Coders Go Home?!

 September 2021

"Codeless" Apps

Google's AppSheet service, Micro$oft's AppMaker, and the startup Bubble are all hyping the newest trend: "no-code" apps created by "citizen developers".

Oy. Where to start?

How about with "no-code"? Let's start there.

There is no such thing as "no-code". You're looking at these words on a grey background because code. You're looking at stuff on a screen because code.

What all these companies mean by "no-code" is proprietary, closed-source code. They mean: we'll do the coding, thank you very much. We don't need every Tom, Dick, and Harriet with a garage sale computer spraying their inferior developer product all over our servers and app stores. So we came up with an interface where you scribble whatever you need to operate your body shop or yoga clinic, and our robots will do the coding. You stay out of it.

And then there's "citizen developers". When the startup honchos and corporate players start talking about a "community building together", your hand should be on your wallet. When people like that start on about "empowering everyone to succeed", don't bend over.

Sorry, that was rude.

...but completely true. Inspirational snake oil like "community building together" means "forget about getting ahead and definitely forget about getting paid a living wage".