What are the characteristics of low code programming?

The literal meaning of low code is that only a small amount of code is needed to complete software development.

Based on this, the following three points will be explained in detail:

What are the technical characteristics of low code?

What is the ideal low-code platform?

Some misunderstandings about the existing low code

First, the technical characteristics are low code 1 and fast development. On the premise of understanding the business itself, low-code development can often complete a comprehensive application within a few weeks. "The martial arts in the world are fast and unbreakable", and high efficiency is the biggest feature of low code development. "Fast" also means lower cost and shorter delivery cycle. Low code development saves a lot of time by reusing code, components, single pages and transactions.

2. Most functions of visual configuration have been integrated by default and can be used by modifying properties and calling. Similar to the factory assembly line of men and women workers. Visualization specifically includes:

Visualization of form design: provide basic component encapsulation, including the creation and setting of entities, data structures, enumerations and their attributes and relationships. Business application implementers can configure the form model by dragging and dropping.

Visualization of page design: the ability to drag and drop page components and controls, create and interact.

Visualization of process design: realize the visual arrangement of business approval process through interface visualization components.

Visualization of report design: support the ability of dragging and arranging data components, and realize data collection, processing and visual presentation.

3. Multiple terminals create a function at the same time. The h5 mobile terminal will be generated by default after the PC terminal is assembled, and the production and application efficiency is high.

4. Support system integration Support third-party system service integration, including but not limited to: API interface integration, data pull synchronization, data push, etc. , combined with form events, process events, business modeling events, etc. , using low-code scripts to achieve highly scalable service integration.

5. Visual data processing realizes enterprise-level data modeling through simple drag and drop without code, multi-dimensional data display and analysis through report engine, and professional-level analysis report is realized. It is often used in data analysis scenarios such as performance management, sales analysis and inventory management in enterprises to provide strong data support for enterprise decision-making.

Second, what should the ideal low-code platform look like? The ideal low-code platform should be that most of the application logic is configured by technicians or product personnel, and a few functions with high personalized requirements are completed by event or function overloading and function derivation. Common front-end and back-end technologies are supported, and functions that cannot be automatically realized by the system can be completed through user-defined front-end and back-end codes.

An excellent low-code platform should be universal enough. It turns out that all the projects we developed through common framework technologies such as spring boot can be completed through low-code technology.

Third, some misunderstandings of the existing "low code" 1: Many technicians think that the low code platform is aimed at non-technical modelers or managers, and the low code is not flexible enough for professional technicians.

Myth 2: Since the fire of low code, many software companies have begun to claim that they are low code platforms, but in fact there is no code platform with a small number of function calls, but this platform can't achieve complete and complex business requirements. Strictly speaking, only enterprise-level low-code platforms can achieve highly complex business requirements. )

To sum up, to put it simply, anything with the word "code" is a professional technical activity, and the applicable object is professional and technical personnel. Although people without programming foundation can make some lightweight business systems, at a deeper level, non-technical personnel still can't make good use of the functions of low code, and can only exert 70%-80% power at most.

And the technology of low code has a long history. In order to meet the customization needs of big customers, software companies like SAP have to be equipped with a large number of technicians in the implementation process. With the further development, in order to reduce the investment of technicians, SAP began to try its best to speed up the development and implementation. Therefore, SAP has to develop low-code technology and build a lot of functions into the system. The implementer can complete the initial development work only by configuring it.

So the future trend is that both high-end ERP software and enterprise management software will support low-code technology to some extent. In order to be competitive enough, they must support low-code technology.

With the continuous development of IT technology, a series of new IT technologies, such as dynamic objects, lambda expressions and real-time compilation, have further developed low-code development. The new technology enables professional technicians to complete IT technology development in the usual sense with low code. Low code already has a high degree of customization flexibility. Reasonable and effective use of low code can not only make our work run efficiently, but also ensure the achievement of team goals to the greatest extent.