Good Bye UI. Hello chatbots!
The rising trend of messaging apps as the future of user interaction
I've been a full-stack developer for 13 years. I made a lot of APIs and UIs over these years, but I've been feeling kind of tired of doing always the same. So I thought of trying something new.
Recently, I configure a simple Slack Slash Command for my Work Team on Slack, and it was an incredible experience. It motivated me to research about chatbots, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Messaging Apps as platform.
We chat all the time to communicate something, important and not so important things. On our mobile, our desktop, with friends, with family, with our team. So, why not with a bot, for it to perform any task?
If you are an UI developer, you are in time to move forward to the future of apps. Trust me.
No UI and Messaging Apps
A growing trend in 2016 will be building apps without any UI. — Stephen Keep
Sounds crazy, but it's happening. All the new apps for routine tasks (order a pizza, send money, schedule a meeting, call an Uber, etc.) already can be replaced for a bot. Chatbots specifically.
There are multiple Messaging Apps, mobile and desktop, and you know, who are not using any of these? Yes, I'm talking about Facebook Messenger, Telegram, WhatsApp or Slack.
Most of these great apps have an open API for us, developers, and let us create amazing things. Like bots.
A big example of this new trend is Telegram, with its 62 monthly million active users and its open BOT API; or Slack with their recently launched App Platform, It's a great start.
Starting with bots
If you want to start in this amazing world, these links can help you get started on the new type of services and tools around the bots development:
Official Chat Platforms
Slack — Messaging app for teams
Telegram — WhatsApp competitor
Twitter — Twitter
Node.js/JS
botkit — development kit for slack bots
hubot — Bot Script tools by GitHub
slack RTM Client — Slack Web and RTM API client for Node and the Browser
Software Development
RedConnect — Build bots fast
RiveScript — RiveScript is a simple scripting language for chatbots with a friendly, easy to learn syntax.
Pandorabots — Use the world's leading chatbot platform.
BeepBoopHQ — Beep Boop is a ridiculously simple hosting platform for your Slack bots.
Obviously, UI is not dead. But it is losing importance in admin panels, dashboards, and all the interfaces where the most important thing are ACTIONS and BEHAVIORS in the back-end side.