How to Create Native Application with Low Code Platform
Native app development has traditionally required deep expertise in programming languages like Swift, Kotlin, or Java, and it involved writing hundreds or thousands of lines of code. However, thanks to modern low-code platforms, developers can now create high-quality native applications for both iOS and Android with minimal effort. These platforms offer automated code generation, pre-built templates, and intuitive code generation interfaces that streamline the development process.
In this article, we will demonstrate how to use a low-code platform to build a simple native to-do list app for mobile, walk through the development process, and show you some coding involved.
Why Low-Code Platforms for Native Apps?
Low-code platforms enable developers to automate repetitive coding tasks and focus on more complex aspects of development, like FAB Builder simplyfy this process. These platforms come with integrated tools for building both the front-end and back-end of your app, and they support technologies like React, Flutter, and Node.js.
Benefits of using a low-code platform:
1. Quick Development: Speed up the development process using generate UI elements and automated code generation.
2. Cross-Platform Compatibility: Build applications that run on both Android and iOS with a single codebase.
3. Error-Free Code: Eliminate common coding mistakes by letting the platform handle much of the heavy lifting.
4. Backend Integration: Easily integrate with cloud databases, APIs, and authentication systems.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Native Mobile App
Let’s dive into the process of creating a native to-do like FAB Builder using a low-code platform. We’ll go over both the visual interface for app design and the actual coding required.
Step 1: Set Up Your Project
Once you’ve signed up for your chosen low-code platform, the first thing you’ll do is create a new project. Let’s assume we are using a platform like FAB Builder, which supports Flutter for mobile development.
- Choose a Template: Start with a basic mobile app template for either iOS or Android (or both). This provides a default structure for your app, making it easier to get started.
Here’s an example of what the basic layout might look like in the platform’s visual interface:
Home Screen: Display a list of tasks.
Add Task Screen: Add new tasks with text input.
Task Detail Screen: View task details.
Step 2: Designing the User Interface (UI)
The low-code platform allows you to use a visual editor to design the layout of your app. Let’s start by creating a simple UI for our to-do app.
Add Text Fields for inputting tasks.
Place an Add Button to add new tasks.
This simple UI may look like this:
// Flutter code for to-do list UI
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: TodoListScreen(),
);
}
}
class TodoListScreen extends StatefulWidget {
@override
_TodoListScreenState createState() => _TodoListScreenState();
}
class _TodoListScreenState extends State<TodoListScreen> {
List<String> tasks = []; // To store tasks
TextEditingController taskController = TextEditingController();
void addTask() {
setState(() {
tasks.add(taskController.text);
taskController.clear(); // Clear input field
});
}
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(title: Text('To-Do List')),
body: Column(
children: [
// TextField to input task
Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.all(16.0),
child: TextField(
controller: taskController,
decoration: InputDecoration(labelText: 'Enter Task'),
),
),
// Add button
ElevatedButton(
onPressed: addTask,
child: Text('Add Task'),
),
// List of tasks
Expanded(
child: ListView.builder(
itemCount: tasks.length,
itemBuilder: (context, index) {
return ListTile(
title: Text(tasks[index]),
);
},
),
),
],
),
);
}
}
Step 3: Adding Backend Logic (Cloud Storage)
Next, you’ll want to add backend functionality to store the tasks. Many low-code platforms offer integration with cloud storage services like Firebase or AWS, and this platform is no different.
1. Connect to Firebase: Use Firebase’s Firestore database to store tasks.
2. Automated Integration: Instead of manually writing API calls, the platform will let you easily connect to Firebase using built-in modules.
In your app, replace the local tasks list with data from Firebase Firestore. Here's an example of how you can modify the app to fetch tasks from the cloud:
import 'package:cloud_firestore/cloud_firestore.dart';
class _TodoListScreenState extends State<TodoListScreen> {
List<String> tasks = [];
TextEditingController taskController = TextEditingController();
// Fetch tasks from Firestore
void fetchTasks() async {
FirebaseFirestore.instance.collection('tasks').get().then((querySnapshot) {
setState(() {
tasks = querySnapshot.docs.map((doc) => doc['task']).toList();
});
});
}
// Add a task to Firestore
void addTask() {
if (taskController.text.isNotEmpty) {
FirebaseFirestore.instance.collection('tasks').add({
'task': taskController.text,
'timestamp': FieldValue.serverTimestamp(),
}).then((_) {
fetchTasks(); // Refresh tasks after adding a new one
taskController.clear(); // Clear input field
});
}
}
@override
void initState() {
super.initState();
fetchTasks(); // Load tasks on start
}
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(title: Text('To-Do List')),
body: Column(
children: [
// TextField to input task
Padding(
padding: const EdgeInsets.all(16.0),
child: TextField(
controller: taskController,
decoration: InputDecoration(labelText: 'Enter Task'),
),
),
// Add button
ElevatedButton(
onPressed: addTask,
child: Text('Add Task'),
),
// List of tasks
Expanded(
child: ListView.builder(
itemCount: tasks.length,
itemBuilder: (context, index) {
return ListTile(
title: Text(tasks[index]),
);
},
),
),
],
),
);
}
}
Step 4: Testing and Deployment
Once your app is built and tested in the preview environment, you can deploy it to Android and iOS using the platform’s automated deployment tools. Most low-code platforms allow you to push your app directly to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, eliminating the need for manual builds and deployments.
Conclusion
By using a code generator platform/low code platform , you can rapidly develop and deploy native apps with minimal coding effort. In this example, we walked through creating a simple to-do list app with a cloud backend, demonstrating how easy it is to integrate both front-end and back-end functionality. The power of low-code platforms is in their ability to automate repetitive coding tasks, allowing developers to focus on more meaningful aspects of app development.
Low-code platforms allow you to build powerful, fully native applications for iOS and Android quickly and efficiently. Whether you’re a startup, a small business, or an experienced developer, embracing low-code platform can help you create apps faster, more cost-effectively, and with fewer errors.