People working in the digital space have most likely heard the phrases “low-code” and “no-code” circulating lately in discussions regarding application development.
So, what is the buzz, and how are these processes capable of reshaping the future of app and software development? LCAPs have transitioned the app-building platforms. In an era where every business is operating in a digital age and every company is likely a software company --business leaders and non-technical managers with less software development knowledge can self-service different technical needs without burdening engineers.
Although a stepping stone for innovation and creativity, this growing dependence on applications – enterprise and customer-focused – comes loaded with several challenges. This article will focus on similar challenges, possibilities, and whether future app development will rely on LCAPs.
What are Low code and No Code development?
Low code and no-code platforms promise to make apps and software development accessible to more people with the help of the visual development approach rather than the development route that requires writing a thousand lines of code. These platforms help businesses build apps without relying on development teams. Although both the terms “low-code” and “no-code” are often used correspondently, they aren’t the same.
No-code platforms are similar to what they sound like—Platforms that don’t require coding to develop applications. It requires a drag-and-drop process that requires basically no coding knowledge. That means one can know nothing about coding and still build applications.
On the other hand, Low-code platforms require their users to be at least familiar with coding and how app-building works but make it quite easy for the low-code app builders to build apps in the least time. It requires some coding but not as much as conventional platforms.
These platforms aren’t complete out-of-the-box solutions since they consist of some limitations during customizations. Users who require rapid app development can use the drag-and-drop approach, which uses templates and boilerplate code. Thus users who need a more customized solution might still want to use the traditional high-code platform.
Low code app development and no-code software development work best when placed together, yet there are several fundamental differences between them, which makes it impossible to use interchangeably.
Low-code works on a modular software development approach that connects code blocks for building an application or website. No-code platforms use functional, reusable building blocks to assemble applications and let their users build applications with zero software development and coding expertise.
Both the app progress platforms provide IT companies with complete governance over data, systems, and functionality. They enable rapid application development when working together, which helps businesses reach their goals with their limited resources.
The following statistics highlight the opportunities for Low Code Application Development and No-Code Application Development as the code for the future.
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A Gartner report estimates- low-code app platforms would account for over 65% of development by 2024.
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Forrester's report projected that the low-code market would top $21 billion spendings by 2022.
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The Mendix survey said, around 70% of the developers who don't have any programming background learned how to build applications with a low-code platform in just one month or less, and 28 percent learned in just two weeks or less.
Benefits of Low-code and no-code development
- High development speed – Not only does the app development time get cut down from months to days, but it's also easier to make changes using traditional methods. This way, organizations don't have to wait for development teams to fix changes. Launching your application much faster leaves the room to quickly work on user feedback and add newer features and functionalities frequently.
- Low cost – Low development time leads to increased speed and fewer resource requirements, and thus, the cost of app development is meager.
- Lesser bugs – Lower amount of code leads to more secondary bug occurrences. With fewer bugs, the development time reduces.
- Multiple deployments – Low code development platforms empower businesses to build apps for various platforms simultaneously.
- Empowering start-ups and small businesses- LCAPs can drive small businesses ahead much faster than ever before. These platforms made app and software development much more accessible for small businesses and organizations without the budget to hire top-of-the-line engineers and developers.
Low Code No Code Limitations
Here let’s discuss the limitations of low code no-code app development that keep it from getting the title of software development.
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Integration limitations – Low-code applications tend to have more integration issues when connected with legacy systems.
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Lack of customization – Low code and No-code platforms carry a fair share of customization limitations. While they are easy to use, they don't leave enough room for unique customizations. If the market favors a competitive advantage, users will be forced to work on platform boundaries.
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Security risks – Working on third-party applications comes with inherent risks. This is even more prevalent when these platforms make the application uncontrollable. The user loses control over the backend data since they can only access it on the front end.
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Coding is not everything – Application development is more than just coding. A custom app development journey and customer experience work on unique designing, customer persona, application testing, user journey apps, and much more. While these platforms can provide an application, there's no guarantee of uniqueness and that similar apps won't appear in stores.
The bottom line- Does The Code Future Lie In No Code Low Code?
Irrespective of the general belief, the future of application development will not solely depend on Low-code, and no-code mobile app development approaches. The core to attaining a competitive advantage in the market will continue depending upon skilled developers who can deploy more complex applications.
However, businesses who wish for prompt solutions and develop basic applications that require no or little customization, or those who want to build an app for testing, no-code, and low-code platforms, could be a viable way forward.