Category: blog

In today’s tech-driven landscape, eco-friendly low-code development is transforming the way applications are created. By enabling faster builds and reducing energy consumption, this innovative approach allows businesses to develop software without the extensive coding traditionally required. As environmental concerns grow, the focus on sustainable practices in software development has never been more crucial. By harnessing the power of eco-friendly low-code development, organizations can minimize resource use and optimize efficiency throughout the development process.

Faster Development Equals Reduced Energy Usage

In LCNC development, applications are built significantly faster than with conventional methods. As a result, this efficiency substantially lowers energy requirements, with fewer resources consumed from initial design through to deployment. Moreover, Guy Johnston, an industry expert, emphasizes a direct link between development speed and energy consumption. Consequently, faster builds mean fewer hours and resources spent in energy-draining development cycles, thus reducing the overall environmental impact.

Simplified Workflows Reduce Complexity and Technical Debt

Traditional coding often leads to technical debt—repeated patches, updates, and rework that consume additional resources. LCNC platforms sidestep this issue by using pre-built components, reducing the need for extensive redevelopment. Applications built on LCNC platforms also streamline workflows, minimizing energy usage across their lifecycle. From design to retirement, these applications are typically simpler to maintain, requiring less energy for adjustments over time.

Cloud and SaaS: Leveraging Economies of Scale

One major environmental advantage of LCNC is its synergy with cloud-based services. Cloud providers run energy-optimized data centers, unlike energy-hungry on-premises setups often used in traditional development. LCNC platforms operating in these cloud environments enable companies to reduce their carbon footprint while scaling up efficiently. Large-scale cloud data centers use renewable energy and advanced cooling, adding an eco-friendly boost to LCNC solutions.

Minimizing Time-to-Market

LCNC platforms excel in rapid prototyping and deployment, which further shortens development cycles. Traditional software can take months to develop, drawing considerable energy and resources. In contrast, LCNC’s quick iteration speeds up time-to-market, reducing energy usage and allowing businesses to rapidly implement energy-saving solutions across operations.

LCNC for Sustainable Software Development

The demand for sustainable software development is growing, and LCNC provides a viable solution. LCNC development reduces the time and energy required, minimizes technical debt, and makes use of scalable, energy-efficient cloud services. In a world increasingly focused on environmental impact, LCNC offers an innovative approach to sustainability in software, helping businesses cut costs, improve efficiency, and lessen their carbon footprint.

In sum, LCNC development is more than just a faster way to build applications; it’s a step toward sustainable tech, optimizing resources to create a greener future.

If you would like to learn more about low-code and no-code platforms contact us today!

The Need for Mid-Code Customization

As businesses evolve, their software tools must adapt to meet complex needs. While low-code options are popular for their simplicity, the emerging concept of mid-code customization provides a valuable solution.
Mid-code enhances customization by combining the accessibility of low-code with the flexibility of pro-code development. It allows companies to create highly personalized and efficient tools without requiring extensive coding expertise.

Filling the Customization Gap

Mid-code customization is an emerging software development approach that offers businesses greater flexibility than low-code solutions. It enables complex customization without requiring a full development team, as back-end complexities are handled in the background, making it manageable for just one or two team members.

API Integrations: The Key to Flexibility

Mid-code customization is appealing due to its support for API integrations, which are vital as AI technologies gain prominence. The integration of AI into SaaS products has increased the demand for modular and interoperable tools, making APIs essential features in many applications.

By leveraging APIs, mid-code solutions can provide businesses with the modularity needed to achieve high levels of customization. This customization is essential for delivering hyper-personalized user experiences, something that the modern marketplace increasingly demands.

Interoperability: Meeting SaaS Market Needs

As the SaaS market becomes fragmented, interoperability is essential. Mid-code customization enables businesses to develop applications that seamlessly integrate, boosting utility and appealing to a wider audience. This trend is driving the creation of standard protocols and languages for modular functionality.

Pro-Code Adapts to the Rise of Mid-Code

Pro-code is also adapting in response to mid- and low-code developments. Many industry leaders argue that traditional coding roles are evolving, with developers now specializing in specific areas, such as data management and distributed systems.

However, developer skills are not becoming obsolete; instead, they are shifting. While some developers will continue building complex applications, others will focus on optimizing low-code and mid-code solutions to serve customers effectively.

Mid-Code: Enabling Businesses of All Sizes to Innovate

In today’s business landscape, mid-code customization offers a vital link between low-code platforms and pro-code solutions, allowing companies to gain flexibility while minimizing developer resource consumption.
As a result, mid-code customization is transforming the landscape of software development, ensuring that businesses of all sizes can innovate at their own pace.

