computer science

Low-code development platform

Low-code development platform is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Low-code development platform rather than just read about it. In short: A low-code development platform (LCDP) provides a software development environment – typically a graphical user interface (GUI) – that involves little or no writing of code. A low-code platform may produce entirely operational applications, or require additional coding for specific situations.

Key takeaways

Low-code development platform belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Low-code development platform to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Low-code development platform from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A low-code development platform (LCDP) provides a software development environment – typically a graphical user interface (GUI) – that involves little or no writing of code. A low-code platform may produce entirely operational applications, or require additional coding for specific situations. Low-code development platforms are typically on a high abstraction level, and can reduce the amount of traditional time spent, enabling accelerated delivery of business applications. A common benefit is that a wider range of people can contribute to the application's development, not only those with coding skills, but good governance is needed to be able to adhere to common rules and regulations. LCDPs can also lower the initial cost of setup, training, deployment, and maintenance. Low-code development platforms trace their roots back to fourth-generation programming language and the rapid application development tools of the 1990s and early 2000s. Similar to these predecessor development environments, LCDPs are based on the principles of model-driven architecture, automatic code generation, and visual programming. The concept of end-user development also existed previously, although LCDPs brought some new ways of approaching this development. The low-code development platform market traces its origins back to 2011. The specific name "low-code" was not put forward until 9 June 2014, when it was used by the industry analyst Forrester Research. Along with no-code development platforms, low-code was described as "extraordinarily disruptive" in Forbes magazine in 2017.

Use As a result of the microcomputer revolution, businesses have deployed computers widely across their employee bases, enabling widespread automation of business processes using software. The need for software automation and new applications for business processes places demands on software developers to create custom applications in volume, tailoring them to organizations' unique needs. Low-code development platforms have been developed as a means to allow for quick creation and use of working applications that can address the specific process and data needs of the organization.

Reception Research firm Forrester estimated in 2016 that the total market for low-code development platforms would grow to $15.5 billion by 2020. Segments in the market include database, request handling, mobile, process, and general purpose low-code platforms. Low-code development's market growth can be attributed to its flexibility and ease. Low-code development platforms are shifting their focus toward general purpose applications, with the ability to add in custom code when needed or desired. Mobile accessibility is one of the driving factors of using low-code development platforms. Instead of developers having to spend time creating multi-device software, low-code packages typically come with that feature as standard. Because they require less coding knowledge, nearly anyone in a software development environment can learn to use a low-code development platform. Features like drag and drop interfaces help users visualize and build the application

Security and compliance concerns Concerns over low-code development platform security and compliance are growing, especially for apps that use consumer data. There can be concerns over the security of apps built so quickly and possible lack of due governance leading to compliance issues. However, low-code apps do also fuel security innovations. With continuous app development in mind, it becomes easier to create secure data workflows.

Criticisms Some IT professionals question whether low-code development platforms are suitable for large-scale and mission-critical enterprise applications. Others have questioned whether these platforms actually make development cheaper or easier. Additionally, some CIOs have expressed concern that adopting low-code development platforms internally could lead to an increase in unsupported applications built by shadow IT.

See also DRAKON End-user computing End-user development Flow-based programming List of online database creator apps List of low-code development platforms Visual programming language Backend as a service

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Low-code development platform

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Low-code development platform claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Low-code development platform before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Low-code development platform ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Low-code development platform

In research: Low-code development platform appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Low-code development platform in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Low-code development platform is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Enterprise architecture, Software development, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Low-code development platform outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Low-code development platform in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Low-code development platform means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Low-code development platform out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Low-code development platform in simple terms?

Why does Low-code development platform matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Low-code development platform?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Low-code development platform.