Writing Code vs. Drag and Drop for Website Building
Summary
TLDRIn this engaging conversation, web designer Brad Hussey interviews Adrian from the Codex Community YouTube channel about the impact of no-code tools on the development industry. They discuss how no-code platforms are evolving, potentially reducing development time and enabling collaboration between designers and developers. Adrian shares his experience using no-code tools and asserts that while these tools increase accessibility, they do not replace the need for developers. Instead, they transform the role of developers, emphasizing the importance of a developer mindset even when utilizing no-code solutions.
Takeaways
- π The discussion is about the impact of no-code tools on web development and the roles of designers and developers.
- π€ No-code tools are evolving, making it easier for non-developers to build websites, but they are not replacing developers.
- π§ Developers create no-code tools, and these tools are designed to simplify and speed up the web development process.
- π No-code tools allow for faster prototyping and development, freeing up time for more complex features and backend work.
- π¨ Designers and developers can collaborate more effectively with no-code tools, enhancing the overall project workflow.
- π No-code platforms are still in their early stages and have limitations, but they are improving over time.
- π οΈ While coding offers complete control and customization, it also comes with the risk of breaking the website with errors.
- π― The use of no-code tools can lead to more democratized and accessible web development, benefiting both technical and non-technical individuals.
- π No-code tools can help agencies and companies to speed up their development process and allocate resources more efficiently.
- π The interviewee, Adrian, runs the Codex Community YouTube channel, where he explores the changing landscape of web development.
- π Adrian is also working on a pricing calculator using both no-code and coding tools, to help freelancers determine their rates.
Q & A
What is the main topic of discussion between Brad Hussey and Adrian?
-The main topic of discussion is the impact of no-code tools on web development and the roles of designers and developers.
What does Adrian think about the role of no-code tools in replacing front-end developers?
-Adrian believes that no-code tools are not replacing developers, but rather they are simplifying the process of building websites and allowing developers to focus on more complex tasks.
How does Adrian view the evolution of web development tools?
-Adrian sees the evolution as a progression from hand-coding to using frameworks and modules, and now to no-code tools that further simplify the process, without replacing the need for a developer's mindset.
What is the advantage of no-code tools for designers and creatives?
-No-code tools empower designers and creatives by giving them the ability to build and update websites without needing to learn code, thus democratizing the web development process.
How does Adrian describe the role of developers in the context of no-code tools?
-Adrian suggests that developers are the ones who create no-code tools, and their role is to think through the logic and processes that these tools will automate, maintaining the 'if this, then that' mindset which is at the core of development.
What opportunities does Adrian see no-code bringing to app developers?
-Adrian sees no-code tools allowing app developers to build and prototype ideas more quickly, freeing up time to work on advanced features and improving overall efficiency.
What is the current limitation of no-code tools according to Adrian?
-Adrian mentions that no-code tools are still in their early stages and come with certain limitations, such as the need to follow specific paradigms for achieving good results like responsive design.
How does the collaboration between designers and developers change with no-code tools?
-No-code tools facilitate more collaboration between designers and developers, as they allow both parties to work on the same project seamlessly, with designers being able to hand off work to developers or even implement some code themselves.
What is Adrian's perspective on the future of no-code tools?
-Adrian believes that no-code tools will continue to improve and become more accessible, allowing for the creation of complex applications without the need for deep coding knowledge, but still requiring a developer mindset for advanced tasks.
What are the general pros and cons of using no-code tools versus coding?
-The pros of no-code tools include faster development times and ease of use, while the cons are their current limitations and the need for a structured approach. Coding offers more flexibility and customization but comes with a steeper learning curve and potential for errors.
How can people learn more about Adrian's work and thoughts on web development?
-People can learn more about Adrian's work by visiting his YouTube channel, Codex Community, where he shares insights on the changing landscape of web development and demonstrates the use of both no-code and coding tools.
Outlines
π Introduction and Discussion on No-Code
The video begins with host Brad Hussey introducing himself and the guest, Adrian from Codex Community. The conversation quickly pivots to discussing the concept of 'no code' and its impact on web development. Adrian shares his thoughts on whether no-code tools are replacing front-end developers, arguing that these tools are more about simplifying the process rather than replacing the developer role. He emphasizes that developers are needed to build these no-code tools and that the core logic and design thinking remain essential.
