Low-code and no-code: Two technologies for digitization
Low-code and no-code are development approaches in IT that require little or completely no programming knowledge. In doing so, they significantly simplify the development of complex applications in SMEs.
These approaches play an important role, particularly with regard to digitization in SMEs. The challenge of digital transformation makes it difficult for small and medium-sized companies to keep up with larger corporations. However, compared to the competition, there is often a lack of trained specialists or an independent IT department. Low-code and no-code platforms, which also enable non-experts to participate in development, promise a remedy. Complex applications, for example from the IoT sector, can also be developed on this basis. In numerous medium-sized companies, corresponding platforms are already being used as part of digitization. This raises the question of what are the strengths and areas of application of these approaches and how you can use the technologies profitably for your company.
An overview of two development technologies
While low-code requires little programming effort, no-code platforms completely dispense with user programming work. Both technologies help ensure that numerous areas of application in digitization do not require manual programming.
This relieves IT departments and enables smaller companies to participate in application development for the challenges of digitization even without IT experts. The numerous advantages include the ability to react significantly more quickly to changing requirements or customer needs.
It may be considered that low-code and no-code are two stages of development that point in the same direction (having to use as little code as possible). In fact, however, these are different types of approaches, each of which is suitable for different application scenarios and purposes.
Low-code and its history: Significance in digitization
Low-code literally means “minor code” or “little programming effort.” Conceptually, the approach was coined in particular by two analysts from the market research company Forrester. Clay Richardson and John Rymon from Forrester Research used the term low -ode in the wording of a 2014 paper. The report New Development Platforms Emerge for Customer-Facing Applications explains the possible applications of development platforms. The basic idea can be traced back to the first RAD approaches (Rapid Application Development). Approaches such as Visual Basic or Delphi emerged against the backdrop of rapid development of applications.
Low-code in the narrower sense is becoming increasingly important in connection with digitization and Industry 4.0. According to forecasts by market research institute Forrester, it is assumed that the market for corresponding platforms will reach a volume of around 22 billion US dollars by 2022.
Low-code platforms are considered essential components for the comprehensive digital transformation of companies. What they have in common is that they follow a kind of modular principle. Users can design applications using drag-and-drop. For medium-sized users, this means being able to develop software solutions according to their own requirements even without major programming knowledge thanks to graphical application logics.
The promotional clip from Webflow summarizes the advantages of low-code (and actually no-code) very well:
Low-code platforms
The implementation of low-code applications is carried out by specialized low-code platforms (also known as development platforms or automation platforms). These can follow different concepts and have different types of functionality. There are also a number of providers of these platforms, each with different priorities. However, there are certain similarities between these platforms and how they work.
This includes a graphical presentation layer, a business logic layer, and a data layer. In the presentation layer, there is a visual presentation with graphical editors. This makes it possible to design the interface elements. The user interface can also be designed with these editors.
The business logic layer is also equipped with visual editors. You use this layer to create business processes and business entities. The data layer forms the basis for supplying the overlying layers with data. Business entities can be represented via the data layer. These platforms are supplemented by basic services such as authentication or authorization options.
How low-code works at a glance
An important principle in handling low-code platforms is the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) approach. This principle is the basis for creating graphical interfaces using visual editors. On low-code platforms, you will find a graphical drawing area that is enriched with certain structural elements. As a user, you can tailor these according to your own criteria. The source code is written automatically in the background. The visual editors create the code and also adopt the definitions for the interface.
At the data layer, tables and other elements must be filled with data from specific data sources. These sources can be customer databases, for example. Managing the underlying data requires more effort. Low-code platforms also use visual editors here. This has the advantage that the necessary data accesses and mappings cannot be laboriously carried out manually. This reduces both effort and time requirements. The respective implementation of the logic can vary from one low-code platform to another.
Even without entering code, the platform must be able to define exactly what happens when a specific command (clicks) is executed. The platforms can also be operated with visual editors in this regard. Different approaches are also possible here. Depending on the effort and the platform, more complex or complex processes can also be implemented. When it comes to particularly complex problems in digitization, some of the editors can work with independent scripting languages.
