The world is getting more digital! Lately, businesses of all sizes are developing their applications to grow and improve their presence on the internet. As we all know, creating a digital business in the form of websites and mobile applications is a challenging process. You must think about numerous things at once. One of the most important aspects to consider is choosing the coding method. Is it better to have a low, no, or custom code?
Isn't there a lot of ambiguity? Explore the article to learn about your project's finest app development platform.
Which approach is best for your business?
Though they undoubtedly have a place in modern business domains, the low-code and no-code development methods fall short. This is because, without the assistance of skilled software developers, it is impossible to create a product without any flaws.
Enterprises that use the low-code or no-code development methodology rely on the platform to handle security. You will need to employ developers to modify your low-code program if you want it to meet your unique demands, and doing so will be expensive (very expensive!).
Because of this, customized development will always prevail over citizen development strategies. It is the only method to guarantee compliance and security.
However, this does not imply that low-code or no-code development is useless. Instead, companies can use it to create easy-to-use, non-business-critical apps or to communicate their specifications to a software development partner.
What is Low Code Development?
Low-code development refers to the technique of creating apps without having to write thousands of lines of code. Business users can create an app mostly by sketching flowcharts in a low-code app builder, but you will need to write some code to deploy apps at some time.
According to IDC, by 2024, low-code cloud-native technologies will be used to design and deploy over 500 million digital apps and services. That is the same amount of apps created in the previous four decades!
The low-code technique for app development is automated, simple, creative, and visual. Most underlying coding must be generated using tools without advanced, coding knowledge or skills, and your intended tasks must be defined at a high level. Your software developers are free to concentrate on more challenging software development projects as business users design these low-code apps to address important business concerns.
Not only corporate users and novice developers can create low-code apps. Even software developers can complement their specialized development stack with low-code solutions. But like everything else in life, low-code app and development environment also has some drawbacks that companies should think about before committing.
Advantages of Low-Code Application Development
Here are the advantages of using Low-Code application development technique.
High Return on Investment (ROI) with Low Risk
Because low-code development platforms adhere to the highest industry standards and security best practices, you can rely on the most recent security algorithms to strengthen app infrastructure, data integration, and cross-platform compatibility.
Due to the highly customizable and secure aspect of the whole process, businesses can concentrate on their operational responsibilities and objectives in this situation. The promise of a high ROI makes this strategy helpful in reducing risk.
Faster Time to Market
Since low-code development protocols facilitate cross-platform development, you can create a completely working, minimal viable product (MVP) that runs on all platforms in the shortest time. This big advantage is that more conventional application development methods can't match.
Saves Money and Resources
Without waiting for software developers to complete their present projects, business users can swiftly put their ideas into action. By working swiftly and efficiently at a lesser cost, citizen developers assist businesses in saving time, money, and resources.
Continuous Deployment
In contrast to standard software development, the low-code application development technique assists teams in solving any defects and unforeseen issues upon deployment. With just one click, you can rapidly undo changes to return to a stable version and address possible problems before they cause any difficulties.
Seamless Integration and Lifecycle Support
Low-code development platforms (SLDC) support the full software development lifecycle. CI/CD pipelines are a part of this. Project management and quality assurance testing tools are among the external connectors that low-code application builders offer.
Disadvantages of Low-Code Application Development
Some of the disadvantages of using Low-Code application development process are as follows:
Requires a Technical Background
It's a misconception that low-code programming doesn't require technical knowledge, despite what the marketing machine would have you believe. Despite the title, low-code development platforms require someone on the team to have high-level technical knowledge. For instance, learning about the needs and resources for low-code development requires much knowledge and effort.
Business Logic Complications
Low-code application development uses automation technologies to streamline workflows and quicken the prototype phase. Once you get past the prototype phase, business logic, however, becomes more complicated.
Business users become stuck at this phase and require technical team's assistance from a technical team with the expertise to complete the project. Because low-code development platforms are far from flawless, it's wise not to rely only on them. When companies choose a low-code development strategy alone, the entire project might jeopardize.
