Dotling

I finally feel like it is good enough to give value to others. It took a long time because Dotling is not based on a new idea. The need of a no-code website builder is already proven but the execution of the idea is not. Unfortunately, the execution is not something that can be done in a few weeks or month.

I already feel accomplished even if no one is willing to pay for it. I'm proud that I got it to this stage.

A lot of people are quitting their jobs to do there own things, the no-code market really shot up due to the pandemic. I was looking at all of the popular site builders out there and came to the following conclusion:

1. The flexible/powerful builders are intimidating and has a steep learning curve. Also they are slow on older computers and does not work on mobile.

2. The easy to use builders tends to be limiting in how you can design your site and/or how many pages that can be made per site.

3. All the popular builders are ~$150 a year. It's just too expensive for someone who just want an online presence.

So I think there is room to give value in this market. There are 3 requirements that I aim to achieve :

1. Flexibility. I wanted designers to be able to create what they came up with in their heads. No inflexible blocks and elements. All elements have access to all of the major used css styles.

2. Accessibility. I don't want people to spend ~$150 a year on one website with no ads. A lot of people can't drop that much money at once. Likewise, not everyone has powerful machines; the product needs to be buttery smooth on old, slower devices. Lastly, the product needs to be fully functional on mobile so users can edit on the go.

3. Easy to use. I want the product to have a low learning curve. Users only need to understand how a container works to make every layout possible. Pre-made sections and templates are available for building quickly and easily. Copy and pasting between sites is also possible.