My career as a (junior) software developer is manageable. For a few years, I had the chance to develop web applications in an industrial group to simplify the everyday life of employees. During my studies, I also had the pleasure of developing apps as part of project work. I have to admit that it was always a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, it was a great feeling to create things out of nothing and then see how these apps actually added value in practice. On the other hand, there were always unexpected bugs and other complex problems. Whether it was just a tiny syntax error that made the system throw out a bug (a syntax error is comparable to a spelling mistake) or entire functions had to be rethought. I have to say that I personally never had the ambition to become a "hardcore" developer. It was much more fun for me to think about the structure, layout and flow of such applications and to design them. So the question that arises is obvious. Can't the whole thing be simpler - without code? The short answer - yes, it is possible.
No-code applications, i.e. applications that allow you to create things without programming code, have been around for many years. WordPress is probably the most popular and best-known example. However, no-code does not mean that your application is not based on a programming language and therefore also consists of programming code. It is simply "someone else's programming code". In recent years, more and more providers of no-code applications have emerged, especially in the USA. These are becoming more and more intuitive and easier to use. You can create websites, shops, apps and other complex things with simple drag & drop editors. Versatile integration options offer you the exchange of data across various applications.
Are there any limitations compared to actual individually programmed applications? Absolutely! Of course, not everything can be implemented the way you imagine it in your head. No-code applications also have their limits and restrictions. But if you have an idea for an application, I am sure that at least 80% of it can be implemented with such programmes.
No-code applications enable founders, entrepreneurs and side-hustlers without a technical background to develop applications and test business ideas. And the whole thing is completely low-risk. No more investment costs for developers who "only" have to build a first version of a Minimal Valuable Product (MVP). In addition, a large part of the time spent on the development itself is eliminated. A functioning mobile app with Glide, for example, can be created in a few days. An app & or web application prototype with Figma in a few hours.
In fact, almost anything you can imagine as a digital application can be created with no-code applications. From a simple website to a complex dashboard application for internal business purposes.
Here are some apps and their examples of use:
In fact, this is just a sample of the tools available to show you what is possible.
Even though no-code applications, as described at the beginning, have appeared on and off for many years and have never really caught on, the trend is clearly recognisable. According to an analysis by MarketsToMarkets, the number of existing no- and low-code applications will more than triple by 2025. There will be more and more users who will also find their way into programming via the path of no-code applications.
At VisualMakers, we already show you how you can use these tools for your projects. Either to expand and optimise your existing business or to test business models and build your business.
