Comparing No-Code vs. Low-Code Tools | Which is better?

As the world continues to become more digitized, citizen developers have had to find alternatives to building apps without extensive knowledge of a coding language. For this reason, no-code and low-code app platforms – like Knack – have become increasingly popular. Still, the question stands: which is better, no-code vs. low-code?

What is no-code?

No-code tools are a great way for business analysts, operations workers, and other semi-technical problem solvers to build apps without the need for coding skills. This form of rapid application development, or RAD, makes the development of apps easier and more approachable for those with little to no coding experience. With no-code applications like Knack, users can leverage the power of an online database to make data more secure, more accessible to teammates, and easier to take action on through an approval or forms-based data collection process.

No-code development wouldn’t be possible without the coding behind it, but the front-end experience that you need for your end users is easy to configure and assemble with components that are available out of the box and require very little custom code.

No-code platforms are great for those with no development experience, as they are all drag-and-drop and don’t require any formal coding or computer science background. However, those with coding experience can also leverage the power of more advanced capabilities like scripting, building automation and integrations to other systems using Zapier, or connecting to advanced BI software for custom trend analysis and analytics.

Is a no-code platform worth using?

No system is perfect, and while no code does a lot to put citizen developers in control of their own business management projects, they are naturally going to be limited when compared to software development made by individuals or development teams with full coding, development tools, and customizing experience.

No-code platforms offer a great way to quickly create custom applications in-house with a range of functionalities, without having to write a single line of code. They are a great way to get started with app development, and they can be used to create workflows and automation that would otherwise require a lot of coding. Low-code solutions are also useful for those who don’t have the time or resources to learn to code but still want to create powerful apps with lots of features and integrations.

No-code platforms allow users to build mobile apps quickly and easily, while still having access to the same level of functionality as a custom-coded app. Additionally, no-code platforms provide users with the ability to customize their apps and workflows, as well as integrate with other systems. With no-code platforms, users can create powerful apps with a range of functionalities, automation, and integrations, without having to write a single line of code.

If you’ve never had development experience before and are looking for something that allows you to create your own robust application quickly and easily, then no code is great. It’s all drag and drop, and it doesn’t require you to have any formal coding or computer science background. But those that do also leverage the power of more advanced capabilities like scripting, building automation and integrations to other systems, or connecting to advanced BI software for custom trend analysis and analytics.

The advantages of no-code

No-code development platforms are revolutionizing the way businesses develop their apps. With the help of low-code and no-code platforms, businesses can create apps with great functionality, automate their workflows, and easily integrate data from other sources using APIs. This new way of app development is more cost-effective, increases productivity, and allows for faster action and iteration.

So, let’s take a closer look at all of the benefits that come with using no code, and why you should consider giving it a try for yourself.

More cost-effective

Traditional development can be very costly. Having an engineering team handle the development of your app can be great, but for small business owners – that’s not always achievable or affordable. Using no-code software saves you a lot of time and money during development, which is perfect for business owners who have just started. You save money on design and development and get the app you wanted.

Knack’s pricing structure is designed to maximize the use of its Live App features to streamline dynamic client portals, starting with an unrestricted user model so you can expand Live App to accommodate any number of users.

Greater productivity

When it comes to developing an app, you would usually need a team of experienced and trained programmers – and that’s not realistic for every business. You would need to hire freelancers or outsource that kind of task to others. No code, however, gives more of your workforce a chance to contribute their ideas and create something innovative to solve your exact process, workflow or data visualization challenge.

Fast action and iteration

No code can shorten the time-to-market timeline significantly versus the traditional from the ground-up development approach. With drag-and-drop functionality, when you need a change done fast, no code gives you a lot more control over these, so if there’s ever a problem that you notice later on – adjust it quickly and easily. In fact, making these small iterations to your app as your customer or business requirements change over time is one of the biggest benefits.

Growth and Scalability

Knack also offers a unique no-code development process that makes it easy to create custom apps, forms, and websites without any coding experience. With Knack, you can build powerful apps quickly and easily. The platform is incredibly customizable, allowing you to tailor your app to fit your exact needs. Additionally, with its drag-and-drop builder, you can quickly create a variety of features for different business needs and business users. This makes it easy to scale your apps as your business grows.

The disadvantages of no-code

Limitations on designs

As no code is made in a way that lets you drag and drop, you’re limited to what’s been made available to the user. While this might be perfectly fine for most projects, there’s no real guarantee that you’re going to be able to achieve everything you want. Hand-coding something from the ground up gives you a lot more flexibility over how your design is going to turn out.

Your capabilities might depend on the software itself, but having such limitations could push you to be more creative with the options that are available to you. Consider that you might find yourself having to do more with less.

What is low-code?

