The Game-Changing Impact of Low-Code/No-Code Platforms

As India continues its rapid development and is set to become a USD 7 trillion economy by 2030, businesses face immense pressure to innovate quickly and operate more efficiently than ever before. Due to the current demand to outpace competitors and respond quickly to customers, businesses today operate in a hyper-evolving environment with the need for rapid innovation, increased agility, and real-time customer care.

When it comes to the application development process, for many years, only two options were available to organizations: purchasing ready-made solutions off the shelf or employing skilled programmers to create solutions from scratch. This has changed with the introduction of low-code/no-code (LCNC) development platforms that have revolutionized how businesses develop applications by making the process easy and more available to a wider section of the workforce These platforms can lead to cost reductions of up to 70% compared to traditional application development methods. In fact, a recent survey from Gartner indicates that by 2025, 87% of new applications developed by enterprises will use low-code or no-code technologies.

LCNC platforms have changed the traditional development approach that could only be implemented by technical users. Now, both technical and non-technical users are able to make applications without additional coding knowledge. So, these platforms allow citizen developers to rise and become leaders in their business processes and workflows. These platforms empower "citizen developers" not only to adopt new techniques and strategies but also to get involved in the whole process of application development.

Understanding Low-Code/No-Code Platforms

First of all, both low-code and no-code platforms are programming customization techniques for a high level of expertise in IT, and these two differ in the extent of expertise in information technology required. Low-code development platforms offer a more user-friendly coding experience, which means that a partial amount of programming skill will be required. Thus, the developers are free to do their part of coding as well as to create applications in a personalized manner that meets the unique requirements of the user's business. On the flip side, no-code platforms are completely free from coding as they support those with no technical skills to design applications. Beyond this, businesses can also develop applications using the drag-and-drop method without employing any programmers.

LCNC platforms are designed to make application development faster and more efficient. Whether automating workflows, streamlining processes, or improving customer experiences, LCNC platforms provide the flexibility and speed businesses need to stay competitive. The growing adoption of LCNC platforms has led to impressive market growth. According to Forrester, the combined low-code and digital process automation (DPA) market reached $13.2 billion by the end of 2023, with a projected growth rate of 21% since 2019. This surge is driven largely by the institutionalization of low-code in IT, with 87% of enterprise developers now using low-code platforms for some development work. Furthermore, Forrester predicts this growth to continue, with the market potentially reaching $30 billion by 2028, driven by the increasing adoption of citizen development strategies.

Future Growth Potential

With the rise of generative AI market growth at an annual rate of 36% according to Forrester, LCNC platforms, being inherently flexible and AI-compatible, are poised to benefit from this trend. A similar AI-driven explosion in citizen development could push the LCNC and DPA market to $50 billion by 2028. However, a shift toward high-code methods due to AI-infused development platforms might slow LCNC growth, aligning it with the broader software market's 11% annual growth rate.

The Rise of Citizen Developers

One of the most significant impact of LCNC platforms is the rise of citizen developers—non-technical users who now actively participate in application development. These individuals, often business process owners, possess deep knowledge of their domain but lack formal coding expertise. With LCNC tools, they can develop applications that address their unique challenges, driving innovation within their departments.

Thousands of companies are using low-code platforms to develop business-critical solutions. As businesses mature, however, some may encounter nonstandard practices that basic low-code platforms can't address. Borrowing development practices from core development, such as unit testing or build quality control, can help improve a solution’s quality and reduce team effort.

Applications Across Industries

The versatility of LCNC platforms has led to their adoption across a wide range of industries. For instance, in supply chain management, businesses can develop applications to enhance visibility, traceability, and efficiency. In manufacturing, LCNC tools are powering smart factories by integrating IoT networks and automating workflows.

In finance and accounting, LCNC platforms enable businesses to automate complex tasks such as loan approvals and risk assessments. Human resources teams are using them to streamline hiring processes and develop training programs, while even IT departments benefit from faster application development and increased agility.

LCNC platforms play a significant role in business process automation (BPA), complementing robotic process automation (RPA) solutions. RPA bots can follow rules set by citizen developers, reducing bottlenecks and increasing efficiency.

Low-code visual software development is a powerful solution for modernizing legacy systems at reduced cost and with minimal risk. Low-code platforms provide developers with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface through which they find it easier to accelerate their software development and minimize inefficiencies accompanied by security vulnerabilities typical for traditional systems. In general, legacy applications, including ERP systems, happen to be quite cumbersome to update and not cost-effective.

However, low-code platforms enable organizations to modernize such systems by integrating cloud-based innovations and extending them with modern web and mobile interfaces without the need to undertake costly customized development. It also helps in the gradual phasing out of existing obsolete applications without causing a jolt.

An important feature of low-code platforms is the democratization of software development, wherein the complexity of coding work is abstracted into more user-friendly and visual interfaces. This enables the possibility of collaboration among developers with varying skill levels, accelerates time-to-market, and reduces the risk of error. In addition, the built-in security and compliance features ensure that applications are better designed and show adherence to specific industry standards, which enhances the resilience of digital infrastructure.

Such low-code platforms offer pre-built connectors and APIs that connect easily to legacy systems for easy access to data and, thus, even modernization becomes a simplified exercise. Organizations can unlock actual new opportunities for innovation by embracing low-code development, thus propelling business growth in this fast-paced digital landscape.

By Piyush Somani, Founder, CMD & CEO at ESDS Software Solution Ltd; President – CCICI