Before anyone says to check out the one in the plugins page, I am not interested in that.
I really feel that any application worth a salt will need at least 1 data table in some form or fashion. My existing application built in another tool has dozens upon dozens of grids displaying data. No one should have to go and buy this essential functionality, thus having to rely on someone else to support it, document it and update it.
I was about to start building my oil and gas web application and came to a screeching halt. There is no way I am about to port over from MySQL with over 100 tables into a tool that does not even give me built in data tables.
I would happily pay extra for the feature, but not to a separate party - only to bubble. I don’t believe that essential functionality should be delegated to third parties.
I’m frustrated because I wanted to use bubble to build a truly enterprise class business application but it looks like that is not going to happen.
I know what you mean, and is the reason I only use tables created with repeating groups. You can create a reusable element for this, but it does take time to customise for your specific table. Even the plugins are limited in what you can do.
You can submit your idea to Bubble and ask to sponsor it.
Not exactly. Maybe clarify what you really need? Maybe what you’re asking for is be able to EDIT directly in APP DATA > DATABASE VIEW instead of having to press the pencil editor mode?
I’m not sure what sponsoring would be like, but if it entails bankrolling a feature, I will not be up for that. I could just use that money on another tool that has built in grids/tables.
I think you misunderstood what I meant by built in data tables. I meant the ability to generate grids or data tables for the end user to interact with without having to reinvent the wheel. Bubble is actually the first tool I have ever seen where this is not buit in - I’m a little shocked this has been overlooked.
I have not seen Excel table. Is that a plugin or a bubble feature?
I want to emphasize that my comments are meant to be construed as constructive criticism. I’m not here to complain or throw cold water on bubble. I really like what they have going on, but they won’t get a pass from me on what I think are important features for anyone wanting to use this platform for any serious application that deals with data - I’m referring to business applications.
Thanks for the reference on that plugin. I just dont want to rely on an outside plugin for such a key feature. And building these from scratch are absolutely out of the question. I need way too many.
It would be nice to get some input from someone at bubble. I really am curious why they would leave this out.
I’m not sure what exactly you mean here. Are you saying bubble should create their own data table from scratch. The excel table @JohnMark mentioned is a plugin created by Bubble based on an existing javascript library.
Note that a lot of the elements you see in the bubble editor like even the date/time picker, calendar, etc are all based on existing javascript libraries.
Even the data table you see in you bubble database is based on an outside library.
There is no way Bubble is going to build a data table from scratch. Similar platforms like Wordpress with all the numerous data tables are all built from existing libraries.
Bubble provides the building block, repeating group, to create your own customized data table, with some limitations obviously. With the plugin system you can create your own data table plugin based off an existing library.
Many people have built “serious business applications” on bubble. Search this forum and ask people how they did it. I think some people will be happy to share their experiences.
Your request here is a valid one and no one is trying to down vote it, its just that these kind of discussions have come up several times and Bubble has responded to them.
I’m not saying they should create a data table from scratch, but they should at least offer a built in element so that users do not have to re-create this essential piece.
I’m also not saying anything about the javascript libraries, I’m speaking specifically to relying on third party plugin providers for my most basic needs - thats a nonstarter for me.
It looks like it comes down to the fact at I’m a business user, not a developer. I don’t have the energy to re-create the wheel on basic features. I’d rather just go spend money on something like wavemaker that has everything built in and i get the source code too.
Bubble already has a hard sell on the fact that your application is stuck with them. I’ve been around long enough to see several similar companies either shut down or sellout to another company leaving its users holding the bag.
At the end of the day, I’ve made my decision. Bubble is a no-go purely because I cannot use it without built in data tables. I just want to hear from them on their justification why they left it out and to communicate to them as lost potential customer (and all the customers that will be licensing my application) why I can’t use their product.
What to include in a “data table” is somewhat subjective, but Bubble gives you the tools to essentially build your own data table(s) by creating a reusable element with all of the components you need ( i.e repeating group, header, input fields, pagination, export to PDF/CSV, editable fields, etc.).
If you’re lazy and/or need something quickly, and not wanting to build it yourself using Bubble pieces, then you could request one of the many plugin developers or agencies to develop it for you, possibly based on some third-party UI component. You could also request Bubble to enhance the out-of-the-box elements to include a “data table”, but you’ll have to get in line. The days of Bubble quickly adding components may be behind us as it’s grown to a rather large userbase who all have wants/needs, of which a data table is probably low on the totem pole.
If not having a data table is the deal breaker, then you must not see the true value of Bubble as you’ll most likely spend more time and money using another tool, unless you’re just a whizbang polymath full-stack designer/developer.
And if you think Wavemaker is your alternative you may want to check on pricing. Last I remember it cost ~$24k per year, per app.
@jose.velez
Do you mean a real < table > element, with two data source, in which we could refer to both Current’s row thing and Current’s column thing ?
That would be great for agregate data and to avoid repeating groups nested within others
We’re all missing the point. He’s not an app developer, he’s a business user that’s looking for a lens on top of his existing data. Bubble is not the right tools for him, and that’s ok. He has other options, so he will definitely be able to achieve what he wants.
It’s the same thing that comes up when people compare Webflow to Bubble. Different tools for different outcomes for different users. All good.
Every other tool I have used (AwareIM, Alpha5, Instant Developer, Wavemaker, etc) have all provided a drag-and-drop data table/grid/lens/whatever you want to call it onto my canvas to display what is in any particular table in my database.
Its not about being lazy or not seeing the value of bubble, its about having evaluated enough tools to know what is a must and what is nice to have.
I’m checking out Wavemaker, and just wanted to clarify something: The only pricing I see is $500 per month per developer, with a minimum of 10 developers. That brings the total to $5k per month. Is there another pricing model I’m missing? That feels like a really stark difference to the 16 per month I pay for my production Bubble app, so I’m curious if I’m missing a more comparable plan. If not, then they really are for two totally different use cases, and if it better suits your world, I’m glad you found it!
I withdrew my post after seeing the pricing of that platform. Nothing I can say can change the mind of someone willing to pay $60000 a year for a data table
For all we know it’s some competitor trying to lure away and/or advertise their product under the guise of “bubble doesn’t have this feature, but X does”.
I am not a competitor, I really wanted to use bubble. I was willing to overlook the blackbox code issue if the tool easy/quick enough to get my prototype built.
Andrew, yes, their pricing is not accurate. I just took them to task on it. When you sign up for a trial and go to upgrade, it gives you the option to pay 249/month per developer or around 2700 for the year. Apparently, they are revamping their pricing model.
I’m not trying to steer anyone away from bubble, and I apologize if even mentioning a competitor is not acceptable. I’m just trying to have a meaningful conversation about something I felt was a no-brainer / vital element of any tool that helps people build database applications.
