Low-Code and No-Code Considerations

Low-code and no-code development platforms have been a hot topic in the IT world for a while now. Experts in related fields are speculating on how low-code and no-code will change the industry's future. It is predicted that traditional IT will decline as low-code and no-code products continue new ways to refresh solution development. However, before discussing low-code and code-free subsequent developments, we need to know the true meaning of these terms.

What Is a Low-Code / No-Code?

Low-code and code-free tools facilitate software expansion and maximize software delivery. The following figure lists the relevant explanations, definitions, and distinctions of low and code-less tools.

It should be noted that the two concepts cannot be confused because they target different business objectives and target different audiences. To better understand the development of these technologies, an understanding of the considerations of these types of tools and their evolution is needed.

Evolution of Low-Code and Programming Languages

Historically assessing the continued development and future of the low-code framework is best understood. The two arduous tasks of simplification and automation began in the information technology industry. The first is the change from digital machine code to assembly symbols, which has multiplied the productivity of programmers. The next leap followed, with the first high-level language (HLL) shortcodes (or short-command codes) a year later. Fast-forward 60 years later, and there is an endless stream of HLLs and countless practical frameworks, all designed to simplify or automate development tasks as much as possible.

Therefore, at this time, in many cases, writing custom HLL solutions is equivalent to unnecessary. It is much more effective to use existing cloud services or existing tools. Although traditional coding can still be customized through "script tasks," developers can rely more on predefined functions and use a more convenient graphical interface to improve work speed. This ability to automatically generate code while introducing lower-level customizations as needed is the main difference between low-code and no-code.

No-Code Considerations and Issues

1. Dependence

Like any other service provided by a third party, the company's codeless platform may eventually evolve from a "partnership" to a rigid "dependency." Try to maintain a "supplier neutral" approach and avoid relying on a single supplier.

2. Security

We need to know the protection degree of the platform for the company's data and whether there are suppliers to disclose the company's data. However, sometimes, the biggest threat to data security is internal employees' unfamiliarity with the platform Settings, resulting in accidental disclosure of information.

3. Extensibility

A platform that can grow with business needs needs needs to support a large amount of data, accommodate more customers, and have more substantial processing and execution capabilities.

4. Price

The company should choose a subscription level or payment plan that is commensurate with current processing volumes, while also considering the company's future growth. Don't be forced to incur high costs to increase resources.

5. Predefined Function

The code-free scheme intentionally limits the custom functionality to flatten the learning curve and reduce the development time and cost. Therefore, if the no-code platform performs functions beyond its intended scope, it is likely to cause the application to become unstable or unsupportable.

6. Similar Products

Many companies are exploring fast-to-market, low-cost options that don't require a lot of human resources expenditures. This same pursuit of goals results in products on the same platform having a similar look.

Summary

On the one hand, although this issue has been controversial in the IT industry, everyone believes that low code will still maintain its dominant position in the "automation" solution Market in the medium and short term. The no-code platform is not mature enough, and the simplicity of product development and functional complexity cannot be realized simultaneously.

On the other hand, there is ample evidence that some IT companies and professionals are shifting their focus from traditional HLL development to a low-code framework. If this trend continues, we may soon witness another leap in software development, similar to the shift from machine to assembly code.