Appsemble in its current form is what you would call a monolith. We have one big server, which connects to a single database and exposes an Application Programming Interface (API). This self-contained unit can be deployed as one whole.

We have the Appsemble Studio, which serves as a central point for app development and management. Apps are served on their own domain, but they are still served from the Appsemble Server and use it to get their data.

Once an Appsemble App is published, its structure is stored in the database as an app definition, which is parsed on the client to fetch the needed Appsemble Blocks from the Appsemble Server and display them on the screen when a user visits an app.

App Data

App data comes in two forms – Resources (structured app data) and Assets (files).

Assets are stored as binary data directly in the database, using PostgreSQL’s BLOB column type. When an asset is fetched from within an app, it is being loaded in memory on the Appsemble Server and then returned to the client at once, not utilizing any streaming techniques. This puts heavy load on the main Appsemble Server.

Resources are currently stored as JSON objects in the database, using PostgreSQL’s JSONB column type. The structure of resources and the connections between them is defined in the app definition. We are not utilizing the relational capabilities of our database to enforce field type constraints and foreign key constraints – that is all done programmatically on the Appsemble Server. This also makes it difficult and inefficient to query paginated resource data and search it at the same time.

Data for all published Appsemble Apps is stored in the same main database, meaning that there is no isolation of data per app.

How we plan to improve things

While the current setup works and has been sufficient for a while, there are a lot of potential improvements that can be made. In 2025 we are planning to improve the architecture of the Appsemble platform as a whole, aiming at isolation of data and performance improvements. This is a big topic that should be tackled incrementally. The steps towards that, as a general plan, are as follows:

Better Asset Storage

We are planning to introduce support for S3 file storage so we can utilize streaming capabilities and image and video compression/decompression, reducing the load on the main Appsemble Server in the process https://gitlab.com/appsemble/appsemble/-/issues/1722 [upd Feb 2025: done]

Utilize Relational Databases for App Resources

Each resource type in an app should have its own table. Tables can be created dynamically, based on the resource definitions in the app definition. This will allow us to efficiently apply field and relational constraints on resources and perform more optimized queries. https://gitlab.com/appsemble/appsemble/-/issues/1731, https://gitlab.com/appsemble/appsemble/-/issues/1496

Dedicated App Databases

We want to isolate data for different apps from one another. https://gitlab.com/appsemble/appsemble/-/issues/1629 [upd June 2025: done]. We are also considering shared databases for groups of related apps, that need to share data between each other. Each app would be configurable to connect to an Appsemble hosted database or an external database via a database connection string.

Dedicated App Server and API

The idea is for each app to have its own App Server, which would be separate from the main Appsemble Server and will connect to its own database.

Standalone App Deployments

The idea is, when an app is being published, to bundle all app related code (Appsemble Blocks, generic UI code) in a self-contained static bundle, that can be served on its own, for example in a Kubernetes pod. This should reduce the load on the main Appsemble Server and will enable each app to be independently scalable based on the load on it. https://gitlab.com/appsemble/appsemble/-/issues/1628

You can track the progress in the linked GitLab issues.

The post Appsemble Architecture Changes In 2025 first appeared on Appsemble.

What you can expect:

• Launch of openapps.nl – Apps for municipalities.
• Presence of Appsemble at the open-source event T-DOSE.
• New functionalities on our platform.
• Appsemble training – learn to build apps yourself.

Launch of openapps.nl – Apps for municipalities

Discover OpenApps, a collection of apps developed by various municipalities, now available to everyone as fully working demos. These apps are made for Demodam, a fictional municipality. Discover which Common Ground components are already operational and how they work seamlessly together. See how digital services work for both citizens and employees, and gain insight into the possibilities for further development.

Appsemble at T-DOSE

On June 1 and 2, we will be present at the T-DOSE event. at the Weeffabriek in Geldrop. We will discuss various aspects of low-code development, including the importance of open-source and our experiences with the municipality of Amsterdam as a launching customer. Also expect insights into technical topics such as designing our low-code DSL and automated tests for apps.

New platform functionalities.

We are introducing some additions to our platform. The power lies in the bundling of it: Deployment of AI, but everything on your own infrastructure with full retention of privacy.

The first AI building block

When we think of AI, we think of OpenAI. This is also our first AI-related block. More advanced blocks will follow, such as AI Flow that can combine multiple LLMs (Large Language Models) to perform more complex tasks.

