Is an Open Source No Code App Builder Right for You?

When you’re shopping would you rather order online or shop in a store? For me, I like to shop in stores so I can try stuff on and make sure it’s going to work for me. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could do the same with your tech stack? Yeah sometimes you can see demos or get a free trial, but it’s hard to actually know if a tool is going to work for you until it’s fully integrated into your business. To make things easier, I’m going to help you discover if an open source no code app builder is the right app building tool for you, or if you need to consider another option.

Do You Want to Build an App?

First of all, we need to establish if you want to build an app (if you are still reading I hope the answer is yes), and what kind of app you are looking to build. Here are your options:

• Native Mobile App: A native mobile app is compatible with your phone’s hardware which provides rich functionality like accessing your camera and geolocation. Native apps are downloaded from the app store and stored on your phone. These apps are more complex to build, and therefore not a great match for someone looking to use a no code app builder.
• Web App: Web apps are like fancy web pages. The main difference is they work well on mobile and can easily be accessed from a mobile phone. Google docs is a great example of a web app.
• Progressive Web App (PWA): PWAs are somewhere in the middle between native mobile apps and web apps. They are hosted through the web, but can also be saved to a user's home screen and has similar functionality to a native mobile app. A huge benefit to PWAs is they can be built using no code or low code app development platforms. So if you don’t already know how to build an app, a PWA is a great place to start.

Do You Want to Build an App Without Code?

Next, let’s talk about if you have any coding experience. If the answer is no, that’s great! Then a no code mobile app development software is a great fit for you. When using either a no code or low code app builder, you can build an app by dragging and dropping elements like images, text, menus, tech integrations, etc. onto the app layout. This allows you to see the changes you’re making in real-time rather than having to write lines of code. It’s also super easy to do. If you have ever built a PowerPoint before you will excel at it, and even if you haven’t, you will catch on very quickly. So if you want to add a mobile app to your mobile marketing strategy but don’t know how to code, a no code app builder is perfect for you.

Do You Want to Customize Your App?

Finally, let’s talk about how much customization you want available in your app. On most low code platforms you will have the option to customize the colors, fonts, and all other branding elements of the app. If that is enough for you, that’s great, you can find the best app builder for you and get started building. If you want more customization options then an open source no code app builder is a good option to look into. Open-source means the code for the app builder is publicly available and can be accessed, modified, and shared. This gives you more options if you want to further customize the app builder to your needs, but doesn’t mean that you have to know how to code. Open-source mobile app development software can still be a no code platform.

Before building an app, it’s important that you find the best app development software for you and your brand. That might be an open source platform, or maybe just a no code platform. Whatever it is, it’s important to know what you are looking for in an app builder so you can find one that works best for you.