
A Guide to Low-Code Platforms for Enterprises
Do you ever wish creating enterprise applications could be as easy as piecing together a puzzle? With low-code development platforms, it almost is! Low-code platforms allow professional and citizen developers to create custom business apps with minimal coding through visual, drag-and-drop interfaces.
If you’re not a technical expert, you may wonder what precisely low-code platforms are and how they work. The experts at our enterprise apps development company will discuss how low-code application platforms work, their key capabilities, and the top options for businesses today.
What Are Low-Code Platforms?
Low-code platforms provide visual software that enables rapid building of business applications without extensive coding knowledge. They allow you to visually model apps and use pre-built components instead of writing reams of complex code.
With low-code platforms, creating business apps is more intuitive and efficient. They have various interface elements and tools that you must drag, drop, and configure instead of coding. People without specialized programming skills can also build apps tailored to business needs.
The Low-Code Advantage
So why opt for low-code platforms over traditional coding? Here are some of the main reasons businesses are adopting these agile app dev platforms:
- Faster app delivery: Visual modeling and prefabricated components let you develop apps 5-10x faster than traditional coding. You skip much of the complex, time-intensive dev work.
- Wider access to innovation: With low-code, any employee can build apps without advanced coding skills, democratizing innovation across the business.
- Cost savings: Faster delivery and less specialized developers are needed to reduce overall app dev costs significantly.
- Quicker adaptation: Making changes to low-code apps is easier, ensuring you can rapidly adapt apps to evolving business requirements.
As you can see, low-code platforms empower both professional developers and business users to meet changing needs faster and without relying heavily on IT skills and resources.
Key Capabilities of Low-Code Platforms
While all low-code platforms emphasize visual, drag-and-drop app building, they can vary significantly in their specific capabilities. Here are some key features to look for:
- Drag-and-drop visual interface: An intuitive, graphical interface minimizes the need to write complex code.
- Pre-built components: Access various ready-made UI components, forms, workflows, connectors, AI tools,etc. to piece together.
- Responsive design: Easily optimize apps for any device form factors like desktop, mobile, etc.
- Cross-platform deployment: Deploy apps across various environments seamlessly, whether cloud, web, native mobile, etc.
- Integration: Connect to data sources, APIs, etc., to create composite apps that leverage other systems.
- Process automation: Graphically model and automate workflows for efficient processes.
- Security: Enterprise-grade security, access control, data encryption, etc., to meet compliance needs.
This is not an exhaustive list but hits the major, most useful capabilities in top low-code platforms today. The right blend allows expert and citizen developers to rapidly deliver full-fledged apps.
Leading Low-Code Platforms for Enterprises
If you’ve decided low-code is the way to go for your business, how do you pick the right platform? There are a variety of options out there catering to diverse needs.
To help narrow your search, we’ve compiled this list of eight top-rated low-code platforms based on peer reviews and expert evaluations:
Appian
Appian is an enterprise low-code platform geared for complex business app development. It uses a model-driven approach allowing you to visually model the data, interfaces, rules, processes etc. behind an application.
Key strengths:
- Bakes in core BPM (business process management) capabilities for workflow automation
- AI guidance to accelerate the development process
- Strong security compliance for regulated industries like financial services, healthcare, etc.
Best for: Large regulated businesses that need to develop secure, automated apps optimizing complex processes rapidly.
Kissflow
Kissflow offers a web-based low-code platform targeted at the collaboration and workflow needs of small to mid-size businesses.
Key strengths:
- Highly intuitive visual interface minimizing the learning curve
- Over 200+ pre-built app templates and integrations
- Affordable pricing plans for smaller teams
Best for: Growing SMBs that need to customize a variety of everyday business apps rapidly.
Microsoft Power Apps
As part of Microsoft 365, Power Apps brings the convenience of the Office ecosystem to low-code app dev. It allows the creation of apps that easily interface with prevalent Office apps and data sources.
Key strengths:
- Tight integration with other Microsoft software like Office 365, SharePoint, Teams, etc.
- Connectors to >275 data sources, including SaaS apps
- Can build apps tailored for PC, we,b or mobile with minimal additional effort
Best for: Businesses looking to build internal Line-of-Business apps that interface with Microsoft products and data.
Mendix
Mendix focuses on enterprise application development, modernizing legacy systems and web/mobile app creation. Its model-based approach and extensive pre-built components facilitate rapid development.
Key strengths:
- Visual modeling for complex data models, logic, etc., minimizing code
- Extensive library of ~1,000 out-of-the-box UI components
- Natively creates progressive web apps usable across devices
Best for: Mid to large-size companies modernizing legacy systems or building integrated consumer-grade web/mobile apps.
Newgen Software
Newgen serves regulated industries with a focus on content, document and case management. Its low-code platform allows creating advanced applications managing high volumes of content and documents with automation.
Key strengths:
- Specialized capabilities for enterprise content management
- Industry templates for banking, insurance, healthcare, etc.
- Highly scalable for data and document-intensive processes
Best for: Large regulated businesses like finance and healthcare managing lots of forms, documents and records.
Oracle APEX
Oracle APEX allows developers to develop web apps that are secured by the Oracle database quickly. Leveraging Oracle’s rock-solid DB security and reliability for your custom web apps.
Key strengths:
- Tight integration with Oracle DB platforms
- Drag-and-drop web app builder with 300+ UI components
- Built-in charts, reports, workflows, etc.
Best for: Companies already invested in Oracle databases to rapidly build custom web business apps.
OutSystems
OutSystems emphasizes AI-assisted development for maximum productivity and modern UI creation leveraging reusable components.
Key strengths:
- Sophisticated AI guidance speeds up development
- Library of numerous cross-platform UI components
- Integrated cloud infrastructure to directly deploy web and mobile apps
Best for: Forward-looking companies that want AI-enhanced development capabilities alongside modern UIs.
Pega
Pega specializes in case management, workflow automation, and robotics process automation, which are capabilities essential for digital process transformation.
Key strengths:
- Strong BPM and RPA (robotic process automation) baked in
- Tools to engage customers across digital channels
- Cloud-native for secure, scalable deployment
Best for: Businesses focused on digital transformation initiatives involving complex workflows and customer engagement.
The Bottom Line
Low-code application platforms minimize the complex coding typically needed to build bespoke business apps. Through intuitive visual interfaces, drag-and-drop components, and model-driven logic, they empower both expert and citizen developers to create solutions catered to evolving needs.
While low-code platforms share these core concepts, they can differ significantly in their specific capabilities and ideal business applications. Hopefully this overview gives you a firm handle on the low-code landscape to evaluate platforms aligned to your enterprise app development needs and priorities!