How I made a website without coding and an alternative to Photoshop?

No-code platforms for websites development and design needs

Hey guys,

How are you? Hope you’re keeping safe and hustling! Today, we’ll be discussing about No-code platforms and how you can use these platforms to build stuff faster and more efficiently.

What is no-code platform?

There is a common misconception that you need to learn to code to build an app or a website. Coding is important and knowing languages like JavaScript does help but you can build simple websites and apps within minutes by not writing a single line of code. No-code platforms provide an easy to use interface for non-developers to build websites or apps or just about anything!

How to build a website without coding?

There is a popular platform called Wordpress. It is said that 70% of the websites on the Internet are made using WordPress. There are millions of pre-built templates and plugins available on WordPress and you can use them to make your own blog, or e-commerce site or even your own portfolio. There are a lot of freelancers and agencies that have learnt to make beautiful websites on WordPress and charge upwards of $100 for each website. I used to do this in my first year of college and trust me, once you learn to use it, building static websites will become a piece of cake.

How to get started?

This is the video that I referred to when I was starting out.

Do remember that for any website you’ll have to buy a domain and a hosting plan. It is explained in the video.

Any disadvantages of WordPress?

WordPress is really easy to master so that means there is cut-throat competition out there in the market. You’ll have to figure out a way of standing out from the crowd. You can maybe pickup one industry and start specializing in it. For example, if someone builds websites exclusively for hospitals then it’ll be easier for him to approach other hospitals and pitch them.

Why should I learn to code if I can use WordPress?

A lot of developers hate WordPress because it provides a simple way of building websites. Even I thought that I could build anything using just WordPress but then it’s not true. Knowing the fundamentals of web-dev is very important. WordPress would not give you the control, flexibility and customisation that coding websites provides. Plus, a lot of big companies would hire a person who knows React/Node rather than someone who JUST knows WordPress.

What about design folks? Is there an alternative to Photoshop?

Yes! I’m the President of CEL BITS Goa and for all design needs we use a tool called Canva.com. Just like WordPress, it provides a lot of templates that you can pick and quickly make posters, Instagram posts, Facebook ads or just about anything! But of course Photoshop provides more complexity and space to play around with design.

That’s all for this week. Next week, I’ll be telling you about how my friends and I launched an app without writing a single line of code. Do let me know your feedback.