5 Common Myths Around No-Code SharePoint Application Development
By AgreeYa Solutions
In the past, if an organization wanted to develop a custom SharePoint application to enhance its business process, it would have to hire a SharePoint development specialist or approach a third-party agency to build the app for them. Both of these approaches were very expensive. Today, organizations can save time and money by adopting a no-code SharePoint application development platform. Such platforms enable rapid application development and deployment at a fraction of the cost.
No-code application development helps modern-day enterprises gain more from their SharePoint investment. It reduces the waiting period and IT dependencies involved with the typical SharePoint application development approach while offering several additional benefits. But, like all technologies, there is also a certain amount of skepticism around no-code platforms.
In this article, we debunk five of the most common myths around no-code SharePoint application development.
#1: Complex Applications Can’t Be Built With A No-Code Platform
There is a perception among many SharePoint experts that no-code platforms can only be used to create simple apps and does not support the development of enterprise-grade applications. This conception could not be further from the truth. Powerful no-code platforms are data source agnostic and work with various data formats. They can be utilized by citizen developers, in collaboration with IT professionals, to build complex enterprise-grade applications that add great business value.
#2: Can Be Used By Trained SharePoint Developers Only
Low-code platforms can be utilized by only trained SharePoint development specialists; however, this criterion does not apply to no-code platforms. Thanks to no-code platforms, application development has entered a new phase, where any team member can become a citizen developer. Such a platform can be utilized by employees who have minimal training and IT dependency to build custom SharePoint applications as needed.
#3: Lacks Adequate Security Features
Security is a top concern for organizations that utilize SharePoint, as it serves as their main hub for storing and managing business-critical data. Many organizations are apprehensive about the security vulnerabilities that are a possible outcome of allowing any employee with SharePoint knowledge to build an application with a no-code platform. There is no need to worry though, as long as the no-code platform includes built-in security features and extensive compliance certification. Additionally, most of these platforms are designed to be governed centrally by IT. With a proper governance strategy in place, organizations can allow their citizen developers to develop applications at will.
#4: Will Lead To “Shadow IT”
Many IT leaders believe that apps built on no-code platforms would compound upon the governance challenges faced by the department. It would lead to "Shadow IT", where SharePoint data can be used without IT's permission or knowledge. To address this concern, organizations should search for no-code platforms that permit central governance by IT. Such platforms allow the best of both worlds by empowering the citizen developers to build custom SharePoint apps, while IT manages and governs each release of these apps. Basically, IT has the same level of control over these no-code apps, as they would have over any other SharePoint software solution.
#5: SharePoint Developers Will Lose Their Relevance
Down the road, the process of writing codes to develop a SharePoint application may become obsolete. However, until then, SharePoint power users will have to rely on skilled programmers to complete their work properly. They will have to collaborate with the IT department to create powerful and secure custom SharePoint apps.