Core concepts

Nordcraft is built around several fundamental concepts that form the foundation of the platform. Understanding these core concepts will help you work more effectively with Nordcraft.

Nordcraft combines visual development with a solid code foundation. This hybrid approach means:

• You can build visually while the system generates clean, optimized code
• Visual changes are reflected immediately in the interface
• Complex interactions can be implemented using visual development through workflows
• Custom code can be added when needed for specialized functionality

This approach bridges the gap between visual design tools and coding environments, eliminating many traditional handoffs. Explore the editor to see how this works in practice.

Everything in Nordcraft is built around components:

• Components are reusable, self-contained pieces of interface and functionality
• Each component has its own structure, styling and behavior
• Components can be composed together to create more complex interfaces
• Components maintain encapsulation of their internal state and logic

This component-based approach promotes reusability, maintainability and collaboration among team members. Learn how to create your own components to build a modular application.

Nordcraft organizes work into two main project types:

• Apps are complete applications with pages and functionality
• Packages are collections of reusable components and functions

Packages can be published and shared across projects, making them ideal for common functionality. Learn more about creating and launching packages to share your work.

Nordcraft includes built-in version control through its branching system:

• The main branch represents the live version of your project
• New branches are created for developing features or fixes
• Changes can be previewed before publishing
• Branches are published back to main when work is complete

This workflow enables collaboration and maintains stability in your projects. For best practices, check out our guide on effective branching strategies.

Pages form the foundation of applications in Nordcraft:

• Each page has a unique URL path
• Pages can accept parameters for dynamic content
• Pages contain components and elements
• SEO metadata is configured at the page level

The page structure creates the overall navigation framework for your application. Learn how to create pages and set up their configuration.

Nordcraft uses a reactive data model built on signals:

• Variables store state within components and pages
• Formulas transform data through pure functions
• Workflows implement interactive behavior
• Contexts share data between components
• When data changes, the interface updates automatically

This reactive approach ensures your interface stays in sync with underlying data. Learn about working with variables and creating formulas to implement dynamic behavior.

Nordcraft supports both server-side rendering (SSR) and client-side rendering:

• Server rendering improves initial page load and SEO
• Client rendering enables rich interactivity after load
• The platform intelligently handles the transition between these modes

This hybrid rendering approach provides the best of both worlds for performance and user experience. When working with APIs, you can configure which requests should be processed during server-side rendering.

External data is connected through the API integration system:

• Configure endpoints to connect to any backend
• Handle authentication securely
• Transform and use response data in your interface
• Set up real-time data with streaming connections

The API system forms the bridge between your frontend and any backend services. You can also connect to specialized backend providers through services.

These core concepts appear throughout the Nordcraft documentation. As you work with the platform, you will develop a deeper understanding of how these concepts interact to create a powerful web development environment. Ready to start building? Head to the Get started section to create your first project.