Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Goodreads Clone with Adalo

Building a book tracking and review app like Goodreads doesn't require coding skills. With Adalo's no-code platform, you can create a functional reading app with personal bookshelves, ratings, reviews, and social features. The low-code market forecast shows strong growth, and many no-code users do not have formal programming backgrounds—proving anyone can build apps today.

This tutorial will guide you through creating a Goodreads-style app with book collections, star ratings, user reviews, reading progress tracking, and social discovery features. You'll learn how to structure your database, integrate book data, and publish to mobile and web platforms.

Why Use a No-Code App Builder to Create a Goodreads Clone

Independent surveys put simple mobile apps at roughly $24,830–$59,150 worldwide—and about $38,200–$91,000 in the U.S.; mid-complex builds commonly run $55,550–$131,000. Clutch’s marketplace data shows average reviewed app projects around $90,780. No-code tools like Adalo let you build UIs and data models via drag-and-drop—‘without writing a single line of code’—reducing the need for custom development.

The approach offers several advantages for building book tracking apps:

• Rapid prototyping: Test your idea with real users in weeks instead of months
• Built-in database: Manage complex relationships between users, books, and reviews without SQL knowledge
• Visual development: See exactly how your app looks as you build it
• Cross-platform deployment: Publish to iOS, Android, and web from one codebase
• Cost efficiency: Subscription plans starting at $36/month versus developer salaries

No-code platforms significantly reduce development time compared to traditional coding, making them ideal for entrepreneurs validating book app concepts or communities launching reading platforms for their members.

Traditional Development vs. No-Code Approach

Traditional development requires separate teams for iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin), backend (Node.js/Python), and database management. Each change requires updating multiple codebases, testing across platforms, and coordinating between developers.

No-code development consolidates these into one visual builder. You design screens, connect data, and configure logic through dropdown menus and drag-and-drop actions. Changes update across all platforms simultaneously, and testing happens in real-time as you build.

Time and Cost Savings with No-Code Platforms

A basic book app with traditional development typically requires:

• 2-3 months for database architecture and API development
• 2-3 months for iOS app development
• 2-3 months for Android app development
• 1-2 months for testing and bug fixes
• Total: 7-11 months and $50,000-$150,000

With no-code development using Adalo:

• 1-3 days for database planning
• 1-2 weeks for core book tracking features
• 1-2 weeks for social and discovery features
• 3-5 days for testing and refinement
• Total: 3-5 weeks and $200-$500

Planning Your Goodreads Clone: Core Features and Database Structure

Start by defining your essential features:

Personal Library Management:

• Add books to custom shelves (Want to Read, Currently Reading, Read)
• Track reading progress with page numbers or percentages
• Set annual reading goals
• Record start and finish dates

Rating and Review System:

• Submit star ratings (1-5 stars)
• Write text reviews with optional spoiler warnings
• Edit or delete your reviews
• See average ratings across all users

Social Features:

• Follow other readers
• View friend activity feeds
• See what friends are currently reading
• Get book recommendations based on your ratings

Discovery and Search:

• Browse books by genre, author, or publication year
• Search by title, author, or ISBN
• Filter by rating or popularity
• Explore trending and highly-rated books

Essential Collections: Users, Books, and Reviews

Your database needs four core collections (Adalo's term for data tables):

1. Users: Stores reader profiles, preferences, and account information
2. Books: Contains book metadata including titles, authors, covers, and descriptions
3. Reviews: Links users to books with ratings and review text
4. Shelves: Enables many-to-many relationships between users and books

Additional collections enhance functionality:

5. Friendships: Manages follower relationships between users
6. Activity: Tracks user actions for social feeds
7. Genres: Categorizes books for filtering and recommendations

Defining Relationships Between Data Tables

Proper database relationships are critical for book tracking apps. Here's how collections connect:

• Users → Reviews: One-to-Many (one user writes many reviews)
• Books → Reviews: One-to-Many (one book receives many reviews)
• Users → Shelves: Many-to-Many (users have multiple shelves, shelves contain multiple books)
• Books → Shelves: Many-to-Many (books appear on multiple users' shelves)
• Users → Friendships: Many-to-Many (users follow many users, users have many followers)

These relationships enable complex queries like "show all books on my Currently Reading shelf" or "display reviews written by people I follow."

Setting Up Rating and Review Properties

Reviews combine quantitative (star ratings) and qualitative (text) data. Your Reviews collection needs:

• Rating Value: Number field (1-5) for star rating
• Review Text: Long text field for written review
• Spoiler Warning: Boolean field (true/false)
• Helpful Count: Number field tracking how many users found it helpful
• Created Date: Timestamp for sorting newest reviews first
• Last Updated: Timestamp for showing edited reviews

Calculate average ratings using custom formulas that sum all rating values and divide by total reviews.

Setting Up Your Adalo Account and Choosing the Right Plan

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account

1. Visit Adalo.com and click "Get Started Free"
2. Enter your email and create a password
3. Verify your email address
4. Complete the onboarding survey (optional)
5. You'll land on the Adalo dashboard

Step 2: Choose Your App Type

1. Click "Create New App"
2. Select "Mobile App" for native iOS/Android publishing
   
   • Choose this if you want app store presence
   • Better for reading apps with offline access goals
3. Or select "Responsive Web App" for web-based platform
   
   • Choose this for desktop reading experience
   • Faster initial launch without app store approval
4. Name your app (e.g., "BookTracker" or "ReadWithFriends")

Recommendation: Start with mobile app for better reading experience, as book tracking apps see higher engagement on mobile devices.

