Difference between No-Code and Low-Code
Lately, I have been seeing No-Code and Low-Code all over the web, since I am an IT engineer and a developer, this term was popping up in my feeds on all the social platforms, and I have been mistaken them for being the same thing, and serving the same purpose of being able to code without writing code, and I was right and wrong, let me explain first what they both mean;
No-Code
No-code development platform (NCDP) stands for software that enables programmers and non-programmers to create application software using graphical user interfaces and configuration rather than traditional computer programming.
No-code development platforms and low-code development platforms are similar in that both are intended to speed up the application development process.
However, unlike low-code development platforms, no-code development platforms do not require any code writing, instead of providing prebuilt templates from which businesses can build apps.
Both platforms have grown in popularity as businesses deal with the contemporary trends of an increasingly mobile workforce and a limited supply of competent software developers.
Visual programming languages are closely related to no-code development platforms.
Examples of No-Code Platforms:
- Shopify: Ecommerce
- WordPress.com: Blog & Website Builder
- Buildbox: Game Creation
- Bubble: Web & Mobile Apps
Low-Code
A low-code development platform (LCDP) is a development environment for creating application software via a graphical user interface.
A low-coded platform may generate fully functional applications or may necessitate additional coding for specific situations.
Low-code development platforms can reduce traditional time spent on development, allowing for faster delivery of business applications.
A common advantage is that a broader range of people; not just those with coding skills; can contribute to the application’s development.
However, good governance is required to adhere to common rules and regulations. LCDPs can also help to reduce the upfront costs of setup, training, deployment, and maintenance.
Low-code development platforms can be traced back to the fourth-generation programming languages and rapid application development tools of the 1990s and early 2000s.
LCDPs, like their predecessors, are based on the principles of model-driven design, automatic code generation, and visual programming.
The concept of end-user development existed previously, but LCDPs introduced some novel approaches to this development.
The market for low-code development platforms dates back to 2011, the term “low-code” was not coined until 9 June 2014, when it was used by industry analyst Forrester Research.
Low-code development platforms, like no-code development platforms, were described as “extraordinarily disruptive” in Forbes magazine in 2017.
Examples of Low-Code Platforms:
Personally, I do prefer working with these platforms which help me create MVP fast and with minimum resources, so as a strategic approach, for me to bootstrap a delivery app I would start the project using a No-Code platform such as Bubble, then while scaling I will switch into a Low-Code platform so I can have the minimum number of team members to keep forehead as low as possible, then in the last stages of the business, I will switch to a hybrid model or go full in house development.
