No-code is an IT development approach that requires no programming skills from users. No-Code thus makes a significant contribution to simplifying application creation. No-code is particularly known in connection with no-code platforms. These enable non-programmers to participate in development. The no-code approach is important in the digitization of small and medium-sized companies, as it enables them to develop even without their own IT department. The possible uses for no-code tools are numerous and offer companies in various industries important competitive advantages.
No-code overview
No-code is a development approach that completely dispenses with your own programming effort. No-code platforms represent development environments that enable users to easily create applications without the need for programming expertise. Developers can create application software using graphical user interfaces. There is a close relationship to low-code platforms. The difference is that low-code requires a minimum of programming effort (“low”).
What both approaches have in common, however, is that they significantly speed up the process of creating applications. No-code and low-code also have the common feature that they are primarily aimed at users with little or no programming knowledge. The popularity of no-code and low-code platforms is primarily due to the fact that good software developers are relatively rare and find it difficult to meet the demand of all companies for good applications. No-code platforms also offer small and medium-sized companies a lower barrier to entry into application development, as many start-ups cannot yet afford their own developers or even IT departments.
With the no-code approach, your own coding is not only no longer necessary, but is often not even possible, as the platforms sometimes no longer allow intervention in the code. The offers in the area of no-code platforms are aimed not only at entrepreneurs, but also at private users.
No-code in contrast to low-code
The terms no-code and low-code are often used almost synonymously, especially when it comes to characterizing the corresponding platforms. Although no-code is closely related, it should not be confused with low-code. Low-code is a development approach that still requires a certain amount of rest programming effort. Unlike low code, no-code completely dispenses with any coding work by the user. Both approaches help to reduce development costs and reduce barriers to entry in application development. The distinction is not always clearly possible and it is often a smooth transition.
Low-code and no-code are to be considered as different approaches and independent of each other. It is true that they both point in a comparable direction, namely to reduce programming costs. Nevertheless, the respective platforms are aimed at different user groups and are geared to different application scenarios. Low-code approaches are primarily aimed at developers, while no-code is primarily aimed at end users.
No Code is also usually based on a plug-and-play approach and is model-driven. Low code has a certain residual dependency on manual coding work. Another difference is that no-code is primarily a relatively heavily regulated or predefined user interface.
No-code systems typically provide a bit more flexibility. These platforms offer users the option to add custom, manually created programming code.
The importance of no-code in digitization
No-code approaches make a significant contribution to simplifying digitization in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). One of the main challenges in digital transformation is for SMEs to keep up with larger corporations. The latter have an advantage here, as they usually have their own IT departments.
Compared to competitors, however, many smaller companies lack IT specialists. No-code or low-code platforms make it much easier for such companies to participate in application development. Many companies are already using such platforms and are using them profitably to digitize and simplify their processes
No-code platforms
Special platforms, the no-code platforms, are used for application development with no-code. The various platforms in the areas of no-code and low-code can differ significantly from one another. The biggest differences are in the areas of application, integration and functionality.
Some of the no-code platforms are focused on specific industries or business areas and offer precisely tailored functionality. This includes, for example, the collection of data or workflow management. Other no-code platforms offer a more comprehensive approach and try to cover the most important areas of application on an equal footing. Some no-code platforms replace complete ERP solutions (Enterprise Resource Planning).
Application and offers
The offer of various no-code solutions thus meets the demands and needs of different companies in various industries. No-code platforms are usually developed with a direct focus on users or end users, which distinguishes them from traditional IT. This allows even less experienced companies to digitize their processes. Shifting the focus from developers directly to users is helping to significantly speed up application development. In addition, they can thus contribute to cost savings.
The naturally scarce resources in the area of application development can be avoided. Digital business strategies can be implemented in a significantly accelerated process. No-code solutions can also be connected to other web services through interfaces or APIs. In this way, it is possible to integrate no-code platforms into companies' existing IT infrastructure.
Examples of no-code platforms: Webflow and Bubble.io
The range of modern no-code platforms is wide and covers various business areas. The options range from software development in the HR department to solutions for sales and marketing to applications for finance and accounting. Daily tasks can be automated and made more efficient, for example by converting simple Excel sheets into interactive applications.
Webflow is an increasingly popular no-code website editor. With Webflow It is a web-based tool that enables the creation of individual websites, landing pages and CMS systems.
