Low-code, no-code or custom code? What should you choose?

The quest to find the right app development approach is never-ending but this article will be your guiding light when choosing the right platform or technology.

Today, so many organisations are tempted to build websites and mobile apps to help users find them, connect with them and hear their brand’s story. Now, there is an age-old method, called custom web development which everyone knows but what about those founders who want something cost-effective, under their budget but still provide the best of features, hence low-code and no-code. This approach is being adopted like jungle fire and stats prove that.

As per Gartner's projections, an impressive 65% of application development projects are expected to rely on low-code development by 2024. This indicates that most software development initiatives will leverage no-code platforms to enhance efficiency in the process.

Let’s understand more and figure out which approach suits your needs.

What is low-code development?

• Low-code development has emerged as a highly sought-after alternative to traditional software development. This approach appeals to both developers and non-technical folks, as it helps them to swiftly and effortlessly create applications.
• Low-code platforms provide the developers with pre-built components to help them quickly develop and deploy the applications using little amount of code, without developing from scratch.
• It significantly reduces the time and cost typically associated with software development.
• Building applications using low-code platforms is not only faster and more straightforward, but it also eliminates maintenance efforts and costs, unlike custom-coded apps. This allows developers to focus their efforts on enhancing functionality and delivering exceptional user experiences, rather than getting hammered down by tedious maintenance tasks.

Why should you choose low-code development?

• The efficiency increases with low-code development, where team members, regardless of their coding expertise, can actively contribute to app creation without depending on writing coding which speeds up the app development process.
• Low-code platforms streamline the app development process and increase overall team productivity. Though there may be a trade-off in programming flexibility, the time saved allows developers to redirect their efforts toward more intricate projects requiring advanced coding skills.
• With low-code, the team reduces a considerable amount of cost, by using the existing skills of the team and developers.
• Low-code platforms offer flexibility, seamless app maintenance, updates, and enhancements with minimal reliance on extensive coding.

4 best low-code platforms

Low-code platforms are developer-friendly because they create applications without needing advanced coding skills. These platforms use a visual approach for application development, which means you can simply drag and drop components and use visual tools. Some of the most popular low-code platforms are -

Appian

It is a top choice for a low-code platform. It has built-in tools and smoothly works with popular DevOps tools like Jenkins. It is designed for businesses of all sizes, Appian allows users to create effective business process management (BPM) applications easily.

OutSystems

OutSystems allows businesses to create applications seamlessly across different mediums. With features like real-time performance dashboards and strong security, it's a top choice for businesses wanting speedy development capabilities.

Quickbase

It specialises in creating workflows to solve team challenges and improve operations. Quickbase offers a no-code option and excels in its prebuilt marketplace and easy third-party integrations.

Zoho Creator

Zoho creator is a simple platform with intuitive visual tools for low-code/no-code development.

Limitations of low-code development (H3)

Lack of control

While low-code offers simplicity, the trade-off is less control over the generated code. Traditional coding might be a better fit for more complex projects where precision matters.

Vendor lock-in

Some low-code platforms come with their tools, making it challenging to switch providers. Consider potential rework if you outgrow their capabilities.

Limited customisation

Low-code is excellent for common features but may struggle with complex needs.

Integration complexity

While low-code is efficient for app building, integrating it with existing systems can be technically challenging.

Scalability

Low-code simplifies technical complexities but might struggle with large-scale applications.

What is no-code development?

• No-code development means building any program or application without using any code and it facilitates even non-technical founders or folks to create applications with a drop-and-drag feature that uses a visual development interface.
• This approach is significantly helping people to create more without any knowledge of coding.
• It saves time and effort put in by the developers to write code from scratch. Founders who want to build a website or a mobile application can do so on their own without paying a hefty amount.

Why should you choose no-code development?

• This approach accelerated your team’s application-building speed with the drag-and-drop templates without using a single line of code which indicates that even non-technical people can get familiar with the tool in no time.
• Applications require new features and updates frequently and to achieve this no-code development proves to be efficient. This way you can develop and deploy the applications or the features quickly.
• No-code development proves to be one of the best options because of its ability to save companies money and resources as you need just one person, not the whole team to develop the application and it can be started within a day and completed in a week depending on the intricate features.

4 best no-code platforms

No-code platforms offer prebuilt templates that help the team design and create the applications much more rapidly. Some of the best 2023 no-code platforms are given below.

Softr

Softr is beginner-friendly and has a lot of templates to use. It offers some of the most advanced features that are available in other apps but without any difficulty.

Bubble

Bubble proves to be efficient when building an MVP or prototyping. Bubble is a little difficult to work on for beginners and they might need a little help but if you want an app builder that is flexible and can help you set up all the advanced logic then Bubble is the right choice for you.

Webflow

Webflow is a beginner-friendly platform that makes it easy to integrate animations when building websites and custom databases. 

Airtable

Airtable comes in handy when managing a project. It has some spreadsheets and databases which makes its interface completely intuitive and easy to use. 

Limitations of no-code development

Restricted customisation

No-code development limits the creativity power because of the pre-built components and the same goes for the advanced features.

Limited scalability

As your business progresses you need to make it more user-friendly and with much more intricate features. With no-code platforms, there are often resource constraints that inhibit scalability. This leads to unattended traffic and poor user experience.

Incompatible integration

Though many of the no-code platforms support third-party integrations it might not be easy. In case you need a separate third-party payment tool integration into your app and the platform doesn’t support it, it becomes a problem in turn hampering scalability.

