What Is a CRUD App and How to Build One?

A CRUD app is a software designed to handle the fundamental operations: Create, Retrieve, Update, and Delete. These four operations create the backbone of many modern applications, whether it’s a content management system (CMS), a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, or an inventory management system.

Knowing what CRUD means and how to develop such apps is crucial for teams seeking to create functional and user-friendly solutions. With platforms like UI Bakery, building CRUD apps becomes significantly easier, as it offers tools to streamline both the frontend and backend development processes.

We created this article to help you understand CRUD apps, how they work, and how you can build one from scratch using both traditional methods and UI Bakery platform.

What are the key features of CRUD apps?

CRUD applications share several common features that allow users to interact with data effectively:

1. Data Input (Create): users can input new data into the system. For example, you can add a new product to an inventory.
2. Data Display (Read): data is displayed in a structured way, often in lists or tables, for users to view.
3. Data Modification (Update): teams can edit or update existing records.
4. Data Deletion (Delete): obsolete or incorrect data can be removed from the system.

CRUD app consists of: database, user interface and APIs

• Database: it's where your data is stored. There are several different types of database management systems (DBMS) that you can categorize by how they store data. These include relational (SQL) and Document (NoSQL).
• User Interface: it's what your app users will interact with.
• APIs: it's how your app informs your database of what functions to perform.

Most common CRUD use cases

There is a potential for a CRUD web app whenever you see data storage. Starting from a simple to-do list to complex logistic software.

For your inspiration and deeper understanding of CRUD, let's explore most common CRUD app use cases:

• Event management app;
• Sports club membership app;
• Student portal;
• OKRs app;
• SEO tool;
• Marketing calendar;
• Booking app;
• Project management app;
• Goods tracking system.

CRUD platforms, frameworks & programming languages

There are many, low code platforms, frameworks, or tech stacks providing an effective workflow when building CRUD apps. For instance, in the case of a traditional development approach, developers may use different languages for such apps. These include:

• Python and Django;
• Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP;
• Angular, Node.js;

Aside from that, there are many low-code solutions that offer almost the same level of customization but are available for those with little to no tech expertise. In addition, low-code tools for CRUD apps make development faster and much cheaper.

6 Steps to build a CRUD app

Let’s break down the process of creating a CRUD app into manageable steps. Whether you're coding manually or using a low-code platform like UI Bakery, the process remains fundamentally the same.

1. Define Your Data Model

The first step is understanding what data your application will handle. For instance, if you're building a product inventory app, the primary data entity might be "Products." Each product could have attributes such as:

• ID: A unique identifier.
• Name: The product name.
• Price: The cost of the product.
• Stock: The quantity available.

Think of these as the foundation of your app. These entities will determine the structure of your database and the features of your app.

2. Set up a database

Once your data model is defined, you'll need a place to store your information. This is where a database comes into play. Choose a database that fits your needs:

• Relational Databases (SQL): Such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite. These are structured and great for predefined schemas.
• NoSQL Databases: Such as MongoDB or Firebase. These are more flexible and work well with dynamic or unstructured data.

For example, a Products table in a relational database might have columns for ID, Name, Price, and Stock.

3. Build the backend logic

The backend handles the CRUD operations, ensuring the frontend can create, read, update, and delete data seamlessly. Typically, you’d write RESTful APIs or GraphQL queries to enable this functionality.

Here’s a simple example of a REST API route for each CRUD operation in Node.js with Express:

// Create

app.post('/products', (req, res) => { /* Add product */ });

// Read

app.get('/products', (req, res) => { /* Get products */ });

// Update

app.put('/products/:id', (req, res) => { /* Update product */ });

// Delete

app.delete('/products/:id', (req, res) => { /* Delete product */ });

How to do this with UI Bakery:

UI Bakery allows you to skip the manual coding by defining your logic visually in UI Bakery. You can configure CRUD actions directly by mapping them to your database. For instance, a button click can trigger a "Create" action tied to your Products table, with no code needed.

4. Design the user interface

Your app’s user interface (UI) is where users interact with the data. A typical CRUD app includes:

• Forms: To input data for creating or editing records.
• Tables: To display existing records in a user-friendly format.
• Buttons: For triggering actions like saving changes or deleting entries.

For example, an inventory manager app might have a dashboard that displays all products in a table, with buttons to edit or delete each record, and a form for adding new products.

How to Do This in UI Bakery:

Use UI Bakery’s drag-and-drop interface builder to design your UI quickly. You can add components like tables, forms, and buttons, and bind them to your data with a few clicks. For advanced customization, you can inject custom JavaScript or CSS.

5. Connect the frontend to the backend

Once your UI is ready, you’ll need to integrate it with your backend APIs or database. This ensures that user interactions—such as submitting a form or clicking a button—translate into database changes.

Traditionally, this step requires writing API calls using libraries like Axios or Fetch in JavaScript. You’d also handle data validation and error messages.

How to Do this in UI Bakery:

UI Bakery handles this step for you. By binding UI components directly to your database or APIs, it eliminates the need for manual integration. You simply define the action (e.g., create or update) and UI Bakery handles the rest.

6. Deploy your application

The final step is deploying your CRUD app so it’s accessible to users. Choose a hosting platform that suits your app’s scale and requirements:

• For small-scale apps: Platforms like Heroku or Vercel are ideal.
• For large-scale apps: Use cloud services like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.

How to Do This in UI Bakery:

UI Bakery offers one-click deployment. Once your app is ready, you can publish it directly from the platform. UI Bakery takes care of the hosting, scaling, and configuration, ensuring your app is live in no time.

Why Use UI Bakery for Building CRUD Apps?

Building a CRUD app manually can be time-consuming, requiring expertise in frontend, backend, and database management. UI Bakery simplifies this process by offering:

• Low-Code Development: Build functional apps with minimal coding, saving time and effort.
• Built-In Integrations: Connect to databases and APIs without complex setup.
• Visual UI Design: Create attractive, user-friendly interfaces using drag-and-drop tools.
• Customizability: Add custom scripts, queries, or styling when needed.
• Fast Deployment: Deploy apps in just a few clicks, bypassing the traditional hosting complexities.

Last thoughts

CRUD apps are the cornerstone of modern software development, enabling seamless data management and user interaction. While traditional methods require significant coding expertise, tools like UI Bakery make the process accessible to everyone. By leveraging its low-code platform, you can design, build, and deploy robust CRUD applications quickly and efficiently, all while maintaining full control over customization and scalability.

Whether you’re a developer looking to save time or a business professional with no coding background, UI Bakery is a game-changing solution for building CRUD apps that work.

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