According to the proven rule of “follow the money”, low code and no code should be among the trends to follow in 2022.
But these platforms are now more than simple attractive tools allowing users to carry out their favorite projects. They are essential and necessary components of companies’ digital strategies for the future.
Allow non-programmers to develop the software they need
Just recently, the low-code platform Airtable announced that it is now worth $ 11 billion after its last round of funding. The company argues that its open approach allows professionals new to coding languages like Java or Python to play a role in reshaping the digital consumer and customer experience.
This movement is part of a growing democratization of programming, born out of necessity. At a time when digital transformation is everywhere, “relying on IT departments and professional programmers is not viable”, analyzes the American publisher O’Reilly. “We need to empower people who aren’t programmers to develop the software they need. We need to empower people to solve their own computer problems. “
At the same time, “programmers know their jobs won’t disappear with a large-scale takeover of low code, but there is no denying that their roles as programmers will change as companies adopt new technologies. low code solutions ”. Indeed, “professional programmers will be needed to do what users of low-code solutions cannot. They build new tools, and make connections between those tools and old tools. (…) Low code will inevitably create more work, and not make it disappear ”.
Different levels of applications
Industry experts agree that low code and no code are more than a pleasant luxury for end users, but a real necessity. “I have seen predictions that the application development needs over the next five years will collectively exceed the amount of applications built over the past three or four decades,” said Ryan Berry, vice president and software architect. at OneStream Software.
Although these tools allow faster innovation, “low code tools do not replace the need for traditional enterprise applications,” says Ryan Berry. “There will always be a need for solutions built by professional developers, like mission-critical APIs, low latency and high performance web applications, even native mobile applications. Low-code tooling creates a bridge to enable the company to improve business and in-house application portfolios, giving developers with little or no development experience the ability to quickly build applications as entry forms, data validation applications and remote monitoring or management tools. “
This ease of building applications, however, needs to be managed with care, and this is where IT professionals need to step in. “One of the risks is that developers with little or no experience often have a limited understanding of how the problem they’re trying to solve with automation affects other business goals, like security and compliance, ”says Harel Tayeb, CEO of Kryon Systems. In general, he says, “citizen developers are not aware of these requirements and therefore need safeguards.”
In addition, IT managers should “rule out concerns about the security and compliance risks new developers with little experience may create for the business,” says Ryan Berry. “We must also ensure that these applications are built in such a way that they can evolve and develop according to organizational changes. To successfully deploy these platforms, special attention must be paid to training in compliance requirements and company data handling procedures, as well as training in low code and no code platforms. “
Strong potential
Ultimately, the future of low code and no code is positive. “Developers with little or no experience, or individuals who use the technology to develop a business application, have the power to advance automation and digital transformation,” says Harel Tayeb. “For the inexperienced developer, this is an opportunity to develop their skills, acquire a new valuable skill and secure the future of their career. Who knows what life-changing apps are waiting to be developed? “
For example, he says, “At Kryon, when our Tel Aviv office reopened, our office administrator was tasked with ensuring that everyone who entered the office followed the security guidelines. These included signing for monitoring contracts, checking the temperature and disinfecting your hands. Our administrator found that this task prevented her from carrying out her usual duties. So she created a robot to handle administrative tasks. She named this robot “Hygeia”, which automates the entire process each time an employee or visitor enters the building. This allowed her to save hours a day and to stay focused on her other tasks, while respecting the safety requirements related to the return of our team to the office ”.
There is great potential for inexperienced and professional developers who develop these different levels of applications. Appropriate education and the inclusion of IT in the decision of any low-code and no-code platform “also establishes a basis for ideal situations in which these next-generation applications can be exploited, how they are deployed and, most importantly, how. they and the data with which they interact are secure, ”adds Ryan Berry.
“Tackling these challenges early can help a successful deployment and help organizations realize the immediate value of increasing the number of professional IT developers to include this new population of less experienced developers. “
Source: ZDNet.com