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Introduction to Qodly

Qodly 10/31/2023

If you've heard of Qodly, great! If not, don't worry – this blog post is here to introduce you. In today's fast business world, time is super important. Making personalized customer apps matters, but ...

Qodly Pricing is Here!

Qodly Pricing is Here!

12/02/2024

<p>We know many of you have been eagerly awaiting our pricing model, and we’re excited to share that it’s finally here! After months of careful planning and gathering feedback, we’ve crafted a simple, transparent, and flexible pricing structure that we believe will meet your needs and help you scale with ease.</p><p>Our pricing is based on three metrics:</p><ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li style="tab-stops:list .5in;">Number of environments</li><li style="tab-stops:list .5in;">Settings per environment</li><li style="tab-stops:list .5in;">Monthly data transfer to the internet</li></ul><p>An environment is a Docker container that includes the Qodly server and services for backup shared in a Virtual Machine. Data and users are managed by the environment.&nbsp;</p><p>Qodly Studio includes all features without any limitations.</p><p><strong><u>Our pricing plan is user-independent, covering an unlimited number of developers and users!</u></strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Pricing Plans</h2><p><span>We offer two pricing plans: Sandbox and Application.</span></p><p><span>Sandbox is free forever, perfect for exploring Qodly, testing new releases, and trying catalog applications. It has limited resources, no additional environments, and sleep mode is enabled.</span></p><p><span>The Application plan is designed for projects intended to go live.</span><br>&nbsp;</p><h3><strong>Per Environment</strong></h3><p>Start with a development environment and add as many deployment environments as you need. The main differences between development and deployment environments, are accessibility to Studio and the ability to add custom domains.<br>&nbsp;</p><img src="/sites/default/files/schema-Console-%20(1).webp" alt="Qodly Deployment Model" width="3309" height="1647"><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3><strong>Settings per Environment</strong></h3><p>Configure the power (Memory and vCPU) and storage space as needed. Upgrades/Downgrades are available anytime.<br>&nbsp;</p><h3><strong>Outbound Internet Data</strong></h3><p>Data transfer is calculated per gigabyte monthly. Manage your budget with email alerts and choose a data pack if you can estimate your usage in advance. This will lower the cost per gigabyte. If you consume more than the estimated amount, the excess will be billed separately.</p><p>Subscriptions are non-binding and can be canceled at any time. Use our <a href="https://qodly.com/pricing">cost calculator</a>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><a href="https://qodly.com/pricing"><img src="/sites/default/files/calculator.gif" alt="Qodly Pricing Calculator" width="962" height="704"></a><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3><strong>Many use cases adressed with pay as you grow model</strong></h3><p>For managing a custom application, you need two environments: development and production. You can create a staging environment for testing and remove it afterward. The estimated cost is around €80 per month. You can increase the storage, select an appropriate data pack, and adjust the power based on application requirements.</p><p>Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) will have the capability to maintain a deployment environment for each client or version in production. They will benefit from a seamless one-click deployment process, allowing them to select specific releases for each environment.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="https://qodly.com/pricing" target="_blank">Visit the new pricing page</a></p><p class="text-align-center">&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>What's Next?</strong></h2><p>In the coming weeks, we will be launching Qodly 1.0.0, enabling you to start your new applications from scratch, from the catalog, or by cloning your sandbox.</p><p>Should you require a custom pricing model, please <a href="https://qodly.com/contact" target="_blank"><u>contact us</u></a>, and we would be pleased to assist you.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

We know many of you have been eagerly awaiting our pricing model, and we’re excited to share that it...

