{"id":13047,"date":"2021-08-19T10:30:13","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T15:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/?p=13047"},"modified":"2023-04-13T15:14:53","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T20:14:53","slug":"9-common-myths-about-low-code-development-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/9-common-myths-about-low-code-development-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"9 common myths about low-code development platforms"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"trends\"Summary: As the low-code market grows, so does the confusion. Many businesses don’t quite understand low-code, or they believe some common myths and misconceptions that are floating around. In this article, we explore 9 of the most common low-code myths and explain why they’re false.<\/em><\/span>
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Since the term was first coined by Forrester back in 2014, Low-Code Software has exploded. Gartner estimates<\/span><\/a> that the low-code market will grow 23% this year, reaching a market size of $5.8 billion. You\u2019ll find hundreds (or even thousands) of software tools claiming to be \u2018low-code\u2019.<\/p>\n

This is where the problems start. When low-code was first introduced, it referred to an evolution of RAD tools. In other words, software tools that built web applications with a minimum of hand-coding.<\/p>\n

These days, the \u2018low-code\u2019 term is slapped on any piece of software that includes some element of visual programming.<\/p>\n

The problem is, low-code software<\/a> tools are bunched into one big category. For instance, an enterprise web application development tool can be \u2018low-code\u2019, but so can a website builder. Or, so can process automation software. Or, any other type of software that uses a point-and-click interface to generate code.<\/p>\n

Do you see the problem? Low-code started as a way to define web application development tools. It has since spread to include a wide range of tools, many of which are unrelated.<\/p>\n

But, it doesn\u2019t stop there. You\u2019ll find dramatic differences even within the same software product classes. For instance, low-code web application development platforms vary wildly from one to the next. Some are simpler and only provide basic functions. Others are enterprise-class and offer a wide range of features.<\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s the effect of all this? Confusion. The low-code market is surrounded by confusion and myths. Information about low-code tools is floating around that just isn\u2019t true. We run across these myths on a seemingly daily basis. There\u2019s a misunderstanding about low-code development<\/a> in general.<\/p>\n

Today, I want to dispel many of the most common myths we hear about low-code tools. Now, I\u2019m specifically focusing on myths surrounding the original definition of low-code: Web application development platforms that create applications with a minimum of hand-coding. Sound good? Okay, let\u2019s get into it. Here are 9 common myths that we hear about low-code software.<\/p>\n

Myth #1: All low code tools are the same<\/h3>\n
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photo credit: Marco Bellucci<\/a> via photopin<\/a> cc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Let\u2019s start with this myth since it\u2019s the root of the problem. As I explained earlier, the term \u2018low-code\u2019 applies to a wide variety of software and tools. Even if you narrow the definition down to low-code web application development you\u2019ll still find a wide range of differing options.<\/p>\n

This is a problem because people tend to make assumptions about the entire category based on their experience with one tool. If they try a low-code tool that provides a bad experience they often assume that all low-code tools are the same, creating a negative opinion about other tools.<\/p>\n

Even worse, I still hear people passing judgment on low-code tools based on their experience with development tools of the past. Maybe they used a 4GL or RAD tool in the past that didn\u2019t meet their expectations. They (wrongly) assume that low-code tools are one and the same. In reality, low-code tools have evolved dramatically since that time.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot all low-code platforms are the same,\u201d says Rosaria Silipo, Ph.D., principal data scientist at KNIME<\/span><\/a>. \u201cThere are good and bad platforms, as in everything. So, depending on how they are designed, they can be secure, flexible, exhaustive, and have a large coverage of functionality. But most of all, not all low-code platforms promise more than they actually deliver. Some are honest platforms that clearly set the expectations.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The big takeaway: Every tool is different. Maybe you had a bad experience with one in the past, or you know someone who did. Don\u2019t let that shape your opinion on different platforms.<\/p>\n

Myth #2: Low-code development is only for simple applications<\/h3>\n

I can\u2019t tell you how often I hear people say things like:<\/p>\n

– \u201cLow-code is only for simple apps\u201d
\n– \u201cLow-code creates internal apps but can\u2019t be trusted for consumer-facing applications\u201d
\n– \u201cLow-code will not create mission-critical applications\u201d<\/p>\n

As explained in this article<\/span><\/a>, low-code development tools go far beyond simple, internal applications. Businesses across the globe are already using low-code platforms for mission-critical applications.<\/p>\n

“A common myth about low-code development is that it can only build a simplistic, non-complex solution,” says Tim Smith, COO & Managing Principal of Catalyst Consulting Group<\/span><\/a>. “Although low-code development may be less \u201crigorous\u201d and quicker to develop than code-heavy solutions, it is still possible to build elegantly complex solutions that leverage, say, automated workflows.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Myth #3: Low-code makes developers obsolete<\/h3>\n
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photo credit: geralt<\/a> via pixabay<\/a> cc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In my experience, developers have wildly different opinions about low-code software. Some love it. Others hate it. Why do some developers hate the idea of low-code? It usually boils down to a couple of misconceptions:<\/p>\n

Misconception #1: Low-code threatens developers<\/strong>
\nThey view low-code software as competition. If the company adopts low-code tools, they worry it will replace their function.<\/p>\n

The reality: Low-code isn\u2019t here to replace developers. Rather, it\u2019s here to make their lives easier. It replaces many of the tedious coding tasks and lets developers focus on delivering solutions faster.<\/p>\n

Misconception #2: Low-code limits developer\u2019s abilities<\/strong>
\nDevelopers often believe that low-code tools limit their abilities. They view low-code tools as black boxes that cannot be customized and will only limit them.<\/p>\n

In reality, this is only true for some. Quite a few enterprise-class low-code software<\/a> tools offer complete customization, but we\u2019ll dive into this more on the next point.<\/p>\n

These beliefs are driven by misunderstandings about low-code tools in general. In reality, developers should embrace low-code. As explained below, they provide developers with some huge advantages.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne common myth is that low-code tools put developers out of jobs (and so developers should avoid them!),\u201d says Nisha Talagala, Founder of AIClub.World<\/span><\/a>. \u201cThis is simply not true. Low code tools, when used correctly, increase developer productivity, freeing up the developer to focus on critical higher-level topics like usability, feature design, etc. One way to think about this – there was a time when developers wrote code in hexadecimal or machine instructions. Most of us don’t do that anymore – we use high-level languages that are compiled to machine instructions. Has it made our jobs any less critical? No – if anything it has expanded the number of developer jobs. This is an important myth to debunk since it causes fear of low-code tools and prevents developers from trying them.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Myth #4: Low-code means low customization<\/h3>\n

As touched on in the last point, many falsely view low-code software as a \u2018black box\u2019 that can\u2019t be customized. It generates code but they don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on under the hood.<\/p>\n

Now, I can\u2019t speak for all low-code tools (because I haven\u2019t used all of them), but many modern enterprise-class tools will not limit your customization. They should let you:<\/p>\n