Own backend containers

Although Appsemble is easy to link with external services, it can be nice that there can also be an own backend included in the already existing app hosting. Soon in Appsemble SAAS, but the code is already available

Small improvements

Here are some important updates from the full list of additions and adjustments:

• Applications can easily be shared from the app store.
• Appsemble CLI has been further expanded.
• More and better examples of actions.
• Code examples in documentation are automatically validated so they always remain current.
• App import and exports are more complete and now also include screenshots and the README.
• Forms gained multiple options as input.

• Apps can now also be published in a demo mode where the data is reset every night.
• Improvements made for the internet.nl security report.
• Optional fields in forms are now also displayed as such.
• In the blocks catalog, words can now be searched.
• In de blokken catalogus kan voortaan woorden gezocht.

Appsemble training – Learn to build apps yourself

Recently, many possibilities have been added to Appsemble. We have set up a new course that starts in the fall in 3 half-days. For participants without technical experience, we build a number of small applications at a leisurely pace using the graphical environment. This includes: working with forms, database and an external data source. For participants with some technical baggage, we go through the above a bit faster and then go into depth on topics: modeling resources (database), linking external systems, developing own blocks in Javascript. Cases can be submitted in advance that we try to handle, we try to make it as useful and interactive as possible.

Starts in October 2024. Interested? Then email: support@appsemble.com

Build apps yourself with help from Appsemble where needed

Organizations are increasingly making the switch to low-code. Read more about it on this blog on pleio. Contact us for the possibilities. What works in practice is the purchase of a hours strip card. The hours can be spent as there is a need from an organization to:

• Support of employees with challenges during app development.
• Online or offline Appsemble course. After this, you will already develop simple apps yourself.
• Is an app or link too complex to develop yourself? Then we can do that on your behalf.
• Haven-compatible hosting as SAAS or self-hosted, with SLA.

Roadmap for the coming period

A visual representation of the roadmap makes it clear what we are working on.

In addition, it is expected that we will publish a few more apps in the fall and winter and further Appsemble platform improvement in the shorter term as a result.

The post Spring update – What’s new in Appsemble first appeared on Appsemble.

The open source blocks always allowed this, but using the new development server, your workflow is simplified dramatically. No need to re-publish modified blocks all the time. Just to try them out in your app instantly.

To get started right away, here are the instructions. Read on for more details.

The development server can create an app from a specified folder containing an app-definition.yml
file. It will check what blocks are needed for the app and will try to load them from the local
workspaces, listed in the package.json file in the root of the project, if they are present. This
way, all default Appsemble blocks shipped with Appsemble are loaded automatically.

Once the development server is started, making a change to a block’s code or styles will reflect in
the browser immediately after refreshing the page, without the need of increasing the block’s
version. Running docker database containers, creating a user account and creating an organization
are not needed.

App resources will be stored locally in the /packages/cli/data.json file. App assets and block
assets will be served from the local file system.

Future roadmap

One of the upcoming features for the development server will be hot reloading. More on what’s planned, see the epic.

Demo videos

Starting the development server:

Changing a block has immediate effect in your app:

Fetching remote blocks:

The post The development server is here first appeared on Appsemble.

The post Side job / student assistant software engineering first appeared on Appsemble.

Apps are defined using YAML. Apps consist of pages that are composed using blocks to provide them with content and interactivity. It’s built using TypeScript, Node.js and React.

As a team member you will work extending the core Appsemble platform and write new blocks as well as developer documentation for other developers building blocks. You’ll work with team members who are building apps on behalf of clients, you’ll help them by adding functionality to the platform to realize the apps envisioned. Our goal is to enhance the platform, so users can build their own apps without our help, and we can focus on improving the platform and user experience for app builders.

You…

• are communicative
• have autonomy
• are helpful (participation in the community)
• have experience with JavaScript / Node.js / TypeScript / React / PostgreSQL

Not sure if you meet these qualifications? Let’s talk on how to get you to that level.

Got some of these skills? Even better

• Preact
• PWA
• OpenAPI
• DevOps
• Kubernetes
• Helm

What do we offer in return?

• Laptop
• 25 vacation days per year
• Holiday allowance
• Flexible working hours
• Work remotely or at the office in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
• And of course, the ability to work on open source.

Are you interested in this position?
Are you interested or do you want more information?
Do not hesitate to email us at support@appsemble.com or join our Discord server at https://discord.gg/XbSRraC.

The post Vacancy: fullstack webdeveloper first appeared on Appsemble.

