Bubble is a full-stack visual programming platform for building complex web applications without code. It combines a drag-and-drop interface with a powerful workflow engine, database, and API integrations to create production-ready apps.
Create Your Account
Visit bubble.io and click Get started for free. Enter your email and create a password, or sign in with Google. Verify your email address through the confirmation link sent to your inbox.
Once logged in, you’ll land in your Bubble dashboard. Click New app and name your project. Choose a template or start from scratch. For your first app, selecting a template like “Social Network” or “Marketplace” helps you understand Bubble’s structure faster.
The Bubble editor loads with four main tabs: Design (visual builder), Workflow (logic), Data (database), and Styles (design system). Spend a few minutes exploring each tab before building.
Set Up Your First Project
In the Design tab, you’ll see a blank canvas representing your app’s pages. The left sidebar shows UI elements you can drag onto the canvas: text, buttons, inputs, repeating groups, and more.
Navigate to Data > Data types and click New type. Create your first data structure, such as “User” or “Product,” and add fields like name, email, or price. This database is built into Bubble, so you don’t need to configure an external backend.
Go to Settings > General to set your app name, domain, and privacy rules. Under API, enable the Data API if you plan to connect external services. Under SEO/metatags, add a description and favicon.
Build Your First Screen
Return to the Design tab and add a Text element to the canvas. Double-click to edit the text, such as “Welcome to My App.” Use the property editor on the left to adjust font size, color, and alignment.
Drag a Button below the text and label it “Sign Up.” In the Workflow tab, click the button and select Start/Edit workflow. Add an action like Navigation > Go to page to link to a signup page, or Account > Sign the user up to create a user registration flow.
Add an Input element for user email and password. Connect these inputs to your signup workflow by referencing them in the workflow’s field mappings. Preview your app by clicking Preview in the top-right corner. Test the button and form to ensure they work as expected.
Connect and Publish
Go to Plugins in the left sidebar and browse Bubble’s plugin library. Install plugins like Stripe for payments, SendGrid for email, or Google Maps for location features. Configure API keys in each plugin’s settings.
Under Settings > Domain/email, connect a custom domain or use Bubble’s free subdomain (yourapp.bubbleapps.io). Set up email settings to send transactional emails from your app.
Click Deploy in the top-right corner to push your app live. Choose between Deploy to Development (testing) or Deploy to Live (production). Your live app is now accessible at your chosen domain.
Next Steps
You’ve built and deployed your first Bubble app. Explore advanced features like Bubble’s workflow engine for conditional logic, repeating groups for dynamic lists, and privacy rules to secure user data. Join Bubble’s forum to learn from a community of 3+ million users, and consider upgrading to a paid plan for custom domains, more capacity, and collaboration features.