With the surge of GenAI tools, shadow engineering in low-code/no-code (LCNC) platforms is a growing concern. While these platforms speed up app development, they also bring risks, as unauthorized apps are often created outside IT governance.

The Rise of Shadow Engineering

Low-code and no-code platforms democratize app development, empowering non-technical employees to create solutions for business problems without waiting on traditional IT resources. However, this ease of use also makes it easier to bypass official channels. When employees independently deploy these applications, the IT department may have little to no visibility or control over them. This phenomenon, now termed “shadow engineering,” is expanding rapidly with LCNC adoption.

Why Shadow Engineering is Risky

Shadow engineering in low-code/no-code environments can result in security risks, data silos, compliance issues, and inefficiencies. For instance, unauthorized apps may lack standardized security measures, making them vulnerable to data breaches. They can also create incompatible data structures, hindering data integrity and cross-departmental collaboration. Moreover, without IT’s oversight, these apps could fail to meet regulatory standards, exposing the organization to legal liabilities. In short, while LCNC platforms promise innovation, they risk undermining organizational integrity if shadow engineering is left unchecked.

Implementing Controls for a Safer LCNC Environment

Thankfully, there are ways to address these risks without stifling innovation. Establishing clear policies on LCNC usage is essential. IT departments can play a pivotal role by offering controlled environments for app creation and setting clear guidelines for approved use cases. Additionally, centralizing LCNC platforms under IT’s oversight enables transparency, making it easier to manage permissions and conduct regular audits. This step helps ensure compliance while giving employees a trusted framework for their projects.

Organizations can also implement training programs to educate employees on the risks associated with unauthorized app development. Encouraging a culture of transparency, where employees feel empowered to collaborate with IT rather than circumvent it, can significantly reduce shadow engineering.

The rise of LCNC platforms, powered by GenAI, introduces both opportunities and risks. While these tools facilitate innovation, businesses must recognize and address the hidden threats of shadow engineering. By implementing robust controls and fostering collaboration, companies can leverage LCNC platforms responsibly, enabling a safe, efficient, and compliant app ecosystem.

Low-code platforms offer significant value beyond functional requirements. While they are often praised for their efficiency and speed in addressing these needs, their true power lies in hidden aspects such as usability, scalability, and security. In this article, we’ll explore how low-code platforms deliver this value and provide comprehensive solutions for businesses.

Usability and Maintainability

First and foremost, usability is a key factor. Low-code platforms are designed with user-friendly interfaces, allowing both developers and non-developers to create applications quickly. This simplicity not only reduces development time but also makes maintenance easier. The visual nature of these platforms ensures that updates can be made with minimal disruption, improving long-term maintainability.

Scalability and Operations

Scalability is another critical element. Businesses often need systems that grow alongside them, and low-code platforms offer the flexibility to scale applications effortlessly. Whether they need to increase user capacity or integrate new features, these platforms handle evolving business needs with ease. Additionally, automation streamlines operations, reducing the manual work involved in deploying and managing applications.

Security and Availability

When it comes to security, low-code platforms equip users with built-in features that ensure data protection. Many platforms comply with industry standards and offer encryption and multi-factor authentication as part of their packages. This level of security, which traditional development would require significant time to implement, represents a hidden gem in low-code platforms. Likewise, cloud-based architectures enhance availability, ensuring that users can access applications anytime, anywhere.

Extensibility and Integration

A significant advantage of low-code is its extensibility. While the drag-and-drop interface covers most needs, developers actively write custom code when necessary. This hybrid approach maintains flexibility without sacrificing simplicity. Moreover, businesses seamlessly integrate low-code applications with third-party services or legacy systems, making it easy to connect with existing tools.

Multi-Device Adaptability and Standardization

Finally, low-code platforms excel in multi-device adaptability. Their mobile-first approaches allow developers to design applications that work seamlessly across various devices. Additionally, standardization ensures that all developers adhere to the same coding practices and architectural guidelines, which reduces the risk of technical debt.

In conclusion, while low-code platforms may initially appear to address functional requirements, their real power lies in the underlying benefits they provide. Usability, security, scalability, and integration form a robust, scalable, and secure foundation for modern software development.

If you would like to learn more about low-code and no-code platforms contact us today!

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, organizations frequently grapple with the ‘buy vs. build’ dilemma during their transformation journeys. They must decide between purchasing off-the-shelf software solutions or developing custom applications from scratch. While this decision can be daunting, especially due to factors like time constraints, budgets, and available IT resources, low-code and no-code platforms have now emerged as a game-changing alternative.

