The 21st-century business world is built on software applications. In the past, IT teams had to write several lines of code to convert business logic into intuitive software products to get work done faster and more effectively.
Today, low-code technology advancements are changing how businesses build the apps they need. According to a Gartner survey[1], organizations will build 70 percent of their new applications using low-code or no-code platforms by 2026.
In this comparison guide you will learn:
• Differences between low-code and traditional development
• Advantages of low-code platforms
• Limitations of traditional coding
• When enterprises should adopt low-code
While traditional coding will remain relevant in the future (and is the more practical solution in many cases), decision-makers now have to critically compare their options and decide on which approach to software development will be more beneficial for them. To assist you with your decision-making process, we will compare low code automation tools to traditional software development to help you make the right choice.
Low code development platforms provide the environment needed to design, build, and deploy applications using visual tools. These platforms typically include workflow builders, form designers, integration capabilities, and governance features that help teams build applications at scale.
Learn how enterprises convert that momentum into outcomes in Low-code Digital Automation – The Future tech for Enterprise Businesses.
Traditional development requires professional developers with manual coding expertise. Low-code development requires only a minimum coding knowledge base and offers simple, easy-to-use tools, templates, and interfaces.
See how these advantages play out on the shop floor in Low-Code Platform for Manufacturing Industry Process Automation
When comparing low code vs traditional development, the main difference lies in how applications are built and delivered. Low code development focuses on speed and ease of use by using visual tools and reusable components, while traditional development relies on writing code for every part of the application.
Low code is best suited for faster application delivery, workflow automation, and internal tools. Traditional development is better suited for highly complex applications that require deep customization and full control over architecture.
With low-code development, developers don’t have to write individual lines of code to build complete software applications. To see how this compares to traditional coding, here’s a quick comparison of both approaches to software development based on various factors.
For a broader take on trade-offs (speed, flexibility, vendor lock-in), read Low-Code vs High-Code: Choosing the Best for App Development
Criteria |
Low-Code |
Traditional Software Development |
Definition |
Low-code development is a visual approach that uses pre-built components and drag-and-drop interfaces to build apps. |
Traditional or custom software development is an approach to software development that involves creating apps through manual coding. |
Tools |
Rapid application development tools such as Kissflow Low-Code are used. |
Web frameworks and programming languages such as Python, Java, and PHP. |
Coding Knowledge |
Basic coding knowledge is sufficient. |
Advanced coding skills are required. |
Speed of development |
A working app can be created in less than a month. |
App development may take 6 months to 1 year. |
Customization |
Limited customization options but some solutions such as Kissflow let users add custom UI components. |
Coding from scratch is highly customizable and the application can be tailored to specific requirements. |
Agility |
Changes can be made quickly and new features can be added easily. Errors can also be fixed smoothly. |
Changes will be time-consuming and frequent modifications will result in losing the project scope. |
Deployment |
Fast delivery as apps can be created through minimal coding which helps in app modernization. |
Longer development time as apps are created from scratch. |
Quality |
Extensive integration, standard performance, and live-debugging options will keep the app error-free. |
Highly scalable and great performance. However, testing and debugging will be time-consuming. |
Maintenance |
Easy to maintain as the low-code platform handles app security, maintenance, and upgrades. |
You need a dedicated internal team to perform regular updates and maintain your custom app. |
Technical support |
Less technical support. |
More technical support. |
Template availability |
Lots of pre-built templates. |
None. It can only be built from scratch. |
Cost |
Average cost starts at $3000/month. |
Ranges between $20,000 and $50,000/app. |
Scalability |
Low-code platforms can handle variable workloads (e.g., adding more users as the organization grows) easily. |
Traditional software is difficult and costly to scale without the help of experienced software developers. |
Security |
Most low-code solutions will come with ISO 2007 and SOC2. They also comply with other important data protection regulations. |
Full dependency on the software development team to implement security measures. Security takes time and may affect quality. |
Multi-platform |
Supports multi-platform development. Most low-code apps can be made to work on mobile, web, and cloud. |
Choose between native or cross-platform development methods to make the app work on multiple platforms. |
ROI |
Highest ROI, in some cases above 80 percent. ROI is measured based on development costs, and maintenance. |
The ROI is very low compared to low-code solutions.It is typically between the range of 15-17percent |
Choosing between low code vs traditional development depends on the type of application, required complexity, and time to delivery. Organizations often use low code for business applications and process automation, while relying on traditional development for highly specialized or performance intensive systems.
Although there are similarities between them, low-code development and traditional coding are two distinct approaches to software development. Below are the phases of low-code development and traditional development that are generally in practice. Note that these may vary based on the nature of the project.
This detailed breakdown of Power Automate shows how automation in (LCNC) low-code platforms stacks up against traditional development workflows.
Once you're clear on how low-code outperforms traditional development, it's also helpful to explore the difference between low-code and no-code platforms to choose the best fit for your business needs.
