Google launches an AI tool to build apps without coding
What's the story
Google has unveiled Opal, an experimental tool from Google Labs that permits developers to build apps using natural language prompts and interactive visual aids. The innovative platform leverages a range of Google's proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) models to help users create different visual assets for their applications. For instance, Gemini 2.5 can provide the written content for a blog post, while Veo 3 and Imagen 4 can generate corresponding videos (with audio) or images respectively.
Templates
Opal offers a gallery of pre-made app templates
Opal also provides a gallery of pre-made app templates, each with its own unique design. These templates cater to different creative needs, just like website-building platforms such as Wix and Squarespace. For instance, one template allows users to create immersive virtual games while another is focused on creating video ads for a specific audience.
Customization
Users can also start from scratch
Along with the pre-made templates, Opal also gives users the option to start from scratch by clicking on the "Create New" window above the template gallery. This takes them to a simple prompt window where they can describe in natural language what they want their app to do. Their instructions will then be turned into an illustrated workflow, divided into inputs (what they've requested), generation steps (specific actions the models are taking to create the app), and output (final product).
User control
What are the key features?
Each step of the app creation process on Opal appears as a separate box, that users can click to see what actions the models are taking or add their own edits directly. There's also a "Share app" option in the top-right corner of the screen in Opal, allowing users to toggle their app from private to public, and share the URL with anyone with a Google account.
Availability
Launch follows GitHub's unveiling of Spark
Opal is now available for US users in public beta. The launch comes just a day after Microsoft-owned GitHub unveiled Spark, another app-building platform, in public preview. These developments are part of a larger trend across the tech industry toward "low-code" and "no-code" tools that use AI to automate many of the key steps in software development.