Qodly: Three Ready-to-Use Business Application Templates

Qodly: Three Ready-to-Use Business Application Templates

11/22/2024

<p>Qodly now offers three ready-to-use business application templates, designed to help you save time, reduce complexity, and rapidly address key business needs.&nbsp;</p><p>These templates offer real-world, practical solutions that leverage the power of Qodly’s components to streamline your processes, improve efficiency, and enhance your team’s productivity—right out of the box.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>O'Task: For Project, Task, and Incident Management</h2><p>O'Task simplifies the way you manage projects, tasks, and incidents, providing a clear, structured approach to workflow management. Whether you're overseeing a team or handling multiple projects, this template helps you stay organized, prioritize tasks, and track progress effortlessly.&nbsp;</p><p>It’s an ideal solution for teams looking to improve collaboration, reduce bottlenecks, and keep everything on track.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Vacay Manager: Simplified Employee Scheduling</h2><p>Efficient vacation scheduling is crucial for maintaining smooth operations, and Vacation Manager offers a simple, effective solution. Designed with HR teams in mind, this template automates scheduling, tracks employee time-off requests, and integrates various Qodly components for seamless management.&nbsp;</p><p>It empowers you to stay on top of employee availability, avoid scheduling conflicts, and ensure fair and transparent vacation policies—all with minimal effort.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/vacay.gif" data-entity-uuid="7f43cf29-3dd1-4372-bf71-c1f10d8aecdf" data-entity-type="file" alt="Vacay Template" width="1920" height="954"><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Restaurant Manager: Efficient Restaurant Operations</h2><p>Restaurant Manager brings together Qodly’s powerful components to streamline restaurant operations, from reservations and orders to inventory and customer management. This template provides a comprehensive solution that helps you reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and boost operational efficiency. Whether you’re managing a small café or a large restaurant, this template helps you focus on what matters most—delivering excellent service to your customers.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>More Templates are Coming Soon</h2><p>These three templates are just the start. As part of our commitment to providing you with powerful business solutions, we’re continually expanding the Qodly catalog with more templates designed to simplify processes, save time, and improve your operations. Stay tuned for even more ready-to-use applications tailored to meet the needs of various industries.</p><p>Explore the <a href="https://cloud.qodly.com/" target="_blank">Qodly catalog</a> today and unlock the full potential of these business solutions for your organization!</p>

Qodly now offers three ready-to-use business application templates, designed to help you save time, ...

