With Caspio App Designer, you can build a variety of apps without writing a single line of code. In this article, we will guide you through the general steps of creating an app so that you will get ready to build your first one quickly and effectively.

1. Prepare Tables For Your App

The first step in creating a web application is to create tables that will hold your data. Learn more.

You can do it in three ways: 

  • Create tables from scratch.
  • Reuse existing tables. 
  • Import data from your computer.

2. Create Roles And Apply Permissions To Users

You can manage the access to your app data by using roles and permissions. Roles consist of Create, Read, Update, and Delete permissions that can be assigned to users or user groups, and they define app user access to data exposed with DataParts. Learn more.

3. Create DataPages

Once data source tables, roles, and permissions are defined, you can proceed to build DataPages using various types of DataParts – visual interfaces of your app. Depending on your needs, you can create Report, Form, or Chart DataParts.

Forms

  • If you want to give your app users the possibility to submit a single record with a form, select the Submission Form DataPart. Learn more.
  • If you want your app users to display, edit, or delete a single record from a data source, select the Details/Update Form DataPart. Learn more. 
  • If you want to enable app users to filter records displayed in the reports and details/update forms, select the Search Form DataPart. Learn more. 
  • If you want the users to self-register for your app, select the Sign-up Form DataPart. Learn more.

Reports

  • If you need to organize and present data in a spreadsheet-like format, select the Tabular Report DataPart. Learn more.
  • If you want to present the records in a card grid of multiple rows and columns, select the Card Report DataPart. Learn more.
  • If you want to summarize your data and present it in table format, select the Pivot Report DataPart. Learn more.

Charts

When you need to present complex data in a visual form, select the Column Chart DataPart. Learn more.

HTML

If you want to create a customized page with text, images, and links, select the Text/HTML DataPart. Learn more. 

4. Deploy DataPages

Once your DataPages have been created, you will need to deploy them to make them accessible to your users. Learn more.