FeatureLow-code platforms enable organizations to rapidly launch new products, prototype and deploy new ideas in just days or weeks, and iterate based on user feedback, thus staying ahead of their competition, explains Rodrigo Castelo, Vice President, Middle East and Africa, OutSystems.
Low-code platforms help CIOs foster a closer connection between business and IT and move from an order-taking mentality to a driver of business outcomes and innovation. They do this by enabling organizations to rapidly launch new products, prototype and deploy new ideas in just days or weeks, and iterate based on user feedback, thus staying ahead of their competition. With a low-code platform, CIOs can quickly address a wide variety of application development needs ranging from creating departmental apps to automating business processes to implementing large-scale enterprise applications, be it B2C, B2B or B2E. Low-code also gives CIOs the ability to use their existing resources making it possible to upskill people rapidly, which is going to be critical, both for companies to work at speed, and for the workforce to get engaged in new career opportunities.
Replacing traditional coding
Gartner is predicting that low-code application platforms will be used for 65% of all application development activity in five years. They also state that low-code is applicable for a wide variety of use cases. The one area where many CIOs hesitate is building large-scale, mission-critical applications with low-code. Many are stuck in the mindset that you have to buy packages or spend years writing custom code with large teams.
The most established low-code platforms like OutSystems are well equipped to take on this challenge and in fact, we have several customers already running their entire business and core systems on our low-code platform. With all of the benefits that low-code provides, such as speed, agility, time-to-market, and ability to reskill and resort to existing personnel, I see no reason why low-code wouldn’t replace traditional coding in all the enterprise use cases pertaining to Digital Operations, Digital Experiences and Digital Core systems. It is happening already.
Scalability of low code platforms
Not all low-code platforms are created equal. There are two different execution approaches used by low-code platforms. Some low-code platforms are model-driven, where execution of the model is interpreted in run-time by the platform hosting the application. Another breed of low-code platforms, such as OutSystems, are code generation platforms that output executable code that can be installed on a variety of standard infrastructures and standard architectures, making use of all the newest top notch technologies such as containers and micro-services.
The code generation approach is much more scalable as it completely removes an entire extra layer of processing that otherwise has to happen while the application is running. It also means that organizations can scan the code with industry-standard tools designed to test for scalability, as well as security, which is always top of mind. OutSystems has clients supporting millions of users and transactions per day, it scales, yes.
Where low-code platforms work best
Low-code platforms benefit all types of organizations. For large-scale organizations that have already invested in many different types of technologies, most of which are now legacy and eating up the IT budget, low-code platforms provide a modernisation approach that will free up budget for innovation by ensuring that technical debt, the cost of maintaining old technology investments, is kept to a minimum.
For smaller organizations with limited IT resources, their teams are able to deliver the sorts of apps that would have otherwise required expensive and difficult-to-find skillsets, enabling them to leapfrog their competition. Even startups looking to quickly build, test and then scale their next disruptive idea can use low-code.
Key criteria for selecting low-code application platforms
The criteria for selecting a low-code platform depends on the sorts of solutions you plan to build, but there are key capabilities that are common to most situations. Some low-code vendors specialise in mobile, some in workflow, some fit more into the no-code space and are intended for very simple types of apps. The most sophisticated low-code platforms do not limit what you can build and will ensure you don’t hit a wall as your applications evolve and grow, in usage and in complexity. Look for platforms that cover the full stack: database, logic, multi-experience and multi-channel user interface and business processes.
Being able to quickly and easily integrate with existing systems is vital for almost anything you need to build. Look for platforms that provide connectors out of the box and that don’t limit your ability to integrate with legacy tech, in case a connector is not available out of the box.
With the consumerisation of IT, being able to deliver a state-of-the-art user experience is critical to delight end users. Many low-code platforms do not give you complete control over this very important element of the application design. Look for platforms that allow you to build rich B2C experiences, not only back-office experiences. To be able to run apps that are critical to the business, ensure your low-code platform can support your scalability, performance and security requirements.
Finally, many CIOs are concerned about IP ownership and what happens if the relationship with the vendor deteriorates for any reason. Therefore, look for low-code platforms that don’t retain ownership of your IP and don’t lock you into their platform.