Parameter |
Low-Code Development |
Traditional Coding |
|
Resource Saving |
Low-code development requires fewer technical resources since it relies on visual development tools and pre-built components. |
It takes a large team of skilled developers and a lot of technical resources to build apps from scratch with custom code. |
|
ROI (Return on Investment) |
With faster development time and reduced resource cost, low-code development often leads to quicker returns on investment. |
Traditional coding tends to take a longer time to get ROI due to extended development timelines and higher resource expenses. |
|
Finding proper talent |
With low-code development, it is easier to find and onboard citizen developers or business users with limited technical expertise and get them to build needed solutions. |
It requires specialized and skilled developers. But there’s an ongoing shortage in tech talent, projected to reach 85.2 million developers and engineers by 2030. |
|
Quality |
Suited for less complex applications and rapid development but may have limitations in customization and scalability. Quality depends on the low-code platform. |
High customization and control, allowing for the development of complex software solutions. Quality is often determined by the expertise of the development team. |
The right low-code development platform will simplify and accelerate the creation of functional software applications. However, the efficiency of your low-code development process depends significantly on the features of your chosen low-code platform. To choose the best low-code solution, the following are some of the critical factors to consider
An intuitive low-code solution lets users create app interfaces by simply dragging and dropping components onto a design canvas. This approach reduces the need for manual coding of UI elements, making application development accessible to non-developers.
Low-code platforms prioritize mobility. Developers can design responsive user interfaces and implement specific features using prebuilt components or modifying templates. This makes it easier and faster to develop applications for various devices and platforms.
Modern low-code platforms include built-in security features to protect applications and user data. They comply with industry standards for application development, with advanced encryption and role-based access control to limit who can access what. Scalability is another key quality of low-code platforms, allowing applications to grow as user demands increase.
Automation is a core aspect of low-code development. These platforms provide tools for automating workflows and business processes, reducing manual efforts in enterprise software apps.
Many low-code platforms support seamless integration with DevOps processes. This ensures that the development, testing, and deployment of applications can be part of a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline. This promotes efficient software delivery and makes it easier to implement updates when necessary.
Many Low-code platforms also offer case management capabilities. This allows organizations to manage complex business processes, cases, tickets, and workflows from a centralized hub.
Data integration is crucial for building applications that interact with various internal and external low-code platforms that provide connectors, APIs, and data mapping tools to facilitate the integration and querying of data from databases, third-party services, and legacy systems.
For when RPA alone isn’t enough (and when it is), see Low-Code vs. RPA: Which One is Right for Your Business?
Low-code platforms are the right option for any startups, SMBs, mid-market, and enterprises trying to build simple solutions and deploy them quickly. The following are practical scenarios where using a low-code platform is an ideal solution.
Learn More: Low-code vs No-code
You don’t have to pick on approach a winner, and in that sense, there is no battle between the two. The right approach to you depends on what is being built and how you want to build it and in some cases, both options are viable and practical.
Contrary to common expectations, low-code isn’t out to depose or replace traditional programming. In fact, traditional software development remains relevant due to the unmatched freedom and flexibility it provides.
So, a truce can be called to combine traditional programming and low-code platforms. Blending beneficial practices of low-code into a conventional development life cycle will facilitate faster time-to-market and process optimization.
Combining the best of both worlds will also allow the creation of high-quality enterprise-grade application solutions. For example, low-code can be used to develop the core functionality and the programming team can come in later to create complex and tailored functions. Overall, they’re a great pair and can bring significant business value.
Ready to start leveraging the unique benefits of low-code development? Get Kissflow's low-code platform today to start building apps faster. Get started with Kissflow Platform and learn how to leverage its features to drive better results
The main difference between low code and traditional app development is how applications are built. Low code development uses visual tools and prebuilt components to speed up development, while traditional development relies on writing code from scratch. Low code allows faster delivery, while traditional development offers deeper customization.
Organizations should choose low code when they need to build applications quickly, automate workflows, or reduce IT backlog. It is ideal for internal tools, process automation, and business applications that require faster deployment without heavy coding effort.
Traditional development is a better choice when applications require highly complex logic, deep system level customization, or performance intensive processing. It is often used for building large scale consumer applications or systems that need complete control over architecture.
Low code development platforms improve application delivery speed by providing visual builders, reusable components, and prebuilt integrations. This reduces the need to write code from scratch and allows teams to design, build, and deploy applications faster.
Low code platforms may have limitations in handling highly complex customizations, advanced logic, or very specific technical requirements. While they work well for most business applications, traditional development may still be required for highly specialized use cases.
Low code development platforms are used by IT teams, developers, and business users who want to build applications quickly. Organizations adopt low code to enable faster development while maintaining control over governance and integrations.
Low code development can support long term scalability when platforms provide proper governance, integration capabilities, and application lifecycle management. Enterprise grade low code platforms allow organizations to scale applications while maintaining performance and control.
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