Webflow aims to bridge the developer-designer gap with its no-code/low-code platform

There has been a flurry of discussion around platform offerings aimed at creative professionals with little-to-no technical expertise. Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, no-code and low-code tools have become the technology of choice for many enterprises. According to recent research from Gartner, 70% of new apps developed are expected to leverage low-code or no-code technologies by 2025, up from less than 25% in 2020.

It’s against this backdrop and fresh from a $120 million series C and a $4 billion valuation that Accel-backed Webflow is on track to become one of the fastest growing no-code and low-code all-in-one website builders on the market. Currently serving 3.5 million users and attracting more than 10 billion visitors per month, the company claims that its goal is to empower enterprises to operate more quickly and efficiently.

“We started in 2013 with an idea that was straightforward in its application — anyone who didn’t know how to write a single line of code could create a professional, high-performing website using a drag-and-drop interface,” said Bryant Chou, Webflow’s cofounder and CTO. 

Bridging the gap between design and development

The design-development gap refers to the missing piece of communication among designers and developers when building a product.

This is an age-old problem in the web app and design process. Fortunately, the proliferation of low-code and no-code tools has made it possible to create a shared language between design and development and bring their visions to life.

Over the years, Webflow has evolved from a single page website builder to a dynamic in-browser design tool with CMS and ecommerce capabilities, which Chou says has helped narrow the divide that still exists between the two.

Where Webflow fits into a company’s data infrastructure

By removing the technical complexity behind web development, Chou says that business users can focus on design workflows, while engineers can focus on higher-level tasks like building out their core product and differentiating it in the marketplace.

The company  maintains that it integrates seamlessly with an organization’s existing tech stack, allowing users to consolidate their key business data in one place.

Shaping the future of app and software development

Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2030, the demand for software developers is predicted to grow by 22%. While there may be a shortage of professionals to fill pertinent roles and meet the needs of modern enterprises, staying ahead of the curve will entail making processes and products more agile.

This is where the benefits of no-code and low-code development will come into play.