Low-code: the new standard in software development

For a long time low-code played a supporting role in software development. The larger, more complex applications were built the traditional way and low-code was an addition to that. We now see that shifting. Low-code is well on its way to becoming the new standard in software development. Will you be the exception if you do not work with low-code? We think so.

What is low-code?

Low-code is a way of developing software in which you have to write very little code. In the traditional way of developing, developers have to enter every line of code by hand. That takes a lot of time and is prone to error. Low-code platforms such as Mendix make that process far easier and more efficient. They are very visually oriented and offer ready-made building blocks. You can combine those by drag-and-drop. Coding is usually only needed when you deviate from the standard. That means even people without programming knowledge can use a low-code platform.

Low-code as an emergency solution during COVID

Low-code has been growing in popularity since 2011, but during COVID its adoption got a serious push. Organisations had to develop emergency solutions at breakneck speed, because a large part of our lives suddenly moved online.

During COVID, Gemeente Rotterdam wanted to register symptoms, test results and the course of treatment, for example. In doing so they ran into the limits of their standard software, because new characteristics of COVID were being discovered all the time. Adapting that software again and again was an impossible task. Low-code was the solution for them, thanks to the enormous flexibility and speed of this way of developing.

Slowly low-code takes the lead

Now that COVID is largely behind us, low-code has entered a new phase. It is no longer used only for emergency solutions and secondary processes. The Mendix study "2022 State of Low-Code in Key Verticals" shows that, among other things. Of the respondents, 40% used low-code for business-critical applications and 70% saw low-code as fundamental to their organisation.

We expect low-code to take the leading role in software development within a few years.

The benefits of low-code

Faster time-to-market and lower costs

By using pre-configured building blocks (modules), low-code lets you develop or extend a working application far faster and more efficiently. On top of that, peripheral matters such as privacy, security and the database are already arranged for you. That means a faster time-to-market and lower development costs. It also lets you respond much better to changing market needs and business goals.

Greater development capacity

Many organisations face a serious shortage of developers. That holds back their growth ambitions and their capacity to innovate. Low-code can solve this in two ways:

1. Fewer developers are needed

With low-code you can develop software far more efficiently. That means fewer developers are needed to reach the same result.

2. You can fish for developers in a larger pond

Low-code means that people who cannot code can contribute to developing software too. That makes the pool of (potential) developers much larger.

A better fit with end users

Low-code encourages better collaboration between IT and the business. Because of the visual environment it is much easier to understand how the app fits together, which means you can communicate more efficiently. More and more organisations are even looking at using citizen developers. These are employees who are not developers, but who use low-code to contribute to building and extending applications. Often they end up using the application themselves as well. Involving them in the development means the application fits their requirements and expectations far better.

The peripheral matters are arranged for you

The peripheral side of software development becomes easier with low-code too. Low-code platforms such as Mendix offer out-of-the-box solutions for hosting, debugging, security, updates and backups. Important certificates are arranged and updated automatically as well. That means you need fewer system administrators as an organisation.

AI and IoT become more accessible

Many low-code platforms offer simple ways to use AI and IoT within applications. That makes these technologies a good deal more accessible and puts them within reach of organisations with a smaller budget and less knowledge.

Do not let opportunities pass you by

The power of low-code is going to help organisations optimise their processes at high speed and, with that, offer their customers and staff a better experience. Are you not going along with this development in the period ahead, and holding on to a traditional way of developing? Then we predict you are going to find things difficult in a competitive market.

Curious what low-code could mean for your organisation? We would be glad to talk it through with you!