What is low-code? Learn about the low-code trend in software development.

In the context of increasing digital transformation demands, maintaining a highly skilled and expensive team of programmers can sometimes become a barrier to business growth. This is also why low-code technology is gaining attention as a solution to shorten application development time and optimize resources.

So what is low-code? How does this technology work and what benefits does it offer to software development businesses? Let's explore the details in the article below with 1C Vietnam.

What is low-code?

Concept

Low-code is a software development method that makes creating applications faster and simpler compared to traditional programming methods.

Typically, to build software, programmers have to write thousands of lines of source code to create the interface, process data, and build business functionalities. With low-code, most of these components are already provided by the platform. Developers only need to select, drag and drop, and configure the appropriate components to create the application according to their needs.

For example, instead of having to write code manually to build an order approval process, users can create this process by dragging and dropping steps such as "Create Order," "Submit Approval," "Approve Order," and "Complete"onto the intuitive interface. The system will automatically generate most of the necessary code behind the scenes.

This approach allows businesses to develop and deploy applications faster, reduce repetitive workloads for the engineering team, and still customize them using source code when needed to handle complex business requirements.

Simply put, low-code doesn't replace programming, but it helps programmers create software faster by leveraging existing components and functionalities.

Operating principle

Low-code platforms operate by simplifying the software development process through intuitive tools and the ability to reuse available resources.

Process visualization

Instead of describing business logic with thousands of lines of code, low-code allows complex processes to be transformed into intuitive workflow diagrams. Users can easily design, edit, and monitor data processing flows through a graphical interface, minimizing errors and increasing collaboration between business and technical departments.

Reuse source code

Common functionalities such as data management, process approval, reporting, and system integration are often packaged into pre-built modules or components. Instead of developing from scratch, the engineering team simply selects and connects these modules to build a new application, significantly saving development time and costs.

Flexible customization

One common misconception is that low-code is incapable of handling complex business requirements. In reality, many modern platforms allow developers to manually add code to sections requiring deep customization. This approach helps businesses balance the speed of low-code development with the flexibility of traditional programming methods, effectively addressing specific real-world problems.

The core components of a low-code platform.

To make application development faster and simpler, low-code platforms are often built using multiple supporting tools. Each component plays a specific role, from interface design and functionality development to testing and system deployment.

Intuitive IDE environment

An integrated development environment (IDE) is where users design and build applications. Unlike traditional programming tools that require writing a lot of source code, IDEs on low-code platforms are typically designed as intuitive interfaces with simple drag-and-drop operations.

Here, developers can create interfaces, build business processes, configure data, and connect functionalities without having to rewrite everything from scratch. This significantly shortens development time and reduces project complexity.

Component library and application template

One of the strengths of low-code is the ability to reuse existing components. Platforms often provide libraries of interfaces, forms, reports, approval processes, and many other common functionalities.

Additionally, many platforms offer pre-built application templates for common needs such as customer management, human resource management, inventory management, or task management. Instead of starting from scratch, businesses can customize these templates to suit their actual operational processes.

API integration and connectivity system

In practice, an application rarely operates in isolation. Businesses often need to connect new software to existing systems such as ERP, CRM, accounting software, or third-party services.

Therefore, low-code platforms are often equipped with integrated tools and data connectivity via APIs. This allows systems to automatically exchange data, reducing manual operations and minimizing errors during operation.

Testing and deployment tools

After completing the application, the next step is to test and deploy the system. Low-code platforms often have built-in testing tools that help detect errors and evaluate performance before deployment.

In addition, the deployment process is automated in many stages. Developers can quickly publish new versions, update features, or expand the system without spending too much time on complex technical operations.

Distinguishing between low-code, no-code, and traditional manual coding.

Although both methods aim to build applications, each is suited to different needs and user groups.

No-code: Build applications without programming.

No-code is a method of application development that relies entirely on visual interfaces and pre-built components. Users can create applications by dragging and dropping, configuring, and setting up workflows without writing source code.

