Master Custom States: The Secret to Cleaner Bubble Apps
If you're building complex dashboards or multi-section interfaces in Bubble, you've probably found yourself creating multiple workflows just to show and hide different visual elements. What if we told you there's a way to replace dozens of workflow actions with just one? Enter Custom States - the game-changing feature that separates beginner Bubble developers from advanced no-code builders.
Why Most Bubble Developers Overcomplicate Show/Hide Logic
The traditional approach to showing and hiding elements involves creating separate workflows for each menu item or section. For a simple dashboard with three sections (Dashboard, Contacts, Messages), you'd typically need:
• Three separate workflows (one for each menu item)
• Multiple show/hide actions per workflow
• Extensive conditional logic scattered throughout your app
This approach becomes unwieldy fast. Imagine scaling this to 10 or 20 different sections - you'd end up with workflow chaos that's impossible to maintain.
The Custom States Revolution: From Complex to Simple
Custom States in Bubble allow you to store temporary information that can control the visibility of multiple elements simultaneously. Instead of managing individual show/hide actions, you set one state value that determines which section appears.
Here's where most developers make their first mistake: using text-based Custom States. While functional, text states are prone to typos and inconsistencies. A single misspelled word breaks your entire navigation system.
Option Sets: The Professional Developer's Choice
The real power comes from combining Custom States with Option Sets. This approach eliminates typos entirely because Bubble only allows predefined values. Your navigation becomes bulletproof, and adding new sections requires zero additional workflows.
When you structure your Custom States with Option Sets, Bubble's intelligent system automatically updates existing conditionals when you modify the option set structure. This means less maintenance and fewer bugs as your app grows.
The Ultimate Efficiency: Repeating Groups + Custom States
The most advanced technique combines Custom States with repeating groups to create truly scalable navigation systems. This approach reduces your entire navigation system to a single workflow action, regardless of how many menu items you have.
This method allows you to add new sections by simply updating your Option Set - no new workflows required. Your app becomes infinitely scalable without the complexity typically associated with dynamic interfaces.
Essential Setup Tips for Custom States
Remember to set "Collapse when hidden" on your groups to prevent invisible elements from taking up space. This small detail makes the difference between amateur and professional-looking interfaces.
Setting default values for your Custom States eliminates the need for "on page load" workflows, making your app faster and more efficient from the moment users arrive.
Why This Technique Separates Advanced Bubble Developers
Understanding Custom States deeply transforms how you approach Bubble development. It's the difference between building apps that work and building apps that scale efficiently. This knowledge becomes crucial when building complex SaaS applications, marketplaces, or any app with dynamic content sections.
Master this technique, and you'll find yourself solving interface challenges that stump other developers. Your apps will be cleaner, faster, and infinitely more maintainable.