As digital transformation accelerates, enterprises need to develop and deliver applications more quickly to adapt to changes in market demands and customer needs. In this case, low-code platforms have become one of the preferred solutions for enterprises.
Imagine you could build your own applications with a visual tool without having to write tedious code. This is the charm of the low-code development model!
Next, I will start from these content directions so that you can intuitively see low code:
1. What is a low-code platform?
2. Advantages of low-code platforms
3. Disadvantages of low-code platforms
4. Solution: Overcoming the shortcomings of low code
5. Why should your company care about low-code development?
6. Who are the users of low-code tools?
1. What is a low-code platform?
The low-code platform is a set of digital technology tool platforms that can achieve rapid construction, data orchestration, connection ecology, middle-end services, etc. based on more efficient methods such as graphical drag and drop and parameterized configuration. Achieve scenario application innovation in digital transformation with little or no code. It can alleviate or even solve the contradiction between supply and demand caused by huge market demand and traditional development productivity. It is a product of the trend of cost reduction and efficiency improvement in the process of digital transformation.
Application address: https://www.jnpfsoft.com/?csdn
The following is an example based on the JNPF low-code platform to introduce its characteristics:
1.Visual development
Low-code platforms provide a visual development environment that allows users to create applications using drag-and-drop tools and visual representations of code, such as flowcharts, diagrams, and forms. This makes the development process more intuitive and accessible. JNPF has built-in more than 50 kinds of reusable controls and thousands of UI chart configurations, allowing you to freely use them. You can create forms through simple drag and drop, so that ordinary people who do not understand code can quickly build them.
2. Pre-built components and templates
The platform comes with a variety of pre-built components and templates that can be quickly integrated into new applications. This not only speeds up the development process but also ensures that tried and tested components are used, minimizing potential issues and vulnerabilities.
3. Integrated development and testing tools
Platforms often include built-in development and testing tools that enable developers to easily build, test, and deploy applications in a streamlined manner. This integration facilitates collaboration, reduces errors, and ensures consistent quality throughout the application lifecycle.
4. Cross-platform compatibility
Many platforms support the development of applications that run across multiple platforms such as web, mobile, and desktop. This feature allows developers to create apps once and have them work across a variety of devices without additional customization or development work.
5. Scalability and Extensibility
Solutions often provide built-in scalability and extensibility capabilities, allowing applications to grow and adapt to changing business needs. This includes the ability to add custom functionality or integrate with other systems, making the platform a versatile and future-proof choice for software development.
2. Advantages of low-code platforms
1. Improve code reusability
Low-code platforms can abstract common business logic, components and modules into reusable code libraries to facilitate subsequent development work. This way, developers can quickly build applications without writing code from scratch.
2. Lower the skill threshold
The visual modeling tools and automated code generation technology of the low-code platform lower the skill threshold for developers. Users can quickly build applications without requiring in-depth knowledge of underlying technologies and programming languages. Enterprises can allow employees who do not understand complex technologies to participate in application development, which improves the enterprise's business response speed.
3. Enhance collaboration capabilities
The low-code development platform can better support team collaboration. Multiple people can edit and deploy applications at the same time, participate in the same project, and easily achieve collaborative development and version control. This collaboration method allows developers to complete tasks more efficiently, and also allows project managers to monitor project progress more conveniently, improving the efficiency and quality of project management.
4. Unified development environment
Low-code development platforms provide a unified development environment that makes it easy to build cross-platform applications. This means developers can more easily adapt to different development needs and technology stacks.
3. Disadvantages of low-code platforms
1. Difficulty meeting complex needs
Low-code development platforms usually only provide standardized functions and modules, which may not be able to meet some complex requirements well. This requires developers to write their own code for customization and extension.
2. Security is difficult to guarantee
Due to the flexibility and customizability of low-code development platforms, security issues can become a challenge. If developers' security awareness and skills are insufficient, some security vulnerabilities and risks may be introduced.
4. Solution: Overcoming the shortcomings of low code
1. Strengthen the security of low-code platforms: In order to ensure the security of applications, low-code platforms need to strengthen security mechanisms, including data encryption, access control, vulnerability scanning, etc. At the same time, developers also need to improve security awareness and properly configure the security settings of applications.
2. Increase code readability: In order to better meet complex needs, low-code platforms can provide clearer and easier-to-understand code structures and documentation to help developers better understand and maintain applications.
5. Why should your company care about low-code development?
1. Efficiency: Low-code development can help companies use current resources to increase productivity. IT departments will no longer face a backlog of development requests. End users won't have to wait weeks for new apps, either.
2. Business improvements: Since IT departments won’t be stuck with a backlog of development requests, they are freed up to work on more critical tasks. This opens up opportunities for technology improvements as IT departments can finally focus on areas that drive business growth.
3. Control: Since development tools are subject to the IT department, they still have control over data and user access. This avoids the problems caused by shadow IT.
4. Reduce costs: By using a low-code development platform, you can use current resources to complete more tasks. There is no need to bring in a development team or hire an outside assistance team to meet growing demand.
6. Who are the users of low-code tools?
This can be anyone in your company. For example, here are a few ways different roles/skills can use low-code platforms:
1. Business analysts: Low-code platforms help business analysts quickly create applications for users and simulate complex applications for IT departments.
2. Developers: Low-code platforms help developers deliver applications faster and eliminate their backlog of development needs.
3. End users: Low-code platforms help end users create reports, dashboards, and simple applications in minutes without going through the IT department.
4. IT department leaders : Low-code platforms help IT department leaders provide secure data access to the business, extend the life of their current systems, and increase IT productivity.