Low-code vs. no-code platforms both provide a visual interface and pre-built components that reduce the need for expensive coding. They’re like the meal kit dinners of the software world: they generate code automatically to speed up development, letting you create customized applications efficiently without needing a lot of—or any—coding experience.
The difference between low-code and no-code platforms boils down to how much coding experience you need to use them.
For instance, just to start using Airplane, a low-code tool, I had to use a command-line interface. If you’ve never used a CLI or know enough to troubleshoot one, a low-code tool may not be for you. Heck, I’ve used a CLI before, and I still had to ask my software engineer partner for help.
Once you get into the production environment, you can choose from task and interface templates. But you still need some understanding of code to build apps and troubleshoot when things (inevitably) go wrong.
I’m not a coder, so I’m a big proponent of no-code and low-code tools. But I also understand that there are some reasons you’d want to go full-code. Usually it comes down to complexity and customization.
Let’s use Zapier as an example. Zapier has an amazing team of software engineers behind the scenes writing the code that powers Zapier the platform. Building the product is complex—it requires full customization and admin capabilities.
But the Zapier team uses no-code software for plenty of processes and operations. For example, the Learning and Development team saves thousands of hours thanks to no-code apps. Without any code, they were able to build their own systems and processes, allowing them to move quickly, adapt without delay, and not monopolize valuable software developer time.
