It’s possible that no-code may be familiar to you, or it may be a brand new idea; but one thing is certain: it’s gaining attraction so fast that soon, it’ll be on practically everyone’s lips.
No-code development will be worth $21.2 billion by 2022, according to Forrester (this figure was just $3.8 billion in 2017).
Is it surprising? Not really. The value of no-code is self-evident. People without coding abilities can start building immediately thanks to no-code.
Businesses may save time, automate procedures, and relieve developers.
Taking matters into their own hands through no-code, entrepreneurs can save money and move faster. And there are many more benefits to explore.
In this article, you will learn what the No-Code movement is and what this trend means for software developers.
Table of Contents
What is the ‘No-Code’ Movement?
The no-code movement is a shift in software development and design and an approach that doesn’t require coding, developers, or any software engineering skills.
With no-code tools, anyone can build applications within minutes.
No-coders need only upload data into the web interface of the desired application; then, they can manipulate it with intuitive drag and drop functionality.
Before we proceed any further: there is nothing wrong with developers! In fact, they do very important work for entrepreneurs and companies alike.
But when it comes to creating prototypes or MVPs (minimum viable products), there are some benefits to using a no-code platform. These include:
Simplified prototyping and faster time to market
Prototypes may be desirable, even if they’re not the end result. Prototypes get you feedback, which helps to shape your product and provide a better service for your users.
They also help you achieve agility in software development while reducing production costs and time frames.
No code allows for this agile approach, since no coders can build prototypes with ease: no coding skills required!
This also makes it easy to tweak and revise prototypes as needed to reach minimum viable product (MVP) status… This leads us to our next point.
No code means no need for developers or programming skills. This means that no-code businesses can launch faster than ever before.
What’s more, other people on your team—such as sales reps, marketers, product managers, etc.—can learn how to prototype and test their ideas before passing them on to developers.
This guarantees more autonomy within companies.
No-code solutions are also less expensive than most other types of software tools.
Furthermore, no-code gets you closer to the user by putting software in users’ hands without interfering with the development process.
Such rapid development means that your business is nimble enough to change or tweak anything that may need it—adding another layer of agility through the no-code platform:
Faster path to launch
Building prototypes and MVPs with no code ensures a faster way into production.
Since no one needs coding skills (and no code apps tend to be very intuitive), anyone can use no-code to get something up and running!
This makes it easier than ever for businesses to introduce their product into the marketplace.
Moreover, a prototype is a great jumping-off point: it gives your team a basic idea of what users will need from the final version of the application or software.
It allows you to begin testing ideas with minimal overhead and effort—and can provide valuable insight into how people will use your finished solution before any heavy costs are invested.
Lower production costs
No-code apps cost significantly less than most other types of software tools.
In fact, they often have greater value at lower prices! And as mentioned above, this means that entrepreneurs don’t have to hire expensive developers in order to launch their idea.
Example of a no-code app (My Nursery)
Instead, they can share the prototype with users and leave it in their hands to gauge interest and receive feedback, helping entrepreneurs and companies alike launch a product with fewer bugs and more user engagement.
More autonomy
By bringing no-code into your development efforts, your business or company can gain agility by involving non-developers earlier on in the process.
No-coders will allow you to get the software up and running at a fraction of the time investment—and this brings us full circle back to our first point.
No-code website (image source: goodgigs.app)
Everyone from marketers to managers to sales reps can use no code! This means that any member of your organization can engage early on in prototyping without having to wait for programming resources.
This movement is great for software developers as well. Since no code allows programmers to automate more of the workflow that they’re already familiar with, there’s less need for things like API documentation—which tends to be very time-consuming and tedious work. This leads to a greater supply of available labor for all types of programming jobs.
In short: no-code provides software developers with a faster path toward getting applications built, tested, and into users’ hands without requiring extensive knowledge or experience in coding languages.
How Software Developers Can Thrive in the midst of the Emergence of No-code Development
Software developers will likely feel threatened by the ‘No-Code Movement,’ since it may mean losing out on valuable development opportunities.
However, there are ways that devs can not only survive this change but thrive.
Change your approach
Rather than trying to compete with no-code development, take the approach that you’re one step ahead of it.
Work on creating software that automates tasks that other non-coding members of your team are currently doing.
This way, every member of your organization will be able to engage earlier in the software development process—and will need your assistance less often.
Find better clients
There are clients out there who want things done quickly and without headaches or frustration, but may not have the budget for enterprise technology.
Rather than having to explain how difficult it is for you to build something at their price range, agencies can offer a higher service level by building them an MVP or prototype—which they then provide to end for testing purposes.
Collaborate directly with your client
The best part of working with non-coding software prototypes (at least, in our opinion) is that you get to directly collaborate with the end-user.
