What is Low Code Development? Challenges and Opportunities 2022

The number of tools and technology available to businesses has increased dramatically in the previous 20 years. As a result, different departments are now responsible for different, complicated environments rather than homogeneous stacks. Custom scripts no longer meet current enterprises' speed and agility requirements, and specialization goes against the increasingly typical cross-platform procedures. Only a few developers have hands-on experience with each tool used in an end-to-end procedure. Low-code development platforms allow businesses to quickly put together new processes and construct apps without having to spend time researching, writing, and testing new scripts. But, what is low code development? Low-code is a visual approach to software development that provides building blocks for users to assemble it into workflows and applications. Various examples of such tools involve WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Weebly etc.

Types of Low Code Development Platforms:

• General Purpose: This type of platform can create any type of application and is used best to serve the needs and requirements of a large number of people.
• Process: These platforms are targeted toward software that automate business processes, such as business forms, workflows, and system integrations.
• Request Handling: Low-code platforms that handle requests are identical to process-based low-code platforms, although they are less capable. They can only deal with requests for certain processes.
• Database: These are restricted platforms that only allow the user to extract data from databases in the system.
• Mobile Application Development Platform (MADP): Developers can use these platforms to create, test, and launch mobile apps for smartphones and tablets.
  

Features of  Low Code Development

• Visual Modeling Tools: Low code development platforms, with visual modeling tools, have built-in systems and templates which are easy for everyone to understand regardless of whether the user is from a technical background or not. This feature also helps in saving time in developing an app.

• Drag and Drop Interface: It is a crucial feature of low-code development platforms. Both citizen and technical developers benefit from the convenient drag-and-drop features provided throughout the development of programmers.

• Security: Low-development code platforms should be able to secure applications that are created by business and the data entered in the platforms.

• Scalability: Scalability is an essential feature as the platforms should be able to create applications, featured to accommodate rise in the users as the company expands.

• Out-Of-The-Box Functionality: Leading low-code systems offer OOTB (out-of-the-box) software, eliminating the requirement to design crucial components for applications from the beginning. For example, some low-code solutions include data storage or customer-facing app components like service management or sales process management.

Advantages of  Low Code Developments

1. Rapid Assembly of Solutions

According to a source, low code development approaches make software development ten times faster as compared to the traditional methods of software development, makes speed one of the crucial advantages of low code approaches. Low-code approaches involve in-built templates, drag and drop options and various business process data models which can help in creating enterprise-grade apps in 2-3 days.

2. Helps Business to Remain Uptight with Current Trends

A firm must adapt and respond successfully to market shifts and possible opportunities in today's quickly expanding digital landscape. Creating applications using a traditional development approach would be a time-consuming and long process. Low-code development tools enable systems to satisfy an almost infinite set of needs more quickly and safely. It also provides the option to change codes as per the requirements.

3. Less Coding, More Results

Low-code programming requires less coding, which saves time and reduces the risk of errors. Pre-built templates and ready-to-use components help the developers to work more efficiently and save time of writing and rewriting the code.

4. Democratization of Software Development

Citizen developers can contribute to application delivery using the low-code method. Most citizen developers lack the programming skills required to hand-code a full application, but they do have the business expertise required to construct useful apps that speed up corporate operations. To cite an example: a doctor can create a more functional and useful help for the hospital using a low code approach then a software developer with lack of medical knowledge.

5. Increased Productivity Among and Across Teams

Low development code acts as a bridge to fill in the gaps between IT team and other business teams. As it is easy for teams to develop applications with basic knowledge of coding, they are no longer dependent on the IT team. This helps the teams to reduce the timings for producing results and increase productivity.

6. Lower Maintenance Burden

By abstracting the boring plumbing work from day-to-day development, low-code development relieves the strain of software maintenance. There are considerably fewer problems and integration concerns to deal with as the components are standardized, pretested, and ready-made as compared to the traditional development work. Developers, now, can focus on new work that generates more company value by focusing and spending less time on maintenance.

Challenges of  Low Code Developments 

• Rigid Templates Low code development platforms have in-built templates and functionalities, which is a limitation for business processes and workflows which require a high level of customization.

• Extensive Training Required: More training is required for the users to use the low code development platforms, especially non-technical users, which is time-consuming. It also would involve high costs to give such extensive training to the users.

• Lack of Flexibility and Limited Customization: Low/no-code environments frequently claim that you won't have to write code, however this isn't always the case. Some of the advantages of shifting to a low code environment are outweighed by this limitation, as instances that require extensive customization require expertise of IT teams because of lack of flexibility and limited customization options.

• Hard to Manage Software Development Life Cycle: Software is typically written, tested, and then put into production. This reduces the quantity of software bugs. Most low-code systems are still in the development stage. While firms have released versions of these that make it very easy for a user to create a web application, end-users are sometimes dissatisfied by the difficulties in understanding and resolving certain issues.

• Security of Data: People can do more and more things with platforms as they become more effective, which means they will erode business security even more. A logic flaw that allows one person to access data belonging to another or posts sensitive material to a public site, for example, could pose major issues for a business.