Future of Appgini

Wish to see a specific feature/change in future releases? Feel free to post it here, and if it gets enough "likes", we'd definitely include it in future releases!
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mramanathan
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Future of Appgini

Post by mramanathan » 2020-02-19 20:52

In our opinion, after careful review, we find that Appgini is a very simple application builder and very well thought of structure. It is so simple that users tend to grow out of it very quickly and find it very lacking. In its current state, Appgini may soon fade away. In comparision to Scriptcase, Appgini is a drop in the ocean. The only set back with Scriptcase is the pricing model. They are too greedy. The following are the functional lacking of Appgini:

(1) The system does not seem to be growing. Looks like the owner/developer is sort of complacent with what they have done.
(2) In reality, Appgini is just a CRUD Generator and with a bit of website features locked in. If that is what its aim is then it could just stay as it is for years to come but user market share will drop drastically.
(3) The biggest lacking is the absence of a built-in Admin feature like AdminLte. Yes, there are number of people in the forum who have created some addons but needs to too much work each time an app is generated using Appgini.
(4) The documentation for the system is very lacking especially when customisation is to be done by users using the hook.
(5) We see Bizzworxx providing some good addons but these are stifled by the rigidity of Appgini. They have only 2 real addons. One is the inline detail view which is good but not really practical. The other is Javascript development which they claim can be done by non technical users. This is false.
(6) Appgini needs to have conditional logic in its software such as the ability to change the look and feel of the system and building php,html, css, javascript and jquery code within the Appgini core instead of always using the hooks outside of Appgini core.

We hope the developers of Appgini do something real quick to stay in the market. This is only our corporate developers opinion.

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a.gneady
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by a.gneady » 2020-02-26 14:14

Thanks for your feedback @mramanathan. First of all, I'd like to clarify that AppGini user-base continues to grow month after month and we're really excited to see many users from many backgrounds use it to manage their day to day operations, be that small businesses, academic use, or even some government sectors.

I'd like to also clarify the gap AppGini is filling is where users might have some advanced systems but have some area that is not fully/adequately covered by these systems, and this is where AppGini steps in ... kind of like Excel but with better collaboration features. AppGini generates open source, easy to modify code that allows users to tweak it to match their needs.

That being said, we're aware of the limitations and issues you mentioned, and are working to address them gradually in each new release. Maybe development is going slow, but we don't like the mentality plaguing the IT industry currently of "move fast break things" ... we prefer a slower paced more stable advance.

Thanks again for your feedback :)
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ronwill
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by ronwill » 2020-02-27 07:39

In a world full of greed and self gratification and criticism, I for one am very pleased that the AppGini approach to providing a solution is as it is and costs what is costs. It does 'what is says' and provides me with a great learning curve, functional tool, and is very enjoyable to use. Long may it continue.

I've often tried out other similar and/or higher more sophisticated solutions (has cost me lots of pennies too!) but I always come back to base with AppGini and enjoy 'growing' with it.

Thought for the day: It's not just the size and wealth of a family that measures it's true worth, it's about being part of one, growing with and contributing to it while enjoying the ride.

Cheers,
Ron
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by a.gneady » 2020-02-28 17:35

Thanks for your reassuring reply, Ron .. highly appreciated ^_^
:idea: AppGini plugins to add more power to your apps:
  • DataTalk is an innovative AppGini plugin based on ChatGPT that allows you to interact with your AppGini database using natural language questions, without writing any SQL. Check the demo video
  • Mass Update plugin: Update multiple records at once and improve your workflow efficiency.
  • Check our other plugins and get a generous discount of up to 30% when buying 2 or more plugins.

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D Oliveira
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by D Oliveira » 2020-02-28 19:48

mramanathan wrote:
2020-02-19 20:52
In our opinion, after careful review, we find that Appgini is a very simple application builder and very well thought of structure. It is so simple that users tend to grow out of it very quickly and find it very lacking. In its current state, Appgini may soon fade away. In comparision to Scriptcase, Appgini is a drop in the ocean. The only set back with Scriptcase is the pricing model. They are too greedy. The following are the functional lacking of Appgini:

(1) The system does not seem to be growing. Looks like the owner/developer is sort of complacent with what they have done.
(2) In reality, Appgini is just a CRUD Generator and with a bit of website features locked in. If that is what its aim is then it could just stay as it is for years to come but user market share will drop drastically.
(3) The biggest lacking is the absence of a built-in Admin feature like AdminLte. Yes, there are number of people in the forum who have created some addons but needs to too much work each time an app is generated using Appgini.
(4) The documentation for the system is very lacking especially when customisation is to be done by users using the hook.
(5) We see Bizzworxx providing some good addons but these are stifled by the rigidity of Appgini. They have only 2 real addons. One is the inline detail view which is good but not really practical. The other is Javascript development which they claim can be done by non technical users. This is false.
(6) Appgini needs to have conditional logic in its software such as the ability to change the look and feel of the system and building php,html, css, javascript and jquery code within the Appgini core instead of always using the hooks outside of Appgini core.