The biggest advantage of no-code is its ease of use and rapid deployment. However, customization is often limited by the features provided by the platform. Therefore, no-code is suitable for simple applications or business logic problems that are not overly complex.

Low-code: Combining visualization and programming

Low-code is the next evolution of no-code. Besides intuitive drag-and-drop tools, low-code platforms still allow programmers to write additional source code to extend or customize the system as needed.

This allows businesses to both leverage the rapid development of visual tools and meet specific business requirements that no-code would struggle to handle. Therefore, low-code is being chosen by many software companies and businesses to build large-scale applications or those requiring complex integration.

Traditional manual coding: Maximum flexibility but resource-intensive.

Traditional programming requires the engineering team to build the entire system using source code. Every component, from the interface and database to the business logic, is developed according to the specific requirements of the project.

The advantage of this method is its almost unlimited customization possibilities. However, the development process typically takes more time, cost, and resources compared to low-code or no-code.

For the most visual understanding of these three coding styles, you can refer to the following comparison table.

Advantages and disadvantages of low-code

Like any technology, low-code has its own strengths and limitations. Understanding these advantages and disadvantages will help businesses choose a development method that suits their goals and project specifics.

Advantage

Many businesses choose low-code because of the following advantages:

• Accelerated product launch:One of the biggest benefits of low-code is its ability to significantly shorten software development time. Instead of building every function from scratch, the engineering team can leverage existing components and processes to quickly create a complete product. This allows businesses to test ideas, deploy new projects, and meet customer needs faster than with traditional programming methods.
• Reduced resource costs:Low-code reduces repetitive work during software development. Programmers no longer have to spend excessive time on basic functionalities and can focus on business problems and features that deliver higher value. This helps businesses optimize the performance of their engineering team, reduce development costs, and utilize resources more efficiently.
• Easy to change and adapt:In a constantly changing business environment, product and business process requirements are frequently updated. With low-code, modifying the application's interface, processes, or functionality becomes faster thanks to intuitive tools and flexible configuration capabilities.
• Powerful integration capabilities:Modern low-code platforms are typically designed to connect with various other systems via APIs and readily available connectors. This allows businesses to easily integrate new applications with ERP, CRM, accounting software, or third-party services, creating a more synchronized and seamless data ecosystem.

Disadvantages

In addition to its significant advantages for businesses, low-code also has some limitations, such as:

• Dependence:When building applications on a low-code platform, businesses will have a certain degree of dependence on the vendor's technology and ecosystem. In some cases, switching to a different platform can be time-consuming and costly due to differences in architecture or operating methods.
• Limitations in extremely complex customization requirements:Although allowing for extension via source code, low-code still has certain limitations when dealing with problems that require deep intervention into the system architecture or building entirely new, specific features.
• Security Issues:The security level of an application depends not only on the business but also on the quality of the low-code platform used. If the platform does not meet international security standards or lacks robust data control mechanisms, the business may face information security risks. Therefore, when choosing a low-code platform, businesses need to carefully evaluate factors such as security, data governance capabilities, access rights, and support policies from the provider.

Trends and the future of low-code in the digital age.

In the context of businesses increasingly accelerating digital transformation, the need for faster, more flexible, and more resource-efficient software development is becoming a top priority. This is also why low-code is considered by many experts to be one of the key trends shaping the future of the software development industry.

• Low-code is gradually becoming the new standard in enterprise software development.

Low-code helps bridge the gap between idea and reality through intuitive tools, pre-built functional libraries, and flexible customization capabilities. This allows businesses to deploy applications faster while still meeting specific business requirements.

Instead of completely replacing traditional programming, low-code is becoming a new development method that helps businesses balance speed, cost, and system scalability.

• AI will drive the development of low-code.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is ushering in a new era for low-code platforms. Instead of just supporting drag-and-drop and functional configuration, next-generation platforms can use AI to automatically suggest business processes, create user interfaces, or generate source code for common tasks.

