5th February 2024
We’re often asked for the difference between no-code and low-code. Comparing no-code tools to the capabilities of Liberty Create, our low-code platform, are like comparing apples with oranges. They really are different solutions, aimed at solving different problems.
John Rymer, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, made the point quite clearly that no-code and low-code application development is not the same thing in his article Watch Your Language! “Low-Code” And “No-Code” Are Not The Same.
In many organisations, there’s room for multiple tools and platforms, with each being put to the use that they are best suited.
Here’s how no-code and low-code platforms compare:
No-code: It’s designed for business users to get the apps they need without having to rely on IT. It allows them to build simple departmental apps for their own use or the use of their departmental colleagues.
Low-code: Business users and analysts who understand the process and want to create apps by defining the process flow, data model and user interface using a simple, graphical approach. IT also use low-code development software to extend the power of the platform and provide appropriate security and governance.
No-code: Simple app requirements including friendly front-end on a spreadsheet or simple forms for data capture processes.
Low-code: Both simple and complex apps, where the process can impact many people. It’s designed to deliver great customer experience (CX) and plug the gaps between the front office and back office.
No-code: No existing development skills are needed. You don’t have to know coding. It provides some autonomy from IT.
Low-code: Can deliver apps up to 10x faster than traditional development, therefore delivering faster value to the business. Low-code platforms include testing, security, deployment, maintenance and governance capabilities.
No-code: No existing development skills are needed. You don’t have to know coding. It provides some autonomy from IT.
Low-code: Can deliver apps up to 10x faster than traditional development, therefore delivering faster value to the business. Low-code platforms include testing, security, deployment, maintenance and governance capabilities.
No-code: Implemented within departments for the use of that team.
Low-code: Used across the business, with extensive integration capabilities to existing systems.
No-code: It’s great for simple apps and extending them to web and mobile devices. This allows business users to go at their own pace.
Low-code: Offers a much faster time to value. Reduces the IT app backlog and enables the business to realise its innovation requirements, while providing IT the overall control. Low-code solutions can join up different systems and processes, so these apps can fill functional process gaps quickly.
No-code: Apps are often built in silos and many projects get started but often never completed. Projects may never be documented and get orphaned when the original creator moves on, as they’re difficult for others to pick up and maintain.
Low-code: It’s not suitable for every type of application. Platforms have varying capabilities for testing, DevOps and governance.
We can see then there are clear differences between no-code and low-code development tools.
No-code tools are perfect for citizen developers (business users) to build simple apps for themselves and their team. If they are good at building things – such as complex spreadsheets and Salesforce reports, it’s likely they’ll be able to use these tools to build friendly front-ends to those systems for web and mobile use.
Low-code tools can take on departmental requirements, as well as requirements for the enterprise more widely. As the name suggests, low-code development supports some coding, though far less than traditional methods. Referring back to John Rymer’s article, we find this to be accurate:
“When required, coding addresses three common areas: integration, UI and reporting. In our surveys, both pro and “citizen” developers tell us that when they require coding, it is to integrate their apps with other systems, create custom user interfaces (UI) and address their reporting requirements.”
John Rymer
Vice President, Principal Analyst – Forrester
The best low-code software tools allow business users and IT to build apps together. They deliver apps that bake-in understanding of business teams alongside IT’s ability to provide security, control and governance. These platforms can therefore support simple and more complex apps targeting both internal and external users.
The very best low-code platforms focus on bringing people and systems together to deliver the best possible experience for customers (CX). Gaps close between front-end and back-end systems, between modern and legacy apps and between business and IT. All of the systems then combine to deliver an experience that the customer will benefit from.
In 2019, Gartner predicted that “By 2024, 75% of large enterprises will be using at least four low-code development tools for both IT application development and citizen development initiatives”. Their current research shows that the market for low-code application platforms is growing rapidly, with the low-code application platform market forecast to be $16.5 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.3% from 2022-2027.
And that’s just fine with us.
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