Step 3: Select Your Starting Point

1. Choose "Start from Scratch" (no book app templates available)
2. Set your brand colors:
   
   • Primary color for headers and navigation (e.g., warm brown for literary feel)
   • Secondary color for buttons and CTAs (e.g., accent gold or teal)
   • Background color (typically white or off-white for readability)
3. Select typography:
   
   • Choose serif fonts for classic literary aesthetic
   • Or sans-serif for modern, clean interface
4. Click "Continue" to enter the app builder

Free Plan Capabilities for Testing Your Clone

Adalo's free tier includes limited records for testing, allowing you to prototype your book app before committing to a paid plan. Check current Adalo pricing for exact record limits and features.

This free plan works perfectly for building and testing your book app concept with early users.

When to Upgrade: Starter vs. Professional Plans

Upgrade to a paid plan when you're ready to launch publicly. Check current Adalo pricing for exact limits and features:

Starter Plan:

• 1 published app with custom domain
• Limited records (verify current limits)
• Remove "Made with Adalo" branding
• Custom domain for web app
• Suitable for: Community reading groups or niche book clubs

Professional Plan:

• Multiple published apps
• Increased record limits
• Multiple collaborator seats
• Priority support
• Suitable for: Growing book communities

Team Plan:

• Higher record limits
• More editor seats
• Xano integration available
• Suitable for: Serious book platform businesses

Creating the User Authentication and Profile System

Step 4: Build the Welcome Screen

1. The default screen is named "Home" - rename it to "Welcome"
2. Click the screen title and type "Welcome"
3. Delete the default "Hello" text component
4. Add your app branding:
   
   • Click "+" button to add components
   • Select Image component
   • Upload your app logo (drag and drop or click to browse)
   • Resize to appropriate size (recommended: 200x200px)
5. Add tagline text:
   
   • Add Text component
   • Type: "Track your reading journey"
   • Style as subtitle (18-20pt, centered)
6. Add call-to-action buttons:
   
   • Add Button component
   • Text: "Sign Up"
   • Link to: Create new screen → "Sign Up"
   • Add second Button
   • Text: "Log In"
   • Link to: Create new screen → "Login"

Step 5: Create the Sign Up Screen

1. Click "Sign Up" screen to open it
2. Add Form component:
   
   • In left sidebar, find Forms section
   • Drag Sign Up Form onto canvas
   • This automatically connects to the Users collection
3. Configure form fields:
   
   • Email (required, built-in)
   • Password (required, built-in, automatically encrypted)
   • Full Name (add custom field)
   • Username (add custom field - make unique)
   • Profile Photo (add image picker - optional)
4. Add bio field:
   
   • Click "+ Add Field"
   • Select "Text Input"
   • Label: "About You"
   • Connect to: Users → Bio (you'll create this property)
   • Multiline: Enabled
5. Configure submit button:
   
   • Text: "Create Account"
   • On Submit Action: Link to "Home Feed" screen
   • Also: "Show Notification" → "Welcome to [Your App Name]!"

Step 6: Enhance the Users Collection

1. Click Database icon (cylinder icon in left sidebar)
2. Select "Users" collection (automatically created)
3. Add these properties by clicking "+ Add Property":

Basic Profile:

• Bio (Text, multiline)
• Username (Text, make unique)
• Profile Photo (Image)
• Location (Text)
• Join Date (Date & Time, set to automatic)

Reading Stats:

• Books Read Count (Number, default: 0)
• Currently Reading Count (Number, default: 0)
• Reading Goal (Number - annual goal)
• Favorite Genres (Text)

Social:

• Followers Count (Number, default: 0)
• Following Count (Number, default: 0)
• Privacy Setting (Text: "Public" or "Private")

Building Sign-Up and Login Screens

The sign-up form automatically handles password encryption and email validation. Add additional onboarding steps for better user experience:

After account creation:

1. Navigate to "Set Reading Goal" screen
2. Show welcome message with app features
3. Prompt to follow suggested readers
4. Navigate to main feed

For returning users:

1. Create "Login" screen
2. Add Login Form component
3. Include "Forgot Password?" link
4. On success: Navigate to "Home Feed"
5. On error: Display message "Invalid email or password"

Designing User Profile Pages with Reading Lists

1. Create "User Profile" screen
2. Add profile header:
   
   • Image: Connected to Users → Profile Photo
   • Text: Connected to Users → Full Name
   • Text: Connected to Users → Username
   • Text: Connected to Users → Bio
3. Add stats section:
   
   • Text: "Books Read: [Books Read Count]"
   • Text: "Currently Reading: [Currently Reading Count]"
   • Text: "Reading Goal: [Reading Goal]"
4. Add reading shelves:
   
   • Tab component with three tabs:
     
     • "Want to Read"
     • "Currently Reading"
     • "Read"
   • Each tab shows List of books from that shelf
5. Add Button: "Edit Profile" (visible only when viewing own profile)

Managing User Sessions and Security

Adalo handles authentication security automatically using secure practices and HTTPS encryption. Implement proper database rules and screen-level permissions to restrict user data access.

