Pros and Cons of Low-Code Platforms

Reading Time: 5 mins

In this article, we’ll talk about the business benefits and the pros and cons of low-code platforms.

But first…

Imagine a scenario where an urgent software development requirement comes up. You collaborate with all the stakeholders, get your team onboard, analyze the requirements, and burn the midnight oil to get the work done. However, all of that turns out into nothing. The software did not meet the expectations of your business.

Going mad at the situation is understood. You begin contemplating what went wrong and if there is a possible solution to overcome the problem. Indeed, there is. Some of the best low-code platforms available in the market can help you.

Find out the trends in the low-code industry and the business benefits of low-code development
DOWNLOAD FREE EBOOK

What Are Low-code Platforms?

Low-code is an approach to software development that requires little or no coding. You can still get feature-rich applications. Instead of using extensive coding languages, low-code platforms apply visual interfaces, logic, and drag-and-drop features. So, if you do not have any formal coding knowledge or related background, you can still create better applications with these innate tools.

These platforms are increasingly becoming popular as they go past the limitations of traditional software development. They offer an easier and faster alternative. Citizen developers (non-professionals) and professional developers can both use low-code platforms. The platform enables meeting varied business demands, automating processes, and accelerating digital transformation.

There are several pros and cons of low-code platforms. So, it is essential to know them well. The problem with traditional software development is that people with non-technical backgrounds feel lost. So, the low-code platforms make it easier for everyone by eliminating technical barriers.

The development of applications with low-code platforms is just like how you work on PowerPoint or Excel. So, if you are familiar with these tools, you can work on low-code development platforms. It will be easy for you to quicken up the software development process.

One of the best benefits of low-code platforms is they allow you to create aspects of an application that do not offer much value but are time-consuming. One of the examples is developing a form to collect user data.

Enterprise Benefits of Low-Code Platforms

Now that we know what low-code development platforms are, let us look at their business benefits before looking at the pros and cons of low-code platforms.

You can also find out Gartner-approved multiple use cases of low-code development. These would help you understand the types of low-code apps you can build such as innovation apps, customer engagement apps, legacy apps, and more.

Solve Organizational Problems

Businesses usually face issues with systems and processes that hamper the overall productivity and output. But most of these problems are easy to solve by introducing the right software solutions.

In most cases, the cost of software development can be high. It leads to abandoning such projects and going back to square one. Low-code platforms help solve these problems as the development costs are much lower.

Builds Proof of Concept

Low-code platforms compared with the traditional coding method of software development allow you to create an application a lot faster. It can act as a validation that solving the business problem will be possible through this approach. You can further improve the project requirements and test the application with a sample of users.

Automation of Regular Tasks

You can use low-code platforms to solve some of the common problems at the workplace. Some people might need to set a status on various portals. A low-code platform can help solve this problem. A related application can assist users in setting the status at different platforms at once.

Real-Time Feedback

When you develop software for a client, the feedback process can take a lot of time. A low-code platform helps you solve this problem by asking the client to send feedback while you continue working on the application. The same is applicable in the case of a software product targeted at users.

It will help you incorporate the feedback in time, leading to improved possibilities of acceptance and success among end-users. Such a feedback mechanism is not possible for applications developed through traditional software development. You may need a lot of time to create such applications.

By leveraging the feedback system of low-code platforms, you also score on the client satisfaction front. Ultimately, it will show in your bottom line.

Faster Deliveries

You can use low-code platforms for projects that do not have many complexities. The risks and costs associated with such an approach are also on the lower side. Scalability might look like a concern. But if you are well-aware of business goals and objectives, low-code platforms might be a game-changer for you.

Pros of Low-code Platforms

What are low-code platform benefits? There are several positive aspects of low-code platforms. Let us take a look at each one of them in detail.

Available as Open Source Edition

As low code developers or citizen developers are catching up with framing solutions using microservices and REST APIs, there’s merit to keeping low code platforms open-source. In fact, There’s a part of Gramex, our low code platform, that’s free. This allows more developers to build applications on Gramex. As a future vision, a community of low-code developers can connect and build excellent data and AI applications.

Find out more about Gramex’s features, benefits, architecture and solutions
Download Gramex Data Sheet

Ease of Use Non-Technical Users

Traditional software development requires knowledge of programming languages. Low-code platforms eliminate the need for the source code in the development process. It simply means that you do not need skilled programmers to create applications. Businesses that have lean operations and smaller teams benefit the most from such a method of application development.

Speedy Development

You can make use of the existing building blocks to create applications. There is no need for users to create elements frequently. It leads to a direct saving in time for the creation of applications. You also do not need to have your own infrastructure for development. It will have a direct impact on your IT budget.

Quick Feedback

You can use the application in development as a working prototype to get feedback from the client or end-users. It will help you identify the strengths and weaknesses of the application. You can then work on the weaknesses and rectify them before launching the application in the market. Business benefits of low-code platforms are thus immense.

Cons of Low-Code Platforms

There are some disadvantages of low-code platforms. Let us take a look at the low-code limitations.

Performance

The performance may get hampered if there are too many users on the system. The platform may have difficulty handling a large workload. You might have to rewrite the application with codes. However, you can overcome this problem by planning well and limiting the number of users.

Programmers’ Dislike

Some programmers might not like to work on low-code platforms. They might not prefer a platform where they cannot do what they have always been doing – writing codes for creating applications.

But you can solve this problem by explaining to them the benefits offered by low-code development platforms. Make them aware of how such a platform will only help them reduce their workload.

Bottomline

Low-code platforms are ideal for creating speedy applications and getting quick feedback from clients and end-users. The feedback can help you launch the product in the market with a better chance of success. People with a non-technical background can also work on creating applications using predefined blocks.

We hope this article has shed some light on the pros and cons of low-code platforms and how you can utilize them to build solutions faster.

At Gramener, we are building impactful data and AI solutions for our clients with the help of our low-code platform, Gramex.

Contact us today, and we will be happy to assess your requirements for building enterprise-grade analytics solutions. Want to know more about the low code industry before catching up with us? Download our Ebook on Low-code platforms that talks about the trends, business benefits, examples, and scope of low code development.