What do you call people who don't code?
#discuss
Paul Rumkin

Paul Rumkin @rumkin

About: I'm a fullstack developer, author and inventor. Sometimes a photographer and designer of my logos and UIs/UXs. Mostly I'm working with JS and Web itself.

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What do you call people who don't code?

Publish Date: Sep 8 '19
14 21

There are two groups of people who can create programs and those who don't. I'm about writing article about this groups and I need to name them somehow. There is no problem with the first group. It's easy. But what's about another? It's too wordy to call them "noncoding people". Also I'm not a big fan of terms with negative prefixes like "non-coders".

I'm stuck and my English vocabulary isn't so good to find such definition. Also it's hard to determine whether there are negative connotations or not to name them on my own. Any suggestions?

Comments 21 total

  • 👽Fluid Thoughts 💭
    👽Fluid Thoughts 💭Sep 8, 2019

    Muggles

    • Paul Rumkin
      Paul RumkinSep 9, 2019

      Definitely it's an option!

    • Zohar Peled
      Zohar PeledSep 13, 2019

      That was my first thought too the second I saw the post's title.

  • Livan Jimenez
    Livan JimenezSep 9, 2019

    Normies

  • Almenon
    AlmenonSep 9, 2019

    What's wrong with non-coders?

    You could also say non-programmers.

    • Paul Rumkin
      Paul RumkinSep 9, 2019

      I think there is (or should be) something more suitable than non-coders. We don't call pedestrians "non-drivers" or passengers "non-pilots".

  • Shreyans Jain
    Shreyans JainSep 9, 2019

    doders?

  • Avalander
    AvalanderSep 9, 2019

    Normal people.

  • Ryan Carter
    Ryan CarterSep 9, 2019

    It depends on the tone of your article whether you want a serious term or a funny one. I might say "muggles" to people who understand that reference (most people), but in general I'd say something like "people who aren't programmers" or "non-programmers". Those are fairly common ways to say it. For more funny terms, I'd use "the unwashed masses" or "the uninitiated" which both seem to say that I think people who aren't programmers are somehow less or worse than those who are programmers, which I don't actually believe. I hope this helps and isn't too wordy for you.

  • Fred Richards
    Fred RichardsSep 11, 2019

    I like "non-developers". I am one! I have a long, successful career in technology and very rarely have I had to sit down and code. Yes, I have written stuff in bash, perl, some python (mostly rewriting bash and perl stuff), ansible, terraform. But if a "real coder" looks at it, they might call it what I call it... quick and dirty. A tool which does one specific thing I needed at the time.

    I'm here because I consider myself an architect and as such, I acknowledge the areas I'm weaker at and need more exposure. So I'm learning by just being here, and eternally grateful.

  • 👽Fluid Thoughts 💭
    👽Fluid Thoughts 💭Sep 11, 2019

    Ok a serious term:
    Layman - a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject.

    • Paul Rumkin
      Paul RumkinSep 12, 2019

      Thanks, it covers my needs.

    • Syed Ameer Sibuma
      Syed Ameer SibumaMay 19, 2022

      Made an account just to say you're an absolute legend! Been trying to remember this term for hours now, and it is seriously frustrating. Thanks my man

  • vbilopav
    vbilopavSep 12, 2019

    Managers. Architects...

    • mememe
      mememeSep 13, 2019

      My wife sa Project Manager who worked/is working sometimes as a programmer. She had a good laugh with this.

  • fredray88
    fredray88Sep 13, 2019

    "clueless and codeless" ... "interpreters"

  • Zohar Peled
    Zohar PeledSep 13, 2019

    Here's a short list to add to the wonderful suggestions already posted by others:

    • Citizens (like the opposite of cops)
    • Q.A. (because you're either with us or against us)
    • Users (yes, computers are just like drugs)
    • People (well, most people don't write code, so...)
    • Acoders (the same way an atheists is the opposite of a theist)
    • DevNots (as in Dev - not [kinda weak, I know, but I'm running out of ideas here])

    On a slightly more serious note - as far as I know (as a non-native English speaker) there's no real word for that in English, nor is there one in my native language - but that's just fine, because a citizen isn't actually the opposite of a cop, just like a passenger isn't the opposite of a pilot.

    Just like you don't have a special word for anyone that's not collecting stamps, or not driving drag races, you don't have a special word for anyone that don't write code - and for a good reason - just think how many more words would we need in our vocabulary if a language would have a special word for the opposite of any occupation or hobby.

  • Pato
    PatoSep 13, 2019

    Mortals!

  • Aschwin Wesselius
    Aschwin WesseliusSep 13, 2019

    Layman / laymen is still the best fit.

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