Add these security features:

1. Privacy controls: Let users set profiles to public or private
2. Block users: Create Blocked Users collection for hiding unwanted interactions
3. Report system: Add "Report User" button that creates moderation records
4. Email verification: Require verified email before full access (check current plan features)

Building the Book Library and Search Functionality

Step 7: Create the Books Collection

1. Go to Database
2. Click "+ Add Collection"
3. Name it "Books"
4. Add these properties:

Basic Info:

• Title (Text)
• Author (Text)
• ISBN (Text, make unique)
• Cover Image (Image)
• Publication Year (Number)
• Page Count (Number)
• Description (Text, multiline)

Categorization:

• Genre (Text or relationship to Genres collection)
• Publisher (Text)
• Language (Text, default: "English")
• Format (Text: "Hardcover", "Paperback", "Ebook", "Audiobook")

Engagement Metrics:

• Average Rating (Number, calculated)
• Total Ratings (Number, default: 0)
• Total Reviews (Number, default: 0)
• Times Added (Number - how many users have it)

External IDs:

• Google Books ID (Text - for API integration)
• Goodreads ID (Text - for data import)

Step 8: Create the Browse Books Screen

1. Create new screen "Browse Books"
2. Add search bar:
   
   • Add Search component at top
   • Connect to: Books collection
   • Search in: Title, Author fields
   • Placeholder: "Search books by title or author..."
3. Add filter options:
   
   • Add Dropdown for Genre filter
   • Add Dropdown for Format filter
   • Add Dropdown for Sort By:
     
     • "Highest Rated"
     • "Most Popular"
     • "Recently Added"
     • "Alphabetical"
4. Add book grid:
   
   • Add List component
   • Display as: Grid (2 columns on mobile, 4-5 on web)
   • Connect to: Books collection
   • Apply filters from search and dropdowns
   • Sort by: Selected sort option

Creating the Book Browse and List Screens

For each book in the list, display:

1. Image: Book → Cover Image
   
   • Size: Portrait aspect ratio (2:3)
   • Add placeholder image for books without covers
2. Text: Book → Title
   
   • Font size: 14pt
   • Max lines: 2 (truncate with "...")
3. Text: Book → Author
   
   • Font size: 12pt
   • Color: Gray
4. Rating display:
   
   • Add Star Rating component (display-only mode)
   • Connect to: Book → Average Rating
   • Add Text: "(X ratings)"
5. Click action:
   
   • Link to: "Book Detail" screen
   • Pass data: Current Book

Implementing Search and Filter Features

Adalo's search component provides basic text matching. Enhance it with filters:

Genre Filter:

If Genre Dropdown ≠ "All Genres"

Filter Books where Genre = Selected Genre

Rating Filter:

If Minimum Rating ≠ 0

Filter Books where Average Rating ≥ Minimum Rating

Combined Filters:

All Books

  Where Title contains Search Text

  OR Author contains Search Text

  AND Genre = Selected Genre (if not "All")

  AND Average Rating ≥ Minimum Rating

  Sort by: Sort Option

Performance Tip: With large book databases (10,000+ books), use pagination. Add "Load More" button that displays 20 books at a time instead of loading all books at once.

Designing Individual Book Detail Pages

1. Create "Book Detail" screen
2. Add book header:
   
   • Image: Current Book → Cover Image (larger size)
   • Text: Current Book → Title (24pt, bold)
   • Text: Current Book → Author (18pt)
   • Text: "Published by [Publisher] in [Year]"
3. Add rating summary:
   
   • Star Rating display (read-only)
   • Text: "[Average Rating] average from [Total Ratings] ratings"
4. Add description:
   
   • Text: Current Book → Description
   • Expandable if longer than 200 characters
5. Add metadata section:
   
   • ISBN, Page Count, Language, Format
   • Genre tags (clickable to filter by genre)
6. Add action buttons:
   
   • "Add to Shelf" → Open shelf selector modal
   • "Rate & Review" → Navigate to review submission
   • "Share" → System share sheet

Implementing the Rating and Review System

Step 9: Create the Reviews Collection

1. Go to Database
2. Click "+ Add Collection"
3. Name it "Reviews"
4. Add properties:

Core Data:

• Rating (Number, 1-5)
• Review Text (Text, multiline, optional)
• Contains Spoilers (True/False)
• Helpful Count (Number, default: 0)
• Created Date (Date & Time, automatic)
• Last Edited (Date & Time)

Relationships:

• Reviewer (Relationship to Users)
• Book (Relationship to Books)

5. Set up relationships:
   
   • In Reviews collection: Add "Reviewer" → Many Reviews to One User
   • In Reviews collection: Add "Book" → Many Reviews to One Book

Step 10: Build the Review Submission Screen

1. Create "Write Review" screen
2. Add book context:
   
   • Image: Current Book → Cover
   • Text: "Rate and review [Book Title]"
3. Add rating input:
   
   • Install Star Rating component from marketplace if not already installed
   • Set to: Input mode (editable)
   • Connect to: New Review → Rating
   • Required: Yes
4. Add review form:
   
   • Text Input (multiline)
   • Placeholder: "What did you think? (optional)"
   • Connect to: New Review → Review Text
   • Character limit: 5,000 (prevents abuse)
5. Add spoiler checkbox:
   
   • Checkbox component
   • Label: "This review contains spoilers"
   • Connect to: New Review → Contains Spoilers
6. Add submit button:
   
   • Text: "Publish Review"
   • Actions:
     
     • Create Review record
     • Update Book → Total Reviews (+1)
     • Update Book → Average Rating (recalculate)
     • Navigate back to Book Detail
     • Show notification: "Review published!"

