According to Hired, the demand for programmers doubled in 2021. The pandemic caused businesses to adapt their processes to be more efficient and labor-free. The demand for software programs exploded and has caused a shortage of 1.4 million of professional developers in just the U.S alone.
Apart from the new projects increasing demand, there are also roughly 12 months of IT backlogs also adding to the strain on the IT departments of companies. Projections suggest that there are over 500 million digital services and applications to be integrated into companies in 2023, according to IDC, this number of applications is the same as the number of apps launched 40 years ago.
The Emergence of Low Code and No code
No-code and low code platforms evolved because of the need to meet the demand for new software applications at a fast and affordable pace. There is a lack of skilled resources that prevents companies from hiring their way out of the increasing IT demand. Low code and no code create an alternative route to balance the needs of the rapidly growing IT industry. Both apply a principle that includes the convenience of developing IT solutions without the need for coding professionals, utilizing a visual modeling alternative method.
Low code and no code is helping to break the barrier of entry into enterprise applications. With minimal experience, new hires and low-experience developers can easily build needed software for enterprises. Visual modeling is used to create a flowchart that does not need code, this platform makes it easier to launch enterprise applications faster than conventional methods that need several revisions on long-written lines of code. The differences between them depend mainly on the scale and type of IT project. In this topic, we will explore the differences and similarities as well as key points of consideration when venturing into low and no code.
What are some of the differences between low code and no code?
No code:
Focuses on drag and drop visualization. You can use them to build basic apps that are functional. They are the best fit for teams that have very special needs but work within a limited scope. However, low code applications are not scalable because of limitations with integration. The framework used to create no code platform is designed by a specific group which means that different platforms have their different accommodated functionalities and are limited.
Most argue that this limitation leaves a gap for security breaches as well as compliance issues. Despite these limitations, no code platforms are able to maintain their popularity because they allow people with zero coding knowledge to develop programs with ease.
Low code:
Are more flexible because they bridge the gap between using codes and visual blocks. This means that opportunities for extension and scaling of the application can be explored. Instead of replicating basic codes, the user can use the drag and drop features while introducing codes for more complex functionalities.
Low-code platforms also integrate API that allows developers to control, test, reuse and extend the architecture of applications beyond their written codes. Apart from the ease of extending the original capabilities of a low code platform to build sophisticated applications, some low code platforms give developers access to a comprehensive library of projects built by industry leaders.
From this library of projects, without specialized knowledge, developers can build next-generation technologies and integrate smart cloud services like AI, Blockchain, machine learning, and other open-source community tools. Hence, it is easy for enterprises to leverage already existing functionalities – some of which would have taken numerous team members with specialized knowledge to build
Low-code vs. no-code: how to choose what’s right for your organization.
Now that we have reviewed the different points of leverage for low code and no code, the best way to go about selecting a platform is to focus on the architecture of the platform and the integrated technology approach.
According to Gartner “Ignore vendor hype and promises, and instead focus on the underlying platform architecture and technology approaches of the tools to find the best-fit ones regardless if they call themselves low-code, no-code, or both,”
One major confusion is that enterprises consider no code platforms as being too simplistic to be able to handle their project needs, while low code platforms are too complex and may need a professional to navigate the platform. Another differentiator is, when implementing no code, what will happen when application needs grow beyond the developer’s knowledge of support? For no code, will the ease of writing basic codes be accurate enough to meet business needs? Is the short time of implementation greater than the risk of compromising value?
When it comes to choosing between low code and no code, the usability of apps and customer experience should be the center of a company’s application development strategy.
Some of the questions to be considered are:
- Will the solution bring business knowledge into the App Development Process and facilitate communication and collaboration within the IT environment.
- Does the solution offer ease of app creation, ease of support, and integration to developers in your business?
- Low code and no code platforms allow for rapid app development to help businesses with IT solutions.
Low Code Road helps businesses integrate their businesses into simple applications and we guide you all through the process to ensure that all your business needs are put into consideration. You can reach out to us to get started and we will be glad to answer any questions you might have.