How Low-Code Platforms Are Transforming Business Development

How Low-Code Platforms Are Transforming Business Development

11/14/2024

<p>In an era where digital transformation is essential to staying competitive, businesses are looking for faster, more cost-effective ways to build software. Traditional development methods, while powerful, can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.&nbsp;</p><p>Low-code platforms like <a href="https://qodly.com/" target="_blank">Qodly</a> are stepping in to change the game, empowering organizations to accelerate their development cycles, empower non-technical users, and reduce costs without compromising on quality. By lowering the barriers to app creation, low-code is helping businesses transform ideas into reality with unprecedented speed and flexibility, opening new possibilities for innovation and growth.</p><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Rapid Development: Speed to Market at the Core</h3><p>Low-code development platforms are designed to ease the development process, allowing companies to bring their ideas to life quickly. In a traditional development environment, building a complex application requires extensive programming and testing, which can take months or even years.&nbsp;</p><p>Qodly reduces this timeframe significantly by offering pre-built components, intuitive interfaces, and visual tools that allow developers to build applications rapidly.&nbsp;</p><p>For organizations, this translates into faster delivery of business-critical software, allowing them to stay competitive and respond quickly to market demands.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/B-1.jpg" data-entity-uuid="e87b71f3-3a3d-40a6-bc88-7065931b3e90" data-entity-type="file" alt="Speed to Market at the Core" width="1020" height="415"><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Empowering Non-Technical Users: Citizen Developers</h3><p>One of the defining characteristics of low-code platforms is their accessibility. By simplifying the process of application development, Qodly and similar platforms make it possible for non-technical users—often called "citizen developers"—to create applications without extensive coding experience.&nbsp;</p><p>This democratization of development opens up new possibilities for innovation within organizations, allowing individuals with domain expertise to take a more active role in creating the tools they need to succeed.&nbsp;</p><p>This empowerment of citizen developers has significant benefits. Not only does it relieve some of the burden on IT departments, but it also brings fresh perspectives to the development process.&nbsp;</p><p>When employees from different departments can create their own applications, they are better equipped to solve specific challenges and manage workflows tailored to their needs.&nbsp;</p><p>This shift reduces bottlenecks and fosters a culture of innovation across the organization, as individuals are encouraged to take initiative and build solutions that address immediate issues.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/B-2.jpg" data-entity-uuid="8c037552-3aa1-4b8d-b47c-79ca942c4dfe" data-entity-type="file" alt=" Empowering Non-Technical Users" width="1020" height="415"><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Cost Efficiency: Doing More with Less</h3><p>With traditional development, time is money—every additional hour spent coding, testing, and refining an application translates into increased costs. Low-code platforms like Qodly address this issue by significantly <a href="https://qodly.com/blog/qodly-good-websites-comprehensive-review" target="_blank">reducing development time</a>, thereby cutting down on overall expenses. Organizations can now bring applications to market faster and at a lower cost, freeing up resources for other critical initiatives.</p><p>Moreover, by empowering non-technical users to contribute to development, low-code platforms reduce the need for specialized coding resources. Businesses can achieve more with their existing teams, eliminating the need to hire additional developers or contract external agencies. This cost efficiency is especially beneficial for smaller organizations and startups that need powerful applications but may lack extensive development budgets.&nbsp;</p><p>In addition, the ease of modifying and updating applications on a low-code platform enables companies to scale solutions as their needs evolve, without major redevelopment efforts. This adaptability is another cost-saving advantage, as applications can grow alongside the organization without requiring extensive reengineering.</p><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Focus on User Experience: A Design-First Approach</h3><p>With more companies recognizing the importance of user-centered design, low-code platforms make it easier to create, test, and iterate on user interfaces rapidly. Qodly, for instance, encourages a design-first approach, enabling developers to prototype applications quickly, gather user feedback, and refine the experience before final deployment. This iterative design process ensures a higher quality user experience and allows teams to make user-driven improvements that increase satisfaction and adoption rates.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/B-4.jpg" data-entity-uuid="dce521b0-d73e-4fc6-94e1-c8922e3330e6" data-entity-type="file" alt="Cost Efficiency" width="1020" height="415"><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Facilitating Innovation and Flexibility</h3><p>Innovation is essential for businesses that want to stay competitive, and low-code platforms foster an environment where experimentation is not only possible but encouraged.&nbsp;</p><p>In traditional development, experimentation can be costly and time-intensive, limiting the ability of businesses to try out new ideas. However, low-code platforms like Qodly allow organizations to rapidly build and test different concepts, experimenting with various workflows, designs, and functionalities.&nbsp;</p><p>For instance, businesses can quickly prototype new features or test different versions of an application to determine which one best meets their users’ needs. This flexibility allows companies to pivot easily, trying out new solutions and responding to feedback with minimal effort. The ability to iterate quickly and without a major investment in development resources means companies can take more calculated risks, driving innovation and staying ahead of competitors.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/B-3.jpg" data-entity-uuid="82dc4816-9f7b-403f-8d0d-3dac765437d0" data-entity-type="file" alt="Facilitating Innovation and Flexibility" width="1020" height="415"><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>Conclusion: The Low-Code Revolution&nbsp;</h3><p>The rise of low-code platforms represents a transformative shift in the world of business application development. By accelerating development timelines, lowering costs, and empowering non-technical users, platforms like Qodly are reshaping how companies approach their software needs.&nbsp;</p><p>Low-code offers a way for businesses to be more responsive, innovative, and customer-focused, ultimately leading to a more agile, resilient organization.&nbsp;</p><p>In the years to come, as more organizations adopt low-code, we can expect to see a world where creating powerful, user-friendly applications is accessible to more people across an organization.&nbsp;</p><p>The technology’s potential is enormous, with far-reaching implications for the future of business technology, team dynamics, and customer experience.&nbsp;</p><p>For organizations looking to stay competitive, low-code platforms like Qodly offer an invaluable pathway to accelerated development, democratized innovation, and sustainable growth.</p>

In an era where digital transformation is essential to staying competitive, businesses are looking f...

Effortless Page Design: Empowering Developers to Create Stunning Web Pages with Qodly

Effortless Page Design: Empowering Developers to Create Stunning Web Pages with Qodly

