Low-code software development has rapidly shifted from an exploratory trend to a highly attractive market in recent years. In fact, Gartner estimates that by 2024, low-code developers will be responsible for two-thirds of all enterprise software development.
Essential to digital transformation, many organizations will need to build the skills, digital tools, and management structures required for low-code efforts to succeed at scale.
The information technology (IT) sector has been facing a talent shortage for some time. In Brazil, the deficit this year is expected to exceed 408,000 professionals.
Low-code is a gateway to turning that game around. Read on to learn more about low-code development and how to become a low-code developer.
What Is Low-Code?
The past two years have demanded major changes and adaptations. More employees now work remotely, and they need access to information and resources to do their jobs, wherever they are.
This has increased the demand for making things accessible and easy to use — on mobile devices, for example — leading IT and operations leaders to introduce more software applications to optimize and grow the business.
Traditionally, however, software development has been heavy lifting. Specialists typically use a programming language — such as Python, Java, or C++ — to write code, plus multiple tools to test it, often over long timelines.
Gartner explains that a low-code application platform (LCAP) can support the deployment, execution, and management of applications using declarative, high-level programming abstractions based on model-driven and metadata-based approaches.
In practice, low-code platforms now enable rapid application development with minimal hand-coding. This boosts agility and allows new features to be released practically overnight.
Low-code is truly a revolutionary development in business and technology. A Mendix survey shows that 64% of IT professionals agreed that low-code is their go-to workaround development solution, and up to 59% of projects using low-code are a collaboration between business and IT groups.
The Low-Code Developer Profession
A low-code developer is someone who wants to deliver fast, meaningful impact for a company, solving seemingly complicated problems with simplicity.
These professionals build software using low-code platforms, with hardly any need to write their own programming code.
Unlike traditional programmers, who focus on the underlying software technology, low-code developers focus on implementing the content. That means relevant industry experience matters more than deep computer science knowledge.
What You Need to Know to Become a Low-Code Developer
Low-code platforms are simple yet powerful. That means people from a wide range of backgrounds can work side by side with low-code developers on a development project. Developers can also spend less time debugging complicated syntax and more time refining business logic.
If you are already a programmer, your coding background will only accelerate your learning curve on low-code platforms, since these platforms use flows and logic blocks to build solutions.
And if you love code, don’t worry! Every low-code platform lets you use programming languages to handle any kind of requirement.
Without further ado, here are the tips!
Study the Platform
There is no big secret here. Whichever low-code platform you want to learn, you need to study it thoroughly to understand how it works.
Start by getting hands-on — most platforms offer a free version. Low-code tools have highly intuitive interfaces, so even if you are not yet familiar with the platform, you will certainly manage the first steps with ease.
The leading platforms on the market, such as Mendix, offer a vast range of materials, courses, training, and their own learning paths (most of them free). Take some time to browse these companies’ websites and learn from the content they produce.
To help you start building low-code applications, Mendix provides a fully integrated set of training materials and learning paths through the Mendix Academy on its own website. With free courses, the learning paths are tailored to your skill level, and you can study online.
Watch YouTube Videos
YouTube is a lifesaver for self-taught learners or anyone who wants to learn at no cost — and low-code is no exception. YouTube offers plenty of content for those looking to dive into the world of low-code development, including channels dedicated exclusively to the subject.
The first Brazilian channel to cover low-code, Léo Andrade is a low-code and no-code specialist who shares videos on programming, technology, and tech careers, all in a simple, approachable way.
The channel’s main goal is to help people looking to break into application development — so if you want to learn about low-code, Léo Andrade’s channel is an excellent option.
Take Courses
To fast-track your journey toward becoming a low-code developer, another option is to take courses taught by companies that already know the field.
Here at TrueChange, we open enrollment every month for free training on the Mendix platform.
Mendix na Prática (Mendix in Practice) is an employability-focused training program — free and 100% online, with live classes via Google Meet — covering software development on the low-code platform.
The program runs for 4 days with a total of 8 hours of instruction. To participate, you need basic knowledge of programming logic and databases. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate.
Sign up for the next cohort.
Join Communities
Interacting with others who are learning low-code is another great way to learn. Communities give professionals and enthusiasts a place to share experiences, ask questions, host events, and stay up to date on the latest news.
These groups often gather in webinars and other meetups to exchange ideas, which is extremely helpful for those just starting their careers.
If you are venturing into the Mendix world (or want to start), the “Mendix Brasil” channels on Discord, Telegram, and MeetUp are an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge about the low-code platform. The space brings together professionals already working with low-code and people taking their first steps on the platform.
Get Certified
Certifications are a fundamental way to prove and expand your skills as a technology professional, and low-code is no different. Low-code certifications add a real edge to your resume and bring even more knowledge to your professional career.
Mendix, for example, offers the Mendix Developer Certification Program, designed to boost your career by validating your knowledge and skill level on the platform.
Mendix certifications are divided into three levels, all available online, with prices ranging from 400 to 600 US dollars:
- Rapid Developer Certificate;
- Intermediate Developer Certificate;
- Expert Developer Certification.
Bonus Tip: Study English
There is no way around it — English is essential if you want to become a successful low-code developer. Most low-code content, courses, and materials on the internet are in English. You need at least a working knowledge of the language to deepen your studies and specialize.
Another point: the international low-code market is extremely hot. So if you dream of working for a foreign company or even moving abroad, speaking English will be essential.
For Non-Programmers (Citizen Developers)
If you are not a programmer (or not even in tech), know that low-code development is not out of reach. You might assume that building an application requires a Computer Science or Engineering degree — or at least learning an entirely new coding language.
People from a wide variety of professional backgrounds — from business to communications, healthcare to design — are finding a new path into careers involving low-code. They are known as citizen developers.
Regardless of their professional training, these people are discovering how low-code platforms maximize their creativity, letting them turn ideas into tangible products without stumbling over technical details.
Meet the Leading Low-Code Development Platform
Low-code is such an important tool in the technology world that Gartner created a dedicated Magic Quadrant listing the best companies in the market. Below, learn a bit more about the most important one you can work with:
1. Mendix
A global leader in low-code platforms, Mendix is positioned as the number one player in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant and by the consulting firm Forrester. Hosted in the cloud, the platform offers the freedom to simplify operations.
Its capabilities enable faster solution development while streamlining operations, freeing developers from repetitive, tedious tasks.
One of the great advantages of the Mendix low-code platform is the ability to build modern microservices solutions without specialized expertise.
Mendix applications are packaged in portable, scalable, and resilient containers, ready to use. Your team can deploy anywhere and scale to any size without redesigning.
Hear from People Working in Low-Code Development
“I have been working with low-code for exactly one year and I have really enjoyed this style of programming. At first it was hard to believe I could build such a robust application with a low-code approach, but as I learned, I was amazed to see how far the software development paradigm had evolved — and how the ‘old’ way of thousands of lines of raw code was starting to fall behind.
Being a low-code dev means reinventing yourself and discovering a whole new world of possibilities. It means understanding how to use your knowledge to improve development in an agile way, delivering value to the customer faster. It means being in the present, yet ahead of your time, refining this way of developing and contributing to a future full of great possibilities.”
“The challenge of working with low-code is having to internalize a strong sense of system analysis. The upside is that since we don’t need many lines of code for structuring, we have time to build large, robust structures and think not only about security but also about module reuse, making future services easier to deliver.”
Enjoyed learning more about low-code development? Then how about turning the possibility of a new career into reality? Check out Mendix na Prática right now. And if you are already an expert, take a look at the open positions at TrueChange.
