Gartner Low Code Development Platforms Overview

Looking for a quick overview of Gartner's insights on low-code development platforms? Here's everything you need to know:

• Low-code platforms speed up app creation, making it accessible even without deep coding skills.
• Gartner evaluates these platforms based on how well they execute their vision and their ability to innovate.
• Leaders in the field include OutSystems, Mendix, and Microsoft Power Apps, known for their comprehensive features and ease of use.
• Challengers, like Oracle APEX and Zoho, excel in specific areas but may lack broader vision.
• Visionaries bring innovative ideas but might struggle with execution.
• Niche Players focus on specialized markets, offering unique advantages for certain needs.

When selecting a platform, consider its suitability for mission-critical apps, speed of delivery, business agility, AI functionality, and DevOps enablement. Trends suggest a growing reliance on low-code for app development, driven by the democratization of app creation and the integration of AI capabilities.

Quick Comparison

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Completeness of Vision

This part checks how well a vendor understands what customers need and how unique and forward-thinking their product ideas are. Here’s what they look at:

• Innovation: Is the platform doing something new and different?
• Market understanding: Does the vendor get what problems customers are really facing?
• Marketing strategy: Is the way they talk about their product clear and different from others?
• Sales strategy: Do they sell their product in a way that makes sense to customers?
• Offering (product) strategy: Are the platform's features competitive and new?
• Business model: Is the way they make money from their product sensible and likely to last?
• Vertical/industry strategy: Do they understand and meet the specific needs of different industries?
• Innovation: Are they investing in new ideas and features?
• Geographic strategy: Are they expanding into new areas in a smart way?

Ability to Execute

This looks at how well vendors can deliver their vision through their products, sales, and support. Gartner checks things like:

• Product or service: Is the platform effective and easy to use?
• Overall viability: Does the vendor have the resources and plan to stick around for a long time?
• Sales execution/pricing: Do they have a good sales plan with fair prices?
• Market responsiveness/record: Can the vendor quickly adapt to changes in the market?
• Marketing execution: Is the product's message clear and well communicated?
• Customer experience: Are customers happy with the service and support they get?
• Operations: Is the company run efficiently?

By looking at these things, Gartner gives a full picture of what each vendor is good at and where they can improve. This helps businesses find the right low code platform that fits what they need.

The Magic Quadrant

Gartner's Magic Quadrant sorts low code platforms into four groups: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, and Niche Players. Here's what each means in simple terms.

Leaders

Leaders are the top performers. They not only have great ideas for the future but are also good at making those ideas work right now. Well-known platforms in this group include:

• OutSystems
• Mendix
• Microsoft Power Apps
• Salesforce
• ServiceNow
• Appian

These platforms really get what businesses need and are great at turning their plans into reality.

Challengers

Challengers are doing well today and might be big names in certain areas, but they don't have as clear a plan for the future. Big names here include:

• Oracle APEX
• Retool
• HCLSoftware
• Zoho

These companies are solid but might not be as quick to come up with new ideas.

Visionaries

Visionaries have big ideas about where things are going but might not have everything they need to make those ideas come to life. This group includes:

• Pegasystems
• Globant
• Creatio

They're innovative but might lack the resources or size to fully bring their visions to life.

Niche Players

Niche Players do really well in a specific area but don't aim to cover everything. This includes:

• Huawei
• Newgen
• Unqork
• Kintone

These platforms are perfect for certain special needs rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

Gartner's Magic Quadrant is a handy way to see how low code platforms stack up against each other. It looks at how well they can make their ideas happen and how complete those ideas are. This guide can help businesses pick the right platform based on what they need.

Comparative Analysis

This part of our guide looks at how different low code platforms compare to each other. We'll look at their main features, what they're good at, and what kinds of projects they fit best.

Comparison by Quadrant

Let's break down some of the top platforms by their category in the Magic Quadrant:

Leaders

OutSystems is great for quickly making apps that are easy to use. Mendix is good for building complex apps with lots of data. Power Apps is best for making apps that work well with other Microsoft tools.

Challengers

Oracle APEX is good for creating apps that need to work with Oracle's databases. Retool is great for making tools that help manage data. Zoho Creator is a budget-friendly option for small businesses.

Visionaries

Pega is good for making apps that automate business tasks. GeneXus helps you write an app once and use it on many devices. Creatio is best for managing customers and automating sales tasks.

Niche Players

Unqork is best for making complex apps without writing any code. Kintone is great for quickly setting up databases for teams. Newgen combines automating tasks with low code.

This comparison shows what each platform does best and what types of projects they fit. It's a quick way to see which platform might work for your needs.

Comparison by Capabilities

Here's a quick look at how these platforms do in areas like ease of use, flexibility, cloud support, and security:

This table shows a simple rating of how user-friendly, flexible, cloud-ready, and secure each platform is. OutSystems and Retool are very easy to use, making app building quick. Pega and Power Apps offer solid security and work well in the cloud.