Security concerns

Though no-code is pretty much secure you do not have any control over your code. And in case you think about integrating a tool for safety then it will be costly.

What is custom code development?

• In custom code development, the developers write code from scratch to design and build an application. This approach requires a lot of time and effort because a complete roadmap has to be created and the technology stack has to be decided.
• This approach is one of the most useful ones when it comes to building efficient and scalable applications.
• It also requires regular maintenance by the developers.

Why should you choose custom code development?

• When developing applications or websites for a scalable business, the developers can customise everything and because it is made from scratch it is much more flexible. It is highly reliable and secure.
• Your developers will have complete ownership and control of the code which they can alter at any time to suit the needs of the users.
• With custom code development, you have the liberty to integrate as many third-party tools as you would like your application to have
• When an app is developed from scratch, all the possible errors and shortcomings are already looked into and resolved during the discovery and analysis phase of the software life cycle.

Popular custom code programming languages

In custom code development, the selection of the programming language depends on various factors. 

PHP

PHP is used as a server-side coding language to develop web pages, websites, and tools like CMS and ecommerce platforms. It is open source and has a robust library which is easy to use to build scalable products.

Ruby

Ruby is a server-side programming language, used to develop several internet applications. It can support procedural and functional programming.

Java 

Java helps in developing applications that run on massive networks. It supports portability features and multi-threading.

Kotlin

Kotlin is mostly used to build Android applications because of its high-quality IDE support and clean syntax.

Limitations of custom code development

Higher costs

Custom code requires a team of developers and specialists which is a costly affair.

Slow deployment

This approach requires the team and the stakeholders to research, prepare, and document requirements, technology, and steps taken which is tedious. The application is tested and then deployed in the market which consumes time.

Resource intensive

As in this particular approach, the applications are developed from scratch, a team of experienced developers is required, and other resources. Either, you would choose to employ an in-house team which might take a lot of time to find such talents or you can choose to outsource the development.

Difference between low-code, no-code, and custom code development

Factors to consider while making a decision

Project complexity and scope

The first factor that would decide the future of your application is how complex it is. For example, developing an ecommerce website is much more complex than a platform that helps people log into a system. 

Low-code and no-code are suitable for projects that don't require much precision and as custom-coded applications are built from scratch they can easily handle the complexity of the project.

Another factor that plays a major role is scalability. As a business grows, it needs to improve the user experience through better graphics, speedy response, and deploying new features faster and this requires customisation which is specifically possible with custom code development.

Time-to-market considerations

Depending on the time constraints you can choose among three. If you need to develop and deploy the app as quickly as possible then low-code and no-code are your best bets but in case you can wait for the application to develop but want it to be just right with all the intricate features, in turn, improving the user experience, then go with custom code development.

However, no-code and low-code are speedy they do not promise precision or scalability whereas custom code needs much time but that is because you get a much-enhanced application with precision.

Budget constraints

As we know by now as compared to low-code and no-code, custom code is much more specialised hence it is costly. This implies that if you have budget constraints then low-code or no-code should be your choice but in case you are well off then it is better to go for the custom code development because even though the cost is on the higher side you get a superior application as compared too other approaches. 

Scalability

The scalability of your application depends on the platform you use. Now, go for low-code or no-code, less developmental costs but limited scalability because of the prebuilt templates there’s only so much you can do but custom code wins here, even though it is pricier, you can scale your application, and with no limits.

Collaboration and team dynamics

Collaboration in low-code/no-code

Today, there are so many low-code and no-code advanced platforms that facilitate the complete development team to work on the same project in real-time. This helps the team to be on the same page and work towards the same goal together.  Another plus point is that the stakeholders can also participate and keep a close eye on the development of the applications and share their input in case of any.

Team structure for custom development

When building an application using custom code, you need to set up a team that collaborates and is on the same page and this is easier said than done. There are two options for you to decide from.

In-house development team

To set up an in-house development team, you will have to use the job portals to sort the applications, take their interviews, and do a final skillset test. This is a tedious process but there are certain benefits as well such as direct communication, culture, and mindset synergy. The price to select the best talent out of the pool is a costly process.

According to a Glassdoor study, the cost of hiring an employee is around $4000 and the employer has to also pay for paid sick leaves, paid vacation days, and insurance.

Outsourced development team

This approach has been the top choice for most companies including tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google. According to a study, 60% of IT companies have chosen to outsource their projects. The reason behind such a huge number is the various advantages it provides such as a diverse skill set talent pool, experienced professionals, effective time and budget, and the outsource development team that can easily take your application to a new level. Custom code development requires a team that is 100% on board with your idea and to choose a perfect team a thorough analysis is needed.

If you want to know more about how you can make an informed decision check this out for a detailed analysis based on several factors such as time and budget, skillset, and project delivery.

Future trends and technological advancements

Building applications is getting simpler day by day, all thanks to low-code/no-code development. It reduces the scope of manual coding. Now, technologies such as AI, augmented reality and natural language processing automate most of the repetitive tasks making it accessible and user-friendly. The future promises even easier visual interfaces, increased AI assistance, and better integration with cutting-edge tech.

There have been new advancements in custom code development meaning new technologies have been integrated to provide companies with data, predict trends, and personalize experiences for users. Recent trends, like breaking down software into smaller parts (microservices), using server less computing, and improving teamwork between developers and operations (DevOps), are making these solutions even more scalable, flexible, and secure.

With this article, you are equipped with all the information you need to make a decision and see your idea come to reality. If you want to take a second opinion and figure out which approach suits your project best, consult with our experts on a 30-minute free call.