Every tool has automation now part 3: Webflow launches Logic

Today at 1PM EST, I’ll be live with Connor Finlayson for No-Code Talk #6. We’ll recap NoCodeConf, talk about new tools and review the latest in no-code news!

You can add this AATT stream (and all future streams) to your calendar by clicking here (it auto updates!) and subscribe on Youtube.

Heyo!

At NoCodeConf, Webflow announced a slew of new features: Memberships, Logic and improved load time. In the keynote, Vlad framed these as part of his vision of Webflow as an app building platform.

Similar to his 2019 talk, Vlad created a straight line between software development building blocks and his vision for Webflow.

Explicitly, an app has three parts: UI, Data and Logic.

UI in Webflow is abstracted through the Designer which mimics writing HTML/CSS/Javascript. Data is managed through the CMS, a (limited) relational database. Memberships will be a special CMS collection type. Finally Business Logic will be handled by this new surface called, well, Logic.

With Logic, Webflow joins the club of software-as-a-service tools offering built in automations. As I’ve written about before a few times, every saas tool eventually adds its own flavor of automation.

Webflow’s attempt at automations is an “if this then that” type builder which is standard. Webflow’s ambitions go beyond that. Their first go includes logic branches.

I don’t know which triggers/actions are available in Logic today. But the fact that it includes logic branches right from the getgo tells me that Webflow has grand ambitions here. I expect them to start with internal triggers (when form submitted, user updated etc.) and expand from there.

I personally only see myself using Webflow Logic to automate steps that happen in Webflow. Since Webflow isn’t where I manage my work—it’s simply one of many CMS’ where my work ends up—I don’t expect to use their logic in my workflow for data that originates in Webflow such as creating CMS items on form submissions or sending emails to downstream systems. For me, Webflow will never be my single source of truth so should not have any information that isn’t mirrored elsewhere.

Looking at this longer term, I have to ask myself, who is Webflow developing software for? The launch of Memberships tells me that they’re focused on creators & small businesses. Their implementation of Logic tells me that Hubspot’s base (medium/large marketing orgs) which has amazing automations but terrible websites might be in their line of sight. Vlad explicitly mentioned Memberships as a way to bolster their e-commerce efforts.

Webflow’s goal is to disrupt software development writ large. Without a clear idea of who they’re currently disrupting software development for, they may end up with something that is kind of good for a lot of people but not truly great for any of them. I hope that won’t be the case, because I’m clearly team Webflow :)

Often your Airtable base is a collection of data that comes from or ends up in other systems. For instance, you may be sending leads from your CRM to Airtable and then once you close the deal sending that information to a contracting platform.

For me, I send my content to Webflow, Youtube and this newsletter. I’m always creating views based off of where the information goes.

To speed up the creation of those views, I add emojis to each field name according to where the data ends. For instances the web 🕸 emoji tells me that the fields map to Webflow.

This makes hiding/adding fields super easy:

You can add emojis pretty much anywhere in Airtable.

Softr is the easiest no-code platform to create custom web apps powered by Airtable data, in minutes. With zero learning curve. Softr’s mission is to turn billion non-tech users into app creators.

Softr’s unique approach is the LEGO-like building experience that makes it extremely easy and quick to get a full-stack app up and running in 30 mins. It’s even earned them the moniker ‘the LEGO kit of the web’.

You can build B2B & B2C applications like client portals, internal tools, marketplaces, online communities, resource directories - with out-of-the-box memberships, payments, search, filtering, roles & permissions. It is simple, yet powerful. They even offer a custom domain on the free plan - try it for free.

You can also check out a stream I did with Yohei, who built a client portal with Softr here!

Also, check out their other video tutorials on Youtube.

In case you missed it, I spoke at NoCodeConf about how to manage your content using no-code. It summed up everything I’ve learnt in building AATT (and from creating content at Airtable) in ~25 minutes!

You can catch all the other (amazing) talks on Webflow’s Youtube channel

Jotform launched apps. Everyone’s getting into the interface game.

Fellow no-coder Philip Lakin is launching pager duty for no-code which I definitely need:

Slack workflows is underwhelming to say the least but it looks like trying again but focused on enabling developers to build the triggers/actions.

UiFlow, I’m quoting here “the no-code platform for development teams to build both the user interface and logic of web apps visually” raised some money. Have you used it? Let me know!

Until next week, keep building!

Aron

PS Now that you’ve read the whole thing, tell me how I can make this newsletter 10% better? I’d appreciate it.

Special thanks to Ben Parker (@rileyrichter) from the Visual dev FM team for letting me rummage through his links to share some with y'all.