Widget Builder is a low-code platform that lets you build custom widgets for your Staffbase intranet in hours instead of months — without in-house development resources, with native Staffbase integration. Our observation from Widget Builder customer projects at JASP: a standard widget from the widget gallery is usually configured in well under an hour, while comparable custom development typically takes weeks. Concrete time budgets depend on the data source and the desired layout.
Overview
With Widget Builder, you create custom widgets for your Staffbase intranet. No coding skills required, no lengthy project timelines.
Widget Builder vs. Custom Development
What sets Widget Builder apart from traditional custom development?
| Criteria | Widget Builder | Custom Development |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | Monthly license fee, no upfront costs (low costs for self-hosting) | High – developer salaries, project management, infrastructure setup, hard-to-predict risk |
| Programming Effort | Low-code editor, little programming knowledge required | Complete frontend & backend development, knowledge of widget integration in Staffbase required |
| Time-to-Market | Hours to days | Weeks to months |
| Hosting | Included, EU servers | Must be set up and fully managed yourself |
| Security & Compliance | Automatic user authentication when widgets are called, GDPR-compliant, regular security updates | Full responsibility, regular audits required, every authentication in the widget must be built yourself |
| Installation in Staffbase | One-click integration, automatic | Manual integration, installation package must be built and provided yourself |
| Maintenance & Updates | Automatic, no effort required | Ongoing development effort |
| Support | Professional support included | Own team must build up know-how |
| Scalability | Scales automatically | Manual capacity planning required |
| Templates & Best Practices | 20+ tested widget templates, an editor that focuses on the essentials | Build everything from scratch |
Conclusion
Based on our experience with customer projects, Widget Builder typically saves several weeks of development time per widget. Ongoing costs are also significantly lower because hosting, maintenance, and security updates are included.
And should a widget become too complex for Widget Builder, our experienced development team is happy to help. We also develop complex widgets using the core architecture of Widget Builder and our years of experience.
Why Widget Builder?
- Low-Code Editor: Visual editor – configure widgets instead of coding them
- Fast Results: Solutions in days instead of months
- 20+ Templates: Pre-built widget templates as a starting point
- Integrations: Connect HR systems, CRM and more
- GDPR Compliant: Secure EU hosting
Getting Started is Easy
Step 1: Registration
See how simple registration and getting started with Widget Builder is:
Step 2: Enable Widget in Staffbase
Here’s how easy it is to make your widget visible in Staffbase:
Ready to get started? Start for free now and create your first widget in minutes.
From the trenches
“The most common aha moment with customers isn’t the first widget — it’s the second. When they realize an editor can publish a new widget live without IT help, the dynamic in the intranet changes completely. Ideas that used to get shelved suddenly get shipped.”
— Sascha Henning, Co-Founder & Tech Lead, JASP
Frequently asked questions
Do I need coding skills to use Widget Builder?
No. Widget Builder is explicitly built for editorial and internal-communications teams. You configure widgets via a form — pick a template, connect a data source (SAP, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, a CSV file), and adjust colors, labels, and logic. Deeper customization is possible but not required.
How long does it take to ship a widget?
It depends heavily on the widget and the data source. Standard widgets from the widget gallery that connect to an existing data source are something we usually finish with customers in a single workshop session. Widgets with a custom layout or a new backend integration take longer — hours, not weeks. Traditional custom development for comparable scenarios runs into weeks or months.
Does Widget Builder work with self-hosted Staffbase?
Yes. Widget Builder supports both Staffbase Cloud and self-hosted Staffbase instances. Enterprise customers can additionally self-host the Widget Builder platform itself — fully inside your own infrastructure.
What data is stored in Widget Builder?
Configuration and layout only — no personal employee data. Widgets fetch their data at runtime from the original source (HR system, CRM, Staffbase). Details in the security-by-design article .
Is Widget Builder GDPR compliant?
Yes. Hosting is EU-only, user authentication happens automatically when a widget is called, visibility is role-based, and the full privacy policy is linked from every page.