We hope the developers of Appgini do something real quick to stay in the market. This is only our corporate developers opinion.
I strongly disagree with your statement, Appgini will save any developer their most scarce resource: TIME! If your skill set doesnt enjoy the full extent of the tool you cannot simply fill your void by blaming Appgini. Specifically for number (6) , any html/php/js average developer will happily and easily modify files such as: datalist.php , incCommon.php, templates.html and accomplish anything, the support from the community and staff are great, efficient, quick, and FREE. Its almost like an open source project, the price tag is a joke for what it can accomplish, Appgini has given me my first project that led me to financial freedom. Not only I have boosted the revenue for 2 contractors companies and 1 insurance agency with Appgini, but also created something totally outside the box such as fitbookapp.net which has individual layouts for tablets, mobile and desktop devices, soon to be delivered to an audience of 400k+ ppl. Simply by using Appgini's mechanism to redirect each device to their respective .template.html file. Database queries and behaviors works magically with msqli and I have seen my professional network crave those features constantly. I cant help but to leave a note of gratitute to Appgini's team and community here. Peace ✌

mramanathan
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by mramanathan » 2020-02-29 23:43

Hi,

Thank you for the good replies this thread has received. D Oliveira appreciate if you dont get emotional and personal with comments like "If your skill set doesnt enjoy the full extent of the tool you cannot simply fill your void by blaming Appgini." You dont know us and the extend of exposure. Its not good practice for a professional. We are not condemning the software. Please understand what we have stated "This is only our corporate developers opinion". This is our first look. We are still evaluating it.

Our initial disappoint stems from one simple fact - the weakness of the framework. Whatever wonderful work we have done may, i reapeat may, only be valid for that copy of the app version generated. The problem comes, When we generate changes from Appgini's framework, it appears all the work done previously, especially admin template, MAY have to be redone. That is regression. Solution:

(1) Appgini should provide Admin like templates within its framework.
(2) Customization features such as modules, plugins and custom code should be provided within the framework.

If the above are provided, then whenever we generate a new version of our app, Appgini will always generate all the components. This will facilitate easy system wide testing. Simply put, its the customization outside of Appgini framework that creates our concern.

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D Oliveira
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by D Oliveira » 2020-03-01 06:13

mramanathan wrote:
2020-02-29 23:43
Hi,

Thank you for the good replies this thread has received. D Oliveira appreciate if you dont get emotional and personal with comments like "If your skill set doesnt enjoy the full extent of the tool you cannot simply fill your void by blaming Appgini." You dont know us and the extend of exposure. Its not good practice for a professional. We are not condemning the software. Please understand what we have stated "This is only our corporate developers opinion". This is our first look. We are still evaluating it.

Our initial disappoint stems from one simple fact - the weakness of the framework. Whatever wonderful work we have done may, i reapeat may, only be valid for that copy of the app version generated. The problem comes, When we generate changes from Appgini's framework, it appears all the work done previously, especially admin template, MAY have to be redone. That is regression. Solution:

(1) Appgini should provide Admin like templates within its framework.
(2) Customization features such as modules, plugins and custom code should be provided within the framework.

If the above are provided, then whenever we generate a new version of our app, Appgini will always generate all the components. This will facilitate easy system wide testing. Simply put, its the customization outside of Appgini framework that creates our concern.
From what I understand your problem could be easily solved by making files read-only so that appgini doesnt overwrite them, some changes might need your attention in other core files due to the ripple effect of some changes, but if you use sublime 3 you can find a snippet to keep files read-only after you modify and save then if its already marked as read-only.

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ronwill
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by ronwill » 2020-03-03 13:37

@ mramanathan

You mentioned in your comments
"You dont know us and the extend of exposure. Its not good practice for a professional. We are not condemning the software. Please understand what we have stated "This is only our corporate developers opinion". This is our first look. We are still evaluating it.
As you are doing an evaluation and expressing a corporate developers opinion, then may I ask for professional purposes, just who the corporate developer is that you are representing?

