Do you want to build custom web applications on your WordPress website? Do it quickly and easily with the best WordPress custom application plugin.
Approximate read time: 6 minutes
Ever wish you could have one tool that could create almost anything?
Whether it's a job board or real estate listing on a website page. Or maybe a user directory, recipe database, or journal platform. But doing all of that would require decades of coding experience, hours of time, and a lot of money to afford all the plugins.
But it doesn’t have to.
You can do that with Formidable Forms WordPress Application Builder (Formidable Views). And you don't need any coding skills to do it.
If all that sounds good, let's explore how Formidable Views can help.
Introducing the best WordPress custom application plugin
Think of Views as an add-on to Formidable Forms.
It takes your form entries and helps you build entire web apps. So, depending on what you need, you can quickly create entire applications like real estate listing websites, user directories, or databases for a recipe website.
And while you don't have to be a developer to use it, the things you can do with a bit of code are incredible. That's where you can use the most advanced Views functionality and build custom applications that’ll blow your clients away.
So, how does it work exactly? Let's dive in!
What WordPress custom application can I build with Views?
Typically, forms are used to collect data.
From customers, website subscribers, prospects, and maybe even employees. But you can do so much more with online forms.
Formidable Views allows displaying form entries beautifully on your website pages. This is an oversimplification, to be honest. It doesn’t scratch the surface of what you can build using Views.
There are 5 different types of Views you can use with the custom application plugin, depending on your needs:
1. Design WordPress grid themes with Grid Views
The Grid View builder turns Formidable into a WordPress grid plugin.
It lets you display information in a grid-like layout. The display can be in text format (e.g., a job listing), image form (an art gallery), or a combination.
You can build these quickly using the grid builder and get a live preview to monitor your progress.
Additionally, the layout editor lets you choose the number of grid columns you want, and some settings let you style the View according to your preference.
The Grid View builder saves time and effort. It allows you to build and publish a business directory on a webpage quickly.
All you need is a Formidable form that contains the details you want to display and the Views add-on.
2. Build table-based WordPress custom applications with Table Views
A Table View gets your form submissions into a table in seconds.
They turn Formidable Views into a WordPress table plugin. Table Views work well for any information best displayed via a table layout, including pricing lists, employee profiles, internal reports, and job boards.
Like Grid Views, you only need form submissions to build this view. To start, you need to map the headings on your table to the entries in the form.
For example, if you want to create a job board like the one shown below, use a form with Job Title, Location, Type, and Categories as the entries.
Afterward, you only need to complete the form; Table Views will handle the rest.
Now, you can select the fields you’d like included in the table, which can be created instantly as a responsive Table View.
You can click Switch to a Classic View if you want complete HTML control to make changes after creating the table.
3. Create date-based custom applications with Calendar Views
You may need a custom calendar application for several reasons.
For example, an event calendar can be used as a timesheet and tool to track staff vacations. You may also use a booking calendar to collect and track customer appointments on your website.
A Calendar View lets you place entries directly into a calendar. So, the feature is ideal for any WordPress custom application that involves specific dates. You can display submissions by date, keep track of birthdays, and add special events to a calendar. And you can do all these quickly and easily.
4. Take full customization control with Classic Views
The Classic View is perfect for creating a view from scratch. So, this is your option if you're a developer or someone with some coding skills.
Want to build a grid list or table-style application but want full control over the customization? You can start quickly with a Grid View and then switch to Classic.
This option is perfect for developers and web designers who have worked with legacy Formidable Views and prefer HTML.
The Classic View can be used to build all the same WordPress custom applications as the Grid and Table Views. The major difference here is that you handle all the HTML yourself.
For example, you can create a book database, a business directory, and a menu list in your desired format.
5. Show different locations with Map Views
Have an event location to show? Or maybe you need to display multiple locations on a map?
Then Map Views is the perfect solution. It easily creates maps from form entries using the Address field.
But it doesn't stop there. You can add more data, such as the address information, name of a business or event, or any other information that would help users. Use this for real estate listings, store locations, or venues.
Leverage the advanced filtering options in Views
In the legacy Views, entries would show when they matched ALL of the filters. Unfortunately, this was limiting in many cases. This didn't meet the bar with our promises of limitless web apps.
Now, filtering is more flexible and functional with powerful groups of AND/OR conditions.
For example, with legacy Views, you can filter by saying, "User ID is equal to current_user." This means that only the person who created an entry can see it. Well, that's cool.
But what if you want that person AND an Editor to see the entry? You can set that up in seconds without adding any custom code.
Get started with Formidable Visual Views
Formidable Views is one-of-a-kind.
And there's no better way to meet your client's needs if you need a custom application. So, if you're ready to get started, grab this custom application plugin using the button below:
We can’t wait to see the form-based solutions you will build.
mariusfv says
Formidable PRO is one of the "must have" software / plugin for WordPress. The only thing that missing is "option to sell the created entries" (shop to sell stored entries). So, monetization is not possible only in bulk via an external membership plugin (to sell everything for one price).
srwells says
Thanks for the kind words and for the feedback suggestion! With all the power behind Formidable Forms, we sometimes have trouble drawing the line about what it should be able to do and what it shouldn't
I've added your membership/pay for entries suggestion to our list for future consideration.
Tim says
I'm curious how this stacks up against Toolset's Types/Views/Forms plugins which I've been using for years, and they are pretty amazing with great support... but they can be heavy, back-end UI can be slightly cumbersome, and they seem more focused on their block editor and a layout tools. Maybe Formidable can create a feature comparison chart to fully flesh out the differences and benefits. I, for one, would prefer using just one plugin with a great UI(which I think formidable provides) if it becomes available.
And just off the top of my head I know Formidable has things like Calendar views, calculations, and of course much better form fields/customizations, all of which are very hard to utilize with Toolset's products.
Basically I think Formidable can beat out Toolset head-to-head, but after being invested for so many years with Toolset I would need to be sure before making the move with mine and my client sites. Win me over! I'm sure there's many more like me out there.
Katja says
Hi Tim, yes there are more like you out here 🙂
I'm also curious what can be done and what can't. One obviously nice feature in Toolset is the easiness to create custom posts and fields. I don't see Formidable is doing that (or am I missing something so big?).
srwells says
Hi Tim,
Adding more content regarding how we stack up and compare to Toolset is on our list.
If you have specific questions, our support team is standing by and happy to help.
Michael Thomas says
Need to be able to modify the Add before / after content as well - i.e. Borders, colours etc as in the in the main body 😉
srwells says
We totally agree. This is on our radar for future releases...This is just version 1 of the new visual views. We have a lot planned to take these even further.
OSO Advance Modules says
Great post and so informative so thank you very much for sharing. custom application plugin ideas…
srwells says
Thanks! We are really proud of the plugin and all it can do.
zabre00 says
This was great post. It actually helped with the form I was trying to create.
srwells says
Thanks for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the post.