Gayatri

May 06, 2020

No Code Software

No code software is changing the face of application delivery. we explore how it helps focus on business needs and increase efficiency of development

No code software is the cornerstone of new-age businesses. A no code software helps businesses design and develop applications that can resolve organization-specific problems and boost workforce productivity.

Forrester expects the market for low-code development platforms to increase to $21.2 billion by 2022, up from $3.8 billion in 2017, a CAGR of 41%. As the No Code Software market continues to grow at an impressive rate, we take a detailed look at the technology, its pros and cons, its features, and other details.

What is No Code Software?

A no code programming software is a platform that assists programmers and non-programmers users to build essential applications on a visual development interface with the simple drag and drop feature. The best part about a no code software is that it has the potential to make application development ten times faster than traditional code.

No code software has introduced a new era in the world of application development. A user-centric platform expedites the application development process at a much lower operational cost and with little to no bugs.

What are the Benefits of a No Code Software?

No code platforms are a time-saver, cost-saver and productivity booster. But that’s not all! There are some more benefits of no code programming software that you must know:

Optimum usage of internal resources

No code platforms are easy to operate and anyone without coding experience and knowledge can operate such platforms. As a business owner, if you have in-depth knowledge of a particular issue and hands-on experience in the area, you can easily develop applications to solve specific challenges. Therefore, organizations can make the optimum usage of their internal resources by simplifying the development various solutions, instead of hiring new employees everytime.

Better agility and flexibility

A no-code software promises high level of agility and flexibility. Depending on the requirements of the target market and audience, you can add, modify or remove the app features. Plus, you can switch to a new target market or industry promptly without involving developers in the process. A single skilled citizen developer can effectively handle the development new apps using a no code software.

Reduced cost-ownership and increased cost savings

Want to develop a system where you can achieve cost ownership without compromising on your business outputs? The answer is no code software. No code platforms are simple enough to be handled by a single citizen developer. These platforms are reusable and helps with quicker maintenance. With less operational costs involved, a no code software can help you save a lot of money.

Aligns business and IT operations

No code programming software can bridge the gap between IT and business operations of an organization. These platforms leverage skills and experiences to find the solutions to all day to day business requirements.

A recent report shows that digital automation platforms can reduce development time by 50-90%, whereas a no code platform is 10X faster than these platforms. Plus, no code platforms allow the teams to build need-specific apps independently. That means, reduced pressure on IT teams and more empowerment for citizen developers. You can involve IT teams only for adding complex features.

A great tool for citizen developers

No code programming software is the go-to tool for citizen developers. It empowers citizen developers and helps them build key tools, tailored to the business requirements.

Generate and validate business ideas

There are many such business ideas coming from your internal teams that go unnoticed. Lack of IT resources can become a roadblock in the way of materializing those exciting ideas related to process improvement tools, admin dashboards, marketing campaign management, sales tracking, workflow management etc.

With no code software by your side, it is no longer a challenge to convert your team’s ideas into reality. Citizen developers can use a no code software to develop prototyping apps, workflow management apps, and so on. A no code software meets your team’s day to day requirements and you can only seek IT support to develop a complex solution.

Launch products faster with Large repositories of designs, templates and UI Components

Unlike traditional programming tools, which take a long time to execute prototyping, no code programming software offers pre-built templates, UI components, workflows that help businesses with a rapid prototyping process. As a result, businesses can build and launch products faster.

Integrate with popular systems to solve business-specific challenges

No code software enables users to connect to anything with a REST or GraphQL API. Many tools sport ready connectors for popular databases and systems (like PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Airtable, Slack, Salesforce, etc.).

It makes it effortless for development teams to stitch multiple systems together and build workflows around them to establish a seamless flow of information. Say auto generating PDF invoices and sending to customers via SendGrid when payment is made on Stripe and updating customer information in MySQL database.

When employees can solve all business challenges on their own, it invariably boosts their productivity. A no code software helps you engage more employees and encourages them to take ownership.

More satisfied customers

When the power of self-development is in your hand, businesses can easily build personalized solutions and apps that reflect customers’ pain points and resolve their challenges. Businesses should remember that high quality internal services have a direct impact on customer acquisition and customer service.

It is a must that businesses focus on transforming internal customer experience. This will help improve productivity and reduce inefficiency. For example, automating manual processes can invariably improve efficiency and reduce all the excess efforts.

According to McKinsey, successful experience transformation can cut down total cost up to 25% within three years. Smart businesses can reinvest these savings into other potential projects. As a result, you create a strong user base consisting of more happy customers.

What are the Disadvantages of No Code Software?

When it comes to the level of customization, no code platform has some limitations. Since no code platform is completely based on a set of pre-built templates, businesses might have to change processes to match with them.

However, no code is not synonymous with “no skill”. It is true that no code platforms are simpler and more flexible as compared to traditional programming tools. But that doesn’t mean that any user with no prior programming experience is capable of building complex applications with just one or two training sessions.

How does a No Code Development Software Work?

Traditionally, code is nothing but a set of instructions that a developer converts into readable languages. A no code platform is basically a visual intermediary between the user and the instructions when it comes to a no code platform.

A no code software like DronaHQ displays the three areas of application development, namely front-end, back-end and third-party integrations in a visual format to the users. As a result programmers and citizen developers can design their desired apps in the visual interface.

Everyone can work with no code software. Here is how you can build new apps with a no code programming software:

1. Design the front-end

The best part of using a no code software is that the user has full control over the app’s visual appearance, or the front end. From designing the user experience by placing the UI components (like text box, lists, table, charts, image) on screen to selecting a theme to adding fonts, colours, placing the company logos, uploading icons, you can do it all yourself.