Adding Star Rating Components

The star rating component works in two modes:

Display Mode (showing existing ratings):

• Set Type: Display Only
• Connect to: Book → Average Rating or Review → Rating
• Color: Gold (#FFD700)
• Size: Medium or Large

Input Mode (collecting new ratings):

• Set Type: Input
• Connect to: Form field for new review
• Required: Yes (users must rate to submit)
• Default: 0 stars (nothing selected)
• On Change: Update connected field

Creating Review Submission Forms

The complete review submission form should:

1. Prevent duplicate reviews:

• Check if logged-in user already reviewed this book
• If yes: Show "Edit Your Review" instead
• If no: Show "Write Review" form

2. Validate input:

• Require rating (1-5 stars)
• Optional text (allow rating-only reviews)
• Limit text to 5,000 characters

3. Handle submission:

Create new Review:

  Reviewer = Logged In User

  Book = Current Book

  Rating = Star Rating Input Value

  Review Text = Text Input Value

  Contains Spoilers = Checkbox Value

  Created Date = Now

Update Current Book:

  Total Reviews = Total Reviews + 1

4. Update UI immediately:

• Navigate back to book detail
• Show new review in review list
• Display success message

Calculating and Displaying Average Ratings

Average rating requires a formula that recalculates when new reviews are added:

Method 1: Custom Action (Recommended)

Create a custom action triggered after review submission:

When Review is Created:

  1. Count all Reviews for this Book

  2. Sum all Rating values for this Book

  3. Calculate: Average = Sum ÷ Count

  4. Update Book → Average Rating = Average

  5. Update Book → Total Ratings = Count

Method 2: Formula Field

In Books collection, add calculated property:

• Property type: Formula
• Formula: SUM(Reviews > Rating) / COUNT(Reviews)
• Updates automatically when reviews change

Display the rating:

On book detail and browse screens:

• Star Rating component (display mode)
• Text: "4.2 out of 5 stars"
• Text: "Based on 127 ratings"

Filter by rating:

In browse screen, add minimum rating filter:

Show only Books where Average Rating ≥ Selected Minimum

Options: 4+ stars, 3+ stars, 2+ stars

Prominent rating displays help users make informed choices about which books to read.

Adding Personal Bookshelves and Reading Lists

Step 11: Create the User_Books Collection

Personal bookshelves require a many-to-many relationship: users have many books, and books belong to many users. Create a junction collection:

1. Go to Database
2. Click "+ Add Collection"
3. Name it "User_Books" (or "Reading_List")
4. Add properties:

Relationships:

• User (Relationship to Users)
• Book (Relationship to Books)

Shelf Information:

• Shelf (Text with options):
  
  • "Want to Read"
  • "Currently Reading"
  • "Read"
  • "Did Not Finish"
  • Or allow custom shelf names
• Date Added (Date & Time, automatic)
• Date Started (Date & Time, optional)
• Date Finished (Date & Time, optional)

Reading Progress:

• Current Page (Number)
• Progress Percentage (Number, calculated)
• Personal Rating (Number, 1-5)
• Private Notes (Text, multiline - visible only to user)
• Favorite (True/False)

Step 12: Build the Shelf Selector

1. Create a modal or new screen "Add to Shelf"
2. Display book context:
   
   • Image: Current Book → Cover
   • Text: Current Book → Title
3. Add shelf options:
   
   • List of shelf options (Want to Read, Currently Reading, Read)
   • For each option, add Button:
     
     • Text: Shelf name
     • Icon: Checkmark if book already on this shelf
     • Action on click:
       
       • If not on shelf: Create User_Books record
       • If already on shelf: Update existing record
       • Navigate back

Better UX approach - Use buttons with conditional styling:

For each shelf:

Button: "Want to Read"

  Background color: 

    If User_Books exists where User = Logged In User 

    AND Book = Current Book AND Shelf = "Want to Read"

      Then: Green (indicating selected)

      Else: Gray (indicating not selected)

  Action:

    If already on this shelf:

      Delete User_Books record

    Else:

      Create User_Books record:

        User = Logged In User

        Book = Current Book

        Shelf = "Want to Read"

        Date Added = Now

Setting Up Default Shelves (Want to Read, Currently Reading, Read)

Implement the three standard Goodreads shelves:

Want to Read:

• Books the user plans to read
• No start date or progress tracking
• Shows in "Up Next" list
• Action: Move to "Currently Reading" when started

Currently Reading:

