What is low-code? In a nutshell, it’s a programming alternative for building web and native mobile apps and is a popular toolkit for building your app.
Read on to learn:
- How low-code works, and who’s most suited to use it
- The differences between low-code, no-code, and traditional coding
- How businesses can leverage low-code platforms to achieve their app-building or software development goals
- Determining if low-code is right for you, and a few low-code platforms available today
What Is Low-Code Development?
Simply put, low-code development is a software development technique that integrates features of no-code app development and traditional coding. You don’t need to be fluent in any programming languages to use a low-code app-building platform, but you’ll need some tech knowledge.
The main difference between low-code and no-code is that low-code requires some tech experience. However, how much tech knowledge is enough to use a low-code app builder?
To answer this vital question, here’s a list of some skills that will determine if a low-code platform is suitable for you:
- Knowing the basic logic behind coding languages, such as commands, conditions, etc.
- Minimal ability to write basic JavaScript, Java, and C++ commands — you only need to know how these work.
- The ability to read JSON (JavaScript Object Notation).
- Experience with data structures and an understanding of SQL (Structured Query Language), a programming language for databases, are required.
- An understanding of API (application programming interface) calls and responses, as well as working with REST (Representational State Transfer) APIs.
As we said, you don’t need to be anywhere near holding a Computer Science PhD from MIT to use a low-code platform — but you’ll need to know a few things about computers and tech.
Low-Code vs. No-Code vs. Traditional Coding: Key Differences
While low-code generally follows the same app-building process as no-code, developing an app with low-code has unique features. These low-code specialties essentially come from the programming and techie playbook, yet they don’t require extensive coding to execute.
Here are some of the critical differences with no-code or coding you’ll get with a low-code platform:
- Faster development speed: Compared with traditional coding, you’ll generally be able to build your app in a shorter timeframe when using a no-code platform.
This is because instead of monotonously typing line after line of monotonous code, you’ll already have hit the ground running by configuring a premade template with the drag-and-drop interface and existing elements.
- Skill requirements: Regarding the skill spectrum, you’ll need to be somewhere in between knowing just a little about tech and being a full-on coder. Low-code platforms are unlike no-code platforms because they require some tech skills, whereas no-code platforms require none.
For instance, you’ll use coding and technical knowledge when structuring your database and defining parameters for your backend logic when using low-code. If you’re unsure how to execute tasks like these, a low-code platform will most likely frustrate you.
- Flexibility and customization: Low-code may have some limits, but for many applications, it offers more than enough flexibility. You can use basic Python, JavaScript, or SQL skills to customize loops, logic, your database, and more.
You can also leverage your knowledge of CSS and Javascript to create customized widgets, graphs, or authentication tools that you can plug into your frontend. Since these creations are yours, they’ll uniquely function precisely how you need them to.
- Keep your source code: Most low-code app builders let you keep the code your app is built on, which is your source code. While you’ll obviously have your source code when you use a programming language to make your app, it’s uncommon for no-code app builders to let you keep your source code.
By keeping your code, you’ll be able to share it on an open source network like GitHub, further develop it yourself using a programming language, or enlist an app-building agency to complete building.
Additionally, if the low-code platform you used goes out of business, you won’t lose your app because you’ll have its source code.
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How To Choose the Right Low-Code Platform
If you have some tech skills and want to apply them to your app-building, read on. We’ll point out the steps you need to take to select the low-code platform that best fits your needs:
Your Tech Experience and Your Project’s Scope
Before you begin browsing the different low-code options, quickly assess your tech skills. Grab a piece of paper and a pen, and jot down past projects you’ve worked on, skills you’ve learned, and what you know about coding languages. Survey your tech background and programming knowledge.
Now, think about the app you’re aiming to build. Write down the features you wish to add, and make a special note of how you are planning on customizing your database, backend logic, or frontend features.
For instance, you might want to design a special API for gathering specific stock market data, or you’re aiming to embed a visual widget into your frontend. Ensure you have an idea of the technical mechanisms that will go into constructing these tools.
