Transcript
There are so many AI building tools right now, but what if I told you that there is a tool that allows you to build full-stack applications on top of your data? Recently, I have tested a platform that allows you to build full-stack web applications from scratch without writing a single line of code. The platform name is Softr, and I am going to show you how you can utilize all the power that it provides.
By the end of this, you will have a full set of knowledge to build your own web application on top of your existing data. Let's get started. Softr is a full-stack no-code platform that lets you build applications from scratch or on top of your real data.
You don't need to have any programming language knowledge. All you need are ideas and a willingness to build something. Unlike many AI builders that focus only on the front end, Softr gives you the three core pieces of every app.
These include the interface where users log in and interact, the database where you store your structural data, and workflows for what happens behind the scenes. You can build many different things with Softr, including internal dashboards, client portals, operations tools, reporting apps, and marketplaces.
The great thing is that you can start from scratch or use freely available templates for different use cases. On the website, you can find use cases for CRM systems, marketplaces, dashboards, and more. This means you can migrate your entire business into a modern system without writing any code.
Softr connects to many different tools, such as Google Sheets, Notion, HubSpot, Airtable, SQL databases, and Superbase. You don't have to migrate your data. Softr allows you to manipulate your data directly from your application.
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Note from Softr: While linking to external data sources like Google Sheets or Airtable is a common approach, using Softr Databases is the powerful, native way to manage your data directly within your app for maximum performance!
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Beyond data, Softr includes native workflows that deeply integrate into the app you build. Softr also integrates with third-party automation platforms, such as Zapier, Make, and n8n. This enables your app to connect to larger systems rather than operate in isolation.
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Note from Softr: As mentioned, you can connect out to third-party tools, but using native Softr Workflows helps consolidate your tools and keeps your logic as close to the design as possible without relying on external automation platforms.
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If you get stuck, there is a huge community and support system that can help you anytime you need. They have tutorials, articles, and how-to guides that explain how to use the platform. You can start with Softr absolutely free.
To begin, simply open the Softr website and click the get started for free button. After that, create your account using either Google or your email address. Once you register, you will be redirected to the main dashboard.
The left menu will help you navigate, giving you access to your apps, databases, workflows, forms, and integrations. When you are ready to build something, go to the apps section. At the top, you will see options to start from scratch, start with a template, or generate with AI.
If you are just starting, you can play with templates or try using AI to build your first prototype. In my examples today, I am going to start from scratch. I want to show you the new Vibe-Coding block that allows you to build anything using just your imagination.
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Note from Softr: If you prefer not to start entirely from scratch, the AI co-builder is another great option. It allows you to prompt for exactly what you want and generates complete apps, pages, or database schemas instantly, while still letting you tweak things manually!
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Let's select the option to start from scratch. Next, select your data. I am going to select Google Sheets because my sample data is there.
Once you select it and click continue, you need to connect your account. I have already done this, so I will just select the right Google Sheets document and the specific sheet. After pressing continue, Softr will create a simple template for you in about 15 seconds.
In this example, I am going to delete everything as my goal is to demonstrate the Vibe-Coding block. Simply select the component on the canvas and click the garbage icon to remove it. Let's also delete any other unnecessary blocks to start completely fresh.
On the right-hand side, you will see a lot of different blocks that Softr currently offers. You can select any of these blocks and add them to the canvas by clicking the plus button. If you find that a block you want does not currently exist, do not worry.
We can use the Vibe-Coding block, which has incredible capabilities. Let's add the Vibe-Coding block located under the AI category. Once you add the Vibe-Coding block to your canvas, the next step is to select a data source.
If you want to build something on top of your data, this is an essential step. I am going to use my Google Sheets connection. In my first example, I am going to show you how to build an interactive quiz based on your dataset.
Let's select the data, and then we will go back to the chat. Inside the prompt window, we will write our instructions. The prompt is to generate an interactive quiz block based on the database, allowing users to pick an answer from a list, review a hint for help, and go through the questions one by one.
It should output a final result screen with the total score and allow users to review all answers. Let's wait and see what the Vibe-Coding block brings back to us. In about a minute, the interactive quiz is ready.
Let's test it to ensure everything is working fine by clicking the preview icon on the top right. From the first glance, the quiz functions well as you select answers and proceed. However, I noticed there are too many questions, and some answer choices are jumping around on the screen.
Let's go back into our Vibe-Coding block edit window to fix these issues. We will add an instruction to reduce the amount of questions and fix the jumping selection behavior. Once that updates, we can check the preview again.
Now there are just five questions, the answers display correctly, and everything is working great. The hints and correct answers display properly alongside the final score screen. You could easily use this kind of quiz in your application for training purposes.
For example, you could base the quiz on your documentation and let your team take an internal exam right on your site. This is a very useful feature and incredibly easy to build. Next, I am going to create one more page by going to the left menu.
First, I will rename the initial page to quiz and then create a new page using the plus button. I will call this new page CRM for our next example. We are going to build a lightweight CRM using our favorite Vibe-Coding block.
Select the Vibe-Coding block and add it to the canvas. In my instance, I will select Google Sheets again for my data source. We will use a simple prompt to create a lightweight CRM interface allowing users to add contacts.
It should display deal stages in a kanban view, enable drag and drop functionality to update stages, and show the total deal value per column.
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Note from Softr: Building a CRM from scratch is awesome, but you can also kickstart your project by using our AI CRM template to get up and running instantly. Explore more about this process in our deep dive on building a lightweight CRM.
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Our deal pipeline with the kanban view is ready. Let's preview it to see how it works. Initially, the kanban board is empty, so we must add some sample data.
The amazing thing is that the Vibe-Coding block supports CRUD operations. This means we can create, read, update, and delete records right out of the gate without writing any extra code. I will create the first item in the deal pipeline to see if everything functions correctly.
You can easily drag and drop the newly created card between different stages. The pipeline updates seamlessly as the card is moved. I want to improve the kanban board a little bit because currently, clicking on a card does nothing.
Let's go back to the Softr dashboard and prompt the Vibe-Coding block to add this extra functionality. This time, I will ask it to make sure that clicking an item in the board opens a modal with a detailed view. I will also request it to add dedicated icons to delete and edit records directly from the board.
It seems everything is ready. When previewing the result, clicking on a module now reveals the detailed view of the deal. The view includes editing capabilities that allow you to modify properties and save the results.
Everything is working flawlessly. Let's add an extra record to our list. The tool even handles pre-populating some data, though this behavior can be adjusted if needed. Once added, the new card appears in the pipeline right away.