The Rise of Low-Code and No-Code Platforms

Low-code and no-code platforms allow businesses to create custom software applications without extensive coding knowledge. This democratization of software development is particularly crucial in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sectors, where the market has experienced exponential growth. In fact, the low-code/no-code market is projected to soar from over $50 billion to between $70 and $80 billion by 2027.

Transforming Digital Transformation

Low-code/no-code tools offer a unique solution to overcome the limitations of traditional “buy or build” strategies. Here’s how these platforms can revolutionize your organization’s digital journey:

1. Accelerated Time to Market

Traditional software development is often lengthy and resource-intensive. However, low-code/no-code platforms significantly reduce development time, allowing businesses to launch applications and features swiftly. As a result, organizations can gain a competitive edge by responding faster to market needs.

2. Enhanced Agility and Flexibility

In an ever-evolving market, business needs change rapidly. Fortunately, low-code/no-code solutions enable organizations to modify and adapt existing applications with ease, ensuring they remain responsive to market demands. Consequently, this enhanced flexibility helps businesses stay ahead of the curve.

3. Democratizing Development

By empowering citizen developers — employees with domain expertise but limited coding skills—these platforms foster collaboration between business users and IT teams, creating solutions that align more closely with specific business needs.

4. Reduced Costs and IT Dependency

Custom software development can strain budgets. Low-code/no-code platforms provide a cost-effective alternative, minimizing reliance on specialized IT expertise and freeing up resources for other critical initiatives.

Embracing Low-Code/No-Code in Financial Services

The BFSI sector perfectly illustrates the value of low-code/no-code platforms. These tools enable financial institutions to streamline internal processes, enhance customer experiences, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. By automating routine tasks and developing tailored applications, organizations can significantly improve efficiency and reduce errors.

In conclusion, as digital transformation continues to reshape industries, embracing low-code and no-code platforms offers a viable solution to the ‘buy vs. build’ dilemma, empowering organizations to innovate and thrive in the digital age.

The fusion of Generative AI (GenAI) and low-code/no-code (LCNC) development platforms is transforming application development by empowering citizen developers to build faster and more efficiently. However, the integration of GenAI introduces new cybersecurity risks that organizations must address to ensure secure and resilient digital operations.

Boosting Productivity and Innovation

GenAI enhances LCNC platforms by automating repetitive tasks and providing intelligent insights, allowing developers to focus on innovation. This boosts productivity, enabling businesses to respond quickly to market demands. For example, tools like Microsoft Power Platform’s CoPilot Studio allow users to embed AI models into apps, automating complex processes with ease. As a result, businesses can make data-driven decisions and streamline operations, fostering greater innovation.

Security Risks of GenAI in LCNC Platforms

While the integration of GenAI accelerates development, it also introduces critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The most significant risks arise from data leakage and misconfigurations. AI bots often require access to sensitive data. If not properly configured, they can expose this data to unauthorized users, making LCNC platforms especially vulnerable to internal and external breaches.

For instance, bots used in financial reporting might access sensitive databases. Without secure configurations, these bots could unintentionally expose data to external actors. Prompt injection attacks and input manipulation can also exploit these AI-driven applications, causing bots to approve fraudulent actions or make unauthorized decisions.

Mitigating Cybersecurity Challenges

To navigate these risks, organizations should enforce robust security measures, including:

• Strict access control: Ensure bots only interact with authorized users and have restricted permissions aligned with the data they handle.
• Real-time security prompts: Embed security prompts in LCNC platforms to flag weak configurations and require encryption for sensitive data.
• Continuous monitoring and auditing: Implement automated alerts to detect suspicious activities and respond swiftly to potential threats.

Embracing a Secure Future

As GenAI continues to revolutionize LCNC platforms, organizations must stay ahead of emerging security challenges. By adopting stringent security practices and fostering responsible AI use, businesses can embrace the benefits of GenAI without compromising the integrity of their applications and data.

AI-Powered Transformation in App Development

In today’s fast-evolving tech landscape, OutSystems: AI in App Development is at the forefront of revolutionizing how applications are created. By integrating generative AI with low-code platforms, OutSystems simplifies the app creation process and accelerates production. With the help of Mentor AI, businesses can overcome inefficiencies in application development, enabling them to develop, deliver, and monitor apps effectively while ensuring quality, security, and governance.

The AI-Powered Digital Worker

OutSystems’ Mentor transforms low-code development by supporting developers from ideation to deployment. Users can describe their app vision in natural language, and Mentor swiftly generates a prototype with a functional front-end and embedded business logic, allowing for refinement before full-scale development.

A key feature of Mentor is its ability to improve applications continuously through AI-driven suggestions. It enables developers to embed AI agents within the app, automating tasks for end users. This integration speeds up app creation and enhances functionality and user experience.