Limited Functionality
You can't expect to create something similar to your favorite mobile applications. Low code development tools have limited functionality even if they are undoubtedly a quick approach to creating business applications. The limitations of the low-code development tool are your only option for creating business apps.
When the drag-and-drop capability is insufficient, businesses must work with specialized software developers to design customized code and achieve innovative company concepts. It's important to remember, too, that incorporating customized code frequently costs far more than a fully unique solution you can create from the start.
Security Limitations
Businesses must deal with security and functional limits, which is problematic enough. Low-code solutions don't offer the same level of security as customized development solutions since you have limited control over data security. Additionally, since you don't have access to the source code, you are in the dark regarding any potential faults and weaknesses in the code.
Types of apps most suitable for low code development
Low-code development tool helps businesses build web and mobile applications like the following:
- Customer engagement applications
- Employee engagement applications
- Enterprise IT business process applications
- Fusion team-developed composite applications
- Legacy modernization applications
- Operations optimization applications
- Process automation applications
Low-code development platform vendors
Low-code platforms are provided by dozens of well-known and professional software providers, many of which are cloud-based. In its "2020 Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms," Gartner gives roughly 20 platforms a ranking.
Low-code platform vendors and tools include:
- Appian
- Claris FileMaker
- DWkit
- Google AppSheet
- Looker 7
- Mendix
- Microsoft PowerApps
- OutSystems
- Retool
- Robocoder Rintagi
- Salesforce Lightning
- Sisense
- Skyve Foundry
- Temenos (formerly Kony)
- SIB Visions VisionX
- Wix Editor X
- Yellowfin 9
- Zoho Creator
What is No-Code Development?
No-code development enables non-technical individuals to create business apps without writing a single line of code based on its name. No-code applications, expressly made for people who are not programmers, assist business customers in creating and deploying straightforward programs. Pre-built templates covering typical business use cases make it possible to build apps without writing code. Nevertheless, the structures of these templates are simple and limited.
Advantages of No-Code Application Development
Here are some of the advantages:
Highly Cost-Effective
No-code development is significantly less expensive than typical software development. This is because you are not required to acquire highly trained software developers amid a tech talent scarcity and bear all other associated overhead costs.
Faster Time to Market
The no-code method aids in accelerating time to market. Business users can easily construct and launch an app in a couple of days or hours by utilizing a drag-and-drop interface to create no-code applications. Enterprise users can swiftly automate testing procedures to quicken time to market even further.
Quickly Support and Update
No-code apps are reasonably simple to alter and update the code in. To introduce prospective modifications, you don't have to wade through lines of code. You must use the visual interface and its simple drag-and-drop feature whenever you wish to update a no-code app.
Flexible, extensible, and scalable
Unlike custom-built apps, no-code development is more flexible, scalable, and adaptive. As a result, companies don't need to invest in traditional software development to handle the addition of new functionality (as long as they are included in the template) or user growth.
Disadvantages of No-Code Application Development
There are some disadvantages of using No-Code applications:
Platform Dependent
No-code platforms play a crucial role in developing any no-code apps that businesses create. This indicates that they have no control over factors like prices, the caliber of their services, or security. Therefore, if you choose a no-code development technique, be sure to take pricing volatility and altering terms and conditions into account.
Rigid Templates
The templates included with no-code application development solutions restrict your ability to customize the final product. This implies that businesses may need to alter their operational procedures to accommodate apps created using no-code solutions.
Security Concerns
Any time you use no-code technologies to create a business application, you run certain risks. Any potential source code flaw may make your no-code software vulnerable to exploitation.
Types of Applications Suited for No-Code Development
The no-code development is best suited for the following:
- Simple mobile apps
- Web applications
- Database applications for Back-Offices
No-code development platform vendors
Appian, Mendix, Microsoft PowerApps, OutSystems, and Salesforce Lightning are just a few low-code systems that provide no-code functionalities.
