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Low-code platforms are gaining more and more space in the market, and many already consider this tool the future of software development.

According to the Gartner consultancy, the forecast is that, by 2024, 65% or more of software will be developed using low-code platforms worldwide.

These tools promise more practicality in building software, easier testing and component updates, and less need for deep technical knowledge. But will they really be able to replace development teams?

In this article, we will explain what low-code is, when and how it can be used, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of low code.

Keep reading to learn:

• - What is low-code?
• - How do low-code platforms work?
• - What can you create with low-code?
• - What is the difference between low-code and no-code?
• - 6 advantages of low-code
• - 7 disadvantages of low-code
• - How to choose the best solution for your business

What is low-code?

Low-code is an information technology term that refers to using little code to create software and applications. With these platforms, anyone can build systems—even without specific technical skills in programming.

Low-code technology emerged as an alternative to the so-called traditional way of developing applications. For a long time, it was necessary to write endless lines of code for each action or element that needed to exist in the program.

However, this process was very long and contained many repeated codes. In addition, most companies suffered from a large amount of accumulated work and faced difficulties hiring qualified professionals. So it became necessary to bring more agility and efficiency to this process.

A low-code platform makes it possible to create solutions in a simpler, more accessible, and scalable way. In this way, it allows startups and small companies with tight budgets to rely on IT teams for conventional development and still be able to build their own app or web system.

>> Read also: How much does it cost to develop a custom app?

Development with less code

Today, low-code technology has made it possible to build software with little or even no code. Low-code platforms enable visual app development through modeling and a graphical interface.

With these resources, developers don’t need to write everything manually, speeding up the process of building the application.

Low-code platforms provide ready-made components for professionals to use in their applications, and also allow the creation of new elements when needed.

This technology makes it possible even for professionals without technical training in IT to create solutions that can be customized, depending on the platform used.

Can the software be customized?

Low-code customization resources allow you to create unique projects for different customers, with different levels of customization.

With the templates offered by these platforms, element libraries, and easy interface customization, users can automate tasks or workflows, create applications, integrate systems, and automate process management.

How do low-code platforms work?

In practice, low-code development is enabled by platforms that “design” the software. With these tools, users with little programming knowledge can assemble applications quickly using visual instruments and automated links to back-end and front-end systems, databases, web services, or APIs.

Visual modeling

Using models and visual approaches allows people with little programming knowledge to develop apps in a more practical and accessible way than writing code.

Low-code systems are equipped with visual modeling resources and use built-in modules in a dashboard to represent information in a way that is readable for anyone.

Drag-and-drop interface

These tools allow users to navigate intuitively by dragging and dropping pre-built modules into a visual environment. With a few clicks, they can create a page with a form—and with more forms and views, they can create an application.

>> Read also: How to have an app for your company?

What can you create with low-code?

Low-code technologies allow you to develop virtually all types of application solutions.

With a low-code platform, you can:

• - Develop custom web systems or mobile apps for your business;
• - Create a website or a new corporate software;
• - Modernize legacy systems;
• - Connect different databases.

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

The difference between low-code and no-code development is that while the first uses a small amount of code, no-code allows programming without writing any code.

No-code tools are quite similar to programs used to create blogs or other types of pages. Generally, they offer ready-made themes and simplified resources.

However, although they are advantageous for simplification and time savings, customization possibilities are limited. That’s why no-code platforms are more often used for front-end tasks, such as building web pages.

If you want to develop more complex and sophisticated systems with customized processes, low-code is usually the best choice between the two.

6 advantages of low-code

As we will see below, a low-code platform brings several advantages such as faster development, lower cost, less need for technical knowledge, process automation, among other benefits.

1) Lower costs to start development

Platforms offer a series of resources to make it easier to start developing applications. If you don’t have the budget to hire highly qualified professionals, it’s possible to start projects with lower costs.

Another advantage is that they offer an excellent Return on Investment (ROI) for these businesses, since investing in a pre-established model is cheaper than building something from scratch.

However, this lower cost is also relative, because low-code licenses become expensive as the project scales. In general, platforms offer a low entry price to get customers started—but with the intention of locking them in. As the project grows and has more access, the price increases.

2) Faster software building

If you have little or no programming knowledge, low-code solutions can make building software faster compared to traditional development.

An experienced IT team can also use these platforms to build smaller and less complex projects.

3) Faster testing and component updates

A good low-code platform makes it easier to experiment with an idea, rather than having to program complex code that can intimidate beginners.

Thanks to the visual interface, the platform helps create solutions quickly and integrate them with other tools already in use. Intuitive visual resources—with ready-to-use code fragments and built-in form and report models—make it possible to implement new applications quickly.

4) You don’t need to be an expert to use the platforms

Low-code platforms can be used by people who are not specialists in programming or in back-end, front-end, and other areas.

This removes the barrier some people have with code complexity. And because they are more accessible, they also help fill the IT talent gap in the market.

However, although using these platforms may seem easier for people afraid of code, developing apps with them has its own challenges, such as difficulty managing and maintaining projects—we’ll cover that below.

