Creating software tools, whether for internal productivity or customer facing, is no mean feat – irrespective of the size and scale of your organisation.
However, the emergence of more intuitive and user-friendly development tools in recent years offers startups and large enterprises an exciting opportunity to capitalise on skill shortages and maximise growth, at less of a cost.
In this guide, we explore the low-code vs. no-code argument, focusing on the things that truly matter to your business at whatever stage of your journey.
So, let’s start with the basics…
What is low-code?
When it comes to development, low-code is a simplified method that makes things quicker for developers by substituting the need for complex technical and textual code for a more visual means of app building.
In simple terms, and in many cases, this typically means creating drag-and-drop or configuration-based interfaces to make life easier for engineers at all levels of expertise.
Users without expertise or those looking to create faster can facilitate builds (albeit with less customisation) through ready-made UI components, workflows, automation engines, and simple database setup and maintenance, all within a single environment.
What is no-code?
On the other hand, no-code takes things to a whole different level.
The no-code approach requires few (if any) programming skills to build an app, website, or even something as simplistic as a straightforward tool to suit business needs such as a holiday request approval system.
As a result, no-code still facilitates the same (if not more) rapid delivery as low-code with a very similar level of development capability and quality.
What are the key differences?
In the broadest terms, both do exactly what they say on the tin. Low-code requires some code, whereas no-code requires zero understanding code itself but a little understanding technical requirements for app building.
However, there are many subtle differences to consider, so let’s explore the specific nuances between both approaches and establish where one may outweigh the other for specific situations and functionalities.
Customisation
Both approaches are somewhat limited versus fully coded solutions as you will always get more customisation when building something from scratch.
However, one key difference between the two is the scripting capabilities many low-code systems can offer developers. This enables them to meet unique requirements more efficiently in many cases. However, that doesn’t mean no-code is a dead-end for customisation.
It all depends on the no-code platform you choose to use, some offer more customisation options than others, and the type of project you’re working on and, ultimately, how much customisation is required to achieve your app's desired look, feel, and usability.
Use case variation
When you consider the basic purpose behind each approach, it’s probably somewhat lazy to assume that low-code is the preferred option for more complex use cases, for example building a support portal for your business, or an admin panel for your software product.
Both low-code and no-code platforms can provide the same level of complexity and wide variety of use cases. Where they vary is in the levels of customisation for each use case.
Off-the-shelf SaaS will always be the least custom option, then no-code platforms, then low-code platforms.
A key difference between the two options in terms of use cases is that no-code is perhaps the option for straightforward projects as it tends to be faster. Again, it all depends on the specific requirements of the task at hand.
Another important factor to consider is that low-code tools require people with coding knowledge, often from the engineering department, who are usually separated from the use case at hand. Whereas no-code tools can be used by domain experts to solve problems in their department or area of expertise. Which can often result in more suitable solutions.
So, it’s wise to do your homework on the requirements of your app before you commit to investment in one platform vs the alternative.
Speed
Low-code is limited to people with some level of coding knowledge. Engineers tend to be very in-demand and so getting time for them to help can be very tricky.
No-code is open to anyone who has great problem-solving skills. Often these people are the ones struggling with the problem trying to be solved, especially for internal apps, and so they are available and motivated to build a solution fast.
Cost
As you’d expect, no-code development is cheaper than low-code and traditional development, both in terms of the cost of the platform and the time required to build.
Cost is critical for any new app-builder to consider before planning their project. It’s vital to fully understand your possibilities and limitations in this regard before you start, especially if you’re operating within a startup.
Balancing your technical needs and requirements with your realistic financial capabilities is paramount. So, make sure you’re completely clear on the steps required to successfully execute and complete your project before you commit to a more expensive platform you perhaps never needed.
Low-code development: Pros and cons
Without overwhelming you with various advantages and drawbacks, let’s balance the key discussion points for and against through the lens of what many would consider the core issue for low-code.
Mitigating ‘shadow IT’ and third-party costs
Let’s start with the critical aspect that low-code has in its favour.
The demand for applications is reportedly growing five times faster than an IT department's ability to deliver them. If an IT department is incapable of delivery, the likelihood is that a more advanced third-party development solution will be enlisted to plug the gaps at an additional cost.
This is known as ‘shadow IT’.
However, with efficient, low-code platforms and processes in place, app builders and users are far less likely to seek third-party expertise beyond their own IT department. This empowers them with more capability to solve their problems and avoid unnecessary business expenditures and commitments to outsourced solution providers.
It also makes it a startup-friendly option that minimises costs while maximising the limited development skills of stakeholders.
The risk of fragmentation
On the flip side lies the key disadvantage to low-code, should investment into it become less controlled and less coordinated with other processes.
In other words, there’s a risk that avoiding shadow IT through third parties could actually promote shadow IT internally, as staff might opt to build their own solutions without proper oversight.
While this might seem exciting and innovative for businesses at an early stage of development, it can have quite severe operational consequences.
For instance, too many low-code solutions might make a business start to feel like the ‘Wild West’, with a lack of overarching cohesion and consideration for any other internal platforms and processes your business uses.
Depending on your industry, this can also lead to potential compliance issues, so it’s critical to bear this in mind before overcommitting on the low-code front.
No-code development: Pros and cons
To keep things balanced, it’s important to remember that the same shadow IT issues discussed above still apply to no-code although with less risk of fragmentation as it’s easier to get full oversight into every app created in a no-code platform than a low-code one helping IT keep on top of everything.
But there are also other key considerations that set the two apart.
Better accessibility, prototyping, and scalability
As you’ll have no doubt already gathered from reading this article, both low-code and no-code platforms lower the barrier to entry for software creation.
However, no-code leans more comfortably toward the first-time app builder’s needs, widening the potential for rapid, functional prototyping to streamline the various stages of app development.
No-code platforms also often come with built-in scalability features, which make it easier for users to deal with increased user demand without time-consuming manual optimisation. This facilitates accommodating the rapid growth that successful startups need to maintain to settle.
Risk of platform dependence
Depending on the vendor you're locked in with, this can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
If you choose the wrong one, it might be challenging to transition to a new platform if your needs evolve beyond what the platform offers. For example we see this often with no-code users frustrated by data limitations.
Data is key to any app, and often requirements become more complex over time as app users want more visibility into data or to add new data. Some no-code platforms can keep up with these changes like Starhive. While others can’t, due to rigid data models.
In some severe cases, you may need to switch to a different platform or transition to custom code which can be problematic, as it may require rewriting entire applications, which costs time and money.
Choosing the best option for you
Ultimately, this completely depends on your business needs, technical requirements and, more importantly, your budget.
However, if you’re more inclined to use a no-code platform to support your endeavours, our no-code development guide provides a more in-depth overview of the specific benefits and functionalities you can leverage to drive growth for your organisation.
