Low code vs. BPM: Differences and similarities

Low code vs. BPM

The speed and efficiency gains provided by low code result from the ability to reduce the amount of time and expertise necessary to build software. In this way, low code can lead to faster innovation for projects or workflows that require users to create software tools. In addition, by empowering citizen developers to build software themselves, low code helps avoid delays if nontechnical users had to wait for professional developers to write software for them, rather than being able to implement it themselves.

Meanwhile, the main value of BPM lies in its ability to facilitate business process improvements through workflow automation. Identifying and fixing bottlenecks can reduce the time it takes to complete a process. BPM systems can also help to identify instances where processes use resources inefficiently or excessively and provide insights for better decision-making.

What is low-code development?

Low-code development is an approach to software development that minimizes the amount of code necessary to create a software product. Typically, low-code applications work by giving users access to prebuilt modules of code that correspond to various capabilities and functionalities. The users combine these modules -- often using a drag-and-drop interface -- to implement the software application they want to build.

Users might need to write some code to customize or configure their applications, which distinguishes low-code from no-code platforms requiring zero coding. But the minimal coding effort necessary with a low-code development platform is much smaller than that associated with traditional development, where developers write all code from scratch.

Benefits of low-code development

Low-code development services two main business needs, with a different set of target users for each:

1. Faster application development. Access to prebuilt code modules lets teams implement applications much more quickly. Software developers and IT teams sometimes use low-code tools for this reason; even if they have the skills to write code from scratch, they might opt for a low-code strategy to complete their work faster and automate more time-consuming, manual coding processes.
2. Lower skill requirement. Low-code development reduces the amount of expertise necessary to build software. This makes low code an attractive option for so-called citizen developers, meaning business users -- such as employees in departments such as HR and finance -- who have limited coding knowledge but want to create software tools to help perform their jobs.

What is BPM?

BPM is a discipline by which an enterprise analyzes and models a business process from beginning to end and then continuously reengineers it to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. BPM is part of a change management series of actions that use various methodologies, such as Lean Six Sigma, to identify and remediate process bottlenecks.

Benefits of BPM

BPM is important because many of the processes and workflows that businesses depend on to operate are not as efficient or cost-effective as they could be -- and, even if they were optimized at one point, changes such as the availability of new tools or new business requirements could mean that the processes have become inefficient. BPM offers a systematic approach to finding and addressing inefficiencies, which improves the business's efficiency.

The following are some of the benefits of BPM:

• Streamlined workflows that increase efficiency.
• Process controls that are aligned with business initiatives.
• Improved scalability and flexibility to pivot to new opportunities through improved process control.
• Improved customer experience (CX) through optimized customer-facing business processes.

Despite being different types of techniques, organizations can apply the benefits of low code to BPM systems.

Low-code BPM platforms

Despite being different types of techniques, organizations can apply the benefits of low code to BPM systems.

This happens when businesses take a low-code approach to creating and managing business processes. Using a low-code platform, they can implement capabilities like the following with a minimal amount of coding:

• Information gathering and validation when analyzing processes.
• Triggering additional process automations and management reporting.
• Graphical design and process integration.

By providing a way of performing these tasks without writing extensive code, low-code BPM software makes traditional BPM capabilities more accessible to everyone within an organization, not just those with advanced coding skills.

To implement a low-code BPM strategy, choose a platform that supports both. Businesses might opt for a general-purpose low-code platform, such as Kissflow, Mendix, Microsoft Power Platform or Zoho Creator. They might also choose a BPM platform with low-code elements, such as Appian, Bizagi, Nintex or ProcessMaker. They might also choose software specific to certain types of business processes. Creatio is a CRM tool with BPM and low-code features, while ServiceNow is an enterprise service management platform with low-code BPM features.

Use cases for low code and BPM

Many BPM use cases, such as the following, do lend themselves to a low-code approach:

• Employee onboarding. Using low-code tools, HR staff could implement workflows for each of the core stages in the employee onboarding process, such as employee document submission, document verification, assignment of IT equipment and enrollment in direct deposit.
• Customer service request management. Customer relations teams could use low-code software to implement and integrate the business processes necessary to receive customer requests, route them to the appropriate staff and then send responses back to customers. More efficient interactions with customers lead to better CX.
• Expense approval. Finance departments could adopt a low-code BPM strategy that uses a drag-and-drop functionality to enable employee expense receipt uploads, documentation review and payment approval.
• Procurement requests. Employees could use a low-code BPM platform to source and purchase new IT equipment by creating, managing and approving procurement requests through customized forms and processes.

Not all BPM use cases are compatible with a low-code approach. Processes that involve highly complex business rules might not be supported by the prebuilt templates or modules in low-code tools. Initiatives that require data collection from legacy environments might be more than BPM tools can handle. These more complex or specific uses cases require a more traditional, code-heavy approach to mapping, integrating and optimizing processes. Still, most relatively simple, straightforward BPM use cases are candidates for low-code implementation.

Editor's note: In 2025, this article was updated by Chris Tozzi to improve the reader experience.

Mary K. Pratt is an award-winning freelance journalist with a focus on covering enterprise IT and cybersecurity management.

Chris Tozzi is a freelance writer, research adviser, and professor of IT and society. He has previously worked as a journalist and Linux systems administrator.