π‘ The Role of Developers in No-Code
In this paragraph, Adrian and Brad delve deeper into the role of developers in the no-code movement. They discuss how no-code platforms empower developers by saving time on routine tasks, allowing them to focus on more complex and innovative features. Adrian shares his experiences, noting that tasks which took weeks to code can now be achieved in days, giving developers more time for creative endeavors. The conversation highlights the collaborative nature of no-code, enabling designers and developers to work more closely on projects.
π The Evolution of No-Code and Its Impact
Adrian and Brad continue their discussion by exploring the evolution of no-code and its potential impact on the industry. Adrian observes a shift towards microservices and APIs, indicating a trend towards more accessible and simplified coding processes. He predicts that as no-code tools improve, they will enable the creation of more sophisticated applications without the need for deep coding knowledge. However, he also notes that specialized developers will still be necessary for building and maintaining these no-code systems.
π€ Pros and Cons of No-Code vs Traditional Coding
The conversation concludes with a discussion on the pros and cons of using no-code tools versus traditional coding methods. Adrian outlines the benefits of no-code, such as ease of use and speed of development, while also acknowledging its limitations, like the need for a structured approach for responsive design. He contrasts this with the flexibility and customization offered by traditional coding, but also the risks and complexities involved. The discussion ends on a positive note, with both hosts agreeing that no-code is democratizing web development and creating opportunities for a wider range of individuals to contribute to the digital landscape.
π Closing Remarks and Call to Action
In the final part of the video, Adrian shares more about his work and invites viewers to check out his YouTube channel, Codex Community, for more insights into the changing landscape of web development. Brad thanks Adrian for his valuable insights and encourages viewers to like the video, subscribe to Adrian's channel, and engage with the content. The video ends on a high note, with a call to action for viewers to join the community and continue the conversation on no-code and its potential impact on the future of web development.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Creative X
π‘Web Designer
π‘Codex Community
π‘No Code
π‘Front-End Developer
π‘Drag and Drop
π‘Time Efficiency
π‘Collaboration
π‘Microservices
π‘Artificial Intelligence (AI)
π‘Browser Compatibility
Highlights
Brad Hussey, a web designer from Canada, hosts a discussion on the impact of no-code tools on web development.
Guest Adrian from Codex Community shares insights on no-code versus code from the perspective of a developer and a Commonwealth member.
No-code tools are seen as the next evolution in website building, simplifying the process and making it more accessible.
Developers are not being replaced by no-code; instead, the tools they build are empowering others to create without coding.
The role of intermediaries, such as those who bridge design and development, may be changing due to the rise of no-code platforms.
No-code tools are not just for designers and agencies; they also offer new opportunities for app developers.
No-code platforms can significantly reduce development time, allowing for more focus on complex features and creative aspects.
The future of no-code might involve less need for deep coding knowledge, with more simplified integrations and interfaces.
Despite the rise of no-code, there will always be a need for developers to build and maintain these tools and systems.
Collaboration between designers and developers is enhanced by no-code tools, leading to a more integrated approach to project development.
No-code tools can democratize web development, allowing non-technical individuals to create solutions and contribute to the digital landscape.
The early days of no-code are akin to the early web, with a lot of potential for growth and improvement.
While coding offers ultimate control and customization, no-code ensures compatibility and reduces the risk of breaking the site.
The pros and cons of no-code and code routes are discussed, highlighting the balance between ease of use and the flexibility of coding.
Adrian's YouTube channel, Codex Community, explores the changing landscape of development work and offers practical insights.
The conversation concludes with encouragement for developers and a call for embracing the opportunities created by no-code advancements.
Transcripts
Gooey.
G'Day, friends,
welcome to Creative X.
My name is Brad Hussey
and I'm a web designer from Canada.
Our guest today,
however, is not from Canada,
although from the Commonwealth
he is in fact from Down Under.
His name is Adrian
and he runs a YouTube
channel called Codex Community.
So you're going to
want to check that out,
but not yet,
because I was able to convince him
to stay up
super late to have a few minute
chat with me
about no code versus code.
All right, let's go.
Adrian, how's it going, man?
Yeah, it's going well.
It's a little bit
late here in Western Australia,
but you know,
that's timezones for you.
Yeah, totally. I appreciate.
So it's pretty early for me.
I mean, it's
the beginning of my work day,
but still like it's
I know we're like right
at the end of your your day here.
So I appreciate you
staying up
to hang out
and chat for a little bit.
I'm a developer. That's what we do.
We just stay up
till the late night right through.
It's like the
that's the the hour of the coder.
Speaking of
that, no code, as we call it now.
So building sites
without code, using all the cool
tools and automations
and drag and drop things
that we have
accessible to us today.
