Glide Introduces Inline Templating for Dynamic Data Without Extra Columns.

Glide has rolled out inline templating, a feature that lets users insert dynamic data directly into messages, notifications, and AI prompts without creating additional columns in their tables.

The capability works like @ mentioning in Slack, according to Glide's LinkedIn announcement. Users can write a message once and drop in placeholders like @FirstName or @OrderNumber exactly where they belong. The system pulls values directly from existing data, eliminating the need for intermediate columns that clutter tables and add maintenance overhead.

The feature addresses a common pain point in no-code app development: managing dynamic content across emails, notifications, and messages typically requires creating computed columns or complex formulas. Inline templating removes that step entirely.

By allowing data to be referenced inline rather than through separate columns, the feature reduces table complexity. Users no longer need to maintain columns that exist solely to format strings or concatenate values for output.

This approach is particularly useful for teams building apps on top of spreadsheets or databases where schema bloat becomes a problem over time. Fewer columns mean easier maintenance and faster app performance, especially as data scales.

Glide has been expanding its platform capabilities over the past year. The company recently added folder permissions for team access control and unveiled a new platform focused on AI integration and spreadsheet management. The inline templating feature builds on these improvements by simplifying how data flows through user-facing outputs.

The company highlighted a secondary use case: injecting additional context into AI prompts. By referencing multiple data points inline, users can construct richer, more specific prompts without preprocessing data or building complex column structures.

For example, a customer support app could reference @CustomerName, @OrderID, and @IssueType directly in a prompt sent to an AI model, allowing for more contextual responses without manually assembling that information beforehand.

Glide noted that a tutorial on using inline templating with AI prompts is in development. The feature is already available to users across Glide's plans, and no additional setup is required to start using it in existing apps.

No-code platforms like Bubble, Softr, and Noloco also offer dynamic content features, though implementation varies. Glide's approach leans on familiar @ mention syntax, which may reduce the learning curve for users already accustomed to tools like Slack or Notion.

The feature is now live in Glide's builder interface. Users can access it when configuring actions that involve text output, including send email, send notification, and custom AI prompts.