What Is Config-First?

When you create an application in UnifyApps, you choose a build mode that controls how the app is initially assembled and where you work on it. The two modes are:

• Config (no-code) — UnifyApps generates a fully structured app — with pages, components, and data wiring — that opens directly in the visual Application Builder. You refine everything through point-and-click configuration; no code editing is required.

• Code — The app is bootstrapped as a code project you develop in a connected IDE or the in-browser code editor. See Code-First App Creation for details.

A config-first app is identical in structure to any other UnifyApps application once it is created. It has pages, components, data sources, events, and all the same lifecycle features. The distinction is only in how it is initially scaffolded — through the AI generator or through a manual form — not in what you can do with it afterwards.

Note: When both modes are enabled: The Send button on the creation screen becomes a split button. Click the dropdown arrow and select Config to use the no-code generator, or Code to scaffold a code project.

AI-Assisted App Creation

The fastest way to start a config-first app is to describe what you want in plain language. UnifyApps passes your prompt — along with any reference files you attach — to the AI Application Builder, which generates a working app you can open and refine immediately.

The AI Create Screen

When you click Create Application and the AI builder is enabled, the creation screen presents the following interface:

Note: Attachments must be under 10 MB each. You can attach up to 10 files per generation request. Files exceeding the size limit are a common cause of generation errors.

Note: If the AI builder is not enabled for your workspace, you will see the manual create form directly when you click Create Application. Contact your administrator to enable AI-assisted creation.

Steps: Create an App with AI

1. From the Applications Manager, click Create Application.

2. In the prompt box, type a description of the app you want to build. Include the app's purpose, the types of records it will manage, and any key pages or workflows.

3. Optional — Click the plus icon (or drag files onto the attachment area) to upload reference documents or screenshots that should inform the design.

4. Optional — Click the palette icon to open the theme picker and select a starting theme.

5. If the Send button is a split button, click the dropdown arrow and select Config.

6. Click Send (or press Enter with the cursor in the prompt box) to start generation.

7. Wait for the AI Application Builder progress screen to complete. See Generation Progress.

8. When generation finishes, review the AI-written summary and click Open in Application Builder to begin refining your app.

Generation Progress

After submitting your prompt, UnifyApps opens the AI Application Builder progress screen. This screen has two panels:

Left panel — status

• Status indicator — transitions from Generating App... to App Ready when complete.

• App name — the name the AI inferred from your prompt (editable later in Settings).

• Attachments list — files you uploaded, shown for reference.

• Stepper — a labelled progress sequence such as Initializing — Getting everything ready to generate your app, followed by steps for page scaffolding, component wiring, and data model creation.

• Progress bar — a visual indicator of overall completion percentage.

Right panel — preview

• Shows a loader while the app is being assembled.

• Transitions to a live preview of the generated app once pages are ready, with a page switcher so you can flip between generated pages before leaving this screen.

Completion

When generation finishes:

• The status indicator changes to App Ready.

• The left panel displays an AI-written summary describing the pages, components, and data sources that were created.

• An Open in Application Builder button appears. Click it to navigate to the page builder and begin editing.

Error Handling

If generation fails, the progress screen displays: "Could not generate app. Please try again."

Common causes and fixes

If errors persist, use the Create Manually fallback to create the app without AI assistance and build out your pages in the Application Builder.

Manual Config-First Creation

You can create a config-first app without using the AI generator. This is the right choice when you want full control over the initial structure, when the AI builder is not enabled, or when you prefer to start from a blank canvas or a specific template.

Steps: Create an App Manually (Config-First)

1. From the Applications Manager, click Create Application.

2. On the AI create screen, click Or start blank → Create Manually at the bottom of the page. (If the AI builder is not enabled, the manual form is displayed directly.)

3. In the manual create form, select an application type (for example, Web App, Mobile App, or Copilot).

4. Fill in the Application Name and optionally an Application URL slug.

5. Choose a starting point:

   • Blank Page — opens the builder with a single empty page.

   • Template — select a pre-built template to use as a scaffold (when templates are available for the selected app type).

6. Click Create. The Application Builder opens with your new app.

Note: Blank Page is the primary starting point for manual config-first apps. Templates provide opinionated page structures you can adapt, while Blank Page gives you a completely clean slate.

Theme Selection

Before generating or creating your app, you can pick a starting theme that controls the colour palette, typography, and border styling applied to every component. The theme you select here is the same one you can change later in Builder Settings → Design System.

Using the Theme Picker

1. On the creation screen, click the palette icon to open the theme picker.

2. Use the search field to find a theme by name.

3. Use the filter tabs to narrow results:

   • All — every available theme.

   • Light — themes with a light background base.

   • Dark — themes with a dark background base.

   • Both — themes that include both a light and a dark variant.

   • Recent — themes you have used recently.

   • Presets — built-in UnifyApps themes.

4. Click a theme card to preview it. The thumbnail updates to show what your app will look like with that theme applied.

5. Click Select (or double-click the theme card) to confirm your choice.

If you do not select a theme, the generator uses the workspace default theme. You can change the theme at any time after creation from Builder Settings → Design System → Theme.

AI-Start vs Manual-Start

Both paths produce a standard UnifyApps application that opens in the Application Builder. The difference is in how much scaffolding is done for you before you start editing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How good is the AI-generated app? Will it match exactly what I described?

The AI Application Builder generates a working starting point from your prompt — it creates pages, places components, and wires data bindings based on context. The result is rarely production-perfect on the first pass; think of it as a high-quality scaffold that you then refine in the Application Builder. More specific, well-structured prompts (including details about pages, record types, and key workflows) consistently produce better initial results than vague descriptions.

Can I edit an AI-generated app in the visual builder just like any other app?

Yes. Once the AI finishes generating the app and you click Open in Application Builder, the app is a standard UnifyApps application. You can add, remove, or rearrange components; change data bindings; modify themes; and wire new events and actions — all using the same visual no-code tools available for any manually created app. The AI origin has no effect on editability.

What templates are available for manual config-first creation?

Available templates depend on what has been published to your workspace's template library. They appear in the template picker after you click Create in the manual creation form. The selection varies by app type — Mobile Apps may have different templates than Web Apps. If no custom templates have been added to your workspace, you may only see Blank Page. Contact your workspace administrator to request additional templates.

Are there things that cannot be done with the no-code config-first approach?

Config-first apps cover the vast majority of enterprise use cases — CRUD interfaces, dashboards, approval flows, forms, and data-connected views. Complex scenarios that may require falling back to code-first or custom integrations include highly custom rendering logic that no built-in component covers, deep programmatic control over animations and transitions, and specialized integrations not available as connectors. The AI Assistant inside the builder can also generate additional components and page structures after initial creation, extending what is possible without code.

What happens if the AI generation fails or produces an incomplete result?

If generation fails, the progress screen displays "Could not generate app. Please try again." Common causes include transient server errors, oversized attachments (over 10 MB each), or an overly complex prompt. Click Try Again to resubmit, or use the Create Manually fallback at the bottom of the creation screen to build the app without AI assistance. If errors persist, simplify your prompt — break a large request into phases and expand the app after the initial pages are created.