5 myths about low-code that everyone believes but are actually false

The company Forrester came up with the low-code concept in 2014 and it was literally a revolution in the world of IT. Gartner, a technology consultancy estimates that the low-code market will grow by 23% this year alone, reaching a value of $5.8 billion. There are even predictions, that by 2024, up to 65 percent of application development will take place on low-code platforms. Although hundreds of such software programs are already available, they are still growing dynamically, and more and more players are emerging. 

What is low-code and what is it good for? 

It is a development based on the low-code platform, which means that the newly created product is based on the existing functions of the platform. So it doesn't evolve from the very beginning, it's about adapting and integrating external systems. This term refers to software tools that allow you to create various web applications with only a minimal amount of manual coding. However, this term is currently used for any software that contains an element of visual programming. 

These are the reasons why people often have different ideas about what low-code is. Different platforms are able to perform completely different functions. Some serve simpler and more basic activities, while others are all-encompassing and offer users a wide range of features.

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Here are the five most common myths: 

1. All low-code applications are the same

This is the fallacy that is behind most of the problems. As we have already written, the term "low-code" refers to a wide range of software programs and tools. Even if we narrow the definition to low-code web application development, there are still many options.

People tend to judge the entire low-code market based on their experience with a single application. When they test an application that does not meet their needs in relation to functionality, they often assume that all such solutions are useless. 

Even worse, people judge the current market based on their past experiences when low-code was still in its infancy. In reality, however (like all technologies), this software has undergone dramatic development in recent years.‍

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2. Low-code replaces the job of software developers

Programmers have quite different views on low-code. Some really love it, others hate it. Why? This is usually due to several misconceptions:

Myth 1: Low-code is a threat to developers

Developers often consider low-code software to be a competitor. They see in it the danger that it could deprive them of their jobs in the future. 

Reality: Low-code is not a substitute for developers. It just makes their lives easier.

It can replace many coding tasks, allowing programmers to work more quickly and efficiently. It makes it easier for them to understand the description of specifications and implementations. In this way, several intermediate steps in the development process can be skipped and tedious repetitive tasks can be eliminated. The time saved can then be devoted to genuinely important tasks.

Myth 2: Low-code limits developers' options.

Developers often perceive these tools as black boxes that cannot be personalized, and therefore tend to think that they limit their work.

Reality: In fact, this only applies to some platforms. Quite a few low-code business class software tools offer complete customization.

Contrary to popular belief, low-code opens up new possibilities for developers. Firstly, there is currently a huge demand on the market for professionals who understand it. Secondly, it saves a lot of time and energy by eliminating unnecessarily repetitive tasks. 

3. Low-code is for developers or business professionals only

There is also not much clarity on exactly who low-code tools are intended for. Some people believe that these platforms are for developers only and cannot be used without technical knowledge. On the other hand, some claim that they are not sufficiently advanced so as to be used by developers and are therefore only used by business professionals. 

However, the reality is that these platforms can be used by everyone. Developers use low-code tools to speed up application delivery. In this branch of the software development industry, it is about expanding the capabilities of an existing platform through in-house development, including platform integration with current business processes and integration with existing systems. Low-code tools eliminate repetitive coding tasks that take up most of the programmer's time.

End users use them to build their own applications without having to disturb the IT department at work. Most business-class tools offer security capabilities that allow developers to control end-user access and data within the software.

4. No special training is required to manage low-code platforms

Mobile applications have fundamentally changed people's attitudes towards software interfaces. Software is often expected to be as intuitive as a mobile application, which one can learn to use extremely quickly with minimal effort. It starts to crumble as this belief spreads to the low-code world.

The reality is that in all cases a certain level of knowledge about the functioning of the development environment is needed. 

You need to understand exactly what a low-code platform allows. These tools enable web application development, workflow automation, mobile application development and other processes. Now imagine how long it would take you to learn all that yourself. It would take years.

5. Using low-code platforms requires less planning

Another big inaccuracy is that low-code platforms cover both application development and design. These tools are currently really helping businesses to build web applications, and rightly so.

However, users must still think and act like developers when building applications. 

So they must:

- Design how everything will fit together.

- Understand where the data comes from.

- Find out how each process works.

The problem is that some users expect low-code to simplify every aspect of the development process, all the way from design through to coding. The disappointment then comes when they realize that they must plan what to build and how to do it.

What follows from this? 

In short, low-code platforms can transform the approach to application development, simplifying and automating certain processes for any type of business. With the right combination of low-code and pro-code programmers, companies can build competitive and scalable applications faster than ever before. It is a well chosen tool that helps streamline the work of experienced software architects, improves coding speed and very often the quality of the code itself. And that is its biggest secret.