The first question that pops up whenever we demonstrate a cool new feature in Deluge is
Oops – Do I need to code ??
Most people want to create an entire application (even a complex one) interactively using the GUI. Doing it programatically is not the preferred option.
Zoho Creator does allow you build a data collection and viewing application like a Contact’s list without writing a single line of code. But if we are using Zoho creator for just creating trivial applications like these, then we are not utilizing its full potential. Users with such a requirement might even prefer to use an online spreadsheet like Zoho Sheet.
Zoho Creator is an application creator. You can create forms, configure default attributes for the fields and define relationship across forms interactively in the GUI mode. In addition, it also has a scripting language.
Though Zoho Creator could have had an interactive GUI (which will be done eventually), we have created a scripting language since
- Complex data manipulations actually become simpler when you think programatically.
- Deluge script is designed to be very easy and natural. It will be possible to understand the code even if a person looks at it for the first time.
To elaborate on it, let’s assume that a user wants to send a mail each time a form is submitted. It will definitely be very easy to do it if there are options to configure it in the GUI. And we do have plans for providing an interactive GUI for doing simple tasks like configuring a email. But if you wanted to create an application like a Library Manager (Read more about modifying data across forms – a usecase that involves rule evaluation and workflows), I am sure that it is not going to be very easy to understand it if it were presented graphically. Creating this application using an interactive GUI would have been tedious and even if it is done, the user interface is bound to be complex and later, it will be difficult to understand the logic involved in the created application.
Zoho Creator connects the graphical user interface with deluge scripting. The power of a usable GUI and a scripting language allows you to build powerful applications easily. It does have a slight learning curve but I think that it is worth the time spent.
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