No-code development platform

A No-code development platform (NCDPs) allows programmers and non-programmers to create application software through graphical user interfaces and configuration instead of traditional computer programming. No-code development platforms are closely related to low-code development platforms as both are designed to expedite the application development process. These platforms have both increased in popularity as companies deal with the parallel trends of an increasingly mobile workforce and a limited supply of competent software developers.

Platforms vary widely in their functionality, integrations, and market niche. At the core of each platforms' business proposition is a promise to help businesses deliver applications at scale to meet an ever-changing workforce with diverse needs. Some applications may focus solely on a specific business function such as data capture or workflow while others may seek to integrate entire enterprise resource planning tools into a mobile form factor.

Use

NCDPs are increasingly being used by both small and large companies in order to meet the needs of a changing workforce. Much of what used to take place through Excel spreadsheets and checklists on clipboards can now be digitized and automated through cloud-based mobile applications.

This transition from traditional enterprise software to a lean development methodology is also changing the role of traditional IT leaders and departments. Whereas IT once provided not only approval of new technology but procurement and development of new tools, NCDPs are now empowering everyday line-of-business workers to rapidly prototype and deploy applications.

No-Code vs. Low-Code

The distinction between no code and low code platforms are often quite blurred. However, there are a number of key distinctions that set apart the design and use cases for each type of platform.

• App Creator - No code platforms are accessible to any end-business user while low-code platforms require professional developers who can work within a platform's constraints to streamline the development process.
• Core Design - No code platforms tend to function off a model-driven, declarative approach where the end user dictates an app's design through drag and drop manipulation or simple expressions. Low-code platforms often employ a similar development model with a greater dependence on hard code for dictating an application's core architecture.
• User Interface - No code platforms most often rely on a preset User Experience layer which simplifies and streamlines an app's design. Low code platforms may provide greater flexibility in UX options at the cost of additional coding requirements.

Security concerns

As no-code development platforms continue to gain in popularity, concerns over platform security have risen as well, particularly for apps that handle consumer data. A common assumption is that NCDPs are more vulnerable to security threats as these apps are often built by nontechnical business users. In reality, custom code is often a greater security risk than platform code which has been validated by its consistent use across multiple applications.

Criticisms

Some IT professionals have questioned whether empowering ordinary business users who cannot debug code is a sustainable endeavor. NCDPs have been compared to other coding waves such as fourth-generation programming languagess and rapid application development which promised to revolutionize software development.

See also

• Flow-based programming
• List of online database creator apps
• Low-code development platforms
• Rapid application development
• Lean software development
• Platform as a service

External links

• Pattani, Aneri (16 November 2016) "A coding revolution in the office cube sends message of change to IT". CNBC. Retrieved 15 November 2017.