A note from Eric / October 2026
Low code had its revolution.
Now it's code's turn.
I made the case for low-code WordPress. Now AI makes custom code affordable again. Here's why we're changing how we build at Holter Strategic.
In 1995, I founded Newfangled. As websites grew more demanding, I built the company and its development team. Custom development became a major expense. Changing course meant paying to code it again.
Low code changed the economics.
WordPress and Elementor spread development costs across millions of customers. We could assemble sophisticated websites from existing tools, work directly with clients, and try ideas while they were inexpensive to change.
I championed that approach because it gave clients more for their money.
The savings came with tradeoffs.
Flexible builders carry code for countless possibilities. Clients inherit settings they never need. Prepared components, training, and support made that manageable. Caching and stronger hosting compensated for the extra weight.
We accepted those costs because custom code was the expensive alternative. AI changes that premise.
Build the website you need.
Agents write and revise code under experienced direction. We can replace a broad plugin with a focused feature, change a layout, and try another approach without the old programming overhead.
We keep WordPress, remove unnecessary builder layers, and give clients on-page editing with Simply Edit. Fewer plugins mean fewer licenses and dependencies to manage. Leaner pages carry less code.
Experience directs the work.
At Holter Strategic, we decide what belongs on the site, guide the agents, and review the result. My thirty years of experience founding and leading web development companies inform those decisions.
Testing, access controls, updates, and backups remain part of the job.
Long live the revolution.
The purpose hasn't changed. Give clients capable websites they can afford to build, use, and improve. AI makes that possible with custom code and fewer of the old compromises.
The original videos stay here. They explain why low code made sense, and why it's time to reconsider.