BDK Native Apps - Build before you buy

Thank you @kenneth.ettinger!! Excited to see your app launch soon :smiley: :smiley:

Hi @matthew2,
You can simply drop in BDK Native into your existing bubble app! No need to create new bubble app / data sharing / etc. Any workflows that are native related are intelligently ignored automatically when the page is opened in a browser (i.e. non-native mode).

Strongly recommend checking out the helpdesk here for more details around this and several other FAQs that customers have previously asked :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Gaurav

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Just saw this video of Equina, one of the apps built with Bubble + BDK Native on facebook.

Great video @muneer.hameer :raised_hands: :raised_hands:

The app was listed in BDK Native Apps Gallery if you folks would like to check it out:

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Thanks, @gaurav :slight_smile:

Had an awesome experience launching Equina with your help at BDK Native!

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Huge shout out to @gaurav! Not only was it a blast working him to get my bubble app on the app store and google play, it was easy! His documentation was vast yet direct. And if you have questions that you canā€™t find in the docs, he is very responsive on chat.

To those who find yourself reading this wondering how to get your app on the stores, here is my adviceā€”just go on and do it! Here is how the process went for me:

  1. downloaded the BDK Native App plugin ā€” $16 bucks
  2. gained access the the BDK TestFlight app, began viewing my work with a native feel ā€” free
  3. asked a bunch of questions ā€” sorry/thanks @gaurav
  4. purchased the build, and had the necessary means for app submission on both stored within 12 hours ā€” $349
  5. got everything ready for submission with Apple - submitted app - app approved within 24 hours (will note it was rejected for personal submission errors two times)
  6. repeated the process for google - app approved within 4 days (google is taking longer now to review apps)
  • I didnā€™t mention above the cost for apple and google developer accounts, but that should be implied - (apple = $100) (google = $25)
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Thank you @mac2 :smiley:

Hello Folks,

Just released a version 1.8 of BDK Native Apps with several enhancements. Take a look here.

Cheers,
Gaurav

Hi @gaurav,

Awesome stuff on the new release! Look forward to implementing the touch/id biometrics on our next big release.

I was wondering how you would deal with this problem/situation in a native app?

Iā€™m using your BDK Text Editor - along with @mentions which each have a URL field along the lines of ā€œuser=USERUNIQUEIDā€.

On my desktop version this works great, as it takes users to that person profile.

However, on the Mobile App - my whole App is on one page. So when someone clicks a mention - it loads that URL - which takes a while, and doesnā€™t show any indicitation of loading. I.e. makes it look like app is frozen.

I was wondering if there was anyway to NOT automatically open up links - as Iā€™m guessing is set by BDK NATIVE FEATURE # 15. Automatic Hyperlink Transition ā€” and instead do some action in the app (show/hide groups).

Iā€™ve found a workaround, but itā€™s not user-friendly (as it loads a different page - which takes time and disorients the person a little).

If anyone wants to know what that is for reference the workflow is as follow
-> when Get data from page url is not empty -> Display user data in group
-> Show group

Iā€™m wondering if Iā€™m the only one who has come across this issue, and if perhaps Iā€™m overlooking a completely different approach that would solve this problem.

Thanks for all your help :slight_smile:

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Hi @maurice,

Thank you for the feedback!! Appreciate it :smiley: Looking forward to your next release

I seeā€¦ the feature you described shouldnā€™t really addressed on the bdk native side (by disabling automatic transitions) but rather by enhancing the text editor (bdk) plugin to allow users to trigger workflows on clicking a mention instead of opening up a link. That way you can choose what youā€™d like to do.

Couple of other users have also requested this feature and its on my feature request list for the text editor plugin. Will keep you posted!

Cheers & Stay safe,
Gaurav

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Hi @gaurav - ok awesome! Good to know. Look forward to it

Thank you for your advices @mac2 ! I am blocked on the step 2 . I have programmed different native things on my app. But I do not know how to see it on TestFlight ?

Maybe @gaurav, you can help me too :slight_smile:

Hey @seeyu.pro ā€” have you purchased the build(s) for iOS and/or Android yet?

You wonā€™t be able to view the app on TestFlight until after Gaurav has uploaded the binary into the App Store Connect.

Prior to purchasing the build you can preview the app in the BDK Native app, which is pretty helpful.

Allright, Thank you @mac2 ! I think I finally get it. I did not purchased for the moment the builds.
I succeeded to have the preview mode.
I have the BDK header on it and my app is very slow. Is that normal, on the preview mode ?
Thank you for your last answer

Rarely did I notice slowness in the BDK Native preview app.

View the url youā€™re previewing in BDK on a browser as well. If itā€™s slow there too, you may need to rearrange your app as a whole to speed things up. Good luck!

I just want to stop by and give a HUGE shout out to my guy @gaurav on helping me get my app in the app stores (Both Platforms). And I also want to say THANK YOU because he was there for me every step of the way. As much of a non-tech person I am, iā€™m sure that I kept him exhausted with the questions, lol.

