Low Code vs No Code
No code and low code are often banded together and sometimes even used interchangeably, so it is understandable that there’s some confusion, and why many find them difficult to differentiate.
So today, we are going to Wreck It Ralph, break down the code barrier and explain the difference between the two.
What do they share?
Inclusivity - Both provide more inclusivity to the industry as they open up the door to non-professionals which are also referred to as citizen developers who have no prior experience of coding.
Efficiency – Low code and no code companies are on the same side when it comes to enabling business users to create practical applications faster and cheaper.
Simplicity – Both of these remove tedious and repetitive coding and replace them with simple functions to drastically reduce time to deployment.
What sets them apart?
Low-Code
Low code is considered to be the older of the two and in technology terms it is practically ancient, being around for over 30 years. Yet only this year has low-code platform adoption reached an inflection point and become a major talking point in the sector.
Low-code development is a way for developers to design applications quickly and with minimal hand-coding so they can focus on customisation. Low-code platforms contain suites of functionality that complement the way developers work. It involves dragging and dropping visual blocks of existing code into a workflow to create applications.
These applications remove the need to manually code from scratch, enabling developers to work smarter and faster by removing repetitive coding. These platforms are very well-suited for more complex business procedures, especially those that integrate with other applications or systems.
These applications also mean non-developers can join development teams, they may only have basic coding and scripting skills, or they just use the no-code components exclusively.
No-Code
These are applications that can be developed without writing a single line of code and are therefore more targeted towards citizen developers. The platforms provide a visual software that utilises easy-to-use features like drag and drop modules or picklist selection boxes.
These are more focused on replacing simple business cases and tend to be driven by a specific use case rather than more complex applications that require integration or customisation. No code platforms are extremely beneficial to smaller companies that do not have the internal expertise or the budget to outsource development. These types of platforms have stimulated innovation in the sector by giving business stakeholders a tool to realise innovative ideas.
The Verdict
Both no code and low code have the capability to rapidly deploy new ideas without the same overheads as custom software. The choice between the two will all be dependent on a business need; the size of the project, time for deployment, current technical capability in the team and integration requirements.
Do you have an interesting no code story to tell or offer a new technology and want to collaborate? Get in touch.