Collapsing the No-Code Tech Stack
The Paradox of No-Code: More Tools, More Complexity
No-code was supposed to simplify software development and empower operators to build solutions without engineering teams. Instead, it has resulted in an explosion of fragmented tools. I stumbled upon no-code when I broke into product management in 2020. But the more I built no-code solutions, the more my job looked like one of an engineer and less as one of an operator and product manager. What started as an attempt to democratize technology has ironically created a tech stack problem— maintaining and stitching together several tools to accomplish a single workflow.
Each tool is powerful on its own, but complexity skyrockets when multiple tools are introduced. Managing permissions, syncing data, and troubleshooting automations add unwanted challenges. Instead of accelerating work, no-code has, in many cases, turned operators into system integrators. I’ve sometimes fallen into the trap of spending less time with users because I’m deep in development mode.
The Integrator’s Burden: When No-Code Feels Like Code
No-code promised to empower business users and turn every company into a tech company. Yet, being a no-coder sometimes requires advanced problem-solving, API knowledge, HTML/CSS basics, automation maintenance, etc. While the no-code interfaces remove the need to write code, they still introduce friction, especially when you don’t get interoperability out of the box and try to connect tools never designed to work together natively.
The typical inbound lead capture and routing is one of the workflows I’ve built and maintained the most. This workflow helps startups and SMBs understand where to send a website lead. These are some of the tools and steps that have been necessary to create such a workflow:
Capturing leads using a form like Typeform, Airtable, Tally, etc.
Sending the lead to a CRM like HubSpot, Salesforce, Airtable, etc.
Enriching the lead with tools like Clay or Clearbit
Automating email communications either natively in a CRM or through SendGrid or Mailchimp
Inviting leads to schedule demo calls with Calendly, Cal, or Google Calendar
Recording demo calls, updating lead records, and assigning them to the next stages
By the time you finish stitching up those tools in Make or Zapier, you’ve created a system that requires constant maintenance and attention to ensure it works as designed. Want to track analytics? Good luck! You now have to go to each one of those tools every time you or a stakeholder has a question about performance, engagement, etc. You can see a real example below of a workflow built with 5+ tools inside of Make to accomplish the goal of “talking to a lead.”
The Real Job-to-Be-Done: Why Users Want Outcomes, Not Tools
You’ve probably heard the phrase: “People don't want a quarter-inch drill; they want a quarter-inch hole.” My version of that phrase in the no-code world is that people don’t wake up thinking, “I need an automation tool.” They think:
“I need to close more deals.”
“I need to streamline my hiring process.”
“I need to generate leads effortlessly.”
The tech industry still sells tools, but the real opportunity is in selling outcomes. Instead of expecting users to assemble their own stack, the future lies in solutions that deliver business results out of the box and focus on helping the user progress through “Jobs to be done.”
Who is Already Collapsing the Stack?
Some companies are already solving this problem by creating end-to-end solutions that eliminate the need for multiple tools:
Fillout vs. Typeform+Make+Airtable+Calendly+Stripe: Fillout captures user data in forms and enables downstream workflows like scheduling, approvals, payments, document creation, and emailing. It eliminates the need to stitch multiple solutions together through Make or Zapier.
Shopify vs. Webflow+Stripe+Zapier+Klaviyo: Shopify bundles commerce, payments, and email, eliminating the need to integrate multiple solutions.
Glide vs. Bubble + Airtable + Zapier: Glide simplifies internal tool creation without requiring separate data and automation layers.
See the pattern? The winners aren’t the most flexible or the most feature-rich—they’re the ones that solve entire workflows out of the box.
The No-Code Future is Not "More Tools"—It’s Fewer.
The next wave of no-code innovation won’t be about adding more tools—it will be about removing them. The winners will be those who collapse the tool stack, making technology disappear into seamless workflows.
No-code will finally deliver on its promise when the operator never even realizes they’re using it.