Rising Demand for Rapid Application Development and the Top Five Players in the Market Today
Rapid application development platform or RADP is a concept that emphasizes on swift development of web and mobile applications. In an ever-competitive market, rapid mobile app development is replacing traditional methods and off-the-shelf products with passion.
A PWC article on rapid enterprise
application development states, “…software developers and IT professionals
reported only 9% of organizations still using the pure waterfall method.”
RADP allows business and IT to
collaborate effectively, acting as a catalyst in innovation and streamlining
workflows. Likewise, in comparison to traditional and off-the-shelf options,
RADP apps are better structured, offer better functionality and integrations,
shorten time-to-market and are affordable to SMEs.This article helps businesses
narrow down app development platform choices as we move closer to 2020.
Our Top 5 Rapid Mobile App
Development Platforms for Businesses
The following results take into
consideration key RADP factors such as pre-configured application templates,
cross-platform compatibility, the range of automation offered, systems
integration and data migration, ease of use for laymen, and visual development
support.
Outsystems
A pioneer in the low-code app
development platform space, Outsystems has been at it since 2001. This
Boston-based company arms its developers with high-end tools and functionality
to develop, iterate and manage enterprise technology quickly. Additionally, Outsystems
provides end-to-end security for all solutions developed. This means all data
is secure behind industry-grade firewalls.
One key advantage we would like
to point out is the RADP integration tools that the app development platform
features. If an enterprise has been utilizing multiple software to manage their
business, Outsystems RADP makes sure these are integrated into the app so the
enterprise experiences zero sunk costs in terms of software investments.
HokuApps
A late but curious entry in our
list, HokuApps is a name we have come across in our search for the best rapid
mobile application development platforms. A company based out of Singapore,
this low code RADP is a new player in the market. HokuApps concentrates on
affordability and quality like no other.
The platform is fully automated,
featuring modules for every industry and workflow. Visual development makes
certain that any app can be customized to a business’s exact needs.
Furthermore, the app development platform features more than 500 tools for
one-click integration.
On the UI front, the platform
also features a design studio with hundreds of pre-configured UI templates.
Alternatively, customers can also select their designs as they see fit. Unlike
many app development platforms, HokuApps churns out cross-platform apps without
the need for native-coding.
We believe HokuApps will provide
fierce competition to the rest of the competitors in the upcoming years.We urge
you to check this RADP out and let us know your thoughts.
Zoho
This Indian RADP has been rolling
out custom applications and off-the-shelf apps for the better part of two
decades. Zoho Creator is one the best there is due to the substantial list of
tools and features that they provide.The rapid mobile application development
platform employs a drag and drop interface to create apps. The platform is open
to all, which means even a layman can design and develop apps.
However, for complex development
undertakings, customers will have to engage ‘Deluge’ developers, an exclusive
programming language that Zoho has created for app development.On a side note:
Their range of off-the-shelf apps is impressive.
Appian
The Appian RADP gives justice to
the word ‘rapid’ in every sense of the way. Appian is a market leader in the
rapid mobile application development space, creating apps for enterprise since
1999. This Virginia-based app development platform follows the drag and drop
method, making it incredibly convenient for users from all
backgrounds.Moreover, the app development platform boasts of fast integration
with any tool or tools. A key advantage that stands out is the no-code
integration of AI/ML applications through major web data storage platforms like
Google and Amazon AWS.
Salesforce
We all know Salesforce for its
CRM software. Yet, what is little known is their venture into RADP. Tagged ‘the
Future of Sales and CRM’, Salesforce allows the development of enterprise apps
using any programming language developers choose to use on its platform.
However, the platform cannot be operated by laymen for its complexity level is
high.The rapid mobile application development is designed to enable developers
to build and iterate even the most complex of applications.
The platform also features native
and custom components to incorporate into applications.Nevertheless, if a
business wants to invest in its CRM products and not full-stack enterprise
apps, Salesforce remains a preferred option.
Notable mentions:
- KiSSFLOW
- Mendix
- PhoneGap
- Accelerator
- Quick Base