Evaluate How the Platform’s Features Meet Your Project’s Requirements
Once you’ve written down the required requirements, it’s time to find the platforms that meet your needs. For instance, if you want to release a native mobile app, the low-code platform you choose must allow for publishing in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
By the same token, if you’re creating a specialized internal business tool that only a small team will access on the web, the platform you build with should be geared toward making internal business tools. These platforms have specialized elements like pre-designed workflows that other low-code platforms might now have.
Importantly, ensure that the platform on your radar has all the elements and tools you need, such as a template library, integrations, database builder, and more. A few low-code platforms require you to bring a database before you start building — this could delay your timeline if you don’t have a database yet.
Additionally, will your app need to comply with regulations like SOC2 or HIPAA? Ensure that the low-code platform that you select allows for these features so you don’t run into any compliance issues down the road.
Some Leading Low-Code Tools
To help kickstart your search for a high-performing, low-code app builder, we have a few solid ones in mind that would be a great choice for several apps:
- Draftbit: Draftbit is a “jack-of-all-trades” low-code app builder for any sort of application, whether it be an internal business tool or an external, client-facing app. It features several integrations with GitHub, Zapier, and many other third-party platforms and allows for publishing on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Pricing for Draftbit starts as low as $29/month (billed monthly).
- Retool: Retool features one of the largest collections of premade and customizable templates, elements, and other widgets for creating a unique app. You won’t need to bring an external database to Retool, as it comes with its built-in database. Retool also supports publishing in the app stores.
Retool’s pricing is user-based, but it starts for as low as $10/month (billed monthly).
- Appsmith: If you’re a medium-sized company or a large-scale enterprise, Appsmith might be your North Star low-code platform. It allows you to publish your app on-prem and on a private cloud. Appsmith caters to businesses that already have their databases and are looking to create internal business tools and apps.
Appsmith offers custom pricing, and details can be requested based on business needs.
*Pro-tip: All 3 of the above low-code app-building platforms feature free versions. We recommend you try them out and get a feel for each system. Doing this can help you make an experience-based choice when the time comes to buy a paid version.
How Low-Code Benefits Businesses
If you have some technical knowledge and are keen to develop your app or SaaS (software as a service), signing up for a low-code platform might be the way to go. Here’s why low-code app builders stand out:
- Quick and cheap deployment: Calling all startups, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses — this bullet point is for you. Developing your app with a low-code platform probably won’t take as long as hiring an agency or coding it yourself. This means you can free up time for other tasks.
Cost is another benefit of using a low-code app builder. Low-code platforms typically offer pricing starting from $10 to $50 per month, depending on the platform and features. Compare this to hiring an app-building agency, which will most likely cost between $6,000 and over $100,000 to develop complex apps.
- On-prem hosting: Many, but not all, low-code app-building platforms provide on-prem (on your server) hosting. This gives you complete control over your security and infrastructure, making it difficult for criminals to compromise your app.
If you're an enterprise organization, you can deploy your apps on-premises quickly, allowing your IT team to approve them for release.
- Non-expert level tech experience: While it’s true that you’ll need to be familiar with the technical concepts we mentioned earlier, that’s the extent of the tech knowledge you’ll need.
You won’t need to have a bachelor's degree in computer science to successfully build an app with low-code — just familiarity with some concepts and a working knowledge of how databases and backend logic work.
Next Steps: Looking for a Low-Code Alternative? Choose Adalo
Does a low-code app builder sound interesting, but you don’t quite have the tech skills to use one properly? Then, get a no-code platform like Adalo.
Adalo is one of the easiest-to-use no-code platforms available on the market. You’ll need absolutely zero coding skills and no knowledge of technical concepts to create nearly any app you can imagine.
Yet, Adalo doesn’t sacrifice power for simplicity. You’ll begin building your app by selecting one of Adalo’s nearly 40 templates. Add some extra oomph into your app by plugging dozens of free and paid add-ons from Adalo’s component marketplace or connecting to some of the 1,000s of available integrations.
When you finish creating your app, go ahead and publish it to the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, and the web, giving you the opportunity to get some serious traction.
Build with Adalo and bring nearly any app idea to life. Sign up to Adalo right now for free.
