Selecting an integration platform for your enterprise can be an overwhelming decision. Your team members have different needs, decision makers have different priorities, and on top of it all, you’re bombarded with different “low code” and “no code” solutions that all promise to do the job better than their competitors.
How are you supposed to know what platform will work best with your company?
Choosing between a low code and a no code integration platform comes down to understanding how each impacts your team, security, and app portfolio. To help you make an educated decision, let’s take a look at the differences between low code and no code platforms, as well as how to determine which is right for you.
What is the Difference Between Low Code and No Code?
Most integration platforms on the market fall under the “low code” category. While it’s much easier than complete hand coding, these platforms require a certain level of proprietary coding skill to fully connect apps, devices, and data.
A true no code platform, on the other hand, completely eliminates the need for complicated coding. No code platform users can create everything from simple apps to complex integration and systems without writing a single line of code.
How to Choose Which Platform is Right for You
If you’re torn between a low code and a no code platform, here are three factors to consider before making your final decision.
1. Identify your end users.
If your team is comprised of IT professionals with coding skills, a low code platform could be a viable solution. However, selecting a low code option creates challenges when your team expands. If you hire team members without the necessary skillset to fully utilize the platform, the team will struggle.
Because true no code platforms eliminate the need for any coding, users in all departments are able to take control of integration. The responsibility may no longer fall on your IT department alone, allowing you to get more done at a lower cost and in less time.
While a low code platform may be a manageable option for IT teams, it isn’t suitable for companies looking to utilize citizen developers. A no code option easily empowers any end user to take full advantage of your integration platform with minimal training.
2. Evaluate your security risk.
A low code integration platform, such as one that creates APIs, typically approaches security as an afterthought. To properly protect APIs, you need to implement a security plan that often requires complex coding and attention to detail. Even if your team is capable of creating proper protections, it can be time-consuming and costly.
A true no code enterprise integration tool builds security and risk management into the foundation of the entire platform. The platform creates the code base, ensuring necessary security requirements are met. The programmer never touches the code. This proactive approach to mitigate risk gives you more control of your organization’s data, as well as better oversight into where information is going and to who.
You shouldn’t need to take extra steps to ensure your data is properly protected. While API security best practices are well-defined, a no code integration model allows you to move forward with confidence that you’re doing all you can to safeguard sensitive information––without extra work and cost.
3. Evaluate your app integrations.
APIs allow low code platforms to connect just about any app or tool you can think of. However, the capabilities of those APIs depend on the creator. Low code platforms require you to create an API yourself, sometimes involving complicated hand coding.
A no code integration platform goes beyond using APIs to allow users to create custom connections without time-consuming or difficult coding. Users are not confined to merely using the information made available to them by the apps or tools they’re connecting with. This gives them more control of how they integrate their processes and systems.
Both low code and no code integration platforms offer extensive app connections, but they’re not created equal. A low code platform confines you to your team’s ability to create APIs, while no code offers the freedom and stability to create connections without any complicated coding.
Selecting the Right Integration Platform for Your Organization
It’s important to think through the benefits, consequences, and implications of each integration platform before making a final selection. However, having a more thorough understanding of your team members, security and app portfolio can help you make a smarter decision between low code and no code.
A low code integration platform can connect your enterprises’ apps, tools and devices, but it typically comes with a higher total cost of ownership due to API and interface building. Your IT team members will be responsible for more skill, more time, and more work––especially when your organization starts to scale.
The right no code enterprise integration platform, like the Odyssey Platform, allows you to bypass complicated API creation and hand coding to connect all your apps, devices, and systems in a secure yet flexible way. Team members, regardless of skill, can take control of their processes and systems, reducing total cost of ownership and improving overall company productivity.