No-code is not new, but it’s within the last few years that it has truly evolved into a tool that can replace traditional coding in a wide array of different scenarios. Several global institutions and tech media heavyweights (I’ll include myself in both of those categories) are predicting that the 2020 decade will be defined by the development of no-code and low-code platforms.
I’ve set up this page to answer commonly asked questions about no-code:
What is no-code?
Traditionally, software and websites are written with code such as C++ and JavaScript. No-code is a term for frameworks that allow you to develop applications by using a visual editor instead.
The aim of no-code is to make app development available for “everyone”, and reduce the time spent and cost usually associated with software development.
Can anyone learn no-code?
In principle, yes. There are many different providers of no-code, with varying functionality and learning curves. Most no-code frameworks have ease of use as a main selling point.
Usually they offer thorough documentation and interactive tutorials to get going.
How does no-code work?
Generally, no-code replaces traditional coding with different kinds of visual editors that let’s you design interfaces and workflows with drag-and-drop.
Many frameworks run the created apps on a proprietary engine. Others allows you to export the created application as code.
What’s the difference between no-code and low-code?
The names really say it all: no-code are frameworks that allow you to set up complete processes or applications without even looking at a single line of code
Low-code work much in the same way, but will require some knowledge of coding to work. The line between no-code and low-code is not necessarily clear: for example, several no-code platforms offer coding modules to extend the basic functionality.
A general rule of thumb is that a no-code framework should allow you to set up applications completely without code, even if coding allows you to develop beyond its build-in features. For low-code platforms, you should have to expect to do some coding to finish an app.
How do you train to work with no-code?
At the time of writing these, there are no Colleges or Universities offering no-code courses. With the low learning curve and focus on ease of use and intuitive user interfaces, most frameworks are set up to not require any kind of formal training.
There’s a growing number of online courses, both free and paid, that offer basic and more advanced training, as well as online resources such as this website, that offer more extended documentation, tutorials and best practices.