Do you think that no code
is replacing the front
end developer
or what are your thoughts on that?
So I think
it's almost like the next step
of how you build a website.
In the past
we had like
we would build out the website
with just code,
then we'd
maybe get bootstrap
or something on top
that we would still use the code,
but we'd have something on top
to make it a little bit easier.
Then we'd have importing modules
or react
that would make it simpler again.
And now we've taken the step
further where we've got something
taken care of all that,
and we just dragging
and dropping things in
and in the background.
We still have all that manual code,
we still have all those plugins
and everything, and it's basically
just removing the difficulties
of having to do that yourself
and giving you a nice, gooey
interface to do what
you would normally
have to write out
all the code with. Right.
My thoughts here
is that just I'm curious.
I don't think that no code
is replacing the developer at all
because who builds no code tools?
Obviously developers.
But I wonder
if that intermediary role
of like
someone who kind of communicates
design and development
like are they being replaced
or are they actually the ones
who let's say if I go back in time,
the designer
would give me a design,
I would build that an editor X
and then the developer would take,
you know, any complexities
hooking in an API
using JavaScript within the Velo
developer tools.
Maybe that's how that would work
rather than me like a HTML, css
as php.
Like maybe it wouldn't be that.
Nothing ever really
replaces the developer.
Not, you know, tools like we've had
in the past
that started
playing around with drag and drop.
Not I.
Nothing like that.
At the end of the day,
you still have one mindset of work
that is done by designers
where there are
graphically creating interfaces,
and one type of work
for the creation of the website,
which is often the developers.
I think that the change
now is that some of
the difficulties of
creating those sites
are just now simplified.
So like the developers can drag
and drop these things in
but still have
the tools in the back
where they can add
in like Velo, a script or whatever
they want, or APIs
to hook in that data.
And at some level
you're always going to need that.
I've seen that even
backend services
now are
starting to have no code tools
where you can
basically no code your database
and your API
and then hook it up to,
you know, code frontend.
And like it essentially means
that at most levels
if you know what you're doing
then you can build a
whole ecosystem out.
But that mindset
that you need to do
it is still a developer mindset.
Interesting.
I would agree.
It's like the developer is less
the tools.
Like if we
think as a developer
I am defined
by the programing languages
that I write,
I think that would be
the wrong way of seeing it.
Because what happens
when inevitably
that programing language
is deprecated
or it's just no longer used?
Like, let me give you an analogy.
Imagine that a developer
is like someone doing gardening
and first you're using your hands
and you're like digging through.
And then suddenly you find
you have a shovel
and you're get better at gardening.
And then eventually
you get this monstrous machine
that does everything for you.
But at the end of the day,
you're still gardening
and that's what you enjoy doing.
Yes, exactly.
And then if you have more automated
tools or,
let's say, self-watering systems
that uses
solar energy, like
is it replacing automation?
Exactly.
Yeah, that's
you're still doing the garden.
At the end of the day,
you just have more tools available
to do the stuff
that you enjoy doing.
Yes, it's more of that.
It's more of that higher level role
and mentality.
You have to think
through the process
in order to design
and program
the machines to do it for you.
So, you know,
as no code is here, it's not like,
okay, move aside developer,
let the designer do your job.
It's like, no,
you still need to think
through the logic of a workflow
or what you know,
if this then
that essentially
if you can distill a developer down
to a few words, it's
if this then that. Right?
So true.
That's true
if I've done many nested events.
Yes, very true.
And that's the magic of it.
It's like
you capture a condition and you go,
if this happens, then do this.
And then you can infinitely,
you know,
regress and keep going into
all these
different conditional statements.
And that's essentially, you know,
building sites
with no code
doesn't mean there's no logic
and no sophistication.
It it, you know, still requires
that developer mentality.
So what sort of opportunities
do you think no code
is giving to?
Let's say
because we know what it's
giving to designers
and creatives and agencies
they get to
they get power
at their fingertips now
without coding.
But what is it doing
to, say,
augment or empower or help app
developers?
In what ways
do you think no code
actually helps the developers?
So for me,
I see like a few different
things that it's done for me
and with people I've worked with.
The very first is the fact
that what
used to take us two
or three weeks
to do manually with code,
we can basically
the same results
in two or three days,
but that means that
we have that additional
amount of time
to work on really cool features
that might happen in the backend
or the frontend.
It just gives us more time
to like build out
something really cool.
I think that's been
the major change
that I've seen in most situations,
but the
I don't change to
that is where you would spend
a lot of that time doing grunt
work, just coding, coding, coding,
you know, code it
and you have time now
to research, hey,
can I pull in like some cool
animation here? How can I do that?
