The Low-Code/No-Code Debate
What’s the difference and which is right for you?
Don’t know the difference? You’re not alone
It’s a question we get frequently: which is better, no-code or low-code? And it’s understandable – the differences aren’t immediately clear and any sensible person or organization needs to know whether a new venture is right for them. We’ll do our best to compare the two for you on this page, but if you want more information about the individual technologies, you might want to check out these pages first:
Low code vs. no code
When we talk about the advantages and disadvantages of low code and no code, as with most things, the answer is subjective. It depends on various factors, including your organization’s goals, resources, and vision. That said, a good starting point is to look at the similarities of low code and no code, as well as where the two technologies differ.
Similarities
Low code and no code share some common goals: to speed up software development, to lessen the risk of coding errors, and to increase agility. There are similarities, too, in the way these goals are achieved. Both technologies enable a visual way to build applications, utilizing visual integrated development platforms (IDEs). Both enable builders to drag-and-drop pre-coded blocks instead of continuously writing code from scratch. Basically, less coding = faster development.
Differences
That brings us to the differences between low code and no-code development. The clue is in the name – whereas low-code still requires some programming, no code doesn’t. That doesn’t mean that experienced developers aren’t needed with no-code software – they absolutely are – but instead of writing code, they’re there to provide governance and take care of complex tasks like security and scalability. Essentially, it comes down to the amount of code required and the amount of code developers want to write.
To see low code and no code examples in action, check out our App Gallery. There, you’ll see examples of enterprise applications across multiple industries, all built with the Betty Blocks platform.
The evolution of high-productivity toolsets
In the image below, you can clearly see the evolution of high-productivity toolsets like no code and low code. The image shows that low code doesn't offer the same speed as no code (because there is more programming involved) and subsequently how this impacts innovation. Betty Blocks is a citizen development platform. This means it can be used as both a low code or a no code platform depending on your organizations needs and goals.
At a glance: Advantages of low code and no code
- Meet the rising demand for software: Expand your developer pool through citizen development
- Speed: Faster prototyping and shorter time-to-market
- Cloud-based: Access data from anywhere
- Modernize legacy systems: Use Betty Blocks to build a modern layer of no-code applications around existing legacy systems
"Programming isn't about typing, it's about thinking"
~ Chris Wanstrath - CEO at GitHub
Who builds with low code and no code?
If we compare who uses low code and no code, the main difference is that non-experienced developers will find it much more difficult, if not impossible, to begin using low-code platforms without training. Conversely, people without a background in programming can start using no-code platforms pretty much immediately.
In both cases, experienced developers are essential, but unlike low code, no-code platforms enable other types of developers to enter the software development process. These developers are called citizen developers.
