NoCODE needs too much CODE [skills]: Why Engineering is Even More Critical for Success with Low-Code Products

While NoCODE and Low-Code platforms aim to simplify the development process and reduce the need for developers to write code from scratch, behind every <NC/LC> product there is a significant amount of code on which the platform is developed.

In fact, many NoCODE and Low-Code platforms provide the ability to extend the platform's functionality by writing custom code in the form of plugins, custom components, or API integrations. This is often necessary to meet specific use cases or integrate with other systems, such as CI/CD pipelines and other existing legacy products of enterprises.

Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are a critical aspect of software development that often require deep developer expertise, even when using NoCODE platforms. NFRs include factors such as performance, scalability, reliability, security, and maintainability, which can significantly impact the success and effectiveness of an application.

Many NoCODE platforms like Mendix and Appian offer developers the ability to extend the platform using custom code. This means that developers need to be proficient in languages like Java and JavaScript to build custom components that can be integrated into the NoCODE platform.

Many NoCODE platforms like Zapier and Retool offer low-code solutions for building automation workflows and data visualizations. Again, to build effective workflows and data visualizations, developers need to have a deep understanding of the underlying technologies and how to optimize code for performance and scalability.

Developers with expertise in programming languages like JavaScript, Java, Python, or C# can help build custom integrations, plugins, or extensions to NoCODE and Low-Code platforms. They can also leverage API documentation to integrate the platform with other systems, such as databases, CRM systems, or marketing automation platforms.

As the popularity of low-code and no-code platforms like OutSystems, Pega, and ChatGPT continue to rise, there is a common misconception that these tools eliminate the need for traditional coding and development. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, to get the most out of these platforms, CTOs and development teams need to embrace coding and development practices just as much as they would with traditional development approaches. The success of NoCODE platforms like OutSystems, Pega, and ChatGPT lies in their ability to enable developers to build complex applications quickly and efficiently.

Here are a few reasons why:

Essential Engineering Proficiency in NoCode/Locode Tool Selection:

Selecting NoCode/LowCode tools demands a profound understanding of engineering principles. Despite the user-friendly interfaces designed to simplify application development, a comprehensive grasp of underlying technical concepts is crucial. Proficient knowledge of system architecture ensures the effective selection of these tools. Engineers with expertise in debugging, performance optimization, and security considerations can navigate potential challenges seamlessly. While NOcode/Locode tools aim to democratize development, individuals with deep engineering skills are better equipped to harness the full potential of these platforms, ensuring robust and efficient solutions that align with industry standards and best practices.

Customization is key:

While low-code and no-code platforms offer a lot of out-of-the-box functionality, there will inevitably be times when you need to customize the platform to fit your specific needs. This requires coding and development expertise.

For example, let's say you're using OutSystems to build a customer-facing web application. While OutSystems provides many pre-built components and templates, you may need to customize certain components to align with your brand's style guide or to add additional functionality. Without development expertise, these types of customizations can be difficult or impossible to achieve.

Integrations are complex:

Low-code and no-code platforms often tout their ability to easily integrate with other systems and applications. However, these integrations can still be complex and require development expertise.

For example, let's say you're using Pega to build a customer service portal. You want to integrate the portal with your existing CRM system to pull in customer data. While Pega offers pre-built connectors for many popular CRM systems, custom integrations may still be required for more complex data mappings or business logic. Without development expertise, these custom integrations can be challenging to build.

Navigating Complex Migrations:

In software no product is static, it also evolves. Hence upgrading to new versions of NoCode/LowCode tools demands extensive engineering expertise. Navigating the intricacies of migration necessitates in-depth knowledge of the underlying frameworks, system architecture, and potential compatibility challenges. Engineers with a profound understanding of the tools' internal workings can efficiently address version-specific intricacies, ensuring a smooth transition. Tasks such as data migration, code refactoring, and system optimization require a nuanced approach, making it imperative for professionals with comprehensive engineering depth to lead the migration process. In this context, the transition to newer tool versions becomes a nuanced and intricate task, underscoring the importance of advanced engineering skills.

