No code platforms empower both programmers and non-programmers to create software applications without coding, using graphical user interfaces. They enhance business agility, productivity, and affordability by allowing users to quickly develop custom solutions, integrate automation, and improve workplace morale. These platforms are increasingly popular for businesses seeking efficient, tailored software without the need for extensive programming knowledge.

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October 17, 2022
A Quick Guide to No Code Platforms
process.st/no-code-platform
Grace Donaldson
October 17, 2022
Business Operations
Every business relies on different software applications to thrive in its niche or market.
But if your business isn’t in tech, or if you don’t have any software development
experience, odds are you’ll need to use pre-made software that doesn’t perfectly fit your
business’s needs.
That is, of course, unless you write your own applications from scratch. But don’t you
have to know a lot of programming languages or have coding experience to get the job
done? Not with no code platforms.
Today, let’s explore what no code platforms are, how they work, and whether you should
use a no code platform for your enterprise’s applications and software solutions.
What is a no code platform, exactly?
A no code development platform or NCDP is a revolutionary bit of software. In a nutshell,
NCDPs let both programmers and non-programmers alike make application software. But
as their name suggests, you don’t have to use any coding or understand a programming
language to get the job done.

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Instead, you use graphical user interfaces or GUIs to put applications together. Here’s an
analogy:
If you’re a web developer, you can create a website from scratch by coding in HTML
and putting different graphical components together.
Alternatively, you can use a website builder platform, like SquareSpace, to make a
website from predesigned templates and blocks that you “drag-and-drop” into the
appropriate places.
A no code platform is similar to a website builder platform. It allows those without any
coding experience to make applications for their enterprises or other needs.
On top of that, no code development platforms are distinct from so-called ‘low-code’
development platforms. The latter platforms do require you to have some coding
knowledge; essentially, you stitch different chunks of code together to make a program or
application.
No code development platforms don’t require any code writing whatsoever. They offer
different prebuilt templates, features, widgets, and other functions you can combine in
different ways, so your application perfectly suits your needs.
These days, no code development platforms are becoming increasingly popular among
both B2B and B2C businesses. Simply put, it’s oftentimes easier to put together a custom-
tailored application or software solution using a no code platform than it is to hire a web
developer or agency. Plus, it’s often cheaper.
Advantages of using a no code platform
It’s true that no code platforms don’t allow you to create customized or exact software for
your needs. This is compared to you writing the software yourself or if you hire an
experienced software development agency. However, NCDPs do come with several
distinct advantages, which make them attractive options for many enterprises.
Increased agility
For starters, no code development platforms allow your enterprise to enjoy much greater
agility. In fact, any NCDPs worth using are known for being nimble, agile, and flexible.
Put in simpler terms, NCDPs are very easy to understand and easy to master.
Practically anyone on your team should be able to use a quality NCDP and put together
good software for your organization, at least after a little practice. Even if you choose to
include advanced features or automation workflows in your business application, the right
no code platform will let you do so without too much trouble.
This benefits your overall agility since:
Your business can develop unique or specialized software solutions quickly

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You don’t need to dedicate too much time or resources to developing software for
your business
On top of that, most NCDPs provide different templates or user interfaces and user
experience functionalities. You should very easily be able to make workflows, data
displays, forms, and other common functions and features within a few button presses.
Bottom line: the flexibility and ease of use offered by most no code platforms make them
excellent tools for bolstering your business agility across the board.
More workplace productivity
In keeping with the above, no code platforms often lead to greater workplace productivity.
With no code tools, your business will have an edge over competitors in the same niche or
industry.
Why? You don’t need to hire a dedicated IT team or software development agency to get
the tools you need to get the job done.
The right tools you make with your NCDP can then allow you to accomplish major
workplace objectives or complete certain tasks more quickly and easily than ever before.
In addition, many of the best no code platforms allow you to integrate automation
workflows and tools into your software. This, in turn, can cut down on the time your staff
has to spend completing busy work objectives, such as data entry, categorizing things, and
other recurring tasks.
Of course, this is contingent on you developing a good software app for your business
needs. Still, if you use a no code platform properly, you’ll find that your workplace
productivity skyrockets and that you are better able to meet your workplace objectives.
Affordability
In most cases, custom business applications are very pricey to order or write yourself. If
you hire a software development agency, you can expect to spend several thousand
dollars, at a bare minimum, to get the software tailored to your unique needs.
Even if you were to try to write a software app yourself, you would need to pay for that in
terms of both money and time away from other aspects of your business.
No code platforms and automation tools are increasingly popular because of their
affordability. With these tools, you can get the software solutions you need ASAP without
having to break the bank. Thus, these are excellent tools if your business is relatively
young or if you don’t have much of a budget to develop custom software tools quite yet.
That said, you’ll want to compare multiple no code platforms and see how much they cost
relative to each other. Some NCDPs are certainly more affordable than others – take stock
of what each platform offers and only pick the one that has what you need.

