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Low-code/no-code platform or custom development? What should you choose?

Turnkey product development

The competitive environment for businesses has become increasingly fierce, and companies are trying to build innovative solutions while cutting costs. With new technologies and a constantly changing business landscape, it is hard for businesses to stay ahead of the curve. However, by developing innovative solutions and using cost-effective methods, businesses can stay afloat and compete in the market.

Low-code and no-code development are not new development models, but they have recently gained popularity as an alternative to costly custom development. However, are they really that effective? In this article, we compare no-code and low-code development with custom development to help you figure out which option may be better for you.

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Low-code vs no-code

Let’s first take a look into the difference between low-code and no-code platforms and explore how each can enhance your software development process.

What is no-code development?

No-code is a speaking term that basically refers to a series of tools, platforms, and technologies that allows you to build a product with literally no code. Some of these platforms are all-inclusive and help build an entire website or a mobile app just by clicking and dragging different components onto the canvas.

What are low-code platforms?

Low-code development combines visual coding with textual coding. As opposed to technical coding, low-code relies on a drag-and-drop user interface. Low-code development is often faster, easier, and more efficient than high-code development, making it a useful tool for developers who need to save time and resources.

Both low code and no code have plenty of benefits, so it is important to evaluate which type of development option best suits your needs.

Advantages of low-code and no-code development

Enhanced agility

Low-code and no-code app development technologies provide enhanced agility and allow developers to quickly create applications with limited coding. This enables businesses to keep up with the demands of a rapidly changing industry. Through this approach, the development process becomes much more flexible and adaptable, and low-code features can be implemented much faster than in the past. Additionally, by streamlining the development and deployment process, new solutions can often go live within days instead of weeks or months. As such, low-code/no-code development has become an attractive option for businesses looking to solve their IT problems inexpensively and without the time commitment usually associated with custom software development.

Increased speed

Low-code/no-code development has become a huge trend in the software development industry due to its promise of faster development processes. This technology enables organizations to quickly and easily create applications with drag and drop techniques – allowing them to bring their ideas to life much quicker than with custom software development. By pre-building components, such as user interfaces and functions, low-code/no-code solutions speed up the process from beginning to end compared with traditional methods. Additionally, as you don’t need as many engineers for this type of development, organizations are able to cut operational costs significantly. Ultimately, low-code/no-code solutions can help businesses reduce delivery times while still creating a high-quality product that meets all their requirements.

Decreased costs

Low-code and no-code development is becoming increasingly popular because of its potential to reduce the cost of custom software development. As businesses look for ways to reduce their IT budgets, they are taking advantage of rapid application development methods such as these, allowing them to create integrated solutions quickly with low upfront costs. By reducing the amount of hand-coding that is required, these platforms allow developers and businesses to quickly produce high quality applications at a fraction of the cost associated with traditional code-based software development. In addition, they provide ready access to powerful cloud services and datasets which leads to improved efficiency and higher levels of innovation as well.

Disadvantages of low-code and no-code development

Security breach

Low-code/no-code development is a major advantage to companies looking to cut costs and speed up the creation of certain applications, but it can come with certain risks. Security breaches are one of these risks, as without the technical acumen that comes from more intensive coding processes the risk for poor security increases dramatically. Therefore, when you are considering using low-code/no-code software for application development, you must be aware of potential problems related to security protocols. By implementing safe practices and utilizing secure versions of software, companies can minimize their risk for any potential security issues that may arise with low-code/no-code software.

No or limited customization

Despite the fact that drag-and-drop features are very attractive, they are limited when it comes to providing comprehensive solutions. Due to the limited number of pre-defined templates with few or no options for customization, you risk not getting what you want.

Vendor lock-in

Vendor lock-in is a serious hindrance because it leaves you with no opportunity to modify anything within a closed-source environment. There’s also a problem with a relatively poor set of use cases. Having been defined by the vendor, they often restrict designed product migration to a different environment. It causes some complexity and results in the necessity to build up the product from scratch. Aside from that, some platforms limit data access and control over the product making it difficult for you to achieve true digital autonomy.

You still need developers

No-code applications often seem to be an effortless solution for quickly creating apps, but in reality they are far from simplistic. To generate a truly effective no-code product, one must possess an advanced understanding of coding languages and logic principles. This requires the mastery of development skillsets and technologies that overlook code systems that power app design. It is important to remember that just because the construction of the app does not require one to become a full-fledged programmer, the ability to understand the software behind no-code tools is invaluable. Only then can users expect superior performance and a seamlessly user experience.

