Low-code/no-code is all the rage right now. But not all projects benefit from them.
Lack of customization: Low-code platforms tend to prevent their developers from doing much customization. If your company has very specific needs or wants to create highly customized applications and services, low-code solutions can be very limiting.
What is no code?
No-code takes low-code a step further and enables developers (and even non-developers) to create application software entirely through a graphical user interface (GUI). No-code, you can create apps without writing a single line of code: simply drag and drop pre-built elements together to create your app.
This solution can be very attractive for small businesses that have no (or little) budget to hire software engineers. Think about it: you wouldn't have to spend crucial funds on developers and you would still be able to deliver apps to your customers or your team.
Like low-code, no-code has some advantages (including greater agility, lower cost, and greater productivity), but the cons should be pretty obvious.
One of the biggest downfalls is that you are severely limited in what you can build. No-code services offer templates to make the process easier, but these templates can only be configured to meet certain use cases. If you have a use case outside the bounds offered by the platform, you're out of luck.
In this sense, those who create no-code applications must have a very solid understanding of what is required for an application. You cannot adopt a no-code solution with general ideas. Without a high level of specificity, you will have trouble creating an application that meets your expectations.
Finally, without code, you don't own your source code. You could spend days building an app without code and in the end, none of the things you wrote will be yours.
Who Should Consider Low-Code/No-Code?
Large companies that need very specialized tools, that also have large budgets and want to own their code should avoid no-code altogether. However, the same companies that want to get into agile CI/CD development can do well with low-code solutions.
No-code solutions are best suited for companies looking for simple, out-of-the-box tools that require/offer minimal customization. No-code is also very suitable for small businesses that don't have the budget to hire developers but still need a (somewhat) custom solution.
In the end, companies must choose the solution that best fits their long-term goals. Don't opt for the immediate solution without giving careful consideration to how it could lock your business into a single supplier and leave you unable to pivot as need and demand changes.