Can I pull in some cool scripting
like functionality
or pull in some APIs
to do something different?
Like you have less things
to learn before.
If you wanted to learn it,
you would have to learn
all the code
for every single plugin
and feature
that you want to implement.
Now some of those features
are taking care of
and because you have more time,
if there's other features
you want to implement, you can just
look them up as well.
Is it inevitable that no
code always just ends up
leading to code?
So for example, you can no code.
Your startup idea.
Sure, that's nice.
But eventually
you actually
want to be a serious startup
or company or agency.
You're going to have to code it.
So your prototype
idea to validate it.
Thank you.
That's really nice and cute.
But now it's time to
play in the big leagues
and actually code this is it.
Always inevitable.
So that happens.
What I'm seeing is
actually the opposite.
You're starting
to see
all these things
like microservices and APIs
and whatnot,
and slowly
you're seeing better documentation
and better code,
simplified code
and even gooey interfaces
for it, to the point where now
you have tools where
if it's image detection
or if it's AI, it's simply
like a click drag
and connect
to your own website application.
And now you can start
building applications
without knowing
how to do artificial intelligence
because you're just plugging
into another system.
Now you can build a website
without knowing all the stuff
that you might need to for code,
because you just put in that
for no code
and you drag
and drop these two things together
and you've got an AI generated,
you know,
you've got a website
that can do AI components, right?
But there are so many more
like you're seeing more
and more of these industries
adopting and simplified process
to integrate their systems.
And it's going to get to the point
where, yes,
we might not have to know
every nitty gritty thing
we can build an entire
start up or business or idea
just connecting these
tools together.
And I think that's where drag
and drop is actually heading.
But at the same level,
the people who might be building
those independent businesses
like the AI,
they still need
to know, obviously the
python or whatever it
is that they're building those in.
And you get to decide who
like whether
you want to go hardcore into Python
or if you enjoy
building the websites
or if you like building spaces
and each one will have
a different paradigm.
So you think that no code is
do you think that
agencies and companies
are going to be actually
or maybe they already are
looking to hire roles
that are literally no coders?
I'm definitely seeing that, like
even at my own workplace,
what used to take, you know,
as I mentioned, two
or three weeks to do,
we're now getting just our designer
to do it in a week or two.
And then when he runs out of time,
he can easily
hand it off to a developer like me
and I can finish it up
or I can just do the whole thing
while he moves on
to making a logo or
something like that.
So it actually lets the designers
and developers collaborate
a lot more and projects too.
I found where before
they just had
no idea what I was doing.
I That's really cool.
It's like,
yeah, it's
a more collaborative in nature
to where you can kind of
work on that rather
than, you know, in isolation
you design,
you're in Photoshop
or Illustrator or now
sketch and Figma
and then code
and then some backend wizardry.
Now it's like we can
actually collaborate
on this whole process in the same.
And if we're speaking of Editor X,
we with the collaboration tools
like we could
literally as a team
be building this thing out.
I can be doing a create
exactly like I can help
you make some yellow fonts
and some pink backgrounds, or
I can leave that part
up to you to pick the colors
and funds and I can help
you build with you,
you know, demonstrated
as the stylesheet, right?
So maybe I can do
all the design stuff,
but I can create the stuff
based on premade assets,
which always also helps.
I did a site,
I built a site in editor X
and as the from the designer
standpoint, I thought,
okay, what's going to happen
is I'm going to have these two
components the side by side
column toggle back and forth
as you go down.
So every second element
is going to switch.
So, you know,
I know how to do that and.
CC, but I needed to use JavaScript.
And so my JavaScript is pretty bad.
Like it's
I knew is going to be clunky.
So I consulted with an editor
X developer who understood
Velo and was really good at it.
And basically
he just wrote the code for me
and I put it in Velo
and then
boom, like the site's exactly
how I envisioned it creatively.
Yeah.
Like I think at some level
there'll be better drag
and drop tools
for performing those actions.
And at the same time,
I think that
maybe then
the interactions that we can create
are then going to be more complex
when we get developers
to build them.
What would you say
are the pros and cons like generate
general pros and cons of no code
and then the general pros
and cons of code
when trying to achieve
the same outcome.
So like we're saying,
we're trying to build websites.
Maybe you're an agency and you're
trying to build websites
for clients.
What do you think
would be like the pros and cons of
going the no code route
and using something
to that doesn't require any code?
