What is No-Code Backend?

Let’s delve into the world of no-code backend development and explore its immense potential for innovation. In this article, you will understand how these platforms empower developers and entrepreneurs to quickly prototype and launch applications, bypassing the traditional complexities associated with backend development. By removing the need for hand-coding, no-code backend development unlocks a new level of productivity and accessibility, democratizing the app development process. Especially for startups who are bootstrapping their IT development, no-code backend can be a great value in launching an MVP or product.

What are the benefits of a No-Code?Backend?

1. Intuitive Interface: No-code backend development platforms provide a user-friendly interface, enabling developers to visually design and configure the backend infrastructure. This eliminates the need to write complex code, making it easier for both technical and non-technical users to participate in the development process.
2. Rapid Prototyping: With no-code backend tools, developers can rapidly prototype and iterate on their ideas. By leveraging pre-built components and integrations, they can quickly assemble the necessary backend functionality and test their concepts in real time.
3. Seamless Integrations: No-code backend platforms offer a wide range of pre-built integrations with popular services, such as databases, authentication providers, and third-party APIs. This seamless integration ecosystem allows developers to leverage existing tools and services without worrying about intricate implementation details.
4. Scalability and Flexibility: No-code backend solutions provide robust scalability and flexibility. As applications grow, these platforms can handle increased traffic and data requirements without requiring manual configuration changes or additional coding. This scalability empowers businesses to focus on growth and innovation rather than infrastructure management.

List of Top No-Code Backend Platforms:

1. Backendless: A feature-rich application framework with support for multiple languages, easy deployment, and integration with various services like Amazon S3 and Google Maps.

There are also connectors to other services that can be used with Backendless as a backend: Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, Twilio SMS, etc.

What can you build with Backendless

• Apps for iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone
• API or web service

Top features of Backendless

• 100% open source
• Fast and easy deployment
• Uses one codebase for many targets
• Fast and easy upgrade path
• Built-in logging mechanism
• Semantic versioning with Git/Mercurial or SVN

Limitations of Backendless

• “No” backends that are NoSQL
• It should not be used for production deployments

2. Supabase: A “NoSQL” database with RESTful APIs and an intuitive console for data editing, mobile device connectivity, and cloud deployment.

It has RESTful APIs and an easy-to-use console for data editing, connecting with mobile devices, and easy deployment to the cloud.

Once created using Supabase, PHP applications must integrate with it via the SupaBase SDK bundled with each application to send and receive data.

The first step of development is creating an empty database in SupaBase by entering the database URL in the console and clicking on “Connect”. After that, you can add documents (rows) to the database by entering “nodes” (data points).

What can you build with Supabase

• Apps for iPhone and Android
• Apps for Windows Phone
• API or web service

Top features of Supabase

• Easy to use and fast deployment
• Easy to scale up
• Fast performance on mobile devices
• Secure (encrypted)
• Easy upgrade path from the previous version to the next version

Limitations of Supabase

• “No” backends that are NoSQL
• Should be used only in development mode
• Requires to integrate mobile apps using Android or iOS SDK
• Does not work with PHP 5.3 and higher versions
• Does not support Windows Phone 7 (not yet)
• No documentation for creating applications for Windows Phone 7
• No documentation for integration with Drupal

3. DigitalOcean: A cloud service provider offering PHP development support and easy deployment of applications with Docker containers.

One of the great features is the docker container that DigitalOcean provides free with every droplet i.e. virtual server and you can use it to test if your PHP application is compatible with DigitalOcean’s cloud.

What can you build with DigitalOcean

• Apps for iPhone and Android
• Apps for Windows Phone
• API or web service
• Drupal integration: via a drupal-digitalocean plugin

Top features of DigitalOcean

• Easy scalability
• Built-in SSL support
• Low price
• Quick and simple deployment

Limitations of DigitalOcean

• “No” backends that are NoSQL
• Does not support Windows Phone 7 (not yet)
• DigitalOcean’s documentation is still in progress so it may not be suitable for developers who are unfamiliar with Linux/Unix systems or command line tools like curl etc.

