Would you consider my tool "No code" even if it uses a text based approach?
I've been working on https://diagram.codes a diagram generator from text based descriptions, I've shared it with friends who are not programmers and they got the idea quickly and started to use it immediately.
Does this also classifies as No code? It's based on text but not programming, just a set of text conventions (I know, this sounds like way to describe code )
Anyway, I'm interested in your perspective about No code being strictly UI/Drag and drop interfaces, or can also include simple text conventions as my tool provides, thanks!
Here's a screen of defining a Sequence Diagram for example:
Technically, that's a DSL. There's no rigid definition for "no code" and a DSL can be considered to qualify as a "no code" approach. I'd say it's less about the definition than it is about the audience.
Gherkin (the DSL used by Cucumber) is another example of a text-based "no code" tool at least in the way it was envisioned originally.
Therein lies the rub. Many DSL-based tools such as Cucumber were created to allow non-technical people to accomplish tasks you usually need software development skills for. However, more often than not they end up being used by developers anyway, at which point one has to ask oneself what their purpose is.
If I can achieve the same result with code just as easily (as often is the case with Gherkin / Cucumber) then why should I bother with a DSL and the additional maintenance cost that comes with that?
That said I can see the appeal of your tool even for developers / engineers because while it's technically possible to create the same result with code it simplifies the process. Often a text-based approach is much more concise and conducive than a diagram-based one, especially for a target audience that's used to working with text editors.
Thanks for your feedback, Gherkin is a great example and I see why it's not that used by non developers.
Developers are familiar with the benefits of effective text editing so they are usually the initial interested group, I'm ok with that but will keep the vision of it being accessible by anyone so I'm preferring simplicity over flexibility.