Five things programmers need to consider when developing with low code – thenewstack

The use of low code tools has developed from ordinary commercial users to professional programmers , Some low code development tools （ Tathagata comes from Salesforce.com and Zoho Tools for ） It originated from tools for ordinary business users ; other （Outsystems and Oracle） Low code development tools for programmers . Although they may look similar , But differences in development experiences play an important role in their adoption .

Although the potential productivity gains of low code are real and have won a lot of attention , But based on their best practices in code development over the years , Professional programmers expect more from their development platforms than business users . Our own development team has experienced this , Because they used Oracle Low code platform to build Oracle Of SaaS Application set . According to our experience , We want to share some tips , To help your development team adopt low code for enterprise applications . When determining whether professional developers will successfully adopt low code tools , Consider these five criteria .

  

1. Low code development tools should have direct access to code

Professional developers love coding . Looking at the code helps them understand what is happening and debug the problem in a familiar way . However , Many low code tools are like a black box ： You use visual development tools , The platform will play its magic . The code that makes the application work is hidden . If there is a problem with the application or the platform does not support the functions that developers need , This approach can cause problems .

Use tools that provide direct access to code , Professional developers will feel more relaxed . They can drill down into the code view to see what happened , It can even enhance the out of the box functionality of the platform .

Check whether the platform you use makes the page layout and the code that visualizes the business logic flow accessible and modifiable . Does it allow developers to code directly ？ Whether it uses JavaScript and HTML And other standard languages ？ Can developers simultaneously enhance UI And the functions of the business logic layer ？

  

2. Low code development tools should support team development and CI/CD

Look for low code tools that integrate and support functionality , To support the development based on agile methods that developers are increasingly fond of . This includes a web-based for collaborative team development git Version management 、 The ability to automate application testing 、 Code auditing and creation CI/CD Pipeline to deliver application changes faster . for example , Check if developers can directly generate automated tests for declaratively developed business logic , And how they fit into practices such as test driven development .

  

3. Low code development tools should support modularity

When building enterprise applications , Low code tools should support multiple developers working on the same application at the same time —— in many instances , On the same page —— Work at the same time .

Your tool should reduce the possibility that changes made by one developer may conflict with changes made by another developer . This is where modularity comes into play . Decompose a large page into areas that can be developed independently , Then combined into a complete solution to help eliminate conflicts . Give priority to Microservices Not monomers framework .

If it is important for you to reduce such conflicts , Look for two developers who can add functionality to the same UI Page tools , At the same time, each developer defines him in a separate file / Her logic . Some tools provide Page fragment , These fragments provide page reusability “ part ”, Can be developed independently and then combined into a single page .

  

4. Low code development tools should support industry standards

Most developers prefer technologies that are widely used in the market , The time they spend learning new tools and frameworks will also serve their next job . This also helps them in the development process , Because it's easier for them to find help when they have problems .

therefore , Developers prefer to use popular languages and standard low code platforms , Not proprietary technology . If you are IT The manager , Sticking to non proprietary platforms makes it easier to find and recruit qualified developers . Find and use JavaScript/HTML/REST And other standards .

such , Developers who don't know what to do can do it in popular JavaScript Search the forum for answers . When they need access to external systems , They just need a standard REST API. This will also allow them to develop back ends for their applications using their favorite server-side languages , And easily access it from the tool .

 

5. Low code development tool support can Extensibility

A good low code platform will contain a lot of functions , But you always come across something out of the box , For example, unique UI Components or complex logic that needs to be implemented . Platforms that rely on industry standards will make it easier to extend them . Ideally , You will be able to select existing components and Libraries , And easily plug them into the platform , There you can call them from the declarative interface of low code tools to create UI And business logic .