5) They maximize IT team time

A low-code platform can accelerate development speed by automating tasks and processes end to end. In this way, they help companies overcome scarce resources, increasing productivity and enabling business specialists to help deliver applications.

In workflows, models can be used to develop new processes quickly, while variables and flow control make it easier to manage data across platforms.

In addition, pre-built integrations and API accessibility make it possible to automate any digital business process.

Another advantage is that most low-code platforms run in the cloud, which automates many processes while the application is iterated.

7 disadvantages of low-code

The sales pitches for low-code development tools are very attractive: with a few clicks, non-programmers can build a simple app in the blink of an eye.

In fact, low-code tools are designed to be simpler and easier to adopt and understand. But those promises are easier to make than to deliver. As we’ll see below, low-code disadvantages must also be considered.

Although companies using low-code report considerable progress toward digital transformation goals, 31% of them didn’t use the platform to build and deliver any of their highest-value applications, according to a Forrester study.

In addition, even though these tools make development easier, that improvement comes with the responsibility of managing and maintaining the applications.

Sometimes, mastering the platform and finding the best way to manage it and solve its problems can be almost as much work as building code from scratch. After all, with low-code the user has access to far fewer resources.

1) You still need knowledge of the platforms used

Since there is still code involved, users need at least a minimal understanding of programming and a basic notion of how computers work to master the platform. The tools handle many tasks, but they can’t escape the fundamental conceptual limits of today’s computing environment.

Therefore, even if the low-code platform has a friendly interface and programming is relatively easy, you still need technical knowledge—or support from an experienced partner.

For example, suppose a citizen developer decides to learn low-code. They will spend hours building, failing, and learning until they can finally make an app. This will require a lot of time and investment.

On the other hand, if they had looked for a development company with specialized professionals and consolidated processes, they would get a much better result in much less time, and often at a lower overall cost.

Because it’s not just about having a friendly tool—you also need knowledge of systems analysis and other areas to deliver a truly satisfactory final result.

2) Your software depends on another company and is subject to platform changes

Low-code platforms typically follow a SaaS (software as a service) subscription model. The challenge is that costs can increase, and the platform can deprecate software versions—forcing you to restructure your project or redo your plan.

3) It can become expensive as the company grows

In SaaS billing models, plans often have usage limits. To attract new customers, platforms offer very attractive entry prices to get users started.

The problem is that the cost of a plan can increase considerably. If the business grows or starts using more of the vendor’s resources, the plan and the costs will also increase. In addition, the platform may discontinue versions, forcing you to adapt your work and rebuild your application.

For example, a company may pay US$25 to start development on a platform, but suddenly—by using only one extra service—this amount can rise to thousands of dollars. So if the user is not careful, costs can become absurd.

A quick search on user review pages is enough to find cases of exorbitant increases of up to 7,000%, even without a proportional growth in the number of users. And the strategy is often exactly that: make entry easy, then “lock” the customer into the platform.

4) Your software will look like your competitors’

Even though low-code offers some customization, it is limited and similar for everyone using the platform. More specific customizations will require a developer’s intervention, plus another platform that enables such changes.

5) Cybersecurity issues

Low-code app development can introduce security risks such as data leakage and unauthorized access to application functionality. Since the platform user is not a specialized developer, they likely don’t have strong security experience either.

6) Technological lock-in

Choosing a vendor can lead to technological lock-in, creating codependency. When you create the application, the platform may generate proprietary code or require an ongoing subscription to run it.

The problem is that it is very difficult to port that application to other platforms. As a result, you become tied to that vendor and must live with certain limitations. You may be able to export data and metadata, but you can’t take the application and run it in another environment.

An application built with code provides more freedom to migrate to different infrastructures.

7) Software limits

Even though low-code can integrate with many systems, it is not compatible with more complex and sophisticated software.

Given these limits, the developer can become restricted—because their code was blocked, their version became outdated, or they need to pay more to access other functionalities and APIs.

In addition, when the system is more complex, low-code hits the platform’s limits. Because of that, it’s likely you’ll find bugs, failures, and inconsistencies in applications.

How to choose the best solution for your business

The best solution depends on the company’s size and business goals. Low-code platforms can be extremely helpful for small companies and early startups, by enabling faster development with lower initial costs.

However, for larger and more complex projects, these platforms can create medium- and long-term issues: development gets expensive, the software becomes subject to platform changes, and bugs may appear.

For complex projects, these issues can become a risk to the success and continuity of the business.

Conclusion

Therefore, when building low-code applications, you should be careful to ensure the functionality meets your company’s requirements.

This is especially important if you don’t have a team of specialized developers to detect and fix common errors often made in software design.

Low-code has an interesting promise and a strong appeal—much like Wix for building HTML websites.

But if you compare the quality of work developed by a non-specialist with that developed by an experienced professional who knows how to program and use advanced technologies, the second result will certainly be much better.

That’s because a specialized professional has more skills, strategies, and experience, and therefore can deliver work that is more efficient, faster, and often cheaper than a typical user.

To choose the best application development option for your company, it’s important to rely on a team of specialists.

Did you understand what low-code is? Still have questions about developing your software? X-Apps builds your custom, secure, and scalable app! Talk to one of our specialists.

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