Building a Mobile App with Bubble: Native Builder vs. Wrapping (What to Choose & How to Do It)

What You Need Before You Start

• A Bubble app ready for mobile (responsive layouts, single-page navigation)

• Recommended tools and plugins:

  • Bubble’s native mobile canvas

  • Plugins for push notifications (e.g., OneSignal)

  • Device testing tools like BubbleGo

Note: Setting up BubbleGo for device testing can be tricky: expect to troubleshoot connection and caching issues.

Planning Your App

• Use tools like Figma to map out mobile-first wireframes and user flows

• Keep navigation simple with clear states and reusable elements

Example: Messaging App Database Schema

Messaging apps like WhatsApp or Slack are strong examples of mobile-friendly database schemas, designed with simplicity, performance, and efficient data loading in mind.

How It Works

• Users create or join Chat-Channels to start conversations.

• When a message is sent, a Chat-Message record stores the content, media, and metadata, like who has seen it.

• Users can react to messages with emojis, which are saved in Chat-Reaction linked to each message.

• Access control is built in: only users listed in a message’s visible by field can see or search that message, ensuring privacy.

Find out more about how to structure your database by app type on Bubble Docs.

Setting Up Your Project in Bubble

Tips for clean and organized pages

As your Bubble page grows, managing multiple elements can get tricky. Here are a few simple habits and tools that make working in the editor easier:

• Name your elements clearly: Use descriptive names when adding elements. This makes them easier to find using the Element Picker in the top bar, which lists all elements alphabetically and shows a small thumbnail preview as you hover.

• Use the element tree: The Element Tree gives you a clear, nested view of your page structure. It’s especially helpful for spotting misaligned groups or buried elements in complex layouts.

• Select overlapping elements: When elements overlap, use CMD+click (Mac) or CTRL+click (Windows) to cycle through them. This lets you select hidden layers without disrupting your layout.

• Enable X-Ray mode: Click the X-Ray icon to make all elements semi-transparent. This is useful for spotting structure issues, especially when used with CMD/CTRL+click to navigate the stack.

• Use the App Search Tool: Need to find a text box, icon, or group quickly? The App Search Tool helps you locate elements by type or content across the page.

• Lock elements you don’t want to move: To avoid accidentally shifting key layout components, use the “Lock this element” option in the property editor. This is helpful when working with fixed headers, tab bars, or reusable elements.

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Bugs or Glitches on the Mobile Tab in the Editor?

Using the mobile tab in Bubble’s editor can sometimes bring up bugs or unexpected behavior. These issues might stem from Bubble itself, plugins, browser settings, or how everything interacts. Here’s what to check before reporting a bug: 

Before Reporting

• Reproduce the Issue: Make sure the problem happens consistently, not just once.

• Check Bubble’s Status: Visit status.bubble.io to see if there are ongoing platform issues.

• Review Documentation: Some behaviors might be intentional—check Bubble’s docs or forums to confirm.

• Remove External Factors: Disable plugins, browser extensions, or custom code that might interfere. Try testing in incognito mode or a different browser.

What to Include in Your Bug Report

• Clear steps to reproduce the issue

• Screenshots or screen recordings

• Browser, device, and Bubble plan details

• Whether the issue appears only in the editor, on live builds, or both

  
  

Designing for Mobile

Native Elements That Work Well

These elements tend to behave reliably in the mobile builder and during testing on real devices:

• Text and Shape Elements: Simple, responsive, and consistent across platforms.

• Buttons: Function well with standard workflows and are easy to style for mobile.

• Groups and Floating Groups: Work well for modals, side panels, and tab bars, especially when structured as part of a single-page layout.

• Repeating Groups: Perform well when optimized for performance (e.g. limited data, fixed cell height).

• Inputs (text, number, email, etc.): Generally stable, though some styling may vary between iOS and Android.

• Icons (Bubble’s built-in icon element): Lightweight and render consistently.

