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No-code Frames 101

Build frames on Farcaster with no coding skills

One of the recent narratives from the Farcatser & Base community has resonated a lot with me recently: Builder ≠ developer; you don't have to code to build and positively contribute.

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Concept by @lght.eth

This article is a text form of the workshop during the Frames Hackathon in Paris on March 9.


Frame - an interactive mini app within Farcaster feed.

In its simplest form, a frame is an image (or gif) with buttons. It can be single or multi-step, where a button triggers different actions - from navigating between frame's pages to initiating transactions.

Why building frames?

  • Distribution of your ideas

  • Simple & fast mobile-first prototype

Read more about frames in the docs.


From basic implementations to more complex frames, natively integrated into the apps. (Meaning that you can create a frame by copy-pasting links.)

POLL IN A FRAME

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polls from supercast (left), farcaster.vote (right)

MINT IN A FRAME

Note: Mint with Warps is supported by default for Zora and Base networks.

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mint from highlight (left), from gallery (right)

BROWSE IN A FRAME
Explore web3 identities with Airstack Explorer

Example: Browse all holders of Aux Arbres NFTs.

  1. Copy & paste the NFT contract to the explorer. 

  2. Click Warpcast icon on the top right.

  3. Copy & paste the frame link to your cast. 

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The frame on Warpcast:

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COMMERCE IN A FRAME
Buying physical goods with just a few clicks through the Farcaster feed is a game changer (and my personal favourite use case). Set up your shop and start selling literally anything.

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Slice frame (left), Warpshop setup (right)

GATED FRAMES

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Example: a subscriber-gated frame that reveals who our special guests were for Many Such Cases podcast

NEYNAR FRAME STUDIO

Frame Studio: dev.neynar.com

Build multi-step no-code frames. Possible buttons/actions:

  • Switch between pages (incl. custom logic)

  • Mint NFTs (only Zora links; Base, Zora or Ethereum L1 networks)

  • External link 

Examples: AMA announcement in /art

Step 1. Image + Calendar Reminder (external link) or About LGHT (page navigation) 

Step 2. Image + Projects (external links) or Back to Step 1 (page navigation)

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Frame Studio Interface

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Frame Studio Analytics
'Interactions by cast hash' display casts that used that frame.
Note: a frame can be published by anyone, not only its creator.

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FRAMEBOARD

Create a frame: frameboard.com

A curated board in a frame. Possible actions: 

  • External link 

  • Follow board 

  • Switch between pages

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OTHER (COOL) FRAMES
A list of frames that don't fit into any particular category but are worth trying:


PRO TIPS

  1. Use Frame Validator - https://warpcast.com/~/developers/frames
    It is helpful to preview, test and preload your frame. Preloading a frame with images (relevant for galleries) can significantly reduce loading time for the end user. To preload, simply click through your gallery in the validator.

  2. Mix & Match. A few other platforms support frames. For example, mint frames are integrated to Paragraph articles; Paragraph frames work within the Converse app.

  3. Have fun! Because that's the whole point.

Building frames is simple and really doesn't require any coding skills. The more you build, the easier it becomes. New tools are launching every week, and I will keep updating this article. In the meantime, share your no-code frames with me on Warpcast, and I might (or might not) tip you some $degen.

Let's build 💙


You will get to know me better over time, and I would like to get to know you too! My direct casts on Warpcast (@kugusha.eth) are always open for conversations and discussions. You can also send me a message onchain via Converse or any other XMTP-powered app.