Balancing Extensibility in NoCode/LowCode:

A Cautionary Tale of Development Skills and Implementation Risks

Achieving extensibility within NoCode/LowCode frameworks necessitates development skills to avoid pitfalls. Mishandled implementation by non-developers may result in shortcuts, risking data duplication and impeding real-time value. Without proficient oversight, the quest for simplicity might compromise the system's long-term viability. Two-way integration, a key to real-time functionality, requires technical finesse. A thorough understanding of data flows, application architecture, and development best practices is essential. This cautionary tale underscores the importance of striking a delicate balance between user-friendly accessibility and the need for seasoned development skills to ensure a robust and sustainable implementation.

Scalability requires development:

Low-code and no-code platforms can be great for quickly building and deploying applications. However, as your application scales and your user base grows, you may need to add more complex functionality or optimize performance. This requires development expertise.

For example, let's say you're using ChatGPT to build a chatbot for your customer support team. While ChatGPT provides many pre-built chatbot templates, you may need to customize the chatbot's natural language processing (NLP) to better understand customer inquiries. Additionally, as your chatbot handles more requests, you may need to optimize its performance to ensure it can handle the increased load. Without development expertise, these types of optimizations can be difficult to achieve.

To understand further why NoCODE needs deep developer thinking to scale revenues, it is important to recognize the capabilities of some of the leading NoCODE platforms (Listing them in no order and also some of them are Consumer <NC/LC> and many are Enterprise <NC/LC> products). Some points on each of these <NC/LC> are

1. OutSystems: While OutSystems offers a drag-and-drop development environment, customization and integrations often require coding. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance. Any looking for cheaper option to Pega, can consider OutSystems.
2. Bubble.IO: Bubble.IO allows for visually building web applications, but complex logic and integrations require JavaScript and API development. Development expertise is critical to building scalable and customized applications.
3. Workday: Workday's HR and finance applications are built in Java, requiring development expertise to customize and integrate the platform with other systems. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
4. Service Now: Service Now's IT service management platform is built in Java, requiring development expertise to customize and integrate the platform with other systems. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
5. Neptune DXP: Neptune DXP's SAP-based platform requires JavaScript and Node development expertise to customize and integrate the platform with other systems. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
6. Mendix: While Mendix offers a drag-and-drop development environment, customization and integrations often require coding. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
7. PowerApps: PowerApps allows for visually building business applications, but complex logic and integrations require development expertise. To scale revenues, development expertise is critical to building customized and scalable applications.
8. Appian: Appian's low-code platform requires development expertise to customize and integrate the platform with other systems. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
9. Talend: Talend's data integration platform requires Java development expertise to build custom integrations. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to optimize performance and ensure data accuracy.
10. UIPath: UIPath's robotic process automation platform requires C# development expertise to build custom integrations and automate business processes. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to optimize performance and ensure reliable automation.
11. Blueprism: Blueprism's robotic process automation platform requires development expertise to build custom integrations and automate business processes. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to optimize performance and ensure reliable automation.
12. Oracle Financials: Oracle Financials requires development expertise to customize and integrate the platform with other systems. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
13. Salesforce: While Salesforce offers a drag-and-drop development environment, customization and integrations often require coding. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
14. Adalo: Adalo allows for visually building mobile applications, but complex logic and integrations require development expertise. To scale revenues, development expertise is critical to building customized and scalable applications.
15. SAP ERP: Positioned as a low-code powerhouse, SAP relies on an extensive array of modules and integration capabilities, making it a robust platform for seamless business processes. While SAP's low-code approach accommodates a diverse user base, mastery of coding skills is indispensable for unlocking its full potential. Proficiency in SAP's proprietary language, ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming), is particularly crucial. This expertise empowers developers to delve into SAP's intricate database schemas, facilitating the customization of reports with precision. Understanding these schemas allows for strategic data extraction, optimizing performance, and ensuring that tailored reports align seamlessly with specific business requirements. In essence, the fusion of coding prowess and product development comprehension is the key to harnessing SAP's capabilities for creating highly personalized and efficient solutions.
16. Pega: is a leading software platform that specializes in customer relationship management (CRM) and business process management (BPM). It offers a robust suite of applications designed to streamline and automate various business processes, allowing organizations to enhance their operational efficiency and customer engagement.
17. Automation Anywhere: The platform utilizes a combination of smart automation technologies, including robotic process automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. This allows businesses to automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and enhance productivity across various departments.
18. Genexus: While Genexus offers a drag-and-drop development environment, customization and integrations often require coding. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
19. Xano: Xano is a no-code/low-code backend development platform that requires some development expertise to build custom logic and integrations. To scale revenues, development expertise is critical to building optimized and scalable backend services.
20. Camunda: Camunda's workflow automation platform requires Java development expertise to build custom workflows and integrations. To scale revenues, development expertise is required to optimize performance and ensure reliable automation.
21. Dell Boomi: Dell Boomi's integration platform requires development expertise to build custom integrations and optimize performance.
22. Caspio is a NoCODE platform that allows developers to create custom business applications without coding. However, to build an application that meets the unique requirements of a business, developers need to have a deep understanding of data modeling and how to optimize the application's database performance.
23. Zoho Creator is a NoCODE platform that allows developers to create custom business applications using drag-and-drop tools. However, to create an application that can scale and handle large amounts of data, developers need to have a deep understanding of how to optimize the application's data structures and how to integrate custom code when needed.
24. Guidewire Policy Center is a NoCODE platform designed specifically for the insurance industry. However, to build custom business processes and workflows, developers need to have a deep understanding of the underlying data models and business rules.
25. Oracle BPM - OBPM is a NoCODE platform that enables developers to build business processes and workflows using a visual interface. However, to create a successful application, developers need to have a deep understanding of business process design and how to optimize the application for performance.
26. PowerBI is a Microsoft NoCODE platform that enables developers to create data visualizations without writing code. However, to build complex visualizations and reports, developers need to have a deep understanding of data modeling and how to optimize queries for performance.
27. Qlik is another NoCODE platform for data visualization. While Qlik offers drag-and-drop interfaces, developers still need to have a deep understanding of data modeling and how to optimize queries for performance to build complex visualizations and dashboards.
28. Domo, Looker, and Tableau are NoCODE platforms that allow developers to create data visualizations and dashboards without writing code. However, to build effective visualizations and dashboards, developers need to have a deep understanding of data modeling and how to optimize queries for performance.
29. Bravo Studio and Make are NoCODE platforms that enable developers to build mobile applications without coding. However, to create applications that can scale and handle large volumes of traffic, developers need to have a deep understanding of mobile development best practices and how to optimize the application's performance and user experience.
30. While products like WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, Squarespace, and Wix can help simplify website development, they still require deep developer expertise for customization, optimization, and integration with other systems. For example, developers with expertise in server-side scripting, databases, and security can help optimize the performance, scalability, and security of websites built using these platforms.
31. NoCODE platforms like Framer.com, Canva, and Wix still require UI/UX design expertise to create visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces. Designers with deep expertise in layout, typography, color theory, and user psychology can help ensure that designs created using these platforms effectively communicate the intended message and provide an engaging user experience.

