Perhaps you’ve heard about no-code and low-code solutions, but you’re still unclear what exactly they are. Is it too late to ask (without feeling out of the loop)?
Not at all. In April, we hosted a live panel featuring no-code and low-code experts from Formstack, Bubble, Webflow, and Adalo to discuss our findings from surveying 1,000+ employees across various industries, job levels, and company sizes about their understanding of no-code and low-code tools. What we found is that the majority of people still have a lot of questions. (In fact, 82% of them aren’t even familiar with the term no-code.)
Keep in mind, these questions aren’t just from no-code novices. Those asking about no-code are marketers and professional software engineers; old generations and young; enterprises and start-ups — each with something to gain from no-code and low-code solutions.
Let’s take a look at a few of the frequently asked questions our panel revealed to get at the heart of what people want to know most when it comes to the future of coding.
The No-Code Answers You’ve Been Searching For
First thing’s first. What is no-code, anyway? And what’s the difference between it and low-code solutions?
No-code is a type of software that uses a visual development platform. Instead of having to manually code actions, conditional logic, or other elements, no-code software uses a drag-and-drop, point-and-click system that allows you to visually build solutions.
While low-code solutions also use a drag-and-drop interface, they do require some coding knowledge to use, mostly to customize or build out specific use cases.
Here are a few of the top questions our panel audience asked about no-code (and the answers you’ve been seeking):
1. What are the most common no-code use cases?
While no-code tools can be used for an array of needs, our research shows that most professionals seek no-code solutions to prototype a new idea or product. From building websites and apps to creating digital workflows and paperless processes, no-code software tools make it extremely quick and easy to develop your own solutions to the most difficult problems. Most often, this includes:
- Internal tooling like custom expense reporting or employee satisfaction surveying
- Reporting and dashboards for business-specific metrics
- Migrating data from legacy apps
- Operational efficiency like automated workflows between teams
- Managing and organizing data in a customized way
- Business process apps like forms and document management
Instead of selecting off-the-shelf solutions, people choose no-code tools because they provide greater control over their projects (15%), they’re easier to maintain (15%), and they make new apps much faster to develop (19%) than involving IT in a long, drawn-out process.
2. What are the best resources to explore various no-code platforms (their cost, benefits, tools, capabilities)?
A quick Google search reveals a plethora of resources to learn about no-code, but the best ones come from credible sources that have done their research. G2 provides a list of the best and most popular no-code software with filterable categories like business size, star rating, features, and even a tab featuring free solutions.
But before you start shopping around, it’s best to understand what you’re getting into. That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive report featuring data and insights from actual professionals and no-code software users, plus advice on adopting no-code tools across industries and what you can expect from this new tech revolution.
No time to read? Listen to our panel of experts discuss the Rise of No-Code instead.
3. Who are the enterprises leading the no-code revolution?
No-code software has actually been around since the 1980s, beginning with Microsoft’s release of Excel. But increased digital transformation of the past decade has accelerated the need for tools that can be adopted quickly, easily, and with little ramp time. Among the most popular no-code and low-code software available today are Formstack, WordPress, Salesforce, Bubble, and Zoho, in addition to many others.
In terms of user adoption, however, any head start a company might have is slight, as 66% of our survey respondents have only started using no-code tools in the past year. That’s because no-code and low-code tools have significantly improved over the past few years, making them an easy transition.
“I think the reason why we're seeing a lot more adoption is not because these tools are new, but it's because people are seeing more and more proof that what people are building with the tools is actually tangible and can help run a business or help create a product or help launch something off the ground,” said Vlad Magdalin, Co-Founder & CEO at Webflow, during the panel.
4. Do no-code and low-code solutions make developers obsolete?
Absolutely not. On the contrary, no-code tools create jobs that simultaneously support IT, DevOps, and software engineers. Instead of replacing developers, no-code solutions make their jobs easier, removing the stress and burden of smaller jobs so they can focus on more custom, more complex projects.
“No-code and low-code tools are not about eliminating code or engineers,” said Pietro Invernizzi, investor with Stride.vc. “They are about making life easier for coders, while opening access to everyone, making everyone a ‘citizen developer.’”
These non-technical citizen developers also share in the growth that no-code tools provide with smoother paths to ideation, innovation, and app creation. With easier tools to put their ideas into action, entrepreneurs and novice project leaders have opportunities to grow the business — and their careers.
5. What are some resources and advice for evolving company culture to adopt a no-code mentality?
Change can be tough and slow going at any company. But when teams and users can see the greater benefit of new software, they’re more likely to adopt it. The key to helping them understand? Education — not just about which no-code tools to use or how to use them, but about the bigger picture of solving tech and business challenges.
“We also have to teach you how to recognize your problem,” said Lacey Kesler, panel moderator and Head of Education at Adalo. “Not just that you're manually going through a process 100 times or you need a website...or a web app or a mobile app. And so I think part of it is getting education around how to essentially solve your own problems because that's what I firmly believe no-code is great for.”
Did these no-code FAQs leave you curious for more? Check out our interactive report The Rise of the No-Code Economy or watch the panel discussion for everything you need to know about adopting no-code technology and making it work for your business.
