(2023) No Code Development: Tools, Tips, and Best Practices
Modern businesses can only thrive when their tools support their workflows. That's fine when a workflow is common enough that there's an off-the-shelf tool that satisfies the demand, but what if the workflow is more niche?
In that case, businesses often need to get creative—often developing their own custom solutions. In the past, this would require hiring developers and waiting months for a working product. But nowadays, there's a new way to get things done: no-code development.
In this article, Start No Code will be discussing everything you need to know about no-code development: what it is, some popular no-code tools, and tips and best practices for using them.
Let's get to it!
What Is No-Code?
Let's start with the simple definition.
No-code is an approach to software development that uses alternative programming methods and platforms to completely remove coding from the process.
As a result, it's usually much more accessible to non-technical users and doesn't require any coding skills whatsoever. With the right no-code tools (more on those later), anyone can build software without a single line of code.
How Does No-Code Development Work?
To fully understand no-code development, you need to be aware of how traditional software development works.
Typically, when someone creates a new piece of software, they're using an approach known as imperative programming. This is a fancy way of saying that they're giving the computer a set of explicit, logical instructions to follow in order to complete a task. If an instruction is missing, the task won’t be completed correctly—that’s why the average iPhone app runs on 50,000 lines of code.
In contrast, no-code development relies on a declarative programming approach. Instead of explicitly telling the no-code platform what to do, you simply describe what you want the end result to be. The platform will be able to figure out the steps necessary to achieve that result on its own (thanks to hundreds of hours of coding logged by the platform's developers).
No-code development can be further broken down into two main categories:
Visual Programming
This is the most common type of no-code development and refers to any platform that allows users to create software by dragging, dropping, clicking, or connecting visual elements, such as:
Some visual programming tools and platforms are referred to as “low-code”, as they sometimes still require basic coding knowledge.
In that case, businesses often need to get creative—often developing their own custom solutions. In the past, this would require hiring developers and waiting months for a working product. But nowadays, there's a new way to get things done: no-code development.
In this article, Start No Code will be discussing everything you need to know about no-code development: what it is, some popular no-code tools, and tips and best practices for using them.
Let's get to it!
What Is No-Code?
Let's start with the simple definition.
No-code is an approach to software development that uses alternative programming methods and platforms to completely remove coding from the process.
As a result, it's usually much more accessible to non-technical users and doesn't require any coding skills whatsoever. With the right no-code tools (more on those later), anyone can build software without a single line of code.
How Does No-Code Development Work?
To fully understand no-code development, you need to be aware of how traditional software development works.
Typically, when someone creates a new piece of software, they're using an approach known as imperative programming. This is a fancy way of saying that they're giving the computer a set of explicit, logical instructions to follow in order to complete a task. If an instruction is missing, the task won’t be completed correctly—that’s why the average iPhone app runs on 50,000 lines of code.
In contrast, no-code development relies on a declarative programming approach. Instead of explicitly telling the no-code platform what to do, you simply describe what you want the end result to be. The platform will be able to figure out the steps necessary to achieve that result on its own (thanks to hundreds of hours of coding logged by the platform's developers).
No-code development can be further broken down into two main categories:
Visual Programming
This is the most common type of no-code development and refers to any platform that allows users to create software by dragging, dropping, clicking, or connecting visual elements, such as:
- nodes
- menus
- blocks
- icons
Some visual programming tools and platforms are referred to as “low-code”, as they sometimes still require basic coding knowledge.
Visual programming is becoming increasingly popular as it makes the software development process much more intuitive and interactive. As a result, tons of amazing visual programming platforms and tools have started popping up to satisfy the demand.
Natural Language Programming
This is a newer type of no-code development that allows users to create software by typing out commands in plain English. This is the closest you can get to true no-code development, as it doesn't require any coding skills whatsoever.
At the moment, OpenAI's Codex (currently in private Beta) is far and away the best example of natural language programming. Codex takes advantage of OpenAI's already impressive GPT-3 (an autoregressive language modeling tools) to allow programmers to create functional software without code.
Natural Language Programming
This is a newer type of no-code development that allows users to create software by typing out commands in plain English. This is the closest you can get to true no-code development, as it doesn't require any coding skills whatsoever.
At the moment, OpenAI's Codex (currently in private Beta) is far and away the best example of natural language programming. Codex takes advantage of OpenAI's already impressive GPT-3 (an autoregressive language modeling tools) to allow programmers to create functional software without code.
For example, say you wanted to shrink the size of a rocket ship in a game you're building with Codex. All you would need to do is write out the command in English: “make the rocket smaller” or “shrink the rocket ship”. Codex handles the rest.
