As a developer who has spent countless hours writing code, I have seen firsthand how technology has evolved. The advent of low-code tools and platforms has significantly changed the landscape of web application development.
One tool that has recently caught my attention is Wized, a powerful visual coding front-end framework.
What is Wized?
Wized is designed specifically to work with Webflow, allowing users to connect their Webflow website with any app using pre-built apps or a custom REST API. Wized transforms a static website into a functional web app, bridging the gap between design and development. Wized provides an intuitive and accessible interface that simplifies the app development process, making it a potent tool in the low-code space.
Key Features of Wized
Wized boasts a number of impressive features that cater to a broad range of use-cases:
- Connect your apps: Wized enables you to connect various apps as data providers, allowing seamless data transfer between these apps and your Webflow website. Learn more
- Data In: Wized can load single items and lists of items from the connected apps onto your Webflow website. It provides flexible filtering and sorting options while ensuring that sensitive credentials are never exposed on the front-end. Learn more
- Actions: Wized allows you to make your web app interactive. You can create triggers to initiate Data In and Data Out requests, build custom element visibility logic, and display loaded data on the site. Learn more
- Data Out: Wized enables you to send data to any connected app. You can update items or create new ones in the database based on page interactions, form submissions, custom analytics, and more. Learn more
- Authentication: Wized provides a native authentication layer built for Airtable, Firebase, Supabase, Xano and other backend solutions. It supports features like sign up, log in, log out, password reset functionality, and Stripe-powered payments. Custom authentication providers can be integrated via REST API. Learn more
- Debugger: Wized includes a debugging tool that offers transparent error reporting, helping you understand and fix issues during the development process. Learn more
- Data Store: This feature provides a view into the data layer of the web application, allowing you to see what data is available to your web app at any given time. Learn more
Why I Use Wized
As a developer who leverages both coding and visual coding tools, I appreciate how Wized streamlines the process of website and app development. Its visual interface is a breeze to use, enabling me to construct web apps without the need to write complex backend code.
Wized is a massive time-saver, especially on large projects with tight deadlines.
Another feature I find particularly useful is the pre-built components and templates in Wized. These allow me to build professional apps quickly and effectively, without having to code each component from scratch.
Integration with Popular Services
Wized integrates with a plethora of popular services, including:
Moreover, with the custom REST API settings, you can connect Wized to any other backend tools as well as AI models such as ChatGPT from OpenAI, unlocking a whole new world of possibilities. For example, you could use the REST API to retrieve data from any CRM tool or, you could use the API to integrate Wized with a document management system, allowing you to automatically upload and organize documents related to a particular project. The possibilities are endless. By taking advantage of Wized's custom REST API settings, you can create a truly customized and powerful solution that meets the unique needs of any client's project.
GDPR Compliance
Wized is fully compliant with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), as all data processed on its server is based in the EU, specifically in a datacenter in Germany. This ensures that all data is subject to strict EU data protection laws, giving users from EU peace of mind when working with sensitive information.
Recent Developments
Wized was recently acquired by Finsweet, a leading digital agency that specializes in Webflow.
The acquisition is a significant milestone in the Webflow ecosystem, as it puts Webflow on the map as a viable contender to other visual app coding tools like Bubble and FlutterFlow.
Learning Resources
For those interested in getting started with Wized, there are plenty of resources available. The Wized YouTube channel offers a number of tutorials and use-case demonstrations. There's also the Wized Intelligence Center, an online resource hub designed to help you master the tool.
In addition, Finsweet plans to release more cloneable templates in the coming weeks and months. Each template will be accompanied by videos and documentation to guide users through the process of using Wized step by step.
Downsides of Wized
One of the few downsides of Wized is that all content injected into a website is rendered on the client-side. This can negatively impact the website's SEO because search engine crawlers may not be able to index the content. However, there is a solution to this problem: By prerendering the content server-side with a reverse proxy and Pretender.io, you can ensure that search engine crawlers can index your website's content. For more information on how to implement this solution, check out my recent post.
Conclusion
Wized is a game-changer in the visual coding landscape. Its ease of use, coupled with its advanced features and integrations, makes it a powerful tool for building professional web applications. It's a testament to how far visual coding has come and a glimpse into the future of web app development.
If you're a developer like me who's always looking for ways to streamline your workflow, or if you're planning a new website or app, Wized is definitely worth checking out.
