A low-code development platform (LCDP) provides a development environment used to create
application software
Application may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks
** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a ...
through a graphical user interface. A low-coded platform may produce entirely operational applications, or require additional coding for specific situations. Low-code development platforms can reduce the amount of traditional time spent, enabling accelerated delivery of business applications. A common benefit is that a wider range of people can contribute to the application's development—not only those with coding skills but require good governance to be able to adhere to common rules and regulations. LCDPs can also lower the initial cost of setup, training, deployment, and maintenance.
Low-code development platforms trace their roots back to
fourth-generation programming language
A fourth-generation programming language (4GL) is any computer programming language that belongs to a class of languages envisioned as an advancement upon third-generation programming languages (3GL). Each of the programming language generations a ...
and the
rapid application development
Rapid application development (RAD), also called rapid application building (RAB), is both a general term for adaptive software development approaches, and the name for James Martin's method of rapid development. In general, RAD approaches to ...
tools of the 1990s and early 2000s. Similar to these predecessor development environments, LCDPs are based on the principles of model-driven design, automatic code generation, and visual programming. The concept of
end-user development
End-user development (EUD) or end-user programming (EUP) refers to activities and tools that allow end-users – people who are not professional software developers – to program computers. People who are not professional developers can use EUD ...
also existed previously, although LCDPs brought some new ways of approaching this development. The low-code development platform market traces its origins back to 2011.
The specific name "low-code" was not put forward until 9 June, 2014,
when it was used by the industry analyst ''
Forrester Research''. Along with
no-code development platform
No-code development platforms (NCDPs) allow programmers and non-programmers to create application software through graphical user interfaces and configuration instead of traditional computer programming. No-code development platforms are closely r ...
s, low-code was described as "extraordinarily disruptive" in ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' magazine in 2017.
Use
As a result of the microcomputer revolution, businesses have deployed computers widely across their employee bases, enabling widespread automation of business processes using
software
Software is a set of computer programs and associated software documentation, documentation and data (computing), data. This is in contrast to Computer hardware, hardware, from which the system is built and which actually performs the work.
...
. The need for software automation and new applications for business processes places demands on
software developers
A computer programmer, sometimes referred to as a software developer, a software engineer, a programmer or a coder, is a person who creates computer programs — often for larger computer software.
A programmer is someone who writes/creates ...
to create custom applications in volume, tailoring them to organizations' unique needs.
Low-code development platforms have been developed as a means to allow for quick creation and use of working applications that can address the specific process and data needs of the organization.
Reception
Research firm
Forrester estimated in 2016 that the total market for low-code development platforms would grow to $15.5 billion by 2020.
Segments in the market include database, request handling, mobile, process, and general purpose low-code platforms.
Low-code development's market growth can be attributed to its flexibility and ease.
Low-code development platforms are shifting their focus toward general purpose of applications, with the ability to add in custom code when needed or desired.
Mobile accessibility is one of the driving factors of using low-code development platforms.
Instead of developers having to spend time creating multi-device software,
low-code
A low-code development platform (LCDP) provides a development environment used to create application software through a graphical user interface. A low-coded platform may produce entirely operational applications, or require additional coding for s ...
packages typically come with that feature as standard.
Because they require less coding knowledge, nearly anyone in a software development environment can learn to use a low-code development platform. Features like
drag and drop
In computer graphical user interfaces, drag and drop is a pointing device gesture in which the user selects a virtual object by "grabbing" it and dragging it to a different location or onto another virtual object. In general, it can be used to ...
interfaces help users visualize and build the application
Security and compliance concerns
Concerns over low-code development platform security and compliance are growing, especially for apps that use consumer data. There can be concerns over the security of apps built so quickly and possible lack of due governance leading to
compliance issues.
However, low-code apps do also fuel security innovations. With continuous app development in mind, it becomes easier to create secure data workflows. Still the fact remains that low-code development platforms that do not apply and strictly adhere to
Normalized Systems Theory
Normalization or normalisation refers to a process that makes something more normal or regular. Most commonly it refers to:
* Normalization (sociology) or social normalization, the process through which ideas and behaviors that may fall outside o ...
do not solve the challenge of increasing complexity due to changes.
Criticisms
Some IT professionals question whether low-code development platforms are suitable for large-scale and mission-critical enterprise applications. Others have questioned whether these platforms actually make development cheaper or easier. Additionally, some
CIOs have expressed concern that adopting low-code development platforms internally could lead to an increase in unsupported applications built by
shadow IT In big organizations, shadow IT refers to information technology (IT) systems deployed by departments other than the central IT department, to work around the perceived or actual shortcomings of the central information systems. Shadow IT often intro ...
.
See also
*
DRAKON
*
End-user computing
*
End-user development
End-user development (EUD) or end-user programming (EUP) refers to activities and tools that allow end-users – people who are not professional software developers – to program computers. People who are not professional developers can use EUD ...
*
Flow-based programming
In computer programming, flow-based programming (FBP) is a programming paradigm that defines applications as networks of "black box" processes, which exchange data across predefined connections by message passing, where the connections are speci ...
*
List of online database creator apps
This list of online database creator apps lists notable web apps where end users with minimal database administration expertise can create online databases to share with team members.
Users need not have the coding skills to manage the solution ...
*
List of low-code development platforms
Below is a list of notable low-code development platforms.
Implementations
* AppSheet is a no-code application from Google that offers users the ability to create applications for mobile, tablet and web.
* Acceleo is an open-source code genera ...
*
Visual programming language
References
{{reflist
Enterprise architecture
Software development