Best No-Code Tools and Platforms for 2023
While we don’t have access to Codex at the moment, there are still some amazing no-code tools and platforms available now. In the sections below, we’ll be taking a look at the best of the best, in areas like:
Here we go!
1. Web and App Development
Bubble
Best No-Code Tools and Platforms for 2023
While we don’t have access to Codex at the moment, there are still some amazing no-code tools and platforms available now. In the sections below, we’ll be taking a look at the best of the best, in areas like:
- Web and App Development
- Project and Data Management
- Automation and Integration
- Analytics and Modeling
Here we go!
1. Web and App Development
Bubble
Bubble is easily one of the best no-code app builders on the market. It's a visual programming platform that allows users to create fully-functional web and mobile applications without code.
Bubble has an impressive range of features, including:
Bubble's incredibly deep feature set means that it can be used to build just about anything, from simple landing pages to complex marketplaces and social networks.
However, that does mean that it can be difficult for users (especially non-technical) users to dive right in. Luckily, with Bubble's huge community of developers and designers, it's easy to find templates and plugins to help you get started with your project.
And if you're looking for personalized guidance and support on your Bubble journey, Start No Code. is here to help. Our team of no-code experts can help you design, develop, integrate, and launch your Bubble project—no matter how complex it may be.
Pricing: Plans start at $25/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan available for personal projects.
Glide
Bubble has an impressive range of features, including:
- a drag-and-drop editor
- built-in hosting
- database management
- user authentication
- and more
Bubble's incredibly deep feature set means that it can be used to build just about anything, from simple landing pages to complex marketplaces and social networks.
However, that does mean that it can be difficult for users (especially non-technical) users to dive right in. Luckily, with Bubble's huge community of developers and designers, it's easy to find templates and plugins to help you get started with your project.
And if you're looking for personalized guidance and support on your Bubble journey, Start No Code. is here to help. Our team of no-code experts can help you design, develop, integrate, and launch your Bubble project—no matter how complex it may be.
Pricing: Plans start at $25/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan available for personal projects.
Glide
Glide is another great no-code app builder that allows you to create complex apps using popular spreadsheet software, like:
Glide is unique in that it automatically generates a front-end interface for your app based on the spreadsheet data you input. So, if you're already using spreadsheets to manage your data (like many businesses do), Glide is a great way to quickly turn that data into a fully-fledged app without code.
Glide also offers a wide range of features, including:
user authentication
database management
push notifications
and more
Pricing: Plans start at $25/month (billed annually), but there is a free plan that's perfect for trying before you buy.
Webflow
- Google Sheets
- Excel
- Airtable
Glide is unique in that it automatically generates a front-end interface for your app based on the spreadsheet data you input. So, if you're already using spreadsheets to manage your data (like many businesses do), Glide is a great way to quickly turn that data into a fully-fledged app without code.
Glide also offers a wide range of features, including:
user authentication
database management
push notifications
and more
Pricing: Plans start at $25/month (billed annually), but there is a free plan that's perfect for trying before you buy.
Webflow
Webflow is a visual programming platform that's specifically designed for building custom websites—no code required.
With Webflow, you can design and build responsive websites using a drag-and-drop editor. Plus, you get access to a wide range of features and integrations, including:
Plus, it’s SEO-ready. Off-the-shelf Webflow websites are blazingly fast, compared to others from similar website builders.
Pricing: Plans start at $16/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan available for personal projects.
Bravo Studio
With Webflow, you can design and build responsive websites using a drag-and-drop editor. Plus, you get access to a wide range of features and integrations, including:
- eCommerce
- Marketing tools
- Analytics
- Payment processing
- and more
Plus, it’s SEO-ready. Off-the-shelf Webflow websites are blazingly fast, compared to others from similar website builders.
Pricing: Plans start at $16/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan available for personal projects.
Bravo Studio
Bravo Studio is a near-perfect, no-code mobile app building tool with a clear focus on intuitive design.
Bravo Studio allows users to quickly design and prototype native mobile apps without a single line of code by splitting the process into two simple steps: design and backend.
For design, Bravo Studio users can use Figma or Adobe XD. For backend, Bravo Studio allows you to automatically connect a huge selection of external data sources, including:
Once you're ready for testing, the Bravo Vision app allows you to test your app on real devices and collect feedback from users. All without ever having to write a single line of code.
Pricing: Plans start at €15.75/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan available, but it only allows for content data binding and three published builds/week.
2. Data and Project Management
Airtable
Bravo Studio allows users to quickly design and prototype native mobile apps without a single line of code by splitting the process into two simple steps: design and backend.
