Low code and no code platforms are IT development approaches that require little or absolutely no coding effort. In this way, appropriate tools significantly contribute to simplifying application development. They lower the hurdles to development, especially in companies without their own IT department. No Code and Low Code are therefore particularly interesting solutions, especially for startups that do not yet have IT specialists.
Low and no code overview
No code and low code are development approaches that significantly reduce the manual programming effort in application development. Low Code requires little coding work, while No Code completely dispenses with its own programming. The advantage is to relieve IT departments and also enable a startup or young and small companies to create their own applications. Even without IT expertise, even a start-up can react more quickly to changing market requirements or customer needs. The options range from quickly creating simple apps to make work easier to setting up and designing entire online shops and websites.
Even though low code and no code pursue a similar goal (to get by with little programming effort), the approaches must be differentiated from one another and are each suitable for different application scenarios. No Code is aimed directly at end users and usually offers a ready-made interface. Low code is aimed more at developers and offers greater flexibility in software development.
No code and low code and their significance for a startup
No code and low code are development approaches that play an important role, particularly with regard to digitization in startups and in smaller companies. In direct comparison to competitors, a startup often lacks its own IT department or the financial resources to hire trained developers. As a result, there is a great difficulty in developing your own applications to keep up with the competition of larger and established companies. Low-code and no-code tools reduce entry barriers in application development for your startup: users can develop software themselves even without much programming effort and sometimes completely without coding knowledge. Non-experts from various company departments have the opportunity to participate in this way. Some low-code tools also make it possible to develop more complex applications, for example in the area of IoT (Internet of Things). Many companies have been using low and no code platforms for some time now. The question therefore is what are the advantages and purposes of these development approaches and how a start-up can use these technologies to achieve its own business goals.
Comparing low code and no code
No code and Low Code are not to be confused with each other. Although both approaches are related, there are also important Differences between low code and no code.
No Code is an approach that completely dispenses with coding work by the end user. Low code, on the other hand, requires a remainder of programming effort. What the two approaches have in common is to reduce hurdles in developing your own applications and to generally reduce development costs. This makes them suitable for startups and smaller companies in general without their own IT department. It is not always possible to clearly differentiate between the two development approaches, as the transitions are sometimes smooth.
Low code and no code both offer a visual development approach for a form of RAD (rapid application development). The visual process makes application and app development attractive and accessible even for non-developers. Most platforms are structured in such a way that users only need to select the required functional components from an on-screen library. The components must then usually be dragged and dropped into the visual workflow.
Both low code and no code platforms can significantly support professional users and non-professional users in creating applications in a time-saving and cost-effective way. As a result, productivity increases enormously. The infrastructure also requires less maintenance than in regular application development, as it is almost exclusively PaaS frameworks (platform as a service).
To choose the right no-code or low-code development approach
An important challenge for a startup is finding no-code or low-code development platforms that are suitable for their own needs. Companies are often faced with the problem that no-code solutions may be perceived as too simple for more complex applications. Low-code platforms, on the other hand, can already look too complex for non-professional users in startups. Companies are faced with the requirement to be reliant on cost and time savings on the one hand and to be prepared for upcoming complex applications on the other.
That's why choosing the tool is about more than just technology. As with other strategic decisions, you should weigh up what your startup, employees, and other stakeholders actually need and want to apply.
When choosing a low-code or no-code solution, certain questions must be clarified in advance. The most important question concerns the level of complexity of the applications to be created with it. What the chosen platform must do depends on this. It also depends on this question whether and to what extent qualified IT specialists are required to support application development. To ensure the interests of management and IT, the platform should promote and facilitate communication and collaboration between the various departments.
Low Code and No Code Applications and Offers
The market for low-code and no-code solutions offers a wide range of products that meet the requirements of a wide range of companies of different sizes and industries. The development of platforms is often specialized in specific applications or business areas. Other platforms offer a particularly wide range of applications.
What the solutions have in common is that they significantly accelerate application development compared to conventional programming. The generally scarce development resources in the area of software development can be avoided in part, while at the same time contributing to cost savings. Various APIs and interfaces contribute to the fact that no-code and low-code platforms can also be connected to other platforms. The existing IT infrastructure in your company can therefore be expanded with no-code or low-code solutions.
The possibilities of specific low and no code solutions range from application development for controlling and accounting to marketing and sales solutions to the complete creation of online shops.
