While there is a lot of noise about the hottest programming languages and the evolution of Web3, blockchain and the metaverse, none of this will matter if the industry doesn’t have highly skilled software developers to build them,” argues ZDNet.
So they spoke to Ori Bendet, VP of product management at CheckMarx, a builder software that tests application security. His prediction? Automatic code generators (ACG) like Github CoPilot, AWS CodeWhisperer and Tab9 will eventually replace “traditional” coding. “Although ACG is not as good as developers may think,” Bendet says, “over the next few years, every developer will have their code generated, leaving them more time to focus on their core business.”
As businesses turn to automation as a means of quickly building and deploying new apps and digital services, low code and no code tools will play a fundamental role in shaping the future of the internet. According to a 2021 Gartner forecast, by 2025, 70% of new applications developed by enterprises will be based on low-code or no-code tools, compared to less than 25% in 2020. A lot of this work will be done by ‘citizen developers’ — employees who build business apps for themselves and other users using low code tools, but who don’t have formal training in computer programming. In order to build a proficient citizen developer workforce, companies will need an equally innovative approach to training.
“Low code and no code tools are democratizing software development and providing opportunities for more people to build technology, prompting more innovation across industries,” says Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO of Stack Overflow….
The rise of low-code and no-code will also help to further democratize tech jobs, creating more opportunities for talented individuals from non-tech or non-academic backgrounds. A 2022 survey by developer recruitment platforms CoderPad and CodinGame found that 81% of tech recruiters now readily hire from ‘no-degree’ candidate profiles. CodinGame COO Aude Barral believes this trend will only grow as the demand for software professionals intensifies.
Stack Overflow’s CEO sees some limitations. “Without taking the time to learn the fundamentals of writing code or the context in which code is used, developers using low-code or code suggestion tools will hit a limit in the quality and functionality of their code.”
How is this playing out in the real world of professional IT? I’d like to invite Slashdot’s readers to share their own experiences in the comments.
Are you seeing low-code and no-code development replacing traditional coding?