No code is the tool that basically allows all the programmers and non-programmers to create applications and software using graphical user interfaces. Being closely related to low code tools, the basic idea behind both is to be an alternative to traditional computer programming. However, both of these have minute differences based on the functionality of the app platforms, integrations and market niche. We can say that No code is closely related to visual programming languages. According to Forbes magazine, it is projected that no code corporations are going to be priced a collective $21bn by 2022; compared to the $3.5bn they were priced for in 2017.
Why No-Code?
No-code, as the name suggests refers to various tools that help you build apps and project workflows without the need of knowing a single line of code! It’s a promising and powerful alternative to traditional software development which needs you to be proficient in complex programming languages with a notoriously steep learning curve!
So, if you have a product idea or want to run a business, you don't have to worry about hiring technical developers to build or handle the product anymore. Instead, all of them would be capable of building things without learning to code. Furthermore, these tools also assist with your marketing, design and easily manage, automate, and optimize your business processes as a whole.
Reason behind the Shift?
Charles Lamanna from Microsoft states that it is projected that there will be 500 Million new applications built in the next 5 years! That number is greater than all the applications built in the last 40 years combined!
The key advantage of shifting to no-code is that it cuts down on the time and IT skills needed to transform an idea into an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) or a usable application. Companies are investing large funds in innovation centers that use agile methodologies in creating applications. Working on MVPs is becoming increasingly important at all levels. As a result, when it comes to changing or developing MVPs - pace and versatility are important success factors.
To put things into perspective, it is projected that there will be a shortage of around 1 Million developers in the coming decade in The United States alone. This is a serious problem, not just for big companies but also for small businesses and entrepreneurs and this is where No-code tools enter the stage.
No code for Founders
No code breaks the entry barrier for businesses to exist without the tech team, so naturally, this becomes an opportunity for founders. From idea to execution, everything can now be taken care of by ‘No code developers’ which refers to people from non-technical backgrounds.
Depending on the complexity of your product, everything can now be handled by the much cheaper no coders and the main focus of your business can be towards the sales and marketing end of it.
Also, the company can easily train the existing team to Learn using the no-code tools as it can be learned in a span of just weeks. For example,
a. Starting a new business and need a website?
- Use Website builders and design software like Webflow or Squarespace
b. Want to create your brand's logo? Need creatives for your upcoming campaign?
- Use a graphic design platform like Figma or Canva.
c. Wish to incorporate database into a spreadsheet and modernize the workflow?
- Use a cloud collaboration service like Airtable
d. Want to set up a payment processing app for your online business?
- Use financial service and software tool like Stripe
These services aren’t just limited to building logos, you can create customized presentation templates, mock up ideas, design your websites landing page, and much more. Think of them as your all in one designing platform!
Planning to go mobile? Of course you are! There are around 2.87 million apps available to be downloaded on the google play store alone. And you can be assured that your end user also wants the solution he is looking for to be mobile. And if you’re building a SaaS application, then you're going to need a lot more functionality.
You can use tools like Bubble that lets you build web and mobile applications without coding.
SaaS applications built on Bubble are mobile responsive, so they'll also look great on a tablet or mobile.
The term “cross-platform” is not just ‘nice-to-have’ anymore but pretty much a necessity!
No code for Managers
Flexibility and adaptability are critical to the managerial process in a global marketplace where the pace of change is increasingly growing. Planning, managing day to day activities, and evaluating the different department activities can be disordered. No code tools can be of great use in this situation. For example
- Calendly- helps to schedule meetings back and forth hassle free
- Airtable - manages a super flexible database in a spreadsheet
- Notion- is a one stop solution to manage notes, Kanban boards, calendars, and reminders for the entire team.
No code for Marketers
The constant requirement to improve the public relations of a company often requires different strategies and ideas from the marketing team. The need to improve the product image can be done with the help of No code platforms like Canva to design and showcase the product information and much more, Crisp for customer support and understanding the mindset of the customers, and Hotjar to visually understand the user. Here is a list of the top 21 MarTech tools for 2021.
Why is No code a fit for everyone ?
The beauty of No-code tools lies not only in building a sellable product, but also in automating your day to day work. There are a plethora of apps designed to reduce your workload. From simple tasks such as automating your emails to creating an entire website within 15 minutes.
According to Forrester, no-code and low-code is enabling marketers to build cloud apps ten times faster and with fewer resources.
As a marketer, you can use Figma to mock-up some marketing designs.
Using tools such as Airtable for example, you can turn raw data into actionable insights.
You could set up basic automation using tools like Zapier to have your blog posts do an auto-post onto your Slack channel, to let your team know every time a piece of content goes live.
No code apps always revolve around the concept of integration which means they work with most of the tools you’re already using to carry out your job. The benefit is that they remove your direct involvement with the monotonous jobs that don’t really need your involvement.
No code Vs low code
When a particular business requires customization, for example to add a drop down box which is not part of the default library provided, it's becomes a problem. That's where low code tools come to the rescue, they help in creating a particular option and adding it to the library for further use by anyone. In short, no code platforms are specialized low code platforms set up to solve particular issues faced by the businesses.
How can I Build Something with No-Code?
“No-code allows people who don’t know how to write code to develop the same applications that a software engineer would.” —Vlad Magdalin, Webflow
An easy example to understand how to build a simple app is to start by using Webflow. Their website template allows you to drag and drop, add animations, and do a ton of different stuff graphically instead of than writing front-end code.
For your Backend you need a database where you could use something more user-friendly like Airtable which works like a spreadsheet in a traditional database.
You can link this together into a full stack app then you can integrate this with a payments processing service like Stripe.
Lastly you can connect your whole system together with something like Zapier that links the three APIs allowing them to send data between each other and Voila! You have a working SaaS product that you can now market.
What does it mean for Developers?
A common misconception is that the no-code movement is here to make the job of software developers obsolete. This seems like a logical assumption as the no code movement is here to empower people like you and me to do things we needed the Developers for, but the assumption that there will be no requirement of developers is pretty far fetched.
No-code is not anti-code. And in fact the no code tools in use are very much a by-product of the work of talented engineers. Which means you will find engineers within the no-code space using no-code as a way to speed up their projects and put their time and focus on more important things, like new ideas or creating amazing new core features, rather than working on developing what’s already been made.
