The reason Bubble stands out is the ability to customize and add elements outside of the core functionality of the platform.
Why People Love Bubble
Before we get into the specifics of using custom code with Bubble, let us look at the reasons why people turn towards Bubble in the first place.
The Need For Speed
Whilst all no-code platforms are designed to increase the speed of development and get a new product to market as fast as possible, Bubble takes this to another level. One key reason for this is the myriad of templates available to the user.
The number of free and paid-for templates available means you can genuinely be live with the basics of an app within a couple of hours and then start building out the rest of the app.
The other reason Bubble stands out for its speed of use is its incredibly user-friendly interface. It makes it so simple for someone new to pick up or as a founder, if you employ a developer to build out your MVP, they will hand it over and updating elements like content will be quick and easy.
Feature Rich
Bubble is easy to use and as we will discuss shortly, has unique abilities to customize and evolve a product, but the base of the product is still packed with features to help you build that MVP.
- Integration central. Bubble has over 800 different plug-ins, meaning you can evolve your development and connect it with so many other platforms. Need to tie it into your payment system, there is a Stripe connector. Want to join up with social media, use the Facebook plug-in. The list is extensive.
- SEO tools. It is very simple and intuitive to update key elements like meta tags, URLs, site maps etc…
- Database flexibility. You have the ability to use both internal and external databases.
- Collaboration is king. With any start-up, multiple people need to be able to interact with the build and Bubble allows up to 40 people at one time.
- Custom code can be included with the workflow…
The Ability To Customize
Whilst the reasons above are great and most will mention them whenever they talk about Bubble, the big question is can you write custom code with Bubble? The answer is yes. You can customise so many different elements within Bubble that for developers it’s potentially the biggest reason to love it.
Bubble has more native features and a wider functionality range than any other no-code platform but using visual language will sometimes not give you exactly what you need, therefore you’ll look to build custom elements to extend the capability of Bubble and what you want from your website or app.
Most no-code platforms are limited in their ability to let you customize an app with your custom code, with Bubble whenever a developer comes across a limitation they have the ability to write custom code to resolve it.
How To Write Custom Code
Javascript
Whilst there are nuances and other ways to customize your app, the simple answer to the question ‘how do I write custom code with Bubble’ is to create plug-ins to write and run javascript code inside your application.
As we often do with Bubble, you look to an example using a plug-in from the excellent Bubble store, specifically Toolbox. Once you have downloaded the plug-in, you’ll need to create a simple button to trigger the javascript action and use its properties to edit the workflow.
Within the workflow, you can add an action and search for run javascript. Here you write in your javascript and it will trigger each time the button is pressed.
APIs
The other significant way you can customize your Bubble app is via the powerful API connector. It allows you to connect to other software or hardware, technically giving you the ability to join with anything, like AI-driven external engines or even Internet of Things devices.
One example would be utilising complex algorithms. It is not easy to build these using visual language, particularly more complex stuff like recursive or looping operations on data. Instead, you can write custom algorithms (e.g. a machine-learning algorithm) that are hosted externally and then utilise them by passing the data through an API.
Ultimately the power of the API connector is that any problem you need to resolve that cannot be done via javascript can be managed externally. For example, if you need to use a tool that uses python, you can host the python code on a server and make the tool communicate with Bubble using custom API calls to the server.
You Might Need Help
If you decide to use custom code within Bubble, chances are you’ll need to hire a developer to help you bring your ideas to life. At WeLoveNoCode, we specialize in bringing you the most qualified and skilled developers in Bubble.
