
Ask HN: What are some good no code / low code tools to learn? - kartickv
I&#x27;m an expert software engineer who wants to learn some no code &#x2F; low code tools so that I can use them as appropriate to build things far more quickly. Which tools or frameworks would you recommend?<p>How much of no code &#x2F; low code hype is reality?
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codingdave
I do not believe the concept of low-code to be hype. It has existed in one
form or another since at least the 80s. Lotus Notes, Sharepoint, and finally
Salesforce were always the enterprise powerhouses in that arena. And they also
show its weaknesses, because they all have taken serious reputation hits due
to poor apps written by inexperienced developers. Still, I'd estimate there
were dozens, if not hundreds of small low-code apps in every large company
I've been a part of, for my entire career.

The bigger question in my mind is quality. Almost all those apps, if they
became a success within the business, eventually were given to the
professional software folk in IT, who would fix them up and make them really
work. At some point, low-code needs to be migrated to high-code.

So for all the smaller and newer players in the space, I have high hopes that
some of them will become terrific solutions. But I don't know which of them
truly understand the life cycle of a low-code app, nor do I know which of them
will still be around in 5 years, so I'm hesitant to put much work into them
today.

~~~
kartickv
Interesting, based on this experience, what must-have criteria would you look
for in evaluating a tool? Ability to export the code if the tool proves too
constraining? What else?

~~~
codingdave
It is not so much about the tool helping a future dev re-invent the solution
in a high-code platform. It is more about preventing lock-in. I'd like to see
a vendor whose business model embraces the fact that their most successful
apps will move to something more powerful. Where they consider themselves to
be a stepladder up to a fully developed app, and not a platform that will take
over all of enterprise IT. So they would be more of an internal app incubator,
not a permanent app hosting platform, focusing on service to their customers,
and therefore when it comes time to move on they are a fully engaged partner,
not an adversary.

At the same time, it would be terrific to help the devs on low-code platforms
avoid mistakes. Flag redundant data, point out when they have written sub-
optimal workflows, give them easy ways to implement re-usable code blocks when
the system notices they just wrote the same function twice with one parameter
change. Data imports are also always a struggle, because most anyone can
figure out how to get a CSV or Excel file brought into a system, but reading
from a web-based endpoint, or parsing data from Word files tends to be beyond
the capacity of most users, even if the system itself supports it.

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kevtastrophe
I’m a big fan of Anvil[0]. It feels like the right amount of low code, if that
makes sense. Abstracts away everything but the core app logic, which you write
in Python. So it works well because you get the flexibility of code for the
unique logic/behavior while the rest just works.

My company now runs our front-end app on Anvil, works beautifully.

[0] [https://anvil.works/](https://anvil.works/)

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snisarenko
You can find a good database of no-code tools and tutorials at:

[https://www.makerpad.co](https://www.makerpad.co)

There is no good database for "low-code" tools. I've collected a whole bunch
of "low-code" tools in my notes. So I am planning of creating a database for
"low-code" tools (a complement to makerpad). You can follow me on twitter
@anton_codes to find out when it launches.

Here are few from my notes:

[https://www.8base.com/](https://www.8base.com/)

[https://hasura.io/](https://hasura.io/)

[https://www.jexia.com/en/](https://www.jexia.com/en/)

[https://www.netlify.com/products/functions/](https://www.netlify.com/products/functions/)

[https://locklock.io/](https://locklock.io/)

[https://remaketheweb.com/](https://remaketheweb.com/)

~~~
snisarenko
I stand corrected. Looks like there is a low-code tool db:

[https://www.g2.com/categories/low-code-development-
platforms...](https://www.g2.com/categories/low-code-development-platforms/)

They also have a no-code tools db

[https://www.g2.com/categories/no-code-development-
platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/no-code-development-platforms)

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thiago_fm
Learn how to use Google spreadsheets + Sheetsu + Blockspring + ?(or another
google sheets integration services) and create amazing applications without
much code / time. I use it to organize my finances and do my different stuff
and it's quite amazing how much you can do with it. I'd try doing something
funky like this, mostly glueing.

Nowadays we have a lot of APIs and services on our disposal and instead we
mostly code from the old way and re-write the wheel frequently.

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BarberNut
I'm not sure if they're considered code or not but regular expressions are
extremely useful.

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alcidesfonseca
There is a full industry of developing enterprise software using this low-code
platform:

[https://www.outsystems.com/](https://www.outsystems.com/)

Does webapps and mobile as well

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sigmaprimus
Eclipse OSBP might be what your searching for:

[https://www.eclipse.org/osbp/use-
cases.html](https://www.eclipse.org/osbp/use-cases.html)

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Ptrulli
Top of mind here are a bunch of no-code tools

Bubble.io Adalo.com Airtable Zapier Typeform Parabola Phantombuster

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shabirgilkar
WaveMaker is the low-code platform for developing and modernizing enterprise
apps faster than ever before. Accelerate digital transformation efforts across
your enterprise with WaveMaker

[https://www.wavemaker.com](https://www.wavemaker.com)

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matt_the_bass
Salesforce

Good IDE/keyboard shortcuts

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vprasanna
Research firm Forrester states that "Low-code platforms make software
development ten times faster than traditional methods." The power of low-code
is the ground reality and it is not hype.

Zoho Creator will be a perfect low-code platform for you to learn. To abstract
away the UI development, so that you get down to application logic rapidly,
Zoho Creator provides a drag-and-drop form and page builder. This enables you
to create sleek and futuristic user interfaces quickly by simply dragging and
dropping the desired page elements.

For implementing your application's algorithms, you can use Creator's workflow
builder, and you can harness the power of the Deluge scripting language.
Deluge's syntax is very developer-friendly. An expert programmer with a well-
designed application logic translated from modular requirements can rapidly
deploy and deliver enterprise-grade applications for his clients using Zoho
Creator.

 _You can quickly prototype and deliver applications in hours instead of
weeks._

Features offered include a Deluge IDE with built-in error checking, APIs,
gesture customization for handhelds, native mobile apps, iOS & Android SDKs,
MDM, auto scalability, high reliability, automatic updates, on-premise, and
one-click application deployment to web and mobile.

To get started, visit:
[https://www.zoho.com/creator/](https://www.zoho.com/creator/) You can check
out Creator's developer program here:
[https://www.zoho.com/creator/developers/](https://www.zoho.com/creator/developers/)

~~~
yesenadam
Usually on HN people disclose when they're promoting a company they work for.
Otherwise it seems extremely sleazy and/or deceptive.

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runjake
Microsoft Excel.

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zubairq
Yazz.com