Elements That Can Be Buggy or Inconsistent

These may require extra testing, adjustments, or workarounds:

• Dropdowns: Often behave inconsistently on mobile, especially with dynamic data. Can feel clunky or overlap with native UI elements.

• Slidable or swipe-based plugins: Gesture support is still improving. Some swipe or drag elements may conflict with native navigation or cause lag.

• Custom scroll workflows: Scroll position detection can be unreliable on mobile devices. Avoid using workflows that rely heavily on scroll triggers.

• Calendar or Date/Time Pickers: Can render awkwardly on mobile, depending on browser and OS. Native pickers from wrappers or custom plugins may be more reliable.

• Embedded HTML / iFrames: May not resize correctly or can interfere with tap gestures or page flow.

Quick Tips

• Always test on real devices using BubbleGo or your wrapper preview.

• Stick to simple, native-style interactions where possible.

• Use custom states and single-page layouts to reduce reload issues.

• Avoid hover states or interactions that rely on cursor input.

  

  
  

Navigation Logic in Bubble’s Native Mobile Builder

To keep navigation smooth in your Bubble mobile app, start with a single-page layout and use the built-in navigation elements the right way.

Use a Single-Page Structure

In native apps built with Bubble, it's best to keep all your views on a single page using stacked groups that show/hide based on user actions or URL parameters. This creates a faster, more seamless experience.

Tips for setup

• Place view groups directly on top of each other

• Use "Collapse when hidden" to allow groups to switch cleanly

• Leave "Animate collapse" unchecked for instant transitions

• Control visibility using custom states or conditions

Top App Bar (Navigation Header)

The Top App Bar appears at the top of each view and displays the page title and optional icons.

• Title: Set dynamically or override with static text

• Back Button: Automatically navigates to the previous view in the stack

• Override Label: Use if you want a custom label instead of the previous view's title

• Leading/Trailing Buttons: Add icons for navigation or actions, connected to workflows

• Show/Hide Bottom Border: Optional, depending on your design
  
  

Back Button Behavior

• On iOS: Navigates back through the view stack (hierarchical)

• On Android: Follows system logic (dismisses overlays or steps back through views)

Tab Bar (Bottom Navigation)

Use the Tab Bar to switch between key sections of your app.

• Enable a view as a tab item in its property editor

• Customize icons, labels, and conditions for visibility

• Active tab is automatically highlighted

• Best for apps with 3–5 primary views

Deep Linking & App Schemes

If you need deep linking (e.g., opening a specific screen from a notification or external link), you can define a custom app scheme.

• Format: appname (lowercase, alphanumeric, hyphens or periods allowed)

• Only set this if your app explicitly requires it. Otherwise, Bubble handles it automatically

Status Bar Settings

You can choose to hide the status bar for a full-screen experience. This removes system info like time or battery from the top of the screen.

Note: Always test your navigation on real devices to catch issues with back button behavior, tab switching, or stacked group visibility. BubbleGo or a wrapper preview app can help with this.

Building Workflows

• Add mobile-specific workflows like push notifications or swipe gestures

• Use conditional logic to adapt workflows based on device or app state

• Keep an eye out for occasional broken triggers or UI state conflicts on mobile

Database & Performance

• Optimize queries to reduce load times on mobile networks

• Implement privacy rules carefully to avoid slowdowns or data leaks

• Avoid common mistakes like overloading repeating groups or running heavy backend workflows on mobile

Testing & Debugging

• Use BubbleGo or similar tools for live device testing

• Keep a checklist for debugging: console logs, preview mode testing, device-specific bugs

• Document and reproduce bugs found on real devices to fix them effectively
  
  

Publishing

• Export your build directly from Bubble’s native builder interface

  
  

  

  
  

• Follow App Store and Google Play submission steps carefully—read guidelines to avoid common rejections

• Be prepared for initial build failures or metadata issues and have a plan to iterate quickly