In manual programming, the tasks of testing and deploying new applications are typically associated with enormous effort. On the part of low-code platforms, there is an internal automation process for testing applications. Even when the test goes beyond routine procedures and would normally require manual intervention in the source code, sophisticated visual editors are used in development platforms.
What the automation platforms have in common in the area of low-code is that the underlying technologies, some of which are very complex, remain largely hidden from the user. You are not confronted with complex processes in the background. The source code is created automatically while you work with the intuitive graphical elements. On the one hand, this serves to save end users the programming work and to make it as easy as possible to create applications. On the other hand, you should also be able to develop all important applications for your company's challenges.
No-code overview
The prefix “No” already indicates that, in contrast to low-code, it completely dispenses with programming work. In this regard, the approaches must be differentiated from one another. No code platforms not only do not require further programming, but in some cases no longer allow it at all. Most no-code offers are therefore aimed particularly at untrained end users without programming knowledge, sometimes even at private users.
For simpler applications, this has the advantage of further reducing costs. However, no-code is not to be understood as an evolutionary development of low-code, but as a different approach. The advantages of comfort are countered by the fact that it is no longer possible to connect more complex systems afterwards. The scope for individual adjustments is narrowly limited.
Application development follows what the provider has already planned. The function logic is based on drag-and-drop. Compared to manual code entry, this has the advantage of lower barriers to entry. Time and costs can also be saved. The development of new applications is particularly fast and smooth using no-code platforms.
In practical use, however, No-Code has the weakness that the no-code platforms usually offer no way of more precise differentiation. As a user, you use pre-designed components. These can be arranged according to your own wishes. But just adapting to relatively simple challenges, such as corporate design, ensures that no-code reaches its limits. Even individual user preferences or even customer requests can hardly be satisfied with it. Unique selling points (USPs) are particularly important in order to stand out positively from the competition. It is also becoming increasingly important for companies to provide users with a positive user experience. This is also becoming an increasingly important ranking factor in search engine optimization. These and other adjustments are only possible to a limited extent in the module system of no-code platforms.
Similarities between low-code and no-code
At first glance, the approaches seem similar. Both offer the option of developing applications using little or no code at all. In both cases, the development approach is similar to RAD logic and offers visual tools. These lower the barrier to entry into app development and make it possible for non-IT professionals to create them as well. In terms of application, both low-code and no-code, you can drag and drop the required functional blocks. The components must be selected from a visual on-screen library and integrated into a workflow.
Both low-code and no-code development platforms thus stand for making application development easier for both specialists and non-professional users in SMEs. This cornerstone of digitization contributes to more efficient work processes. Productivity in companies is increasing. In the same way, both approaches reduce costs when it comes to building an environment and maintaining the infrastructure. The two development approaches are each offered in the form of a platform. This typically follows the PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) framework.
The no-code and low-code development approaches differ not only in the remaining programming effort. The concept and, with it, the application scenarios in the course of digitization in SMEs are different.
Differences in business application
It is true that no-code and low-code platforms share the property of code abstraction. However, there are significant differences in the type and scope of the applications to be created.
No-code in business practice in medium-sized companies
No-code is primarily intended for simple and basic applications. Appropriate development tools are of great use for business users or private users who want to generate smaller applications without much effort. In business practice, for example, the approach is suitable for applications that are to be used in just one department in a medium-sized company.
However, in practical use in companies, no-code tools often reach the limits of scalability. Integration options are also limited due to the lack of customization. This is due to the fact that no-code tools cannot take into account your specific requirements in the company. No-code platforms cannot address the challenges of your enterprise architecture.
The tools for using the no-code tools are also typically proprietary, i.e. manufacturer-specific. This not only limits the capabilities, but also makes it impossible to expand the functionality. This is not a problem at the level of an individual department, but there are compatibility problems when used company-wide or even cross-company.