Types of applications best suited for low-code and no-code development

No-code and low-code development offer a distinct advantage over traditional software development when it comes to creating minimum viable products (MVP) and testing product viability (POC). These approaches make it easy to create an application prototype quickly, with relatively few resources. This is immensely helpful for entrepreneurs or startups that wish to get their product idea into the market as soon as possible. No-code and low-code development are now essential tools for companies that need applications created quickly, cheaply, and efficiently.In fact, research has shown that organizations that leverage no-code solutions can reduce the time it takes to develop an app by up to 56%, with a resource saving of 70% compared to other traditional methods. Organizations who take advantage of these technologies quickly learn they can conceptualize, create, and launch apps in half the usual time compared to traditional technologies.

No-code and low code vs traditional development

Custom software development is the process of validating, designing, developing, deploying, and maintaining software that allows for the customization and adaptation of software to meet the needs of a particular target audience. Because of the incredible value custom software solutions bring to users, no wonder they have significantly increased their market share for the last couple of years.

Advantages of custom application development

Increased security and ongoing technical support

Custom-developed software is a closed source project and is only used by your team which minimizes the chances of being hacked. In case of safety breach, or other technical problems with an application, you can get immediate help from a team of dedicated IT professionals. This way you make sure your business is running smoothly.

Endless possibilities for customization

Custom software development offers organizations limitlessness when it comes to customizing their software. Complex integration, extra features, or communications protocols are all possibilities with a team of developers making the product from scratch. By going through a development processes tailored specifically to their needs, companies will be able to create a unique product that responds exactly to their current and future requirements. Additionally, should the organizational needs changes over time, custom software can be adjusted and upgraded to meet the new demands put on it. Low-code/no-code development does provide an easier method for building applications quickly but does not have the same level of customization as custom made software provides. As such, organizations serious about their technology solutions would be wise to explore custom application development as an option.

Safe scalability

Custom software development provides businesses with the potential to scale up or down depending on changing market demands and customer needs. This is because solutions created specifically to suit the individual business’s requirements are highly adaptable, allowing organizations to secure a competitive edge in an ever-evolving environment. Furthermore, custom software places emphasis on integrated security protocols which can be adjusted according to evolving threats, providing users with peace of mind. Consequently, custom software solutions provide businesses with safe scalability that is not always afforded by low-code/no-code solutions where often off-the-shelf features cannot be easily modified or are vulnerable to malicious activity. Altogether, custom software development offers businesses the unique advantage of safe scalability in an ever changing marketplace.

Disadvantages of custom application development

Significant expenses

High cost is the first thing that makes it difficult for companies to decide whether this development approach is worth investing in. Despite of the benefits of being attractive, the risk to waste money is very high.

Time-to-market

The development of a custom application may take months, even for a professional team of developers. The whole process is very complicated and goes through a great number of iterations before all the requirements are met and the desired result is achieved.

Vendor selection dangers

The success of custom software relies mostly on technically strong development team that should have the skills necessary for building and configuring your future product. Otherwise, you risk to invest your money in a low-quality solution that won’t pay off and will be of little use.

Types of applications best suited for custom development

Custom software development is a popular choice for organizations that need unique solutions to problems that off-the-shelf applications might not address. This type of development can be beneficial in many areas, such as manufacturing and retail operations. For example, it may offer specialized workflow management and inventory tracking tools, robust analytics capabilities, and support for customized customer experiences. Organizations particularly in the financial services, healthcare or gaming industry stand to gain from the increased levels of flexibility and customization offered by custom software. In addition, businesses interested in developing proprietary systems or processes may also benefit from this approach. Ultimately, whatever their size or industry sector, any organization looking for a tailored solution should turn to custom software development to meet their individual needs.

What is the best development approach for your business?

In this article, we’ve discussed in detail all current development trends – low-code, no-code, and custom software solutions – and highlighted the pros and cons of each. If you’re struggling to choose between no-code/low-code and custom development, reach out to Innowise. Our experts can help you find the right way to take your business to the next level.

FAQ

What is the difference between low-code and no-code platforms?

The main distinction between low-code and no-code platforms lies in the level of coding expertise required. Low-code platforms involve minimal coding, suitable for users with some coding skills, allowing for more flexibility. No-code platforms, on the other hand, require no coding knowledge, making them accessible to users without technical backgrounds.

Who should use low-code platforms and who should opt for no-code solutions?

Low-code platforms are ideal for individuals with some coding proficiency who seek more control and customization in application development. On the other hand, no-code solutions are tailored for those without coding expertise. Choosing between them depends on the user’s technical background and the level of customization required for the specific project.

What are the limitations of using low-code and no-code platforms for application development?

While low-code and no-code platforms streamline development, they may have limitations. Low-code might face complexity constraints for highly customized solutions, requiring traditional coding. No-code, while user-friendly, might be less flexible for intricate applications, potentially requiring more extensive customization. Both have their strengths, but understanding project complexity is crucial in deciding the most suitable approach.

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Dmitry Nazarevich CTO

Date: Jan 16, 2023

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