Low-code vs. No-code: Choosing the Best Platform for your Business

5th February 2024

by Richard Billington

We’re often asked for the difference between no-code and low-code. Comparing no-code tools to the capabilities of Liberty Create, our low-code platform, is like comparing apples to oranges. They really are different solutions, aimed at solving different problems.

John Rymer, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester, made the point quite clearly that no-code and low-code application development are not the same thing in his article Watch Your Language! “Low-Code” And “No-Code” Are Not The Same.

In many organisations, there’s room for multiple tools and platforms, with each being put to use for which they are best suited.

We will reveal the differences between no-code and low-code development, plus tips for choosing the right method for your business.

In this article, we’ll answer the following:

1. What is no-code?
2. What is low-code development?
3. Defining the development continuum
4. When do you use no-code and low-code?
5. Advantages and disadvantages of low-code vs. no-code platforms
6. The core enterprise advantage: Integration and Governance
7. How to choose between no-code and low-code

What is no-code?

No-code development refers to a software creation approach that allows individuals, typically non-technical users, to build applications entirely without writing any traditional code.

Instead of coding, users interact with a visual development environment that uses a drag-and-drop interface, pre-built modules, and configuration options. The platform handles the underlying code generation and infrastructure automatically.

What is low-code development?

Low-code development uses model-driven approaches, such as drag-and-drop elements, to build applications without extensive coding. It provides a middle ground between no-code and full-fledged manual coding, but is more flexible and customisable.

It is usually used by business users and analysts who understand the process and want to create apps by defining the process flow, data model and user interface using a simple, graphical approach. IT also uses low-code development software to extend the platform’s capabilities and ensure appropriate security and governance.

To understand the details about low code, its platform, use cases, when and how to use, read our comprehensive guide: What is low code?

Defining the development continuum

To fully understand the strategic choice, it’s essential to compare low-code and no-code with traditional high-code development to establish a complete modernisation continuum.

The table above compares the differences between the development approaches.

When do you use no-code and low-code

Choosing between no-code and low-code isn’t about which platform is inherently better, but rather which one is the right fit for your specific project, user skill set, and business objectives. Both approaches share the goal of accelerating application development by minimising the need for traditional hand-coding, but they serve distinct purposes.

This section will detail the ideal scenarios, project scopes, and organisational needs that dictate whether a no-code solution or low-code platform will deliver the most value.

When to choose no-code

1. Simple app requirements, including a friendly front-end on a spreadsheet or simple forms for data capture processes.
2. Rapid departmental autonomy, which provides some autonomy from IT for localised, short-term needs where speed is the primary factor and integration is minimal.
3. Perfect for business users who need a solution right now and have no coding knowledge.

When to choose low-code

1. Both simple and complex apps, where the process can impact many people. It’s designed to deliver a great customer experience (CX) and plug the gaps between the front office and back office.
2. Designed to deliver great CX by plugging functional gaps between the front office and back office, joining up different systems and processes.
3. Fast application development process with up to 10x faster than traditional development, while including essential testing, security, deployment, maintenance, and governance capabilities.

Advantages and disadvantages of low-code vs. no-code platforms

While both low-code and no-code platforms aim to democratise application development, their underlying architectures and design philosophies lead to distinct strengths and weaknesses.

Understanding these trade-offs is crucial for aligning your tool choice with your project’s long-term needs, governance requirements, and the skill set of your development team.

What are the advantages of low-code vs. no-code platforms?

No-code: It’s great for simple apps and extending them to web and mobile devices. This allows business users to go at their own pace.

Low-code: Offers a much faster time to value. Reduces the IT app backlog and enables the business to realise its innovation requirements, while providing IT with the overall control. Low-code solutions can join up different systems and processes, so these apps can fill functional process gaps quickly.

What are the disadvantages of low-code vs. no-code platforms?

No-code: Apps are often built in silos, and many projects get started but often never completed. Projects may never be documented and get orphaned when the original creator moves on, as they’re difficult for others to pick up and maintain.

Low-code: It’s not suitable for every type of application. Platforms have varying capabilities for testing, DevOps and governance.

We can see that there are clear differences between no-code and low-code development tools.

No-code tools are perfect for citizen developers (business users) to build simple apps for themselves and their team. If they are good at building things – such as complex spreadsheets and Salesforce reports, it’s likely they’ll be able to use these tools to build friendly front-ends to those systems for web and mobile use.

Low-code tools can take on departmental requirements, as well as requirements for the enterprise more widely. As the name suggests, low-code development supports some coding, though far less than traditional methods. Referring back to John Rymer’s article, we find this to be accurate:

“When required, coding addresses three common areas: integration, UI and reporting. In our surveys, both pro and “citizen” developers tell us that when they require coding, it is to integrate their apps with other systems, create custom user interfaces (UI) and address their reporting requirements.” 

John Rymer

Vice President, Principal Analyst – Forrester

The core enterprise advantage: Integration and Governance

The core enterprise advantage of low-code development is its ability to enable strategic digital transformation through superior scale, control, and integration. While no-code prioritises speed and simplicity, low-code is specifically engineered to handle the complexities of the enterprise environment.

Low-code can break down data silos via deep integration

Low-code platforms, through their robust API integration capabilities, are designed to create a single system that unifies disparate data sources. They pull all your customer and operational data into a central repository that updates automatically.

In addition, the best low-code platforms focus on bringing people and systems together to deliver the best possible customer experience. Gaps close between front-end and back-end systems and between modern and legacy apps, ensuring all systems work together to provide a cohesive experience.

Low-code and the governance solution

While no-code apps are often built in silos, presenting a risk of becoming undocumented and orphaned when the original creator moves on, a low-code tool like Liberty Create provides IT the necessary control.

The platform bakes in IT’s ability to provide security, control, and governance alongside the business teams’ process understanding. This ensures complex apps comply with regulations and security policies, which No-Code tools often cannot guarantee at an enterprise level.

In 2019, Gartner predicted that “By 2024, 75% of large enterprises will be using at least four low-code development tools for both IT application development and citizen development initiatives”. Their current research shows that the market for low-code application platforms is growing rapidly, with the low-code application platform market forecast to be $16.5 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.3% from 2022-2027.

So, how do you choose between no-code and low-code?

Choosing the best option for your business, of course, depends much on the goals and needs of the business and IT. You can consider these questions when thinking about no-code vs low-code development:

1. Consider the complexity and scale, how far the app must go: How complex is the required logic? What is the required user base/volume?
2. Consider the integration needs: What does the app need to talk to? Will custom code be necessary for integration?
3. Consider governance and long-term risk: What level of IT control is required? What is the app’s intended lifespan?

If you’re considering both approaches, remember that platforms like Liberty Create, our low-code solution, are designed to meet complex enterprise needs while still accelerating development. You can contact us today to receive expert advice tailored to your unique requirements, helping you determine the right path for your digital transformation journey.

About the author

Richard Billington

CTO

With 20+ years of experience in web development and emerging technologies, Richard has been a driving force behind digital innovation. As one of the original architects of Liberty Create, he helped shape a low-code platform that enables rapid, transformative change across organisations. In his role as CTO at Netcall, Richard ensures the company’s solutions remain at the forefront of the industry. He has led successful projects for Vodafone, ITV and others.