# What Is Low Code Development? Benefits & Use Cases | Capterra | Capterra > Low code development creates quick solutions to coding and software creation. Read our guide to find out what low code development is, and how your business can use it. Source: https://www.capterra.com/resources/what-is-low-code-development --- Application DevelopmentIT & Software Development # Low Code Development: What Is It, and Should You Be Using It? By Stephan Miller Stephan Miller Stephan Miller is a writer and software developer specializing in software and programming topics. He has written two published books and is a frequent contr... [See bio & all articles](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/smiller/) Published December 30, 2022 7 min read Table of Contents - [What is low code?](#what-is-low-code) - [What is low code development?](#what-is-low-code-development) - [Features and benefits of low code development](#features-and-benefits-of-low-code-development) - [Low code vs. no code](#low-code-vs-no-code) - [Future of low code development](#future-of-low-code-development) ## Low code focuses on visual development and can speed up app delivery. Modern businesses run on software. Embracing digital transformation allows them to pivot and adapt to a rapidly changing world. [Low code development](https://www.capterra.com/low-code-development-platform-software/) is a relatively new technology that more and more businesses are adopting to create the applications they need for both internal and customer-facing applications. The demand for software has only increased the demand for software engineers, and the supply is not keeping up. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics[\[1\]](#sources), the shortage of software developers will be over 1.2 million by 2026. Low-code development has allowed many businesses to develop applications when they can't find a software engineer or develop those applications quicker when they have technical staff. If you're a startup owner who knows you will need custom software in order to run your business and are looking for a simple, inexpensive way to empower your team to build software applications quicker, you may be wondering if low code development will meet your needs. We've created this guide to low code to introduce this technology and help you find the answer. ## What is low code? Low code is a software development process that requires only the bare minimum of code to build applications and services. Instead of building a complete application with complicated programming languages and text-based scripts, you can use visual drag-and-drop tools to put most of the parts of a complete application together. This allows users with only a basic knowledge of a programming language to build web, mobile, and desktop applications that fit their business needs using intuitive tools that guide them through the process quicker. Because they are simple to use and can shorten the time to build a new application, low code's popularity has increased in recent years. Low code frameworks can be used by "citizen developers" to bring new applications to the market that would otherwise require months of development and a team of software engineers. ## What is low code development? Low code development platforms and frameworks give users a graphical user interface (GUI) to design, build, and test applications. The GUI provides the user with pre-built UI components, boilerplate scripts, software [integrations](https://www.capterra.com/integration-software/), solution blueprints, and visual drag-and-drop tools to reduce the amount of code they would normally have to write to build an application. Low code development does still employ some code, so developers in a low code environment will need to have a basic understanding of a programming language, but this type of knowledge can often be picked up with a few classes or a [coding bootcamp](https://capterra.com/resources/are-coding-bootcamps-worth-it/) instead of through years of training and experience. The ability to use custom code in a low code platform allows developers to build more complex and customizable applications than can be built on no code platforms and quicker than they can be built from scratch. ## Features and benefits of low code development Low code development platforms give a developer or team of developers access to a broad range of tools that cover most of their use cases, combined with the ability to add code to customize their applications. Here are the features and benefits businesses see when given these capabilities. ### Visual modeling Low code tools allow developers to build the UIs, [workflows](https://www.capterra.com/workflow-management-software/), and data structures for their application visually, either in a web browser or desktop tool. To build their UI, they can simply drag pre-built UI components onto their application design, position them how they see fit, modify the colors and fonts with a few clicks, and link them to data sources and other parts of the app with their mouse. Once all the components of the app are ready, building the app is just as easy. If the app needs further customization, handwritten code can be added. With less code to write, a development project can get done quickly and with fewer bugs. ### Reusable/out-of-the box functionality Pre-built components and a large selection of software integrations are what make the visual modeling in low code platforms possible. This can speed up [development](https://www.capterra.com/application-development-software/) immensely because it saves on the time it would take to create them from scratch. Low code developers are provided not only with simple UI elements like buttons, text boxes, charts, and graphics that they can put together to create their own components but also complex components like data grids, user feedback forms, and complete [authentication](https://www.capterra.com/authentication-software/) workflows. Using a combination of both, they can build just about any UI quickly. ### Data integration The visual components are just one part of an application. The data that populates these components is even more important. Low code platforms allow users to connect to a wide variety of sources like [CRMs](https://www.capterra.com/customer-relationship-management-software/), [ERPs](https://www.capterra.com/enterprise-resource-planning-software/), [accounting software](https://www.capterra.com/accounting-software/), and more to provide the necessary data for their applications to function. In low code