Updated Jan 21, 2026

Real-Time Data Sync for No-Code Apps

Table of Contents

Real-time data sync is a game-changer for no-code apps, ensuring updates happen instantly across platforms. Whether tracking deliveries, collaborating in teams, or monitoring dashboards, this feature eliminates manual refreshes and keeps information current. Adalo simplifies this process with tools like External Collections and Custom Actions, connecting apps to databases like Airtable, Firebase, or Google Sheets. By automating data updates, businesses can save up to 15 hours weekly and reduce errors. Adalo’s infrastructure supports over 20 million daily requests, making it reliable for scaling apps. Setting up real-time sync typically takes 30–60 minutes, with options for direct connections, webhooks, or scheduled updates. For advanced needs, tools like DreamFactory enable API generation for legacy databases, while bidirectional sync ensures seamless integration. Adalo’s Professional plan ($52/month) unlocks these features, making it a robust choice for building responsive, efficient no-code apps.

Setting Up Real-Time Data Sync in Adalo

Adalo

Now that we’ve gone over how Adalo supports real-time sync, let’s dive into the setup process. To access features like External Collections and Custom Actions for real-time sync, you’ll need a Professional plan. The setup involves three main methods: connecting external collections directly, using webhooks for instant updates, and scheduling data refreshes through custom actions. Below, we’ll break down how to implement each one.

Connecting External Collections

External Collections let you link your app to databases like Airtable, Firebase, Google Sheets, or Xano via JSON REST APIs. These connections form the backbone of real-time sync. To set this up, you’ll need to configure five key endpoints: Get All Records, Get One Record, Create a Record, Update a Record, and Delete a Record, using a Bearer Token for authentication.

If you’re working with Airtable, keep in mind that Personal Access Tokens (PAT) replaced API keys starting in early 2024, so older tutorials using API keys are now outdated.

When setting up your endpoints, here are two important things to remember:

If the API returns an array (such as Airtable’s "records"), you’ll need to specify the Results Key so Adalo can map the data correctly.
Use the PATCH method for the Update endpoint instead of PUT. PATCH updates only specific fields, while PUT overwrites the entire record.

To ensure Adalo detects all fields properly, create a dummy record with complete data before testing. This is because Adalo only maps fields that already contain data during the initial test. Also, note that Adalo doesn’t support direct image file uploads through External Collections. Instead, store image URLs as text and map them to Image components in your app.

Endpoint Action	Recommended Method	URL Structure
Get All Records	GET	Base URL
Get One Record	GET	Base URL + /{id}
Create Record	POST	Base URL
Update Record	PATCH	Base URL + /{id}
Delete Record	DELETE	Base URL + /{id}

Keep Airtable’s rate limits in mind - 5 requests per second per base - and remember that it only returns up to 100 records per request. If your app needs to handle more data, you’ll need to set up pagination or use middleware to manage the flow.

For even faster updates, you can pair External Collections with webhooks.

Using Webhooks for Real-Time Updates

While External Collections pull data when a screen loads, webhooks allow external systems to push updates directly into your app. This is particularly useful for features like live notifications or collaborative tools.

To send data from Adalo to an external system, you can set up a Custom Action to send a request to a webhook URL provided by the service you’re integrating with. For receiving updates, middleware tools like Zapier or Make can act as bridges. For instance, if a record changes in Airtable, middleware can trigger a webhook that uses the Adalo API to create or update a record in your app’s database.

When working with webhooks, ensure you’re using the correct token in the "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" format for authentication. Also, standardize dates to the YYYY-MM-DD and ISO 8601 formats (e.g., 2022-07-04T02:00:00Z). Airtable’s rate limits still apply here - exceeding 5 requests per second will result in 429 "Too Many Requests" errors.

If your app requires periodic updates instead of instant ones, custom actions can help schedule data refreshes.

Scheduling Data Refreshes with Custom Actions

Adalo doesn’t have a built-in scheduler for automated actions, but you can create manual refresh options or use external tools for scheduled updates.

For manual refreshes, you can add a button to your app that’s configured with a Custom Action. This button can trigger a GET request to your external API, allowing users to fetch the latest data whenever they need it. For automated updates, you can configure a Custom Action to trigger a webhook using tools like Zapier or Make.

This method works well for periodic updates, such as refreshing inventory levels or updating dashboard metrics at specific times, like the start of a business day. While Zapier’s free plan can handle basic integrations, frequent automated updates may require a paid plan for higher task limits and faster processing speeds.

