How to Build Clean, Scalable Dashboards in Bellini

Let’s get one thing straight: a cluttered, unscalable dashboard is worse than no dashboard at all. I’ve seen too many business apps try to cram every data point into a single screen—only to end up with a chaotic mess no one actually uses.

That’s exactly why I’m writing this.

In this post, I’ll walk you through how I build clean, scalable, data-rich dashboards using Bellini, Lonti’s low-code, API-powered app builder. Whether you’re building internal tools or customer-facing UIs, the principles are the same: clarity, usability, and scale—without sacrificing power or flexibility.

Let’s dive in.

Step 1: Start With the End (User) in Mind

I always begin with one question: Who is this dashboard for?

Not all dashboards are created equal. A sales manager needs quick-glance KPIs and visual trends. A finance analyst wants deep data filtering. An ops team? Probably real-time system monitoring.

In Bellini, I love that I can quickly prototype different layouts and data views without hard-coding anything. I map out the primary questions the user wants answered and sketch a hierarchy: What’s the most important info? What needs drilling down?

Pro tip: Don’t show everything. Show what matters. Let users drill down via filters, modals, or additional views.

Step 2: Build a Flexible Layout Grid

Bellini’s visual editor makes it dead simple to build layouts with reusable sections. I use a responsive grid system—rows and columns—to ensure dashboards look sharp across devices. Even if you’re building only for desktop, responsive thinking helps future-proof your work.

The best part? Bellini lets you bind layout components to APIs out of the box. That means I can build a scalable structure where each widget is dynamically powered by live data from any API—no glue code or messy workarounds.

Step 3: Bind API Data Without Breaking a Sweat

Data is the heart of any dashboard. And this is where Bellini shines.

Every chart, table, and card in Bellini can be bound directly to APIs—whether that API is built in Martini (for orchestration, automation, integration) or any external application you’re consuming.

I typically:

• Use Negroni to standardize entities (e.g., “Leads”, “Orders”, “Tickets”) then publish them as an API on Martini
  
  
• Use Martini to create backend workflows and transformations
  
  
• Use Bellini’s secure proxy to connect directly to any third party API where the payload does not require transformation or enrichment
  
  
• Connect them to Bellini via drag-and-drop data bindings
  
  

Bellini’s API-centric architecture makes this a breeze.

Step 4: Design for Readability, Not Density

I get it. It’s tempting to throw in 15 charts and tables to show you did your homework. But effective dashboards breathe. I follow a few rules:

• Use whitespace generously – Clarity is a feature.
  
  
• Highlight what matters – Big, bold numbers. Clear labels. Color-coded trends.
  
  
• Group related data – Use cards, tabs, or sections.
  
  
• Avoid chart soup – If it doesn’t answer a question, it doesn’t belong.
  
  

Bellini gives you enough control over CSS and styles to make this happen fast. Want to drop in a custom chart library? Go for it. I’ve dropped in Chart.js, D3, and even custom SVG animations when native components didn’t cut it.

Step 5: Make It Interactive (Without Overcomplicating)

ents didn’t cut it.

A dashboard should be more than just a static report. It should invite exploration.

Bellini supports filtering, input controls, modals, and dynamic components—all with visual logic editors and the ability to inject custom JavaScript when needed.

Want to let users:

• Filter data by region?
  
  
• Switch chart types?
  
  
• Drill into transaction-level details?
  
  

You can build that in minutes.

Step 6: Reuse Components Across Projects

One of my favorite features in Bellini is the ability to create reusable components—widgets, templates, layouts, and logic. If I’ve built a killer sales leaderboard or a multi-tab trend viewer, I’m not building it from scratch next time. I just reuse and refactor.

And because Bellini is built for professional developers, I can version these components with Git, manage them in workspaces, and even collaborate across teams.

Scale isn’t just about performance. It’s about sustainable development—and Bellini gets that.

Final Thoughts: Why Bellini Works for Serious Dashboards

Too many low-code platforms break down the minute your UI needs actual complexity or elegance. Bellini doesn’t. It gives me:

• API-first architecture so I can connect anything
  
  
• Real layout control without restrictive templates
  
  
• Room for custom logic with JavaScript and extensions
  
  
• Reusable components for long-term scalability
  
  
• Developer-friendly features like Git, JS libraries, and full styling
  
  

If you’re building dashboards that need to work, not just look pretty, this is the tool I keep coming back to.

And the best part? You don’t need to compromise. With Bellini, clean design and real enterprise power finally live in the same place.

Want to try it yourself?
The Bellini Free Edition lets you build and publish dashboards

👉 Check it out here.

Let me know what you’re building—I’d love to see what dashboards you bring to life.
#LowCodeNoLimits #BuiltInBellini