Aptly: Making Mobile Apps from Natural Language
arXiv preprint arXiv:2405.00229, 2024•arxiv.org
We present Aptly, an extension of the MIT App Inventor platform enabling mobile app
development via natural language powered by code-generating large language models
(LLMs). Aptly complements App Inventor's block language with a text language designed to
allow visual code generation via text-based LLMs. We detail the technical aspects of how
the Aptly server integrates LLMs with a realtime collaboration function to facilitate the
automated creation and editing of mobile apps given user instructions. The paper concludes …
development via natural language powered by code-generating large language models
(LLMs). Aptly complements App Inventor's block language with a text language designed to
allow visual code generation via text-based LLMs. We detail the technical aspects of how
the Aptly server integrates LLMs with a realtime collaboration function to facilitate the
automated creation and editing of mobile apps given user instructions. The paper concludes …
We present Aptly, an extension of the MIT App Inventor platform enabling mobile app development via natural language powered by code-generating large language models (LLMs). Aptly complements App Inventor's block language with a text language designed to allow visual code generation via text-based LLMs. We detail the technical aspects of how the Aptly server integrates LLMs with a realtime collaboration function to facilitate the automated creation and editing of mobile apps given user instructions. The paper concludes with insights from a study of a pilot implementation involving high school students, which examines Aptly's practicality and user experience. The findings underscore Aptly's potential as a tool that democratizes app development and fosters technological creativity.
arxiv.org