Streamlining Development with AI-Driven Code Reviews

Mentor’s capabilities extend beyond app generation. As the development process progresses, Mentor performs AI-powered code reviews, ensuring that apps adhere to the highest standards of performance, security, and maintainability. This feature helps developers avoid common issues such as technical debt, orphaned code, and subpar code quality, all while maintaining a clear and transparent workflow.

Moreover, Mentor supports ongoing app management by continually monitoring the app post-deployment. This proactive approach allows developers to address potential issues before they arise, ensuring that the app continues to meet the organization’s evolving needs.

Addressing Industry Demand for AI in Software Development

The demand for AI-driven software development tools is rapidly increasing. According to OutSystems CEO Paulo Rosado, 93% of executives want to invest in AI solutions to boost developer productivity. OutSystems: AI in App Development meets this demand by offering a robust and user-friendly platform that accelerates app creation while ensuring quality, security, and governance.

Rosado emphasizes that while the Generative Software Cycle is here, it’s crucial to balance speed with quality. Mentor does just that, enabling developers to build full-stack applications in minutes without compromising on security or governance standards. This combination of generative AI with low-code is set to redefine how companies approach software development.

A Frictionless Future for App Development

OutSystems’ Mentor showcases the future of software development. Analysts like Holger Mueller from Constellation Research highlight Mentor’s potential to revolutionize development, testing, and maintenance. By automating complex processes like code review and app optimization, Mentor eliminates bottlenecks that typically slow down software development.

AI is transforming the traditional software development lifecycle by streamlining various tasks. Previously divided into specialized roles and steps, the process now combines ideation, design, and development into a seamless workflow. This integration makes app development faster, more efficient, and less resource-intensive.

OutSystems’ Mentor revolutionizes low-code development by assisting developers at every stage, from ideation to deployment. Users can describe their app vision in natural language, and Mentor quickly generates a prototype that includes a functional front-end and embedded business logic, enabling developers to refine their app before full-scale development.

When developing scalable business apps, scalability is a key consideration. As businesses grow, their demands increase, and applications must be capable of handling larger workloads without compromising performance. This makes building scalable business apps a top priority for long-term success. Fortunately, low-code platforms have emerged as an efficient solution for achieving scalability while ensuring flexibility and speed.

Understanding Low-Code Development for Scalability

Low-code platforms combine drag-and-drop interfaces with minimal coding, making them ideal for creating complex scalable business apps quickly. Unlike no-code platforms, which are designed for simpler tasks, low-code development offers the flexibility to add custom features. This allows businesses to scale their apps to handle more users and data as they grow.

Best Practices for Building Scalable Apps

• Define Clear Objectives and Requirements: Before starting development, it’s crucial to outline your app’s current and future needs. Consider the app’s purpose, expected user base, and potential challenges to ensure the final product can handle future growth.
• Design with Scalability in Mind: Scalability should be part of the design from the start. Using a modular architecture allows for easy updates, while separating the app’s components (front-end, back-end, and database) ensures each can scale independently. This keeps your app running smoothly as demand increases.
• Leverage Cloud-Based Infrastructure: Cloud infrastructure offers flexibility and reliability for scaling apps. It allows businesses to adjust resources like storage and bandwidth on-demand, ensuring your app can grow without needing expensive hardware investments.
• Prioritize User Experience (UX): A scalable app should maintain excellent performance, even as the user base grows. By focusing on a user-friendly interface and optimizing for speed, your app can offer a consistent experience to new and existing users.
• Implement Automation for Efficiency: Automating routine processes like data collection and customer support can help the app manage increased workloads efficiently. Automation not only reduces manual tasks but also minimizes errors, ensuring smooth operation.

Continuous Testing and Iteration

Building scalable business apps doesn’t stop once they’re deployed. Continuous testing and iteration are essential to ensure that the application remains stable and efficient as it scales. Performance testing, load testing, and regular updates help identify bottlenecks and potential issues early on, allowing for timely improvements. By iterating based on feedback and performance data, businesses can ensure their apps stay responsive and functional as user demand and data volumes increase.

Collaborate with IT and Business Teams

Effective collaboration between IT and business teams is key to developing scalable apps. While IT teams focus on the technical aspects of scalability, business teams bring valuable insights into user needs and market trends. By aligning these perspectives from the outset, organizations can ensure that their applications not only scale technically but also meet evolving business objectives. Low-code platforms further enable this collaboration by allowing both technical and non-technical stakeholders to participate in the development process.

