We are in the AI frontier, and the way it will fundamentally reshape many industries’ potential is yet to be realized. Firms that build on digital and AI-first modernization will leapfrog those that don’t and will dominate the market.
Low-code/No-Code platforms, also called LCNC platforms, are used to expedite the application development process, make it more accessible to a broader set of users (citizen developers to pro developers), and also offer cost-effective solutions for developing applications in a rapidly changing business environment. Low-code platforms often come with pre-built templates, components, and design patterns. This ensures a level of standardization and consistency in application development, leading to more reliable and maintainable software. LCNC also addresses the shortage of skilled developers needed to develop applications grounds up.
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LCNC’s Constraints
There is a general view that LCNC tools are ideal for fringe applications or less complex, rule-based, deterministic problems with predictable outputs and are not the right choice for building scalable, mission-critical systems. It is pertinent to note that LCNC platforms have certain limitations, such as customization constraints, scalability, and complex integrations. They may not be suitable for every type of enterprise application, particularly those with highly specialized requirements or complex business logic. For such scenarios, enterprises prefer to do ground-up development and not use LCNC platforms.
Is Gen AI Replacing LCNC Platforms
The emergence of Generative AI (Gen AI) and its ability to fast-track development in some circles is being seen as an alternative to LCNC platforms. While Gen AI can indeed reduce time to market through automation, the code generated is not always error-free and needs validation by developers while the code generated by LCNC platforms is error-free.
It is crucial to consider the limitations of Gen AI when evaluating its impact on the LCNC industry. While Gen AI can automate certain parts of the development process with code generation, LCNC platforms, on the other hand, succeed in providing user-friendly interfaces, workflows, cross-compatibility, and reusable components, enabling users to put together more sophisticated and tailored applications.
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Another factor to consider is the required learning curve and developer skills required to leverage Gen AI optimally. LCNC platforms are designed to be accessible to individuals without extensive coding knowledge, but Gen AI requires a good level of technical knowledge and understanding.
Gen AI can increase the value proposition of LCNC platforms
Most prominent LC NC participants provide or include AI Co-pilot features in their offerings, either presently available or as integral components of their platform roadmaps. It helps pro developers to identify and remove application inefficiency and improve overall security. For citizen developers, it provides guidance and enforces best practices resulting in higher-quality output.
GenAI is a Collaborative Approach
So does GenAI benefits stop with a much more capable LCNC platform?
LCNC depends on prebuilt templates and libraries of components assembled within the boundaries of the platform. Any code modules outside the LCNC platforms will have to be integrated as external extensions. It is more appropriate to see GenAI working in tandem with LCNC platforms to further shorten the time to market. The advancement in Gen AI presents better adoption opportunities for LCNC platforms.
Expert developers can leverage Gen AI to accelerate specific tasks, while non-technical users can still rely on LCNC platforms for their ease of use and customization options.
A team composition that would have few expert developers and citizen developers would be the ideal combination to hyper-accelerate development with significantly reduced dependency on highly skilled developers. In the future, we could see the rise of a new breed of polyglot programmers who can use the best of both worlds.
So rather than seeing Gen AI as a direct threat, a more pragmatic approach would be to use GenAI as a complementary tool to turbocharge LCNC platforms. By leveraging Gen AI capabilities in conjunction with LCNC platform features, users can lessen the burden of hand coding and reduce complexity, enabling development teams to focus on innovation and mission-critical work.
Many target use cases can be supported with this approach.
- Generating workflows: Automate business processes with LCNC tools while Gen AI supports decision models and integration aspects.
- Hyper-automation: Gen AI and LCNC support enterprises in modernizing or developing applications by generating microservices skeletons with basic code, best practices, and encoded business logic.
- Self-service analytics: Use Gen AI to query data sources and build reports in seconds and leverage the power of LCNC to offer visual insights to consumers.
- Complaint management: Create omnichannel systems that integrate with AI chatbots, automate replies, and streamline assignments by leveraging the case management power of LCNC.
- Forms management: Bring operations control with LCNC systems by managing thousands of versions of forms and combining AI models to poll for form changes published by agencies
- Supply chain digitalization: Integrate AI-infused LCNC applications with smart devices and multiple systems of records that are a valuable source of data for analytics and ML algorithms. These are just a few examples. The implications are endless.
In conclusion, LCNC development is quick and Gen AI speeds things up even more. While Gen AI has the potential to disrupt the LCNC industry by automating parts of the application development process, LCNC platforms still hold advantages with pre-built components and by catering to non-technical users. The future of software development has to involve a collaborative approach, where Gen AI and LCNC platforms work in tandem to empower businesses. By leveraging the strengths of both approaches, organizations can continue to democratize software development while embracing the efficiencies offered by both technologies. GenAI and its synergy with LCNC platforms have the potential to revolutionize the software development landscape.
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