The low code and no code approaches emerge as strategic alternatives to complement traditional development with more speed and less friction.
Gartner estimates that 70% of new applications developed by organizations will use low code or no code technologies by 2026, a significant increase from less than 25% in 2020. This reflects a shift in how companies develop and deliver digital solutions, and knowing how to use it to your advantage can be a real competitive differentiator.

Defining low code and no code
Confusion between the two terms is common, so it’s worth clarifying:
- Low code is a development approach that uses visual interfaces, pre-built components, and automations to reduce the amount of manually written code. It still requires some technical knowledge, especially for more complex integrations and advanced customizations.
- No code takes it a step further, allowing people with no programming background whatsoever to create applications using purely visual, drag-and-drop interfaces. Not a single line of code required.
| Criteria | Traditional development | Low code | No code |
| Technical knowledge required | High | Medium | None |
| Flexibility and customization | Very high | High | Limited |
| Delivery speed | Slow | Fast | Very fast |
| Scalability | High | Medium-high | Low-medium |
| Who can use it | Developers | Devs + technical users | Any team member |
The advantages for companies scaling their operations
Delivery speed
Growing companies run on windows of opportunity. When the need for a new digital solution arises, the time between idea and live product can determine whether you seize that opportunity or lose it to a faster competitor.
Low code and no code platforms allow you to build and ship applications in days or weeks, rather than months. That means testing hypotheses faster, iterating based on real feedback, and changing course before wasting resources on something that isn’t working.
Reduced operational costs
Software development is expensive. Every new feature, every internal automation, every custom report, it all adds up. Low code and no code platforms allow a portion of that demand to be handled internally, without necessarily growing the technical team.
A Forrester analysis found that companies were able to avoid hiring an average of two developers by adopting low code and no code tools, generating around $4.4 million in business value over three years.
Autonomy for the people who know the business
One of the most common bottlenecks in IT teams is the dependency on translation: someone from a business unit identifies a problem, explains it to a developer, the developer interprets it, builds something, and then adjustments come in because something got lost along the way. That cycle burns time and generates rework.
With LCNC platforms, business-side specialists can act with precision to eliminate process bottlenecks and pain points.
That said, this autonomy needs to come with governance. Without it, you risk what’s known as shadow IT: systems built without the knowledge or approval of the IT department, leading to inconsistencies, security vulnerabilities, and problems that are hard to trace.

Flexibility to respond to the market
Scaling companies change direction often. A product that made perfect sense at the start of the year may need significant adjustments three months later. In traditional development, those changes carry a high cost: scoping, approval, development, testing, deployment.
Low code platforms allow you to deliver and modify a full application quickly, which lowers the cost of change and fosters a culture of continuous iteration.
Less pressure on the IT team
Overloaded IT teams are a systemic problem. When every request, no matter how small, goes through the same technical bottleneck, the backlog grows, frustration builds, and the team ends up spending time on tasks that could have been handled another way.
Adopting low code and no code tools reduces the load on IT departments, freeing up technical professionals to focus on higher-complexity initiatives with real strategic impact.
What these approaches don’t solve
Low code and no code have real limitations. Scalability and solution complexity can be constrained, and traditional development may still be necessary to meet more advanced requirements. A business-critical system, with complex integrations across multiple platforms, sophisticated business logic, and high-availability requirements, will rarely be well served by a no code platform.
There’s also the governance risk mentioned earlier. The widespread use of LCNC platforms can lead to a rise in shadow IT projects, built without IT’s knowledge. Applications created by business units without technical alignment may overlook scalability, security, and integration concerns, and turn into a liability down the road.

When demand goes beyond these tools
Low code and no code handle a lot. But as the company grows, demands emerge that these platforms simply weren’t built for: technically complex systems, integrations across multiple environments, digital products that need real scalability and robust governance.
At that point, having a strategic technical partner stops being a comfort and becomes a necessity.
NextAge works with companies at exactly this stage: scaling fast, facing increasingly complex digital demands, and needing a technical team that can deliver without the pain of direct hiring. Our staff augmentation model was built for this: high-performance agile squads, with professionals validated both technically and culturally, embedded into the client’s environment and managed internally by NextAge to ensure consistent delivery.
If your company is at an inflection point and your technology decisions are more complex than they used to be, it makes sense to talk to someone who has already helped other companies navigate that moment.
Wrapping up
Low code and no code are powerful tools, and they’re becoming increasingly present in day-to-day business operations. Around 84% of companies adopt low code or no code platforms to reduce IT backlog and accelerate application delivery. Those who know how to combine them with custom development, at the right moment and with the right governance in place, gain speed without sacrificing quality.
Want to understand how to structure your company’s development strategy in practice? Explore NextAge’s solutions and talk to a specialist.

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