I’ve recently joined a MeetUp group called “NoCode” that aims at helping people to create mobile apps without code. Yesterday the group held a second session (this time online, because of the Corona virus situation) where we had the chance to delve into the NoCode subject and, more specifically, about how to create mobile apps via Glide Apps.

I’m new to this topic and I’m very excited about the possibilities that this technology has to offer. I’ve been learning different programming languages for some time now and I know how much you can struggle to get the code do what you want. NoCode removes the code complexity from the equation and allows you to create webs, apps, bots, etc…without having to write a single line, just by using predefined blocks of code that are presented to the main user as UI elements, in a visual development environment. The possibilities are endless: from working with complex databases to setting up a payment system for your website.

The so-called “NCDPs” (no-code development platforms) provide the technology needed to develop the tool of your choice without coding. Their main audience are companies or professionals that want to “digitise processes through cloud-based mobile applications” (quoted from Wikipedia) but don’t have the resources to do a traditional feature development. This new model might certainly disrupt the IT industry as we know it and democratise the access to web development for non-technical users. According to Forrester, the NoCode market will grow market from $3.8 billion in 2017 to $21.2 billion in 2022.

Of course this new way of programming comes with some caveats. Debugging must be carried out by a developer or by a code-literate as well as the development of ad-hoc features. However, the advantages (especially for non-techies) clearly outweigh these limitations. Among others, the use of no-code platforms speeds up your development process and agility while reducing costs.

The group organiser, Michael Ionia-Ganea and the guest speaker, Karim El Kaddioui,  shared with us some tools that might be worth checking out:

• buildr – (What’s cool about this tool is that you can export and host your own project on Google, Amazon, etc…)
• Glide Apps – this tool turns a simple spreadsheet into an app in minutes.
• For more tools check out this site: https://www.nocode.tech/tools