Advanced Techniques for Real-Time Data Integration

Integrating legacy databases without built-in APIs can be challenging, but there are effective ways to bridge the gap. Two standout techniques include generating APIs with DreamFactory and setting up bidirectional sync using webhooks. Let’s explore how to implement these advanced methods.

Using DreamFactory for API Generation

DreamFactory

DreamFactory is an open-core platform that simplifies API creation for over 20 database types, including MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, and Snowflake. This is particularly helpful for legacy systems that lack modern connectivity. Instead of overhauling your entire infrastructure, DreamFactory allows you to build an API layer on top of your existing database.

Here’s how to configure DreamFactory with Adalo:

Set up an External Collection in Adalo by entering your Base URL and API key.
Add a header named X-DreamFactory-API-Key with your API key value.
In the "Get All Records" endpoint, set the Results Key to resource to ensure Adalo parses the JSON correctly.

Before testing, make sure your database contains at least one fully populated record. Adalo uses pre-populated fields to map data to app components. Once connected, you can use Magic Text to bind fields like first_name or hire_date directly to your app’s interface.

Here’s an example: A mobile employee directory app was built using a MySQL database with 4 million records spread across six tables. DreamFactory generated the API, while the X-DreamFactory-API-Key header and resource Results Key ensured seamless JSON parsing.

Important Notes:

Adalo supports only numeric IDs for External Collections, so text-based IDs or UUIDs won’t work.
DreamFactory’s open-core features are free, but Adalo’s External Collections require at least a Professional plan ($52/month billed annually).

Feature	Requirement/Setting for DreamFactory in Adalo
Adalo Feature	External Collections
Authentication Header	`X-DreamFactory-API-Key`
Results Key	`resource`
Supported Databases	MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, Snowflake, etc.
Adalo Plan Required	Professional, Team, or Business

While API generation is crucial, achieving real-time sync often requires a two-way data flow.

Setting Up 2-Way Sync with Webhooks

External Collections let your app pull data from external systems, but true real-time integration demands bidirectional sync. This enables your app to send updates to external databases and receive changes automatically.

Outbound Sync: Configure the Create and Update endpoints using the PATCH method, which is ideal for partial updates.
Inbound Sync: Use a bridge like Zapier or Make to handle changes from external systems. When an external record is updated, a webhook triggers the bridge to use Adalo’s API for creating or updating records in your app.

To avoid formatting errors:

Use the YYYY-MM-DD format for dates.
Follow ISO 8601 for date-time values (e.g., 2022-07-04T02:00:00Z).

For better control, you can use Custom Actions instead of general database triggers. This allows you to tie sync events to specific user actions, such as button clicks or screen transitions.

While Zapier’s free plan can handle basic integrations, frequent updates often require a paid plan for higher task limits and faster execution.

Testing and Troubleshooting Real-Time Sync

Before rolling out your app to production, it's crucial to confirm that data flows seamlessly between Adalo and your external sources. Adalo's built-in preview tools can simplify this process.

Testing Sync in Adalo Preview Mode

Start by clicking the Run Test button in the External Collection setup modal. If the connection is successful, you’ll see a green indicator along with a preview of actual records from your source. This confirms that your API credentials and base URL are correctly configured.

Next, test all four CRUD operations - Create, Read, Update, and Delete - within Adalo's preview environment. For this to work, your external source must have at least one complete record with data in every column. Adalo only imports columns containing data, so empty fields won’t show up.

To test updates, modify a single field (e.g., change a name in Airtable) and refresh the Adalo preview. The updated data should appear within 5–10 seconds. If an update inadvertently clears other fields, switch to the PATCH method immediately.

For larger datasets, keep in mind that Airtable only returns up to 100 records per request. If your data exceeds this limit, you’ll need to implement pagination to handle the additional records.

Once testing is complete, move on to troubleshooting any potential sync issues.

Common Issues and Solutions

Sync problems often arise from data formatting errors, which can lead to 500 Internal Server Errors. To avoid these, ensure the following:

Numbers include only digits and decimal points (no symbols or letters).
Dates follow the format YYYY-MM-DD.
Date-time values use ISO 8601 (e.g., 2022-07-04T02:00:00Z).
Boolean fields are explicitly set to true or false (in lowercase).

Authentication issues are another common stumbling block. These may occur if the authorization header is missing the "Bearer " prefix or if outdated API keys are used instead of Personal Access Tokens. For Airtable integrations, ensure the Results Key is set to "records" exactly as required.

If your app freezes or slows down during multi-user testing, it could be due to 429 Too Many Requests errors. Airtable limits API requests to 5 per second per base. To avoid hitting this limit, reduce the frequency of API calls - filtered views in your external source can help minimize unnecessary requests.

