Introduction

‍Companies in every sector are facing a debacle – on one hand, they need to digitize their processes and quickly develop and deploy new apps. On the other hand, this is made more difficult by hybrid IT landscapes with many data silos and a shortage of software developers. That is why more and more companies are turning to the key technologies of low-code and no-code app development. What exactly is behind this and what are the advantages?

What Is No-Code App Development?

‍In classic software development, it’s necessary to write code in a specific programming language to create new processes and apps. However, the no-code approach is different. No-code app development is done with the help of simple visual interfaces and drag-and-drop functions. Even users without programming knowledge (citizen developers) can develop apps using this principle. As a result, specialist departments in companies no longer need to wait for IT support and can implement new technical requirements on their own. With the shortage of experienced software developers, this is an excellent way to achieve a short time-to-market for digital solutions.

No-code app development is similar to the low-code approach. However, a certain level of programming is still required for low-code development. This makes low-code solutions more suitable for employees with at least a certain basic coding knowledge. Experienced programmers also use low-code tools to simplify and speed up their work.

No-Code App Development in Practice

‍No-code app development solutions are best illustrated by an example. Let’s take the Neptune DXP product. This is a platform for low-code and no-code development of business apps. Neptune DXP provides all the components required for app development in the form of Application Building Blocks. These development components and templates enable employees to create applications without violating IT policies. This is because the IT department retains control over application development, thus ensuring compliance with IT governance. It also prevents the emergence of shadow IT.

Neptune DXP provides a wide range of low-code and no-code app development functions

App-Designer: Create model-based apps with graphical support

• App-Templates: Create templates for easy app development
• Workflow Designer: Build an End-to-End business model that does not require any coding
• API-Designer: Connect and integrate systems of all kinds
• Script Editor: Combine low-code and pro-code
• Mobile Responsiveness: Deploy offline-capable hybrid apps and progressive web apps (PWAs)

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SAP Environment Specialization

‍Neptune Software has expertise in the SAP area. This is not surprising since the company was founded by two former SAP consultants. Their goal was to make life easier for developers and to enable business users to realize their own SAP apps quickly. This customized, SAP-certified low-code/no-code app development platform makes it much easier to create and maintain modern SAP Fiori apps. This solution is suitable for both SAP Business Suite and SAP S/4HANA.

In addition to the SAP support, Neptune DXP is also characterized by a high degree of ease and flexibility. It can also be used in a highly heterogeneous environment, and it supports several UI frameworks: UI5, React, and Vue.js.