Episode 26: Click, Build, Deploy: FM BetterForms Updates Unwrapped

What goes into building a great web app and when is a web app the right solution? We talk about web app design, development strategies, and the trade-offs involved in choosing the right tools.We also cover FileMaker integration, full-stack and hybrid approaches, WebDirect, UI/UX, security, and tools like Klai. Because AI-assisted development is changing the speed and cost of building web apps, solid requirements, testing, and human oversight still matter.

This episode of the DevCast looks at how JavaScript, HTML, JSON, Web Viewers, and AI can work together to build more flexible and dynamic FileMaker solutions. A few of our devs walk us through real-world examples, like a multi-image upload and rotation tool and a dynamic dining room and table management interface.The conversation strides into a bigger question: How much do you really need to understand when AI is writing the code for you? Our devs discuss finding the right balance between letting AI handle the heavy lifting and understanding enough of what's happening under the hood to build, test, troubleshoot, and maintain a reliable solution.Multi-Image Upload Blog Pt. 1: https://www.portagebay.com/blog/multi-image-uploading-with-gallery-and-rotation-free-demo/Multi-Image Upload Blog Pt. 2: https://www.portagebay.com/blog/using-webviewers-to-add-functionality-for-field-technicians/

It's been two months since FileMaker 2026 was released and our devs are still discovering. This episode, the team is looking into what the update really means for developers and the new features they’re most excited about: AI-assisted development possibilities, WebDirect improvements, layout enhancements, and more. They also discuss some of the quieter but valuable additions in FileMaker 2026, like improved field-name mapping for imports, new PDF commands, and expanded server-side functionality.A couple of our devs even share hands-on experiments with using AI and XML to rebuild and modify solutions and where the current limitations start to show up with larger files.John's Blog Post: https://www.portagebay.com/blog/can-filemaker-2026-rebuild-a-file-clean-testing-generatedbfile/

In this episode of DevCast, our devs share their firsthand experiences using AI tools like Claude and Gemini for FileMaker development. They spotlight where they excel, where they fall short, and what developers need to watch out for. They cover AI hallucinating FileMaker functions and scripts, misinterpreting FileMaker Server logs, context window limitations, memory persistence, and the importance of verifying AI-generated code before putting it into production. They also discuss practical advice on improving AI-assisted workflows, using skills and agents, keeping conversations focused, building better prompts, and why testing is more important than ever in an AI-driven development process.

In their spare time, John, Xandon, and Jacob have been creating personal web apps. John is creating a healthcare referral portal that easily and efficiently collects and processes referral submissions. Xandon is prepping for his kid's college days by having all the info they need, like planning, admissions, and athletic recruiting in one space. Jacob is making a homeschool learning platform for his daughter that helps him design personalized education plans for special-needs students.They share the ups and downs of their processes and lessons they've learned about full-stack development, SaaS products, subscriptions, AI-assisted coding, and turning personal challenges into practical software solutions.