Even though low code platforms started catching attention over the last few years, 2020 marked the year when they finally announced their arrival on the big stage. Now, every CIO and tech enthusiast is watching the development in the sphere with bated breath. Amidst the “Learn to Code” wave, all of a sudden, the low code revolution has taken the world by storm with many low code platforms fast becoming mainstream. Though Outsystems, Mendix and Appian are market leaders in this segment, almost every tech vendor has its finger in the low code pie.
What is Low Code?
Developed on the cloud-based Platform-as-a-Service environment, the purpose of low code platforms is to help build applications faster by employing pre-built UI templates and code snippets. These platforms have been designed to make it super easy for developers or even non-tech people to design, build, and launch applications quickly, without any technical know-how. Gartner estimates that by 2023, more than half of medium to large enterprises will start using low code tech as a strategic business tool.
Driving Operational Agility With Low Code
As traditional software development is complex, manual and often repetitive, many critical businesses need often remain unaddressed. The reason is enterprises try to achieve this objective by writing codes manually, which consumes significant development time. And by the time the application is ready to be deployed, business requirements may change, rendering it of no use. The solution is to take a cue from the pre-fabrication technology that has revolutionized the construction industry, dramatically reducing the construction time and lowering costs. Low Code API enables enterprises to achieve a similar goal in application development. With a low code platform, enterprises can rapidly develop and deploy end-to-end applications with minimal coding, freeing up resources to focus on more high-value added tasks.
For instance, EnableX Low Code Video Embed makes it possible to build and deploy a high-performance video meeting application in just 5 minutes, otherwise taking months. Therefore, the days of spending countless hours searching for UI libraries and writing thousands of lines of UI coding is simply passe.
Top 5 Advantages of Low Code Platforms
Though traditional application development will not vanish anytime soon, it certainly has limitations. Because of its manual nature, application development has been a time-consuming process. On the other hand, low code shrinks the Software Development Life Cycle. No wonder its popularity is soaring, and it has been cited as a top enterprise technology trend of modern era.
Pointing toward the advantages of low code, Pankaj Gupta, CEO and Founder Enablex.io, opines, “low code is the future of software development. The combination of powerful AI-enabled features, vast API catalogues, prebuilt-UI templates makes it possible to build and deploy new enterprise solutions for the omnichannel ecosystem at a 10x fast pace. That is nothing less than a gamechanger.”
If you’re still doubtful, here are the five benefits of a low code platform:
1. Rapid Development and Deployment
Just imagine that how Google, Alibaba, Paytm and Amazon have threatened traditional banking players within a short time. Driven by strategic threats caused by technology, enterprises worldwide are looking for ways to increase the speed of deployment. Nowadays, the response time for enterprises is limited, and any delay in response means a threat to survival.
Can enterprises afford to be stuck in the long-winded and time-consuming application or software development process? Low-code development platforms fast track enterprise digital adoption. Now anybody can build flawlessly functioning products quickly.
2. Fosters Operational Agility
A sore point for enterprises in the digital era has been that they always find it challenging to adapt to new business realities brought out by technology change. Failing to respond swiftly means the enterprise will have to be ready to cede space to competitors. With low code platforms, enterprises can address this pain point effectively and ensure a faster release cycle of enterprise applications without straining their constrained IT budget.
3. Enhanced Productivity Across Teams
Low code development allows companies to deploy their best developers for R & D and innovation to solve real pressing issues instead of wasting time on repetitive manual processes. In addition, other departments can create their applications without banking on developers. For instance, an HR department can develop a Video Meeting application in just 5 minutes with EnableX Video Embed. Now, the marketing and IT team can think, test, launch and iterate new products fast.
4. Speedy Innovation
Ask any IT leader of the biggest challenge for them, and all of them will quickly point out—hiring full-stack developers. Enterprises struggle to hire highly skilled and experienced developers. For small enterprises, the challenge is even more since they cannot afford them. Lack of financial resources and cultural attractiveness of Fortune 500 companies are the main reasons. However, even junior developers and tech enthusiasts can build sophisticated applications with low code as if they are full-stack developers. Project managers can allocate skilled developers on more complex tasks, while mundane tasks are taken care of by junior resources. They require a clear understanding of the business workflow, so low code allows boosting developers’ productivity without hiring more workers.
5. Low Entry Barrier
Ultimately, every business decision boils down to just one thing— ‘COST’. Small and Medium Enterprises have to keep their operating cost as low as possible; a low code platform is a boon to such organizations as it bridges the gap between large and small enterprises. Even smaller companies can quickly roll out new and innovative products without breaking their balance sheet with reduced entry barriers.
Wrapping up
The appeal of low code is based on a simple premise—it allows techies and non-techies to create software without worrying for coding at all. It’s a great technology leveler that bridges the big divide. On the other hand, enterprises gain more by doing less. So, if low code has been missing out from your radar so far, it must be.
Read How You Can Build a Video Meeting Application in 5 Minutes
