Hacker News front pageAug 31, 2026, 18:36 UTC+8

Malleable software = 80% solid bases + 20% custom code

Malleable software = solid bases and custom code

Michael Dubakov revisits his 2019 no-code bet and argues the sweet spot for productivity tools is an 80% solid base—database, permissions, collaboration, notifications—plus 20% custom code for what makes each team different. He maps five options (build from scratch, vibe-code, low-code, malleable tools, specialized tools) and explains where each one's base stops short. The post is a market thesis; it doesn't include product metrics or timelines.

Why it matters: The author is Fibery's founder with 22 years in the productivity-tools market. This retrospective ties no-code, vibe-coding, and malleable software into a clear framework with high information density. The deduction is because it lacks team-scenario evidence and reads more lik...

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This is worth opening because the author is Fibery's founder, and he's publicly revising his own 2019 no-code bet. His core point is blunt: AI made code cheap, but the collaboration base—database, permissions, notifications, change history—is still missing from every build path. He maps five options (scratch, vibe-code, low-code, malleable tools, specialized tools) and points out where each base stops short. Vibe-code platforms give you a tech base (hosting, bare DB, auth); low-code gives you an app base (UI, permissions); both lack a work base where multiple people can edit data safely, see who changed what, and discuss records. The 80% base + 20% custom code idea isn't new, but laying all five paths side by side to show the base gap is useful. No product metrics or timelines in the post—treat this as a market map update, not a product launch.

Source: Hacker News front page · mdubakov.me
Published: Aug 31, 2026, 18:36 UTC+8 · Aug 31, 2026