Over the last decade, the no-code movement has sprung up to provide tools that redefine the concept of a software engineer. These no-code tools are allowing a growing number of individuals (often with no development experience) to build all kinds of software quickly – without writing any code.
We believe no-code represents a major paradigm shift in the way everyone will approach software development. At its core, it’s a movement that champions accessibility, democratization, and efficiency in creating digital solutions.
So what is no-code? Why should we care? And how will it impact the world around us? Let us explain.
About the no-code movement
Software is traditionally created by "coders", people who are fluent in programming languages that computers understand. Because these languages are optimized for machines (not humans), most people don't understand them and are excluded from the software creation process.
But now, with the rise of no-code tools that feature intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built components, non-coders can actively participate in the software development process.
This is a big deal for several reasons but the main one is that it becomes much quicker and easier to build something. Instead of writing dozens (or hundreds) of lines of code to accomplish a minor task, you just click a few times. As a result, building a custom product takes days or weeks instead of months or years.
Being able to build drastically faster means much lower development costs, further compounded by the fact that you don’t need expensive coders to build no-code software. The implications are massive: much cheaper/faster software projects, custom software being built for use cases that didn’t make sense before, and a new labor force of no-code developers.
At Airdev we’ve seen all of these effects ourselves through our clients and our developers and are confident in our prediction. The one caveat we would make is that a lot of (maybe most) specific no-code tools won’t still be around in 10 years and new ones will emerge. But the way that people make most kinds of software will change drastically.
Our no-code predictions
Clearly, we think the no-code movement is a big deal. After all, we’ve made it our business to help companies of all sizes build faster and leaner using no-code. We truly believe it’s the future of software development. Below are just a few of the biggest ways in which we think it will change the world:
- A massive rise in the profession of the “no-code developer”: People will discover that they can make a good living building software this way, without a need for a formal degree or being in a certain location.
- More custom software: There will be a decrease in the power of SaaS as companies discover that it’s often cheaper and better to build their own software instead of using something that’s off-the-shelf.
- An explosion in “long-tail” software: This is software meant to solve a very specific need for a niche audience.
- A significantly greater standardization of software development: This will result in 80% of products being built in a standard way, while the other 20% is built custom, to accommodate the specific consumer needs.
- A more fulfilling role for traditional developers: Traditional coders/engineers will spend more of their time solving complex technical problems, while using no-code tools to solve the simple ones.
- Much broader access to software entrepreneurship: People without technical backgrounds or access to large amounts of capital will be able to build companies using no-code.
How to take advantage of no-code development
The rise of no-code development has been nothing short of remarkable. With the increasing demand for custom software solutions (which have traditionally been prohibitively expensive and slow to develop), no-code represents a major opportunity – for both entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs, and individuals looking for a new career.
To see specific ways no-code will revolutionize the way entrepreneurs build startups, businesses optimize their operations, and no-code developers start rewarding new careers, get The Quick Guide to No-Code: The startup & business guide to building apps faster & leaner without code.