Advancements in Low-Code Development

SAP low-code development is advancing to help businesses streamline operations. By introducing AI agents and enhanced data analysis capabilities, SAP equips organizations with powerful innovation tools. Its low-code environment, SAP Build, aims to accelerate development and support cross-functional “fusion teams.” However, reliance on traditional desktop tools like Eclipse poses challenges for developers.

Introducing Joule: The AI Assistant

At its recent TechEd conference, SAP launched features to enhance low-code development, including Joule, an AI assistant that “speaks the language of business.” Joule assists with tasks like dispute management by analyzing issues such as incorrect invoices. However, analysts warn that it’s too early to gauge the true impact of these AI tools on business processes.

Also read: AutoGen Studio – Transforming Multi-Agent AI Development

Enhancing Data Analysis with SAP Knowledge Graph

Another significant development from SAP is the SAP Knowledge Graph, built on the SAP HANA Cloud platform. This tool enhances data analysis by mapping relationships and providing context within SAP’s extensive data landscape. By leveraging SAP-specific business semantics, organizations can minimize inaccuracies and make more informed decisions.

Room for Improvement in Developer Experience

Despite these advancements, the developer experience still needs improvement. SAP Build allows developers to manage ABAP Cloud projects from a single interface, but coding redirects them to the traditional desktop IDE, Eclipse. This reliance on desktop applications complicates the process and often requires logging into Citrix, hindering productivity.

The Fusion Teams Concept

The concept of fusion teams – groups of developers working across functions—is not entirely new but is being emphasized in SAP’s low-code environment. While this model encourages collaboration, experts are concerned that managing various team members effectively will be a challenge, especially when using different tools.

Simplifying Coding for Java and JavaScript Developers

SAP’s low-code environment simplifies coding for Java and JavaScript with features like documentation search. However, reliance on Eclipse may hinder the effectiveness of these innovations.

Criticism of Cloud Subscription Focus

Critics argue that SAP’s focus on cloud subscriptions overlooks developers’ practical challenges. By not adopting modern platforms like Visual Studio Code, SAP risks failing to improve the developer experience. To maximize low-code development, SAP must ensure a seamless and productive environment.

User Adoption and Integration Challenges

As SAP innovates in low-code development, the success of its new features will depend on user adoption and seamless integration into existing workflows. Organizations must assess how these tools can effectively simplify processes and boost productivity.

Rethinking Legacy Tools

SAP’s push towards low-code and cloud solutions is clear, but as the industry shifts toward cloud-based IDEs, the company may need to rethink its reliance on legacy desktop tools to truly meet the needs of modern developers.

Unlocking Low-Code Potential

While SAP’s advancements in low-code development are promising, addressing reliance on traditional desktop tools and integrating with modern environments is crucial. This will help SAP unlock the full potential of its low-code offerings for businesses aiming to drive innovation and efficiency.

If you would like to learn more about low-code and no-code platforms contact us today!

Low-code is emerging as the future of digital transformation. Research shows that three-quarters of business leaders see it as the key to improving efficiency and speeding up innovation. As companies focus on agility and growth, low-code is reshaping development and driving innovation.

Once a quick fix, low-code is now essential for 98% of organizations. It streamlines processes, boosts efficiency, and accelerates project delivery for over two-thirds of users.

The integration of low-code and artificial intelligence (AI) is driving significant innovation. Over 80% of organizations believe this combination can enhance their ability to create and deliver advanced applications, enabling businesses to develop more sophisticated solutions that better meet customer needs.

It’s not just technical teams pushing for low-code—business leaders, especially COOs and CEOs, are leading the charge. They recognize its strategic value in cutting costs and improving efficiency, with 81% of organizations reporting these benefits.

Low-code effectively modernizes legacy systems, allowing businesses to upgrade outdated infrastructures with minimal disruption. Nearly half of surveyed companies use low-code for this purpose, ensuring continued growth, operational efficiency, and future-proof operations.

Despite its many advantages, one major challenge is the need for upskilling. Four out of five business leaders highlight the importance of developing technical expertise to fully leverage low-code, stressing the need for investment in education and talent development.

Low-code’s flexibility also empowers non-technical staff, enabling them to participate in app development through user-friendly interfaces. This democratization of development allows companies to innovate faster by reducing the dependence on IT teams, making the development process more inclusive and agile.

Moreover, as low-code adoption rises, it helps businesses respond more quickly to market changes. Its adaptability ensures that companies can roll out new features or pivot their strategies in real-time, keeping them competitive in a rapidly shifting digital landscape.

In summary, low-code is becoming essential for digital transformation, helping businesses accelerate innovation, boost productivity, and stay competitive. As it evolves, low-code will shape the future of development and drive major changes across industries.