Low-Code: What is low-code?

What is low-code?

Low-code is a software development approach that reduces the amount of code to be written manually by providing visual interfaces, pre-built components and configuration wizards. Unlike no-code, which eliminates code writing entirely, low-code allows developers to intervene in the source code when visual components are not sufficient. It sits midway between pure no-code and traditional custom development.

The most well-known low-code platforms include OutSystems, Mendix, Microsoft Power Apps, Retool and Appsmith. They primarily target the development of internal enterprise applications: dashboards, management tools, approval workflows and employee portals. They promise development three to ten times faster than traditional coding.

At KERN-IT, we analyse low-code with the same critical eye as no-code: it is a tool with its place in certain contexts, but whose limitations must be clearly understood before committing.

Difference between no-code and low-code

Although often mentioned together, no-code and low-code target different audiences and needs.

• Target audience: no-code targets non-technical users (citizen developers). Low-code targets professional developers looking to accelerate their work.
• Flexibility: no-code is limited to the platform's framework. Low-code allows features to be extended through custom code, offering greater flexibility.
• Project complexity: no-code suits simple projects. Low-code can handle medium-complexity projects with more elaborate business logic.
• Learning curve: no-code is quick to pick up. Low-code requires basic technical skills and an understanding of the specific platform.

Why low-code is popular

Low-code addresses a growing tension in organisations: demand for digital solutions is increasing faster than development teams can deliver.

• Development acceleration: pre-built visual components (data tables, forms, charts, authentication) eliminate weeks of repetitive development work.
• Standardisation: applications produced by a low-code platform follow uniform conventions, reducing consistency and maintenance problems.
• Business-IT collaboration: low-code allows business teams to participate actively in application design, reducing misunderstandings between specifications and development.
• Simplified deployment: most low-code platforms handle hosting, scaling and updates, simplifying operations.

The limitations of low-code

Low-code shares several limitations with no-code while introducing specific issues of its own.

• Complexity ceiling: despite the ability to write code, low-code platforms impose architectural constraints that limit the complexity of implementable business logic. Applications with heavy algorithmic components or multiple integrations quickly hit this ceiling.
• Intensified vendor lock-in: code written within a low-code platform is often specific to that platform. Migrating to another system means rewriting most of the application, as the code is tightly coupled to the proprietary environment.
• Licence costs: enterprise low-code platforms (OutSystems, Mendix) are expensive, with per-user or per-application licences that escalate quickly as usage grows.
• Performance and optimisation: as with no-code, the code generated by low-code platforms is not optimised for performance. Applications critical in terms of speed or data volume may suffer.
• Hybrid skills: low-code requires developers who master both the specific platform and development fundamentals. This hybrid profile is paradoxically difficult to recruit.

When to choose low-code, when to choose custom development

Low-code is relevant for internal enterprise applications with limited lifespans, functional prototypes more advanced than what no-code allows, management tools whose requirements are well covered by platform components and projects where delivery speed takes priority over long-term flexibility.

Custom development remains superior for digital products aimed at end customers (websites, SaaS applications), projects with demanding performance, security or SEO requirements, applications with complex or evolving business logic and products where total control over code and architecture is imperative.

At KERN-IT, our approach is built on custom development with proven technologies: Django for the backend, Wagtail CMS for content management and TailwindCSS for the front-end. This combination offers flexibility comparable to low-code for common tasks (thanks to Wagtail's reusable StreamField blocks and Tailwind's utility classes) while maintaining complete control over code, performance and architecture.

Concrete example

A Brussels-based logistics company needs an internal tool to manage driver assignments and delivery schedules. Two options are evaluated.

The low-code option (Power Apps) allows the application to be built in four weeks with forms, tables and an approval workflow. Annual cost: Power Apps licences for 30 users. The tool works well for 30 drivers and 50 deliveries per day.

But the company grows: 100 drivers, 300 deliveries per day, need for a route optimisation algorithm and integration with the vehicle GPS system. Power Apps reaches its limits. The company calls on KERN-IT to develop a custom solution with Django and a Python optimisation algorithm. The new platform handles the volume without issue and delivers optimal performance.

Implementation steps

1. Assess the need: define functional complexity, number of users, data volume and time horizon for the project.
2. Compare approaches: estimate the total cost of ownership (licences + maintenance + evolution) for low-code and custom development over three to five years.
3. Prototype: if low-code is being considered, create a prototype to verify that the platform supports the critical use cases.
4. Anticipate growth: evaluate whether the low-code platform can absorb projected load increases without performance degradation or cost explosion.
5. Plan the exit: define a migration strategy to custom development in case the platform's limits are reached.

Conclusion

Low-code occupies a useful niche between no-code and custom development. It accelerates the development of internal applications and advanced prototypes while offering more flexibility than pure no-code. However, its limitations in performance, vendor lock-in and long-term cost rarely make it the right choice for strategic digital products. At KERN-IT, we favour custom development with Django, Wagtail CMS and TailwindCSS, a stack that offers the development speed of low-code through reusable components, without any of the compromises on flexibility, performance and code ownership.