Nowadays, businesses always strive to get the best ways to cope with the current trends of their operations in such a dynamic digital world. This made low-code platforms really attractive for fast application development, allowing businesses to quickly release new solutions and start benefiting from automation or pilot projects. This article continues the conversation from my previous article “Leveraging Low-Code for Streamlining Internal Business Processes” that highlighted how low-code can solve problems quickly and bring early benefits to businesses
However, as any process or successful experiment matures, it inevitably faces the need for expansion. This expansion may involve incorporating new functionalities, addressing emerging business requirements, or improving user experience and process efficiencies. Such growth brings about a critical decision point for organizations about solution for further development:
Continuing with Low-Code:
Opting to further develop the existing low-code solution.
Transitioning to Traditional Coding:
Considering a rewrite in traditional code, potentially leveraging open-source solutions.
Adopting Vendor Solutions:
Deciding to purchase a comprehensive vendor solution.
This junction is pivotal, dictating the future scalability, flexibility, and security of the developed solution.
Each of options has its pros and cons. In the table below you could find the comparison
| Low - Code | Traditional Coding | Vendor Solutions |
Pros | Rapid deployment:
thanks to high speed of development and module reuse low-code platforms enable quick turnaround times, from ideation to deployment
User accessibility:
these platforms are designed to be user-friendly, allowing non-developers to contribute to the development process
Cost efficiency:
low-code development can significantly reduce the initial costs associated with application development | Flexibility and control:
developers have full control over the code, which allows for custom solutions tailored to specific business needs
Performance and optimization:
since developers can optimize the code, traditional development can lead to more efficient applications, especially for complex and high-load scenarios
Advanced functionality:
more sophisticated features and functionalities that require detailed customizations are often easier to implement | Ready to use:
helps saving time a, resources and effort in development
Support and updates:
vendor decision usually includes regular updates and support
Cost predictability:
costs are often clear upfront, and there is less risk of overruns compared to development projects (if you do not plan customize it a lot) |
Cons | Complexity management:
as the application grows, so does its complexity. There comes a point where the simplicity of low-code might conflict with the need for advanced functionalities.
Limited customization:
while flexible, may not suit needs requiring deep, specialized functionalities
Less market expertise and less developed approaches for process such as security / deployment / quality assurance / etc.
Performance issues:
applications built with low-code platforms may not perform as well as those built from scratch, especially under high load conditions | Longer development time:
developing software traditionally is usually more time-consuming due to the need for writing more code from scratch
Higher costs:
because of the increased development time and the need for skilled developers, traditional development tends to be more expensive
Requires skilled resources:
you need a team of experienced developers who understand the programming languages and architectures involved, which may be difficult to hire and retain | Limited customization:
may not perfectly fit every specific requirement and adjustments can be costly or impossible sometimes
Dependency on vendor:
the organization’s ability to adapt the software depends on the vendor’s roadmap and responsiveness and it is hard to push forward your requirements
Potential overhead:
vendor’s solution may include unnecessary features that complicate to use and maintenance |
As I shared before the various software development options, you could see that each solution has its pros and cons. Ultimately, the best choice depends largely on your specific needs and your situation
My contacts:
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