Beginner’s guide to No-Code
When you're starting out with something new, there'll inevitably be questions like, what is it? Where do I find more information? Where do I get started? Etc.
This post addresses your questions if you're starting out with no-code.
Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash
What is No-Code?
Put it simply, no-code enables creators to build software applications without writing code.
Traditional software development requires learning a programming language like Java, Javascript, React, etc., with no-code you can bypass this step and get straight into building on your ideas.
No-Code enables non-technical users to drag and drop software components and build full-fledged software applications. Users don't need to understand code or have prior coding experience to make with no-code.
Why No-Code?
While no-code enables non-technical users to build software applications, it also has other benefits like faster execution, low-cost development, minor or no setup requirement, etc.
Speed of execution
With no-code, the time to market is reduced drastically and allows the creator to launch applications rapidly. This is due to the work already done by the no-code platforms in the form of reusable software components, which you don't need to code.
All you need to do is to drag a relevant software component and connect to the desired data source with respective logic, and you're done.
Low-cost
No-code platforms reduce the development cost by up to 80%.
Traditional software development requires you to code or hire a developer to build the application.
Assuming you are a non-technical person, you'll need to hire at least one front-end developer and one backend developer; this will cost you a few thousand dollars a month.
No-code platforms subscriptions can cost as low as $19 per year (yup, per year!)
Little or no setup required
No-code platforms come with all the necessary setup, i.e., front-end editor, database, workflows, automation, etc.
Register for an account and start building using drag and drop software components; when you're done, deploy the application.
What can I build with No-Code?
You can build almost any software using no-code. Few examples include but are not limited to websites, web applications, progressive web apps, native iOS / Android apps, background automation, chrome extensions, etc.
Just like any other programming language, no-code platforms are evolving rapidly, and capabilities are increasing dramatically. There's no better time than now to start building with no-code.
Examples of No-Code app development platforms.
There are many no-code platforms available in the market; as of this writing, there are reportedly more than 500 no-code platforms available, both for individual creators and enterprises.
Here are few examples which are well known and widely used platforms currently:
Bubble is one of the most advanced no-code platforms with a massive community of builders. Over 1.1 million Bubblers are creating web apps using Bubble as of this writing.
Bubble recently raised $100mn after bootstrapping for almost 10 years.
It has a bit of a learning curve initially, but it is worth the time and effort if you want to build advanced web applications with no code.
Price: Free; Paid plans start at $25/month per application
Adalo is a mobile-first no-code platform; you can build and deploy your apps into App Store and Play Store with no additional setup.
Adalo is a beginner-friendly tool with a minimal learning curve. They recently raised $8m Series A and are expanding to support web applications with responsive design.
Browse more example Adalo apps here: #MadewithAdalo
Price: Free; Paid plans start from $50 per month to create unlimited apps.
Glide apps let you build powerful apps from spreadsheets in minutes.
Few notable example apps built within days using Glide during the Covid19 crisis in India and served millions of people in needy are:
Hyderabad Covid Resources
https://hydcovidresources.com/
India Covid Resources
https://indiacovidresources.in/
Price: Free; Paid plans start from $32 per month
Softr is the easiest, fastest way to build your web apps on Airtable. Softr is one of the few no-code platforms which provide 1 custom domain for free!
One of my favorite communities, 100daysofnocode, is built using Softr.
https://www.100daysofnocode.com/
Browse more example Softr apps here: #MadewithSoftr
Price: Free 1 custom domain; Paid plans start from $29 per month.
Carrd is the simplest way to build a simple, free, fully responsive one-page site for anything.
https://gyftbook.io/
Price: Free; Paid plans start from $19 per year (yup, per year!)
Xano
If you're concerned about the scalability of your no-code app, look no further. Xano lets you create a powerful, scalable backend for your app without writing a single line of code.
Price: Free; Paid plans start from $59 per month paid annually
And, there are many more no-code platforms on top of the few listed above (Airtable, Notion, Bildr, Zapier, Integromat, Retool, Clappia, etc.)
Full list of No-Code Resources & Tools
I am a software developer (programmer); should I be concerned with No-Code?
Not at all! As a software programmer, you should be glad that you don't have to write the same piece of code again for a similar use case and instead focus your efforts on creating new stuff that millions of non-technical creators can use.
Your coding skills are an opportunity to make the world a better place by building solutions that don't already exist and even better if those can be reused by non-technical users to adapt to their use case.
No-Code in the news
The worldwide low-code development technologies market is projected to total $13.8 billion in 2021, an increase of 22.6% from 2020, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc.
According to a report published by Forrester, the no-code / low code market will achieve an annual growth rate of 40%, hitting the $21.2 billion mark by 2022.
