Rapid Web Application Development Platform

Rapid Web Application Development Platform

What is a RAD? A RAD refers to a rapid web application development platform. The characteristics of rapid application development are the ability to create and launch an application very fast through the use of already created code, WYSIWYG editors, and other tools.

As companies have found it necessary to deploy and modify apps faster, rapid application development platforms have become more popular. A web app platform that features rapid development could be the AngularJS rapid application development system. This net rapid application development framework makes it possible to just modify pre-existing code to launch an app quite fast.

There are rapid application development advantages and disadvantages. Most RAD platforms require that you know a lot about development and programming; otherwise, you won't know what to configure and modify. In recent years, RAD has include low code and no code platforms. These platforms aren't quite RAD; they are development kits targeted at non-programmers to create and generate an app quickly.

RAD platforms usually require knowledge; low code requires very little knowledge and no code requires no programming knowledge at all. With a no code platform like Lumavate, companies are able to create apps in a drag-and-drop, WYSIWYG environment. Lumavate helps to accelerate development and put the power in the hands of marketers and advertisers rather than in software development companies.

A no code app can easily be used for rapid development. But not all rapid development kits are no code. Most rapid development kits are more like complex frameworks that still need to be configured and coded. You can start developing an app in Lumavate today without any prior knowledge. The apps provided by Lumavate will be Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which have the benefits of both native apps and web apps.

Best Web Framework

Let's discuss some of the best web framework today. The most popular web frameworks include Django, Outsystems, CUBA.Platform, and more. You could even consider WordPress under one of the best RAD tools, but it's really designed more for non-professionals creating blogs, rather than rapid web development (although this is changing).

There are many companies that use rapid application development. Consequently, more rapid development tools are being developed even as we speak. Companies are investing more in RAD tools because they would prefer to develop in-house. They also need to be able to manage their apps faster than going through a developer would entail.

Many of these frameworks create native apps or pure web apps rather than PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), so that's a major downfall of these systems. Some of these systems are also designed more for those who already have an in-depth knowledge of how programming works rather than those who are just beginning.

Either way, though, they can be used to create an impressive app pretty fast. We're going to take a deeper look at the best web frameworks, their pros and cons, and how you can get started.

Django

Let's start with the Django python rapid application development framework. It's one of the most popular free rapid application development tools. It's an open source development platform designed for developers. And while it does feature rapid application development tools open source, it's really meant as a framework for experienced programming professionals.

Many rapid web development platforms are frameworks that provide a solid library of code for a developer, so they don't have to repeat the invention of the wheel. But they don't really work as an open source rapid application development platform for a complete beginner, because they require that body of knowledge. Further, this open source web app framework doesn't create PWAs.

Progressive Web Apps combine the best of web apps and the best of native apps. During a conversation on the Mobile Matters podcast with Aaron Gustagson, Aaron shared the evolution and benefits of PWAs. PWAs are essentially native apps that don't need to be downloaded and have superior accessibility.

Outsystems

Outsystems is a low code enterprise application builder. As a low code application developer, it goes hand-in-hand with Android and iOS rapid application development. It's not a no code solution, so it's not the easiest web framework available, but it is one of the best backend framework 2019 utilities for rapid UI development and rapid application development.

Outsystems is also one of the most expensive web development frameworks. The annual enterprise cost for Outsystems is $75,000, which is high even for rapid application development cloud platforms. Most companies don't want to spend that kind of budget on application development and still have to develop the app themselves, which is what they would need to do with the Outsystems low code application development environment.

Alternatively, there's the Lumavate rapid development kit. Lumavate is the best no code app builder and the only no code app builder that creates Progressive Web Apps. Through Lumavate, companies can take advantage of the robust selection of Starter Kits, the open source-inspired Lumavate Library, and Lumavate's customer support team to create apps at a fraction of the cost. In fact, you can get started with Lumavate today for free. And unlike Outsystems, Lumavate focuses on putting the hands in marketers and non-programmers — the people who know your audience best.

CUBA.Platform

Next, what's the CUBA Platform? We'll talk about CUBA Platform 7, the CUBA Platform Marketplace, and CUBA Platform vs JHipster (a CUBA Platform alternative). This is a rapid development framework built on full-stack architecture and Java and usually stylized as CUBA.Platform.

This framework has a lot of documentation available, but it's primarily designed for developers who are already knowledgeable about Java. Java developers are able to use the framework to hit the ground running, along with any CUBA Platform add-on they need. There's a large community behind the CUBA.Platform, but the biggest problem is that it's really a platform that's designed for developers and intended for developers.

You can read more about the CUBA Platform with the CUBA Platform documentation and CUBA Platform roadmap. JHipster is another full-stack development suite and framework that's been built for developers. Compare this to Lumavate, which is a free, no-code application development framework that's made for marketers. Most marketers won't want to touch the CUBA.Platform or JHipster simply because too much information about programming is needed.

OpenXava

Another rapid web application development framework, OpenXava is a low-code mobile web app platform. So, compared to the CUBA Platform vs OpenXava, OpenXava will be much easier to use than the prior Java rapid web development framework that we discussed. OpenXava boasts that it has the best-time-to-market, which means it's able to help developers push their apps to market faster.

But again, OpenXava is designed for developers, rather than for marketing teams. OpenXava presupposes that those using it have some knowledge of both development and programming and will be able to customize and configure their apps accordingly. This differs from a no-code environment in which just a few clicks of a button can get a completely functioning app.

Whereas OpenXava and CUBA.Platform are both designed for experienced developers, Lumavate is designed for marketing teams who want to be able to quickly deploy an app to take advantage of the ever-shifting market. And while OpenXava is able to create web apps in a low-code environment, only Lumavate can create Progressive Web Apps in a no-code environment.

Oro Inc

The ORO Inc company also has the ORO Platform and the ORO CRM. When looking up ORO PHP, you'll find a few different flags flying under the ORO Inc banner. For eCommerce sites and CRM, ORO Inc provides a rapid web application development framework; but this is just a cookie-cutter setup that's designed to support the CRM solution that's attached to it. The ORO Platform can provide for very fast development of systems that are then integrated into the ORO CRM and the ORO enterprise business solutions. But they will not create a customized solution that is designed for the business.

Other RAD Apps and Tools

As mentioned, there are a lot of RAD apps and tools out there, depending on what type of mobile champion you need. There's the Serenity ASP Net framework, the VB Net rapid application development platform, and rapid application development tools for Windows. There are C# rapid application development frameworks, the Radzen rapid development platform, and database application development tools.

What's common is that there are rapid development tools for all types of apps, such as databases, native apps, or mobile web apps. There are also tools in multiple languages. You might use jQuery for rapid UI development, Bootstrap for rapid front-end development, or CakePHP for rapid back-end PHP/MySQL development.

Net rapid application development and rapid development tools in MIS tend to be focused on developers. Developers don't want to have to reprogram everything, so they build frameworks. These frameworks have the base components of an app. For an experienced developer, it's much easier to start with a framework. For someone who isn't a programmer at all, it's virtually impossible.

But another type of rapid development app is low-code or no-code tools. If you're not a programmer, this is what you need. Lumavate is a no-code application environment that makes it possible for marketers to take charge of their mobile engagement. Try out Lumavate today for free.