Thanks, Cheers,
Ron - Gloucestershire, UK: AppGini Pro V 23.15 Rev 1484 - LOVING IT!
Plugins: Mass Update + Search Page Maker + Summary Reports + Calendar + Messages
Bizzworxx: AppGiniHelper + Inline Detail View
Alejandro Landini: To-Do List + MPI + TV Field Editor
Other: Udemy Course

mramanathan
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by mramanathan » 2020-03-23 00:42

Our corporate is called "Eximius Medical Administration Solutions". Our experience also includes Cybersecurity and Risks Management. What we publish as reviews are posted in number technical review groups. We also develop and setup technology standards and compliance. This includes categorizing tools like Appgin, Scriptcase, Codeigniter, Laravel etc. We are also interconnected with various developer group CIOs.

I hope that explains.

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pilandros
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by pilandros » 2020-04-02 21:58

Please mramanathan, read my review (find it here: https://bigprof.com/appgini/reviews).
I WAS a heavy Scriptcase user and I am very glad to be a user and a fan of AppGini's.
The cost-benefits ratio is simply superb.
Good Luck.
mramanathan wrote:
2020-02-19 20:52
In our opinion, after careful review, we find that Appgini is a very simple application builder and very well thought of structure. It is so simple that users tend to grow out of it very quickly and find it very lacking. In its current state, Appgini may soon fade away. In comparision to Scriptcase, Appgini is a drop in the ocean. The only set back with Scriptcase is the pricing model. They are too greedy. The following are the functional lacking of Appgini:

(1) The system does not seem to be growing. Looks like the owner/developer is sort of complacent with what they have done.
(2) In reality, Appgini is just a CRUD Generator and with a bit of website features locked in. If that is what its aim is then it could just stay as it is for years to come but user market share will drop drastically.
(3) The biggest lacking is the absence of a built-in Admin feature like AdminLte. Yes, there are number of people in the forum who have created some addons but needs to too much work each time an app is generated using Appgini.
(4) The documentation for the system is very lacking especially when customisation is to be done by users using the hook.
(5) We see Bizzworxx providing some good addons but these are stifled by the rigidity of Appgini. They have only 2 real addons. One is the inline detail view which is good but not really practical. The other is Javascript development which they claim can be done by non technical users. This is false.
(6) Appgini needs to have conditional logic in its software such as the ability to change the look and feel of the system and building php,html, css, javascript and jquery code within the Appgini core instead of always using the hooks outside of Appgini core.

We hope the developers of Appgini do something real quick to stay in the market. This is only our corporate developers opinion.

mramanathan
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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by mramanathan » 2020-04-03 03:01

Hi pilandros,

Thank you for your feedback. I agree the cost ratio is better with Appgini but I am not sure of the cost/benefit ratio. The functionalities of Scriptcase may be overwhelming compared to Appgini. Of course, you might say that customization can be done. In that case, codeigniter and laravel may be more preferable. My only disappointments are:

(1) It does not have a better UI (such as AdminLte) built in. The dashboard page is very saddening as what one of my users said.
(2) Appgini does not integrate plugins into main development framework
(3) Does not provide a built PHP Code interface within the framework Hooks are great but they dont really get "hooked" when a fresh version of the app is generated into another folder (sigh!).

I do love the CRUD forms and template. Its really great Anyway, some of boys have started showing interest as they were working with a training module in Udemy. Also, we recently purchased the Calendar plugin. Lets see where it gets to.

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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by grimblefritz » 2020-05-08 13:07

Hate to jump into an aging thread, but...

Agree. Switching to AdminLTE or similar would improve the APPEARANCE of AG. It does have an out-of-date presentation. However, it wouldn't necessarily improve functionality on it's own. It would, in fact, break a lot of existing developer's customizations in hook files and templates. So, in practical reality, it is probably the foundation of a separate enhanced product, not a change to the existing one. Or, at best, a wholly separate mode within the current product (so as not to break the current mode.)

Agree. A published add-on /plug-in framework would be very nice.

Agree. Hook files are useful. However, hook editors in the builder app (ie, with code store in the axp file and included when the app is generated) would be better. I'd say this would be an improvement over, but not a complete replacement for, hooks.

Disagree. There's not a problem with AG considering the space it addresses. It's excellent for the space it lives in. It's competition is more Dadabik, and not the likes of Scriptcase or xLinesoft or Code Ignitor or Laravel, etc. If you're expecting the capabilities of those, then those you should use. Reserve AG for it's proper space.

