No-code app development platforms are quintessential examples of cost-effective platforms that even ensure speedier app development.
As it turns out, these platforms are in higher demand these days, driven by the shortage of skilled workforce, increased demand for app development solutions, and work from home restrictions due to Covid 19.
What makes these platforms incredibly interesting is that they are visual platforms. You develop apps through a visual approach, automating all stages of the application development process, thereby allowing employees with little or no background in software development to build app solutions.
According to Forrester, a low-code/no-code development platform will drastically grow from $3.8 billion in 2017 to $21.2 billion by 2022. Google’s recent acquisition of AppSheet has brought no-code development to the Google cloud, which unarguably proves the potential of no code as a leading software development solution.
What Type of Businesses Should Adopt No-code app development?
App development companies struggling to hire qualified developers and lacking in resources should take to no-code app development platforms to help them adapt to the mobile landscape quickly. The low-code approach quickens the app development process by cutting down the development time by several weeks. This post attempts to draw your attention to the advantages of no-code development and why it is said to be the software industry’s future. But before that, let’s give you a brief idea about no-code development technology.
What is No-code Development?
As the name implies, no-code development is a tool for developing software solutions without coding. It’s an ideal choice for non-technical businesses aspiring to own full-fledged applications.
Suppose you run a small business that cannot afford to hire a software developer or outsource to a software development house. In that case, no-code platforms come to their rescue by offering them requisite tools making non-programmers into citizen developers. Yes, you read that right. Even business developers and non-programming staff can develop apps with no code app development techniques.
No code Vs Low Code Development
There’s a wrong perception about low code and no-code development. As in, they are interchangeable terms. But the fact is, they are not.
No-code platforms are essentially meant for business people with no coding background. The platform depends on declarative programming. Simply put, the app developers tell the system what they want, and the system builds it. On the other hand, in traditional software applications, the code comes with instructions that say to the platform “how” to implement the desired functionality.
With no code, the app creator focuses on what the app does rather than how it does it.
Non-technical people also use low-code development. But then, there could be times when you will get stuck, and you will need a developer to take over the unfinished things. The low code platforms come with pre-built functionality that helps users build the application to a certain point, and then the developer takes over and customizes the rest. Developers tell the platform how they would like to use the components.
How do you develop an app without code?
Building apps without using code almost seems magical, specifically for those who are new to no-code platforms.
But the fact is: when you are building apps with no code platforms, you are using codes. The only thing is: you aren’t the one writing any codes. Got the drift?
No code platforms come with ready-made drag-and-drop elements that are already coded for reuse and resale.
A no-code development platform is more or less a user interface builder, which you can use to drag-and-drop a put a web page, and instantly find out how it looks on mobile, tablet, and desktop. No code platforms leverage declarative UI, describing what the user should see instead of “how” it should be laid out. This helps the users to deploy the apps across multiple devices.
Further, there’s a wrong notion that code applications are meant to develop only simple apps. However, nothing can be further from the truth. No code application builders use low-code platforms to build sophisticated apps with rich functionalities. It’s now easier to build end-to-end applications with no-code platform.
The benefits of No-Code Development
1. Lower cost of Development
Unlike traditional apps, no-code apps are developed in days to a few weeks. The faster development process ensures a lower cost of development and even reduces the pressure on IT teams and at the same time keeps up with the demands of digital requirements.
2. Easier Development Process
No-code tools are easier to use so much so that even high school kids could try their hands at them. The drag and drop features are intuitive, which drastically reduces the learning curve. You can easily create any enterprise application without any coding knowledge. And being a visual process, developers can have an idea about the development process in real-time and make changes on the fly.
3. The rise of Citizen Developers
Companies without skilled in-house developers tend to outsource their projects which could prove costly and lead to issues such as time sinks and hidden costs. With no-code platform, companies can easily empower their citizen developers to create business applications based on their needs without depending on added resources.
4. Quick Updation of apps
Businesses are continually in a state of flux, making it difficult for app developers to change code midway. Nevertheless, with no-code app development platforms, changes in the application or enhancements can be easily made compared to traditional application development methods. This type of development streamlines the app development process and enables rapid time-to-market.
5. Delivering Applications at Lightening Speed
No code apps can be developed in minutes or just a few hours. This reduces the development time significantly as opposed to traditional methods. In traditional development, developers tend to write every line of code manually. In contrast, in no-code platforms, citizen developers or business users use intuitive drag-and-drop features to create and customize applications.
6. Maintenance is a breeze
In the traditional coding world, maintenance demands time, given the complications involved. Needless to say, with no-code, you don’t even require a programmer to do the maintenance for you.
7. Pivot easily
Well, by pivoting, we mean pivoting the audience and not the app. If you feel that a specific no-code app might do well for another target market, the switch can easily be made without needing developers.
No-code is the future
No-code platforms have, of course, profited from these uncertain times. That said, no-code platforms are here to stay as they have become the default choice of enterprises, thanks to their potential and ease. More no-code tools will emerge, and in no time, no-code will become the new normal. As per a Gartner report, by 2024, 75% of large enterprises will be employing four low-code no-code development tools for IT apps and empowering citizen developers.
Author bio: I am Jennifer Warren- a blogger and content manager at GoodFirms – a review and rating agency that offers a level playing to businesses of all sizes.