Low-Code vs. No-Code vs. Pro-Code: What’s The Difference?
Let’s Be Clear: No-Code ≠ Low-Code ≠ Full-Code
➡️ Low-code is for developers who want to build applications quicker.
➡️ No-code is for non-developers who want to build applications on their own.
No-Code vs. Low-Code vs. Pro-Code: What’s The Difference?
Rarely have technology gurus come up with a more descriptive name for a technology than no-code. No-code allows people without coding skills to build applications without using code. Who would have guessed? (Compare this to “NFTs” or “the metaverse”. Good luck guessing what those are).
No-code builders are usually visual, What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) development environments. They enable people who have never written software before to build their own apps. Typical users are non-technical founders, entrepreneurs or anyone else who wants to spin up an MVP quickly and at a low cost.
However, this approach also comes with limitations: inside a no-code tool, there’s very little wiggle room to customize or change anything. If it’s not provided as a pre-built component, you can’t do it. Speed and simplicity of development come at the cost of application complexity.
The Low-Code Difference
Whereas “no-code” is a great name, “low-code” is just the opposite: it’s neither descriptive nor accurate. Nor do the intended target users of low-code platforms, i.e. professional software engineers, particularly seem to like it. They like writing, reading, and de-bugging code: why would they want to get rid of it?
One of the better definitions of low-code we came across is this (Forbes):
“Typically built to componentize the more easily defined and repeatable tasks associated with coding software, low-code is not for dummies and still requires a professionally trained and qualified software engineer to handle it”.
A better name for “low-code” would be “efficient code” (Chiefs of Marketing would probably beg to differ). Low-code solutions speed up the work of experienced software engineers through pre-built components. But they do not eliminate full code. That’s how they allow for increased complexity compared to pure no-code platforms. They usually also come with much more developer-focused features, such as multiple application environments (development, staging, and production) compared to pure no-code tools. But they do require some programming knowledge, so they are not a tool for everybody.
Full Code, Full Customizability, FullCost?
Full code describes the use of traditional coding to create applications. Full code has the advantage of full control and is the best approach for developing unique, robust, and complex applications that need to be 100% tailored to requirements. But it’s time-consuming, complex, and requires the expertise of trained software engineers.
To sum it all up:
✅ No-Code:
An approach to software engineering that helps non-technical (business) users build applications of low complexity & low customization without writing any code whatsoever. The main advantage is ease of use and a relatively flat learning curve.
✅ Low-Code:
An approach to software engineering that helps software engineers and tech-savvy business users build applications of high complexity & high customization by providing pre-built components and the ability to use full code almost anywhere. The main advantages are development speed & increased developer productivity. But the learning curve is steeper than for no-code tools.
✅Full Code:
An approach to software engineering that helps trained developers build applications of very high complexity and very high customization by writing code from scratch. The main advantage is you can build whatever you need, but learning how to code takes months, if not years.
If you’d like to learn more about low-code software engineering or build your first app using low-code, why not download Five (for free!). Simply visit https://five.co.
Stay tuned for more topics related to no-code / low-code, such as:
- What are the limits of low-code and no-code?
- And, will low-code make developers redundant?
FAQs
Pro-code approaches handle complex workflows on more robust systems. Both no-code and low-code apps can manage smaller parts of such a structure, but they lack the sophistication to manage the whole system. As complexity increases, you have to spend more and more time fixing bugs and vulnerabilities.
Is no-code better than low-code? ›
While low-code development platforms often provide excellent system integration adaptability, no-code platforms frequently fall short. Because no-code might lead to shadow IT, when people create programs without adequate oversight or scrutiny.
What is the difference between low-code and no-code automation? ›
The differences between no-code and low-code
No-code development platforms are basic and used to create simple applications. Low-code development platforms are more sophisticated and used to build any type of application.
What is the difference between full code and low-code? ›
- Full-Code: Suited for specialized or intricate applications with unique technical requirements. - Low-Code: Versatile, catering to a wide range of applications, especially those requiring rapid development or focusing on business processes.
What's the opposite of low-code? ›
Difference Between Low-Code and No-Code:
| Low Code | No Code |
|---|
| Control Over User Interface (UI) | Provides greater control over UI design. | Relies on pre-built templates with limited customization. |
| Vendor Lock-In Concerns | May face some vendor lock-in due to custom code | Concerns about data and application portability. |
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Disadvantages of no-code include limitations in customization, a potential learning curve, integration constraints, scalability concerns for complex applications, and the risk of platform dependence and vendor lock-in.
Why is low-code better? ›
The advantages of low-code development include ease of use, reduced IT workload, a low barrier to entry, cost-effectiveness, simplified updates and maintenance, improved security features, valuable data and analytics, and automation of repetitive tasks.
Can I do automation testing without coding? ›
Teams can move even faster with automated testing that is reliable and requires no coding thanks to codeless test automation. Perfecto Scriptless is our codeless testing solution that allows teams to automate the process of writing test scripts regardless of skill level.
Is Power Automate low-code or no-code? ›
Microsoft Power Platform is a suite of low-code/no-code tools that allows users to create custom business applications, automate workflows, and analyze data without the need for extensive programming knowledge. It consists of four main components: Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents.
What are the four main benefits of low-code automation? ›
Four benefits of low-code automation
- User-friendliness. Perhaps the most important benefit of low-code automation is its user-friendliness. ...
- Lower costs. Not everyone has the time or resources needed to become professional developers. ...
- Improved agility. ...
- Speed and efficiency.
Yes, a low-code application can and often does become complex and requires the use of simplification techniques to reduce complexity. However, these issues are not tied to the use of low code. They are just as significant an issue in a regular product development process.
What is low-code used for? ›
What is low-code? Low-code is a visual approach to software development that enables faster delivery of applications through minimal hand-coding.
How do low-code and no-code work? ›
Low-code and no-code development platforms are tools for people who either do not know how to code or have no time to code. Whereas these low-code and no-code frameworks are built on actual coding languages like PHP, Python, and Java, end users are not concerned with the specifics.
Why is it called low-code? ›
Instead of typing out hundreds of thousands of lines of code to create an application, these platforms have made it simple with visual workflows, drag-and-drop features, and more. In 2014, Forrester coined the term “Low-code” to classify development platforms that focused on development simplicity and ease of use.
What is low-code in simple terms? ›
Low-code is an application development method that elevates coding from textual to visual. Rather than a technical coding environment, low-code operates in a model-driven, drag-and-drop interface.
Is Salesforce a low-code platform? ›
Gartner® names Salesforce a Leader for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms.
Is no-code low-code the future? ›
Simply, no-code development lets even people with zero coding experience create applications that they need. So, is no-code the future – yes!
What are the advantages of low-code and no-code development? ›
Low-code/no-code development tools provide more flexibility for utilizing business data. They provide a free-form approach to data construction, allowing users to collect and merge data from different sources.
Will no-code low-code replace developers? ›
However, low-code tools will never replace developers, especially those working with C++, Python and Java languages. Though low-code tools could replace handwritten codes, companies and businesses need developers to optimize the software and its applications.
Is Nocode worth it? ›
Complexity of the Application: Low-code/no-code platforms are well-suited for building relatively simple to moderately complex applications. For highly complex and mission-critical enterprise applications, they may fall short.