This further reduces the manual workload of the development team, while accelerating the application development and completion process. In the future, software development could become even simpler as AI acts as a technical assistant, supporting programmers at every stage of the project.

• The trend is towards platform-based development rather than building from scratch.

Many businesses and software development companies are shifting from building everything from scratch to leveraging existing development platforms. This approach reduces deployment time, inherits proven security standards, and takes advantage of platform scalability.

Instead of allocating resources to repetitive, basic functions, the engineering team can focus on developing differentiating value propositions and specific business problems for clients. This is seen as a way for businesses to enhance their competitiveness in the context of increasing demands for digital transformation.

Some frequently asked questions about low-code.

Is low-code programming safe?

Yes. The security level of an application largely depends on the low-code platform the business chooses. Reputable platforms are usually equipped with security mechanisms such as user permission management, data encryption, access control, and activity logging. However, businesses still need to carefully evaluate the security standards, data governance capabilities, and support policies of the vendor before deploying it to critical systems.

Can low-code replace traditional programmers?

No. Low-code is not designed to replace programmers or completely eliminate traditional (Pro-code) programming methods. The goal of low-code is to help development teams work more efficiently by reducing the time spent building standard and repetitive functionalities.

For simple applications, low-code can significantly shorten deployment time. However, for enterprise management systems such as ERP, CRM, or manufacturing management, businesses often still need pro-code to build complex processing algorithms, customize business processes, and integrate with other systems.

Therefore, the current trend is not to choose between low-code and pro-code, but to combine both methods to both accelerate development and ensure long-term customization and scalability.

Is it possible to achieve deep customization on a low-code platform?

Yes. Most modern low-code platforms allow for source code extension as needed. Businesses can leverage drag-and-drop tools to quickly build common functionalities, while also adding custom programming for specific business requirements or complex processes.

Are the initial investment costs high?

The cost of low-code implementation depends on the project scale, the number of users, and the platform chosen. However, overall, low-code often helps businesses save on development costs by shortening deployment time and reducing programming workload.

1C:Enterprise - A low-code ERP platform that meets all the requirements of Vietnamese businesses.

1C is an enterprise management platform developed by 1C Company – one of the world's leading enterprise software providers with millions of users in over 100 countries.

Unlike many purely low-code platforms, 1C is developed with a hybrid approach combining low-code and pro-code. The platform provides ready-made business components to help businesses develop and deploy applications quickly, while also allowing programmers to deeply intervene in business logic to meet specific and complex requirements. As a result, businesses can both shorten system deployment time and ensure long-term customization and scalability.

Some of the software's highlights include:

• Rapid development using a low-code approach:The engineering team can build applications using pre-existing business components instead of programming everything from scratch, significantly shortening project deployment time.
• Combining Low-Code and Pro-Code on a Single Platform:In addition to tools for rapid low-code development, 1C:Enterprise allows developers to build and customize business logic using source code. This helps businesses address specific problems such as production cost calculation, multi-level inventory management, complex approval processes, or industry-specific requirements.
• Extensive business module library:The platform provides many ready-made components for manufacturing management, warehousing, finance, accounting, human resources, and other business operations. This significantly reduces development and testing workload.
• Open integration capabilities:Easily connect with ERP, CRM, e-commerce, banking, electronic invoicing, and third-party applications via APIs and standard integration protocols.
• Flexible scaling to keep your business growing:1C is built on a highly scalable architecture, supporting on-premise, cloud, or SaaS deployments, suitable for businesses ranging from medium-sized enterprises to large corporations.

The combination of low-code capabilities and flexible customization makes 1C Enterprise a suitable choice for Vietnamese businesses seeking a comprehensive enterprise management solution in their digital transformation journey. Contact the 1C Vietnam team today for more detailed and specific advice!

Conclude

Low-code is opening up a new approach in software development, helping businesses shorten deployment time, optimize resources, and enhance their adaptability to market changes. With the development of AI and modern technology platforms, low-code is expected to continue playing a crucial role in the digital transformation and business innovation of enterprises.