There are countless solutions available to the neo-citizen-developer, also known as the "Citizen Maker", to create web applications himself, but also now mobile applications. These applications can even stand alongside applications from major publishers on the shelves of the App Store or Play Store: the grail!

Indeed, these "coded" applications largely compete with the App' available on the market. They can now include native features such as push notifications, facial recognition, in-app purchases, GPS access, and many others.

An example is better than a long speech

Obviously, we cannot (yet!) do everything in Nocode (and, by definition, code allows us to go one step further). However, some achievements prove that we can already reach a very satisfactory level of technicality. Here are some examples of applications made in France of which the Nocode community has nothing to be ashamed of, far from it! 

Really-Really-Want, a Tinder-like dating application developed with Bubblewhich is extremely personal in its interactions and journey.

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Click Ton Kiné, developed with Adalo by - you guessed it - a physiotherapist, to share health tips. We also appreciate the humorous tone used in the content.

Stackoo, a monitoring application for Nocode tools (but not only), developed with Glidewhich is a reference in the French-speaking Nocode community.

Choose a Nocode tool adapted to your project

The choice of the Nocode tool to develop a mobile application is not trivial and is even more critical than the choice of a programming language (in the case of a classic development with code). 

There are several key criteria to be considered:

1. Functionality

Indeed, in traditional code, the rendering and the possible functionalities are relatively equivalent. For example, the choice between Swift (the native language for iOS) and React Native (an iOS and Android compatible framework) is not very critical. In Nocode, the differences are major depending on the tool chosen between Glide, Adalo and Bubble (to mention only 3 of the most famous tools). 

For example, the Glide does not support push notifications, whileAdalo and Bubble do not offer, or do not fully offer, offline mode. It is therefore advisable to do some research beforehand and to clearly identify which key features your application absolutely must include, in order to select the right tool and not to find yourself in a dead end during the development of your project.

2. The level of complexity

Secondly, the time needed to master the Nocode tool should also guide your choice. Especially if this is the first application you are developing - and you do not intend to become a professional Nocode developer (and therefore cannot spend too much time learning the tool). 

Adalois an all-in-one tool that makes it relatively easy to publish to the stores, while Draftbit (which requires the connection of a third party backend such as Firebase) or Bubble (which involves using an additional service such as BDK) require much more effort.

3. The ambitions of your mobile project

The ability of the tools to scale up, the distribution strategy, the possibility to secure data in an advanced way, the cost, are some of the many dimensions that should be kept in mind when making a choice.

The different types of mobile applications

Each Nocode tool allows you to create one or more types of applications, and each of these applications offers different functionalities and has a different distribution mode. For example, distributing on the web is relatively simple and not very restrictive, whereas publishing on the stores implies respecting certain rules. 

To summarise, there are 3 main categories of mobile applications: 

1.Responsive webapplications

These applications are actually websites that fit the size of the screen. They can be accessed via a simple URL on the phone's browser, and there is nothing to stop you adding a shortcut on your home screen so that you can access them quickly. These applications can be developed as "one-page" applications (navigation by tab on a single page) in order to reproduce as much as possible the responsiveness of a conventional mobile application.

2. Progressive Web Apps (PWA)

Not everyone agrees on the exact definition of what a PWA is, but overall it is also an application based on a website that is sized to fit mobile screens. They include native features specific to mobile, a design designed primarily for a mobile destination (e.g. a navigation menu with tabs floating at the bottom of the screen, the removal of the address bar, etc.) and some even allow offline mode. They can also be accessed via a simple URL, and you can also add a shortcut on your home screen (test it with mobile.twitter. com from your mobile browser!).

3.Nativeapplications

These applications are developed in a native language(Swift, Java) or with a development kit/framework(Flutter, React Native) and distributed via the App Store and/or the Play Store.

Still not sure how to get started?

Don't give up yet! Mobile applications are still a rather complex subject, and one on which no one is totally agreed. To help you find your way around the app map and make the right decisions, I recommend reading this article: Which technology should you choose for your mobile application?

Evaluate the solutions and make your choice!

Choosing a Nocode tool to build a mobile app involves a preparation phase and the definition of objectives. The perfect solution does not exist and some compromises have to be made.

Thus, at Alegria.tech, we apply a methodology that enables us to select the tools best suited to the ambitions of a project. In addition to the application's objectives (prototype, long-term use, need for business teams or the project owner to take control of development, etc.), we take into account external factors such as the number of "Makers" (nocode developers) who are experts in the tool, the responsiveness of the customer support provided by the publisher, the size of the community, etc.

The first comprehensive toolkit, the ultimate guide to creating on mobile 

Choosing the most suitable tool for your project therefore comes down to prioritising certain criteria and functionalities according to the expected result.
To assist you, we have designed this guide ⬇️ with the decisive criteria to consider. 

Your reference mobile tool is not listed? You can now add to this list and fill in the criteria that make you prefer it!

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Further information: What is Nocode project management?