How to create Android App without coding?

Hello there, ever imagine or thinking about making an android application but doesn’t know how to start, or maybe you know how to make an app, but thinking about programming perhaps make you feel dizzy. Well i think doing a programming is something everyone must do, but what if we can make it without code, so we can do it more focus on building algorithm and create our own android app more faster.

So basically, you can create android application without coding. Here is the list of website to creating Android apps without code :

• MIT App Inventor
• Kodular
• Thunkable
• Block2Code
• Appybuilder

MIT APP Inventor

MIT App Inventor is an intuitive, visual programming environment that allows everyone – even children – to build fully functional apps for smartphones and tablets. Those new to MIT App Inventor can have a simple first app up and running in less than 30 minutes. And what’s more, our blocks-based tool facilitates the creation of complex, high-impact apps in significantly less time than traditional programming environments. The MIT App Inventor project seeks to democratize software development by empowering all people, especially young people, to move from technology consumption to technology creation.

A small team of CSAIL staff and students, led by Professor Hal Abelson, forms the nucleus of an international movement of inventors. In addition to leading educational outreach around MIT App Inventor and conducting research on its impacts, this core team maintains the free online app development environment that serves more than 6 million registered users.

You can use the App Inventor for free, but it limited in the UI and the components.

Kodular, powerful tools for you

Kodular provide several “modules” (services) to create Android apps without coding. Kodular is based on MIT App Inventor, but what make it difference Kodular have many components you can use, such as monetisation component, List View with Icon, Firebase Auth, Push Notification, and etc.

Kodular UI based on Material UI and looks very clean and the website very easy to use. Kodular website have a feature to build extension with their editor, so advanced user able to create their own extension. Also Kodular have a store for collection of the apps build with Kodular.

For pricing Kodular based on commission system, you can download their app in the google playstore to calculate the commission. And there is no limitation to use any component.

Thunkable

Thunkable enables anyone to create beautiful and powerful mobile apps. Thunkable have 2 versions, Thunkable X and Thunkable classic.

Thunkable X is the newer version, and have a feature to build android and ios application. Thunkable classic based on the MIT app inventor. Thunkable x provide good examples to start, and the examples look great for learning and look high quality apps.

To use the Thunkable x you need to subscribe per month, or you can use their free services with limitation, you can’t use their monetisation component and every project limited to public.

Block2code

Another alternative app builder, it similar with Kodular, but slightly different in the component and block. It mainly focus to bring the advanced block and material UI.

You can use for free, but limited with component you can use, you will see the splash screen of Block2Code in your application, to remove all limitation you can subscribe to use their services.

APPybuilder

Appybuilder another app builder, not so much difference with the others, but it seem more likely same with the MIT App inventor with additional component.

How it works?

The Android App builder above is using visual programming, imagine like fitting a piece of puzzle into canvas.

It called Blocky from Google, visual programming with drag and drop.

The Blockly library adds an editor to your app that represents coding concepts as interlocking blocks. It outputs syntactically correct code in the programming language of your choice. Custom blocks may be created to connect to your own application.

PROS & CONS

Pros.

• More faster development for Prototype or MVP Android Application
• Drag and drop visual programming and component
• No need to setup Android SDK (if you need to create an extension, you need to setup the Android SDK and environment development)
• Suitable for everyone who does not have any knowledge in programming field. This will encourage people to start learning about programming in fun way.
• Active community

Cons.

• It has limitation, if you need Android 3rd party library and not available in the app builder, you need to create your extension by yourself or find someone create the extension.
• Performance limitation (of course the performance different with native android apps)
• Limited UIs. The user interface builder has improved but is still a bit buggy and limited, so you can’t build any user interface. For instance, you can’t create apps with multiple screens and handling orientation changes has some glitches. These problems are not fundamental to the design of App Inventor and will soon be fixed.
• Functionality: Compared to Android Java SDK based development, with AI2, one would face significant limitation in terms of what can be done / achieved. You cannot write BroadcastReceivers, you cannot write services (to do any background activity), you are quite limited by it’s graphics capabilities.

conclusion

Learning to build Android App is definitely fun, and with those website anyone can start to make an android app, even the children able to start learning and create android app. And then with visual programming it able encourage people to start the real programming.

For the next post will be tutorial how to make an android application with one of those app builder, it will show you step by step using the app builder, create the UI and doing the visual programming.

See you in the next post!