In today’s fast-paced technological world, no-code and low-code solutions are a godsend for businesses looking to embrace digital transformation without an advanced team of developers on their side. But besides these low-code and no-code solutions, there are also Rapid Application Development (RAD) tools that teams turn to for delivering functional applications without technical coding.
But, how do RAD tools compare with low-code/no-code solutions? What are some of the main advantages of these tools and solutions? And which type of applications are best suited to the low-code/ no-code model? In this blog, we look at these questions and more.
The Key Differences Between RAD And Low-Code / No-code
| No-code | Low-code | RAD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coding | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Easy of use | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Program installations | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Error handling | ⭐️ | ⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| Code deployment | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Agility | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Cost of development | 💵 | 💵 | 💵💵💵 |
| Security | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Scalability | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Integration | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Support | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️ |
| Upgrade | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | ⭐️⭐️ |
RAD or Rapid Application Development is used when developers must combine a user-experience-centered application with industry-specific business logic and is most often used for complex software building. RAD works best where there are specific non-functional requirements, such as compliance, multi-tenancy, and security requirements. RAD solutions basically combine an integrated development environment with some code generation features.
Low-code/ no-code solutions, on the other hand, are centered around making software building more accessible for non-developer teams without technical training, allowing them to build applications without writing complicated code. While these two types of development tools are often looped in together, not all low-code solutions are RAD solutions, although there are some similarities.
Advantages of Low-Code/No-code
Low-code and no-code solutions are the perfect alternatives for non-technical teams to take on programming without undergoing complicated and expensive technical training. These platforms have shorter learning curves and cover the entire application development, testing, and deployment process, making software building easier, quicker, and cheaper. They work incredibly well if you’re looking to build simplistic departmental applications which don’t require highly technical features. They allow users to build fully-functional, practical applications without ever having to grapple their way through complicated strings of code.
Disadvantages of Low-Code/No-code
Despite the many advantages low-code/ no-code solutions offer, there are many limitations to working with these solutions. Low-code solutions may not be the best bet for you if you’re looking to build highly-complex software with advanced technical requirements. They do not work for applications that require multi-tenancy or SaaS monetization for the cloud. If the software you wish to build needs a single code-base for cloud, mobile, and web, a low-code solution may not be able to deliver those results.
There is also the downside that you still have to deal with some level of code, even with low-code solutions. The quality of generated code can also be questionable in some cases, leading to code integrity issues if teams are not adequately equipped to handle them.
When To Use Low-Code/No-code Solutions
No-code/ Low-code solutions allow developers to get hands-on with the basics, focusing on the business logic of building blocks. This makes these approaches well-suited for business-type applications. If you’re looking to build mission-critical business applications, a low-code strategy can often be the best way to go. It allows your business to undergo faster automation and development and significantly eradicates the risk factor from software projects.
The bottom line is that both the low-code/no-code approach and Rapid Application Development tools were built to shorten the application development cycle and make the process simpler and quicker for non-developer teams. Low-code/no-code approaches can be the perfect way for businesses with limited technical experts on board to reduce their team’s burden and empower members without specialized training to undertake software building.
If you’ve been considering adopting a low-code/no-code-oriented business model, this is your sign to take that first step. Or, if you have been working with RAD tools in the past, you might want to give low-code a try and see what works best for your business needs.