The terms low-code and no-code have probably come up recently when talking about application development. In the digital age we live in, every business is a software company. Without applications supporting their internal and external functions and coding for the future, businesses are unable to chart their success in the era of rapidly advancing digital technologies. Although a stepping stone for innovation and creativity, this growing reliance on applications, both customer-focused and enterprise-focused, comes with a number of challenges—challenges that the low-code, no-code approach to software development seeks to solve.1

Plans for digital transformation typically start with the goal of enabling the organization to be more agile and capable of innovation. Businesses are constantly looking for ways to shorten the time needed for software development and streamline the procedures for software upkeep. They want to streamline operations, boost productivity significantly, and accelerate the introduction of new goods and services. However, traditional methods for creating software can be time-consuming and demand the organization of expensive and specialized tools and resources. Maintaining the status quo can also lead to high technical debt and growing complexity.2

What is Low-Code No-Code Development?

The low-code no-code platform allows businesses to develop apps using a visual development method rather than writing thousands of lines of code.

A low-code approach to software development involves selecting and connecting code blocks to create an application, website, or functionality.

Platforms for low-code development are those that require some level of coding but make it very simple for developers of low-code and no-code apps to create new apps with the shortest possible development time.

No-code development is similar to low-code development, but it goes one step further by using a drag-and-drop method that essentially requires no coding knowledge. No-code platforms let teams assemble applications using useful, reusable building blocks even without any prior knowledge of software development or coding.1

Here are some of the main reasons why companies opt for this method rather than spending money on fully customized application development.1 2

  • High Development Speed: The main advantage of low-code, no-code app development is that the time required to develop an app is reduced from months to days. You can release your app more quickly and work quickly to incorporate user feedback and add new features and functionalities.
  • Reduced Cost: Because low-code, no-code applications can be developed quickly and with fewer resources, they have a very low development cost.
  • Multiple Deployments: The deployment of an app on a single platform is typically a challenging task in and of itself.  Low-code development platforms allow companies to simultaneously develop apps for a variety of platforms. 
  • Fewer Bugs: Less code means fewer bugs, which in turn means fewer bugs overall. The development time is further reduced by a factor of many with fewer bugs present.
  • Improved Stakeholder Engagement: The inclusion of in-house developers in the low-code no-code database development process helps ensure that stakeholder involvement is maximized.

According to some, the future of software development is No-Code and Low-Code. In the future, citizen developers will create an increasing number of applications using no-code and low-code platforms, which will provide the necessary governance for development across all business functions.3 However, there is also a dissenting opinion that the future of application development does not lie in the no-code low-code approach to mobile app development.1

While there are strong arguments on both sides of the debate, low-code development is much more than merely a method for helping business users create apps. Even traditional information technology department developers now work with business users to create apps using the low-code methodology. Having said that, low-code software development cannot completely replace traditional application development techniques, despite their many advantages, because there are a number of situations in which the organization would profit from having full control over the technology stack.2

References:

  1. How Low Code No Code is the Future of Enterprise Applications? (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://appinventiv.com/blog/is-low-code-no-code-app-development-future/ 
  2. Low Code/ No Code: Future of Software Development. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://www.zucisystems.com/blog/why-low-code-software-development-is-the-way-to-the-future/ 
  3. The Future of Software is No-Code and Low-Code Programming. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2022, from https://quixy.com/blog/the-future-of-software-is-no-code-and-low-code/ 
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