Sometimes, some things are just too good to be true. That might be what you’re thinking. I myself was very skeptical when I first heard about no-code applications. After all, the name implies that you don’t need to write any code to create an app, which just sounds like an impossibility if I’m honest.
So it’s safe to say that I went into this exploration with some doubts. However, it turns out that these no-code app builders aren’t simply a figment of someone’s imagination—they’re real, and they can be pretty powerful… IF you know what you’re doing. And that, my friends, is the crux of the matter.
Are no-code apps really no-code?
The short answer is yes, but with a caveat which, if you spend just five minutes looking at the various online app builders, is pretty obvious. With no-code applications, you’re not writing any code — instead, you’re assembling a range of pre-built components according to instructions and best practice guidelines.
While this makes bringing your idea to life much easier and cheaper, and can significantly reduce the time to launch, it’s important to remember that there is still a certain amount of expertise and knowledge needed. In other words, there’s a learning curve, guys! And the less prior coding knowledge you have, the steeper that curve is likely to be.
I’m speaking from experience here. Before finding no-code app builders, I worked my way (laboriously and painfully) through a Python programming book, followed by a Udemy web development course that taught, among other things, Javascript.
I learned, pretty quickly, that I am not good at coding, but that’s beside the point. This basic knowledge of coding gave me a good foundation to understand the concepts behind no-code application builders. Upon starting my no-code journey, there were things I just “got” right away (or that didn’t scare me away!), which I imagine would have been more confusing if I’d never been exposed to any kind of coding before.
So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that yes, no-code applications really are no-code, but having at least some prior coding knowledge will help tremendously. Dragging and dropping will only get you so far — understanding the underlying concepts is essential to making your vision a reality.
Because, whether we like it or not, regular computer programming is still involved, it just takes place under the hood, so to speak. These builders must still provide parameters and data that the underlying software will use to generate code that the computer will understand. You’ll also need to know what those blocks in your app builder of choice do and how they function.
Being able to think logically is crucial in coding
There’s really no getting away from this; it’s essentially what separates good coders from bad ones. It’s a left brain vs right brain scenario. I’ve always been more of a “right brain” gal (I write novels when I’m not building apps), so coding did not come naturally to me. It’s something I’ve definitely had to work on.
You’re going to be doing a lot of thinking, a lot of organizing, so more important than having prior coding knowledge is your ability to organize your thoughts, recognize patterns, and make decisions based on logic and reason.
But if you’re not great at these things now, don’t despair, because if you spend enough time using apps builders, you’ll get better. Just be prepared for the long hours of troubling-shooting, debugging, and scouring Google for the answers when your code doesn’t work.
You’re limited without coding knowledge
Although you can, in theory, build almost any app you want with no-code app builders, you’re limited by your skills. Almost all of the app builders on the market today require things like add-ons and extensions to expand their capabilities.
While there are large communities of developers who have made extensions available to the public, there might be features you want to add for which there are no extensions. This will leave you with one of two options: a) you hire a developer to build it for you, or b) you learn to code and build it yourself.
Conclusion
So, are no-code apps really no-code? I would say yes, but no-code in no way means easy. You’ll need to learn how your chosen builder works and how all the different blocks function. That’s going to take time.
The good news is, you can learn while building. You’ll pick up the concepts as you build simple apps and games, and you’ll expand your knowledge by building ever more complex creations. This is, in my opinion, the best way to learn.