which doesn't allow code exports and is more no-code than low-code, Budibase stands out for its ability to integrate programming languages ​​such as CSS and JavaScript. Not to mention that the cost of creating an application is lower than with Bubble.

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Limitations and Challenges of Budibase

Using Budibase has many advantages, including rapid development and a low-code approach that's user-friendly for both developers and non-developers. Budget-wise, it's more accessible to anyone looking to develop their app at a lower cost. Plus, its learning curve isn't steep compared to platforms like Bubble.

However, to get the best results, you need to upgrade to an advanced customization mode. This mode can be complex, as it requires coding skills to exploit the platform's full potential. As for the free option, it forces users to upgrade to the premium option, as its features are very limited.

The essentials of Budibase

Here is a list of expressions and terms that you will often encounter when using Budibase:

CRUD Application: CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update, and Delete. These are the basic operations you can perform on data in a system, such as creating new records and reading/displaying existing records.

Sample Data: This is a pre-populated data set that you can use to test and build your apps.

Data Types: This section supports different data types including numbers, dates/times, etc. to represent different types of information.

Screens: Screens are the pages or visual views of your app. In the Design section, you can create and customize screens for your app.

Auto-generated screens: These are CRUD screens automatically generated for each of your data tables. They provide a quick way to interact with the data.

Design Section: This is where you create the front end of your app.

Components: Components are the building blocks of your application's interface. You can add various components to your screens to display and interact with data.

Automation: These are the automations used to create powerful workflow options.

Embed: This option allows you to get an iframe code (HTML tags) to embed your application on other websites.

Blocks: These are predefined sets of components designed to simplify and speed up the process of creating applications.

Components of Budibase

Components are the elements used to build your user interface. There are several categories on Budibase for the layout and display of data that the user can interact with.

Barcode/QR field: Allows users to scan barcodes and QR codes using their device's camera. This is a shortcut for quickly entering data into forms.

Container: A "container" in Budibase is a design element that allows you to structure and lay out your application's components in an organized manner. One of its benefits is making your application more responsive so that it adapts to all screen sizes. It can be formatted in horizontal or vertical alignment, taking into account the size.

Date Range: Its role is to filter data over a specific period. To make it operational, simply connect it to a data provider and select the date/time column to filter. It then starts working to provide you with the filtered data.

Tableau: It is ideal for displaying and interacting with data. It can be used to display data to users in a powerful and customizable way, and offers many customization options for columns,

Conditional UI: Allows you to change the appearance and behavior of components based on specific conditions. You'll often use it to set conditions for showing or hiding components, disabling buttons, or changing text.

Conclusion

Budibase is a no-code platform that aims to transform the way businesses build internal tools by significantly reducing development time. Its low-code approach and open-source nature allow businesses to gain autonomy in building internal applications. It offers an intuitive interface, advanced features, and flexible pricing to meet the needs of a wide range of businesses.

With it, you can design dashboards, forms, management tools, client portals, and other solutions. Budibase features a built-in database, a user-friendly interface design, and an automation section that rivals tools like Bubble and Appsmith. This allows for advanced customization while also providing connectivity to various external data sources.

How can Noxcod help you?

With over five years of experience developing high-performance applications and websites, we have extensive expertise. Using no-code tools like Budibase, we can quickly create advanced, customized solutions . Got an idea? We have the resources to make it a reality. We'll be with you every step of the way, from design to implementation.

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