Why are no-code communities so popular right now 🔥
No-Code communities are essential to app builders’ adoption. Here’s what makes them so engaging.
Earlier this month, we hosted Montreal’s first No-Code & Design meetup. I wasn’t sure if people would show up. After all, many of us have a hard time finding our way back to the office, and meeting strangers at a meetup felt like a step further.
Yet the event was sold out, people came, and most importantly, engaged in conversations until the very end of the evening.
We saw the same level of engagement as we can see every day from no-code users on Twitter, YouTube or Slack. And it made me wonder why these no-code communities were so active compared to typical professional online groups. What are people getting out of it?
Why do users join no-code communities?
The first time I personally joined one of these communities (đź‘‹ No-Code France), I was impressed with how generous people were with their time and expertise.
Can’t figure out how to create a checkout flow for your site? Just ask, and people will point you to the most helpful tutorial on YouTube. Stuck with an automated flow that doesn’t trigger? Share your project link, and someone will help you debug in 5 minutes.
It makes you feel like you can rely on a hyper-responsive customer service team specialized in everything. And beyond the live support, these communities are massive content creators. Here are some examples of what you can find:
- YouTube tutorials, to learn how to use no-code platforms.
- Market watch and newsletters, to hear about new platforms and functionalities.
- Live videos, to interview industry players and peers.
- Directories, to identify experts, freelancers, or no-code builders
- Product reviews, to pick the best platform for your project
- Perks, to get exclusive promo codes on no-code tools and courses.
No-Code communities are on the rise
No-Code Founders, No-Code Devs, No-Code France, and Nu Code are four of the fastest-growing online communities dedicated to no-code tools.
They gather people from all backgrounds and with different levels of no-code expertise. Some members are hardcore no-coders who’ve tested every platform on the market and often make a living out of building no-code projects for clients. Others are designers, marketers, or entrepreneurs seeking support for their projects, and some people are just curious minds interested in new technologies.
These communities are gaining hundreds of new members each month and generating hundreds of daily conversations. “No-code is empowering a new generation of developers,” said Art West, founder of NoCode Devs. “In the past two years, we’ve seen enormous growth in the space, and we are only just getting started.”
Why are no-coders so active online?
By nature, no-code attracts curious users trying to figure things out on their own.
Figureitoutters™.
They are willing to spend time learning about new SaaS products and workflows, as long as it gives them more autonomy as digital creators who don’t want to or know how to code. But no-code is an emerging technology. All best practices haven’t been documented, no-code platforms aren’t taught in school (yet.) So instead, users find the support they need from their peers. They’re avid consumers of video tutorials, product feedback, and tips to help them grow their creative and professional skills.
Beyond the training resources, these communities are also a great source of recommendations. And in a market where new platforms are coming to market almost every week, it’s essential to know which one you can trust, especially when you’re building projects for clients as a freelancer or an agency.
But for Carole David, a member of No-Code France, what truly drives engagement is the recognition and sense of empowerment that comes with participation. “I joined the No-Code France community at the end of 2020,” says Carole. “Back then, there were “only” 2,000 of us in the Slack. It gave me the impression that I could answer technical questions about Notion or Airtable, and it gave me confidence in my ability and legitimacy to contribute. It was exhilarating to feel like we could all participate, given the diversity of tools available and the limited amount of educational content online.”
What’s next for no-code communities
As no-code adoption grows, communities will likely keep growing too. The question is: can they remain as dynamic and genuine? Or will they soon become media streams where a few expert users will create content for large audiences, like many mainstream tech communities?
“I’m not sure new members of the community feel as empowered now as I did when I joined because some no-coders here have become professional experts who tend to be perceived as the most legit people to answer,” says Carole from No-Code France. “Automatically, it makes others feel like they’re not at the same level. That’s why I’m now militating for the community to promote all no-code practices, regardless of ambition and expertise. If we can’t do that, we risk becoming just another tech community, with the same lack of diversity and inclusion.”
Expertise disparity between amateurs and professional no-coders may eventually lead communities to break down into niche groups. But instead of evolving towards “Pros vs Beginners,” I think we’ll see more and more no-code communities dedicated to specific trades. Designers, Entrepreneurs, Marketers: people with similar backgrounds trying to create similar projects will gather to share best practices and learn from each other. Seasoned marketers getting started with no-code could learn from no-code experts learning about marketing, for example.
And since communities are all about exchanges, I’d love to hear from you: are you part of online tech communities? And what draws you to them? Let us know in the comments. 👇