10/31/2024

<p>Building user-friendly apps doesn't have to be complicated. While UX designers traditionally play a crucial role in crafting the user experience, Qodly empowers developers to design intuitive applications without requiring extensive UX design expertise.&nbsp;</p><p>Here’s how developers can create exceptional user experiences using Qodly’s robust set of tools.</p><h2>Understanding Qodly’s Approach to UX Design</h2><p>Qodly is built on the philosophy that developers should be able to create compelling user interfaces (UIs) without relying solely on design teams. The platform offers a suite of features that streamline the design process, allowing developers to focus on functionality while ensuring a great user experience.</p><p><strong>1. Drag-and-Drop Interface</strong></p><p>One of the standout features of Qodly is its intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Developers can easily assemble UI components, rearranging them as needed to achieve a layout that meets their application’s needs. This flexibility speeds up development and allows for rapid prototyping of design ideas.&nbsp;</p><img src="/sites/default/files/blog-35-p2.png" data-entity-uuid="4c1628ec-43e0-4b06-afb8-e212e2207826" data-entity-type="file" alt="" width="1020" height="415"><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>2. Pre-built Templates&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Qodly provides a rich library of pre-built templates that enable developers to leverage best practices in UX design without starting from scratch. These templates are designed with user experience in mind, ensuring that applications look good and function effectively. Developers can customize these templates to align with their brand identity while maintaining usability.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/blog-35-p3.png" data-entity-uuid="0bd30b2b-7384-4d51-b445-f4b3b2549606" data-entity-type="file" alt="" width="1020" height="415"><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>3. Versatile Components</strong></p><p>In addition to templates, Qodly offers a wide range of reusable <a href="https://github.com/qodly/custom-components" target="_blank">UI components</a>, such as maps, charts, and navigation bars. These components are designed to be easily integrated into applications, allowing developers to build and modify interfaces quickly. Their modular nature promotes consistency throughout the application and simplifies maintenance.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/blog-35-p4.png" data-entity-uuid="5b750875-82f3-430c-a966-3a3912cc1847" data-entity-type="file" alt="" width="1020" height="415"><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>4. Responsive Design Made Easy&nbsp;</strong></p><p>With users accessing applications across various devices, responsive design is critical. Qodly’s tools automatically adapt to different screen sizes, ensuring that applications look great on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This capability allows developers to create consistent experiences without needing extensive knowledge of responsive design principles.&nbsp;</p><img src="/sites/default/files/blog-35-p5.png" data-entity-uuid="ecba9aff-ac40-494a-85a3-eebd68add60d" data-entity-type="file" alt="" width="1020" height="415"><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>5. Custom Styling and Branding&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Developers can easily apply custom styles to their applications using Qodly’s design tools. By utilizing <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS" target="_blank">CSS</a>, they can create unique aesthetics that resonate with their target audience. This customization capability empowers developers to build applications that reflect their brand while still adhering to UX best practices.</p><img src="/sites/default/files/blog-35-p6.png" data-entity-uuid="ceb31c7e-7aa8-4ccf-aee2-505373d63e30" data-entity-type="file" alt="" width="1020" height="415"><h2>Benefits of Developer-Driven UX Design&nbsp;</h2><p><strong>Faster Development Cycles:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>With Qodly’s tools, developers can streamline the design process, reducing the time it takes to bring applications to market.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Enhanced Collaboration:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Developers can collaborate directly with stakeholders, making real-time adjustments based on feedback without the need for intermediaries.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cost Efficiency:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>By eliminating the need for dedicated UX designers, organizations can allocate resources more effectively, focusing on development and functionality.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Empowered Developers:&nbsp;</strong></p><p>Developers gain confidence in creating user-friendly applications, enhancing their skill sets and job satisfaction.</p><h2>Conclusion&nbsp;</h2><p>While UX designers bring invaluable expertise to the table, Qodly empowers developers to take charge of the design process. With its intuitive tools and resources, creating great user experiences is within reach for any developer. By leveraging Qodly, teams can efficiently develop applications that meet functional requirements and provide a delightful user experience.&nbsp;</p><p>In the ever-evolving world of application development, Qodly stands out as a solution that bridges the gap between design and development. It allows developers to create exceptional user experiences without the need for extensive UX design resources.&nbsp;</p><p>For a closer look at how Qodly simplifies front-end design, check out our YouTube video: <a href="https://youtu.be/7UTF-DvplbY" target="_blank">Build Beautiful Front-End Pages in Minutes with Qodly</a>.</p><p><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7UTF-DvplbY" title="Build Beautiful Front-End Pages in Minutes with Qodly" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>

Building user-friendly apps doesn't have to be complicated. While UX designers traditionally play a ...

Let's Get Inspired by Saadia's DevHack24 Interview!

Let's Get Inspired by Saadia's DevHack24 Interview!

