StoryScroll
StoryScroll is a web application designed and developed using Anvil, a platform known for facilitating the rapid and robust construction of...
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What is StoryScroll?
StoryScroll (hopeful-jaunty-classroom.anvil.app) is an educational platform built with Anvil, a Python-based drag-and-drop web app builder that enables students and educators to create full-stack web applications using only Python. The platform offers a hands-on learning environment where students build interactive web apps that are immediately live on the web, eliminating the need to learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and SQL separately. It is designed primarily for students learning Python, educators teaching web development, and anyone interested in creating data science or machine learning projects with an interactive front-end.
Key features include drag-and-drop UI building with pre-made components, built-in Git version control for collaboration, an integrated database service that uses Python statements instead of SQL, Jupyter and Google Colab notebook connectivity via Anvil Uplink, and object-oriented form components where everything is a Python class. The platform supports custom domains, scheduled tasks, staging environments, private GitHub repositories, SSO/SAML login, and persistent Python 3 server environments. Students can deploy real, useful web-based applications while reinforcing their Python skills, making it ideal for teaching object-oriented and event-driven programming.
StoryScroll is free for classroom use and offers professional features free to educational institutions. The platform simplifies web app development by requiring only Python knowledge, making it accessible for students of all levels. It provides full documentation, tutorials, an active community forum, code editor auto-completion, and the ability to see full project history with version revert capabilities. This makes it a versatile tool for introducing students to coding and web development while enabling instructors to create practical, shareable applications for their classes.
StoryScroll pricing
Pricing model: Free
Free: Free forever with unlimited app building, cloud hosting, local deployment, 1 developer account, 50,000 Data Table rows, 100 MB storage, 30-second background timeout, and Anvil banner. Hobby (Personal): $12/month billed annually ($14/month other billing) including everything in Free plus scheduled tasks, 150,000 Data Table rows, 10 GB storage, unlimited background timeout, 1 custom domain, and no Anvil banner. Business: $79/month billed annually ($89/month other billing) including everything in Hobby plus 1+ developer accounts, SAML login, Microsoft/Azure integration, persistent server, private GitHub repos, staging environments, retained app logs, 1,000,000 Data Table rows, 100 GB storage, and 100,000 outgoing emails monthly. Enterprise: Contact for pricing including everything in Business plus on-site deployment, dedicated server, isolated database, custom CPU/RAM capacity, and corporate authentication. Educational Licences: Free for classroom use including full Python 3 server environments, extra packages, and professional features for educational institutions.
StoryScroll pros
- Free forever for classroom use with professional features included for educational institutions
- Python is all you need - no HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or SQL required
- Drag-and-drop visual designer with pre-made components for fast UI building
- Built apps are immediately live on the web with one-click deployment
- Built-in Git version control for student collaboration on apps
- Integrated database service using Python statements instead of SQL
- Connect Jupyter and Google Colab notebooks to web apps via Anvil Uplink
- Everything is a Python object - forms and components are Python classes
- Perfect for teaching object-oriented and event-driven programming
- Students can see full project history and revert to old versions
- Auto-completion in code editor helps with learning new syntax
- Full documentation, tutorials, and active community forum for support
- Custom domains available to remove Anvil banner on paid plans
- Scheduled tasks and persistent Python 3 server on paid plans
- Staging environments for testing before production deployment
- SSO/SAML login and Microsoft/Azure integration for enterprise use
- Private GitHub repositories for secure code collaboration
- Install any Python library without restrictions
- Light CPU/RAM capacity on Free plan sufficient for learning
- 50,000 Data Table rows and 100 MB storage on Free plan
StoryScroll cons
- Free plan includes Anvil banner that cannot be removed
- Free plan limited to 1 developer account only
- Free plan has 30-second background task timeout
- Free plan only supports 1 custom domain on Hobby plan
- No staging environments on Free or Hobby plans
- Free plan lacks persistent server (Hobby and above required)
- Private GitHub repos only available on Business plan
- SSO/SAML login requires Business or Enterprise plan
- Free plan has limited 100 MB Data Table storage
- Extra server resources only available as Business add-on
Frequently asked questions about StoryScroll
What is StoryScroll and what does it do?
StoryScroll (hopeful-jaunty-classroom.anvil.app) is an educational platform built with Anvil that allows students and educators to build interactive full-stack web applications using only Python. It provides a hands-on learning environment where students create web apps that are immediately live on the web, eliminating the need to learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and SQL separately.
Is StoryScroll free for students and educators?
Yes, Anvil is free for classroom use. Educational institutions receive professional features for free including full Python 3 server environments, extra packages, and more. Students and educators can fill out the education contact form or email [email protected] to get a licence.
Do I need to learn HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or SQL to use Anvil?
No, Python is all you need. Building a UI is as simple as dragging and dropping components onto a page. Anvil's built-in database allows querying and editing data with Python statements instead of SQL, making it possible to create dynamic web apps once you know the basics of classes and methods.
Can I connect my Jupyter or Google Colab notebooks to a web app?
Yes, students can connect code running in Jupyter or Google Colab notebooks to a web app using the Anvil Uplink. This makes data science and machine learning projects interactive by building a front-end for them, and prior to Anvil there was no standalone system enabling this connection in such a user-friendly fashion.
How does version control work in Anvil?
Anvil has built-in Git version control allowing students to collaborate on apps together. You can create branches, commit contributions, merge changes, and resolve conflicts all within the Anvil Editor. It also supports connecting to public GitHub repositories for code review tools, and students can see full project history and revert to old versions if mistakes are made.
What database features does Anvil include?
Anvil includes a database service out of the box. Using Anvil's built-in database means querying and editing data with Python statements instead of SQL. Students can use Python code to create, read, update, and delete rows from a table. The Free plan includes 100 MB storage and 50,000 Data Table rows, while Hobby includes 10 GB and 150,000 rows, and Business includes 100 GB and 1,000,000 rows.
What are the pricing plans for Anvil?
Free plan is free forever with unlimited apps, cloud hosting, and 1 developer account. Hobby plan is $12/month billed annually for personal projects with custom domains and no banner. Business plan is $79/month billed annually for scaling up with collaboration, SSO, staging environments, and private GitHub repos. Enterprise plan pricing is available upon request for on-site deployment with dedicated servers and corporate authentication. All prices are when billed annually.
How do I get started with Anvil?
You can sign up for free and start building your first app today. Follow the introductory tutorial to learn the basics of building apps in Anvil. The platform offers an intuitive visual designer with drag-and-drop builder, no boilerplate setup needed, and instant cloud deployment with one-click hosting. You can also join the Community Forum to share creations and ask questions.
What support and resources are available for learning Anvil?
Anvil users receive support through in-depth documentation, helpful articles and tutorials, and an active community forum. The code editor includes auto-completion for effortless syntax learning. Paid plans offer custom development support. Contact options include email, live-chat, and phone support with 24-hour response time. On-site and remote training packages are also available.
What makes Anvil different from no-code builders?
Anvil provides all the flexibility of actual code without hitting no-code builder walls. You write real Python code and use all favorite libraries with no limits to what you can build. Anvil provides escape hatches to look under the hood and build exact behaviors needed, offering accessibility without limitations. It handles tedious DevOps and database setup so you focus on writing powerful applications deployable with one click.