With pure drag-and-drop user interfaces, the no-code approach can help businesses create simple, repetitive applications based on common usage patterns. Ideal for non-technical business users who have little or no programming skills. No-code is primarily used to make simple business applications.
An extension of this idea is the low-code platform, which adds some “light” coding functions to the graphical user interface. This extra layer of control allows developers to focus on creating the 10% that makes their application unique or specific to their business, while leaving the standard (more mundane programming) tasks to the drag-and-drop functions.
At the other end of the development platform is pro-code. Traditional professional software is usually created by experts trained in the use of specific programming languages such as Python and SQL. This code can then be inserted into a larger software system as a plug-in module. As with anything that has to be developed from scratch, the development times and costs are high, but the returns are greater adaptability, better security and more scalability for the business.
Which one should you use?
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), more than 500 million digital services and apps were developed and deployed by 2023. With traditional development methods struggling to meet this demand, much is expected from no-code and low-code development environments to bridge the gap and create apps as quickly as possible. Gartner even predicts that low-code/no-code tools could form the basis for 65% of all application development by 2024.
With demand for faster development at an all-time high, no-code and low-code options are already highly valued by the computer industry. And while they are more manageable and cost-effective, they may not be the panacea many believe they will become, and not necessarily the best option for every application.
Low-code approaches are best for developing independent mobile apps, web apps and portals that integrate with other systems and data sources. By and large, they can be used for almost anything and would only cause problems for mission-critical systems that need to connect to different backends and external data sources.
No-code environments, on the other hand, are well suited for product prototypes (app prototypes, e-commerce solutions, blogs), landing pages, single-page websites and customer-facing applications with simple functions. Pro-code approaches handle complex workflows on more robust systems. Both no-code and low-code apps can manage smaller parts of such a structure, but they lack the sophistication to manage the whole system.
As complexity increases, you have to spend more and more time fixing bugs and vulnerabilities. Low-code or no-code platforms benefit from running more smoothly because they have been tested to more rigorous standards. Flexibility and scalability are also affected by complexity. A developer must spend time learning and operating a pro-code platform, while low-code and no-code solutions bypass much of this effort through the simpler built-in drag-and-drop features.
In terms of cost, traditional end-to-end software development is expensive, costing a company hundreds of thousands of pounds to implement. Low-code or no-code development is much cheaper, as companies usually only pay for access to certain services.
Fusing the approaches: Can no code + low code = pro code?
Is there any advantage in combining both no-code with low-code to create a better solution?
There is merit in the idea. Combining low-capability codes with the full stack while leveraging the expertise of citizen developers enables seamless collaboration between the two approaches.
Low-code development enables many people in organisations who have little or no programming experience and do no work in a IT role to extend existing applications and create lightweight applications. In addressing technology bottlenecks, organisations will increasingly use low-code development technologies to respond to their business challenges in a timely manner. The use of low-code development technologies will scale for both internal enterprise applications and to support external projects.
By adopting low-code approaches to data, experienced IT experts can work more efficiently by using features such as code generation, drag-and-drop editors, component assembly, model-based and metadata-based development. These features will in turn strengthen and accelerate the results of data projects both internally and externally.
The opportunities presented by trends such as multi-cloud, cloud-native apps and composable business architecture are forcing companies to adapt and evolve to these developments at an exponential pace. Given the skills shortage in the technology sector, executives will certainly opt for the best solution – using low-code development technologies to solve their business challenges.
Low-code could be used to create visual models, for example, while Pro-code is used for a wide range of user requirements. Combining the two platforms creates a dynamic structure of front-end and back-end tools that allows developers to create apps quickly and efficiently, offering both customisation and long-term return on investment.
While it is unlikely that developers will become redundant, the increasing use of low-code and no-code development methods has meant that companies can create and design their own apps, web apps and integration workflows relatively quickly and at an acceptable cost. Companies have been able to advance their digital transformation efforts, reduce costs and increase agility and productivity.
Combining the two approaches can give you the best of both worlds. No-code platforms allow you to build your basic applications and low-code platforms allow you to add more complex functionality. No-code platforms can be used to create prototypes and proofs-of-concept, while low-code platforms can then create the final version of an application. When you combine the two, you can quickly and easily create powerful applications that have an even greater impact. No-code + low-code = pro-code and more.
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