What is Low Code and No-Code?
In only the last two decades, we’ve seen our lives completely transformed by technology and apps. From ordering groceries, checking our bank accounts, to sharing our lives on social media, all of these things were made possible through the development of coded software.
But now, software development, something traditionally thought to be only for highly skilled and educated programmers, has been made available to the masses, through the creation of low and no-code software. Although usually spoken as one in the same, low-code and no-code platforms vary slightly.
Low-code software, as the name implies, can sometimes require a small amount of coding. That is if the developer wants additional customization. But generally, development can happen with drag and drop features that are a part of a graphical UI. A graphical UI has become a standard attribute of many low and no-code software platforms. It eliminates the need for traditional programming language. As for no-code platforms, they require no-coding at all and can typically be used by even the most beginner of beginners.
An example of a popular no-code software platform most of us are familiar with dates back to as early as 2003 with Word Press. WordPress became one of the first websites to allow creators to build a website with no coding experience. In addition to WordPress, Shopify is also an early example of the rise in no-code software. For e-commerce, specifically, Shopify transformed the industry, empowering business owners to create beautiful, functional online storefronts. With absolutely no coding required.
Since then, there have been many no-code platforms like this to come along. And, it’s a number that’s growing every day.
The low-code no-code movement is powered by the belief that we should all have access to technology that facilitates creativity, innovation, and productivity at a rapid speed. And this is essentially why the no-code software movement is changing the industry.
Let’s take a closer look.
5 Ways No-Code Software Is The Software Development Industry For The Better
1. They help you launch faster
In an ever-changing and fast-growing market, quick deployment is everything for a business. No-code software makes that much more possible.
No-code development platforms ( NCDPs) empower entire teams and departments to deliver work faster by allowing them to implement and connect tools and features instead of waiting for an engineer. For example, a marketing manager who wants to model a dataset to customize a user experience can do so themselves with a simple drag and drop, or press of a button.
2. They harness the power of many other tools
Low and No-code software is designed to be configurable to any company’s needs, regardless of its size, industry, or desired application. With a general understanding that most businesses use multiple tools for various functions, most usually offer many integrations.
For example, Airtable, a low-code platform for building collaborative apps, offers integrations with over 1000+ websites and apps, like Slack, Facebook, Twitter, Google Sheets, Dropbox, Basecamp, Asana, and more.
3. They increase productivity for developers
Many high-skilled developers have started to use low-code and no-code software to save time for themselves and enhance their productivity. According to a study by Mendix, ” 77% of enterprises in six countries have already adopted low-code, and 75% of IT leaders said it’s a trend they can’t afford to miss.”
The “trend” being the increased demand for digital services and products fueled by the growth of businesses moving completely online due to the pandemic. Low-code and no-code platforms allow for developers to bring apps to development more quickly, implement complex integrations, and provide various mobile experiences. These platforms also help developers increase productivity by allowing them to complete small tasks much faster so that they can focus on more challenging tasks.
4. They lower the cost and complexity of software development.
It’s no secret that developers and engineers are some of the highest-paid professionals out there. After all, they generally do play an integral role in sustaining and growing your company.
But, from building out new software and features to the cost of maintaining it, software development, including paying for engineers can be extremely costly and complex. However, if you can minimize the need to hire a software developer and build simple but powerful apps by utilizing low code and no code software, you could be saving yourself thousands per month.
With the barrier to entry for software development having been lowered, companies of any size or budget can quickly create an app or site, which not only saves them money but provide the opportunity for them to make more.
5. They help companies scale faster
Last, but certainly not least, this may be one of the most paramount ways low code and no-code platforms are changing the software development industry for the better.
Whether you’re a large corporation or a small business, growing and scaling your company can present many challenges. Especially when it comes to developing internal and external software, such as CMS’s, apps, websites, or workflow management tools, to meet your growing needs. Having software capabilities to keep up with your growth is essential. That’s where low and no code hold so much potential value.
Most low and no-code platforms have foundational elements that allow you to easily build on top of them. So, as you scale, you can easily build better functionality to help you grow. And all with little to no code.
The Future of No-Code
It’s clear to see that low and no-code software has changed the traditional software development industry. But comes can come with a lot of good.
With the pandemic, many businesses were forced to adapt to the change in demand for their products or services (certainly, not the worse problem to have). However, for many businesses, it became a sink or swim moment. For those who swam, it’s been shown that low code or no-code platforms contributed in some way to many businesses. Helping them to better manage their workflows and deliver services or product much faster. And the impact remains.
Innovation and speed to market are now key determining factors to a business’s success in the digital world. But, good no-code software, although an important factor, is not the only factor to success. To make low or no-code software a self-sustaining function within your business, you must create a vision, set clear goals, and come up with a plan to execute, and Dressler Consulting can help you do that.
We offer a host of consulting services and solutions to help companies create a plan that will ensure that they are set up for success in the various stages of growth. The no-code and low-code movement is here to stay. We want to help you better understand and harness its power.