Over the last few years, “no-code” practices have been gaining momentum, and even becoming the tool-of-choice for organizations and companies that consider them to be a quick and simple solution to meet their objectives. In an increasingly connected and demanding labor market and at a time when remote work, online services and virtual collaboration have become the norm, is this trend destined to continue
No code… as in?
No-code platforms allow you to create web applications using a visual editor. These programming interfaces allow any user to create their IT solution in a few clicks and without typing a single line of code.
In recent years, the appearance of tools like Webflow, Zapier, Airtable or Notion have given new impetus to no code, even if this movement is not new: no-code tools like Dreamweaver (1997) or WordPress (2003 ) have been around for much longer. When creating its first platform, Comet was also a forerunner, using Bubble—the no-code platform that aims to create web applications by using a visual editor.
This practice gained particular notoriety during the confinement periods during the Covid-19 pandemic. Globally, companies of all sizes expressed an enhanced need for flexibility, agility and responsiveness during this time. Many no code initiatives did and still do to help sectors hard hit during this period, such as restaurants or hospitals. for example, have emerged.
The craze for no-code platforms
Concretely, the success of no code is explained by its primary objective: to setting up simple and fast digital solutions without advanced technical skills, to cater to real market needs
One of the standard bearers of no code, the company Bubble, which was created in 2012 by Emmanuel Straschnov and Joshua Haas in New York, and which occupies a special place in the Comet’s history and heart, today has more than 1,600,000 users worldwide and its last fundraising, dating from July 2021, amounted to 100 million euros.
But is this success likely to continue?
No-code is often used to test a new product or to facilitate and automate processes, both internally and externally. Contrary to popular belief, no code is not reserved for start-ups. Internally, SMEs and large groups also use no-code to free themselves from time-consuming daily tasks without added value. Externally, no code makes it possible to offer this type of service on SaaS software.
Advantages and limitations of no code
No code makes it possible not to worry about the infrastructure part and allows its users to concentrate on the business part, the objective is to obtain a rapid return on investment. This is what motivated the choice of Comet for Bubble right at its beginning: thanks to its ease of use. The workflow part aside, Bubble allowed the founders of Comet to set up a prototype quickly in order to defend the Comet project in the face of investors.
A solution like Bubble allows users to create and customize applications through a user-friendly interface without coding, without tedious HTML or CSS programming. In addition, the solution offers a wide choice of templates depending on the needs: applications, showcase or e-commerce sites. Thanks to a quick start, users can easily customize their page.
On the other hand, no code is not necessarily suitable for all use cases, and no code tools are obviously limited. For example, it is difficult to migrate certain no-code applications and tools because you will never own your source code on a no-code platform. You may therefore also come up against the lockout of your supplier if you decide to leave your platform. Evolution and maintenance being limited, it is therefore important to clearly define its applications and the design framework upstream. Having notions in code can also make it possible to solve technical problems more easily.
An interesting alternative
A no-code platform such as Bubble allows companies to test their ideas, visually order information flows, and put their concepts into action with a single click, without the need for specific technical skills. And in many ways, no-code allows the platform and app market to continue to evolve and innovate.