The following companies also provide no-code tools:
- Airtable
- AppGyver
- AppSheet
- Appy Pie
- AWS Honeycode
- Betty Blocks
- Bubble
- Carrd
- Glide
- Gumroad
- Kissflow
- Memberstack
- Nintex
- Notion
- Outgrow
- Payhere
- Quickbase
- Shopify
- Stripe
- Umso (formerly Landen)
- Voiceflow
- Zapier
- Zudy Vinyl
What is Custom Software Development?
The term "custom application development" refers to software creation from scratch. In this case, businesses either contract with a professional software development company or assign their software engineers the duty of gathering detailed requirements, creating a plan with timelines, and writing customized code to achieve both present and future business objectives.
Once all parties have approved the software development strategy, the custom development process can begin. The software development team will test, maintain, and upgrade the software after it is finished.
There are no citizen developers in the development of traditional or customized applications. When skilled application developers create these digital products, custom development offers several important benefits. However, there are a few drawbacks that companies must take into account.
Advantages of Custom Application Development
The best benefits of using a custom application are as follows:
You Get Exactly What You Want
There are variations in every business. The development of customized applications will meet the individual needs of each business, each of which has its procedures and demands. In contrast to no-code development, organizations do not need to modify their existing procedures to fit the application.
Add/Remove Functions and Features as Needed
Your application has to be flexible enough to meet your changing needs as your business grows and changes. In this situation, a conventional development method enables you to add or delete features and functionalities as needed. This strategy improves corporate agility and adaptation to a market that is changing quickly.
Robust Security
You can look at the source code to strengthen it against prospective cyberattacks as soon as you receive it. The likelihood of threat actors penetrating your source code is negligible because it won't be made available to the general public.
Service and Support You Can Rely On
When a company teams up with a reputable software development services provider, it can count on dependable assistance throughout the SLDC. You can rely on knowledgeable and competent service and support whenever you need them during your long-term partnership with the software development partner.
Scalability
Scalability is simple when specialized solutions complex apps are developed. The only constraints you might encounter in this situation are a lack of resources and a talent gap in software engineering. But if you have a trusted technology partner to lead you on your custom development path, they are simple to address and resolve. An excellent partner will always provide the greatest tech stack, architecture, and a variety of engagement methods to help you maximize/save money.
In addition, a dependable IT partner has access to talent pools of skilled individuals located abroad or close to home, which will enable you to save time and money on the hiring process as well as onboarding and project ramp-up.
Disadvantages of Custom Application Development
Custom application development is considered one of the best but still, there are some disadvantages attached to it.
High Costs
It costs money to completely design and develop a custom business application. When using a low-code or no-code strategy, you only pay for your service, not the whole SDLC. Custom development is not, however, as costly as some people claim. When organizations modify low-code or no-code development platforms to better meet their needs, the cost might be equal to or even more than when the low-code development is used.
Additionally, creating and administering databases manually without technical know-how can rapidly get expensive. The price will change, nevertheless, based on the use case and particular company needs.
Time and Resource Intensive
Each line of code requires time and resources to write. Before going live with the program, you must first identify your business requirements, create a software development strategy, create the application, test it, and retest it.
It will also take some time to describe your needs correctly if you have never worked on a customized programming project. After several rounds, you could also realize that you made mistakes throughout the development process and alter your requirements. Working with a professional application development provider who can walk you through the process if you want to avoid this possible problem is advisable.
Types of Applications Best Suited for Custom Development
Custom software development is well suited for any business or enterprise needing rapid application development. Nevertheless, we can claim that it's particularly fit for advanced techniques for regulated sectors where the requirement to guarantee strong security and compliance is vital (or just about every business model today).
Summary
The experienced developers use standard coding techniques in conjunction with no-code, low-code collaboration when creating applications. Both strategies, when combined, have a strong future and a lot of potential in the digital age. If knowledgeable developers know how to approach and shape their software interface, customized coding offers a larger range of applications. Conversely, platforms that don't need coding will need additional features to entice non-techies to use them to create apps more rapidly. If you fully understand the software development life cycle then it is time to act!
