Technology is no longer an option for business — it’s a requirement.
Today, most of us work online. We’ve got email, software, the cloud, and VPNs. So, we’re versed enough to get by in this new digital landscape. But we can’t all write computer programs from scratch — even when it’s the best solution for our companies. And that’s where low- and no-code app development comes in.
You don’t have to be a developer to create applications anymore! No-code app development makes coding accessible to everyone. Entrepreneurs, marketing teams, designers, and more can now build custom solutions without learning complex coding languages.
With no-code, you’re still building robust and complex solutions that solve your business needs — but in a simplified visual interface with no developer jargon in sight. Basically, no-code allows almost anyone to build tools, applications, and databases that used to be reserved for experienced programmers.
So let’s explore the world of no-code development.
The Rising Popularity of No-Code App Development
One could argue that most coding evolutions since the 1950s have trended toward “low-code,” as new programs often require less code than their predecessors. Essentially, it’s all relative. But Forrester is credited with first using the term “low-code” in a 2014 report.
The origins of the term “no-code” are a little less clear. No-code technologies for software development emerged in the 1990s and the framework has become more widely accessible in recent years.
In 2020, Gartner estimated that fewer than 25% of new apps produced by companies used low- or no-code technology. But by 2025, that number is predicted to reach a whopping 70% — a 180% increase in just 5 years!
What’s leading to this rapid increase in low-code and no-code application development services?
We’re facing a rising demand for software along with a growing shortage of programmers. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that the need for developers will grow 25% between 2022 and 2032 — and in the meantime, IDC (via Forbes) predicts a shortage of four million developers by 2025.
That’s where no-code comes in. It takes the load off of programmers’ shoulders and creates solutions for orgs without enough dev capacity.
The no-code movement doesn’t fully erase the need for programmers — even the best no-code application development solutions can’t do everything that an experienced developer can. But, it helps to fill the ever-widening gap between the need and the availability of qualified developers.
Top 3 Benefits of No-Code Application Development For Any Organization
From databases to web applications, mobile apps to workflow automation, no-code helps businesses move past technological limitations. With more space for innovation and quicker time-to-market, no-code is a viable solution for businesses of all sizes. Solopreneurs, startups, SMBs, and enterprise companies can all benefit from no-code app development solutions.
Here are some of the main ways that no-code can help businesses.
1. Bring Analog Businesses Online
For those who are just starting to move their analog systems to the digital age, code is completely inaccessible. Added complexity could mean delaying or backing away from digitization completely. But today’s businesses need digital solutions, and no-code platforms are an accessible and efficient way to get those solutions.
No-code is a guide of sorts, welcoming tech-wary people into the digital age in a low-stress way. These simple, intuitive solutions help to ease concerns that these people may have about migrating to the online world.
2. Connect Multiple Platforms
Most businesses run on myriad platforms and databases. While one central system would be ideal, that’s just not the reality for many orgs today.
Traditional APIs are designed to connect these platforms, but they’re far too complicated for the average user. With no-code, platform integration is easy, creating shortcuts for disparate systems. Fewer APIs mean less stress and more efficient solutions for fast-moving companies.
3. Reduce Time And Cost
Custom-coded solutions can be expensive and lengthy undertakings. However, not taking action — leaving your systems disconnected, relying on manual administrative work, and spending time correcting human error — is costly, too.
But custom no-code solutions developed specifically for your unique challenges will save you time and money in the long run. Since you won’t have to wade through features that don’t meet your needs or complex code that takes weeks to decipher, you’ll be able to focus on growing and scaling your business — instead of dealing with the headaches and errors.
It also frees up your programming employees or contractors to work on other solutions, reducing headcount expenses. Thanks to its simplicity, you shouldn’t need to hire no-code developers!
No-code solutions can aid you with workflow automation, custom CRMs, customer portals, internal tools, databases, and much more.
Popular No-Code Tools
No-code solutions can tackle workflow and automation challenges across all areas of your business. Let’s check out some of the most popular paid or free no-code application development platforms.
Adalo is a no-code tool for mobile apps. It uses an intuitive interface and a large variety of templates to solve your app development challenges without complex coding.
