There is multiple RAD platforms available in the market. The success of Enterprise Rapid Application Development Platform or tools depends upon architectural expertise. Enterprises should focus on how to best manage multiple teams while working parallelly on different platform projects.
This blog focuses on Enterprise RAD software and things to keep in mind while selecting the appropriate tools for your business. Companies these days are developing Rapid Web application development tools that will enhance software development for an ever-growing number of platforms.
Rapid Web application development tools can thus be classified into codeless tools which business users can use to rapidly create mobile apps. While the mobile tools used by low-code web developers are powered by HTML and JavaScript, the next generation of cross-platform tools will use advanced programming languages such as C#.
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How to Choose and Which Rapid Web application development tools to Choose for your Enterprise?
Businesses leveraging Enterprise RAD software or environments need to watch out for the following:
For example, small-sized enterprises (with less than 500 employees) looking to deliver value to clients, should typically focus on Rapid Web application development tools that can be launched effortlessly without having to involve highly skilled developers and designers which can prove to be less cost-effective in the long run. Therefore, by leveraging apps that are readily available in public app stores or by focusing on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products, small-sized enterprises can easily deploy and provide value to their teams.
Mid-sized enterprises, on the other hand, face challenges if they try to build apps for operating systems using designers and developers with mixed-skillset. Rapid Web application development tools such as Appcelerator or Xamarin are best fits in such scenarios. Xamarin, for example, uses C#. Hence, it makes it quite simple for .NET-based teams to migrate to mobile.
Large enterprises typically encounter more complicated scenarios when compared to small and mid-sized companies because large organizations use top-notch office systems that necessitate the presence of complicated applications. Therefore, organizations should adopt a multi-tier approach to app development.
To reiterate, it is best for smaller companies to choose a RAD platform. It must develop mission-critical apps with rapid web application development tools, and take recourse to native-like app development tools to curate consumer-facing public apps. This is essential to leverage the latest security features.
In case of security concerns, developers need to build native apps and then deploy them with other mobile application management products. In case if the speed of delivery remains a major concern, enterprises must leverage a combination of COTS products with template apps that the programmers have devised and eventually repurpose the app. If cost remains the highest concern, then open source technologies provide the best options.
Businesses must also ensure that RAD platform is able to generate source code as a base for customization. This allows developers to modify the source code and HTML markup symbols, enable integration with databases, web services, and APIs.
Enterprises should also consider a few other factors when choosing an Enterprise RAD Platform. In other words, businesses should not invest in an app platform that disappoints. Rather, organizations should be able to determine the possible outcomes of switching vendors and platforms. Therefore, portability is an important aspect that enterprises need to focus on in order to avoid the situation in being locked into a platform that may not benefit the business in the long run.
Enterprises should not focus on implementing large-scale IT solutions since highly skilled developers are required resolve the disparate challenges that are likely to crop up when trying to work with new solutions. Many a time developer will need in-depth training to embrace those challenges. Therefore, it is wise to collaborate with enterprise vendors so that developers are able to receive hands-on training with data and architecture.
Vendors promoting a RAD platform as a Service (PaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Mobile Backend as a Service (mBaaS) are always on a mission to demonstrate that their products are exclusive and comprehensive. However, businesses should be aware that such is not the case since all Enterprise RAD Platforms cover every stage of the app delivery process – from the design phase till the deployment stage. Additionally, many app platforms also offer integrated web and mobile support.
It is crucial that businesses try and gauge a RAD platform’s speed and agility. This can be achieved by requesting vendors to compete for a small-scale proof-of-concept (PoC) project that calls for integration with existing system. This will enable businesses to determine how quickly and efficiently the RAD platform can accommodate the real-world, on-demand tasks and challenges.
Lastly, it is advisable that businesses ask vendors about pre-built integrations to services and databases that are commonly used by businesses such as Salesforce.com, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft Sharepoint. Businesses should also determine how easily developers can create and modify their own custom integrations.