Build ENTIRE Frontends With ONE Prompt - OpenUI Tutorial

Matthew Berman
4 May 202408:59

TLDROpenUI is an impressive open-source project that allows users to build frontends by simply describing what they want. It has gained significant popularity with 65,000 stars on GitHub. The installation process is straightforward, and it can be powered by local open-source models with OA. Users can interact with the interface to make changes in real-time, such as splitting a field into separate ones or altering text fields. OpenUI also supports different views like desktop, iPad, and mobile, and can make designs responsive with a simple command. The project can output code in various formats, including HTML, JSX, and React, and even allows for image recognition with the use of the Lava model. It's a powerful tool that enables non-developers to create frontends easily, making web development more accessible.

Takeaways

  • 🚀 OpenUI is a new project that allows users to build frontends by simply describing what they want, with the interface generating code automatically.
  • 🌟 The tool is open source and has gained significant popularity, with 65,000 stars on GitHub, indicating a strong community and ongoing development.
  • 🛠️ Easy to install with no issues reported during the setup process, making it accessible for a wide range of users.
  • 🔌 OpenUI can be powered by local open source models with OA, providing flexibility and the option for a completely offline setup.
  • 📚 The process involves cloning the repository, setting up a new conda environment, and installing requirements via pip.
  • 🔑 Users need to export their OpenAI API key to use the tool's full capabilities, although it can be used locally without it.
  • 💻 After setup, a server is spun up, providing a URL to interact with and build frontend applications.
  • 📝 OpenUI saves the history of creations, allowing users to revisit and modify previous designs.
  • 🎨 The tool offers real-time frontend building, with the ability to make changes on the fly and see the updates immediately.
  • 📱 Responsive design can be achieved with a simple command, and the tool supports different views including desktop, iPad, and mobile.
  • 🔄 Code generated can be converted into various frontend frameworks such as React, providing flexibility in project development.
  • 📷 OpenUI has a feature to recreate UIs from screenshots, although it currently relies on the Lava model for image recognition.
  • 🔄 The tool allows for easy adjustments and modifications to elements within the created interfaces, such as changing button icons or layout alignments.
  • 📈 OpenUI is particularly useful for non-developers, enabling them to build complex frontends with ease and without traditional coding knowledge.

Q & A

  • What is the name of the project that allows users to build frontends by describing them?

    -The project is called OpenUI.

  • How long did it take to build a signup form with name, email, and password fields using OpenUI?

    -It took less than 8 seconds to build the signup form.

  • Is OpenUI open source?

    -Yes, OpenUI is completely open source.

  • How can users customize the generated frontend elements in OpenUI?

    -Users can customize the generated frontend elements by interacting with the interface and providing specific instructions or changes they want to make.

  • What are some of the features of OpenUI that make it easy to use?

    -OpenUI features easy installation, the ability to use local open source models with OA, a Docker image for easier deployment, and the capability to build frontends dynamically.

  • How can users install OpenUI?

    -To install OpenUI, users need to clone the repository, navigate to the 'open ui/backend' directory, create a new conda environment, activate it, and install the requirements using pip.

  • What is the role of the OpenAI API key in using OpenUI?

    -The OpenAI API key is used to enable the use of OpenAI's models within OpenUI for generating and customizing the frontend code.

  • How does OpenUI handle different views like desktop, iPad, and mobile?

    -OpenUI allows users to see how their frontend will look on different views and also has the ability to make the frontend responsive with a simple command.

  • What are the different front-end frameworks that OpenUI can convert the code to?

    -OpenUI can convert the code to HTML, JSX, and React, with the possibility of supporting more frameworks in the future.

  • How does OpenUI utilize GPT models for its functionalities?

    -OpenUI uses GPT models to interpret user prompts, generate code, and make changes to the frontend based on user instructions. It supports both GPT 3.5 and GPT 4 models.

  • What is the process for making the UI responsive in OpenUI?

    -To make the UI responsive, the user simply has to input a command like 'make this responsive', and OpenUI will adjust the frontend to fit different screen sizes.

  • Can non-developers use OpenUI to build frontends?

    -Yes, non-developers can use OpenUI to build frontends easily by describing what they want, without needing to write code from scratch.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to Open UI: Rapid Frontend Development

The video introduces a new project called Open UI, which is an open-source tool that allows users to describe the frontend they want, and it builds it automatically. The process is showcased by creating a signup form with fields for name, email, and password within seconds. The tool's flexibility is demonstrated by splitting the name field into first and last name fields with ease. The video also covers the installation process, which is straightforward with no issues encountered. The project has gained significant attention on GitHub, and it can be powered by local open-source models. A Docker image is available for ease of use, but it's not mandatory. The video concludes with a live demonstration of creating a simple front-end application and making it responsive across different views.