Bubble is a tool for no-code web application development. It has a visual editor that allows users to design their own interfaces and create a custom web app more efficiently and simply than with code.
Zapier and Make use no-code to connect your systems and platforms, similar to the way APIs would — but much simpler and more user-friendly. Create seamless connections and automation for repetitive tasks to reduce administrative time across your team.
Airtable uses no-code to help create databases and design business processes. It even integrates with many popular web tools, including Slack, Twilio, Gmail, Outlook, and more.
Webflow helps users design and launch responsive websites with the aid of no-code. It eliminates the need for writing code and opens up web designing to everyone.
And Xano backend is a powerful solution to drive the processing power of your apps.
These are just a few examples of common no-code application development platforms — but you can find solutions for almost any area of your business.
Are No-Code Apps Right For You? Pros and Cons
As with any solution, no-code app development has advantages and disadvantages to consider.
No-Code Pros
- Accelerated Development: With an easy-to-use interface and pre-coded elements, no-code makes developing applications and software quicker and smoother than ever.
- Accessibility: Due to its simplicity, you don’t need to be a developer to use no-code solutions. Even someone who has never coded before can create websites, processes, automations, apps, and more.
- Innovation: The simple nature of no-code app development fosters collaboration — and collaboration leads to innovation. You may find your teams come up with more creative solutions to common challenges thanks to no-code.
No-Code Cons
- Functional Limitations: While no-code can do a lot for your business, there’s a limit to what functions it can perform before diving deeper into code. Without access or knowledge to edit the code, you may run into unique challenges that you aren’t fully able to solve with no-code. Plus, though no-code tools are generally simpler than fully custom code, there's a no-code app development learning curve to consider.
- Limited Customization: The best no-code solutions are designed to address unique challenges — but each product offers a limited scope. If you want to customize beyond what your no-code solution offers, you may not be able to do so.
- Finite Scalability: As a site or application grows, the need for additional code, functionality, and capacity grows as well. No-code applications can scale, but only to their designed limitations. So while your no-code solution may work for now, make sure to consider your needs for the future.
No-code isn’t for everyone or every need. But it can certainly help you out of a jam when constrained by a lack of resources, a seemingly unsolvable challenge, or time and budget issues.
When considering if no-code is the right option for you, think about the scale of what is needed, the timeframe in which it needs to be completed, and the amount of creativity you want.
No-Code App Development FAQs
Have questions about no-code app development? Find the answers to some common questions below.
What is no-code app development?
No-code app development is the ability to create seemingly complex web and mobile applications — as well as websites, processes, databases, and more — without any coding knowledge required. It means you don’t have to be a developer to build, modify, or scale custom software solutions anymore!
These solutions can be used in-house or outsourced for creation. Either way, the benefit is the ease of use for your team going forward, with no need to wait on your programmer.
Can I develop an app without coding?
Thanks to no-code frameworks, just about anyone can develop a custom app without coding these days! You just have to find the right no-code system for your unique needs. With a huge variety of no-code solutions available, it’s easy to find the right platform or combination of platforms for your needs.
Is no-code app development worth it?
If you’re stuck, scaling rapidly, and unable to focus on the growth of your business due to growing pains, no-code app development could be the perfect solution for you. It can save you time and money, avoid reliance on in-demand programmers and developers, and help you set your sights on growing and scaling again — not putting out fires.
What do developers think about no-code apps?
Developers are already in high demand, and those needs aren’t slowing down. In fact, the need for programmers is estimated to increase 25% over the next decade (BLS) and we’re facing a multi-million-developer shortage by 2025 (Forbes).
So, if no-code can help reduce some of the burden on overloaded dev teams and allow them to focus on complex challenges that only they can solve — they’re happy for the assistance.
The Future of No-Code
No-code opens up doors for businesses and teams. While it isn’t perfect and can’t replace a developer 100% of the time, it’s an amazing solution for our fast-paced digital world.
As the demand for more software and more developers continues to grow, no-code will be the solution for increasingly more projects, too. Expect new options and improved capabilities in the years to come.
No-code’s limitations are not its end, but merely the beginning of new and exciting opportunities for people and their businesses. It’s helping companies to grow far beyond what they ever thought capable and changing the way we create and code forever.