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Easy integrations
Many of the best no code platforms allow for simplified and very helpful integrations.
Integrations with third-party tools and features are vital for most modern B2B and B2C
business applications.
For example, maybe you have an email marketing tool that you use to send out marketing
emails to your consumers regularly and consistently. Fortunately, if you make a software
application with a no code platform, you should be able to integrate that email marketing
tool without too much difficulty.
Even better, many NCDPs allow you to integrate multiple apps and even create a
workflow journey. It’s entirely feasible to create several different software solutions using
your chosen no code platform, then design them, so they interact and integrate with each
other quickly and easily.
Add this to the automation capabilities offered by many NCDPs, and before you know it,
you’ll have a smooth-running, well-oiled application with many different pieces that work
perfectly together.
Accessible automation for your employees
Above, we’ve mentioned automation many times. That’s because automation tools are
valuable timesavers and can increase productivity at your enterprise in more ways than
one.
Fortunately, NCDPs oftentimes allow you to integrate automation tools and workflows
without too much effort. The more automation you can weave into your customized
software solutions, the better.
Important tasks such as automating customer or patient communications, employee
onboarding, data entry, and financial work are all possible with the right platform.
This is even more important since employees are logging longer hours and doing much
more work than before. Work that’s recurring and requires little effort.
Luckily, the proliferation of business APIs and no code software tools has allowed many
workers to free up extra time and automate current tasks that don’t require their full
attention or focus.
By providing accessible automation for your workers, your enterprise may further see
improvements in workplace morale, employee productivity, and job satisfaction to name a
few.
Say that your team has been using an outdated bit of software for data logging and
organization. This takes a ton of time out of each worker’s day.

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With a no code development platform, you can make a modernized solution that
automates some of the processes. This results in better, faster work, and happier
employees overall.
Or you can automate the financial elements of your business. By utilizing a business bank
account that allows automating financial transactions, you’ll save time and minimize the
likelihood of experiencing an accounting error due to forcing an employee to input
transactions over and over.
Feature-richness
While no code development platforms have a stigma of being overly simplistic and not
altogether useful, this stigma is false.
Modern no code development tools and automation platforms now allow you to bootstrap
feature-rich tools and software applications that can do almost anything you need them
to.
Previously, NCDPs were limited to very basic application functions. However, modern
tools now allow you to design, develop, and deploy apps that are tailored or specified to
your business’s unique needs.
Added to the above-mentioned easy integration capabilities, it’s clear that no code
platforms are much more robust tools than they were previously.
Better security (in theory)
Lastly, no code platforms may provide your brand with better security overall (at least in
some circumstances). Simply put, because no code platforms use pre-checked chunks of
code or apps that have been used many hundreds of times over at minimum, odds are
those chunks of code or functions are more secure than any custom software you may
write.
Look at it another way:
You can use custom-written software for your organization that was just created by
a software development agency.
That custom-written software may have its own advantages, but it also hasn’t been
used ‘in the wild’ before. Therefore, it may be vulnerable to modern malware threats
or other digital intrusions.
Or you can use the code provided by no code platforms. The code used by NCDPs
has been checked, double-checked, and triple-checked, plus been used by many
different enterprises over the years.
Any breaches or issues in that code have long been discovered and patched
(presumably) by the no code platform developer. In this way, there’s ironically less
of a chance of a basic security breach affecting your business if you use a no code
platform compared to having software written by an expert for your organization.

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Of course, cybersecurity isn’t just dependent on code. It’s also dependent on how your
employees treat the software, who has access to sensitive data, when you run security
audits, etc.
But even so, no code platforms can oftentimes lend your business greater digital security,
especially if you use software apps developed exclusively by NCDPs.
Is a no code platform right for your enterprise?
As you can see, there are lots of reasons why a business might decide to use a no code
development platform. However, these tools aren’t the ideal solutions for every single
business need. It can be tough to tell whether your enterprise will benefit from an NCDP
or if you should hire a dedicated software development agency (or write customized code
yourself).
No code platforms are great for the following businesses and circumstances:
When you have a new business and need relatively specialized code to handle
unique needs or objectives.
When you have a new business and don’t have much of a budget to hire specialized
developers or a software development agency, you still need a relatively customized
software solution.
When you want to increase automation in your organization, especially by getting
rid of busywork or freeing up time for your employees.
When you want to bolster business security by not using ‘one-size-fits-all’ programs
that don’t provide your enterprise with the functionality it needs.
When you want to make sure you have some control over the software apps your
business uses without having to learn to program yourself or hire a software
development agency.
When your business needs to expand, but you don’t yet need software custom-
written for your organization until you have more resources.
Take stock of your business’s needs, your budget, and what your ideal software needs to
do, then decide whether a no code development platform is a good idea.
No code helps you get ahead without breaking the bank
Ultimately, a no code software development platform could be the perfect solution for
your enterprise and its application needs.
When you need a specialized or customizable application for your business, you don’t
have to hire an expensive agency or learn how to write code yourself. You or your
employees can instead use a no code platform and enjoy several ancillary benefits at the
same time.
Do you use a no code platform in your business? What do you think is its most valuable
benefit in your organization?

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Nahla Davies is a software developer and tech writer. Before
devoting her work full-time to technical writing, she managed –
among other intriguing things – to serve as a lead programmer
at an Inc. 5,000 experiential branding organization whose
clients include Samsung, Time Warner, Netflix, and Sony.
Grace Donaldson
Grace is a content writer with a thirst for knowledge and coffee. You'll find her reading in
a small cafè or singing at a rundown jazz bar when she's not overconsuming coffee or
compartmentalizing her thoughts into a blog post.
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