The barrier to entry for building apps and websites has gone down and people with less programming skills can now develop software. What changed?
What is low code? Low-code is a language or framework that helps people with little programming experience create and develop software. Instead of complex back-end code and libraries, low-level code uses visual templates and drag-and-drop frameworks that open up development to non-software developers.
Low code design tools allow people to create complex programs with less programming experience. Today you will learn what low code is, how it works and whether you should use it for your projects.
Why is low code important?
Creating software requires careful design. The program must work well for both users and developers, and applications are constantly changing. Along with adding new features to the platform, everything else needs to stay updated and compatible with providing a great user experience.
Updating and changing software is often a difficult process. Ideas and designs have to go through the IT department already in charge of maintaining the software, and progress can be slow. Most software uses similar templates, and creating them from scratch for every project is time-consuming.
Using low code and low code application platform can solve some of these problems. Anything that is updated frequently can work on low code principles. A good level of low code action can allow non-developers to update existing code without the risk of breaking anything and without much prior knowledge.
Low-Code vs. No-Code
If you’ve seen the term “low code,” you’ve probably also seen “no code.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, the difference lies in how much code the user needs to know to use each one.
Low code requires users to familiarize themselves with a small amount of code and put it together so it works with a larger code base underneath. While this isn’t exactly an exact comparison, you can think of it as performing math operations on cells in Microsoft Excel.
No-code completely eliminates the need for code and is a purely visual form of code and design based on the user interface. Website builders like Squarespace are a great example of this type of platform.
Low Code Platform Examples
Low code providers basically offer a similar service. Let’s take a look at two popular companies offering low-code solutions.
Google App Creator
A well-known example of a low-code platform is Google App Creator. While you still need to understand enough HTML and CSS to customize your application, the platform handles most of the other aspects for you. A visual drag and drop designer replaces traditional development.
App Creator not only helps in the development and creation of applications. It also provides analytical tools to monitor their usage and manage administrative rights.
OutSystems
OutSystems provides the same service as App Creator but is slightly more mature. Designed for corporate use, it also boasts a drag-and-drop creation tool.
Instead of focusing solely on providing a front-end user interface design tool or solving database and data manipulation tasks, OutSystems says it’s an all-in-one solution.
This means that if you want to develop an application that requires a front end for the public and your company, along with a robust back-end database, you can do most of the work without having to code it yourself. This will free up time and resources for hiring developers and software designers for critical parts of your project.