Unlike no-code, low-code applications don’t involve some level of coding and programming – which takes time for learning and training. However, it’s still a much more approachable development system than creating your app from scratch. It doubles as a beginner-friendly approach to low-code app development and a great way to save time on coding.

Low code is a great way to quickly and easily develop apps and integrate powerful business processes and automation. It’s a great way to save time and effort on coding, as it provides a beginner-friendly approach to app development. Low code platforms allow users to put together their apps using drag and drop, while also allowing more experienced coders to add in and make changes to the source code. This makes it the perfect tool for teams of varying skills and experience levels, as it allows them to quickly and easily develop apps with complex functionality. Low code is also great for integrating powerful workflows and automation, as well as for integrating with other apps and services. It’s a great way to create apps quickly and easily, without having to write all the source code from scratch.

Oftentimes these low-code development platforms will allow users to put together their code apps using drag and drop – but you will also put your code on top of it. Using this system, a large amount of the source code is taken care of for you – you just need to add in and make the changes afterward.

Who is low-code for?

Unlike no-code technology, low code isn’t completely beginner-friendly – so it’s not completely useful for those without any experience whatsoever. However, it’s a better fit for use cases that require leveraging complex scripting and front-end frameworks for vibrant customized user interface designs. Those without experience work with the drag-and-drop interface, and more experienced programmers work on the more complex side of things during the project. It’s great for teams of varying skills and saves time on large programming projects.

Low-code platforms provide a great way for developers to create apps with a wide range of functionality without having to write code from scratch. This makes it easier to customize apps to fit the specific needs of a business, and it’s also great for teams of varying skills. It provides a drag-and-drop interface for those without experience, and more experienced programmers can work on the more complex side of things during the project. Low-code platforms also provide a great way to quickly automate workflows and integrate apps, making them a great choice for businesses looking to save time and money on large programming projects.

So while it may appear to be beginner-friendly at first glance, it’s more tailored for teams with professional developers who work with the code and use it to save time in writing all of the source code themselves.

The advantages of low-code

Faster development times

Just like when using no-code platforms, low code allows users to rapidly speed up their development times due to less source code writing. While there’s still coding that needs to be done – a lot of the heavy lifting is handled by the drag-and-drop interface.

On top of that, there are some parts of the software that are used by employees of lower skill levels when it comes to knowing programming languages, so getting the team on board with the project is much easier.

Improved UX

A lot of these development platforms will allow users to make use of various templates that improve user experience. If you’re not an expert, this is very helpful when trying to develop an application that’s not tedious for the user to browse. These templates also make for a much quicker job, as they’ll often just consist of different building blocks that can be changed as much as you need them to.

Less coding

Even if you had a team of professional programmers, it would still take a lot of time to write all of that code. Not all of that needs to be done, especially when you lay the foundations quickly and easily with low-code platforms beforehand.

Disadvantages of low-code

Limited design choices

Similar to no code, when working with drag-and-drop interfaces, you’re limited to being only able to do so much. Of course, you can add your own coding on top to make it more to your liking – but ultimately the foundations of the design will be limited. It may depend on the foundation you use, as well as the expertise of your professional programming employees.

Locked-in designs

Sometimes when making use of these platforms to develop your application, you’ll find that you don’t have nearly as much control over it as you thought you had. You could be taking a large risk with the idea that your application won’t be able to be edited once you’re no longer using the services of the low-code platform anymore. Being locked out of changing your application may cause a lot of trouble for your business.

Choosing what’s right for you

So if you’re planning to develop your own business app how do you decide which is the right choice for you? Well, there are a number of factors that could influence your decision, and it’s essential to consider them all.

Employee Experience

If your employees have no experience in programming, you have to decide whether training is something you would want to consider, or if you would rather just go with the no-code solution.

Timeframe

If you’re looking to have something up and running right this moment, then low code isn’t going to be your best bet. While the drag-and-drop interfaces save a lot of time in development, there’s still a lot that needs to go on behind the scenes.

Purpose

Due to no code’s limitations on design, you’re not going to be able to make the flashiest application out there. It’s often best for internal usage and applications that are going to be used behind the scenes or in industries and use cases where a good enough usable front experience is perfectly fine.. Low code offers a bit more in terms of flexibility, so it has a wider range of applications.

Overall, both can be good for their own purposes, but it ultimately comes down to the experience of your team and what you’re looking to achieve by using them.

No-Code vs. Low-Code

The beautiful thing about no-code vs. low-code is that you can start with no-code and scale up. You can work with experts to add small pieces of coding language to your no-code app to make it low-code and more extensive. Knack is the best no-code platform on the market because it is the most cost-effective, provides a quick return on investment, and can scale as you scale.

Ready to learn more about building your own no-code app? Get started today.