There’s a lot to consider when deciding which style of software development is the right choice for your business needs. Some organizations are well-equipped with IT and coders ready to develop any applications necessary, while others are not. Cost of labor, productivity rate, speed of alterations, among other factors are all things to take into consideration.
To help you establish what works best for your business, let’s look at the benefits of each available option.
Traditional Development
Traditional development, otherwise known as custom software development, is a manual form of coding which requires a trained engineering professional to pull off. Creating a custom app requires skill, materials, and a plan. This means hiring skilled app developers, an appropriate tech stack consisting of databases, programming languages, specifications on software requirements, and the software tools necessary for writing and managing code.
Custom coding allows companies to manipulate their applications whichever way they want. They can build endless features and any integration form possible. It allows them to choose technology, hosting, APIs, and tooling of their desired functionality which is what makes custom development so pliable. Creating custom apps also allows for total ownership and control over each aspect of the software as it’s assembled. Additionally, manual development allows for the implementation of DevOps (a combination of IT operations and software development) to help ensure that your app can be constantly updated, easily maintained and quickly released to the public.
Of course, traditional development comes with its own set of disadvantages. To start, it takes longer to put together. Companies require skilled IT specialists which leads to increased labor costs. Since this method is manually implemented it could take months to a year to see a finalized product which can be very inconvenient for businesses trying to get on their feet. It also can result in a significantly higher expense because nothing is a shared resource and it all is an out of pocket cost.
Low-Code Development
Low-code development is a method of software development that provides users with a graphical interface with drag-and-drop functionality that makes modifying applications faster and easier for developers. With low-code platforms, while users still need some prior coding knowledge, there is a reduced need to manually write lines of code as these platforms allow users to modify apps directly. Essentially, they can work from a baseline code which can then be rewritten and edited as needed with ease.
There are many great reasons to go low code. Simplifying and automating manual processes makes changing apps to fit new requirements easier and removes the complexity of building quality, modernized applications. Businesses benefit from reduced costs and higher productivity rates thanks to low-code platforms due to a lesser need for a full-time developer. Low-code platforms make it easy for developers to create apps fast, unlike the extensive development period seen in the traditional development process.
In short—it’s just easier. Low-code development saves time, effort, costs, and streamlines application assembly to quickly deliver applications and services to customers.
No-Code Development
There’s no need for a professional developer at all with no-code platforms. No-code platforms are citizen-friendly, meaning they’re targeted toward business users instead of skilled coders. By reimagining how organizations can build applications, no-code solutions can build complex workflows without manual coding. These platforms are customizable, cost-effective, and secure while being motivated by the organization’s ideas for the app they’re creating rather than technical expertise.
No-code does everything traditional and low-code developing can—plus a little more. It decreases the time to market, is accessible and citizen-friendly and it cuts costs. What’s different about no-code platforms is that they allow users to make alterations, or complete app overhauls, on their own terms. It removes the need for a middleman and lets businesses change their apps whenever they want without the need for an outside developer.
The collaborative ability of no-code software is another great perk. Sometimes there may be a level of disconnect between businesses and their IT teams. Developers receive outlined directives from their business, but sometimes the final product might not be what the company imagined. No-code platforms promote cross-team transparency that allows little room for miscommunications. Businesses can see what their developers put together, and since no-code requires zero coding experience, they can get involved in the process to help put together a more accurate application.
No platform is flawless and they all come with their respective benefits. App development has come a long way, and with more options available, companies and IT teams can discover which is best for their business operations.
