Why Your Business Needs Low-Code Development Solutions
October 13, 2020
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8 min read
In 2015, the low-code market reached $1.5 billion, and it is expected to explode by 2022 exceeding $27 billion. And while 60% of the apps are now built outside the IT departments, even software engineers rely on low-code solutions. The number of adopters among IT professionals is supposed to surpass 50% in 2020, up from 37% in 2019. Forrester expects low-code development to make up for 65% of all software development efforts by 2024. Unsurprisingly, low-code solutions are gaining favor with investors and boosting their valuations. For instance, Canva secured an $85 million investment in 2019 to help the company offer enterprise-level services, and its valuation jumped from $2.5 to $3.2 billion.
Low-code vs. no-code
No-code development requires zero lines of code and no technical expertise. Citizen developers or enterprise power users can make most of the no-code platforms to create simple, standardized solutions for their daily problems. With no coding, there's little to no chance of customization or complex features.
Low-code development relies on the same visual modeling principle and drag-and-drop interface as no-code platforms but introduces increased flexibility thanks to coding capabilities. While low-code platforms may seem a bit overcrowded with features for citizen developers, IT professionals can successfully use them to speed up the development process.
Despite their differences, these two categories are getting increasingly connected. No-code platforms offer coding capabilities, while low-code solutions reduce the amount of coding necessary. Considering their broad capabilities and user pool, let's focus on low-code platforms for this overview.
The low-code development process
Don't think low-code software means developers are no longer necessary. Think of it as the next step to the development automation that takes care of all the routine, mundane tasks and frees up the engineers' time for creative and complex tasks that give the finished product that much-needed oomph.
Let's compare the low-code development process to the traditional workflow, and you'll instantly see the advantages.
<medium>Low-code development:<medium>
1. Specify system requirements 2. Select third-party APIs 3. Create UIs, data models, workflows 4. Connect the chosen APIs 5. Customize the app with hand-written code 6. Test and collect user feedback 7. Deploy to production 8. Support via regular updates
<medium>Traditional development:<medium>
1. Specify system requirements 2. Devise app's architecture 3. Select technology stack, third-party APIs 4. Design wireframes and prototypes 5. Code the user interface 6. Write the failing tests 7. Define the models and connect them to data stores 8. Define and code the business logic 9. Create views to provide and receive JSON data from front-end 10. Implement the UI and workflow 11. Connect the chosen APIs 12. Test until the success criteria are met 13. Deploy to production 14. Maintain via regular updates
As you can see, the traditional development process is twice as long, and the majority of steps require manual input by software engineers. While their efforts are crucial at the decision-making stage, the routine tasks can and should be taken care of by low-code solutions.
Low-code/no-code platforms features & capabilities
Low-code development might not replace a team of full-stack software engineers for now, but it can greatly assist in their efforts and bring multiple benefits to the table. Let's review just how much you win by implementing a low-code/no-code approach:
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Low-code platforms comparison
With dozens of low-code solutions available, I've taken the freedom to select the top-5 options that satisfy most enterprise and SMB requirements.
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Why is freshcode portal the best choice?
Our team try to keep with times considering the trends of non-code and low-code platforms and once decided to provide our own product. Freshcode Portal is the result of the consistent decisions taken over the years to simplify and optimize the software development process both for software companies and their clients. Finally, this platform rests in the strong foundation of our experience on the IT marketplace. Let's take a short overview.
Freshcode Portal consists of two core modules:
DataModel
StoryBook
DataModel is responsible for the app's back-end development. User can enjoy the following benefits:
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StoryBook is responsible for the key frontend components that can be created through swift and accessible non-code approaches. For instance, the business analyst can сreate key frontend components in less than one hour once the client's requirements are defined. All that remains to approve concepts with the client and hand it off to the developer for organizing it within the application. Moreover, you will get the next benefits:
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StoryBook module includes the following tools:
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Freshcode Portal application is based on the following key technologies:
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Thus, if the application development is based on Portal, then the client is not tied to a particular team. He or she can continue developing with other specialists without the detriment to process.
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What apps can you create with low-code?
The beauty of low-code is that you can do almost anything an IT vendor may offer. Startups, SMBs, and enterprises usually rely on low-code platforms to develop:
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The great future of low-code development
Low-code development is not just about the drag-and-drop interface. It's an unstoppable shift in the way we create business and consumer applications, and it is bound to gain even more traction in the coming years. Low-code development comes with multiple benefits you can reap by selecting the most suitable application platform and taking your business into the digital age, empowering every employee to create internal and customer-facing apps. Low code is about getting things done better, faster, and cheaper!
Frequently asked questions
What Is the Best Low-code Tool?
As we've discussed above, every low-code platform has its benefits, so there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Consider your needs and use cases, IT expertise, and budget before settling on one. And if you have no idea where to begin, Freshcode Portal is a great starting point.
How Does Low-code Affect Digital Transformation?
Low-code development is an invaluable asset for your digital transformation efforts. Empowering your employees to create internal apps is bound to improve efficiency, reduce the number of mistakes, and ultimately enhance customer experience leading to profit growth.
How to Build an App Without Code?
First, you'll need a good idea of what you want the app to do. Then, choose a no-code/low-code platform and use the lessons and tutorials to learn your way around. Use the drag-and-drop interface to build the functionality and deploy the finished product. It may take you at least a couple of weeks to learn the ins and outs of the platform and complete your project.
What Value Does Low-code & No-code Bring to the Business?
It's challenging to quantify the business value, as there are plenty of things you can gain by implementing low-code development. The time and money savings on developing new products are obvious. However, you will enjoy the overall increased efficiency and improved communication among the employees. Lower expenses, new revenue streams, and even increased creativity among the software engineers may also be the side effects of low-code adoption.
