AI app builders redefine the application development experience by translating natural language into functional software, allowing businesses to create custom applications and websites without coding. These tools can be found as standalone platforms dedicated entirely to prompt-based app and website creation, or as significant features within broader low-code development solutions.
Businesses use AI app builders to empower their subject matter experts (SME) and citizen developers, allowing them to translate domain knowledge directly into functional applications. Providing users with a chat-like interface, these platforms can generate application user interface (UI), backend logic, and database schemas from plain-language descriptions. This application generation method, sometimes called “vibe coding," dramatically accelerates the creation of internal tools, websites, customer-facing software, and more.
Unlike AI coding assistants, which assist developers within a pro-code development environment, AI app builders deliver fully-functioning applications based solely on natural language prompts. Some no-code development platforms combine drag and drop application development with AI app builders’ prompt-to-app functionality, resulting in a comprehensive app building solution for non-developers.
To qualify for inclusion in the AI App Builder category, a product must:
Generate fully functioning applications and websites from natural language prompts
Connect to databases, web services, or APIs for robust data integration
Produce both frontend user interfaces and backend logic
Maintain application context, allowing for progressive enhancements and changes via subsequent prompts
