The No-Code movement
Ever since software has been built, there has been continued effort to make it simpler. Coding languages are being written in more readable English-like syntax. Frameworks and libraries are available to provide almost plug-and-play functionality to websites with minimal extra code; website builders from WordPress to Squarespace now power a vast amount of the web.
To be sure, there is much to celebrate about this. The barriers of entry when it comes to creation on the web have been lowered, meaning more people are able to make their creations available to the masses. Side projects, blogs, and businesses are built every day online, making the world more connected.
In the spirit of this continued effort to make the web ever more accessible, the last few years have seen a growing trend toward what is being popularly called the No-Code (or Low-Code) movement. The main mission is straightforward: enable anybody to build functional, production-grade websites and apps with little to no coding.
And the appeal of this should be obvious: while knowing how to code has long been considered critical for building on the web, a growing number of entrepreneurs, builders, and enthusiasts have been challenging this concept in recent years. Not only can you now build fully functional websites without ever needing to write a line of code, but new technologies such as Zapier, Integromat, and Parabola unlock further power by allowing no-code developers to integrate their various tools and products, effectively creating fully automated systems of workflows.
What would have taken a team of developers a fairly hefty budget and a good amount of time to design, build, publish, and productionize a website now can take a single non-technical person a mere weekend to do at a fraction of the cost. Indeed, in a 2019 research report, Gartner estimated that low-code or no-code technologies will be powering nearly 65% of all app creations within the next few years.
Tip
If you want to read the 2019 Gartner report, you can find it here: https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3956079/magic-quadrant-for-enterprise-low-code-application-platf.
We are at an inflection point in the advent of modern technology. With the internet at peak penetration, smartphones more readily available than ever, no-code apps and resources being made available at affordable prices, and a resurgence in the maker culture, I believe we are poised to see an explosion in websites and apps being built by previously underrepresented swathes of the population. We'll not only see more people delivering business value and solving important problems, but we'll see a rise in better self-expression and hear unique voices through imaginative and bold web design.
And it is against this exciting backdrop that I'd like you to view the place of Webflow. Not only has Webflow earned a reputation for being reliable and highly performant in the web-builder space, its continued support of integrations into the broader no-code ecosystem has also positioned it as one of the most important tools in the modern no-coder—and web design/development– tool chest.
Let's take a closer look at why that's the case.