• Books actively being read
• Track current page and progress percentage
• Optional: Set reading speed goal
• Shows start date
• Action: Update progress or mark as finished

Read:

• Completed books
• Shows finish date
• Prompts for rating/review if not yet submitted
• Enables annual reading goal tracking
• Action: Re-read (move back to Currently Reading)

Creating Custom User Bookshelves

Allow users to create custom shelves beyond the defaults:

1. Create "My Shelves" screen
2. Add List showing user's custom shelves:
   
   • Display: Shelf name
   • Display: Book count on shelf
   • Click: View books on this shelf
3. Add Button: "Create New Shelf"
   
   • Opens modal with text input
   • Action: Create new shelf option for this user
   • Example shelves: "Favorites", "Book Club Picks", "To Buy", "Reference"

Implementation: Store custom shelf names in a Shelves collection with a relationship to Users, allowing each user to have personalized organization.

Managing Books Across Multiple Lists

Users should be able to add books to multiple custom shelves simultaneously (e.g., a book can be both "Read" and "Favorites"):

Database structure:

User_Books collection allows multiple records per book/user combination

  - Record 1: Book A, User 1, Shelf = "Read"

  - Record 2: Book A, User 1, Shelf = "Favorites"

  - Record 3: Book A, User 1, Shelf = "Book Club Picks"

Display on book detail:

List of Current User's shelves containing this book:

  ✓ Read

  ✓ Favorites

  ✓ Book Club Picks

  + Add to another shelf

Smart shelf management:

• Only one "reading status" shelf allowed (Want to Read, Currently Reading, Read, DNF)
• Unlimited custom category shelves
• Moving between reading statuses automatically removes from previous status
• Removing from all shelves deletes all User_Books records

Designing Responsive Layouts for Mobile and Web

Step 13: Configure Responsive Design Settings

Adalo's responsive design ensures your app works across devices. Configure each screen:

1. Click screen settings (gear icon)
2. Set Max Width for web viewing:
   
   • Recommended: 1200px (prevents ultra-wide displays)
   • Content centers on larger screens
3. Set Minimum Width:
   
   • Recommended: 320px (iPhone SE compatibility)
4. Enable Responsive Mode toggle

Optimizing for Mobile Devices

Mobile-first design principles for book apps:

Navigation:

• Use bottom tab bar for main sections (Home, Search, Library, Profile)
• Limit to 4-5 primary tabs
• Use hamburger menu for secondary functions
• Keep tap targets minimum 44x44px for easy tapping

Book Covers:

• Display as grid: 2 columns on mobile, 4-6 on tablet
• Maintain 2:3 aspect ratio (standard book cover)
• Use high-quality images (minimum 300px width)
• Implement lazy loading for smooth scrolling

Reading Lists:

• Use swipe gestures for shelf switching
• Implement pull-to-refresh for activity feeds
• Add floating action button (FAB) for quick book addition
• Enable infinite scroll rather than pagination

Forms:

• Use large, tappable input fields
• Auto-capitalize names and titles
• Show keyboard type appropriate for input (email keyboard for email)
• Provide clear error messages below fields

Creating Web-Responsive Book Grids

For web viewing, optimize layouts for wider screens:

Browse/Search screens:

Mobile (< 768px): 2 columns

Tablet (768-1024px): 3-4 columns  

Desktop (> 1024px): 5-6 columns

Use Adalo's responsive column settings:

1. Select the List component
2. Set Columns: Custom
3. Configure breakpoints:
   
   • Mobile: 2
   • Tablet: 4
   • Desktop: 6

Book detail screens:

On desktop, use two-column layout:

• Left column (40%): Book cover, metadata, action buttons
• Right column (60%): Description, reviews, related books

On mobile, stack vertically:

• Cover image (full width)
• Metadata below
• Description
• Reviews

Testing Across Platforms

Test your app on multiple devices and screen sizes:

Preview Tools:

1. Use Adalo's built-in previewer (top right)
2. Select device type: iPhone, Android, or Web
3. Switch between devices to see layout changes
4. Test all user flows on each device type

Physical Testing:

1. Download Adalo preview app on iOS/Android
2. Scan QR code to load your app
3. Test on actual devices:
   
   • Small phone (iPhone SE, older Android)
   • Standard phone (iPhone 13/14, Galaxy S series)
   • Tablet (iPad, Android tablet)
   • Desktop browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox)

Common issues to check:

• Text readability at different sizes
• Touch targets large enough on mobile
• Images loading properly
• Forms usable on small screens
• Navigation accessible on all devices

Integrating External Book Data with APIs

Step 14: Set Up Google Books API

Rather than manually entering thousands of books, integrate with Google Books API for automatic metadata:

1. Go to Google Cloud Console
2. Create new project
3. Enable "Books API"
4. Generate API key (credentials section)
5. Copy API key for use in Adalo

API capabilities:

• Search a vast catalog of books
• Retrieve cover images, descriptions, ISBNs
• Get author information and publication details
• Access user reviews and ratings (if available)
• Fetch preview pages and table of contents

Connecting to Google Books API for Book Metadata

In Adalo, use Custom Actions (available on paid plans) to fetch book data:

1. Create "Add Book by ISBN" screen
2. Add Text Input for ISBN entry
3. Add Button: "Search Book"
4. Configure button actions:
   
   • Custom Action: Make API Call
   • Method: GET
   • URL: https://www.googleapis.com/books/v1/volumes?q=isbn:[ISBN]&key=[YOUR_API_KEY]
   • Parse response
   • Create Book record with returned data

Parsing API response:

Google Books returns JSON data. Map fields to your Books collection:

volumeInfo.title → Book Title

volumeInfo.authors[0] → Book Author

volumeInfo.imageLinks.thumbnail → Cover Image

volumeInfo.description → Description

volumeInfo.pageCount → Page Count

volumeInfo.publishedDate → Publication Year

industryIdentifiers.identifier → ISBN

Using Custom Actions to Fetch Book Information

For users searching by title (not ISBN):

1. Add search input on "Add New Book" screen
2. Make API call: https://www.googleapis.com/books/v1/volumes?q=[Search Term]&key=[API Key]
3. Display results in a list
4. User selects correct book
5. Create Book record from selected resul

Handling API limitations:

• The API enforces quotas; check your project's quota in Google Cloud Console and request increases if needed
• Cache book data in your database after first fetch
• Before making API call, check if book already exists in your database
• Show cached data when available to reduce API calls

Automating Book Data Import

For power users adding many books:

Barcode scanning (requires third-party component):

1. Install barcode scanner component from marketplace
2. Scan book's barcode to extract ISBN
3. Auto-fetch data from Google Books API
4. Add directly to user's shelf

CSV import (advanced):

1. Export reading history from Goodreads
2. Parse CSV file for ISBNs
3. Batch fetch from Google Books API
4. Create multiple Book and User_Books records
5. Notify user when import completes

Manual entry fallback:

Always provide manual book entry for books not in Google Books:

• Title (required)
• Author (required)
• Cover upload (optional)
• Description (optional)
• ISBN (optional)
• Page count (optional)

Adding Social Features and Discovery

Step 15: Create the Friendships Collection

Social features boost engagement in reading apps. Build a following system:

1. Go to Database
2. Create "Friendships" collection
3. Add relationships:
   
   • Follower (Relationship to Users)
   • Following (Relationship to Users)
   • Date Followed (Date & Time, automatic)
   • Status (Text: "Active", "Blocked")

This creates directional following (like Twitter/Instagram), not mutual friendship (like Facebook).

Step 16: Build User Discovery and Follow Features

1. Create "Discover Readers" screen
2. Add search bar:
   
   • Search Users by Username or Name
   • Exclude: Logged In User (don't show yourself)
   • Exclude: Already following
3. Display user list:
   
   • Image: User → Profile Photo
   • Text: User → Full Name
   • Text: User → Username
   • Text: "[Books Read Count] books read"
   • Button: "Follow"
     
     • Action: Create Friendship record
       
       • Follower = Logged In User
       • Following = List User
     • Update: Following Count (+1 for Logged In User)
     • Update: Followers Count (+1 for List User)

Follow/Unfollow button logic:

If Friendship exists where Follower = Logged In User AND Following = Current User:

  Show "Following" button (secondary style)

  Action on click: Delete Friendship record, decrement counts

Else:

  Show "Follow" button (primary style)

  Action on click: Create Friendship record, increment counts

Step 17: Create Activity Feed

1. Create "Home Feed" screen
2. Add List component showing recent activities:
   
   • Filter: Users followed by Logged In User
   • Sort by: Date (newest first)
   • Limit: Last 50 activities

Activity types to display:

[User] rated [Book] ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[User] started reading [Book]

[User] finished [Book]

[User] wrote a review of [Book]

[User] added [Book] to their Want to Read shelf

Step 18: Implement Book Recommendations

Basic recommendation algorithm based on rating patterns:

"Books you might like" logic:

1. Find all books Logged In User rated 4+ stars

2. Find users who also rated those books 4+ stars

3. Find books those users rated 4+ stars

4. Exclude books Logged In User already rated

5. Sort by frequency (most shared high ratings first)

6. Display top 10 recommendations

In Adalo:

1. Create "Recommendations" screen
2. Add List of Books filtered by:
   
   • Has Reviews where Rating ≥ 4
   • From Users who liked similar books to current user
   • Not in current user's Read or Currently Reading shelves
3. Sort by: Number of matching readers (requires custom calculation)

Simpler recommendation approach:

Show books from same genre as user's highly-rated books:

1. Get user's favorite genre (most frequent genre in 4+ star ratings)

2. Filter Books where Genre = Favorite Genre

3. Filter Books where Average Rating ≥ 4.0

4. Exclude books already on user's shelves

5. Sort by: Highest rated or Most popular

Building Friend Activity Notifications

Keep users engaged with activity notifications:

1. Enable Push Notifications in app settings
2. Create notification triggers:
   
   • When followed user rates a book: "Your friend [Name] rated [Book]"
   • When followed user finishes a book: "[Name] just finished [Book]"
   • Weekly digest: "Your friends read 12 books this week"

Implementation:

1. Go to App Settings → Notifications
2. Add notification triggers:
   
   • Trigger: When Review is Created
   • Condition: Reviewer has Followers
   • Send to: All Followers of Reviewer
   • Title: "New book activity"
   • Body: "[Reviewer Name] rated [Book Title]"

Publishing Your Goodreads Clone to App Stores and Web

Step 19: Prepare for Publishing

Before publishing, complete these steps:

Content review:

1. Test all user flows (signup, add books, rate, review, social)
2. Add privacy policy and terms of service pages
3. Check all images display properly
4. Verify database relationships work correctly
5. Test with multiple user accounts

App settings:

1. Set app name (appears under icon)
2. Upload app icon (1024x1024px PNG)
3. Create splash screen (2048x2732px for iOS)
4. Set app description
5. Choose app category (Books & Reference)
6. Add support email and privacy policy URL

Data preparation:

1. Seed database with 50-100 popular books
2. Create sample user accounts for testing
3. Add example reviews and ratings
4. Test search and filtering with real data

Publishing to iOS App Store (Requirements and Process)

Requirements:

• Apple Developer Account ($99/year)
• Adalo plan that supports native publishing (check current pricing)
• App compliance: Privacy policy, appropriate content rating

Publishing steps:

1. In Adalo, go to Publish section
2. Select "iOS App"
3. Configure app details:
   
   • App name (30 characters max)
   • Bundle ID (e.g., com.yourcompany.bookapp)
   • Version number (1.0)
   • Build number (1)
4. Upload assets:
   
   • App icon (required)
   • Screenshots (at least 2 for each device size)
   • App preview video (optional but recommended)
5. Write App Store listing:
   
   • Description (4,000 characters max)
   • Keywords (100 characters, comma-separated)
   • Support URL
   • Privacy policy URL
6. Submit to Adalo for building:
   
   • Adalo generates IPA file
   • Takes 30-60 minutes
7. Upload to App Store Connect:
   
   • Download IPA from Adalo
   • Use Transporter app to upload to Apple
   • Submit for review
   • Review takes 1-3 days

App Store rejection reasons to avoid:

• Missing privacy policy
• Broken features or crashes
• Inappropriate content
• Copying another app too closely (be unique)
• Insufficient functionality

Deploying to Google Play Store

Requirements:

• Google Play Console account (one-time $25 fee)
• Adalo plan that supports native publishing
• Privacy policy URL

Publishing steps:

1. In Adalo, select Publish → Android App
2. Configure Android details:
   
   • Package name (e.g., com.yourcompany.bookapp)
   • Version code (1)
   • Version name (1.0)
3. Upload app icon and screenshots
4. Adalo builds APK/AAB file (30-60 minutes)
5. In Google Play Console:
   
   • Create new app listing
   • Upload APK/AAB from Adalo
   • Complete store listing (descriptions, screenshots, icon)
   • Set content rating
   • Add privacy policy
   • Submit for review
   • Review takes 1-3 days

Google Play advantages:

• Lower initial cost ($25 vs $99/year)
• Faster review process
• Less restrictive guidelines
• Easier updates

Setting Up Custom Domain for Web Version

For web deployment without app stores:

1. In Adalo, go to Publish → Web App
2. Choose deployment option:
   
   • Adalo subdomain (free): yourapp.adalo.com
   • Custom domain (paid plans): bookapp.com
3. For custom domain:
   
   • Purchase domain from registrar (Google Domains, Namecheap, etc.)
   • In Adalo, enter your domain
   • Update DNS settings at registrar:
     
     • Add CNAME record pointing to Adalo
     • Wait 24-48 hours for DNS propagation
   • Adalo provides SSL certificate automatically
4. Publish:
   
   • Click "Publish" button
   • Changes go live immediately
   • Updates happen in real-time

Progressive Web App (PWA) features:

PWAs can support various features depending on implementation and browser/OS support. Check Adalo's current PWA capabilities:

• Users can "install" to home screen
• Potential offline functionality with proper caching
• Push notifications (where supported)
• No app store approval needed
• Instant updates
• Works on all devices

Web app advantages:

• No approval process (publish instantly)
• No annual fees beyond Adalo subscription
• Easier updates
• Works on desktop and mobile
• No download required

When to choose web vs native:

• Web: Faster launch, test market, budget-conscious
• Native iOS/Android: Better performance, app store discovery

Scaling Your Book Review App: Performance and Growth Considerations

Step 20: Monitor Performance Metrics

As your app grows, track these metrics:

User engagement:

• Daily active users (DAU)
• Monthly active users (MAU)
• Average session duration
• Books added per user
• Review submission rate

Technical performance:

• Screen load times
• Search response time
• Image loading speed
• Database query performance

Adalo provides high uptime and reliability, but monitor your specific app's performance.

Understanding Record Limits and Storage Needs

Plan your data growth by checking current Adalo pricing for exact record limits and storage per plan tier.