I'd say the very first is
similar to,
I guess the early days of the web
where it's still early days, right?
No code is early days.
So you shouldn't expect
that you'll get everything.
And this is where like coding
gives you the ability
to be like Edward Scissorhands.
You basically have every tool
that you do,
but supposedly
you can cut things up
any way you want
and eventually
no code will be like that
for everything.
But at the same time,
you have to understand that
right now, like
there is some structure
that you need to place
and you need to follow
some paradigms
if you want good results,
like if you want
responsive designs,
you need to
put things in containers
or whatnot.
You can't just like throw things
at a page and expect good results.
But at the same time,
that methodology,
I think, is something that a lot of
developers understand
because they're used to putting
like divs
inside of containers,
inside of columns, inside of rows.
So it's just understanding.
There is a bit of a mind
set shift from one to the other,
but also understanding
that like it will grow
and improve over time.
I think the biggest part for me
is the fact that I can give
people access to
like an editor X website
and have them sit with me
and update stuff.
Whereas before like
having to jump
into the backend code
and sort of try and update that,
that looked like a nightmare.
It was a nightmare
and gave, you know, clients
no confidence
that they could do it themselves
and like you have
that part
being like, don't touch this
or you'll break everything.
And they're like,
I don't want to do that for sure.
For sure.
But not to say that
like that's little
can happen on
no coding tools
like at the end of the day
that I'm still going to be like,
don't touch anything,
just double
click on that font and edit it.
Don't move it
because yeah, it's, it's
always going to be
one of those things, right?
Don't do this.
You know,
you keep keep the clients in check.
So then what do you think
would be
the pros
and cons of the code route?
You know,
I know you kind of touched on them
there in between
between that first part, but
saying like, no,
I'm just doing code,
doing the same thing.
So the code part is
like the pros is that you are,
like I said,
Edward Scissorhands,
you can cut things up
any way you want,
but as soon as you do that,
any mistake
can, like, break it any.
If you're not careful,
like you might not even notice
that it's broken on one browser
as opposed to another.
Whereas like no coding cool.
Sort of like
it just takes care of that
in the background.
You don't have to worry about it.
It's all good.
I think that's
one of the things I really like
because I know I see us
as sometimes was terrible in terms
of like browser compatibility
and then again
like one of the benefits
is, yes,
I can animate anything, any way
I want to the nth degree.
Like I can have some parallax fade
in sliding gizmo,
but like at the end of the day,
do I ever actually do that?
Do I ever implement these things?
And if I did like,
it would just look so startling
to a user that like,
yeah, most people don't.
It's just like a smooth fade in
and that's all you really need
at the end of the day.
So you really have to weigh up
what you're actually doing
most times for websites
and most times
like all of that
extra features that you might have
if you're just doing it
manually isn't really necessary.
I don't think coders
have anything to worry about
and no coders are on like this.
The precipice of like,
I think the Internet
and the way we build for
it is changing for the better,
and it's making it
more democratized and accessible.
And it creates lots of opportunity
for developers
to improve and refine
and create these sorts of tools
and this methodology.
And for designers
and creatives and people
who aren't technical,
it gives them the opportunity
to make
create amazing solutions
for the world.
So before we go, let
people know
where can they
if they want to know
more about your work
and what you're doing, what's where
where can we send them?
Yeah.
So I've got
my own
channel that I'm running up
called Codex Codex Community
and realistically it's more about
like the real kind of work
that developers often do
that's slowly changing.
So I'm doing stuff on right now
a pricing calculator,
which is really cool.
It's actually trying to figure out
how much
you should charge for a website,
but I'm also building
that using no coding tools
and coding tools
and combining them all together.
So you guys
get to learn at the same time
and see how it's implemented
and hopefully it's invaluable,
like a
tool that you can use yourself
if you're doing freelancing
or anything really.
So yeah, you can check that out.
I'm sure
it'll be in the description
of something, right?
You bet. Adrian, thank you so much.
I really appreciate it.
Will make sure
to link up your channel
and that pricing calculator.
I love pricing.
So that's
that's going to be all
linked up there.
Check out Adrian's work
and we really appreciate you
coming on today, man. Thanks, man.
All right.
See you later.
Thanks for watching.
Friends,
if you like this video,
make sure to tap
that like button
because that tells YouTube
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in front of more
and more wonderful people like you.
The more the merrier.
I say
subscribe to Adrian's channel,
the Codex Community.
We're going to link that up
here on the screen and down below.
And until next time, we'll see
you in another video. Hoorah!
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