For example, if a product manager or other marketer needs to know how customers will interact with an interface, they can watch them explore the prototype.
This way, they’ll have a better idea of what should be included in the final version and what shouldn’t.
Don’t look for jobs where no-code software development is being used
Instead, find places that haven’t adopted it already and sell the benefits! And remember: no-code doesn’t mean “no coding,” but rather a different kind of coding—one that anyone can do to get a software prototype in front of a client or user for testing, feedback, and refinement.
Start learning—or improving upon—other coding languages
Since no-code platforms allow you to automate more of the process, this means that developers will need to learn how to build software on more than one platform.
It also means that new programming languages will emerge (since non-coders won’t be able to build software on their own), which devs new and old should invest time in learning.
Collaborate with colleagues
No-code development tools like Google Apps Script and Microsoft Visual Studio simplify the process of creating APIs and building integrations between different services and databases —and these processes can be done by anyone!
When software developers learn how to code, they’re not just learning one language. Many times they’re learning about how to code in general.
So rather than trying to compete with no-code development after you already have the expertise, offer training services so colleagues who are new to coding can catch up.
Find clients with specific needs
Every client will need something different out of their software; however, some clients may need more customized work than others.
If developers find themselves struggling with no-code platforms’ limitations, they can invest their time in learning to code.
Then they can find clients who need software built on a more traditional software development process (and charge more for that work).
Start making apps
Even if you don’t plan to create software yourself, your skills will benefit by adding no-code platforms to the toolkits of other developers.
Since non-coders are creating more of these platforms, this creates an opportunity for devs to make software through the use of APIs and other integrations.
At the end of the day, no-code development is here to stay. And that means that software developers who are willing to embrace change will have a better chance at success in this new world of software engineering.
Take advantage of no-code tools, look for job opportunities where they’re used, and offer training so colleagues can get involved—then you’ll be on your way to becoming an “expert” in no-code development too.
Start offering software development as a service
This is another way to quickly gain No-Code experience if you’re just getting started. Being able to build your own tools will help you earn a reputation as a valuable software developer.
Find clients who want developers with no-code skills
You can use LinkedIn or other social media platforms to find these types of clients if you don’t already know anyone from school or work.
Work for yourself
If you do decide to work for someone else, try not to make it your primary source of income until you’ve established credibility—especially if potential employers are looking for coders!
Start your own business…
Or hire employees who are no-code devs. Either way, you’ll be in a better position to make an impact in this new software development world.
Become a consultant
This is something that many coders do to fill the career gap between jobs—and it’s an option for no-code developers too.
You can build up your credibility and portfolio of work by offering clients advice on how they can benefit from no-code development (even if you’re not doing all of their project planning and implementation) —and then use that to get more No-Code projects moving forward.
Put yourself out there
Every opportunity counts when it comes to building experience and credibility as a software developer, so don’t be afraid to attend meetups, give talks at conferences or local meetings, or network with other developers.
Don’t expect anything right away
You may need some time before earning significant income from your extra credits (or new startup), but eventually, it will become a real source of revenue if you can establish yourself as an expert.
So make sure you invest your no-code knowledge wisely and present yourself well to your clients. This is one of the best ways to gain value from no-code platforms and be successful in the long run.
Don’t give up
As with anything, software development takes time—so don’t let it discourage you even if you struggle at first.
Just keep learning and applying what you’ve learned until you finally get what it takes to make an impact as a No-Code developer.
Consider moving towards artificial intelligence
There’s been a lot of hype lately about how artificial intelligence will create apps that do everything by themselves, meaning that software developers won’t be needed anymore!
While this may or may not come true, A.I.-powered services provide another opportunity for no-code devs to expand their skillset and services to their clients.
We hope this article provides you with some valuable perspective on the no-code movement and how it’s affecting software developers around the world.
Now that you understand why there is such an increase in demand for no-coding tools, what they are exactly, and how to get started using them yourself (for your own projects or clients), it’s time to do something about it!
Expanding your skillset has never been easier—and in today’s rapidly changing world, staying ahead of the game will give you a huge advantage in your career. So don’t wait another minute before getting started!
Acodez is a renowned web development company and web application developmentcompany in India. We offer all kinds of web design and Mobile app development services to our clients using the latest technologies. We are also a leading digital marketing company providing SEO, SMM, SEM, Inbound marketing services, etc at affordable prices. For further information, please contact us.
Looking for a good team
for your next project?
Contact us and we'll give you a preliminary free consultation on the web & mobile strategy that'd suit your needs best.
Jamsheer K, is the Tech Lead at Acodez. With his rich and hands-on experience in various technologies, his writing normally comes from his research and experience in mobile & web application development niche.
