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Pico Docs/
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Getting Started
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Getting Started

 

1. Create your app

 
First, pick the right app builder for your app. There are 3 app templates in Pico:
  1. Pico - Extremely flexible and powerful. You can build all kinds of apps ranging from a simple calculator to a voice transcriber. Check out Slot Machine Game, Online Radio Station, Simple Weather App on the Community Showcase. In order to use APIs, you have to explicitly mention them in the prompt. See
    🖼️
    Image Generation API     for an example.
  1. MetaGPT - An app that takes some input from the user, sends it to the ChatGPT API, and shows the output to the user. Very useful to build generator apps like “Marketing Plan Generator”, “Self-Criticism Reframer”, etc. Check out Tweet Generator, Self-Criticism Reframer, Talk with Mister Rogers on Community Showcase for examples.
  1. Chatbot - Build chatbots!
 
Once you’ve selected the builder, just describe your app in simple language and Pico should start building the app for you!

2. Edit your app

 
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Want to change the style? Want to add functionality? Keep working on your app by editing it. Is your app not working? Sometimes, the AI can be finicky so if it made a bug, just describe what’s not working and instruct the AI to fix it.

3. Use Isolation Mode for smaller style and copy changes

notion image
 
Isolation Mode enables you to edit elements on your app in isolation really quickly. Only make local style and copy changes with isolation mode. Note: Isolation mode won't work for editing some elements, in particular elements that aren't visible when your app first loads such as chat bubbles. If an edit you're trying to make fails, use the regular edit mode to make the edit. It'll take longer but it's more likely to work.

4. Use History to go back to previous versions

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No action within Pico is ever destructive. You’ll never lose a previous version of your app when you iterate on it. Play around, explore and experiment and if it doesn’t work out, just revert back to an older working version.

5. Share your app

 
Pico allows you to share apps in many ways:
  1. You can share the URL that Pico generates for your app
  1. You can copy the embed code (click on the “Share/Embed” button) and embed the app within your existing website, much like you’d embed an YouTube video
  1. You can put your Pico app on a domain you own. e.g. calmingmeditations.com (go to App Settings - the little gear icon - and scroll down to “Custom Domains”)
 

6. Use APIs

 
When editing your app, go to the APIs Panel, and select from our growing list of APIs to incorporate it into the app:
 
  • Image generation
  • ChatGPT
  • Email Yourself
 
 
That’s it for a quick overview of the basics of using Pico. Pico also supports editing code directly, password protected apps, basic databases, remixing/cloning your own apps to create variants and much more.
 
If you need help or have feedback:
  • Chat with us via the chat icon on the bottom right of your screen
  • Email us at support@picoapps.xyz
 
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