History of No-Code in Local Environments

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 16:46:11 +0900

History of Low-Code / No-Code Development (1980s - Present)

Low-code / no-code development is a development method that allows you to create applications, websites, and databases without specialized programming knowledge. This concept began in the 1980s and has developed into various platforms along with the spread of PCs, the evolution of the Internet, and the expansion of cloud technology. In this article, we will introduce representative tools and services by decade, along with their features and prices.

1980s: The Early Days

HyperCard (Apple, 1987) An app creation tool for Macintosh. It composed screens in a card format and allowed GUI creation via drag-and-drop. Simple behavior control was also possible with its unique scripting language, “HyperTalk.” It was favored for prototyping purposes. The price at launch was $49.95, and it was later provided free of charge to new Mac purchasers. The final version was released in 1998, with no support for Mac OS X or later.
FileMaker (Claris/Apple, 1985) Graphical database software. In addition to tabular data display, it is a relational DB tool equipped with free layout editing and scripting functions. It is currently provided as “Claris FileMaker Pro,” with a full license version priced at $594 (as of 2024).

1990s: The Rise of GUI Apps and Business Systems Development

Visual Basic (Microsoft, 1991) An IDE specialized for Windows app development. By dragging and dropping GUI components like buttons and labels, event-driven apps could be easily built. With VB6.0 in 1998 being the last, it transitioned to the .NET era.
Microsoft Access (1992) A database development tool for Windows. It enabled relational DB design and form creation via GUI, and was widely used for general business app development. It is currently provided as part of Microsoft 365.
PowerBuilder (PowerSoft/Sybase, 1991) A 4GL development tool for business applications. It supported client/server architecture and had strengths in database integration. It is currently still being provided under the SAP umbrella.
Dreamweaver (Macromedia, 1997) A WYSIWYG tool that allowed visual web page creation. It enabled switching between HTML editing and design views, and also supported ASP and PHP. It is currently provided by Adobe and available via subscription (about $34.49 per month).
Flash (Macromedia, 1996) Originally developed as FutureSplash Animator, a vector animation production tool. It was later utilized for creating interactive content for the Web, but support ended in 2020 due to security concerns.
GameMaker (1999) A 2D game creation tool for beginners. Object placement and event control are possible via drag-and-drop. It later supported scripting (GML) as well, and currently multiple plans are offered for commercial use.

2000s: The Spread of Web-Based and Open Source

WordPress (2003) An open-source CMS using PHP and MySQL. It allows the construction of blogs and corporate sites using themes and plugins without programming knowledge. Distributed for free, it is one of the most widely used CMSs in the world.
Wix (2006) A no-code service that allows you to build websites on a browser. You can choose a template and edit it via drag-and-drop. In addition to the free plan, custom domains and e-commerce features are available in paid plans.
OutSystems (2001) A low-code platform for enterprises. Because it allows rapid development of business systems, its adoption by large corporations and government agencies is progressing. It supports both cloud and on-premises environments.
Scratch (MIT, 2007) A programming learning tool developed for children. By combining colored blocks, you can create games and animations, and it is widely used in educational settings. Provided free of charge.
Airtable (2013) A cloud-based service combining spreadsheets and databases. It looks similar to Excel but enables relations, Kanban views, API integration, and more. It is widely used by everyone from individuals to corporations.

2010s-2020s: The Era of Cloud and Automation

In recent years, cloud-based low-code / no-code tools have evolved rapidly.

Power Platform (Microsoft) An integrated business app development and automation platform including “Power Apps” and “Power Automate.” It allows you to visually construct corporate business processes via drag-and-drop.
Salesforce Lightning Platform An app development platform provided by the CRM Salesforce. Business apps can be created via GUI, and integration with other Salesforce services is easy.
Zapier / IFTTT Automation tools that allow integration between multiple cloud services without coding. For example, workflows like “Notify Slack when Google Forms is submitted” can be easily realized.
Notion (2010s) An all-in-one workspace integrating document management, task management, Wiki, etc. It also has a custom database feature, which is useful for business improvement without coding.
Construct 3 / GameSalad Tools that allow you to make games via drag-and-drop. Construct 3 is HTML5 compatible and works on browsers as well, making it popular in educational settings and among indie developers.

Information Sources and Supplementary Details

This article is composed based on the official websites of each product, Wikipedia, and highly reliable materials and articles (Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, etc.). Price information refers to official information from the time or the latest available, as much as possible (prices listed are mainly in US dollars). Many of the tools since the 2000s are subscription-based, and fees vary by plan.

History of Mathematics

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 15:25:10 +0900

The Three Classic Problems of Ancient Greek Mathematics

Given a circle, construct a square with the same area (Squaring the circle)
Given an arbitrary angle, trisect it (Angle trisection)
Given a cube, construct a cube with twice the volume (Doubling the cube)

Archimedean Spiral

On a plane, let a ray OB rotate around a fixed point O at a uniform speed. Assuming the initial position is OA, when point P starts from O simultaneously as the ray begins moving from OA, and moves along OB at a constant speed, the curve drawn by point P is an Archimedean spiral.

Pappus’s Theorem

Cycloid
Conchoid of Nicomedes
Cissoid of Diocles
Fermat’s tangent method
Descartes’ normal method

Timeline

Year	Event
c. 3400 BC	Sumerians perform calculations using clay tokens
c. 3000 BC	Hieroglyphic mathematics appears in Egypt
c. 2800 BC	Weights and measures based on the decimal system are used in the Indus Valley Civilization
c. 2700 BC	Egyptians use ropes and Pythagorean triples to verify angles
c. 2500 BC	The abacus, a calculating tool, is discovered
c. 2500 BC

Reference

History of Mathematics

History on kenji.blog