Can I use Wappler without Bootstrap?

Wappler General
#1

Greetings,

This is my 2nd input on this forum, I only discovered Wappler yesterday and still looking into it.

The question is on the title, can one use Wappler without bootstrap, but still be able to use Javascript (app connect?) as much as I want and Server connect without issues? Could I create my own navigation bars for example instead of hacking Bootstrap’s?

I personally used to work with flexbox and css grid for front end (I never liked not being able to know exactly what everything is doing).

Also there is bootstrap 5 now but wappler if I am not mistaken is on version 4, would things start breaking if Wappler went to 5 as well while my app was based on boostrap 4?
I am asking this because I read in another post in the forum that somebody wanted to migrate his bootstrap 3 websites over to Wappler but it would be really difficult to do, not sure if it’s relatable but just saying.

Thanks again!

p.s Does anybody know why Ken’s video lessons don’t load on unique ideas (his website?) or is it just me?

EDIT:
Could I write my own HTML and CSS (perhaps using a preprossesor like SASS?) and then use everything Wappler offers for the back end and database?

#2

Yes and no. Yes - you can write the code and still be able to use App Connect. No - not visually, our App Conenct components and their visual properties are based on Bootstrap.

Yes, you can.

Wappler supports both Bootstrap 4 and 5. You can select which one to include in your project settings or from the frameworks menu.

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#3

Thanks for the Reply @Teodor,

While you were writing your reply I was editing my post so there is an edit to it.

Also I understand that Wappler supports BS 4 and 5.
In the future say BS 6 or 7 is out and Wappler uses these instead of 4 and 5, would Wappler continue to support older BS versions or would an app need to be reconfigured to the new ones everytime?

If anyone wants to jump in feel free to do so.

Thanks again!

#4

Yes, as it is now - we support BS4 as a separate framework, so you can use ether v4 or v5 or in the future 6 etc.

#5

Thanks again,

Alright so let me get this straight.

If I create an App on BS 5 with Wappler, if Wappler later on moves to BS 8 and doesn’t support BS 5 anymore, this App would not be able to function in Wappler any more.

This means that if I build a website/app and it goes well and through the years it keeps going well, in 3-4 years this website/app that was built with little to no code now needs to be maintained by hand code exclusively since we won’t be able to use the Wappler software to manipulate it anymore.

So is it fair to say that Wappler is a noCode-lowCode software appplication that you can create an App today but if you want to keep maintaining it in the future you will have to either reconfigure the whole thing or maintain it with code instead of noCode or lowCode, because older Bootstrap versions will become obsolete everytime?

Is this correct?

#6

We don not plan not so support Bootstrap 5 anymore - it will just be available as a separate framework in the Frameworks menu, as we currently have Bootstrap 4 and 5 :slight_smile:

Screenshot 2021-11-17 at 9.55.49
Screenshot 2021-11-17 at 9.55.49808×1172 148 KB

So you won’t have to reconfigure it. It will be auto-detected.

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#7

Thanks for your reply @Teodor

image
image1314×957 244 KB

Do you know what this appears upon installation and what should I do?

Thanks again!

#8

Wappler is trying to connect to the internet. Your firewall caught that. Same as with any other app that receives or sends data to the internet.

2 Likes
#9

@JonL thanks I already allowed access just playing it hard for no reason i think (or because I am a noob).

Can I ask you something really quick?

I am in the Wappler app at the minute and already loving it, a couple of years back I was using VSC with Emmet, Live server and the likes and it looks like Wappler editor behaves the same way already?
What editor does Wappler use VSC or similar?

If I hand code all the front end will I be able to use the back end and databases and API calls with nocode? Probably not?

Thanks again!

#10

The editor in Wappler is Monaco (from memory - I keep muddling these names up so forgive me if that’s not correct).

Yes. You can hand-code the front end and use the API features in Wappler for the server-side. I wouldn’t recommend it as most of the time-saving features are in the front end features of Wappler but the API scripts take input, interract with data and/or other APIs and then produce output as JSON so you could use that any way you wish.

2 Likes
#11

Monaco Editor. Same as VSC uses.

Yup. You could do that if you wish, but I personally see no point unless you already have a huge backend built and you want to reuse it until you finally migrate that too.

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#12

@JonL Hey Jon thanks as well for your reply.

My biggest issue with Bootstrap is the styles, I am used to creating (from my designs) my own styles, that’s why I really like webflow just for this particular thing it gives you so much flexibility in that regard.

But if I want to change my styles in Wappler I have to tinker with BS files (which I am not familiar with)?

Thanks!

#13

You can create any additional styles you like which can override BS styles. Also, Wappler has a great Bootstrap theme editor where you can easily edit the BS styling to pretty much get whatever you like out of it.

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#14

@sitestreet Alright Jon thanks for the clarification.
Getting to work now thanks a lot guys.

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#15

I understand your point. Not much I can say there. It’s either BS and if you want to develop your own styles and components you need to learn how BS works. Or you go commando and write plain CSS but will lose the ability to use the right panel for the frontend components.

I would go with learning BS. It’s a good skill to have and it makes a lot of things easier. You can style whatever you want in BS but you need to learn how BS works for that.

There is an active Feature Request for Tailwind but I believe it’s not a priority at the moment.

There is also a feature that is on the roadmap for custom extensions for the frontend(we already have them for the backend). This feature would allow anyone to build support for other CSS frameworks or even CSS framework agnostic frontend components. But even if they provide support for custom components nobody can tell if someone will develop an integration for other CSS frameworks(or no framework).

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#16

@JonL Hey Jonas thanks a lot for the detailed explanation on how things are at the minute on this subject matter.

So basically not going commando would simplify things a lot as I understand rather learn BS and override their styles instead. This is a faster approach as I understand.

Something last since you guys are so responsive, are there any articles or other posts for me to read around the subject of choosing back end “Server model” inside Wappler?
I am familiar with NodeJS a tiny bit and PHP (but i don’t like it due to Wordpress which I HATE :angel:)
I have no idea how ASP works.

Can I decide later while I am building my front end?

Thanks!

#17

You can decide later but once you start on the back end then you won’t want to change. NodeJS is the future. I’m still using PHP. ASP is probably the least future friendly and would rely on Windows hosting so I would avoid that.

1 Like
#18

@sitestreet

Thank you Jon,
I already know a little bit of Javascript (built a weather app 2 years ago with Vanilla but that’s it as far as my knowledge goes with this) it would probably be wiser for me to go with NodeJS as I understand.

Thanks again!

1 Like
#19

Just to clarify: you don’t want or need to tinker with BS files directly. There are two methods, as described by @sitestreet. If you use Wappler’s theme editor - in most cases, the best and most efficient approach - you will in effect be modifying the relevant SASS variables and recompiling BS, which I believe is the recommended way.

2 Likes
#20

Just because Wordpress is built with PHP, don’t rule it out completely. :wink:

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