Bridging the gap: Pro-code meets low-code
In this blog, Nick Collins outlines the key differences between pro-code and low-code development. Nick explains you don’t have to choose between them - and by combining both approaches, you can achieve outstanding results swiftly and cost-effectively.
What is pro-code?
Pro-code refers to traditional software development methods where developers write code using programming languages such as C#, SQL, HTML or JavaScript. Unlike low-code or no-code platforms, which aim to simplify development by using visual tools and pre-built components, pro-code development typically offers greater flexibility, customisation and scalability.
What is low-code?
Low-code allows users to create business applications and websites with minimal coding. It simplifies the development process by providing pre-built components and templates which can be customised with less technical expertise than pro-code. This enables developers and even non-developers to build applications more quickly and with less complexity compared to traditional programming.
While low-code platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform are ideal for rapidly prototyping, automating workflows or creating simple apps, they may have limitations in customisation and scalability for more complex projects.
How do pro-code and low-code complement each other?
While pro-code and low-code might seem like opposing approaches, they can be combined to offer the best of both worlds. Rather than viewing these technologies as one is better than the other, they can work together in a hybrid model. This allows organisations to enjoy the speed and ease of low-code while still benefiting from the robustness and customisation of pro-code.
Here’s how pro-code and low-code can complement each other:
Speeding up development
Low-code platforms are perfect for building prototypes, minimum viable products or simple applications quickly. When time is a critical factor, low-code can provide a rapid start to development. However, as the project evolves and requires more sophisticated features or unique customisation, pro-code comes into play.
For example, a low-code platform might be used to quickly build the front-end interface of an application, while pro-code development can be used to integrate complex back-end processes or advanced custom features that the low-code platform cannot support.
Ease of use and advanced functionality
Low-code is accessible to a wider range of users, including those with less technical expertise. This enables teams to focus on business logic and workflow automation without delving deeply into code. However, for more advanced functionality such as managing complex data integrations pro-code becomes necessary. In practice, business users or developers can use low-code to define workflows, automate tasks or create reports. With pro-code developers building integrations with other systems or developing complex logic the low-code application can call upon, such as payments for example.
Reducing bottlenecks for development teams
One of the biggest challenges for development teams is balancing demand with available resources. By using low-code, business users or less experienced developers can tackle simpler requirements, allowing pro-code developers to focus on more complex tasks.
This not only helps to free up resources but also empowers different teams across the organisation to create and iterate on solutions without always waiting on the core development team.
The future of pro-code and low-code collaboration
The boundary between pro-code and low-code development continues to blur as both evolve. Many pro-code platforms now offer low-code components to speed up development and some low-code platforms allow for more customisation through scripting and API integration.
In the future, it’s likely to see even more seamless integration between these two approaches, allowing businesses to develop complex, scalable and custom solutions with greater efficiency. Developers may not need to choose between the two; instead, they will make use of both in the same project, applying the right tool for the right task.
Ultimately, the most effective development strategy isn’t always about choosing one approach over the other. It can simply be recognising how pro-code and low-code may be used together to create powerful, efficient, and scalable solutions tailored to the needs of each project.
To find out more, visit our Software Development & Power Platform pages
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