With regard to the architectural level, no-code entails the risk of a rigid or too monolithic infrastructure. Most providers and platforms require the no-code tools to be operated in their own public cloud. This eliminates the option of flexible use on an on-premises structure or in a private cloud.
No-code platforms are based on specific use cases in which they increase productivity and operational efficiency. For this reason, the individual user experience is not in focus. Manufacturers usually do not support user-defined extensions or integrations with other solutions.
Another challenge or problem of the no-code approach in everyday business life is the issue of IT governance. The applications created with no-code tools have an independent character, which is why data governance becomes a challenge. Many different variants are often used in the company. The data structures may vary or are sometimes not managed. This also has an impact on data quality. When it comes to managing customer data, this can be a problem.
Low-code in business practice: Flexible application development for business sectors
Compared to no code, platforms for low-code programming tend to be much easier to integrate into the company's IT infrastructure. They are better synchronized with IT governance requirements. Scalable architectures contribute to this. The application scenarios of apps created via low-code are therefore not limited to individual company departments. Flexible application development across departments is possible in the various business areas in medium-sized companies. The low programming effort enables employees from various specialist departments to participate in the software development process. This is linked to the fact that the technical knowledge of the respective company department flows into the created applications without detours via IT specialists. Thanks to scalability and adaptability, the created applications can also be used across departments.
In addition to scalable architectures, open APIs also contribute to expandability. The use and reuse in various work contexts ensures flexibility. Deployment can be done both in the cloud and on-premise.
Low-code platforms enable developers to maintain control over application testing, quality tools, and performance tools with their APIs. At the same time, the productive techniques that are also available in No Code tools can be integrated. This helps speed up development via visual means.
With the support of a low-code platform, it is possible to create significantly more sophisticated applications. The almost universal application scenarios make this programming approach fit for a wider range of use cases.
Because of the individual customization options, low-code platforms are also suitable for customer experience applications. Customer experiences and needs pose particular challenges for medium-sized companies. Customer expectations and requirements are growing and are subject to rapid changes. A rapid response to these changing conditions is therefore required. Adapting to expectations also includes aligning applications with the devices used by customers. Mobile optimization is becoming increasingly important. Low-code can be used to develop applications that provide mobile usability with user interface templates. In doing so, they contribute to customer acceptance.
Low-code platforms can also be used to modernize old systems (legacy systems) in medium-sized companies. In doing so, they take into account modern architectures and their possible uses for current business applications.
These development platforms are also suitable for implementing innovative technologies in digitization. The development tools also include next-generation use cases. Most platforms don't just have a rich library of components. They also make it possible to use tools and smart services from various third-party providers. Numerous platforms, for example, provide access to AI services in a cloud. Technologies such as blockchain, machine learning and facial recognition are also often available via communities.
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Choosing the right approach for your business
The question of when and where low-code or no-code is preferable depends on the type and scope of the applications and the size of the company. The specific project and the associated challenges also play a role. As a rule of thumb, around 80 percent of application development can be carried out without programming effort. When it comes to customizing and adapting to the challenges of digitization, additional programming work may be required.
The decision depends on more than the underlying technology. It is about a strategic direction of application development — so you should consider what goals are achieved with the introduction of the technology.
The question of what the respective platform solution does in terms of communication and cooperation within the company helps when considering. The question of how the development solution is provided by business developers or employees in the departments when creating applications is also relevant. The question of whether application development should only be complementary or integrated also plays a role.
conclusion
Companies tend to see that required applications are becoming more and more complex due to the increasing challenges of digitization. High competition and increasing customer demands require rapid responses. Cost savings and potential initial efficiency benefits of a no-code solution are therefore often limited.
Low-code, on the other hand, represents a sustainable option, especially for medium-sized companies, to develop their own applications with manageable expenditure of time and costs. Low-code is particularly effective where data-heavy applications are required. This opportunity to adapt yourself and respond to new challenges is a valuable aid for digitization in SMEs.
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