Ask HN: Low Code tools like Webflow, what's my role in the future?
I'm not a software developer, I like to code, but I prefer relative simple websites with HTML, CSS, JS and a CMS. Developing complex applications is not my thing and I see no future for me there.
When I see things like clutch.io or webflow.com I ask myself if it is still worth to master the basic 3 (HTML/CSS/JS).
I think even larger projects can be done well soon in tools like webflow, squarespace, wix and all the others.
What do you think has the most future for me and other frontend developers which are not very skilled in the very technical part of coding? What should I learn to have a secure future without having to go deep into software development?
I like coding, so design is not a full time option for me.
What's your take on this?
Thank you!
9 comments
[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 30.1 ms ] threadIf you are on a larger team you can be a language lawyer specialist in HTML and CSS, a handy person to have in a web dev shop.
What do mean by language lawyer specialist? Actually, HTML, CSS and some JS is what i like doing. So you don't think, that these low level positions like HTML/CSS coder will be soon be replaced by a tool?
As another poster said, graphic design skills help too. For instance, coming up with good color schemes, maybe being able to draw, understanding how to use CSS properties to perfect character and line spacing to make it look right, etc.
But there is always a room for professional developers who are attention to details and are able to identity and to fix the problems.
Every person I know who's been the CSS specialist in a larger business has also had some design background or significant aptitude. Have you worked with someone who has just known CSS really well, with no programming language expertise, and without any design skills?
I've seen this happen already after the dotcom crash. In fact, it happened to me. I was doing more or less what you are doing now, and once times got tough, I found it very hard to find decent work. I left the profession for a while (although I continued to do a bit of coding as part of my job), but when I came back I buckled down and learned to be an actual software developer, learning everything from low-level programming, to data structures and algorithms, to architecture. It was gradual, but I knew were I was going.
I happen to work in frontend dev now, but building actual web applications (and feel just as comfortable building applications on the desktop, or Android, both of which I've also done professionally). Now when the shit hits the fan, I'm fairly sure to keep my job, or find another one if needed.
Also, as you allude to the kind of skill you're talking about will be increasingly vulnerable to automation. But not just the "low-code" things. Also the HTML, CSS, and light JS things. And things that are "low-code" now will be virtually "nocode" in the future, capable of being done by any random office worker.
If you want to be a coder, then master coding. Or else go into design and master design. Either way, set your sites on mastering something, don't just play around the edges. It's a process, and a hard one at times, but I'm convinced that anyone can do it. If you're already enjoying working with HTML, CSS, and bits of JS, then you'll likely do just fine teaching yourself to be a full-fledged professional developer.
BUT... I still believe there is plenty of runway for great front-end developers. Especially those that have an eye for design.
Keep learning and growing. There will be a place for you in the future!
[1] Webase - https://www.webase.com
The downside is that it's often harder to communicate with the software. Drag and drop is much slower than typing. These tools often have bugs and bad design. You end up building long winded hacks around them. Like we'd end up building our own physics engine, collision detection, and so on. Knytt Stories has a level split into many different screens, rather than continuous scrolling, because of some limitations. You eventually get the Ionic/Cordova effect - you can build things fast, but have to hack a lot to get what you really want. The more layers there are, the more work you need to debug every layer.
I've bought tools like Bootstrap Studio and eventually just gave up and went to HTML. They work as training wheels, but if you're here to race, you won't want them.
The more common problems that are recognised as "patterns" are going to be handled by the specialised tools (such as Webflow which you mentioned), but there is always going to be the next level of complexity which has not been tamed yet.
This is how I see the innovation cycle: New tech that makes X easier comes out. People use it and do things they couldn't do before - but then the patterns emerge, people often do Y but since this tech is general it takes a lot of work to achieve it. Then the new product comes which makes Y easier.
HTML and CSS (especially advanced preprocessors such as Sass /Less) will always be more expressive than some visual tool, and some things will be really hard/clumsy without them. Of course, the question is in what volume will such "harder" problems be there in the future.
What to learn? HTML/CSS/JS are still very much used, but more and more within the different frameworks/tools. So maybe it wouldn't be bad to learn e.g. React. Just focusing solely on the HTML or CSS itself, I am not sure how beneficial is it to have e.g. 80% mastery vs 99% mastery. What kind of projects would require and adequately appreciate such knowledge?
Btw, I am working on an open-source low-code solution - as opposed to Webflow and others, we still very much rely on the code, just try to abstract away the common patterns and let developer focus on the unique product logic.
In our vision of the future the coding is going to stay, it will just become more and more integrated within the tools which will take away the "setup" complexity. So more and more people will be able participate in the development, even coding, while having the "safety net" of the underlying tool.
This is our repo, would be happy to get your feedback! https://github.com/wasp-lang/wasp