How to set up a user following system in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a User Following System in Bubble.io

 

Developing a user following system in Bubble.io involves building the necessary information architecture, implementing workflows, and designing UI elements to allow users to follow and unfollow each other. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step approach to creating a user following system using Bubble.io.

 

Prerequisites

 

• A Bubble.io account with a project already created.
• Basic understanding of Bubble.io’s database structure, workflows, and UI elements.
• A bare-bones understanding of custom states and conditional statements in Bubble.io.

 

Designing the Database Structure

 

• Open your Bubble.io project and navigate to the "Data" tab.
• Create a new field in the “User” data type:
• Followers - a list of Users. This field will store the users who are following this user.
• Following - a list of Users. This field will store the users whom this user is following.
• Ensure these fields are set to hold a list so multiple entries can be stored.

 

Setting Up the User Interface

 

• Design a "User Profile" page where users can view other users' profiles.
• Add a button or an icon that represents the "Follow" or "Unfollow" action beside each user profile.
• This button will change its text dynamically (Follow/Unfollow), which you will set up in workflows.

 

Implementing Following/Unfollowing Workflow

 

Following a User

• Go to the Workflow tab and create a new workflow for the "Follow" button.
• Set the triggering event to "When Follow Button is clicked".
• Add an action: "Make changes to a thing".
• Select the “User” with whom the current user wants to interact.
• Change the "Followers" field:
• Add the Current User to the chosen user's list of followers.
• Similarly, make changes to the Current User:
• Add the selected User to the list of Following users of the current user.

 

Unfollowing a User

• Create another workflow for the "Unfollow" button.
• Set the triggering event to "When Unfollow Button is clicked".
• Add an action: "Make changes to a thing".
• Select the followed “User”.
• Change the "Followers" field:
• Remove the Current User from the selected user's list of followers.
• Similarly, make changes to the Current User:
• Remove the selected User from the list of Following users of the current user.

 

Updating UI Dynamically

 

• Set up conditional statements for the Follow/Unfollow button to dynamically change its text:
  • If the Current User's "Following" list contains Profile User, the button text should display "Unfollow".
  • Otherwise, display "Follow".
• Use Bubble.io’s conditionals:
• Click the Follow/Unfollow button and navigate to the properties editor.
• Under “Conditional Formatting”, set the condition based on the User's follow status and configure the button’s text accordingly.

 

Testing the Following Functionality

 

• Test the user following system by previewing your application.
• Ensure that following and unfollowing users updates their respective followers and following lists correctly.
• Check that the UI of the Follow/Unfollow button changes dynamically based on whether a user is being followed or not.

 

Optimizing and Deploying Your Bubble.io Application

 

• Conduct thorough testing across different user accounts to ensure smooth operation of the following functionality.
• Optimize the app’s speed by regularly checking data workflows and database constraints.
• Launch your app, allowing users to interact with the follow system in a live environment.

 

By following these steps, you can successfully set up a user following system in your Bubble.io application. This system provides a robust way to enhance user engagement and community building within your app by allowing users to connect with each other.