Since the inception of app development, the code has always been its backbone. This is part of the reason why a lot of people found it limiting and time-consuming. You’d have to take the time to study coding apps line by line. For people who don’t have the affinity at all for writing code, this can really take a toll on how they exercise their creativity and impact their passion for app development.
What’s good is that innovation is going strong in the app development field, which is not at all a surprise for it’s practically one of the most active tech industries in these modern times. With this vigorous drive for ease and convenience, it didn’t take long for alternatives in app development to be conceptualized and built. One such innovation is a visual approach that uses very minimal amounts of code.
An Overview of Low Code App Development:
Low code app development capitalizes on the visual development of apps. If you’re aware of drag-and-drop technology that was first utilised in website creation, the same concept is applied with low-code app development (but, of course, with a few major exceptions). It removes a lot of the technical aspects of coding while making it possible to lay out the essential groundwork and infrastructure of the app.
It’s like you’re practically “drawing’ the app, instead of. Think of it as something similar to creating a flowchart. This is what your app’s primary infrastructure would look like, instead of dizzying blocks and lines of code. Of course, this unlocks further advantages that range from better organization, quicker amendments, and smoother workflow.
That being said, low code app development not only allows inexperienced developers to easily begin testing the waters of app development, but it also provides a lot of convenience for more experienced ones. It streamlines a lot of parts of the entire creation process to the point that it’s almost always faster than traditional coding of apps.
Easy Guide to Low Code Application Development:
Take note that there is more than one platform that offers low code app development. Oftentimes, they have their own unique ways of delivering low code app development. However, one common denominator is their use of drag-and-drop user interfaces. This kind of app development also works best on applications are focus more on business processes, user interfaces, and databases, making them ideal for businesses that wish to build these aspects in a short amount of time in the best way possible.
Also, of course, since it’s low code” and not “no-code”, this app development method still utilises a small amount of code (with Java and Swift usually being the primary mainstays). A lot of platforms make automation and AI that are technically the main driving forces of low code app development.
1. Starting the Application Creation Process:
Most platforms have their own custom system where users can seamlessly access all the low code features that they need to fulfill their needs. Most of the time, this mimics a step-by-step process that not only makes workflow more organised but optimized as well It does this to the point that app creation takes a significantly lower amount of time.
In certain great low code platforms, you can easily begin to create a New Application with the single click of a button. Before you do this, though, you should already have an inkling as to how you want your app to function. What exact aspect of your business do you intend to focus on through your app? This is but one question that you should have a ready answer to
That being said, it’s highly encouraged that you gather all the necessary data (customers, products, contact, and other pertinent data) beforehand. This is so you won’t miss any essential elements to include in the finished app. Think of it as an important record of everything that needs to be included in your app.
2. Building the Processes Around Your Data:
The next step you take once you have gathered all relevant data is to now start building the actual flowchart of the entire process of how you want your data record to be handled, interpreted, and utilised while using the app.
You will see just how user-friendly the interface of low code app development is once you begin this step. All the while, you will always be aware of how the whole process will start and finish, unlike in an app that was built purely with walls of code. You can easily connect the important steps that will be taken with simple arrows and easily label the said steps for quick reference. All of this is made possible with drag and drop technology.
There are practically hundreds of business processes that you can develop this way, and they’ll certainly take less time than writing and editing code.
3. Easy Modification and Extension of Processes:
While you have already laid the structure of your app once you complete designing it using the said visual platform, you can also readily access it anytime for any amendments and improvements you may want to do to it. You can immediately remove elements you may feel are no longer needed or add a few more. You can even connect specific steps to each other. And these things can be done in a matter of minutes.
Conclusion:
The guide outlined above goes to show just how optimised low code application is once you get the gist of how it works. If you’re going to compare this to conventional coding, it’s safe to say that low code app development is a far cry in terms of the usual time-saving and complex issues involved in the former.
While it does make app development more convenient for developers regardless of their experience in the field, low code development still requires you to familiarize yourself with its primary elements. It’s not just about visual development, after all. You would only be able to unlock its full potential if you really take the time to immerse yourself in the tools that your chosen platform has to offer.
