Todd Sumamno
Breaking Down the Hype Around No-Code Developer Tools
No-code solutions are everywhere right now, empowering the code-averse to get up and running without having to depend on developers. But what even is a no-code web builder, and what does it mean to build a product or website without code?
What can I build with a no-code web builder?
Featuring intuitive drag-and-drop tools, no-code web builders put the power of development in the hands of customer, product, and marketing teams — anyone who shouldn’t be spending their time on code. No more waiting on dev to move code through weeks – or even months-long release cycle. Now, the teams who know the customer best can make changes directly to the product.
No matter what you’re looking to create, there’s a whole host of no-code web builders available today that give just about anyone the power to build just about anything. Let’s take a look at a few examples:
- E-Commerce — Shopify allows anyone to set up shop online, no code necessary. Choose from preselected themes, and customize with your own branding to fast-track e-commerce setup.
- Web Apps — Thanks to Bubble’s drag and drop interface, non-coders can prototype, launch, iterate, and scale a web app. And, since there’s no need to wait on a lengthy dev cycle, the whole process takes days, not weeks or months.
- Mobile Apps — On the mobile side, Appy Pie has the code-averse crowd covered with a drag-and-drop interface that’s as simple as… well, pie. Users simply choose a color theme and select the right features to get their mobile apps publication-ready.
- Chatbots — MobileMonkey automates customer service for your product with support for live chat, SMS, and Facebook and Instagram messaging. And, in case you didn’t notice the theme here, it all comes together without a single line of code.
Will users be able to tell I built it without code?
Developing code-free sure does sound appealing, but does it look as good as the real deal? Well, that depends on what you’re building and how customized you need it to be.
With a no-code web builder, you’ll be using a template as your starting point, and there are some stunning templates out there that you can customize with your own styles, graphics, and fonts. For most product and app creators, that’s enough, and the simplicity of a drag-and-drop editor outweighs the benefit of customizing every little detail.
Nevertheless, it’s still a template, and templates come with some constraints. (No, you can’t. For example, if you’re creating an authentication layer for your web app or anything that requires backend or database integration, you’ll still need to get yourself a programmer. If you want ease of use in a pretty package, a no-code builder will suit you just fine, and your users will be none the wiser.
How are no-code tools changing the way we build?
With a slew of tools and solutions available today, no-code web builders have democratized development for all. What was once the domain of engineers alone — building websites, creating apps, or even launching products — is now well within the realm of possibility for anyone with an idea.
Just take a look at Product Hunt. The curated product discovery site is full of dreams that came to life without a single line of code. Yes, Candu happens to be one of them, and we were among some killer no-code nominees for Product Hunt’s 2020 Golden Kitty Awards.
We’re all in this no-code movement together, building products that help wannabe creators like us break free from reliance on developers. No-code builders let us build beautiful UIs faster, smarter, and more agilely. What’s not to love about that?
