At the same time, low-code is not a way to bypass IT or avoid technical responsibility. In this post, you will learn more about what low-code is, how it differs from no-code, why it has become popular, and when it is best to build it yourself, involve developers, or get help from a partner.
What is low-code?
Low-code is a way of developing applications using ready-made components, visual interfaces, configuration and a small amount of handwritten code. Instead of building each part from scratch, the developer or user can start from ready-made building blocks for, for example, forms, workflows, views, permissions, data models and integrations.
Low-code doesn't mean code disappears. It exists "under the surface", while the platform handles more of the standard work. At Multisoft, development in the low-code platform Softadmin® often means we can build 5–20 times faster than traditional development, while still keeping requirements gathering, customization, testing and security central to the work.
Low-code and no-code are often referred to together, but they do not solve exactly the same thing. No-code is primarily aimed at users who cannot program and is best suited for simpler apps, forms, automations and prototypes, or as part of an existing system where the user may not even be aware that “coding is happening”. Low-code provides more technical space and is more often used when the solution requires more logic, integrations, data models or the ability to supplement with code.
What is a low-code system?
A low-code system is an application or system that has been built in whole or in part using a low-code platform. It can be a simple internal app, or a more advanced system support for one or more specific processes.
The platform gives you ready-made functions and structures that make development faster. At the same time, you need to understand what the platform is good at and where it sets limits.
A low-code system is often suitable when:
- The business needs to get started quickly/do a pilot
- The solution needs to be able to change over time
- Manual tasks need to be replaced with a more structured way of working
- The process is clear but too business-specific for a standard tool
This is not always suitable when the requirements for performance, technical control or special logic are very high. It may also be a matter of how many deviations are okay to let through or that regulations limit what can or should be developed. In this case, traditional development or lock code with a customized system may be a better alternative.
Tip!
Many choose to build a test or POC first to test and evaluate the need and then move on to a solution that is built and managed by a partner.
Why is low-code popular?
Low-code is popular because many organizations have more digitalization needs than traditional development processes can handle. Employees across the organization want to test ideas, automate manual tasks, and get better support for processes that don't fit perfectly into existing systems.
At the same time, IT needs to handle security, operations, integrations, data quality and governance. Low-code can therefore be a way to increase development capacity without building everything from scratch and in many cases you can involve resources that do not have the same skills.
Gartner describes how the developer role is changing as AI and automation become more important in software development. The role is moving more towards problem solving, design and quality assurance, but not away from responsibility. This is a reasonable picture even for low-code: as more basic work is automated, a holistic understanding becomes more important.
But the positive qualities of low-code can also create problems. If it becomes too easy to build without a common framework, the organization can end up with many apps, unclear ownership and difficult-to-manage solutions. KPMG specifically highlights the risk that low-code and no-code can contribute to “shadow IT” if development takes place outside established working methods and approved platforms. This is common in larger organizations that have a complex IT environment , where individuals or teams take matters into their own hands and solve problems. Which in turn creates new problems.
3 ways to build with low code
Build yourself when the risk is low, build with developers when the technology is important, and build with partners when the need is specific, long-term, and requires management.
Low-code and AI
AI makes low-code more powerful, but not automatically more controlled. Many platforms are now getting features where AI can help create forms, suggest workflows, generate code, write documentation, or build apps based on text instructions.
This can make it even faster to get started. But it also makes review more important. AI can suggest a solution, but it doesn’t always know what data is sensitive, what rules apply in the organization, or what exceptions arise in the process and how they should be handled.
McKinsey has shown that generative AI can make developers faster at certain coding tasks, but the effect varies depending on the complexity of the task. Therefore, it is wise to see AI as a support for development work today.
1. Build yourself with low code
Building your own with low-code can be very effective when you have the right skills and a clear framework. It can give your business the opportunity to test ideas quickly and allow people close to the process to be more involved in the solution. For teams with technically savvy employees, low-code can also be a way to relieve IT and short lead times.
The advantage is that the organization can work faster, learn by testing and build closer to the users. Build yourself when the need is clear, the risk is manageable and there are people who can own the solution over time. But as I said, be more careful when the solution handles sensitive data, affects many users or becomes dependent on several other systems.
2. Develop in low-code with the help of developers
Many more serious low-code initiatives are not driven by the business, but by IT, which uses low-code to build faster. That's an important distinction.
When developers use low-code, the organization can pick up speed without losing technical quality. Developers can assess data models, integrations, security, performance, and testing. At the same time, they don't have to build everything "from scratch."
The risk is that the platform still sets limits. If the solution requires a lot of special logic, unusual user flows, or special performance requirements, low-code can become cramped. In that case, the team needs to assess early on whether the platform is sufficient.
3. Build with a low-code partner
In many cases, organizations want the speed of low-code, but don't want to build it themselves. In that case, a partner-driven low-code solution may be relevant.
This means that an external partner uses a low-code platform to build, adapt and further develop a system for the organization. The advantage is that you get access to a ready-made working method, technical experience and management. The disadvantage is that you become dependent on the partner and the platform, which makes long-term planning and transparency important.
It's not right for everyone. If you have strong internal development capacity (with time to spare) and want to own the build yourself, a self-service platform may be better. But if the need is specific, long-term, and requires management, low-code with partners can be a way to achieve both customization and accountability.
