View in EDS

Low‐Code and No‐Code Tools: A Valuable Aid or a Potential Threat to Professional Developers?

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Low‐Code and No‐Code Tools: A Valuable Aid or a Potential Threat to Professional Developers?
Authors: Rafi, Saima1 (AUTHOR) s.rafi@napier.ac.uk, Akbar, Muhammad Azeem2 (AUTHOR), Mahmood, Sajjad3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Software: Practice & Experience. Jun2026, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p802-819. 18p.
Subjects: Computer software developers, Software development tools, Software engineering, Computer software development, Visual programming languages (Computer science)
Abstract: Background: The rapid adoption of low‐code (LC) and no‐code (NC) tools has transformed the software development landscape, offering faster development cycles and enabling non‐programmers to contribute to software creation. Objective: This study systematically maps the effects of LC/NC tools on developers, addressing the critical need to understand whether these tools serve as a valuable aid or a potential threat to their roles. Methods: By analyzing how LC/NC tools support development processes, the challenges they present, and their potential to replace traditional developers, this research fills a key knowledge gap by performing a systematic mapping study. Results: The findings reveal that while LC/NC tools simplify certain tasks, they do not replace the need for professional developers to handle complex technical challenges, change management, and system integration. Conclusions: Rather than posing a threat, these tools complement and enhance developers' expertise, empowering them to focus on more advanced aspects of software creation. This study provides valuable insights for the professional developer community and the broader software industry, advocating for the thoughtful integration of LC/NC tools as powerful aids rather than competitors to professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Software: Practice & Experience is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 193655722
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Low‐Code and No‐Code Tools: A Valuable Aid or a Potential Threat to Professional Developers?
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rafi%2C+Saima%22">Rafi, Saima</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> s.rafi@napier.ac.uk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Akbar%2C+Muhammad+Azeem%22">Akbar, Muhammad Azeem</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mahmood%2C+Sajjad%22">Mahmood, Sajjad</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Software%3A+Practice+%26+Experience%22">Software: Practice & Experience</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p802-819. 18p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+software+developers%22">Computer software developers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Software+development+tools%22">Software development tools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Software+engineering%22">Software engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+software+development%22">Computer software development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+programming+languages+%28Computer+science%29%22">Visual programming languages (Computer science)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: The rapid adoption of low‐code (LC) and no‐code (NC) tools has transformed the software development landscape, offering faster development cycles and enabling non‐programmers to contribute to software creation. Objective: This study systematically maps the effects of LC/NC tools on developers, addressing the critical need to understand whether these tools serve as a valuable aid or a potential threat to their roles. Methods: By analyzing how LC/NC tools support development processes, the challenges they present, and their potential to replace traditional developers, this research fills a key knowledge gap by performing a systematic mapping study. Results: The findings reveal that while LC/NC tools simplify certain tasks, they do not replace the need for professional developers to handle complex technical challenges, change management, and system integration. Conclusions: Rather than posing a threat, these tools complement and enhance developers' expertise, empowering them to focus on more advanced aspects of software creation. This study provides valuable insights for the professional developer community and the broader software industry, advocating for the thoughtful integration of LC/NC tools as powerful aids rather than competitors to professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Software: Practice & Experience is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=193655722
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/spe.70067
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 802
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Computer software developers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Software development tools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Software engineering
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer software development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Visual programming languages (Computer science)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Low‐Code and No‐Code Tools: A Valuable Aid or a Potential Threat to Professional Developers?
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rafi, Saima
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Akbar, Muhammad Azeem
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mahmood, Sajjad
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00380644
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 56
            – Type: issue
              Value: 6
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Software: Practice & Experience
              Type: main
ResultId 1