No-Code is the Future

In a world that is increasingly code-based, more and more companies are getting left behind in what we call a “developer desert.” An aging population needs access to tools that allow them to work their best, and with fewer coders to go around, the situation is dire.

There’s a lot at stake, and not enough coding professionals to fill the gaps.

No-code is the future of SaaS and software development, and it’s coming way faster than we realize.

What is no-code? The simplest answer is that it’s exactly what it sounds like – an approach to development that requires no coding skills, relying instead on simple drag-and-drop interfaces that use pre-built modules.

A slightly more detailed explanation, though, is probably needed to really understand why no-code plays such an important role in the future of development.

First of all, let’s be clear on one thing: low-code and no-code are not the same thing, although the terms are often used together and sometimes interchangeably. They are related – both are designed to eliminate a degree of required technical knowledge from software development, creating a greater pool of professionals who are able to do the necessary job. However, low-code platforms typically require some degree of coding knowledge, while no-code platforms are designed so citizen developers – everyday business users with no coding skills - are able to use them, creating applications and solutions with no knowledge of code at all.

Why is this an advantage? Coders and developers are specialists in their area – the back end of software development. They may have a blueprint for what the software needs to accomplish, but haven’t necessarily been a part of the workflow the solution is designed to automate.

Citizen developers are business users. They are the ones who are familiar with the workflows and the issues that need to be solved with those workflows. They understand not only the end goal of the process but the steps of the process itself.

Think about rocket scientists. The experts building spacecraft have the advanced engineering knowledge to build a rocket that can achieve everything that physics tells them it needs to do. It can survive all the necessary gravitational forces, extreme heat and cold of spaceflight and reentry, and overall physically do what it needs to do to allow for space travel. But the experience of astronauts who have actually traveled in spacecraft is vital. They are able to bring real-world experience to the table – they know firsthand what is actually needed by human beings who are flying in the spacecraft.

Now, no-code development isn’t necessarily rocket science. But the experience of users who know what they need from a system is invaluable to its development, as anyone who has ever tried to perform basic business functions using badly designed software knows.

The ability to create the ideal workflow by simply dragging and dropping pre-built modules combines the best of both worlds – it’s as if the astronauts were able to take rocket pieces built by engineers and fit them together like giant Lego blocks to create their ideal spacecraft.

No-code clearly has many benefits, so why is it suddenly gaining such popularity?



• Age tech – enabling digital services for an older population who has disposable income to spend on technology-driven products, but not necessarily the skills to use them – is already a $1T industry, and it’s set to increase dramatically within the next few decades. No-code is a natural byproduct of this change.
• Citizen developers are empowered to do more with less. After all, drag and drop tech makes everyone a digital mastermind. In a business environment that has suddenly become dependent on remote workers in disparate locations, digital transformation has gone from something organizations are working toward to something that is essential now to business survival. As that happens, the need for workers who can automate processes and enable digital transformation has increased dramatically.
• No-code maximises productivity and efficiency throughout the average working environment. Not only are the big-picture processes automated, but more minor, day-to-day tasks that might not typically get attention are also the beneficiaries of automation. Once again, this is an enormous benefit in a drastically changing workforce. Allowing everyday citizen developers the ability to create their own solutions for tracking, reporting, or other time-consuming tasks creates greater efficiencies for everyone.
• The “trickle-up” effect of this then creates a more efficient business – one with a much greater chance of surviving economic uncertainty.

No-code tech will revolutionise the way companies do business in the digital marketplace and give those with less coding experience the opportunity to really shine. For any business that wants to stay relevant in the digital age, no-code is definitely an area worth investigating.