title: Why is modern GUI development done using code and not a visual editor?
body: <p>Twenty years ago I got hold of Borland Delphi 2 through a computer magazine. This was my first contact with programming and the visual drag-and-drop approach of constructing graphical user interfaces fitted me perfectly. Creating advanced GUI:s with the form designer was effortless and fun and even though I didn't end up as a developer I have been programming ever since.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/5U41V.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/5U41V.png" alt="Delphi 2 screenshot"></a></p>
  
  <p>Unfortunately it seems like the industry is moving away from visual GUI editors. In recent years I have implemented GUI:s using HTML/CSS, QT/QML, WPF/XAML and Android. My experience is that none of these technologies have visual editors on par with the one in Delphi 2 and <strong>what should be a visual task is better done using code.</strong></p>
  
  <p>Is this observation correct? If so, what is it about modern GUI:s that prevents them from being easliy constructed using visual editors?</p>