December 2023 Summaries

The Bubble team is grateful for its users' contributions and enthusiasm, which have helped the platform scale to meet growing demands. The community has grown significantly, with over 30 million pageviews on the forum, and users from all over the world are using Bubble to build innovative apps and collaborate. The platform has introduced new features such as workload-based pricing, version control, and a SOC 2 Type II report, which have improved its scalability and security. The team has also hosted various events, including the first-ever in-person user conference, BubbleCon, and has recognized outstanding users through awards. Additionally, the academy and blog have provided valuable resources for learning key concepts on Bubble.

A web app is an interactive piece of software that runs in your browser, offering more power than a simple website. Web apps can be responsive and work on any device, making them accessible to anyone with an internet connection. They offer benefits such as creating solutions, not static pages, allowing users to add their own data or content, run workflows, interact with content from other users, and more. With the no-code movement taking off, anyone can use tools like Bubble to create functional and beautiful web apps that solve problems for themselves, their audience, and their community. Web apps also allow for universal access, ease of maintenance, faster development timelines compared to native mobile apps, increased functionality with databases, and serving a wider audience. Building a web app on Bubble allows you to create software that can grow with your business, providing security, servers, and support as your userbase grows.

You can scale your startup efficiently by choosing a tech stack that supports your business operations. A small team can initially manage everything independently, but as the startup grows, a well-planned tech stack is crucial for increasing productivity and optimizing processes. To find the right tech stack, consider taking an intentional approach, consolidating tools when possible, and selecting scalable solutions that grow with your startup. Key considerations include cost, support, internal resourcing, and ROI. A good tech stack can streamline operations, improve efficiency, and drive growth. Recommended tools for startups include Bubble for product development, Quickbooks for finance and accounting, Notion for company wikis, Zapier for productivity and automation, Hubspot for marketing, sales, and CRM, Airtable for project management, Slack for internal communication, Figma for design, and Gusto for HR. By choosing the right tech stack, you can create a lean and integrated technology infrastructure that supports your startup's growth and success.

Messly, a leading UK recruitment platform for locum doctors, was co-founded by Dr. Abrar Gundroo and Chris Kurwie, who identified inefficiencies in the traditional locum hiring process. Initially relying on a conventional development team, the duo faced slow progress and costly iterations, prompting Abrar to pivot to the no-code platform Bubble, which significantly accelerated development and feature deployment. This strategic shift allowed Messly to rapidly adapt to the increased demand for locum doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately led to its acquisition by M3, a global network of physicians. Now poised for global expansion, Messly plans to enter the Australian market, leveraging Bubble's flexibility and speed to make necessary adaptations while maintaining its growth momentum and high user satisfaction.

A masonry layout on Pinterest features objects of different sizes displayed in a grid with varying heights, creating a visually appealing display. Creating a masonry layout in Bubble allows for easy addition of visual appeal to an app by using repeating groups to display app data in this unique format.

With 2024 approaching, Bubble is encouraging developers to make resolutions for the new year, covering topics such as getting started with Bubble, leveling up skills, dabbling in AI, growing their business, and getting involved in the community. For those new to Bubble, the Bubble Academy provides a comprehensive resource for learning the basics and beyond, including interactive lessons and video tutorials. As developers progress, they can explore more advanced concepts, get certified, and build innovative apps with AI capabilities. The platform also offers opportunities for freelancers and agencies to grow their businesses by selling templates and plugins on the marketplace or bidding on RFP projects. Furthermore, getting involved in the Bubble community is essential, whether online through social media and forums or offline at meetups and events.

Dr. Jenna Felkey, a user researcher at Bubble, has a background in psychology and education that informs her approach to understanding human behavior and informing product development with a focus on accessibility. She has a unique perspective as someone who has spent years honing research methodologies in academia before joining Bubble, where she works closely with cross-functional teams to identify areas for support through user research. Her experience has given her training in both quantitative and qualitative methods, allowing her to analyze data and understand the psychological theories that explain human behavior. She prioritizes collaboration and inclusivity in her work, regularly involving stakeholders throughout the research process and advocating on behalf of users' stories. For her, user centricity is the most resonant Bubble value, driving her daily work to better understand and serve users' needs.

The Bubble community has created over 1,400 templates and 5,200 plugins available on the Bubble Marketplace, showcasing a wide range of add-ons to speed up design and development. The top 5 plugins include Air Date/Time Dropper, Air Copy to clipboard, Feather Icons, AirAlert, and Toolbox, each offering unique features such as customizable date/time selection, copy/paste functionality, beautiful iconography, toast notifications, and JavaScript optimization, respectively. Additionally, the top 5 templates cover various use cases like building travel marketplaces, project management tools, data visualizations, and business foundations, with popular choices including Travel Marketplace like Airbnb, openBuild Framework, Tasky - Project Management, Ez Dashboard + OpenAI, and Canvas Building Framework.

Gaby Román, co-founder of Coaching No Code Apps, shares her passion for helping others unlock their dreams through the magic of no-code with Bubble. She discovered Bubble after being burned by an outsourced development agency that delivered a barely working prototype for $20,000. Gaby and her co-founder Kristen found success building apps using Bubble, which has become a staple in their business, allowing them to have flexibility, control, and create their own future. Gaby is one of the first 100 Bubble-Certified Developers and believes learning no-code is an essential skill that can unlock doors for career opportunities. She enjoys teaching others to build their own apps and sees the potential for no-code to solve problems in various industries, especially those previously underserved by tech.