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Everyone's clamoring over these kinds of tools right now. If "no-code" or "low-code" was such a godsend, then we'd all be using visual programming tools instead

Everyone's clamoring over these kinds of tools right now. If "no-code" or "low-code" was such a godsend, then we'd all be using visual programming tools instead of writing code directly. Now, why is it that visual programming tools haven't taken over? It's because, at the end of the day, textual interfaces are vastly more performant and efficient. The entire gist behind these tools that try to get away from "code" is based on the assumption that code somehow makes things more expensive or difficult. I really don't think that's true.

XCSme 6y ago
I agree. Code is usually just a way of representing what you want your app/the machine to do. I think no-code only makes sense if you make multiple, similar products comprised of existing building blocks and then using a basic visual editor to mark the relation between them. But again, with code it can be similar, you can have differet libraries/packages/APIs and just describe the connection between them.
ratdragon 6y ago
There were a lot of tools/frameworks to create software "without coding". I believe the problem is some people are understanding the complexity in a wrong way. Coding isn't complex (and today it is much more true than it used to be) because of some natural complexity of coding itself. Rather it is because it strives to express complex ideas. And whichever language (visual, textual) is used to express complex ideas it has to be at least as complex as those ideas themselves. I personally found that having a formal language is often easier to express complex ideas compared to any visual tool I have seen. One place where these tools can shine would be probably trivial apps. Maybe that's the point...
- tenaciousDaniel 6y ago
  Yes, exactly! Misunderstood source of complexity. I think one of the draws to these kinds of applications is that designers are trying to close the gap between themselves and developers. I'm interested in this problem, but I'm taking a different approach, because I totally agree with you. The source of complexity is not the inherent complexity of coding itself - it's just the complexity of the problem. So I'm currently trying to build a coding language for UI designers. The idea is that it would merely a textual interface to express design specifications, unlike other languages which are geared towards implementation. And it would use the same verbiage and mental models that designers are familiar with.
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XCSme 6y ago

I agree. Code is usually just a way of representing what you want your app/the machine to do. I think no-code only makes sense if you make multiple, similar products comprised of existing building blocks and then using a basic visual editor to mark the relation between them. But again, with code it can be similar, you can have differet libraries/packages/APIs and just describe the connection between them.

ratdragon 6y ago

There were a lot of tools/frameworks to create software "without coding". I believe the problem is some people are understanding the complexity in a wrong way. Coding isn't complex (and today it is much more true than it used to be) because of some natural complexity of coding itself. Rather it is because it strives to express complex ideas. And whichever language (visual, textual) is used to express complex ideas it has to be at least as complex as those ideas themselves. I personally found that having a formal language is often easier to express complex ideas compared to any visual tool I have seen. One place where these tools can shine would be probably trivial apps. Maybe that's the point...

tenaciousDaniel 6y ago
Yes, exactly! Misunderstood source of complexity. I think one of the draws to these kinds of applications is that designers are trying to close the gap between themselves and developers. I'm interested in this problem, but I'm taking a different approach, because I totally agree with you. The source of complexity is not the inherent complexity of coding itself - it's just the complexity of the problem. So I'm currently trying to build a coding language for UI designers. The idea is that it would merely a textual interface to express design specifications, unlike other languages which are geared towards implementation. And it would use the same verbiage and mental models that designers are familiar with.

deleted 6y ago

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