For design, Bravo Studio users can use Figma or Adobe XD. For backend, Bravo Studio allows you to automatically connect a huge selection of external data sources, including:
- Notion
- Airtable
- Google Sheets
- Bubble
- Webflow
- and more
Once you're ready for testing, the Bravo Vision app allows you to test your app on real devices and collect feedback from users. All without ever having to write a single line of code.
Pricing: Plans start at €15.75/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan available, but it only allows for content data binding and three published builds/week.
2. Data and Project Management
Airtable
We briefly mentioned Airtable earlier as it relates to Glide's no-code capabilities, but Airtable is actually a fantastic tool in its own right.
Airtable is a unique low-code/no-code tool that allows users to create custom databases without any coding experience. Think of it as a more powerful equivalent of spreadsheets.
With Airtable, you can easily create and manage your data using a simple drag-and-drop interface, advanced automation, and tons of integrations. Plus, Airtable offers a wide range of features, including:
Airtable is perfect for businesses who need a custom database but don't have the time or experience to code one themselves. And in the very near future, Airtable will be launching Interface Designer—a tool that allows businesses to create custom interfaces based on these databases. No coding required.
Pricing: Plans start at $10/seat/month (billed annually). There is also a limited free plan available for small teams and a 14-day free trial for paid plans.
Notion
Airtable is a unique low-code/no-code tool that allows users to create custom databases without any coding experience. Think of it as a more powerful equivalent of spreadsheets.
With Airtable, you can easily create and manage your data using a simple drag-and-drop interface, advanced automation, and tons of integrations. Plus, Airtable offers a wide range of features, including:
- customizable fields and forms
- a powerful search engine
- collaborative features
- and more
Airtable is perfect for businesses who need a custom database but don't have the time or experience to code one themselves. And in the very near future, Airtable will be launching Interface Designer—a tool that allows businesses to create custom interfaces based on these databases. No coding required.
Pricing: Plans start at $10/seat/month (billed annually). There is also a limited free plan available for small teams and a 14-day free trial for paid plans.
Notion
Notion is a powerful all-in-one workspace that can be used for everything from project management to note-taking.
With Notion, you can easily create custom workflows and databases using a simple drag-and-drop interface. Plus, you get access to tons of templates and integrations to help you get started. And if you need more customization, you can always add your own CSS or JavaScript with the built-in code blocks.
Pricing: Notion has a generous, full-access free plan. Paid plans start at $4/user/month (billed annually).
3. Automation
Zapier
With Notion, you can easily create custom workflows and databases using a simple drag-and-drop interface. Plus, you get access to tons of templates and integrations to help you get started. And if you need more customization, you can always add your own CSS or JavaScript with the built-in code blocks.
Pricing: Notion has a generous, full-access free plan. Paid plans start at $4/user/month (billed annually).
3. Automation
Zapier
Zapier is probably the most popular no-code automation platform on the market. And for good reason. With Zapier, you can easily connect the apps and services you use every day and automate repetitive tasks with just a few clicks.
Users choose a source app (e.g., Facebook), a trigger (e.g., getting a new lead), target app (e.g., Mailchimp), and action (e.g., add new lead to mailing list). Whenever the trigger event happens in the source app, Zapier will automatically carry out the action in the target app.
Zapier offers integrations with tons of apps and tools, including:
Plus, you can benefit from a huge body of Zapier resources, including how-to guides, community support, and expert services.
Pricing: Plans start at $20/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan that's limited to 100 tasks/month.
Automate.io
Users choose a source app (e.g., Facebook), a trigger (e.g., getting a new lead), target app (e.g., Mailchimp), and action (e.g., add new lead to mailing list). Whenever the trigger event happens in the source app, Zapier will automatically carry out the action in the target app.
Zapier offers integrations with tons of apps and tools, including:
- Slack
- Gmail
- Trello
- Salesforce
- Shopify
- and much, much more
Plus, you can benefit from a huge body of Zapier resources, including how-to guides, community support, and expert services.
Pricing: Plans start at $20/month (billed annually). There is also a free plan that's limited to 100 tasks/month.
Automate.io
Automate.io is another great option for businesses who want to automate their workflows without any coding experience. With Automate.io, you can easily connect the apps you use and automate your workflows with just a few clicks—no code required.
Similar to Zapier, Automate.io offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface that allows users to connect their apps and create automations in minutes. Plus, Automate.io offers a wide range of features and integrations, including:
Pricing: Plans start at $10/month (billed annually), but there is a very limited free forever plan available to individuals.
