One of the biggest challenges facing enterprises today is the cost and time required to build mobile apps. After all, reaching out to your audience anytime, anywhere is crucial. However, learning a specific language for each platform can turn out to be a mind boggling task and add significant pressure on resources. And it is not just about learning new technologies; cost for deploying app for a particular platform could be an expensive proposition.
But that’s going to change. If you have an app idea and don’t know how to code, it doesn’t matter anymore. Codeless development tools are gaining popularity. There are several cloud-based services that allow you to build mobile app with just a drag and drop interface for different platforms. You will be able to develop an app even without writing a single line of code.
With codeless app development tools on their side, staff or users with very little app development experience can easily use drag and drop interface to add features without a single line of coding – including maps and Geolocation – into a mobile app.
Advantages of Drag and Drop Codeless Tools
Fast Time-to-market
The primary benefit of using codeless tools – no knowledge of complex code is needed. You don’t have to be a coding geek. Even non-technical staff can get involved in development of apps.
If you want to streamline a manual or paper-based process and have an idea for an app that can help overcome the problem, your team can simply drag and drop to create a mobile app to address the problem. These codeless tools allow experienced app developers to totally focus on business apps that play a critical role in improving company’s revenue generating capabilities.
Simplicity & Scalability
The sheer simplicity of drag-and-drop tools means you can experiment and create prototype to promote your ideas. It allows organizations to test several concepts and check feasibility of mobile initiative to garner interest and support of senior management. Most tools also have the option of easy integration of cloud services. So you don’t need to worry about scalability.
Reduced Development Costs
Cost of app is directly proportional to complexity. Codeless tools allow companies or brands to get an app on different platforms without investing in a team of developers for a particular platform such as Android or iOS. In fact, even non-technical staff can work on the app.
Codeless Development: On the Flip Side
Tools are restrictive: Codeless tools allow use of tools and suites limited to the software in a predetermined manner. This might invariably lead to ignoring the preferences of users.
Inefficient code: As developer will not be working in a platform’s native language, the performance of the final code will be determined by the efficiency of the tool. This may result in inefficient coding that an experienced developer might not use.
Native Apps vs. Codeless App Development
There is no denying that native apps rule as they are written for a specific platform. They can take advantage of operating system features typically installed on that platform. Native apps can leverage the device-specific hardware and software, which effectively means that native apps can take optimum advantage of the latest technology on mobile devices.
For very simple apps codeless tools might work. However, what about the extremely complex and enterprise-level apps? Can the complex apps be developed with zero code? In case of enterprise-level apps, outsourcing to a leading mobile app development company seems like a feasible option.
It still looks like native apps rule all the way when it comes to power and performance in enterprise level or apps demanding complex functionality.
Which Option Works for You?
There is no magic formula and it completely depends on your business objectives. Before you begin with the app development process, it is important to analyze and ask questions.
- What is your budget?
- What is the technical strength of your development team?
- Which platform do you want to target?
Both native and codeless app development come with their strengths and drawbacks. It is up to you to decide which option works well for you.