05:02

🛠️ Customizing and Converting Frontend Applications

The video script describes how to customize and convert the generated frontend applications using Open UI. It explains that users can select elements on the page and suggest changes, such as changing a username field to an email field. The tool allows for adding new elements like a signup button and provides options to view the application in different views, including desktop, iPad, and mobile views. It also features a toggle for light and dark modes. The script highlights the ability to make the form responsive with a simple command. The tool supports conversion to various frontend frameworks, including React, and provides options to share, download, and copy the code. The video also discusses the use of different models like GPT 3.5 and GPT 4, and the integration with Olame for local use. It demonstrates the image recognition feature by recreating a Google homepage screenshot and shows how to modify UI elements using text prompts. The video concludes by encouraging non-developers to build their frontends using tools like Open UI and other projects for backend development.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡OpenUI

OpenUI is an open-source project that allows users to describe the front end of a web application, and it automatically builds the interface for them. It is showcased in the video as a tool that can create a signup form with fields for name, email, and password in less than 8 seconds. It is significant because it simplifies the process of front-end development, making it accessible to non-developers.

💡Front-end

The front end refers to the user interface and user experience aspects of a web application. In the video, OpenUI is used to build the front end, which includes the visual elements and interactive components that users engage with directly. The front end is distinct from the back end, which involves server-side logic and database management.

💡GitHub

GitHub is a web-based platform for version control and collaboration that allows developers to work on projects together. OpenUI has a repository on GitHub, which has garnered significant attention, as indicated by the 65,000 stars it has received. The platform is used to host the source code for OpenUI, making it accessible for cloning, forking, and contributing to the project.

💡Responsive Design

Responsive design is a web design approach that ensures web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes. In the video, the user requests the front-end application to be made responsive, and the tool adapts the layout to fit different views, such as desktop, iPad, and mobile views, to provide a consistent user experience across devices.

💡Local Open Source Models

Local open source models refer to software components that can be run on a user's local machine without relying on external services. The video mentions the ability to power OpenUI with local open source models, which implies that developers can use the tool without an internet connection, enhancing privacy and control over their development environment.

💡Docker

Docker is a platform that allows developers to develop, ship, and run applications in containers. Containers are lightweight and portable, making it easier to manage applications. The video mentions a Docker image for OpenUI, which simplifies the deployment and use of the project by encapsulating the environment needed to run it.

💡API Key

An API key is a unique identifier used to authenticate a user, developer, or calling program to an API. In the context of the video, the user is instructed to export their OpenAI API key to enable the use of OpenUI's features that rely on OpenAI's services. The API key is crucial for accessing and using third-party services within the development process.

💡GPT 3.5 Turbo

GPT 3.5 Turbo is a model from the GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) family, developed by OpenAI. It is used within OpenUI to generate code and understand user prompts. The video highlights the efficiency and high quality of GPT 3.5 Turbo, even without using the latest GPT 4 model, for tasks such as creating and modifying web interfaces.

💡UI Recreation

UI recreation is the process of re-creating a user interface based on an existing design or a screenshot. The video demonstrates how OpenUI can recreate the Google homepage interface by uploading a screenshot and using the tool's image recognition capabilities. This feature allows for quick replication and adaptation of existing UI designs.

💡SaaS Pricing Page

A SaaS (Software as a Service) pricing page is a section of a website that outlines the different subscription plans and pricing options for a cloud-based software service. In the video, the user requests OpenUI to create a SaaS pricing page, which the tool does by generating a layout with different plans and options, showcasing its ability to build complex web pages.

💡Element Selection

Element selection is the ability to choose specific parts of a web page for modification or interaction. The video script describes how users can select any element on the page and make specific changes, such as changing a username field to an email field. This feature provides granular control over the design and functionality of the generated front end.

Highlights

OpenUI is an open-source project that allows users to build frontends by simply describing the desired interface.

A signup form with name, email, and password fields can be created in less than 8 seconds using OpenUI.

OpenUI enables dynamic editing of UI elements, such as splitting a field into first name and last name.

The project has gained significant popularity with 65,000 stars on GitHub.

Installation of OpenUI is straightforward, with no issues reported during the setup process.

OpenUI can be powered by local open-source models, offering a free and open-source solution.

A Docker image is available for OpenUI, simplifying its deployment.

The repository can be cloned, and a new conda environment can be set up for OpenUI.

OpenUI requires the installation of dependencies via pip.

Users can export their OpenAI API key for integration with OpenUI.

A server can be spun up with OpenUI to interact with the project through a URL.

OpenUI saves the history of creations, allowing users to revisit and edit previous designs.

The platform supports building simple front-end applications without creating a backend.

Users can make real-time edits to UI elements and see the changes immediately.

OpenUI provides views for desktop, iPad, and mobile, with the ability to make designs responsive.

The platform includes a toggle for light and dark modes.

OpenUI allows users to view chat history and step-by-step changes.

Code can be converted into different front-end frameworks, including React.

OpenUI offers settings to choose between GPT 3.5 and GPT 4 models for different capabilities.

The project can recreate UIs from screenshots, leveraging image recognition models like LAVA.

OpenUI is efficient and produces high-quality code even without using the most cutting-edge models.

The platform can build complex UI components like a SaaS pricing page with real-time feedback.

Non-developers can easily build code with OpenUI and other projects for both front-end and back-end development.