The offer is aimed at various companies, from start-ups to large corporations. The development platform allows you to create websites completely without your own coding effort. Here, users can select various functional blocks, elements and components and arrange them according to their own ideas. In this way, even newcomers can create websites block by block in just a few steps. Webflow is therefore aimed as a no-code solution, in particular at non-developers as well as at management and managers directly. Developers are thus becoming obsolete as intermediaries between application creation and management.
This eliminates the interactions between development and management, which are often time-consuming and usually take many months. Despite the no-code approach, Webflow also provides access to the underlying code as needed. The source code can therefore also be adapted and changed by manual intervention. This is the reason why even trained developers and programmers like to use Webflow as a tool.
Auch Bubble.io is a platform that allows complex websites and apps to be created without programming knowledge. Bubble.io uses an intuitive editor. The self-explanatory structure allows the development of extensive applications. The program automatically writes the required code in the background. Bubble.io goes beyond just creating applications. The company advertises that the entire process, from app creation to hosting to problem resolution, can be mastered without any previous knowledge.
The provider hosts the solutions created using Bubble.io on its own bubble.io servers. With various packages in different price ranges, the provider is aimed at companies of various sizes and needs. Depending on requirements and budget, users will find the right solution for them. A free version is also available, which, subject to some restrictions, allows you to test the solution.
An overview of other no-code platforms
In the area of creating web apps, in addition to Bubble.io, the tools from Adalo, Glide and Sharetribe should be mentioned. Adalo, for example, enables simple applications to be created particularly quickly and intuitively. The solutions to be created with this are particularly widespread in the area of mobile apps. The functionality is limited to the essentials. Thanks to the support of many integrations, most applications can be quickly brought to a working state. The application also offers the option of publishing your own developments yourself in app stores such as the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. Adalo is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized companies, freelancers and start-ups.
Airtable and Ninox, for example, offer specific solutions for data management. Caspio is a provider for the easy creation of web-based central database applications.
- Integromat and Zapier tools are used in particular for workflow management.
- Kissflow is a provider for creating project and process management solutions.
- The AppGyver solution, which is part of SAP, enables users to create mobile applications and web apps. Akioma is a provider that provides a platform for creating apps for various types of business processes.
- The providers Zudy and Open as App enable users to develop apps from existing data.
- AppSheet is a no-code platform for automating geo-positioning. This is combined with the recording of resulting notifications, images and barcodes.
- Lobster_data is a cloud-based solution for data integration of data material from various sources into different target systems.
.png)
Limits and restrictions of no-code platforms
When using no-code platforms, application development is generally reduced to what the platform provider makes possible. Further developments and adjustments are usually not possible, as no interventions in the source code are planned if necessary.
In practical use, this has the disadvantage that the applications created using no-code cannot be precisely differentiated or precisely adapted to requirements. It is true that the pre-programmed components can be arranged in any way you want. Nevertheless, despite many options, no-code platforms are reaching their limits when it comes to more specific challenges or customer requirements. Individual design preferences (such as corporate design) or special customer requirements are therefore difficult to satisfy. Such unique selling points are particularly important in small and medium-sized companies in order to remain competitive against competitors.
No-code development platforms are ideal for creating ready-to-use applications with minimal customization. While the creation of complex customer-oriented software is reaching its limits here, No-Code shows its strength particularly when it comes to creating internal solutions.
An overview of no-code platforms and their benefits
The numerous benefits that no-code platforms offer their users range from lower barriers to entry into digitization to independence from developers to cost savings. In this way, companies' IT departments can be significantly relieved. In particular, young companies, small companies and start-ups that do not have their own IT department benefit from this. This allows even up-and-coming companies to create their own applications and thus react more quickly to changing customer requirements.
No-code development environments basically enable all employees of the various company departments to develop their own applications without programming knowledge. This allows them to contribute their professional knowledge to app development without first having to communicate extensively with developers. The workforce doesn't have to deal with programming languages such as HTML, Python, or JavaScript. There is also no need to hire external programmers or even set up your own IT department.
Standardised components make it possible to create powerful applications within a short period of time via graphical user interfaces. The generally scarce resource of developers and programmers can therefore be expanded by the employees themselves.
This also has the advantage of saving time, as application development is faster thanks to prefabricated components than through manually entered source code. In this way, short-term adjustments or expansions in the applications are also possible.
In addition, there is the advantage that the pre-programmed components are already functional and harmonize with each other. This makes application development safer and less prone to errors.
In summary, there are both time and cost advantages as well as security and resource advantages compared to conventional application development. Especially when developing simpler applications to simplify day-to-day business, this reduction in expenses is of great value.
Recommend this post