The broad move to low-code /no-code apps has changed how web development is done. The new emphasis is on fast delivery of highly customizable designs that can be quickly tested and performance optimized to meet rapidly changing business and client needs. Another review has looked at how hyper-automation and intensive business process analytics now pervade IT systems shaping the workflows and underlying business processes for many IT shops that rely on new levels of collaboration and integration to deliver responsive apps
So it should not be a surprise that low-code/no-code development follows some common backend strategies in the battle for client acceptance. Let’s look at the LCAP-LowCode Application Platforms used by small-business to enterprise shops to quickly deliver standalone apps that use templates powered WYSIWYG Visual Interfaces to deliver working apps that can be released for testing and customization in weeks not months time.
We have gone to GetApp for its comprehensive coverage of dozens of low-code/no-code development tools and have chosen 3 popular LCAP tools that can deliver quick standalone apps for testing. We chose Webflow, Figma and Elementor. They are packed with LCAP features as shown below:
Yes, there are many other candidate tools,. So going to GetApp you can choose your own tools for comparison. But each of these tools has high customer ratings and a common approach to creating their test apps.
Common Standalone Backend Strategies
Although each of the tools takes a different approach to delivering LCAP features, all 3 follow the same backend strategies:
1 – Use of Cloud servers to provide backend services like security firewalls, backup and migration services, SEO add-ons, custom domains, and hosting. Note that Webflow provides Cloud hosting, custom domains, and standalone website creation. Figma offers a custom domain, Cloud storage of designs but depends on 3rd party tools to customize the standalone website – look at Framer, Notion, and siter.io for the runtime capabilities. Elementor also provides a custom domain and hosting with its Pro version including standalone website creation along with extensive, low-cost plugin support:
2 – Project approval and multi-process management tools like RPA, BPM, Process mining, and Multi-project management tools to improve IT Systems across the board. Webflow links to Workato, Figma to Asana and Elementor to Zappier. But none of the tools excels in Process Management.
3 – Provision for team collaboration, multi-user coding control and startup tutorial systems. Elementor has the lowest ratings;
4 – Agility and alternate coding options. Webflow and Elementor have many 3rd party replacements of varying ease but Figma with its many HTM, CSS, and JS options is the leader.
So standalone IT Systems are coalescing around some common backend strategies. But as usual, web development market conditions are also changing rapidly Watch for how the AI wave and Home vs Work approaches shape Web Development over the next quarter or two.