A central theme of the summit is the movement away from the term "no-code" towards "visual development". Prakash, CEO of Xano, explained in an interview that the term "no-code" is often misunderstood and even has negative connotations. Larger companies in particular often see no-code platforms as unstable, insecure and unreliable. The misunderstanding: "No-code" is often taken literally and implies that no developers are needed. But this is not true.
Many of the developers who work with no-code platforms use their technical skills to speed up development and still fall back on classic code elements when necessary. This means that individual and highly complex solutions can be implemented much faster with no-code platforms such as Xano or WeWeb. Prakash emphasizes that Xano further softens the boundary between no-code and pro-code by allowing developers to extend their projects with their own code libraries.
The shift towards "visual development" shows that the future of software development lies in the combination of no-code and classic code. No-code platforms such as Xano offer integrated pro-code options that allow developers to further refine and customize their applications. For example, developers can add their own scripts or integrate external APIs to meet specific requirements. The result: developers gain more control over their projects while benefiting from the efficiency and ease of use of the no-code platform.
Lilith, explains in the episode that the term "no-code" should not be taken literally. Rather, it is about the visual user interface facilitating access to code. No-code platforms offer ready-made building blocks that reduce the complexity of software development. This means that even people without in-depth programming knowledge can develop applications and implement their own ideas.
Another key topic that was hotly debated at the No-Code Summit was the role of AI in software development. A question that keeps coming up: will AI make no-code platforms superfluous? The answer that emerged both in the podcast and at the summit is a clear no. AI will not replace no-code, but rather complement it.
Emmanuel Straschnov, CEO of Bubble, explains in an interview that many people's expectations of AI are often exaggerated. Many believe that by entering simple commands in natural language, they will immediately receive a fully functional application. But the reality is more complex. It is very difficult to precisely formulate the requirements of an application in natural language. AI can help with the creation of prototypes or initial versions of an application, but human developers are essential for further development and customization.
Raphael Goldsztejn, CEO of WeWeb, sees AI as an "accelerator" of software development. AI tools can simplify and speed up the development process by taking over routine tasks or making suggestions. But Raphael also emphasizes that human developers play a crucial role, especially when it comes to understanding and adapting generated code. Without this control, problems can arise during the further development and maintenance of applications.
Lilith sums it up aptly: AI will revolutionize software development, but it will not be able to replace human creativity and expertise. The combination of AI and visual development offers the best opportunities to implement software projects efficiently and flexibly.
In addition to the exciting discussions about visual development and AI, there were a number of impressive feature announcements from the various platforms at the No-Code Summit. Here are some of the most important innovations:
WeWeb announced that it will integrate AI functions at all levels of the platform in the coming months. The AI tools are intended to help create user interfaces (UI), improve the development process and automate workflows. Another exciting feature is access to backends via meta APIs. This allows developers to generate data structures and databases with the help of AI.
Xano presented Xano Actions, a new feature that makes it possible to create prefabricated automation routes and connect different platforms with each other. Another highlight was AI-supported database generation, in which the AI suggests suitable data structures and generates the corresponding code. In addition, Xano is developing its own programming language called Xano Script, which is easy to understand ("human-readable") and yet powerful.
Softr, previously known primarily as a front-end platform, will also offer back-end functions in future. This will enable users to develop more complex applications without having to rely on external backend systems.
Make presented a new module that integrates human interactions into automated workflows. This allows tasks within an automated process to be delegated to employees, for example. This function offers new possibilities for automating complex business processes.
The announcements and discussions at the No-Code Summit make it clear that the no-code scene is developing rapidly. AI is playing an increasingly important role in this, both for developers and non-developers. Platforms such as WeWeb and Xano show how AI can accelerate development without taking control out of the hands of developers. At the same time, the boundaries between no-code and classic code are becoming increasingly blurred.
Lilith aptly describes the development as an "expansion of the field". Today, no-code platforms appeal to a broad target group - from hobbyists and start-ups to experienced developers and large companies. Visual Development makes it possible to combine the advantages of no-code and pro-code and make software development accessible to everyone.
Next year, we will be organizing a community trip to the No-Code Summit in Paris. If you would like to join us, you can register using this form.
This trip offers you a fantastic opportunity to network with other no-code enthusiasts, experience the latest developments first-hand and shape the future of no-code together.
The No-Code Summit in Paris showed that the no-code movement is stronger than ever before. AI and visual development will shape the software development of the future and make it possible to implement complex projects faster and more efficiently. The new features of the various platforms show that no-code tools are becoming increasingly powerful and offer both developers and non-developers more flexibility.
The future of no-code lies in the combination of AI and visual development - an exciting development that makes software development accessible to everyone.
Experial is a startup from Wuppertal that uses AI to revolutionize market research. We were allowed to build the Experial platform with no-code. You can read about what that was like and how exactly Experial integrates AI here.