platforms, developers can use visual modeling tools to connect existing APIs to components with a few keystrokes. They can also add custom REST, SOAP, or RPC data sources and have the application automatically handle database updates. With the traditional development process, each of these integrations would need to be hand-coded and take much longer to set up. ### Scalability Low code development allows a business to adjust to changes quickly by shortening and streamlining the [software development lifecycle](https://www.capterra.com/resources/what-is-sdlc/). All a software development team has to worry about is creating the application using the visual tools, which can cut months off of development time. The platform takes care of the rest. Low code development platforms use enterprise-grade technology. This means they will be secure and scale dynamically as your user base grows. ## Low code vs. no code You may have heard of [no code development](https://www.capterra.com/no-code-platform-software/) and wonder how it differs from low code development. The main difference is that low code development requires some code, while no code development requires no code at all. Low code development was designed to make the construction of full-featured applications quicker for developers by taking a lot of boilerplate coding out of the process. They still have to write some code to customize the application, but the base application code is ready to go. No code platforms, on the other hand, are designed for non-technical users like small business owners and non-IT teams like finance, [marketing](https://www.capterra.com/all-in-one-marketing-software/), [HR](https://www.capterra.com/human-resource-software/), or legal. They allow users who don't know a programming language to build simple applications with easy-to-use visual tools. Low code development is generally used by companies that have developers, need to build complex applications, and want to speed up the development process. No code development is used where simple applications are needed, and they will be built by non-technical users. Low code use cases While some applications are complex enough to require custom software development to meet business needs, low code solutions are quickly expanding into more industries. Here are some low code examples to help you understand where it fits into the technology industry. - **Customer engagement applications:** Customer engagement applications can improve customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty. Whether they need a [self-service portal](https://capterra.com/resources/6-steps-to-build-an-amazing-self-service-support-site/), [eCommerce app](https://www.capterra.com/ecommerce-software/), or [loyalty app](https://www.capterra.com/customer-loyalty-software/), businesses are turning to low code platforms to provide the solutions they need for many customer-facing applications use cases. - **Internal business applications:** Instead of going with the traditional off-the-shelf software for internal applications, many businesses are adopting low code technology that allows them to create custom enterprise applications. This enables them to tailor employee self-service portals, [corporate wellness software](https://www.capterra.com/corporate-wellness-software/), [performance management systems](https://www.capterra.com/performance-appraisal-software/), and more to their specific business needs and create a better employee experience. - **Business process automation:** Businesses can automate their workflows easily using low code tools. Low code applications can connect to business data sources and generate reports and insights that lead to business growth. They can be used to link applications in a [supply chain](https://www.capterra.com/supply-chain-management-software/) and create operational dashboards. They can integrate smart IoT endpoints with other systems and provide them with necessary analytics data. - **Application modernization:** Legacy systems can be extended, modernized, or replaced by low code applications. Aging applications are hard to maintain, and at some point, third-party support may end. Low code platforms enable you to re-platform quickly by allowing you to create custom integrations with legacy applications, so you can replace old applications one part at a time. ## Future of low code development Low code development technology is continuing to evolve. It is being driven by the developer shortage, high developer salaries, and the expense and time it takes to build software the standard way. Businesses are beginning to see the advantage of not reinventing the wheel each time they start a new software project. Experts in the industry are predicting that low code adoption will continue to grow. According to Gartner, 80% of technology products and services will be built by people who are not technology professionals[\[2\]](#sources) by 2024. The technology market is evolving to provide solutions that make development easier, quicker, and more streamlined for any size and type of business. For businesses with an IT team, this means that developing applications will require less code, time, and cost. Those without developers on the staff can look to [no code platforms](https://www.capterra.com/no-code-platform-software/) and custom software development companies to build their solutions quicker. Interested in hiring a company to help with your custom software development needs? Browse our list of top software development companies, and discover more about their services in Capterra’s hiring guide. ## Capterra's 2026 Software Buying Trends Report ### Download our 2026 Software Buying Trends Report to see how successful software adopters avoid disappointment and how your business can, too. * * * Sources 1. [Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm#tab-6), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2. [Press Release June 14, 2021](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-06-10-gartner-says-the-majority-of-technology-products-and-services-will-be-built-by-professionals-outside-of-it-by-2024), Gartner * * * Looking for IT Management software?Check out Capterra's list of the [best IT Management software](https://www.capterra.com/it-management-software/) solutions. ### Was this article helpful? * * * ## About the Author [### Stephan Miller](https://www.capterra.com/resources/author/smiller/) Stephan Miller is a writer and software developer specializing in software and programming topics. 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