How Exactly Do We Use Bootstrap 5 Themes In Wappler?

[unicorn]

I’ve been searching for answers and I have to say a lot of the searches come up with people who have had similar ideas to what I have now, in the past, met with declarative statements about how Wappler can do these things or it’s in some kind of guide.

However some of the guides listed are for older versions with all of the screenshots are dead. I know Wappler can do these things, I have every confidence. But I am learning and while what’s available might be user friendly to talented developers, noobs like me trying to make this work have no idea what these documents are saying. These blank pages are daunting and from what I understand, even though Wappler handles HTML, CSS, I can’t export Webflow code (html, css) here. And it handles Bootstrap but I can’t do that either?

Yet some members say you can. I am trying to use the most user friendly tools to just get what’s in my head onto this screen.

A little help please?

[brad]

Hi Unicorn,

By themes are you talking about the Wappler theme manager or third party themes? Wappler does assume you have a basic understanding of how Bootstrap works. You just don’t have to know how to code it. The bootstrap documentation on their own site covers everything you should need to know there.

As for the theme manager, nothing has changed since it was first introduced a year or two ago. The documentation on the theme manager should be still up to date. Don’t confuse the theme manager with anything that will help you with third party themes. Because it won’t do that.

What exactly are you stuck on?

[unicorn]

Bootstrap themes purchased on something like getbootstrap.com or Creative-Tim or created in Bootstrap Studio. Or design kits?

@brad

Wappler does assume you have a basic understanding of how Bootstrap works.

Maybe. But this should still be stated very plainly right? After all, I decided to go with this tool because Wappler does an amazing job at sharing what it can do on the landing page.

Only reason I even learned this was a dev focused solution is because multiple searches in the name of self help over weeks and weeks in this forum resulted in the same responses:

Some version of “you should know how to do this”.

I don’t. It is why I was happy to pay for a tool.

Not trying to be difficult but I don’t feel like I have obscure requests. An amazing low code tool that can build build blown web and mobile apps and generate clean code suggests to me I can bring “clean Bootstrap” code in or HTML/CSS, or a theme or a kit so I can build things within Wappler.

Am I misunderstanding how this works? Do I need to create every single component and detail from scratch within Wappler?

[brad]

@unicorn

Do I need to create every single component and detail from scratch within Wappler?

You can use third party BS themes. Just don’t expect all of Wappler’s tools to be available to you. Wappler can’t support third party themes. They don’t know how they are built and every third party theme is different.

Even using a third party theme you still need to at least know how bootstrap works. The theme manager will be of no help to you. It is for creating themes, not editing them. In most cases you will have to contact the theme creator for support on how to edit them.

There is lots of discussion on the community about custom themes and third party themes.

https://community.wappler.io/search?q=custom%20bootstrap

You will also want to check out this documentation. It’s for BS4 but it’s exactly the same for BS5.

Using Bootstrap with Custom Paths

Often, when using custom Bootstrap 4 templates purchased or downloaded from a template provider you need to use custom include paths for the Bootstrap 4 css and js files. Local and CDN options available in the Frameworks menu are not suitable in such cases. Using Custom Bootstrap 4 Paths First you need to setup your project and place all the template files in the site root. You can see that the Bootstrap files for this specific template are located in a specific vendor folder. Of course, these …

Best is to just ask about what you are trying to do. There are no dumb questions. Even if it’s a bootstrap question, someone here will help you.

But in my opinion, you will become much better at it by spending a few minutes to learn the bare minimums of Bootstrap and build from scratch than use a third party template. All you really need to know about bootstrap is that the hierarchy is Containers -> Rows -> Columns. That’s really all you need to know. Wappler even makes it easier by not allowing you to do anything that is not valid.

Bootstrap is probably the easiest framework to learn. It’s basic at the most basic level.

Just ask questions.

[unicorn]

@brad

Just don’t expect all of Wappler’s tools to be available to you. Wappler can’t support third party themes.

I don’t really know what this means in simple practice. Why wouuldn’t components and things be available to me? They will look who I expect them to look and in Wappler I can just create interactions I want, right?

@brad

Even using a third party theme you still need to at least know how bootstrap works. The theme manager will be of no help to you.

I don’t know what the Theme Manager is or what it is supposed to do. I was trying to import a kit or a them to drag and drop buttons, menus, whatever and create what I designed since I can’t import from Figma here

@brad

There is lots of discussion on the community about custom themes and third party themes.

I know, I search it all the time. There were not explanations I could follow to show me how to try to use a theme in here on a very basic level. Just some users saying its easy and more users saying no, or asking

@brad

You will also want to check out this documentation. It’s for BS4 but it’s exactly the same for BS5.

this document is why I finallly posted my question. Google was no help

@brad

Best is to just ask about what you are trying to do. There are no dumb questions. Even if it’s a bootstrap question, someone here will help you.

But that isn’t very true… Even our conversation is you telling me I should know how to do this and links to no one explaining how to do it in a simple way. And no documentation

@brad

Bootstrap is probably the easiest framework to learn. It’s basic at the most basic level.

Yes, probably, but I’m a super busy person for now who wants to learn to code and would have appreciated some fine print before investing all focus on this tool if the tool needed me to know how to code first. I’m just trying to get a prototype of a product I already have done in Wappler.

Honestly, my question is pretty much a “yes”, “no”, " you can’t - here is why"
in the documentation. Guarantee the only reason Wappler didn’t blow up yet is because this people need to be seasoned developers to understand the pros and cons of basic features. And that’s not really fair to not mention up front. Bubble is an inferior product but its just way more accessible

Lol sorry, I’m so frustrated. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I’ll give this a little more time over the next week or so then if I can’t work it out just give this tool up until later on when I had time to learn to code.

[brad]

@unicorn

I’ll give this a little more time over the next week or so then if I can’t work it out just give this tool up until later on when I had time to learn to code.

I understand your frustrations. I feel the same way when it comes to a few software packages such as Xcode for example where they expect you to know stuff. But I learn.

You don’t need to know how to code to use Wappler. Wappler does it for you. I am in no way a coder like some on this community. I only work in split code/design view because I’m curious as to the code.

I hope you will stick with us. It’s definitely worth your time. Just ask questions. That’s how I learned what little I know.

[unicorn]

Thank you for the encouragement Brad. I’ll keep at it. I know once I understand how to do things, the sky’s the limit with this tool. Maybe one day I’ll be able to make things to help the noobs out