No-Code vs. Low-Code vs. High-Code: Key Differences to Know

In every segment, humans are evolving with the help of smart technologies. Examples include the Internet of Things, automation, 5G, etc. and these technologies are helping us take great leaps forward toward success. In the developing world as well, several technologies are not making a big impact, but the need for the right talent is inhibiting the full realization of these technologies. 

While companies are working to integrate them into their operations, the lack of the right talent is challenging. To overcome these challenges, no-code and low-code development methods are taking over and allowing organizations to build applications faster, maintaining the same efficiency. 

What is Low Code Development?

Low-code is a development approach where automated code generation takes precedence over manual code generation. Also known as Rapid Application Development (RAD) approach, this is like using drag-and-drop building blocks to develop an application. Using this approach, developers can focus on differentiating their applications and using the extra time they have to build the business logic. 

Low-Code lies between no-code and manual coding, wherein the developers may have to write some amount of code for the application they wish to build. For this purpose, the users do need extensive coding knowledge to build the application they want. 

Low-Code is built to help non-technical professionals build applications, but they need development knowledge to avoid any security and compliance issues. The great thing about low-code development is the ready-to-use elements that are also visually pleasing to look at and easy to integrate within the application. 

Given their approach and versatility, low-code development approaches can be used to build various applications specific to business requirements. Hence, businesses can build mobile or web applications using this technique. 

Pros and Cons of the Low-Code Development Approach

Pros	Cons
Low-code development leads to faster development of the application you require. If you hand over the project to experienced developers, the development speed can increase further.	It’s easier to miss out on the major components while developing an application with a low-code approach. As you use this approach, overlooking some aspects related to the app’s future can be missed, which is detrimental to its performance.
Developers can use IDEs, templates, and automation to increase the time-to-market for a product while creating a performant solution.	Low-code platforms we use for development are safe, but their safety can be compromised if the team working on it does not consult the IT team. Given their ease of use, it’s natural to have some non-IT professionals working with low-code platforms, and their inability to communicate every move with the IT team can become a security risk.
Given the lower costs of development in this approach, small businesses and startups can benefit from low-code development. Most low-code platforms have subscriptions, which can cost between $30 to $500.	Low-code development approach has customizable templates, but this customization is also the issue here. The pre-made elements you can customize are somewhat rigid in their structure, and you might face difficulties in customizing the UI just the way you want.
In manual coding, the developers have to conduct research on how to build the best application for their users. But in a low-code development approach, they get ready to use elements that are added in accordance with the latest trends and user preferences.	Lastly, as advertised, low-code development is not easy, especially not the way you want it to be. Anyone working with these platforms needs to have some understanding to navigate through the development process better.

What is No-Code Development?

No-code development is another type of Rapid Application development approach. In this type of mobile app development process, there is no coding involved. So, everything is like drag-and-drop, which means you will add what you see to your application. Using this approach, small businesses can build user dashboards, mobile applications, web applications, CMS, and other types of solutions. 

No-code development platforms, which are also called Citizen Automation and Development Platforms (CADP) have all the code pre-generated and anyone working with this method drags the required elements in the same position and configuration. Due to this, a lot of professionals with non-technical backgrounds are more likely to use no-code development methods. 

Pros and Cons of No-Code Development

Pros	Cons
The no-code development approach is the most agile, meaning all the development is done through drag-and-drop modules, which are already built into the platform. This increase in development speed is great for building and deploying applications.	Given the nature of no-code development, the templates or pre-built elements are rigid. This means you cannot customize the existing features, functions, UI, etc., to the full extent. You will have to change your business process rather than customize the app according to your requirements.
In addition to the higher speed of development, no-code development is also pocket-friendly. The reduced development costs benefit businesses that wish to have an application at a low budget.	Similar to low-code development, there are security issues involved with the no-code development approach.
With no-code development, you can make changes to the existing application, add features, change design, etc., easily and quickly.

 

What is High-Code Development?

High-code refers to the traditional programming approach where developers are employed to write the code for an application from scratch. This is the traditional approach, which has been going on for years and is one of the most prominent methods today. 

The high-code development approach is the best bet for businesses requiring a fully customized and precise application. These applications are unique to the business and are built according to the target audience’s preferences. Due to this, these applications take time to build but they also provide the best user experience. 

The high-code development approach is highly efficient and specific to your business needs. However, the time and costs required to build an application with this approach is high. But it all pays off in the long run when you are able to generate business from the application. 

