Limitations
Typically, most of what can be built in high-code can be built in low-code but low-code is not always the best way to build things. A main limitation of Low-Code is the lack of fine grain control of the underlying code and build structure. This is also part of what makes low-code development so easy to maintain as much of it is managed for you. Testing the application must happen from the outside as low-code vendors don't offer the ability to test components in the implementation. Low-code applications often will not scale past 1000s of simultaneous users without hitting the barriers and limitations of the host platform. Many expanding businesses will outgrow their low-code implementations and invest in high-code migration as they need to scale to larger user bases and higher quality. Stagetime went through this transformation. Low-code development is also often not the best choice for applications with specific performance needs, multimedia applications or extensive legacy system integration. Our client Soloist has a proprietary mobile application that can record and synchronize and play back multiple sound loops - this is outside the capabilities of current low-code platforms.
What is Low-Code best for?
Ultimately, where low-code shines is for minimum viable software products, and custom internal tools (like workflow management, data integration, custom CRMs, etc.). This is especially true when you need these built fast, or within a tighter budget.
The Future
With many low-code building platforms now allowing for easy integrations with AI, we are now seeing low-code being used to build even more advanced tools that have AI integrated into them. The current generation of AI models are error prone; however they are beginning to offer a significant acceleration for prototyping on low-code platforms. Businesses will build more tools for internal use that can add AI reasoning into their human managed workflows. At Future Wonder we are planning to explore this and other approaches in the summer of 2025 with our AI Charioteer project. Have you gotten an idea for a software build that you thought would be too expensive for your budget or take too long to build? Maybe it’s time to consider if a tool built in Low-Code is the right choice for you. To set up a free consultation for your potential low-code software development project contact us here