The Pros and Cons of Using Templates in No-Code App Development

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Building a no-code app is all about making choices. The right choices can make your app unique, stylish, and successful. The first choice is to build your app with a pre-made template or start from scratch with a blank page. This article will help you choose between the two options, giving you the pros and cons and explaining how it works with the nandbox app builder.

What is No-Code App Building?

Briefly, no-code app building is a new technology that allows users to build mobile apps without writing code. These app-building platforms are suitable for anyone with or without technical skills. It relies on graphical user interfaces (GUIs), where users deal with buttons, menus, and icons, as opposed to command-line interfaces (CLIs), where users write code. In most app builders, the user can click on components to add them or drag and drop them into the app.

Why Use Templates to Build Your App

The templates were created for two purposes:

  • The first is to show the users what they can do with their apps. They are testimonials on the capabilities of any app builder.
  • The second purpose is to help the users build their apps with components added already instead of starting from scratch.

The reason to use these templates would be to give you a kickstart on building the app. It can get quite frustrating to start from scratch for first-time users. And not all people learn straight from tutorials. The user could learn more by seeing how everything looks in a ready-made app. Moreover, if the app creator is targeting a specific niche, it saves them time to have the features already added to the app.

Do App Templates Create Duplicate Apps?

The answer is no. The purpose here isn’t to create clones of the same template. It is to help users get a kickstart and an idea of what their final product, or app in this case, will look like. Afterward, the user can customize the app to make it distinctive from other apps. Customization includes the layout, app design, icon, and arrangement of features. After the user is done with customization, the app will look different from the initial template.

Is the User Stuck with the Features of the Templates?

Again, the answer is no in the nandbox app builder’s case. The user can delete or add more features, change their order, and configure them every step of the way.

Why Start from Scratch with a Blank Template?

It might be hard to believe, but if it’s not your first time using the no-code app builder, it will be easier to start from scratch. Instead of deleting, replacing, and reconfiguring features, you can add them right away with your preferences. And in both cases, building a no-code app isn’t a time-consuming process; you can finalize the app in a few hours at most.

Some of the nandbox App Builder Templates

This section offers an overview of the nandbox app builder templates.

First, What is the nandbox App Native No-Code Builder?

Here, “native” refers to apps developed on the platform and optimized for the particular operating system they are running on, such as iOS or Android. Apps developed natively for a single platform have higher development costs but provide superior functionality and performance.

If an app claims to require “no coding,” it means that its creator needs no familiarity with computer programming languages. Even if they don’t have any coding experience, they can still create the app and make it look and function exactly how they want.

nandbox, an app builder platform that debuted in 2016, provides a variety of e-commerce, messenger, educational app, and other options for businesses to create their mobile applications.

Below are two of the templates included within the app builder.

Messaging App Templates:

Messaging App Templates

Example: Telegram Template

Description

The Telegram template is true to its name. You get a Telegram clone app with all messaging app features. Below are its main features and what you can do with them.

Main features of this template:

  • Instant Messaging

Ensure live engagement and instant networking with IMs, including video and file sharing.

  • Audio & Video Calling

Top-of-the-line voice and video calls using the same technology of nandbox Messenger.

  • Interactive Channels

Entertain your users with interactive content, keep them engaged, and cater to their interests through unlimited channels!

  • Massive Chat Groups

Keep your users connected with massive chat groups capable of holding up to 50,000 members!

  • Unlimited Push Notifications

Send unlimited push notifications and instant messages in channels and groups and reach anyone whenever and wherever they are!

  • Interactive Posts

Create rich and interactive multimedia posts, target specific users, and enable your users to interact and reply to your content!

E-Commerce App Templates:

E-Commerce App

Amazon Template Description

The Amazon template helps you create a sleek and user-friendly e-commerce native app that offers users a seamless experience.

Features of the Amazon Template:

  • Fully-operational Store

Customizing your online store with nandbox has never been easier with a simple drag-and-drop mechanism.

  • Interactive Interface

A modern interactive interface that allows you to insert multiple easy-access options for your users.

  • One App, Multiple Stores

If you’ve got several vendors or stores? With the nandbox app builder, you can create multiple stores within the same app.

  • Simple Checkout

Create a convenient experience for customers with a simple and fast checkout process.

  • Modern Menu

Modern, easy-on-the-eye menus make the shopping experience seamless.

  • World-class Payment Providers

nandbox supports two of the most renowned payment providers in the world: PayPal & Stripe.

  • Engagement Campaigns

Create engagement campaigns to boost your daily app usage and build a rapport with your clients that will last years!

  • Digital Wallets

Digital Wallets

Launch loyalty programs and indulge your clients with loyalty points and promo codes.

 

At the end of the day, the difference between creating an app with a preset template and starting from scratch is slight when using the nandbox app builder. Users can customize and work on their apps with ease and flexibility in both cases. At nandbox Inc., we create solutions, not problems, as you will see when you start building your app. Give it a shot!