Nevertheless, he was always willing to lend a hand. He is by far the most helpful person that iā€™ve encountered on Bubble. He really does go above and beyond. Thanks to you @gaurav, you helped me do something that I didnā€™t think was possible for me. Thank you again. Beware, I have another one coming soon. I think this one will go much smoother because of all the questions you have answered already, lol.

If you want your webapp converted to a native app, BDK is the answer, but more importantly Gaurav is the answer.

Just Primp is now in the app stores.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/just-primp/id1518916514
Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.justprimp.justprimp

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Hello @gaffneyantonio ,
I am very happy for you that you have been able to launch it on the stores. For a no tech, should be such a pleasure haha. I am a non-tech too. I had a look there is no professional in France but it seems to work well !

I have a few questions on BDK, and @gaurav did not have the time to answer yet.

Push notifications : I finally succeeded to do the push notifications on the preview mode. But I still do not know what I would have to do when I will have to publish my app. I have already created a OneSignal account, and entered the API in the plugin. But do I need to do something else ?

Tablets : I have a question concerning the tablets, is it possible to have a different version of the app for the mobile and tablet ? Because I have two versions of the product for mobile and computer. And is it possible to do a version which is not responsive to tablet ?

Header : Moreover I do not get the idea of the Native Header. Because I already have a header and a footer for my app. Do I need to reproduce my header on the native app ? Which does not seem to be possible because I can only put a label or an image. Or if I say, I do not need a header, I will have nothing above my own header on the native. Because I do not want to have the logo of BDK on my own native app. I hope, I am clear.

Have a nice one,
Thank you in advance, if you took the time to answer,
HervƩ

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Continuing the discussion from BDK Native Apps - Build before you buy:

Hello @seeyu.pro
Glad to hear that youā€™re using BDK. Itā€™s really awesome, right?

If your push notifications are currently working in preview mode, then all you would need to do before your app is published is make sure to uncheck that box for each one for the live environment. Just make sure that you understand that IDā€™s in the preview mode are different from the IDā€™s in live mode.

My app is only configured mobile devices. However, if you plan to make your app responsive for tablets, I recommend configuring initially for tablet view and make it responsive for mobile. As far as your concern for different versions, thereā€™s no need when it can be responsive for both. otherwise, and if iā€™m understanding you correctly, you would have to submit two separate apps.

I had issues with this as well, then Gaurav made me aware that you can use regular floating Groups as headers and footers which is great because they become fully customizable.

Hope this helps.

Yep, itā€™s a lot of capabilities super easy to access !
Thank you for your answer @gaffneyantonio !! Very Helpful !

Great, that sounds good. But what is the difference, between ID in preview mode and live mode ? For the moment I stock the Player ID, in a user , in the database. I took it from the first connexion of a user to the native app. Is that correct ?
And in the preview mode, the dynamic image is not working. Is that normal ?

Maybe just to have a mobile app, would be enough. Just to make sure, you understand me well. On my app, I have the computer version and I made on the same environnement, the mobile version. And I said this page is the equivalent from the computer version for the mobile version. So, I do not know if it can be responsive for a native app, saying if your screen is a mobile then show this page wether it is a tablet then show this one. that would mean no need to have two versions.

Would be very appreciable, if you show me how to do that. Because I havenā€™t seen any option for these. Furthermore, I have already a header for my mobile web app. Does this mean I have to hide it on the native app ? What is the advantage of using the native app header ? If it is possible, it could be easer not to user any native header or footer. What do you think about it ?

Yes thank you a lot it is very helpful !

Think about static images that you may use on certain pages in your app that are in the database. In order for those to transfer to the live environment, you would have to ā€˜copy data from development to liveā€™, right? Well in this case, you wouldnā€™t be able to do that because bdk uses its account for development and when your app is in the live environment, it uses your account to produce the ID, if iā€™m not mistaken. You might need to get a more thorough understanding from @gaurav

If you have two versions of your app, one thatā€™s dedicated to web browser and one dedicated to native, then only the link that you provide in ā€˜preview your appā€™ will matter in bdk native. note that if you donā€™t want your ā€˜webā€™ app to be apart of your ā€˜nativeā€™ environment, then you must not have any work flows that would navigate to those pages. It would be your preference of course whether or not to have both types of pages.

As far as the header and footer, if you already have header and footer floaters on your mobile page, those will translate over to bdk. just make sure that you have native header disabled in bdk ā€˜preview your appā€™ settings.

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Hi @gaurav!,
I will become your customer soon for BDK Native ;),
Just regarding this, is it possible to natively transition between app pages? Just as opposite as the ā€˜Go backā€™ function? I see the option for an external link, but can it be done for internal pages?

Thanks

yes. use the ā€˜navigate to linkā€™ action.