Pros and Cons of the High-Code Development Approach

Pros	Cons
With high-code development, developers can exercise the highest level of customization, which means they can build bespoke applications with impressive user interfaces. Compared to other development approaches, this level of customization is beneficial for the business.	One of the biggest concerns business owners have with this approach is the high cost of development. The traditional development approach requires a lot of time, which means the cost of hiring developers and other professionals for the job also increases.
You can add any number of features and functions with this approach as compared to other development approaches. Based on the requirements, a high-code development approach allows developers to add bespoke features that will help them improve the customer experience.	When compared to low-code and no-code development approaches, the high-code approach is slow. It can take three to six months or even more to build and deploy an application built with this method. This is due to the numerous development stages involved here like designing, development, testing, deployment, etc.
Applications built with this approach are also the most secure. As you hire mobile app developers for app development, they build the most secure applications integrated with all the security features like authentication, encryption, etc.	The high-code development approach is difficult as the developers cannot reuse the code, and it is also time-consuming. Moreover, these applications also take time and effort to scale; here again, more funds are required to work on the process.

 

A Quick Comparison Between No-Code, Low-Code, and High-Code

Parameter	No-Code	Low-Code	High-Code
Dependence on Technology	Gives freedom from technical peculiarities, which means low dependence.	Relatively less freedom than no-code, but it still frees the users from technical dependence.	Highly dependent on technology experts, designers, coders, testers, etc.
Work Productivity	Work is more productive as it finishes in less time and requires a minimal amount of effort.	Has a better velocity of development, which means work is convenient and faster.	Work productivity here depends on the daily output of the development team. If goals are achieved regularly, productivity will be higher.
Coding Efforts	No coding required, as every element can be picked from templates and existing design.	Minimal amount of coding is required as the developers can customize to a limited extent.	Extensive coding is required as everything is built from scratch, especially in native app development.
Ability to Customize	No-code has negligible customization, and the users have to make-do with the existing elements and functions.	In low-code development, there is room for customization, but that is again limited.	High-code development approach is fully customizable and allows designers and developers to build bespoke applications.
Development Costs	The only costs involved here is the platform cost, which is required to develop applications.	In addition to the platform costs, there are charges for hiring technical experts like developers, designers, etc.	The development costs in this approach are the highest. Designers and developers charge an hourly price for their work.
Architectural Consistency	No-code development platforms have a uniform architecture in their features, designs, and templates. This ensures design and code consistency.	Low-code has relatively less architectural consistency as there is some level of customization allowed. Due to this, the architectural structure can change proportionate to the level of changes.	In high-code development, the architectural consistency depends on the developer’s proficiency. They can achieve the highest level of efficiency or the least level.
Collaboration with Non-Tech Team	In no-code, as everyone can participate in the development process, we can expect to have better collaboration.	Low-code development approach does have some sort of exclusive development work, which can widen the already existing gap between the business and IT team.	In the high-code development approach, the business team has the least say, which is enough to deduce that there is a negligible collaboration of the two departments.

 

When to Use No-Code, Low-Code, and High-Code Development Approaches?

No-code, low-code, and high-code all have their own strengths and weaknesses, but what drives your decision to choose one depends on the requirements and a few other things you must consult with your team. 

For any business having the right goals is essential, and these goals are primary to move ahead with the development and designing work. Having goals means you have a direction and can follow the right path. 

Another question to ask yourself and your team is who is your target audience, or who will be using the product you build? If you are not building an application that conforms to your user’s preferences, then it’s better not to build it at all. 

Moving on, identify the scope of the project, which means identifying the amount of work you will require to build the application. If it’s a lot of work, then it’s better to choose the high-code approach. Assess your requirements to find out whether the application needs a lot of customized integrations and linking with external and internal applications. 

Using the no-code or low-code approach limits the level of customization, which means you cannot satisfy your customers with the products they wish to use. Here are three golden rules to help you identify which type of application development approach you need. 

1. If the application is code-driven and the assembly is owned by the developers, go for high code. 
2. If the application is content-driven and the marketing team owns the assembly, go for low code. 
3. If the application is purely cookie-cutter and is set to work as a standardized application, choose no-code. 

Conclusion

While the high-code or traditional development approach is the most common and widely used, we cannot ignore the low-code and no-code development approaches. A mobile app development company not embracing these approaches is lacking behind already in the race of evolution. 

Both low-code and no-code are disruptive technologies, but the good thing is that we are ready to deal with the situation and use these approaches in our work if and when required. As experienced developers, we have the vision and understanding to integrate all these elements into our work and build an application our clients want. 

Contact Mobmaxime to further understand the no-code, low-code, and high-code development approaches. We build applications with the high-code development approach but are open to use other approaches as well, if the client requires.