Aha! Builder helps product managers build trusted business applications with AI. Describe what you want to build, and Elle, the AI assistant in Aha! software, creates the frontend, backend, and database for your application.
This article shows how to create an internal application from start to finish. By the end, you will have a working application that you can refine, share with the team, and deploy to production.
This article covers creating an application. If you want to explore design ideas with stakeholders before you build a full application, learn more about creating your first robust prototype.
Click any of the following links to skip ahead:
Start the getting started wizard
Navigate to the Applications page and click Create.
Select Build an application.
The next screen introduces Elle (the AI assistant). Click Let's go to begin.
If you already know what you want to build and want to go straight to the AI chat, click Skip the getting started wizard on the welcome screen. You can fill in the wizard details later from the AI chat panel.
Describe your application
In the Vision step, describe the application at a high level. A few sentences are enough. Focus on the problem you want to solve, who the application is for, and what people need to do with it.
For example:
"I need an internal tool for our operations team to track vendor onboarding. Team leads should be able to create vendor records, assign onboarding tasks, and view a dashboard that shows progress across every vendor."
The wizard works best with short prompts and clear intent. You do not need a full product requirements document because Elle will ask follow-up questions later.
Click Next to continue.
Choose a name
In the Name step, Elle suggests three names based on your vision. Select one of the suggestions, or select Custom name and enter a name your team will recognize.
Click Next to continue.
Select the application type
In the Type step, choose the option that best describes how people will use your application. Your selection guides the authentication and data structure Elle builds:
Public: Anyone on the internet can use the application and see all the data. A good fit for public-facing websites and catalogs.
Team: Login is required, and every user sees the same data. A good fit for shared trackers like an asset inventory.
Private: Login is required, and each user sees their own data. A good fit for personal tools like a task manager.
Click Next to continue, or click Skip to let Elle infer the type from your vision.
Describe who you are building for
In the Personas step, describe who will use the application and what each person needs to accomplish. For an internal tool, that often includes:
Team leads who create work and assign responsibilities
Team members who complete tasks and update records
Leaders who review dashboards and track progress
Aha! Builder uses this context to shape navigation, permissions, and page layouts.
Click Next to continue, or click Skip to add this detail later.
Outline the user experience
In the Capabilities step, explain the main jobs the application must support. Start with the core workflows your team needs most, such as creating records, reviewing information, generating reports, or managing approvals.
Aha! Builder turns these descriptions into application features. You can refine them after the first build.
Click Next to continue, or click Skip to move on.
Choose a navigation layout
In the Navigation step, select the layout that best fits your application:
Horizontal: A top navigation bar — suited to applications with a small number of top-level areas.
Vertical: A left sidebar — suited to applications with deeper navigation or multiple dashboards.
Click Next to continue, or click Skip to accept the default layout.
Set the visual style
In the Style step, describe the application's ideal design. Share your design preferences in plain language — for example, "clean and professional, similar to our marketing site, with our brand blues."
Upload design inspiration by dragging and dropping image files into the upload area. Accepted formats are PNG, JPEG, and SVG.
Include a link to a public design system or brand guidelines directly in the description to give Elle additional context.
Click Next to continue, or click Skip to accept the default visual style.
Answer Elle's clarifying questions
On the Elle is almost ready to start building screen, Aha! Builder presents up to three follow-up questions based on what you entered. These often cover user roles, required fields, or important workflows.
Answer each question in the field provided. One or two sentences are enough.
If you do not have an answer yet, click Skip. Aha! Builder will make a reasonable assumption that you can update later.
Select Design my app to start the build.
Aha! Builder generates a complete application, including the React frontend, TypeScript backend, and PostgreSQL database. The build takes a few minutes, so keep the browser tab open while it runs.
The initial build lands in Preview mode so you can explore the application the way your end users will. Data you enter during this phase is stored in the preview database.
Refine with Elle
Use the Elle panel on the right side of the Preview screen to refine the application with plain-language prompts. If you send another request before the current one finishes, Aha! Builder queues it for you.
Here are a few common ways to refine your application:
I want to... |
Try this |
|---|---|
Change a page layout or component |
Describe the change in the Elle panel |
Update a specific element |
Click Select elements in the preview toolbar, click the element, then describe the change |
Fix an error |
Click Fix with AI, then refresh the page |
Add a new capability |
Click Make an improvement or type the request directly in the Elle panel |
Keep refining until your application matches your vision. Each change is tracked in the code history, so you can review what changed at any point.
Configure and deploy
Before you share your application, configure it for production use:
Set up authentication: Navigate to Operate -> Configuration -> Authentication and enable the identity providers people need to sign in — Password, Google, GitHub, Microsoft, or Aha!. People who use your application do not need an Aha! account.
Aha! Builder Scale plan customers can also authenticate application users with SAML-based single sign-on (SSO).
Connect to external tools: If your application connects to external APIs or services, navigate to Operate -> Configuration -> Integrations to store credentials securely, then ask Elle to set up the integration.
Deploy your application: Navigate to the Production area and click Deploy to publish it. Click Configure domain to set up a custom domain.
Once the application is live, gather feedback, refine it with Elle, and redeploy updates when you are ready.