Intro to web applications
An introduction to web app development, CRUD, and Wized.
Today, you're going to learn what web apps are, and how you can build them without code.
We'll cover the following topics:
So let's get started with the most fundamental question.
What is a web application (Web app)?
A Web app is an application program stored on a server, and that gets delivered to your browser. Unlike with a mobile app, you need to have an active internet connection to use a web app.
You might not be aware of it, but you're using web apps all the time. Here a few examples of web apps:
- That multi-step form you filled out while subscribing to a service is an web app.
- Your favorite to-do tool is a web-app
- Google docs is a web-app
- That job board you looked at last night is a web app
In other words, a web app is a type of software that allows you to perform a specific task.
What does an app do?
An app get's an input from the user, and it displays an output.
Some apps are trivial, others are complex, but they all have something in common. All web apps perform at least some of these four functions:
- Create data
- Read data
- Update data
- Delete data
We call these functions CRUD operations.
The code barrier
Until recently, web app development was something reserved for software engineers. Even the simplest and most trivial apps required coding experience.
Unfortunately, only 1 in 278 people knows how to code!
This code barrier was a huge problem until recently.
Stop here for a second, and imagine a world where anyone could build an app.
Imagine how much more innovation we would see.
Luckily, more and more companies are popping up that allow you to build web apps without knowing code! One of these tools is Wized.
Introducing Wized
Wized allows you to build apps on top of Webflow websites, without code.
Remember earlier when we talked about CRUD operations?
With Wized, you can perform all these functions, without knowing how to code. You can connect to a database like Airtable in seconds, and render any field on your Webflow site.
But it doesn't stop there.
You can do much more with Wized. Think of Webflow framework for:
- User login
- User authentication
- Integrating with APIs
- Showing external data on your site
- Sending user data to external sources
- Showing live-upates based on user input
Click here if you want to see some real life examples.
Our cloneable section is full of different web apps built with Wized.
The framework mindset
One thing to note is that Wized is powerful, but it is not easy.
Like any other framework, Wized has a learning curve.
But once you become proficient, you'll be able to push out powerful web apps in no time.
Bring your career to the next level
You can start learning Wized, today.
The best place to start is our resource center.
There, you can find learning paths, tutorials, and tons of free cloneables.
We recommend following the learning paths, but feel free to start any way you like.
Some people learn better by following tutorials, some by breaking down cloneables.
The important thing is to see what works best for you and have fun along the way!