4. Analytics and Modeling
Google Analytics
Similar to Zapier, Automate.io offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface that allows users to connect their apps and create automations in minutes. Plus, Automate.io offers a wide range of features and integrations, including:
- customizable workflows
- real-time monitoring
- error handling
- and more
Pricing: Plans start at $10/month (billed annually), but there is a very limited free forever plan available to individuals.
4. Analytics and Modeling
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free, no-code tool that allows businesses to track their website traffic and user behavior. With Google Analytics, you can easily collect data on your website visitors, including:
This data can be incredibly valuable for understanding your audience and improving your marketing efforts. Plus, Google Analytics integrates with tons of other tools and services, making it easy to get the most out of your data.
Pricing: Free!
Obviously.ai
- where they came from (e.g., organic search, direct traffic, referrals)
- what pages they viewed
- how long they stayed on your site
- and more
This data can be incredibly valuable for understanding your audience and improving your marketing efforts. Plus, Google Analytics integrates with tons of other tools and services, making it easy to get the most out of your data.
Pricing: Free!
Obviously.ai
Obviously.ai is a great no-code tool for businesses who want to get more out of their data. With Obviously.ai, you can easily upload your data and let the platform build custom models and predictions based on that data.
Obviously.ai offers a wide range of features, including:
Obviosly.ai is designed to walk you through the entire modeling process from start to finish. That means it helps you at every stage—from shaping your datasets to building reliable ML models. All without code!
Pricing: Plans start at $99/month (billed annually). There is also a 14-day free trial available for new users and a free plan that allows for up to 500 predictions.
How To Get Started With No-Code Development
Now that you know a bit more about no-code development and some of the best no-code tools on the market, you might be wondering how to get started.
Here are a few tips:
1. Start small
Don't try to automate everything at once. Start with a small workflow or task and gradually build up from there. This will help you get a feel for the no-code platform you're using and avoid getting overwhelmed.
2. Don't be afraid to experiment
No-code platforms are designed to be easy to use and forgiving of mistakes. So don't be afraid to experiment! Try out different features and see what works best for you and your team.
3. Take advantage of resources
Most no-code platforms offer a wealth of resources to help you get started, including how-to guides, community support, and expert services. Take advantage of these resources and don't hesitate to reach out for help when you need it.
At Start No Code., we know we've succeeded when you don’t need us anymore. Our goal is to teach you the ins and outs of no-code development, so you can build all the no-code apps and tools you need. Whether you need our help with a specific problem or are looking for general guidance, support is available via:
As you can see, there are a ton of great no-code tools and platforms available for anyone looking to build custom applications without code. And with the no-code movement gaining more and more traction every day, it's safe to say that the future is no-code.
So, if you're ready to jump on the no-code bandwagon, these are the tools you need to get started. And if you need any help along the way, Start No Code. is always here to lend a hand.
Just contact us today to get started. We can't wait to help you build the future—without code!
Obviously.ai offers a wide range of features, including:
- customizable models
- automated insights
- a simple drag-and-drop interface
- and more
Obviosly.ai is designed to walk you through the entire modeling process from start to finish. That means it helps you at every stage—from shaping your datasets to building reliable ML models. All without code!
Pricing: Plans start at $99/month (billed annually). There is also a 14-day free trial available for new users and a free plan that allows for up to 500 predictions.
How To Get Started With No-Code Development
Now that you know a bit more about no-code development and some of the best no-code tools on the market, you might be wondering how to get started.
Here are a few tips:
1. Start small
Don't try to automate everything at once. Start with a small workflow or task and gradually build up from there. This will help you get a feel for the no-code platform you're using and avoid getting overwhelmed.
2. Don't be afraid to experiment
No-code platforms are designed to be easy to use and forgiving of mistakes. So don't be afraid to experiment! Try out different features and see what works best for you and your team.
3. Take advantage of resources
Most no-code platforms offer a wealth of resources to help you get started, including how-to guides, community support, and expert services. Take advantage of these resources and don't hesitate to reach out for help when you need it.
At Start No Code., we know we've succeeded when you don’t need us anymore. Our goal is to teach you the ins and outs of no-code development, so you can build all the no-code apps and tools you need. Whether you need our help with a specific problem or are looking for general guidance, support is available via:
- Live Zoom Calls
- Slack Chat
- Demos
As you can see, there are a ton of great no-code tools and platforms available for anyone looking to build custom applications without code. And with the no-code movement gaining more and more traction every day, it's safe to say that the future is no-code.
So, if you're ready to jump on the no-code bandwagon, these are the tools you need to get started. And if you need any help along the way, Start No Code. is always here to lend a hand.
Just contact us today to get started. We can't wait to help you build the future—without code!
Have an idea?
Let’s build your app 10x faster! ⏳
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