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With "Simply Explained" we will we will try to give you a better understanding of different buzzwords and explain how technologies work in practice, in the simplest possible way. This time we're talking about low-code technology, or "low-code"

Why low-code?

The need for digital transformation has never been greater, and in light of the pandemic, many businesses were more or less forced to change, adapt to new policies and rethink. This is just one example where the need to to change quickly is essential. The use of low-code technology has grown rapidly precisely because it has the potential to quickly and cost-effectively digitise processes related to companies' digital transformation. Some of the value low-code provides are:

  • More frequent deliveries and faster prototyping
  • Improved innovation processes, through more frequent iterations
  • Lower IT complexity and simplified operation and maintenance
  • Reduced development costs

To explain what low-code technology is, it is natural to first explain what traditional development is, and give a brief explanation of how a computer interprets code.

Traditional development

In order for a computer to do anything, it needs instructions, and the instructions are written in the form of machine code consisting of 0s and 1s. Code consisting of zeros and ones is unreadable and difficult for humans to understand, so a human-readable programming language is used. Traditional development is characterised by a software developer writing code in a programming language in a code editor, which is then translated into machine code so that the computer can do what theyn is asked to do. The image below shows an example of what traditional software code might look like in a code editor, and an application could contain several thousand lines of code.

Low-code

Compared to traditional development, low-code avoids writing code in a traditional programming language. Instead, it uses pre-made components and elements where the underlying code is hidden from the user.

You may also have heard of 'no-code'? This term is often used together with low-code, and the two have a lot of similarities. The main difference is the tools' ability to support custom code.

Low-code with Appfarm

Gture is a partner of Appfarm and we have good experience with their development tool. This solution is marketed as no-code because you can create applications completely without å code, but the solution also has the flexibility to adapt self-written code. The image below shows an example ofå what Appfarm looks like with various components (buttons, text fields, lists, etc.) onå left side and the actual application being developed in the middle.

These components must then be configured and connected to various data sources. The developer still needs to understand the programming logic and process flow, but the need for handwritten code becomes less important. I Gture we have developed our own app that is used to communicate with partners on our projects using low-code. Previously, this process was handled by email and through various chat-services. Today, this process has been digitised and we have everything in one place.

Applications

So - when is the right time to adopt low-code for your application development?

In a later blog post, we will go into more detail on applications, but in short, low-code is well suited for accelerating a digital transformation, for example by:

  • Digitising manual processes
  • Replacing heavy excel sheets with user-friendly applications
  • Facilitating a mobile workforce
  • Breaking down silos between core systems
  • Increasing the pace of innovation through rapid prototyping and fast iterations

Want to learn more?

Would you like to hear more about how we at Gture work with low-code?
Sign up for our morning seminar on digital transformation with low-codeor take a look at one of our other blog posts.

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Stian Liland

Author Stian Liland

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