🫧 Edit tracking, Bubble GPTs, risks of using Bubble & better tooltips

Track your edits with Superlogs

Ever found yourself in a bind where your Bubble app isn't behaving as expected, and you're scratching your head, trying to recall what tweaks you made?

Enter Superlogs. It's a nifty SaaS solution designed to track your Bubble editor edits, creating an easily searchable database of all your logs.

Getting started with Superlogs can be a bit of a chore though. Here's what you need to do:

• Create a Superlogs account.

• Set up a free Mixpanel account (this is used for the actual event tracking).

• Install the Superlogs Chrome extension.

Once you're set up, every edit you make in your Bubble editor gets logged in your Mixpanel project.

The tool automatically captures Identify (Session start) and Editor Change (any Bubble editor changes) events. You can then use the detailed event date to figure out who (user) changed what (workflow, design, data) and where (test, live).

During my testing, event collection worked seamlessly, and the gathered events provided a wealth of valuable information. However, it's a bit clunky at the moment and requires a good understanding of Mixpanel to generate meaningful reports.

I see a lot of potential in Superlogs for various use cases:

• Automated development time-tracking

• Collecting evidence for billed hours

• Simplifying collaboration when multiple builders are tinkering with the same app

Yet, it's evident that the tool is still in its early development stages. It needs several UX improvements before it becomes truly handy for the average Bubble developer.

Personally, I'll keep using it to see where it goes. However, I'd recommend it mainly for advanced Bubble developers familiar with Mixpanel or those urgently needing access to a stream of edit events.

Bubble GPTs

GPTs, personalized ChatGPT versions for specific tasks, are gaining major attention. Born from feeding ChatGPT with custom instructions, they're versatile tools useable by anyone.

Baskaran recently shared an exclusive list of GPTs for the Bubble community, including one tailored for the official Bubble Certification exam.

So, are you diving into the world of ChatGPT and custom GPTs to amp up your Bubble development game? If you've got the inside scoop, hit reply and let me in on how you're unleashing the power of AI.

The risks of using Bubble

Navigating the risks of using Bubble is a common concern among my clients, and it's a question that keeps popping up. In addressing this, Coaching No Code Apps recently dropped a fantastic video that delves into the topic.

To save you the time of watching the whole thing, here are the four key risks to keep in mind:

• Source Code Access: You won't have access to your platform's source code. Switching platforms later would mean rebuilding your app. However, the silver lining is that you can export all your app's data, which is the crucial part!

• IP Ownership: Anything you build with Bubble is entirely yours. While you pay Bubble for their services, they hold no rights to your intellectual property whatsoever!

• Scalability: Bubble gives you a blank canvas, and your app's scalability and performance depend on how well you build it. Understanding database design and how workflow units (WU) behave is crucial.

• Security: If you code your own app, security is solely your responsibility. With Bubble, you have a sizable company committed to ensuring platform security. Yet, like scalability, it's up to you to implement the security and privacy rules tailored to your use case!

In my view, none of these factors should deter you from building your app with Bubble. It's about having a solid grasp of the platform's capabilities and applying them wisely. If the intricacies of scalability or security seem overwhelming, don't hesitate to reach out for advice!

Sidenote: The “Yes, you are all wrong” meme had a bit of a renaissance on X last week and the official Bubble account shared one that matches this topic quite well😄.

New free plugin for better tooltips

If you find yourself in need of tooltips for any of your apps, I've got a stellar recommendation for you. The recently launched (and did I mention it's free?) Better Native Tooltip plugin by Minimum Studio is a game-changer.

I personally tested it, and without hesitation, I integrated it into all of my apps that rely on tooltips.

Unlike native tooltips, this plugin offers a high level of customization. You can effortlessly tweak the behavior by adding specific codes to the tooltip text field or by adjusting the plugin settings:

• Positioning: [left], [right], [top], [bottom]

• Animation: [no-animation]

• Style: light, light-border, material, translucent

What sets Minimum Studio apart is their consistent delivery of top-notch plugins. Don't just take my word for it—check out the official demo here to see it in action.