No-Code Development Platforms

What is a No-Code Development Platform?

No-code development is a means to simplify and speed up the development of an application without utilizing coding or programming. It uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to let people eliminate or minimize the need to write code from scratch while putting together standardized application functions.

This approach to application development has two general uses cases:

• It empowers people who do not code at all to create their own app.
• It streamlines development for programmers by eliminating the need to reinvent the wheel for standard functions.

The first use case means that if you are a business person and you see the need for a custom app to serve your business needs, you can start today to develop. You don't need to first either learn to code or hire a programmer.

You can choose from a menu of standard functions to quickly put together a Minimum Viable Product. Once it has legs, you can revisit the question later of "Do I want to hire a programmer to further customize this?"

The second use case means that programmers don't need to waste valuable time reinventing the wheel for common features. They can just use a plug-and-play approach and then tweak things as they see fit. This speeds up development tremendously.

It also helps a team be productive when that team includes a mix of people with different skill sets. People who don't code can still participate in the development process directly instead of spending a lot of time explaining to a programmer what they have in mind.

No-code platforms make tech accessible to everyone. It removes barriers and helps foster growth for people who only have minimal coding skills and predominantly do other things as their core skill set.

For programmers, cognitive load is a big deal. How much detailed code they keep in their own memory is a limiter on their ability to be productive.

No code approaches allow them to keep this load light. They can throw together some of the standard pieces without much thought and devote more of their brain power to the important details that make a real difference.

That's a lot of versatility to demand from one product. No-code platforms have to provide simple, intuitive interfaces that business people can readily grasp and use while also allowing programmers to access the code and tinker with it directly. A good no-code platform adds a lot of value to a business.

Types of No-Code Development Platforms

Some no-code platforms only offer the ability to move things around in a graphic user interface. You have a limited selection of functions that you can choose from to create an application.

Others allow programmers to also access the code directly in addition to selecting from plug-and-play functions. If you hare programmers on your team or expect to want to customize pieces of your app, it is desirable to choose a platform that allows for customization.

This means that a programmer can access the source code and modify it. Without that access, you are limited to whatever pre-made functions the program is able to serve up.

Drag-and-drop elements are great, but they sometimes aren't enough. It is in your best interest to look for a platform that allows for customization of the existing plug-and-play elements.

This will enhance your versatility and let you get the most out of it. This is the feature that makes a no-code platform a means to help a team with diverse skill sets develop a product together.

How to Build a No-Code Application

An application is just a tool. It is a virtual work space to performs a particular function, such as a place to write or a means to draw.

It is called an application regardless of the environment where it is used. Whether on your desktop, smartphone or tablet, software for getting work done is called and application or "app" for short.

Many commercial apps are intended to serve the needs of small to mid-sized businesses. Commercial app just means it is for sale at a profit to the entity that developed it.

Some apps are developed to meet internal business needs. This is especially common in large companies that deal with a lot of data internally.

Big companies often can identify enough people within the company who need a particular thing for it to make sense to develop it internally. This is an excellent reason to use a no-code platform.

Using a no-code platform can help cut such problems down to size and make them more manageable. It can help tame the process so you don't feel like for every problem solved, two new ones take its place.

No-code platforms can help people participate in developing the solution they need in their department. This can dramatically reduce the amount of time to get it production ready because while your IT department writes code, they may know little or nothing about the day-to-day needs of other major departments.

The people who are experts in what those other departments do are the people who work in them. They are often highly qualified to cook up a solution if they are given an accessibly means to throw some functions together.

Benefits of No-Code Development Platforms Software

If you aren't sure if this is what you need, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I need it to be easy?
2. Do I need to empower non-programmers to more directly participate in the solution?
3. Are things taking longer than I would like?
4. Ease of Use

Simple to Use

No-code platforms are easy to use. They help programmers and non-programmers alike to drag-and-drop a few elements to begin the process of building a new application. It can save many hours of time and headaches. Ask yourself just how much you are paying people per hour to tear their hair out and see if a few dollars spent on a no-code platform might be an obvious money-saving move because of the time savings.

Collaboration

People with different skill sets often face communication barriers. One of the biggest time sinks for development can be trying to get your IT people to understand what other people have in mind because different departments speak different languages and have different mental models.

A no-code platform can allow a non-programmer to throw something together, share it with a programmer and say "But I need this thing right here to be twice as big so it is more readable." If a picture is worth a thousand words, a functional app that you just need to be tweaked a little has got to be worth a lot more than a thousand words.

Faster development

The above issue is sometimes the largest time burden for in-house development. Another large time burden can be when programmers are hand coding the same standard functions. This issue can be resolved by giving them a drag and drop menu of standard functions to get them started.

Features of No-Code Development Platforms

You should look for the following features in a no-code development platform:

A Graphical User Interface (GUI)

This is where you will get drag-and-drop functionality. You need to be able to create an app without knowing any code at all. This interface is where that happens.

Source Code Access and Custom Code

You will want to be capable of accessing the source code. Programmers need to be able to make edits directly to the code in the final product or it isn't really yours and you can't really make it into whatever you want. Not all no-code development platforms offer access to source code for custom coding, but many low-code development platforms do.

Ability to Deploy

If you can't deploy it, you don't have an app. At best, you have a demo of your idea. A no-code platform will allow you to deploy your newly created app.

Visual Modeling

A picture is worth a thousand words, so visual modeling is the most efficient means to develop an idea and manage the workflow. If you can't access visual models of the workflow and processes, your platform isn't supporting high speed development.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Make sure it will deploy across all devices, from desktop to smartphone. It's okay to look different on each one, but they all need to function essentially the same.

Pricing Information

No-code platforms are generally aimed at enterprise users. As such, it typically follows a subscription model and charges based on number of users per month.

The per user price can start between $20 and $30 per user per month. You shouldn't have any problem finding an assortment of options at or below $100 per user per month.

Of course, this adds up. It means that a company or department with 200 to 400 people may well be paying upwards of $4000 each month, but allows many more people to collaborate on software and doesn't limit input only to experienced programmers.

Before you commit to that much money, see if they offer a free trial period. Many of them do offer free trials as an enticement. If the free trial is long enough, perhaps you can even fully build out your MVP (minimum viable product) before the trial period ends.