New apps

Workspace reservation app

There is this app for when we can return to the office. Employees can easily reserve their own workplace so that locations are not overbooked. The app was developed on behalf of the municipality of Amersfoort and is shared according to the open source principle.

The development of this app has resulted in the following reusable building blocks:

• Microsoft SAML integration (Single sign-on).
• Division of users into teams.
• Calculation module taking into account max. occupancy per workspace.
• Link with external BI systems for further analysis.

Visitors app

City hall employees can register their visitors themselves via this handy app. The reception has its own overview in which the registered visitors are clearly listed and can be registered. Naturally, the visitors themselves also receive an (optional) notification for confirmation.

• Users with different roles (screens for employees of the municipality, the secretariat and receptionists)
• Smart filters give the receptionists a quick overview of appointments.
• The details will be confirmed by email.
• No-shows are automatically processed every night.

Bread container app

The Municipality of Amsterdam combats pests in the city with bread containers. The app is for managers of the containers and drivers who empty them. The weighing carried out by the collection trucks is entered in the app and the container manager is immediately notified of the amount of gas and compost that the bin will generate in green energy during processing.

The development of this app has resulted in the following reusable building blocks:

• The block map can group markers when they are close to each other.
• Linking with external XML data sources.
• Access rights of app users can be set per role.
• User chooses the preferred method of receiving updates: email or push notification.

New app-store

Apps are now visible in our app store. This app store differs from other app stores on the following characteristics:

• An app store can be put together per organization. Employees are shown exactly the apps that are relevant to them.
• The open source apps can be cloned. With this, the app recipe is copied (without data) and the app can be further adjusted if desired and used for your organization.

New functionality

In this news update, the emphasis is on apps. We have described all new functions in more detail hier.

Appsemble på dansk

You read that right, we have become multilingual: Appsemble can now also be used in Danish. Via weblate, volunteers have already translated Appsemble into French and German. 360 Business Tool from Denmark has worked on the Danish translation and will also provide the Danish municipalities with low-code apps. Want to become a partner too? Get in touch and we’ll help you create apps.

Repeating actions

Cronjobs is the technical name for the possibility to perform a certain action at a predetermined time. For example, delete personal data from the database every night to comply with the GDPR.

The post Appsemble winter update first appeared on Appsemble.

New or updated blocks

Most blocks received updates. Only a couple are listed below:

Map block

• Allow grouping icons that would otherwise be too close together on this zoomlevel.
• Custom icons.

Form block

Radio buttons

Forms are one of the most important blocks in most applications. It’s used to gather user input. Yet radio buttons (where you could select only one option) were missing. They’re there now!

Data validation rules

Stacked validation rules can be applied to form input including powerful regular expressions. Along with it, custom error messages can be specified.

Validation using external services

Validating input like an address against a REST data services is possible using a request action:

New security features

OAuth2 login

OAuth 2.0 is the industry-standard protocol for authorization. This feature allows employees of your organisation to login to the app as they’d normally do. It’s often referred to as SSO (Single Sign On). To most users it just means they don’t need to remember yet another password, which is good for security.
Connect to any OAuth2 compatible identity provider, like Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AD), Google or even Gitlab. More info.

App roles

In case you want some parts of the app or data to be accessible to some users, but not to others, you can use the new role based security approach in the app definition. On several levels you can protect your app, pages, blocks and even resources (the data in your app). The roles can be customized and assigned to users through the studio:

New studio features

Block store

This is a first step towards making our app editor more developer friendly. New app developers are guided in adding and configuring blocks to an app. It’s now much easier than before to explore the new blocks available to your app:

You’ll also see the publisher of the block. @appsemble means it’s a block supported by the Appsemble organisation. We’re hoping to see many contributions from all over the world. A block also has an icon. Perhaps there’s an artist in our community who likes drawing icons so the blocks get instantly recognizable.

In case you’d like to know more about a block, there’s more documentation available:

All parameter you’re able to set are documented as well:

CSV export

Data inside your app could already be exported through the API, but now there’s also the option to export to CSV. Ideal to further process the data in your favorite spreadsheet application.

GUI app editor

Until now, writing low-code YAML was the way to build your application using Appsemble. We’re pioneering easier ways to get the job done. While still rough around the edges, you might like our visuals aid for adding and configuring blocks to your app recipe. It guides you through the available options of the block so you don’t have to figure out what YAML to write.

