Natural Language-Oriented Programming (NLOP): Towards Democratizing Software Creation

TL;DR

Natural Language-Oriented Programming (NLOP) leverages AI to enable non-experts to create software using natural language, democratizing software development and accelerating innovation.

Contribution

This paper introduces NLOP, a novel approach that uses natural language to simplify programming and broaden participation in software creation.

Findings

NLOP can lower barriers for non-experts to contribute to software development.

Natural language can serve as an effective programming language.

NLOP has the potential to transform software engineering by increasing inclusivity.

Abstract

As generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies evolve, they offer unprecedented potential to automate and enhance various tasks, including coding. Natural Language-Oriented Programming (NLOP), a vision introduced in this paper, harnesses this potential by allowing developers to articulate software requirements and logic in their natural language, thereby democratizing software creation. This approach streamlines the development process and significantly lowers the barrier to entry for software engineering, making it feasible for non-experts to contribute effectively to software projects. By simplifying the transition from concept to code, NLOP can accelerate development cycles, enhance collaborative efforts, and reduce misunderstandings in requirement specifications. This paper reviews various programming models, assesses their contributions and limitations, and highlights that natural language will be the new programming language. Through this comparison, we illustrate how NLOP stands to transform the landscape of software engineering by fostering greater inclusivity and innovation.