Bubble.io
The platform Bubble.io is one of the most popular solutions for creating websites and apps without programming knowledge. It can also be used to create more complex applications. In Bubble.io, users can use an intuitive editor to create drag-and-drop applications. The program automatically generates the required code blocks itself in the background. With Bubble.io, users find a complete solution for creating applications and websites. In addition to pure development, Bubble.io also supports the entire process, including hosting and bug fixing. The provider hosts the products developed using Bubble.io on its in-house servers. Different packages and price levels enable companies from various industries and requirements to use them precisely tailored to their own needs.
You can also find a free version at Bubble.io. With minor restrictions compared to the paid versions, this is suitable for a comprehensive test of the Bubble.io offering.
Webflow: No code platform for startups and larger companies
The web page editor Webflow is an online-based tool for designing individual websites and landing pages. It is also possible to create CMS (customer management systems) using Webflow. The Webflows offering is basically geared to different types and sizes of companies, from startups to established large companies. Webflow is a powerful and intuitive development platform. Even sophisticated websites can be created with this tool without any coding effort. In Webflow, as a user, you can select, arrange and differently different functional blocks, building blocks and components. Webflow thus allows even beginners without experience to create websites in just a few simple steps.
As a no code tool, Webflow is designed directly for end users and is aimed specifically at non-developers. Management and management can immediately use this tool themselves. This eliminates the need to hire developers as intermediaries. The often time-consuming coordination between business areas and developers is thus becoming obsolete. Although Webflow follows a no-code approach, it also optionally allows direct access to the underlying source code. This also allows you to manually adjust or have the code adjusted as needed. Webflow is therefore not only interesting for non-developers, but is also used by many programmers.
Shopify: shop system for startups and growing companies
Shopify is one of the most frequently used online shop solutions in e-commerce. The proprietary software is a low-code tool that allows you as a user to create a complete online shop in just a few steps. The simple structure and intuitive use make the shop solution ideal for a startup. Since its founding in 2004 (back then under the name Snowdevil), Shopify has developed into the second most popular shop solution right behind Magento. According to the manufacturer, the shops of more than one million companies worldwide are based on the Shopify platform. Since 2006, the shop platform, which is now known worldwide, has existed in its current form. Shopify's offering is aimed in particular at small and growing businesses. A startup benefits from the easy-to-use and powerful system. Shopify is a cheap and intuitive way to get started. Furthermore, the shop solution offers a high degree of flexibility and ease of use.
Shopify was created with the stated goal of founder Tobias Lütke to save users a longer training period. At first glance, Shopify is not a traditional low-code tool. It is much more a platform that makes it easy to develop and manage entire e-commerce solutions. Users have access to a clear modular system in which they can select from various components and arrange them according to their own requirements. In addition, users can access a wide range of different functions. This makes it possible to cover various requirements and requirements for shop creation and administration using Shopify. In principle, no previous knowledge is required, so that users can quickly create, enrich and maintain their own shop even without programming knowledge. Shopify has this a whole range of interfaces. This allows the solution to be integrated into the existing IT infrastructure at any time. Data from other systems, such as from the ERP sector (Enterprise Resource Planning), can be easily transferred.
With its wide range of functions and high standards of security, Shopify is an attractive solution not only for a startup, but also for larger companies. Other advantages include wide distribution, comprehensive support and the wide range of design options for creating your own shop.
More low code and no code platforms for use in startups
In addition to classics such as Bubble.io, Adalo's solution should be mentioned in the area of website and app creation. Simple applications can thus be created as quickly as they are easy. Especially when it comes to mobile apps, Adalo offers an attractive solution. The functions of this app are reduced to the essentials and offer a high degree of integration. As a result, most applications can be used very quickly in connection with existing corporate IT. Adalo also offers the option of offering self-created applications in app stores such as Apple or Google Play. Adalo is particularly suitable for startups, freelancers and small companies in general. Other solutions in the area of web app creation include Glide and Sharetribe.
The provider Kissflow is specifically geared to project management and process management challenges.
The solutions from Airtable and Ninox, for example, enable application development for data management. Central web-based database applications can be created with Caspio products.
Lobster_data is a special cloud-based development solution for integrating data from different sources.
The AppGyver application, which is part of the SAP Group, is a development environment specifically for creating mobile apps.
With Open as App and Zudy solutions, users have the opportunity to develop apps from existing data.
Zapier and Integromat tools are specifically designed for workflow management.
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