What Is Low-Code and No-Code Development?
Low code and no code platforms are critical tools in the arsenal of a modern developer. It might pique your interest to know that these platforms can help developers cut short their development time by 90 percent.
In addition to that, using these platforms can improve your productivity and the efficiency of the software development process. The senior executives of the company and project managers have to understand the importance and differences between these platforms to build relevant IT strategies that help fulfill their business requirements.
Here in this article, we will first understand what low-code and no-code platforms are. And then we will discuss the differences between them, their benefits, as well as their use cases. Knowing them would allow you to make informed decisions on how to leverage these solutions to drive change and innovation.
What is Low-Code?
Low code is an approach to software development where very little coding is used. Rather than employing complex programming languages, the low-code platform implements visual interfaces with drag-and-drop capabilities and basic logic.
Beginners with only basic knowledge of coding or software development can use these platforms for building business and mobile applications.
Low-code solutions hang somewhere between no code and complete human coding. They offer the best of both worlds where developers can speed up the development process without the need to duplicate the fundamental code again and again.
Low-code solutions are easily adaptable and expandable. Their drag-and-drop capabilities help make the app graphical. It can create scalable designs and has open APIs for renewability. Such solutions can be used both on-premise and on the cloud.
What is No-Code?
Unlike low-code, the no-code approach doesn't even use a single line of coding. Instead, it utilizes a visual development interface with drag-and-drop features. Such capabilities can allow even a non-technical user with zero coding experience to build a full app just by dragging and dropping different components.
No Code platform is pretty simple. It allows you to create a basic yet fully functioning app with visual-based drag-and-drop features. However, you can neither make any changes to the network legacy systems nor accelerate them. The integration capabilities of such an app are also very limited.
The no-code approach is suitable for projects with special demands but is limited in scope. You don't need any special coding skills, experience, or even an IT team for that matter while working with no code platforms.
The basic idea behind low code and no code solutions is to enable non-technical users to develop custom software solutions and free up the technical resources for more complex projects.
Key differences between Low-Code and No-Code Solutions
1. Integration of applications
It may require you to integrate data from multiple platforms depending on the type of application. On one hand, the low code solutions have incredible adaptability for system integration. But we can't say the same things for no-code solutions.
If the programs are built without necessary scrutiny or oversight, the no-code development might lead to shadow IT. The possible outcomes of such a situation include increased technological debt, apps using more resources than necessary, integration issues, regulatory challenges, security concerns, and more.
2. Requirement of training
Nobody needs training to use no-code platforms. The solutions are designed while keeping nontechnical people in mind. It enables them to create apps without writing a single line of code.
But to use the low code platforms, users need to have basic knowledge about coding and software development. This is because the low code solutions consist of some complex tools and allow customization through coding. Therefore, training or experience in coding is necessary for users in the case of low code.
3. Resultant apps
Both no-code and low-code platforms are capable of developing business applications for internal usage.
Moreover, users can create high-demand apps using low-code development solutions to help out with some critical business operations. But no code platforms are limited to the creation of apps that can address minor business problems.
4. Target audience
As the previous discussions have made it abundantly clear, low-code solutions are for technical personnel who have some experience or are skilled in programming. Meanwhile, no code platforms are for people who want to build apps that address certain problems but do not have any relevant programming experience or knowledge for it.
Benefits of low-code and no-code platforms
Rapid Application Development: Rapid app development is now possible even without having extensive knowledge or advanced skills in programming, all thanks to low-code and no-code platforms.
Increased Collaboration: Low-code platforms provide tools and features that allow other teams to collaborate and participate in the development process. For example, low-code solutions offer visual development tools that allow the graphic designing team to come on board the project with the development team.
Reduced Costs: The lesser the coding, the fewer the complications in the project. You don't need different coding tools or architectures and neither need QA and automation tools to test the code. Overall, the low-code and no-code platforms use necessary tools but the cost of development is significantly lower than the complete human coding projects.
Customization: Despite using low code and no code in respective platforms, they allow for customization. This helps users to meet the specific project requirements without implementing extensive coding knowledge or experience.
Agile Business Process: Both platforms keep the costs at a minimum and still allow the businesses to maintain an agile Software development process.
Use Cases for Low-Code and No-Code Platforms
BI Reporting and Dashboards
Businesses need reporting tools that can transform the raw data into valuable and actionable insights. No code platforms can help you with that. They allow you to access your company data in real-time and then draw out some critical statistics, visualizations, and data grids from them using no-code solutions.
Data Management Applications
Linking the data sources with a no-code platform to databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MS SQL Server, and more, allows you to add, remove, update, and modify the data. This enables the corporate customers to develop their database applications easily and quickly.
Your code-free bespoke database would consist of ready-to-use templates, data export/import capabilities, a configurable interface, and a modular expandable structure. With this, the storage, collection, collaboration, and sharing of information will become increasingly easier.
To employ next-gen technologies
Industry leaders have already created a large part collection for low-code solutions. These platforms are capable of integrating with third-party solutions as well as the latest technologies like AI, ML, cryptocurrency, voice and face recognition technology, and more.
Pre-built user interface designs
Low-code platforms help create pre-built user interface designs for customer experience apps used on mobile devices. These apps help maintain the integrity of brand marketing and enhance user-friendliness.
Apps that transcend departments and domains
Low-code platforms are leveraged by developers to build applications that are constrained by any specific domain or department. Such applications are vital for enhancing operational performance and productivity.
What to choose: Low-Code or no-Code?
Sometimes the terms “low-code” and “no-code” are used interchangeably. But they have minor differences, hence, they are not the same.
On one hand, low-code solutions are more sophisticated and need a basic level of technical knowledge to work with. They use visual development environments and automated connections to APIs, databases, web services, and backend systems to help developers quickly write their code.
On the other hand, no code solutions provide visual drag-and-drop interfaces that don't need any kind of programming at all. Developers can leverage no-code platforms to build apps that only serve front-end business scenarios while covering simple procedures and activities.
Therefore, we can derive from the above discussions that;
Low code is an ideal solution for businesses that are considering digital transformation with the development of consumer and business-grade applications.
No-code platforms are ideal for non-technical people. It's a solution that enables non-technical users to transform their ideas into reality.