4. AWS Amplify: Amazon Web Services platform providing resources for application development, including MongoDB and Redis offerings, as well as the S3 Content Delivery Service.

One of the advantages that AWS has over other backend providers is its MongoDB and Redis offerings. But AWS also offers its own NoSQL database, the S3 Content Delivery Service. The S3 Content Delivery Service allows you to store objects in Amazon S3 using either an external application or a custom application that uses a file interface.S3 offers the ability to reside as any object at any location on the Internet, and also allows for redundancy, security, and data integrity.

What can you build with AWS Amplify

• Apps for iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone
• API or web service

Top features of AWS Amplify

• Easy to scale up
• Fault-tolerant storage
• Amazon’s infrastructure
• Built-in security like access control lists and encryption.
• S3 data protection against accidental deletion by using a master encryption key for each user

Limitations of AWS

• No backends that are NoSQL
• Should only be used in development mode
• Should not be used in a production environment

5. Back4app: A cloud-based platform for API and mobile app development, offering a NoSQL database, real-time data capabilities, and easy deployment.

It can be used for applications that serve data on HTTP requests, so the API development process is the same as the process of creating a web service. There are no API tokens or API keys, so you do not need to work with them in your application when it uses back4app as a backend.

It has two versions: Pro and Community (free). They include:

• Built-in User Management / Remote Authentication
• Built-in Hosting for Remote Applications
• Data Encryption

What can you build on Back4app

• Apps for iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone
• API or web service

Top features of Back4app

• NoSQL database
• Real-time database
• New API is deployed in less than a minute
• No API tokens are required
• Uses HTTP to send and receive API data, so it can be easily used with all relational databases and cloud-based databases

Limitations of Back4app

• “No” backends that are NoSQL
• It should not be used for production deployments
• For PHP 5.6 and higher, no Windows Phone 7 platform support
• No documentation in English for modifying applications to integrate them with Drupal and Windows Phone 7 platform

6. Mendix: A rapid application development tool with visual data components, relational schema, and integration with external services like Salesforce and PayPal.

Small and medium enterprise specialty: The ability to integrate with Salesforce is a huge benefit for SMBs that are using CRM(s).

You can develop your application on Mendix from your local computer, or you can use the Mendix cloud emulator that allows you to try out various features of Mendix without a real system. After you choose the development environment, you can start developing your application by following the Quick Start guides or you can use the toolbox within Mendix that includes database integration, web connectivity, etc.: just drag and drop the needed components into your canvas i.e. Mendix development canvas.

What can you build on Mendix

• Web apps, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) apps, Mendix forms
• API services
• Customizable themes
• Rapid development cycle: you can start to develop within minutes after downloading the product
• Limitless scalability for developers
• Large community and an enormous number of plugins
• Supported languages: Scala, Java, and?.NET

Top 5 features of Mendix:

• Rapid development
• Connections to external services: Salesforce, PayPal, Google Analytics, etc. integration is easy for the Mendix developer.
• Integration between Mendix and the desktop world with a click of a button (for example, configuring Excel exports)

Limitations of Mendix

• Relatively weak user interface.
• “No” data from non-relational databases.
• “No” support for native mobile applications.
• Mendix visual programming can be a disadvantage for some developers because it is not Java or?.NET code and not HTML.

Conclusion:

No-code backend platforms have become the driving force behind rapid app development, enabling businesses and developers to create robust backend processes without extensive coding.

By leveraging these platforms, you can:

1. Streamline development cycles
2. Reduce time-to-market
3. Foster innovation

Whether you’re a citizen developer or a seasoned professional, embracing the no-code movement and choosing the right platform for your specific needs will empower you to stay ahead in the evolving landscape of app development.