Google launches Opal trial to help users build apps without coding
Google is piloting a new AI-powered coding tool called Opal, designed to help users build mini web applications by describing what they want to create in plain language.
The tool, now accessible in the United States via Google Labs, is the latest in a growing wave of so-called "vibe-coding" platforms targeting both developers and non-technical users, as reported by TechCrunch.
Opal enables users to either start from scratch using text-based instructions or customise existing apps from a shared gallery. Once a prompt is submitted, Google's internal models generate the application’s structure.
Users are then presented with a visual workflow panel that outlines each step in the process - including input, output, and generation phases.
🚨 NEW LABS EXPERIMENT 🚨
Introducing Opal, our new way to help you build and share AI mini-apps by linking together prompts, models, and tools— all while using simple, natural language (without a single line of code 🤯)
Now available in US-only public beta! Learn more ⬇️… pic.twitter.com/9Csk1EruJuEach stage can be clicked to reveal and edit the underlying prompt, while additional steps can be added manually through Opal’s toolbar. Finished applications can be published online and shared via a direct link, with others able to test the app using their own Google accounts.
While Google already offers an AI Studio for developers to build apps through prompt engineering, Opal appears to mark a broader push towards accessibility and design-driven prototyping.
Its visual-first interface and ease of use suggest the company is aiming to appeal to hobbyists, creatives, and aspiring app builders without coding experience.
The move brings Google into direct competition with companies such as Canva, Figma, and Replit, all of which have introduced tools that lower the barrier to entry for software creation.
Startups in the space, including Lovable and Cursor, have recently drawn significant investor and acquisition interest amid rising demand for generative AI solutions.
Opal is currently in an experimental phase and forms part of Google’s wider efforts to test emerging AI technologies through its Labs division.