10/24/2024

<p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Introducing Myself:</strong></span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">Hello! I’m </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/saadia-aboutarouc-550934102/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">Saadia</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, a passionate UI/UX designer dedicated to simplifying complex processes through intuitive design. I thrive on exploring new tools and platforms that enhance my creativity and expand my technical capabilities.</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Motivation for Participating in the Hackathon:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">I joined the hackathon primarily for fun and to challenge myself while discovering Qodly Studio. It was a fantastic opportunity to test my knowledge and see how far I could push my skills with this platform in a short time frame.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Learning Curve with Qodly:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">As I am not deeply familiar with coding and development, learning everything independently was a bit challenging. To navigate this, I teamed up with my colleague Fadwa. She took the lead on the studio aspect while I concentrated on design and UX. This collaboration greatly streamlined our process and efficiency. I managed to grasp the basics of front-end design, including web forms, matrices, and styling.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>About My Application:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">The application I developed is called "Football Play Chart." It serves as a football tournament data manager that enables administrators to effortlessly add, manage, and edit tournament data. Admins can input match scores, and the app automatically calculates points, advancing the teams with the highest scores to the finals.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Inspiration Behind the Application:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">The idea for the application stemmed from my casual table football games with colleagues. I wanted to create a dynamic and user-friendly app to manage tournament data. One of its standout features is a random grouping mechanism, simulating how teams are drawn in live football events—similar to drawing names from a bowl.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Learning from the Platform:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">Through Qodly, I learned how to rapidly prototype ideas, integrate complex features, and enhance my web formatting skills. I also gained a deeper understanding of conditional CSS and improved my mastery of low-code development.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>What I Loved Most About Qodly:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">I appreciated how Qodly simplifies complex tasks. The user-friendly interface made it easy to integrate and manage data flows, allowing me to focus on the app's logic and design without getting overwhelmed by technical challenges.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Advice for Newcomers to Low-Code:</strong>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">For anyone new to low-code platforms, don't be intimidated! These tools are designed to be accessible, even for those without extensive coding experience. Concentrate on your core idea, and the platform will help you bring it to life faster than you might think!</span></p>

Introducing Myself:Hello! I’m Saadia, a passionate UI/UX designer dedicated to simplifying complex p...