Here’s a quick reference table for common errors and their fixes:

Error Code	Meaning	Recommended Solution
401 Unauthorized	Authentication failure	Add "Bearer " to your token or update your credentials.
404 Not Found	Incorrect URL	Double-check the base URL and table name; remove query parameters.
429 Too Many Requests	Rate limit exceeded	Use filtered views or lower the frequency of API calls.
500 Internal Server Error	Data formatting issue	Verify that date, number, and boolean formats meet Adalo's requirements.

Deploying Real-Time Sync for Production Apps

When deploying a production app, ensuring that your sync is scalable, performs efficiently, and stays responsive under pressure is key. Beyond that, continuous monitoring is essential to keep everything running smoothly.

Optimizing Sync for Scalability

For high-traffic apps, external databases like Xano or Firebase can handle the load more effectively. When updating data, it's a good idea to use PATCH requests to modify only the fields that have changed. This approach minimizes unnecessary data transfer.

If you're working with large datasets, pre-filtered views can make a big difference. For example, in Airtable, you could create views like "Low Stock Items" or "Featured Products" to transfer only the most relevant records. This strategy not only reduces latency but also helps you stay within Airtable's API rate limits, which cap requests at 5 per second per base.

Another way to keep your app efficient is by adjusting fetch intervals. Instead of syncing data continuously in the background, you can use Custom Actions with Webhooks to trigger syncs only when specific user actions occur - like clicking a "Refresh" button. This targeted approach conserves resources and ensures the app responds when it matters most.

Once your sync is optimized, the next step is to focus on ongoing monitoring and maintenance.

Monitoring and Maintaining Sync After Launch

After your app goes live, keeping an eye on API rate limits, caching strategies, and schema changes is crucial. Exceeding API limits can lead to slowdowns or even sync failures. To avoid this, consider caching data that’s frequently accessed but rarely updated. For instance, you can store such data in Adalo’s internal database and sync it periodically instead of refreshing it with every screen load.

Be prepared for external schema changes, like adding a new column in Airtable. When this happens, manually re-run the connection test in Adalo’s External Collection setup to ensure the new fields are recognized and your sync remains uninterrupted.

Security is another critical aspect. Regularly update your Personal Access Tokens (PATs) and ensure they only have the permissions necessary, such as data.records:read and data.records:write. Always keep tokens secure - don’t expose them in public repositories or within client-side code.

Finally, consider the impact of server locations on performance for international users. Latency can vary across regions, so monitor performance globally. Optimize elements like image sizes and on-screen logic to ensure your app loads quickly, no matter where users are located.

FAQs

What are the benefits of using real-time data synchronization in no-code apps?

Real-time data synchronization ensures that no-code apps automatically display updates as they occur, eliminating the need for users to refresh the page. This keeps the app current at all times, enhancing how users interact with it.

With automated data updates, real-time sync boosts app responsiveness and performance. This feature is particularly useful for apps that depend on live data, like messaging platforms, dashboards, or collaborative tools.

How do I set up real-time data synchronization in Adalo?

To set up real-time data synchronization in Adalo, start by heading to the Database tab. Here, you can create a collection to store the data you want to sync, whether it's user inputs, messages, or other app data. If your data comes from an external source, navigate to the Integrations tab and add an external collection. You'll need to input the API details, such as endpoints and authentication keys, to establish the connection.

Once your data source is set, use triggers to make sure your app updates instantly whenever the data changes. This could involve actions like updating collections, making external API calls, or integrating automation tools like Zapier. For more advanced scenarios, Adalo’s API allows you to programmatically read and write data, ensuring seamless real-time updates across your app.

By combining these tools and techniques, you can keep your app’s data synchronized and always current with minimal effort.

What should I do if real-time data sync isn’t working in my no-code app?

If your real-time data synchronization isn’t behaving as it should, the first step is to double-check your data source and API integrations. Ensure that API endpoints, headers, and authentication keys are set up correctly - misconfigurations here are a common cause of sync issues. Also, confirm that your collections and external data sources are properly linked, and verify that field mappings match to prevent any mismatches.

When updates fail to show up in real-time, take a closer look at API responses and network requests to confirm that data is being sent and received as expected. If you’re dealing with large datasets, don’t forget to address pagination, as incomplete data loads can disrupt the process. It’s also worth reviewing your app’s logic for triggering updates - whether through actions or automation tools - to ensure everything is functioning smoothly. Regular testing and monitoring can go a long way in spotting and fixing problems before they escalate.