As an app development company, we’ve seen how low code apps have grown in popularity. This has been in part thanks to new technologies, but also because the market conditions have helped them gain attention. After all, developing quality software isn’t cheap, and everyone seems to need customized software solutions nowadays.
To build a world-class digital product, you need to hire a world-class service provider. Ideally, the way to go is to develop an app with the help of experienced app development experts. However, at Koombea we understand that this isn’t always a possibility. For different reasons, companies sometimes find low code app development to be a better alternative.
If you are thinking about budget-friendly and fast application development solutions, then this post is for you. I will discuss what low code development is, its benefits and strengths, as well as its disadvantages and weaknesses for business applications.
Application Development Alternatives
Not all companies wanting to develop an app look for the same solutions or have the same objectives. For different reasons, a company might want to consider a low code app. These are some of the main reasons why a company would want an alternative to traditional application development:
- A traditional app development process can be expensive. Some alternatives allow companies with limited budgets to develop the product they need at the moment.
- An app can help solve a problem, but it isn’t a risk-free solution. Having a simplified version of an app can serve as a way to validate product-market fit, an idea, or a hypothesis before scaling.
- An MVP is sometimes needed to have a powerful and impactful sales pitch that can convince investors, but building a sophisticated one can consume time, money, and other resources.
- Development tools are not available to everyone. They are expensive and have a learning curve that sometimes companies are not willing to deal with in order to build an application.
Due to these and other reasons, companies have been seeking different ways to build an app. Enter no code and low code apps.
No Code Development Platforms
No code platforms are software development tools that can be used to build apps without having any knowledge of programming. Thanks to an easy-to-use user interface, a no-code development platform can be used as easily as your favorite app or any other mainstream software tool.
Through the use of specific blocks that represent features, modules, and other app components, users can build their apps in an easy and intuitive way. This paves the way for many non-technical users to build great looking products without having to go through the process of learning code.
Although this is a great way to democratize software building processes, it is not the same as a quality app development process. This last encompasses a series of steps through which app development professionals make sure that every aspect of an app is considered. In this article, you will find information on the truth about no-code apps and their weaknesses.
Low Code Development Platforms
Like no-code platforms, low code development platforms are an easy, economical, and fast way to build apps through a friendly user interface. Low code platforms differentiate themselves from no-code platforms because they offer users the possibility to build an app with or without custom code. In other words, they offer the possibility to increase the level of customization of the app-building process without requiring from the user the same level of difficulty of the traditional stages of the app development cycle.
The Positive Side to Low Code
Low code application platforms can help accelerate the development speed, reducing the time to market of an app while taking into account aspects that a no-code platform does not allow. This is great for companies that wish to build a low-level prototype with a strong user interface. After all, low code platforms, if used correctly, can compete almost at the same level as a professional app in terms of how they look. Through easy to use user interfaces that use drag and drop capabilities, users can build the product they have in mind.
A great thing about this app development alternative is that most low code solutions integrate essential project management tools. Although they do not replace them completely, they do help keep track of important changes, tasks, and things to keep an eye on. This makes them a great business application development tool, especially for startups with scarce resources, whether to build web applications or cloud applications.
Lastly, this type of platform can be used to build products that can later scale at some point if their audience requires them to. And if the moment to scale never comes, the sunken costs are never as high as a traditional app. This makes them a great choice for high-risk projects.
The Negative Side to Low Code
The positive aspects of a low code app should be taken with a grain of salt, as ultimately, what defines how an app looks and feels is the expertise of the designer; that is something that even a low code application platform cannot do.
A low code app, even if it looks and feels like a traditional app, is something different. Other software components still need to be addressed, and what a low code platform does is it bypasses those requirements in order to deliver a product that is easy to build.
That low code apps are somehow limited isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does put a ceiling in terms of what can be done within the app. In particular, it limits the implementation and configuration of important app aspects like:
- The use of Artificial Intelligence
- Cloud computing configurations
- IT infrastructure settings
In addition, building an app through low code technologies also limits the learnings that can be acquired through a traditional application development lifecycle. And although this sounds like a minor thing, for companies wishing to scale at some point, learning the basics of app development the right way is key to success. This is something that can only be learned hands-on.
Wrapping It Up
The application delivery process is key to any successful app endeavor, and although low code platforms may lack in complexity, they are still a great solution for companies looking for specific solutions.
At Koombea we’ve been building apps since 2007 and we’ve seen how the industry has changed. Thanks to new technologies, more people can now have access to build all sorts of apps. If you’d like to build a low code app with the same experience as a traditional app development project, contact us. Let one of our experts understand your needs and we might be able to help.