Let's Get Inspired by Sophia Willow's DevHack24 Interview

Let's Get Inspired by Sophia Willow's DevHack24 Interview

10/18/2024

<p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US"><strong>Could you tell us about your journey as a highly talented software engineer?</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">I initially wanted to be an astronaut, but discovered there were height requirements and it looked like I was going to exceed them. I got into computers through my stepfather, who tinkered with them outside of work and I decided a career working with computers wouldn’t be too bad.<strong><o:p></o:p></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">My first job was in 2016. I interned at a local place called Innovation Park, which is a business hub that leases office space to local companies and connects them with funding and training opportunities. They were managing all of their customer data in a big shared Excel spreadsheet on a networked hard drive, and my job was to migrate them to something a bit more modern.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">I worked through university doing freelance work and eventually secured a position as Founding Engineer at a SaaS startup called Kwotimation. I helped secure their seed capital raise and built an MVP product from 0 to 1. I wrote about the process of getting this done&nbsp;</span><a href="https://sophiabits.com/retro/kwotimation"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">on my website</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">This was the opportunity that really launched my career; being the first employee at a new company forces you to take on a lot of scope and upskill very rapidly. The biggest highlight for me was getting weekly mentoring sessions with Tana Isaac–a legend in the New Zealand technology industry, and the cousin of one of the founders! The CTO of Oxide Computers, Bryan Cantrill, has an interesting talk where he discusses&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PaWFYm0kEw&amp;themeRefresh=1"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">oral tradition in software engineering</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US"> and this has really resonated with me because most of the skills I’ve built have been a result of talking with highly talented individuals like Tana.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">From there, I moved over to Crimson Education. Crimson is a big EdTech company, and I initially lead the engineering team responsible for building their online high school platform. I moved over to building and running the AI team at the start of 2023 following the mainstream release of GPT-3.5. I was involved in a lot of interesting projects there, including an AI essay review tool which was a bit of a throwback to an essay review tool I had tried to build during my university studies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">Today I’m the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://nz.linkedin.com/in/sophia-willows" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">head of engineering</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US"> at Rye, which is an a16z-backed developer tools startup. We build an API that lets developers embed commerce into their applications. They reached out to me in January of this year to come work for them, and it’s a dream job for me. I write a lot about developer productivity and API design best practices&nbsp;</span><a href="https://sophiabits.com/blog"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">on my blog</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">, and at Rye we care a&nbsp;</span><em><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">lot</span></em><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US"> about these topics.</span></p><h2><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US"><strong>What is your vision for the evolution of low-code hybrid platforms?</strong></span></h2><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">I think they are increasingly important. Software engineering has always involved a lot of grunge work like setting up environments, managing dependencies, or writing boilerplate code. AI is now handling an increasing proportion of that tedious work, and automating away many repetitive tasks that engineers previously had to handle themselves. This is great, but it leaves a gap where we still need engineers to work on the more nuanced or complex parts of an engineering project.<strong><o:p></o:p></strong></span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">This, I think, is where low-code and hybrid platforms will shine. They offer a compelling middle ground compared to other options. You can use things like AI or a visual UI builder to get 85% of the way to completion, and then still have the flexibility to write code and cover the final 15%</span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">In my experience, no code tools struggle to get the last 15% because they are too inflexible. The moment you need to do something that isn’t supported by the no-code platform, you are out of luck. On the other hand, writing all of the code by hand has high barriers to entry because folks need a lot more training to do this. Balancing ease of use with flexibility is important.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US">As low-code platforms evolve, I expect to see more hybrid approaches that combine the simplicity of low-code with the robustness of traditional development environments. These platforms will not only cater to professional engineers looking to accelerate delivery but also empower non-technical users to build useful tools for their organizations. The balance between flexibility and usability will make them increasingly integral to the future of software development, as AI helps us automate the grunt work, and low code allows us to more easily implement the creative, complex parts.</span></p><h2><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;" lang="EN-US"><strong>How was your experience as a jury member?</strong>&nbsp;</span></h2><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;" lang="EN-US">It was great! The folks at Qodly handled all of the logistics–Meriem was especially helpful–so I just had to show up and do my thing. I was excited to be involved because I think low-code platforms play a very important role in expanding the pool of folks able to build software.&nbsp;The world has an unlimited appetite for software, and we need more people to come in and help solve the world’s problems.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;" lang="EN-US">I was also able to come to Paris following the hackathon to meet the team behind Qodly, and this was a great experience. Everyone was friendly and extremely passionate about their work which I loved to see. I think that if you have passion for what you are doing then you will naturally end up producing a better output<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;"><strong>What did you appreciate the most in the applications you evaluated?</strong>&nbsp;</span></h2><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;" lang="EN-US">I was impressed by the depth of functionality on display given how young the Qodly product is. The hackathon participants did a great job learning the platform quickly, and it’s also a testament to the platform’s ease of use generally.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;" lang="EN-US">Cyril’s project was particularly impressive. I loved the custom chart component that he’d included. I also learned after the fact that the app was inspired by a real-world problem that the 4D folks were running into–which I also really love. Developers often end up focusing a lot on technical details, but at the end of the day, our technical achievements are meaningless if we don’t build things that are valuable and solve problems for people.<strong><o:p></o:p></strong></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;" lang="EN-US"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;">The Sportly submission was also interesting. I liked how the author implemented a forum feature inside of Qodly. It was a great demonstration of what’s possible with the platform.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;"><strong>What advice would you give those who wish to enter the development world?&nbsp;</strong></span></h2><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">There’s a lot of doom and gloom right now, because we’re in an economic downturn and hiring is slow. There’s also a lot of fear about AI and how it will impact our industry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">I think it’s important to remain optimistic. There’s still opportunity out there, and eventually hiring will pick up again as the economy recovers. One of my recruiter friends in New Zealand just texted me the other week to say he’s had a few roles come in after a few quiet months. The world still needs a lot of software to be written, and I don't see this changing much over the long term. It’s important not to lose faith, and continue building your skills and technical depth.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">Depth is important, because it’s true that AI&nbsp;</span><em><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">is</span></em><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;"> automating away a lot of grunt work in the industry. Depth can come in many forms–when we built the AI essay review tool, I needed to work with folks who had a deep understanding of college admission essays in order to ship something valuable. People who have a deep understanding of one or two domains will always be useful to the world, and if you can pair that with adaptability and an openness to learning then you will be OK.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">Net net I think it’s unlikely that AI will completely remove the need for developers or engineers over the mid-term. I don’t think anyone should be scared away from getting into this field because of advancements in AI. Rather than being something to fear, I see AI as an incredibly powerful tool that developers can harness to augment their skills, solve complex problems faster, and create more impactful solutions. These are all good things.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">The world needs more software engineers so we can solve hard problems in healthcare, climate change, education, and countless other sectors that shape our future. Technology is an incredibly broad and diverse field that truly has a place for everyone. One of my closest friends is a developer, and his background before this was in franchising a pizza store. There are so many people working in this field who never expected to end up in technology but have found their niche and are thriving. If you even&nbsp;</span><em><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">possibly</span></em><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;"> think that technology might be something interesting to you, then I recommend giving it a go.</span></p><p style="line-height:150%;">&nbsp;</p><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-10/DevHack24%20Closing%20Webinar.png" data-entity-uuid="f97ed67d-046a-4df7-aa22-2c2537770e28" data-entity-type="file" alt="" width="1920" height="1080"><p>&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;">&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="line-height:150%;"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:14.0pt;line-height:150%;" lang="EN-US"></span></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Could you tell us about your journey as a highly talented software engineer?I initially wanted to be...