I’ve tried to teach myself how to code thrice. I’ve failed all three times. The feedback loops were too long, and I’m not known for being very patient. My mind witnessed a recurring duel between impatience and creativity, and each time, impatience emerged as the undisputed champ. In the quest to turn my ideas into reality, I resigned myself to years of effort spent hunting for technical co-founders.
Recently though, things have changed. Creativity has been on a winning streak. Not because I’ve overcome my impatience, but because of the emergence of a new species of software – a species collectively called NoCode.
By adding a layer of abstraction and converting programming from a text-based activity to a visual one, NoCode tools are doing to code what the Graphical User Interface (GUI) did to MS-DOS. In the world of digital creativity, the mouse is now nearly as mighty as the keyboard.
Today, I build web apps for fun, and nobody realizes that I’m still among the rare breed of nerdy Indian males who can’t write code.
It all began in 2015 when I started a company with another non-technical friend (smart, I know). It was a company that operated in the real estate space – think WeWork, but for long-term residential properties. Although it existed in the physical world, like any business in the 21st century, it was internet enabled. For our tech stack, we planned to duct tape a few solutions together using existing tools till we could find a technical co-founder. Until then, I would serve as the default Chief (non) Technical Officer.
We never managed to find a technical co-founder and to be honest, we didn’t need to – because I did a damn good job. I created a listing website complete with a payment gateway, without writing a single line of code. The tools I used were scrappy, the site was slow, and Google Sheets was working overtime in the background, but it worked.
Fast forward 7 years – the company doesn’t exist anymore, but my fascination with NoCode tools has grown. In the meanwhile, these tools have gotten exponentially better, almost completely removing the need for digital duct tape. Today, NoCode tools have gotten so powerful that you can use them to build nearly any digital product you can think of. Marketplaces, blogging platforms, or SaaS products – If you can think it, you can probably build it without needing to know how to code.
This rapid improvement in the space has ignited a Cambrian explosion of creativity among people like me, who were otherwise handicapped by their inability to write code. We’re building everything from tiny digital products that solve our own problems, to services for audiences that FAANG companies don’t care enough about, and everything in between. And we’re having a blast.
At an individual level, NoCode has given each of us a sense of control over the execution of our ideas, as well as access to the pleasure that accompanies creative work. Add the ability to generate income to the equation, and you have what is close to a perfect professional life.
For that, my impatient self is extremely grateful.
Thanks to Sandra Yvonne, Malavika Prasad, Arman Khodadoost, Tere Sagay, Leo Ariel, and Trevor Brown for their feedback on a previous draft of this piece.
PS: If you’re curious about my NoCode tool of choice – it’s called Bubble, and I highly recommend learning it. In case you’re interested, I made a short course that will help you get started.