It’s ok – we get it. You’re thinking about cheating on your legacy platforms with low-code. But don’t worry, we’ll keep it our little secret.
Myths. Misconceptions. Misunderstandings. It’s a natural part of the learning process. Have no fear! Let’s take a quick journey through the low-code universe to understand exactly how this technology will help you level up your business.
Hold on a second. Remind me what low-code is again?
Low-code: it’s a vibe.
No, really – you can think of low-code as a new approach to software development that lets companies more quickly and cost-effectively ship products.
Typically, low-code platforms provide a visual platform that enables non-technical and technical users alike to build software. The idea is that minimal custom coding is required.
Fast, flexible low-code development can help your team:
- Increase customer satisfaction
- Reduce churn
- Close more sales, more quickly
- Speed up your product development processes
Clearly, you can see the appeal. And so do many others. By 2024, Gartner estimates that upwards of 70% of applications developed by enterprises will use low- or no-code tech. That’s up from 25% in 2020!
Another term you may have come across before is no-code, low-code’s wayward stepchild. These platforms enable users to build simple products without a development team. Check this out to learn more about the difference between low- and no-code.
If I build something in a low-code platform, do I own it?
Long story short: yes.
“You are the owner of all the metadata contained within your platform,” explains Diego Gaviola, the CTO of our low-code platform, Slingr.
Of course, you still need to leverage a platform like Slingr to run the app you create. But the IP is yours. It’s standard in the industry for you to be able to request a backup of your data whenever you need it.
Does low-code scale over time?
With low-code, you’re ready for hockey stick growth. With no code or custom code, you better get ready for a hockey stick to hit you in the face.
“We have features where we can add more instances to scale your app horizontally,” says Gaviola.
“You can also upgrade your database to hold more info,” he adds, assuring developers that they need not be concerned about expanding their infrastructure.
Can I create complex apps?
Low-code? It’s complicated. OK, not really. But yes, of course you can create complex apps. The only limit is your team’s creativity – or your customers’ pesky needs.
At Slingr, we walk the low-code walk. One of the most complex use cases of our platform is the internal app that powers our entire company. It helps us with virtually every aspect of our business: from managing client projects and tracking sales initiatives to billing and payroll – and everything in between.
The beauty of low-code is that you can customize business applications any way you need. Add your custom business logic. Directly edit the generated code. You do you, all with low-code.
But what if my low-code platform goes out of business?!
Trust us: you’re not the only one with abandonment issues.
We can’t speak for other low-code platforms. But in the case of Slingr, we’ve pledged to give the platform away to our customers in the unlikely event that our business is no longer.
“If anything happens to us, our users will be able to run their apps,” Gaviola asserts.
But rest assured that we have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon. It’s only up from here for team Slingr!
Can I deploy the platform on my private cloud?
Usually, yes. Not every platform will have this functionality. But typically they can make it work (Slingr can).
That said, top low-code platforms typically all run through the major cloud platforms you’d expect: Google Cloud, AWS, Azure. These are the best in class and help us ensure that we deliver the best results for our clients and their users.
Won’t it take ages to learn how to use the low-code platform?
Learning how to use a low-code platform might not be your idea of a fun time. (But if it is, maybe you should consider joining our team!)
We’ve developed our platform with users in mind. Depending on your technical chops, you should be able to pick up the basics of how to use a platform in a matter of days.
In Gaviola’s experience, he has seen people be able to start building features for Slingr’s apps within a week of first logging onto the platform. If you choose Slingr as your development platform, you also have the option of tapping into our technical team to help you create your app.
What’s the testing process like?
Testing is one of the biggest drags of app development.
Will it work on mobile? How do I squash these bugs? Is it compatible with all the relevant systems?
With low-code, your team will need to spend a lot less time testing because low-code uses pre-tested code. All you’ve got to do is choose the template, the data, customize to your heart’s content, and deploy.
Does low-code mean that we don’t need developers any more?
Don’t start handing out the pink slips just yet.
Low-code is all about making your developers’ lives easier – not replacing them.
Using a low-code platform means that developers can do what they do best in record time. That saves you money and improves your devs’ quality of life. That’s more important than ever in a time where the market for tech talent is tight!
What’s the deal with interoperability? Once I choose a low-code platform, am I locked into their ecosystem?
Low-code is more flexible than your local yoga instructor.
Interoperability is central to platforms like Slingr. Integrations are at the core of what we do – enabling your platform to play nice with all the other systems in your tech stack. That includes other low-code platforms, should you need to make a switch.
What other pressing low-code queries are on your mind? Drop a comment below and we’ll share our thoughts. Or if you’re feeling shy, get in touch for a one-on-one chat with a Slingr low-code expert.
