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Google Opal Features - The Complete Guide to It's AI Mini Apps

Turn "I wish I had an AI tool for that" into reality Google Opal's built in features let you spin up blog writers, marketers, stylists, researchers, and more in minutes, all without writing a single line of code.

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Google Opal Features: Everything You Can Do With Google’s AI Mini-App Builder

Google Opal is a no-code AI builder from Google Labs that lets you describe what you want, then turns it into a working mini-app. Instead of writing code, you connect AI models, tools, and inputs through a visual workflow and simple text instructions.

Below is a structured look at Opal’s key features, including the visual editor, core building blocks, Gemini integration, and the template gallery you showed in your screenshot.

1. No-Code AI Mini-App Builder

At its core, Opal is a no-code application builder:

  • You type a goal in natural language (“Create a tool that writes blog posts from a headline and outline”).

  • Opal converts that request into a multi-step workflow with inputs, AI generation steps, and outputs.

  • You can edit the app either by rewriting instructions in plain English or by tweaking nodes in the visual editor.

This makes it usable for people who don’t code marketers, analysts, creators, teachers, and small-business owners who still want custom AI tools.

2. Visual Workflow Editor

Opal turns your app into a visual, node-based flow: each node is a step, and arrows show how data moves through the app.

2.1 Workflow as Steps

Every Opal mini-app is built from steps like:

  1. User Input – collects text or images from the user.

  2. Generate – calls a Gemini model to analyze or create content.

  3. Output – formats the final result (text, report, table, or lightweight UI).

You can add more steps, reorder them, or branch logic to create more complex flows.

2.2 Step-List View in Gemini

When you use Opal inside the Gemini web app, there’s an extra step-list view: your mini-app appears as a vertical list of steps beneath the chat, so you can quickly see and edit how it works.

If you need more control, you can jump from Gemini into the Advanced Editor at opal.google to fine-tune prompts, connections, and styling.

3. Core Building Blocks and Tools

Opal’s main features are built around a set of flexible building blocks.

3.1 Core Step Types

From the official feature breakdown, Opal currently focuses on three core types of steps:

  • User Input

    • Text boxes, choices, or image uploads.

    • Used to capture what the user wants (topic, links, products, ingredients, etc.).

  • Generate

    • Uses Gemini models to write, summarize, reason, or transform data.

    • Great for drafting content, analyzing lists, or creating marketing copy.

  • Output

    • Controls what the user sees at the end: a text answer, structured report, table, or simple interface.

You can also attach static assets (like reference images or sample links) to steps so the AI has richer context.

3.2 Integrated External Tools with “@” Mentions

Inside prompts, you can reference:

  • Other steps in the flow

  • Outputs from previous steps

  • External tools like Web Search, Maps, or Weather

These are accessed via simple @ mentions, which is how Opal brings live data into your app’s logic without you needing to manage APIs manually.

4. Deep Integration With Gemini Gems

Opal powers the “Gems from Google Labs” section inside the Gemini web app: these are interactive AI mini-apps bundled as Gems.

4.1 Creating Mini-Apps From Gemini

From the Gemini web interface you can:

  1. Open Gems in the left sidebar.

  2. Click New Gem under “My Gems from Labs.”

  3. Describe the mini-app or workflow you want.

  4. Gemini + Opal convert your description into a step-based mini-app.

  5. You review and edit the steps, then click Start app to run it.

You can always refine the mini-app by typing new instructions like “add a step that checks tone” or “summarize in bullet points instead of paragraphs.”

4.2 Using and Remixing Premade Gems

Under “Gems made by Labs”, you see premade mini-apps that were built with Opal. You can:

  • Run them as-is.

  • Click in to see their steps.

  • Remix them: change prompts, add steps, or adjust outputs, then save as your own Gem.

This is exactly where the cards from your screenshot live (Blog Post Writer, Book Recs, Recipe Genie, etc.).

5. Opal’s Template Gallery (Features Shown in Your Screenshot)

One of Opal's strongest features is the library of ready-made mini-apps created by the Opal Team. The cards in your image represent different templates you can open and remix:

  • Blog Post Writer – researches a topic and writes a blog post.

  • Book Recs – recommends books and helps you discover your next read.

  • Business Profiler – shows how the internet currently sees your business.

  • City Builder – designs a game-style city or world concept with AI visuals.

  • Claymation Explainer – turns any topic into a claymation-style explainer outline.

  • Fashion Stylist – suggests outfits for a specific occasion and weather.

  • Generated Playlist – creates a mood playlist from YouTube links.

  • Google Magic Link – generates a special link that adds items to Google Calendar.

  • Learning with YouTube – converts a YouTube video into a quiz to help you learn.

  • Marketing Maven – brainstorms content ideas and marketing strategy.

  • Product Marketing – creates launch copy and comms for a new product.

  • Product Research – produces a quick research report about a product.

  • Recipe Genie – turns leftover ingredients into recipe ideas.

  • Social Media Post – drafts posts for different platforms and business needs.

  • Video Marketer – generates ideas or scripts for AI-powered video ads.

These templates show what Opal can do across content, marketing, learning, creativity, and everyday life. You can open any of them, study the steps, then remix them into more niche tools (for example, turning “Blog Post Writer” into “Travel Blog Writer” or “Tech Review Writer”).

6. Debugging, Styling, and Theming

Opal isn’t just about wiring steps together it also helps you debug and style your mini-apps.

6.1 Real-Time Preview and Console

  • There’s a live preview of what the end user will see.

  • A console shows every model call and step execution, so you can debug prompts or see where the logic failed.

This is especially helpful when you’re building more complex flows that call multiple models or tools.

6.2 App Styling With Natural Language

You can theme your app’s interface with simple prompts like:

  • “Retro 80s pixel arcade style”

  • “Minimal zen workspace with soft colors”

Opal translates these style prompts into visual themes, so your mini-app doesn’t just work it also looks on-brand.

7. Sharing, Collaboration, and Storage

Google Opal is tightly integrated with the rest of the Google ecosystem.

7.1 Sharing and Access Controls

From the Gemini interface you can share an Opal-powered mini-app by:

  • Copying a shareable link.

  • Inviting specific people by email.

  • Choosing access level:

    • Public (searchable on Google),

    • Anyone with the link, or

    • Private (only invited users).

This makes Opal useful for internal tools (team-only) and public experiments (shareable with your audience).

7.2 Version History and Google Drive

Guides note that Opal keeps version history for your apps and stores them in your Google Drive, so you can roll back changes and manage them like regular documents.

8. What Opal Is—and Is Not

Based on Google’s docs and independent analyses, Opal is:

Opal is:

  • A no-code AI builder for mini-apps and workflows.

  • A visual, step-based editor powered by Gemini models and Google tools.

  • The engine behind Gems from Google Labs inside Gemini.

  • Ideal for prototyping, experimentation, and internal tools.

Opal is not (yet):

  • A full low-code platform for huge enterprise apps.

  • A direct replacement for automation tools like Zapier (though it overlaps for AI-heavy tasks).

  • A traditional REST API platform you call from your backend.

Because it’s still an experiment, most experts suggest using Opal for prototypes, side tools, and creative workflows, not mission-critical production systems.

9. Why Google Opal’s Features Matter

Taken together, Opal’s features turn AI from “something you chat with” into tools you actually own and reuse:

  • The visual editor and core step types make logic easy to understand.

  • Gemini integration means your mini-apps sit right next to your day-to-day AI work.

  • The template gallery (Blog Post Writer, Recipe Genie, Product Research, etc.) gives you instant value even before you build anything.

  • Debugging, styling, and sharing features help your mini-apps look polished and work reliably for others.