2. Connect to a Data source

A no code software helps you with pre-configured connectors to popular database and apps.. Businesses can easily connect to their data sources, bind the data to the front end components, customize, edit, and remove the existing content depending on internal requirements. It’s all very flexible with a no code programming software.

3. Publish the app

With a lot of ground work already done, publishing apps you build on a no code software is a piece of cake. With instant deployment to public or private cloud, you can go live with your applications in no time.

What are the top features of a no code software?

Which features of a no code software helps it to stand out? Well, there are many. We are discussing the top features here:

1. Visual modelling tools with drag and drop feature

Developing an app with visual tools always takes less time than developing an app with code. No code platforms come with visual modelling tools. Hence, no matter what the source of information is, a no code development software is capable of representing it in a readable format. So, whether you are a skilled developer or a non-technical professional, you have everything in front of you.

Additionally, the drag and drop is the one thing that is common among all no code platforms. It eases the app development process to a large extent. When creating an application, users can utilize this feature to design the visual framework of an app. It is useful for both citizen developers and professional developers.

2. Reusable multiple times

Every no code software includes some pre-configurable templates and modules to design new apps. These modules have built-in core functions and features that you may require to design different essential apps for your business.

Hence, instead of building each app from scratch, users can simply reuse these modules and make content edits as per requirement. This easily removes hours of the development process for professional and citizen developers.

3. Efficient scalability

The scalability potential associated with a no code software is immense. It allows you to build apps having the capability to manage an increased number of customers, business expansion and even last-minute changes in business strategy.

4. Cross-platform accessibility

A no code platform is accessible from any device. Plus, you don’t need any additional technologies or equipment to access these platforms. With the cross platform accessibility feature, you can easily run and build and run an app on different platforms.

Does a no code software offer security features?

Businesses are always worried about the security features of a no code platform. So hear us out! Most of the no code platforms do offer some security benefits. Here are a few:

A quick platform security audit and compliance
Complete control over who can access the platform
Access over applications being developed on the no code platform and audit compliance
Access to no code plugins that are completely secured

All these features make no code platforms less vulnerable to cyberattacks and threats.

Will no code platforms replace skilled developers?

No, definitely not!

It is true that non-developers can use no code software like DronaHQ to build essential internal tools for the enterprise. But that doesn’t mean no code platforms will replace experienced developers.

No code platforms basically try to empower the non technical professionals. It is a challenge for IT teams to hire skilled developers with a strong programming background. A no code software simplifies development for moderately skilled developers. They can efficiently work on no code platforms and build applications like a pro full-stack developer. This means, a no code software lets you scale without revamping your current IT team.

That way, they can build regular business applications whereas experienced developers can handle more complex areas of app development like security features and salability opportunities associated with an app.

Skill and experience always have their own place. A no code software aims to simplify the jobs of experienced developers and engage them with more high-level activities. Replacing skilled developers is not really on the cards.

What types of apps can you build using a no code software?

There are three main types of apps that you can design and build with a no code development platform. These include:

Database GUI
Operational apps
Mobile apps
Interactive forms
Operational apps
Admin Panel
Dashboards
Web portals
Mobile Apps

Let us discuss this in more detail.

Type 1: Back-office apps

No code platforms have dedicated modules for back-office apps only. These apps help expedite your internal operations and speed up your workflow by removing any backlogs. The internal teams mostly access the back office modules. So, it is a must that the back office app modules are easy to understand and interpret for your workforce.

Some of the back-office app modules that you can find in DronaHQ include:

Database GUIs and CRUD Apps
Employee onboarding templates
Lead nurturing tools and Sales dashboard templates
Customer support app templates
Admin panels

And many more.

All these are ready-to-use templates with effective features like filter, search, workflows etc. Anyone can use these templates to develop apps and get started without spending hours on programming.

Type 2 : Mobile apps

No code platforms have DIY modules for mobile and smartphones too. Citizen developers can easily use these templates to build efficient mobile apps without any software installations. Also, you can find a back-office template for each mobile app that controls all your data.

Your app users are often on-the-go. Building mobile applications is not an option but a necessity. No code software like DronaHQ allows you to build apps that, once built, can be access across all form factors, including mobile.

Type 3 : Web apps and portals

Web applications and portals are a must to connect your back end and front end operations. For this type of no code app, you can find two different modules, namely a back-office and a web app template. The reason is that you can use the web module to design and personalize the app UI whereas the back-office module is a must to control your data. This is very much like mobile apps.

With this arrangement, users can easily design their own app UIs with ready-to-use back-office features and functionalities. A no code software further allows the users to use their individual HTML editor or their preferred JS frameworks.

Design, Build and Publish Apps with DronaHQ

Here is an outstanding no code software that we recommend to build high-performance internal tools. We are talking about DronaHQ.

Want to know why you should choose this no code software? Hear us out:

With 150+ built-in dashboards, cards, table grids etc., this platform provides you with complete ownership of your internal tools. Plus, it establishes that internal tools don’t have to be boarding! They can look good too!
This app makes it easy for users to integrate with various databases, APIs, touchpoints and database sheets. The result? Seamless integration with third-party apps to build efficient apps.
Use the simple drag and drop feature to consolidate on-page interactions and create a happy and productive workforce. With this no code platform, it is easier for users to send emails, generate PDFs, and refresh data.
Like any other no code software, DronaHQ allows you to build templates one time and reuse them as many times as you want with slight modifications.

To give this tool a shot, start your free trial now!