What's the Difference Between Low‑Code and No‑Code?

Low‑code and no‑code sound similar, but they couldn’t be more different. These 6 differences prove that only no‑code can transform digital laggards into digital disruptors.

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Low-code is not no-code

Even large enterprises with more resources and larger budgets struggle to achieve successful digital transformation outcomes.

  • A staggering 72% of major corporations do not succeed in their digital transformation efforts, only getting .38 cents for every dollar the digitally mature companies are getting
  • 70% of large-scale change programs fail to reach their stated goals
  • Only 22% of enterprises hit their desired business results with their digital transformation efforts

Costly, time-consuming, and error-prone code is to blame—and organizations are taking note. Gartner estimates that more than 50% of medium to large enterprises will have adopted a “low-code” tool by 2023. Low-code/no-code trends emerged to combat the code problem. However, low-code is still dependent on writing and editing lines of code, impeding efforts to truly transform.

"Low-code/no-code" typically gets lumped together in the same category, but only no-code removes the need to interact with a codebase. Here are six reasons why this makes no-code better than low-code.

1. NO legacy code means faster development

Low-code still creates code that will have to be maintained in perpetuity—a time-consuming task that takes developers away from work that drives value. A recent study from Stripe and Harris Poll found the average developer spends 42% of their time dealing with technical debt and maintenance issues.

While faster than traditional coding methods, a complex application built with low-code tools can still take 6 months to complete. Basic functions can be configured with pre-built modules, but more complex workflows and modifications still require writing new (or editing existing lines of) code. Adding to the time burden is the fact that many low-code tools have their own proprietary software language to learn. 

No-code removes this problem by halting the creation of legacy code altogether. The entirely visual interface is intuitive enough that business users with little technical training can handle parts of the development process. This is why applications built using no-code can go to market in a matter of weeks (or 3x faster than low-code-based tools).

2. Enjoy lower costs with no-code

You still have to pay for the basic elements of code maintenance and support with low-code, and the numbers aren’t pretty. For companies with more than 100 developers and/or an active codebase of 500K+ lines of code, software maintenance will account for more than half of the overall development budget. Consistent with this finding is a Deloitte survey which concluded that the average enterprise spends 57% of its IT budget on supporting current operations.

No-code means that there is no editable codebase to maintain, lowering your overhead (e.g., initial development and legacy maintenance costs). What’s more is that a faster development cycle means that enterprises can more quickly see returns. With no-code, your enterprise can achieve 3x the cost savings. 

3. Build higher-quality applications

Of the 42% of time developers spend dealing with technical debt, nearly four hours are spent on debugging alone. Quality varies with low-code development methods because developers are still interacting with code, making the application vulnerable to the same syntax errors and bugs as traditional software development.

To put it simply, no-code ensures a better product by reducing bugs by more than 600x

4. Modifications are a breeze

With low-code, trained engineers need to decipher and debug lines of code to make and deploy changes. Iterations are much easier with no-code. To change the application, simply rearrange drag-and-droppable components (e.g., visual workflows, pre-built components, etc.) as needed. Nothing “breaks.”

5. Integrate internal & external solutions without coding

Without the use of a purely no-code solution, you’ll still have to code your critical third-party integrations. With no-code, you can easily configure APIs using plug-in components, seamlessly integrating applications with either your existing enterprise technologies or modern external solutions. Developers can even jumpstart projects with a marketplace of pre-built templates and connectors of third-party services.

6. Enterprise security is built-in

The average total cost of a data breach in the United States in 2020—including legal fees, loss of reputation, reduced customer loyalty, and operational disruptions—was $8.64 million. The exhaustive manual effort of coding is clearly causing things to slip through the cracks. While low-code tools can automate security upgrades and patch releases, the protocols are not complex enough to handle the security needs of an enterprise.

No-code platforms like Unqork have enterprise security built-in from the ground up across the entire development life cycle. Data encryption, role-based permissions (RBAC), and single-tenant deployment in a private cloud will keep your application secure.

Cut low-code/no-code out of your vocabulary

Instead, consider no-code as the only application development method best-suited for today’s modern enterprise. Unqork’s no-code application building software enables enterprises in some of the most regulated industries (e.g., insurance, public sector, etc.) to enjoy the benefits of rapid application development, without sacrificing customization—all at less cost than code/low-code-based tools.   

Want to become part of that coveted 28% that succeeded in their digital transformation efforts? Schedule a demo to see what Unqork can do for your enterprise. Get a deeper dive into the low-code vs no-code debate by seeing how Unqork works. 

Welcome to the future of enterprise application development

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