# How to use Xano

Alright, folks! If you're here, it means you're looking to dabble with Xano to build your backend without sweating the small stuff. Good news—you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into how you can start using Xano like a pro.

What’s Xano?

Before jumping in, a quick primer: Xano is a no-code backend development platform that allows you to create APIs, manage databases, and handle business logic—all without writing code. Think of it like magic but for backend development.

Getting Started

Step 1: Sign Up

First things first, you need a Xano account. Head over to their website and sign up—it’s pretty straightforward. Just a bit of clicking and some typing, and you’re in.

Step 2: Create a New Workspace

After signing up, you'll be directed to your dashboard. Here, you can create a new "Workspace." Workspaces are like individual projects you can manage separately. Click on "Create Workspace" and give it a name, say ‘MyFirstApp.’

Step 3: Set Up Your Database

Once inside your new workspace, it’s time to set up your database. Xano provides you with default tables, but you can create custom tables for things like Users, Products, or Orders. Click on "Database" in the sidebar, then hit ‘Add Table.’

For instance, if you're building an e-commerce app, you could create a table named products with fields like name, price, and description.

Step 4: Create Endpoints

Now that you've got a database, you'll need to communicate with it. That’s where endpoints come in. An endpoint is like a URL that performs a specific task, such as fetching all products or creating a new user.

Go to the "API" section and click on "Add New Endpoint." Choose the type of endpoint based on what you want it to do—GET for retrieving data, POST for creating data, etc. For example, to get all products, you’ll create a GET endpoint linked to the products table.

Step 5: Define Business Logic

This is where Xano really shines. You can add logic to your operations without writing a single line of code. Click into your endpoint and head to the "Functions" tab. Here you can add pre-existing functions or make your custom logic using their simple, drag-and-drop interface. For example, before saving a new product, you might check if the price is a positive number.

Step 6: Test Your Setup

Click on the "Test" tab in your endpoint screen, fill in the necessary fields, and hit "Run Test." If everything goes well, you should see a successful API response—congratulations, your backend is now functional!

Wrap Up

Xano takes the heavy lifting out of backend development and puts power in the hands of those less familiar with coding. By following these steps, you’ll set up a functional backend for your app without breaking a sweat. So, what are you waiting for? Dive in and start building your next big thing with Xano!

Happy building! 🚀