While NoCODE platforms can greatly simplify the development process, they often provide limited control over NFRs, which can make it challenging to optimize an application's performance, scalability, and security. This is where deep developer expertise becomes critical.

Developers with deep expertise in areas such as database optimization, server-side scripting, DevOps, security best practices, and performance tuning can ensure that NoCODE applications meet critical NFRs. They can also leverage custom code and integrations to extend the capabilities of NoCODE platforms, allowing them to handle complex requirements and use cases.

Therefore, while NoCODE platforms can reduce the need for developers to write code, they do not eliminate the need for deep developer expertise. Developers with a product mindset, NFRs are still essential for building high-quality, scalable, and secure applications, regardless of the development approach used. We always say at least 20% at the technical leadership level as pure developers/engineers.

Low-code and no-code platforms offer many benefits for organizations looking to quickly build and deploy applications. However, these benefits are only fully realized when development expertise is brought into the equation. CTOs and development teams need to embrace coding and development just as much as they would with traditional development approaches to get the most out of these platforms

NoCODE platforms offer a powerful way to build applications and workflows quickly and efficiently. However, to get the most out of these platforms, a few engineers need to have a deep understanding of how the platform works, how to optimize/debug generated code and data structures for performance, and how to integrate custom components into the platform.

In summary, NoCODE platforms can greatly improve the speed and efficiency of application development, but development expertise is still essential to cut cost, and time and to address the execution challenges reported by <NC/LC> citizen developers.

The New trend in <NC/LC> is, they are able to generate developer maintainable code, such tools are categorized by products.

If the CxO faces any urgent issues regarding <NC/LC>, we suggest contacting for support. With our extensive expertise and experience, is well-equipped to handle the challenges faced by citizen developers and ensure that the project meets the necessary NFRs for ultimate success. We are an all remote enabled lightning fast and lightweight system too.