What Is No Code / Low Code?
You may have heard of this trend as no-code, zero-code, or even visual programming. Put, no-code is a methodology and set of tools and platforms that can be used individually or in an integrated manner by programmers or non-coders to develop fully functional digital projects such as websites, mobile apps, business process applications/automation, reports, without a write a single line of code or master a programming language. How can this be achieved? Well, using graphical user interfaces and advanced configuration instead of traditional programming. Some of these tools even allow the user to insert lines of code.
These platforms are then referred to as “low-code platforms”. The ability to add code increases the complexity of the projects that can be developed with no-code and low-code tools. Some no-code/low-code platforms have specialized in playing the role of an intermediary between the different no-code/low-code applications and most of the big established digital platforms like Amazon, Google, Microsoft etc. The focus here is on integrating these systems to create digital ecosystems that are more complex in functionality or simpler in development. It is interesting that many of these platforms also offer free options.
What Can Be Built With No Code / Low Code?
When most people hear about no-code/low-code platforms, their first thought is that they are simple digital assistants that are only fit for a specific task. Well, a no-code/low-code platform is much more than that. Suppose you are starting a new business. What digital tools will you need to create using no-code/low-code tools?
- site
- blog
- Shop
- CRM
- ERP
- Project management tools
- Integration with accounting software
- Integration with Google, MS Office, Cloud
The above issues and requirements can be developed using no-code/low-code solutions. And, of course, integrating existing systems and applications is also possible.
Who Is No-Code/Low-Code Suitable For?
Definitely For Startups
The biggest challenge most startups face is their reliance on technical resources to develop their products. Many people have great ideas, which always cost money to develop. For this reason, we see many technicians as co-founders in many startups. It’s only sometimes their idea, but they need to get equity to use their skills to help develop the product.
No-code/low-code platforms give anyone the skills to build MVPs that can be tested in the real market. This saves a lot of money and eliminates the need for large financings or forced partnerships to last a lifetime. This is also an added incentive for sales and marketing people, as until now, the essential skill to develop a tech startup has been technical literacy. This allows startup founders to focus on building empathy for their customers instead of on blocks of code.
Small Business Owners
There is a digital tool for every need and size of business (maybe even free), but every business is different. Each owner brings a different part of their personality to their business, creating unique process needs. These are the success and failure factors of those who try to copy the same values because they have to be original and unique to work. Each of these processes requires a different design pattern and management model. No-code/low-code platforms help the entrepreneur develop his “special” needs and integrate them with the main business tools without costly customization of the company’s digital tools.
Decision-Makers In Large Companies
Large companies in our digital sphere mean many digital tools, data and information tones, and unique possibilities in decision-making. However, data from many sources can be more messy than beneficial if not appropriately managed. No-code / low-code helps companies to build some simple processes and automation for managing and integrating complex data and showing it in the right way to the right people to make the right decisions that lead to business success.
For Excelians
Excel has a fantastic toolkit for making even the worst numbers look good, and that’s precisely the problem. With a no-code/low-code tool, one can build robust applications that take the raw data and present it in all sorts of ways, allowing each stakeholder to review the data based on their skill and mindset and develop thoughts and ideas that lead to better decisions.
In summary, no-code/low-code is suitable for any size business. It’s not just about low costs or low technical effort. It’s not just about simplicity either. It’s about giving owners and internal resources the ability, at a reasonable cost and with little effort, to build in custom digital tools that help them with one or more of the tasks listed below:
- Management and presentation of data and information
- Automation and management of internal and external processes
- Management of customer relationships and the organization of communication
- The rapid development of testable and adaptable MVPs at any time
- The rapid development of ad hoc tools
No-Code/Low-Code Platforms And Covid-19
It is well known that digital transformation is a topic that has occupied many organizations over the past decade. Automating processes will increase speed and power, leading to data generation that will enable companies to make the most efficient decisions in a minimum time and budget.
Is No-Code / Low-Code – Just A Trend Or The Next Big Thing?
The total no-code/low-code market was approximately $6 billion in 2018. It is estimated that the market will be $52-55 billion in 2024. That’s an annual growth rate of 50%, which is quite remarkable. However, it should never be considered that any of these platforms would ever replace developers, as developers always need to build and improve no-code/low-code platforms.
To answer the question, the bottom line is that modern companies will use no-code/low-code platforms to build custom automation or processes that serve temporary or permanent needs quickly, at no cost, and with their resources to respond to their way to secure their knowledge and expertise. If that is different from the next big thing, then the next big thing would be integrating the no-code/low-code philosophy with artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. When AI is ready, integrating AI capabilities with big data and no-code/low-code platforms can help build solutions.
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