Bubble and Xano Part 1: User Authentication (login) and Displaying Data Belonging to User

Building and deploying backend services for web and mobile applications can be a time-consuming and complex process, especially for those with limited coding experience. Xano, a no-code platform, aims to simplify this process by providing a visual interface for designing data models, creating APIs, and setting up authentication and authorization. In this step-by-step guide, we'll explore how to authenticate users, separate user data, and implement a logout feature in Bubble using Xano.

Setting up Authentication with Xano in Bubble

1. Install the API Connector Plugin: To connect Bubble to Xano, you'll need to install the API Connector plugin. Navigate to the Plugins section in Bubble and add a new API by naming it "Xano".
2. Create a Login API Call: In the API Connector, create a new API call named "login". Set the method to POST and use it as an action since the user is logging in.
3. Copy the Login Endpoint URL: In Xano, locate the login endpoint URL and copy it.
4. Paste the Endpoint URL and JSON Body: In the API Connector, paste the copied login endpoint URL. Then, run and debug the endpoint in Xano to obtain the JSON body. Copy and paste the JSON body into the API Connector, ensuring that the email and password fields are dynamic values (e.g., `[email]` and `[password]`). Don't forget to uncheck the "private" option.
5. Initialize the API Call: Use real values from your Xano database to initialize the API call. This will return the authentication token, which you should save.
6. Create a Workflow: On your login page in Bubble, create a workflow that triggers when the login button is clicked.
7. Call the Login Endpoint: In the workflow, use the Xano login action from the API Connector plugin. Set the email and password inputs to the values from the corresponding input fields on your login page.
8. Store the Authentication Token: After the login action, make changes to the current user in Bubble by creating a new field called "auth token" (or a name of your choice) of type text. Set the value of this field to the authentication token returned by the Xano login action.
9. Navigate to the Details Page: After storing the authentication token, navigate to the details page of your application using the "Go to Page" action in the workflow.

Separating User Data and Displaying a List View

1. Create a New API Call for User Data: In the API Connector, create a new API call for retrieving user data, such as a list of the user's favorite restaurants. Name it "my restaurants" and set the method to GET.
2. Copy the Endpoint URL: In Xano, locate the endpoint URL for querying user data (e.g., "Query All Restaurants" with a custom filter for the authenticated user's ID). Copy this URL.
3. Paste the Endpoint URL and Add Headers: In the API Connector, paste the copied endpoint URL and set the data source to use it as data.
4. Add Authentication Headers: To authenticate the request, add a header with the key "Authorization" and the value "Bearer [auth token]". Replace "[auth token]" with the dynamic value of the current user's auth token field created earlier.
5. Initialize the API Call: Copy a valid authentication token from Xano's debugger and paste it into the API Connector to initialize the call.
6. Create a Repeating Group: On your details page in Bubble, create a repeating group to display the list of user data (e.g., favorite restaurants).
7. Set the Data Source: In the repeating group's settings, set the type of content to the API call you created (e.g., "my restaurants"). Set the data source to use the external API and select the API provider you just configured.
8. Insert Dynamic Data: Within the repeating group, insert dynamic data from the API call to display the user's data (e.g., restaurant name, description, favorite dish).
9. Preview the Application: Preview your application in Bubble and test the authentication flow. Log in with different user credentials to verify that the list view displays only the data belonging to the authenticated user.

In the next part of this guide, we'll cover how to implement a detailed view for individual list items and add a logout feature to your application.

Benefits of Using Xano

Xano simplifies the process of building and deploying backend services, making it accessible to a wide range of users, including:

1. No-code enthusiasts: Entrepreneurs, designers, and business professionals with limited coding experience can build and launch applications quickly without relying on developers.
2. Citizen developers: Business users with some technical aptitude can create internal tools, automate workflows, or build department-specific applications using Xano.
3. Traditional developers: Experienced developers can prototype ideas quickly, offload backend development to focus on frontend and business logic, or collaborate with non-technical team members using Xano.
4. Startups and small businesses: Companies with limited resources or technical expertise can build and deploy applications faster and more cost-effectively than traditional development methods using Xano.

By following this step-by-step guide, you can leverage the power of Xano and Bubble to build robust web and mobile applications with seamless authentication, user data separation, and logout functionality, without writing a single line of code.