I. Introduction
As we all know, the low-code concept focuses on customization, visualization, and rapid development . If you can't even do basic customization, then don't be a low-code platform.
So the conclusion is: as long as it is a real low-code platform, it basically supports customized development. (It's just the degree of customization is different.) If it is not supported, then you have to re-verify whether it is a low-code platform.
2. The low-code platform for customized development first needs to have the ability
The low-code platform needs to have a high enough degree of customization and development. The first thing to do is to ensure the following capabilities:
1. Ensure the openness of the system
When the low-code built system itself cannot meet specific needs, it can be supplemented with general IT technologies (such as providing coding scripts, custom APIs, etc.). Technicians have complete authority to modify each business level. Whether it is front-end logic, personalized interface, independent packaging, etc.
2. Provide coding extension components
Real low-code usually provides code writing component modules, including but not limited to scripts, automation, expressions, code packages, etc., and must be able to seamlessly connect with current general IT technologies. Or support uploading in the form of a code expansion package. In addition, if low-code technology requires additional learning of new programming knowledge or mastering of new programming languages, the high learning cost will also stop people.
3. Support complex business scenarios
Low-code platforms are usually capable of complex business scenarios (such as core systems such as ERP/MES/PLM/SRM), and the technical cost of implementing complex business scenarios cannot be higher than general IT technology. No matter what kind of framework technology or programming skills, there is a clear development direction, which is to focus on business needs and reduce unnecessary technical costs.
If a simple business requirement requires technicians to work for a long time, then why use it? I believe this is what most people don't want to see.
3. What capabilities can low-code platforms use to solve the above problems?
The general direction is as follows:
In the entire life cycle of the system, a large number of functions and procedures that can be overloaded are reserved, and a high degree of customization can be achieved only by rewriting the function logic. Rewriting logic can invoke complete context content with system-level components, units, and packages.
Similar to minimally invasive surgery, complex functions can be realized with only a small amount of coding.
Highly abstract interfaces/procedures/transactions/components can be instantiated through online configuration, and the functions have been almost realized without much code writing. Make full use of the derivation and overloading functions in programming skills. The functions written by others can be personalized with only a small amount of adjustment through derivation and overloading. In the general programming process, a large number of hardcoding (Hardcoding) parts are Effectively avoid.
When low-code tools can do the same work as general-purpose programming, there will definitely be several times the improvement in terms of customization efficiency.
I have used many low-code platforms before, and currently the products with a high degree of customized development include: Yinmai JNPF, clickpaas, and movable type. And for this type of platform, I prefer to call them an enterprise-level low-code development platform. Because such platforms can often achieve more complex business needs.
4. What is an enterprise-level low-code development platform?
Start from more demand scenarios of the enterprise. The internal information needs of enterprises often focus on these aspects:
1. Process control
For example, in the daily OA office of an enterprise, there are a large number of process requirements, such as reimbursement, contract approval, entry and exit, etc., but due to the different rules and regulations and management methods of each enterprise, these requirements often have individual characteristics. Therefore, in terms of process, more flexible configuration functions are needed.
2. Data processing
Provides advanced enterprise-level features designed to process data more agilely and gracefully.
3. Business requirements
In the past, when we talked about software development, we usually thought of application development by experienced IT technicians. Nowadays, low-code seems to have a new era leading the developers of all people. It can deeply connect business and IT, and fill the gap between the demand for business software and the shortage of developers. Even a user with no training in software development can still build applications using low-code platforms.
5. What capabilities should an enterprise-level low-code development platform have?
For low-code tools, if they can provide stronger support for these requirements, then they must have strong enough model refining capabilities and finer-grained configuration elements. This often depends on the project experience and accumulation of the product development team. Because if there is no specific system development practice, it is difficult to imagine the requirements on the enterprise management system out of thin air.
The JNPF platform has accumulated more than 1,000 enterprise informatization construction projects from the perspective of "low code", and currently abstracts the following five aspects of capabilities. Official website: https://www.jnpfsoft.com/?csdn, you can experience it yourself.
1. Scene modeling ability
The data model is the foundation of the system and has rich scene modeling capabilities. The support of the low-code platform for the data model determines the coverage of business scenarios. At the data level, many fields or data types are not single. In the implementation of business scenarios, many data fields need to be highly decoupled from business processes and operational behaviors. Therefore, whether the modeling capabilities that can cover more scenarios will become a decisive factor in the capabilities of low-code platforms.
2. Interface development ability
The reason why the role and status of Excel spreadsheets in the corporate office process is gradually declining is that the spreadsheet-style interaction has become less applicable in many scenarios. For example, warehouses, workstations, or some non-office scenarios, users may be more handheld devices, and more convenient input methods are needed. And different scene input methods are different. So for the low-code platform, can it provide more interactive methods or interface development capabilities.
3. System docking ability
The authoritative organization Forrester has identified the API interface as an important symbol of the enterprise-level low-code development platform. Through the built-in API interface function, enterprise-level applications can integrate or connect with other systems, open up data links, and avoid information islands.
In addition to the built-in conventional third-party API interface of enterprise-level low-code (to connect with existing platforms such as enterprise WeChat , DingTalk, and official accounts, it can also connect with the original OA, ERP, MES, EHR and other systems of the enterprise), and even It can be connected with lot IoT software and hardware devices, and BI data large screen. Moreover, the development of the API interface can take effect immediately after modification, so the system docking ability can also be called the real ability of enterprise-level low-code.
4. Component expansion capability
Only by allowing users to independently expand and customize components can they meet their functional reuse requirements, and can also raise the development efficiency of low-code to a higher level. For long-term iterative businesses, the most frequent daily use must be business components , not general public components. In this case, if the low-code platform can support users to independently expand components, or mix with standard components , it is one of the capabilities that enterprise-level low-code platforms need to provide.
5. Data processing and stability
In fact, this ability is not well reflected on the low-code platform. The main reason is that most of the current practical scenarios of the low-code platform are still shallow and light-weight business requirements. For the real test of large data volume and high concurrency, there is currently no Not informative.
But since it is one of the necessary tools for the long-term development of enterprises, the ability to deal with low-code in complex and extreme environments is definitely a must. Especially for the multi-version and multi-environment management of applications with large users and large amounts of data. Whether it can guarantee the continuous development of business from the perspective of technology and solutions like those mature large-scale systems must be a question that every low-code manufacturer needs to think about.
Based on the capability standard above, I have classified the current low-code vendors.
At present, low-code is still in its infancy, and more manufacturers are needed to explore a more efficient and convenient low-code digital upgrade path through co-construction with enterprises. Create a set of standard and available low-code digital transformation solutions.