Are No-Code and Low-Code Platforms Worth Learning for Programming Students?

Like everything, it depends on your career path. While coding provides stronger foundations, no-code tools can accelerate processes in niche areas, like architecture or data modeling. They are often used for rough drafts or prototypes before actual deliverables. So for a standard programming career, they aren't crucial, but understanding them could help in specific fields.

I think no-code and low-code platforms can be handy, especially for quick prototypes or managing data. For example, I used Apache NiFi for data flow management; it's not perfect but gets the job done. However, when things get complex, you might find yourself wishing for good old coding skills since organizing logic in code is usually easier than trying to deal with GUIs for complex tasks.

Remember, even if you lean on no-code/low-code platforms, you'll still run into issues that require actual coding knowledge for troubleshooting. I started a project for a retro TV emulator using a no-code platform, but I hit a wall because I couldn't code well enough to fix the problems that popped up. So, if you want to use these tools, being able to code is still essential.

Honestly, I'm not convinced these platforms are a must-learn for programmers. My take is that if you don't have a solid grasp of programming concepts—like OOP—you might struggle to benefit from them. Sure, they’re okay to know, but if they aren't used in your job, you could forget them pretty quickly after six months.

I find no-code/low-code tools can be useful for simple projects, but as complexity grows, they become messy. Most of these platforms are vendor-specific, meaning the skills you gain might not transfer to other jobs. I'd suggest only pursuing them if your employer uses one—otherwise, traditional coding skills are way more beneficial.