Add. I'd love the ability to define "fields" that are computed at runtime using PHP. The addition of proper MySQL calculated fields was nice, but usually the calculation I need to perform and view is beyond MySQL (or more readily accomplished in PHP.) This is only a short step away from having code snippets in the builder instead of in hooks.

AG changes, but not rapidly. That's good. That's bad. That's just the way it is :)

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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by GodOfThunder » 2020-05-09 22:34

mramanathan wrote:
2020-02-19 20:52
In our opinion, after careful review, we find that Appgini is a very simple application builder and very well thought of structure. It is so simple that users tend to grow out of it very quickly and find it very lacking. In its current state, Appgini may soon fade away. In comparision to Scriptcase, Appgini is a drop in the ocean. The only set back with Scriptcase is the pricing model. They are too greedy. The following are the functional lacking of Appgini:

(1) The system does not seem to be growing. Looks like the owner/developer is sort of complacent with what they have done.
(2) In reality, Appgini is just a CRUD Generator and with a bit of website features locked in. If that is what its aim is then it could just stay as it is for years to come but user market share will drop drastically.
(3) The biggest lacking is the absence of a built-in Admin feature like AdminLte. Yes, there are number of people in the forum who have created some addons but needs to too much work each time an app is generated using Appgini.
(4) The documentation for the system is very lacking especially when customisation is to be done by users using the hook.
(5) We see Bizzworxx providing some good addons but these are stifled by the rigidity of Appgini. They have only 2 real addons. One is the inline detail view which is good but not really practical. The other is Javascript development which they claim can be done by non technical users. This is false.
(6) Appgini needs to have conditional logic in its software such as the ability to change the look and feel of the system and building php,html, css, javascript and jquery code within the Appgini core instead of always using the hooks outside of Appgini core.

We hope the developers of Appgini do something real quick to stay in the market. This is only our corporate developers opinion.
mramanathan wrote:
2020-03-23 00:42
Our corporate is called "Eximius Medical Administration Solutions". Our experience also includes Cybersecurity and Risks Management. What we publish as reviews are posted in number technical review groups. We also develop and setup technology standards and compliance. This includes categorizing tools like Appgin, Scriptcase, Codeigniter, Laravel etc. We are also interconnected with various developer group CIOs.

I hope that explains.
As a Software Engineering Consultant, who has written a half dozen code generators in my 25 year career, I think you're missing the point of AppGini. It is simple and creates simple code. It works well. It also fits its target audience... perfectly.

If you really have experience creating applications for clients and your business using Scriptcase, Codeigniter and Laravel, you should capitalize on those skills. Even "evaluating" AppGini is a clear waste of time... unless you're looking for a second, third or fourth way to do the same thing. (If I only had a dollar for every time I've seen this! :-) )

If you're truly skilled in Laravel, you could easily use it as a foundation for your own custom code generator that does exactly what you want.

In the end, it looks like you're looking for a "push button" solution to do everything... none of these tools will do that.

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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by jrcervantest » 2020-07-18 12:48

Mr. Amanathan,

After careful consideration, we recommend that your opinion and those of your corporate minions be stricken and your post be moved to the SPAM folder.

AppGini is an absolute Gem! Its reliable, intuitive, interoperable, cost effective and functionally impressive. The only comment we agree on is that the application is very well thought out structurally. DO NOT detract the developers from continuing excellent work just so that they can meet your company’s shortfalls. Furthermore, if you have a concern about regression, I highly recommend you and your developers contribute a “template within its framework” so that the Gini staff may have something to work with. You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? Its easy to criticize, but let’s compare your company’s app to AppGini. Hmmm.

In fact, for all we know, your company may be leveraging AppGini’s existing framework to make it their own. Or worst yet, you may be some average joe, who relies on plug-ins and cut-and-paste with “Eximus” pretending to be a cybersecurity expert that can’t wait patiently just like the rest of us for the next iteration of plug-ins to day view.

With respect to documentation and conditional logic, what more you do you need? There are videos, forums, step-by-step instructions via Bizzworxx, etc. that show you how to modify your project. You’ll never learn, my good friend, by being spoon fed. Do us all a favor, if you want more, then give more by putting in a positive review for the App. It is well deserved. That’s assuming you are, who you say you are.

Finally, for AppGini and the Bizzworxx staff, please don’t let this kind of foolish talk discourage you from continuing to improve and already remarkable app. I believe I speak for many when I say that we greatly benefit from your hard work and dedication and are truly looking forward to seeing the next generation of plug-ins. We thank you. Please keep up the good work!

