The COVID-19 epidemic seems to have called into question the traditional functioning of businesses, even the largest. These had to be reorganized quickly to continue to function as they should, in a context of crisis. It was therefore necessary to find IT solutions that were easy to use and set up without code or without having to use code.
The Coronavirus crisis has also aroused in many people the desire to undertake and undertake in the digital field or at least in the digital one. We will not deny that the Internet and the entire digital world were over-used during this health crisis.
But then how to develop IT tools in record time by relying on non-technical resources? How to materialize an entrepreneurial idea based on digital when you have little or no knowledge in IT development? How do you get there when you don’t necessarily have a lot of resources to call on an IT developer?
These are all questions that just meet a trend that is gaining ground and appears to be an opportunity both for companies and for individuals: thee no-code.
What is the no-code? What are the advantages and limitations of its use? Should we consider it as the future of internet interfaces?
If for some the no-code is presented as a miracle solution, for others, on the other hand, it is perceived as a buzzword invented by the actors of the marketing to sell their solutions even more.
No-code solutions (there are several) are tools that allow you to create websites, mobile/web applications, software, APIs * ( protocols that facilitate the creation and integration of application software) without any coding. The simple and uncluttered user interface provides the user with very easy drag and drops creation methods (a bit like a WordPress Builder ). This makes the development of digital tools accessible to everyone!
This alternative is becoming popular and promising for non-technical users who hope to create their applications for example. It is also an opportunity for non-professional developers who want to realize commercial solutions without needing to code.
In other words, entrepreneurs and small businesses that do not have a large enough budget will be able to turn to no-code tools. They will not necessarily need an army of developers, project managers, web agencies, and expensive IT consultants to carry out their interface creation projects.
No-code is therefore not a technology, but rather a philosophy: to give back autonomy to those who want to do things. Frédéric Cavazza, www.sysk.fr
The term “ No-Code ” is very often associated with “ Low-Code ”. Some go so far as to say that low-code and no-code are interchangeable terms, which is not necessarily the case.
No-code VS Low-code: what you need to know
No-code or at least no-code development platforms automatically generate code. This means that anyone who knows how to use a computer can “no-code” to easily create, deploy and update their digital tools. Since this is declarative programming ( you tell the system what you want it to do, and you build it ), no-code tools can be used by businesses that have no coding skills.
Low-code, on the other hand, aims to increase the productivity of developer teams and technical teams in a company, by offering them a faster, more agile, and less complex way to build their interfaces. As it still requires some coding, it is believed to be the intermediate path between traditional development (with code) and development without code. Thanks to the creation of reusable building elements, other employees in the company can then enrich them and use them independently without any additional coding.
In short, No-code is revolutionary for non-technical creators, while low-code is more useful for developers. In some cases, the no-code can be useful for companies. This is the case, for example, of those who have an overloaded development team and who need to rely on a non-technical human resource for certain normally technical tasks.
Why be interested in no-code?
The question could be asked otherwise: Why should non-technical companies and individuals (who have no notion of IT development) go to no-code?
Let’s be honest: who likes to do a long and laborious job? Even less in front of a computer screen? Anybody! No-code and low-code promise to make IT development more fun, faster, more agile, more accessible …. And not only. Several other advantages are highlighted by the followers of this new trend as shown in the following infographic.
The first advantage that we associate with no-code is that it requires little or no technical skills.
Then thee No. code removes much of the overheads associated with developers because most of its tools are free at last to a certain level. It is now possible for you to create your computer software without having to pay for the services of a developer. Which saves you money.
A no-code tool allows a faster approach compared to the manual development of the entire application. While large companies can have a broader frame for developing new products, a small business requires more agility and turnaround faster. With no code, founders with the minimum of technicality can experiment with rapid prototyping and develop a solution to a problem in a matter of hours.
So whether you want to create an automation workflow for your mobile, iPad, or desktop, or all three, the user interfaces of these tools are designed to deliver the same type of experience on all devices. For example, you can start creating your application at home on your computer and finish it on your mobile in transport.
