For most engineering teams, internal tools are indispensable but notoriously resource-intensive. Whether it is admin panels for configuration, dashboards for analytics or operational systems, these tools demand continuous updates, customizations and maintenance. Due to the lack of developer capacity, long implementation times and the buildup of technical debt from hardcoded non-scalable solutions, traditional development methods frequently result in bottlenecks. That being said, low-code platforms are transforming this narrative. Choosing the right low-code platform for your team could mean enabling faster development, empowering junior developers and reducing the maintenance burden. Drawing from experiences shared by engineering leaders at PhonePe, Yubi and DronaHQ, this article explores how engineering leaders are adopting low code to reshape the development of internal tools and drive operational excellence. 

Why Low-Code?  

Addressing Legacy Issues and Bottlenecks 

For any engineering team, dealing with legacy code and configurations can easily be a recurring theme. Shikhar Kapoor, Software Architect at PhonePe, described how a compliance-driven audit forced the team to update legacy consoles across the organization, “Low code is not just about speed; it is about letting developers move forward without being tied to the past. A developer should not be dragged back into legacy work. They should be solving new problems, not reconfiguring old ones.” 

For a firm where compliance is paramount and scalability is a given, the mindset shift was essential. By centralizing updates through low code, PhonePe has avoided the time drain of manually updating multiple consoles, directly impacting the developers’ productivity.  

Enabling Reconfigurability for Scalability 

Software, ready-to-use or custom-built, will create challenges as your firm scales. Dinesh Kailash Kumar, VP of engineering of Yubi, shared how building hardcoded solutions for every new customer became unsustainable, “We discovered that building custom solutions is wasteful in terms of effort because you are tied and cannot scale. Configurability is key. With low code, we have been able to package configurations, enabling teams to build custom solutions that scale effortlessly.” 

Yubi’s approach to low code focused on creating a headless, configurable architecture. This shift empowered teams to dynamically adjust workflows without needing developer intervention for every change. By enabling non-developers to make updates, Yubi significantly reduced their operational overhead and improved scalability. 

Reducing Turnaround Times With Low-Code 

Kapoor shared how adopting low code at PhonePe compressed project timelines from three months to just three weeks. “This is not just about efficiency; it is about creating a responsive and agile engineering environment,” he said. 

By identifying bottlenecks in their traditional development process, PhonePe introduced low-code to centralize configuration management, streamline workflows and improve responsiveness to both internal and external requirements. 

Overcoming Resistance and Building Trust 

Adopting new technologies, especially something as fundamental as low-code, often meets resistance from within the organization. Developers accustomed to traditional workflows may view low code as a compromise on quality. To address this, Kapoor described a unique strategy PhonePe employed during a company-wide hackathon. “We established our low-code tool and encouraged teams to use it for their projects. Instead of pairing up with a UI developer, we asked them to try building front ends themselves. The hands-on experience helped evangelize the tool and build trust in its capabilities.” 

Surprisingly, backend engineers adapted to low-code tools faster than front-end developers. Kapoor noted, “Backend engineers had fewer preconceived notions about how UI should be built, making them more open to experimentation.” 

Choosing the Right Time to Invest in Low Code 

When should you consider low code? Jinen Dedhia, co-founder of DronaHQ, suggested that the best time is when workloads begin to bottleneck, “There is always a point where you can see your workloads increasing. That is when you realize your team is becoming a bottleneck for growth.” 

For organizations like Yubi, this realization came as they scaled rapidly and needed a solution that would not require constant developer intervention. By transitioning to low-code, they were able to address scaling needs without expanding their engineering headcount. 

Enabling Customization Without Overburdening Developers 

Customization often slows progress in traditional development, as developers must revisit and reconfigure settings repeatedly. Jinen explained how low code disrupts this cycle, “Building configurable platforms that do not rely on developers for every change means faster turnaround times and happier clients. With low-code, developers can move on to more complex problems without being dragged back into configuration tasks.” 

Kapoor shared how low-code tools enabled product managers to make changes independently. “The introduction of a WYSIWYG editor meant product managers could sit alongside developers and make real-time changes to dashboards, reducing back-and-forths and shortening delivery timelines,” he said. Interestingly, this empowerment also encouraged some non-technical team members to learn basic JavaScript for further customizations. 

The Future of Low Code in Scaling Engineering Teams 

Looking ahead, low-code platforms are becoming integral to tech stacks. Kapoor shared PhonePe’s vision for expanding low-code usage, “We are looking to integrate low-code even further by making control panel features a part of our design stage, not just an afterthought.” 

Yubi is exploring ways to templatize configurations, ensuring that 80% of a customer’s needs are pre-built. Dedhia explained, “By making tools modular and reusable, we can handle diverse requirements without starting from scratch, enabling faster and more consistent rollouts.” 

Is Low Code Right for Your Organization? 

Low-code platforms are not just about efficiency gains; they enable engineering teams to innovate, reduce repetitive tasks and scale solutions seamlessly. The decision to adopt low code should align with an organization’s growth trajectory and scalability needs. As Jinen advised, “Identify the bottlenecks, focus on scalability and do not underestimate the importance of training and education. Low-code platforms can be transformative, but only if the team is ready to embrace the change.”