Project and client updates

• The blocks and apps commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam are now open sourced now we’ve replaced a proprietary font (Avenir) that was in their brand guide originally.
• We’re happy to welcome the municipality of Amersfoort as new client.
  • New blocks and the bezoekers app that’ll be built for them in H2 2020 will of course be open source.
    The OAuth2 login feature to allow integration with their Microsoft Active Directory was a first contribution.
  • The way our contract was structured may serve as template for other municipalities as well. Saves everyone the legal work.
• We’re just as happy to welcome TBV Wonen, a housing cooperation. They’ve chosen Appsemble to build an app to let their tenants report defects (along with a photo) through a branded app. It’ll be released towards the end of Q3 2020.
• All recent platform updates can be found on the releases page.

In development

These features are expected to be landing soon in an upcoming release:

• Multilingual apps should make it to a release in August 2020. With this feature your users can choose in which language they’ll see your app as long as you provide the translations for it.
• Email templates should make it to a release in September 2020. It’s quite handy to send notification emails that can also be localised.
• We’ve got loads of feedback from developers that tried building blocks and apps. We know there’s a lot to improve. We’re balancing time between building client apps with the framework (dogfooding and a way fund further development) and improving the developer workflow. We’ve planned several developer UX and documentation improvements for the remainder of the year.
• A visually new app store that promotes best rated apps and allow you to clone and adapt each app easily.

The post Appsemble summer release first appeared on Appsemble.

Of course, if you just want to build apps using existing blocks, you can just use our SAAS and don’t need to install anything.

We hope this video helps you avoid pitfalls. In case you’re still having issues, drop by on discord and we’re happy to help.

The post Appsemble development tutorial first appeared on Appsemble.

Stichting 10 Second Move presented their app built with Appsemble live on stage during the Nederlandse Dansdagen – Dutch dance festival. The process of creating this app pushed the ability of the low-code app builder into new territory. As an intentional side effect it provided many new open sourced blocks and functionalities.

The App has several purposes. One is connecting dancers around the world. The other is closer at home: Hogeschool Fontys uses the app to let students record their own dance, as a reaction on the previous 10 seconds of dance from another student.

New functionality in Appsemble

• Video capture
• Video playback
• Thumbnails generated by custom backend processing video.
• Bottom menu with icons instead of the default side menu.

• Tabbed interface
• Allow customization of themes in detail.

• Improved form styling
• Input field validation (as shown)
• Form labels inputs are now aligned vertically making it more responsive.
• Bottom menu with icons instead of the default side menu.
• Flow capability indicating there’ll be a next form.

It doesn’t end here. Also the low-code app editor received additional features:

• Attach your app to a domain of your choosing. We’ll take care of the required SSL certificates.
• Improved validation of the app-recipe.
• Support deleting apps.
• Toggle between setting your app private/public.

On behalf of the team, I’d like to thank Stichting 10 Second Move, Fontys and several other project sponsors to make this happen. I’m especially happy that a next version of the app is already being planned. Stay tuned for more exiting features.

The post New app leads to ton of new Appsemble functionality first appeared on Appsemble.

Get started using templates

Don’t be afraid of our low code editor. It’s very easy to get started. Promised.

• Just register for free at https://appsemble.app, create a new app based upon one of our templates. It even comes with sample data. You don’t have to stare at a blank screen, just start making edits and take it from there.

… Ok, let’s be fair. Not everything is super-easy yet. If you get stuck, please ask us for help and we’ll be glad to help out (and Linda will improve the UX/UI along with it, so the next person won’t get stuck)

How to join and/or contribute?

• Build an app yourself, it’s free and we’ll be happy to help you along. We get valuable feedback from you in return.
• The easiest way is to let us build your app if you need one. We provide consultancy to build you a great app while your money will be spent on improving the open ecosystem. No vendor lock-in here!
• If you already have a software partner, ask if they can build an app for you based on the open source Appsemble low-code platform.
  
  In both cases, our advise would be to keep your app recipe private if you’d like to prevent clones of your app, but open source general framework improvements and resulting new building blocks. Everybody benefits.

We’re planning to internationalize the platform and are looking for native speakers of languages other than nl and en who’d like to help on translating strings and documentation. Some technical background will be needed.

What’s coming up next?

In November 2019, we expect to release:

• Push notifications.
• XML/RSS feed ingest.
• Improved authentication of users within your app.

Here’s a changelog summary of what has been cooking in the code department last month.
You can look at code that’s almost ready to be released and you can look at what’s planned to work on in the next sprint of 2 weeks.

The post Upcoming features and how to contribute. first appeared on Appsemble.