Reusable Element

A Reusable Element in Bubble is a UI component you build once and place on multiple pages. Any change to the original updates every instance automatically across your app.

This feature saves a huge amount of time in larger Bubble projects. Instead of rebuilding a navigation bar, modal, or card layout on each page, you create it once and reuse it everywhere.

Key Takeaways

• Build once, use everywhere: Reusable Elements appear on as many pages as you need without rebuilding the layout each time.
• Automatic updates: Editing the original Reusable Element updates all instances across your entire app simultaneously.
• Accepts properties: You can pass data into a Reusable Element to make it dynamic and context-aware on different pages.
• Own workflow scope: Reusable Elements have their own workflows, states, and logic that are encapsulated from the parent page.

What is a Reusable Element in Bubble?

A Reusable Element in Bubble is a component you design and configure in one place that can be placed on any page in your app. It keeps its layout, style, and logic consistent wherever it appears.

You create Reusable Elements from the left sidebar in the Bubble editor. They open in their own editor view separate from your pages, and you design them like a mini-page.

• Separate editor view: Reusable Elements have their own canvas in the editor so you can design them independently.
• Component library: Your collection of Reusable Elements acts as a component library that grows as your app does.
• Consistent branding: Using Reusable Elements ensures headers, footers, and repeated UI blocks look identical across pages.

Common examples include navigation bars, sidebars, modals, card components, and any UI block that appears in more than one location.

How Reusable Elements Work in Bubble

Once created, a Reusable Element appears in the elements panel and can be dragged onto any page like a regular element. It displays its designed content and runs its internal workflows wherever it is placed.

Reusable Elements can accept external data through a feature called properties. Properties let you pass values from the parent page into the element so it can behave dynamically.

• Properties panel: Define input properties on the Reusable Element to receive data like a current user record or selected item.
• Exposed states: You can expose internal states so the parent page can read values that exist inside the Reusable Element.
• Custom events: Reusable Elements can trigger and receive custom events to communicate actions back to the parent page.

This two-way communication between parent pages and Reusable Elements is what makes them truly flexible rather than just decorative components.

Why Reusable Elements Matter for No-Code Apps

Reusable Elements are one of the best ways to keep a Bubble app maintainable as it grows. Without them, every design update requires manual changes on every page, which is slow and error-prone.

As Bubble apps grow in complexity, maintaining consistency across pages becomes harder. Reusable Elements solve this problem by centralizing repeated UI logic.

• Faster updates: Change a navigation item once in the Reusable Element and it updates on all forty pages instantly.
• Fewer errors: Centralized components mean less chance of forgetting to update a page or introducing a visual inconsistency.
• Cleaner app structure: Breaking your UI into components makes the overall app easier to understand and navigate.

Component-based design is a principle used in professional software development. Bubble's Reusable Elements bring this approach to no-code builders.

Best Practices for Reusable Elements in Bubble

Design Reusable Elements to be flexible and data-agnostic where possible. Pass data in through properties rather than hardcoding it, and keep each element focused on a single purpose.

Good Reusable Element design follows the same principles as good component design in any application. Keep them focused and composable.

• Single responsibility: Each Reusable Element should do one thing well rather than trying to handle many different use cases.
• Use properties generously: The more you pass in through properties, the more flexible and reusable the element becomes across contexts.
• Avoid hardcoded values: Hardcoded text or logic inside a Reusable Element limits how it can be reused across different parts of your app.

Well-designed Reusable Elements make your Bubble app feel like a real software product, not a collection of loosely connected pages.

Conclusion

Reusable Elements in Bubble are a core tool for building apps that scale and stay maintainable over time. They enforce consistency, reduce repetitive work, and make global updates fast. Any Bubble app with more than a few pages should lean on Reusable Elements as the foundation of its UI architecture.

At LOW/CODE Agency, we've helped 450+ clients build and scale apps on Bubble and other no-code platforms. Our clients include global brands like Medtronic, American Express, Coca-Cola, Zapier, and Sotheby's.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Reusable Element in Bubble accept data from the page it is on?

Yes. You define properties on the Reusable Element and pass data from the parent page into those properties.

Does changing a Reusable Element update all pages automatically?

Yes. Editing the original updates every instance of it across all pages in your Bubble app simultaneously.

Can Reusable Elements have their own workflows in Bubble?

Yes. Each Reusable Element has its own workflow editor for logic that belongs to that component specifically.

Can I use a Reusable Element inside another Reusable Element?

Yes. You can nest Reusable Elements, though keeping nesting shallow makes your app easier to debug and maintain.

How do I create a Reusable Element in Bubble?

Click "Add a new reusable element" in the left panel of the editor to create and name a new component.

Can Reusable Elements communicate back to the parent page?

Yes. Use exposed states and custom events to pass information from the Reusable Element back to the page it sits on.