Calculate your needs:

Books: 5,000

Users: 2,000

User_Books (shelves): Users × 10 books = 20,000

Reviews: Books × 5 reviews = 25,000

Total: ~52,000 records → Check plan requirements

When to Upgrade Your Plan for More Users

Upgrade when you hit these thresholds:

Upgrade to Starter when:

• More than 50 active users
• Need custom domain
• Want to remove Adalo branding
• Ready to launch publicly

Upgrade to Professional when:

• 500+ active users
• Adding team members to help manage
• Need more storage for user-uploaded content
• Want priority support

Upgrade to Team when:

• 2,000+ active users
• Multiple apps (mobile + web versions)
• Large content team
• Integration with external databases like Xano
• Need dedicated support

Adding Team Members and Collaborators

Collaborate on your book app:

Roles available:

• Owner: Full access, billing control
• Editor: Can edit app, cannot access billing
• Viewer: Read-only access to app and database

Team workflow:

1. Go to App Settings → Team
2. Click "Invite Team Member"
3. Enter email address
4. Select role (Editor or Viewer)
5. Team member receives invitation
6. They can edit simultaneously (changes sync in real-time)

Best practices:

• Limit Editor access to trusted team members
• Use Viewer access for stakeholders and advisors
• Document database structure for team understanding
• Test changes in test app before publishing to live app
• Communicate before making major structural changes

Check current Adalo pricing for collaborator seat limits per plan.

Why Building Your Book App with Adalo Makes Sense

Creating a functional book tracking and review platform traditionally requires months of development and tens of thousands in costs. Adalo's no-code app builder changes this equation entirely, enabling anyone to bring their book community vision to life.

Adalo stands out for book app development because it provides:

True drag-and-drop simplicity: Unlike code-heavy platforms that require understanding CSS flexbox or complex logic, Adalo uses a visual interface where you see exactly what you're building. If you can create a slide deck, you can build a book app.

Built-in relational database: Book apps need complex data relationships—users connected to books through multiple shelves, reviews linking readers to books, social connections between users. Adalo handles these relationships visually, letting you create sophisticated data structures without SQL knowledge.

Cross-platform publishing from one build: Build once and publish to iOS, Android, and web simultaneously. Your readers access the same app whether they're on their phone, tablet, or desktop, and updates roll out across all platforms instantly.

Component marketplace: Access over 50 pre-built components including star ratings, image carousels, and social feeds—components specifically useful for book apps that would take weeks to code from scratch.

Scalable infrastructure: Your app runs on Adalo's infrastructure that already handles millions of users across thousands of apps. You don't manage servers, databases, or deployment pipelines—just build your features and publish.

The platform particularly excels at CRUD applications (Create, Read, Update, Delete), which perfectly describes book tracking: users create books and reviews, read their libraries, update reading progress, and delete finished books from current shelves.

For communities launching reading challenges, book clubs building member platforms, or entrepreneurs testing book recommendation concepts, Adalo provides the fastest path from idea to launched app. The free tier lets you prototype and test with early users, then paid plans scale as your community grows.

If you're ready to turn your book app idea into reality, sign up for Adalo and start building today. Your reading community is just a few drag-and-drop sessions away.

Comparing Adalo to Other No-Code App Builders for Book Apps

Adalo vs. Bubble for Book Tracking Apps

When choosing a no-code platform for your book app, Adalo and Bubble represent different approaches:

Adalo's strengths for book apps:

• Native mobile app publishing (iOS and Android)
• Simpler database relationship setup
• Faster development with pre-built components
• Better for mobile-first reading experiences
• Lower learning curve (build in days vs. weeks)

Bubble's strengths:

• More customization for complex algorithms
• Better for web-heavy applications
• More robust for large-scale data operations
• Greater flexibility in UI design

For a Goodreads-style book app, Adalo typically provides the better fit because reading apps perform best as mobile experiences with offline access. Bubble excels at web applications with complex business logic, while Adalo specializes in mobile-native apps with social features.

Development time comparison:

• Adalo: Basic book app in 3-5 weeks
• Bubble: Similar app in 6-10 weeks (steeper learning curve)

Cost comparison:

Adalo and Bubble have different pricing structures. Check Adalo pricing and Bubble pricing for current costs and capabilities.

Template Options and Component Marketplaces

Neither platform offers ready-made Goodreads templates, but both provide building blocks:

Adalo marketplace:

• 50+ components including star ratings, image carousels, maps
• Social media components (likes, follows, comments)
• Payment integrations (Stripe, in-app purchases)
• All components work across web and native mobile
• One-time purchase (typically $0-$99 per component)

Adalo cloneable kits:

• Social media app templates adaptable for book communities
• Rating and review patterns
• User profile and feed layouts
• Free to clone and customize

For book apps specifically, Adalo's component marketplace provides essential building blocks like star ratings and social feeds that integrate seamlessly without configuration complexity.

When to Choose Adalo Over Alternatives

Choose Adalo if you:

• Want native mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Need to launch quickly (within weeks)
• Prefer visual development over code-heavy configuration
• Have no programming background
• Want the app to feel like Instagram or TikTok (social, mobile-first)
• Plan to grow a community of readers on mobile devices

Choose alternatives (Bubble, FlutterFlow) if you:

• Need extremely custom algorithms for recommendations
• Require complex data transformations beyond basic formulas
• Have programming experience and want more control
• Build primarily for web/desktop usage
• Need to integrate dozens of external services

For most book tracking and review apps targeting mobile users—the core audience for reading apps—Adalo provides the optimal balance of ease-of-use, features, and performance.