There is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion around low-code and no-code software and as a software professional who has worked with these platforms for more than 30 years, I thought I would try to clarify.
Firstly, ALL software products consist of many thousands (or even millions) of lines of programmer’s code but the term no-code stems from the point of use. So rather like the NHS is free at the point of use, no-code software requires no programming, or coding, at the point of use, so that users with appropriate permissions can build new systems and software solutions without writing any code at all.
No software platform, environment, or even approach is perfect. They all have strengths and weaknesses. No-code platforms seek to achieve several finely balanced benefits as follows:
1. Allows non-technical professionals to build systems utilising their subject matter expertise, radically reducing communication channels and time to value
2. Delivers consistent and easy system usage across many business areas reducing training requirements
3. Improves quality and reduces testing requirements by utilising a pre-tested platform – although don’t think this removes testing but the focus is more on the achievement of objectives
4. Reduces or removes technical debt, which is the build-up of legacy code that eventually needs to be re-factored, re-written, re-developed – at a significant cost
5. Introduces operational agility to accommodate the growing and changing needs of the operation
6. Is the foundation for continuous improvement by bringing senior Stakeholders (Strategists), Operational Managers (Delivering), Information and Financial Control’s (Governance), and Technical Functions (typically IT) to the same table with the same level of understanding
Low-code solutions seek to achieve broadly the same benefits as no-code but at various points in the project lifecycle, the implementation team will need to write some programmatical code scripts, executables, or otherwise. This common set of objectives is why no-code and low-code are often grouped together.
One final clarification, just as in other end-user products such as spreadsheets, word processors etc, end-users of these platforms would be required to have a logical mind, an appreciation of real-world information flows and process flows, and how that might translate into a digital world. They may be required to understand how to construct formulae or expressions. This is not programming but does suggest that not just anyone can pick up a tool and be productive, effective and efficient.