Very Respectully,
Happy AppGini User

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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by jmcgov » 2024-03-02 23:47

AppGini is an absolute Gem!
.
Enough said!

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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by onoehring » 2024-03-05 06:14

Hi,

just took a minute to read, and want to take another to comment.
Obviously most people here will vote for AG - it's the AG forum after all. ... BTW: So do I.
I have had looked into several rapid development tools. Yes, one said Scriptcase ... but much too expensive.
We can probably agree that AG is very simple to use.
We can probably agree, that the GUI of AG itself (not the generated applications) looks old ... probably about 10 years? Thus, there could be a makeover. But as long as it is functional we all tend to like the final product so much, that we can live with the old GUI (at least for now).
We can probably agree, that there is a long list of feature requests. Many of them valid and only a few fulfilled yet. This makes me a little sad, I would like to see more development in this area, though I can follow Ahmeds train of thought that nothing should break in an update.
Some of these feature requests seem much more pressing to me than others, especially for a broader acceptance of AG: e.g. newer Bootstrap and other database support. Yes, one should be able to implement the latter, but comparing to other tools my eyes start watering.
I see many ambitious people here in the forum and I am so thankful for them to be here and provide so much help. But still: The community is (very) small compared to other tools and this is indeed a dangerous situation.
One more: The other day I read that building tools like AG are hard to extend when user code has been implemented. I would think this is the same for every application (or: piece of code). Once it's working it's very easy to get complicated. For my part, I see the advantage of CRUD application(s) but we as developers need to implement customer logic into this. This is the point that can be done quite easily with AG. This code can (with few and easy adjustments & tricks) be kept after a regeneration of the application, even if files outside /hooks are involved.
AG for me was a good choice so far: Very, very good price and licensing tag. Good support - mostly by the people here in the forum.
Nevertheless I see problems on the horizon considering that there are just a handfull of people in the forum that seem to provide extensive support and that the list of feature requests is ... quite long. The problem here: Customers may want fancy ... and this may be easier to realize with other tools.

Olaf

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Re: Future of Appgini

Post by rngoda » 2024-03-13 16:13

I find Appgini to be an incredibly versatile and efficient application builder that caters to a wide range of users, from beginners to experienced developers. Addressing your arguments:

Continuous Development: Contrary to the notion that Appgini is stagnant in its development, we have witnessed consistent updates and improvements from the Appgini team. While simplicity is indeed one of its strengths, it doesn't imply stagnation. Appgini's team actively listens to user feedback and implements enhancements accordingly.

More Than CRUD: While Appgini excels in generating CRUD applications swiftly, it also offers extensive customization capabilities. Users have the flexibility to extend beyond basic CRUD operations and incorporate advanced features using hooks, plugins, and custom code. Its simplicity doesn't limit its potential; rather, it provides a solid foundation for rapid development without sacrificing scalability.

Admin Features and Add-ons: While a built-in Admin feature akin to AdminLte might be desirable for some users, Appgini's ecosystem thrives on community contributions. The absence of a specific feature doesn't equate to incapability. The vibrant community surrounding Appgini consistently produces add-ons and extensions to address various needs, showcasing the platform's adaptability. Feel free to check out AdminLTE Plugin for AppGini which is simple to install and enhance your applications

Documentation and Customization: Appgini's documentation serves as a comprehensive guide for users, covering both basic functionalities and advanced customization techniques. Additionally, the active community forums provide a wealth of knowledge and support for users seeking assistance with customization and integration tasks.

Addon Ecosystem: Bizzworxx's contributions are commendable, and they underscore the extensibility of Appgini. While the number of add-ons may seem limited, their quality and utility are undeniable. The assertion that non-technical users cannot utilize JavaScript development within Appgini is subjective; many users have successfully leveraged these capabilities to enhance their applications.

Conditional Logic and Customization: Appgini's flexibility extends to its support for conditional logic and extensive customization options. Users can leverage hooks and custom code to implement complex business logic, modify the user interface, and integrate external libraries seamlessly. Appgini empowers users to tailor their applications to specific requirements without imposing unnecessary constraints.

In conclusion, Appgini remains a robust and viable solution for application development, offering simplicity without compromising functionality or scalability. While there's always room for improvement, the platform's active development, comprehensive documentation, and supportive community ensure its relevance and longevity in the market.
I'm a software engineer specializing in web database application development for complex scalable web apps.

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