Recommendations by Use Case

Here are some suggestions on which platforms to consider for different types of apps:

Custom LOB Applications

• OutSystems (quick to build, great user experience)
• Microsoft Power Apps (works with Microsoft tools)
• Mendix (flexible for complex apps)

Business Process Automation

• Pega Platform (good for automating tasks)
• Creatio (good for sales automation)
• Newgen OmniFlow (automates processes)

Internal Productivity Apps

• Microsoft Power Apps (works with Office)
• Retool (quick to make dashboards)
• Zoho Creator (good for small team databases)

Customer Applications

• Outsystems (good user experience)
• Salesforce (works with CRM data)
• Globant GeneXus (write once, use anywhere)

This list helps you start thinking about which platform might be best for your project, based on what you need to do.

Key Takeaways

• OutSystems, Microsoft, and Mendix are leaders because they offer a lot of features and are good at what they do.
• Retool, Zoho, and Unqork are great for specific needs.
• Choosing the right platform depends on what you need the app to do.
• All these platforms are working on adding more features and making their tools easier to use.

Platform Selection Criteria

When you're picking a low code platform, think about what's important for your business. Here’s a simple guide to help you choose based on what Gartner suggests:

Ability to Build Mission-Critical Apps

Choose a platform that's strong enough to handle big, important apps, not just small projects. Here’s what to look for:

• Flexibility & customization: You should be able to make the app do exactly what you need, adding special features or connecting to other tools.
• Scalability: The platform should grow with you, handling more users or data without breaking a sweat.
• Security: It needs top-notch security to protect your data, like encryption and access controls.
• Resilience: Look for a platform that keeps running smoothly, even when updating or facing big demands.

Accelerated Delivery

A great low code platform helps you make apps faster, by a lot. Here’s how:

• Visual modeling: Use easy drag-and-drop to build your app instead of writing lots of code.
• Reusable components: Grab bits and pieces that are already made, like templates or connections to other apps.
• Automation: Let the platform do the boring stuff, like testing or setting up servers.
• AI assistance: Get help from AI to find mistakes or make suggestions.

Business Agility

The best platform lets all kinds of teams work together quickly and easily:

• Collaboration: Tools that help everyone work together, like shared workspaces.
• Governance: Make sure everyone's following the rules and keeping things consistent.
• Extensibility: You should be able to add new features easily.
• Cloud-native: Your apps can adjust to more users automatically and stay up and running smoothly.

AI Functionality

Top platforms use AI to help build apps and add cool features:

• Development acceleration: AI can write some code for you, test your app, and more.
• App enhancement: Add smart features like making predictions or understanding feelings.
• GenAI: Some platforms can even create AI features just from your ideas.

DevOps Enablement

A good platform fits right into your workflow, especially if you use DevOps:

• Automated lifecycle: It handles all the steps of making and running an app.
• Open ecosystem: You can connect it with other tools you like.
• Observability: Keep an eye on how your app is doing with logs and alerts.
• Infrastructure agility: Set up and manage your app's tech without headaches.

By checking these things, you can pick a low code platform that fits what your business needs. The goal is to find something that can handle your biggest projects without making you compromise.

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Trends and Future Outlook

Low code development platforms are changing fast to better serve businesses. Here's what Gartner thinks will happen next in this space:

Democratization of App Development

Low code is making it easier for people without a tech background to create apps. Gartner guesses that by 2025, 70% of new apps made by companies will use low code or no code tech. This means businesses can get apps made faster without needing a bunch of skilled coders.

Integration of AI Capabilities

AI is starting to show up in top low code platforms to help build apps. Features like smart code suggestions, automatic testing, and smart data analysis help people work faster. Gartner believes that by 2025, AI will be a big part of 80% of low code platforms.

Expansion into More Complex Apps

Low code isn't just for simple apps anymore. Now, these platforms can handle big, important business software, especially in large companies.

Growth of Multiexperience Development

Low code lets companies easily make apps for different gadgets and ways of interacting, like phones, smartwatches, voice commands, and even virtual reality. Being able to make these kinds of apps quickly is becoming more important.

Shift Toward Composable Applications

Instead of making one big app, low code lets you put together smaller parts to make something that works. This makes it quicker to get an app out and easier to change it later.

Convergence with DevOps

Now, low code platforms fit better with DevOps, which is all about making software delivery smoother and faster. This means low code tools are becoming a regular part of the software development process.

Gartner thinks that by 2025, the money spent on low code will grow by more than 20% each year, hitting nearly $30 billion. Staying up-to-date with these trends can help companies pick the best platforms for their needs. Looking at how well a platform can turn ideas into real apps and how forward-thinking it is will be crucial.

Conclusion

Low code development platforms are changing the game for how companies make software. Gartner's research shows that these tools help make app creation quicker, easier, and open to more people.

Here's what we've learned from Gartner's insights:

• Leaders like OutSystems, Microsoft, and Mendix are at the top of their game. They have a solid plan and can make it happen.
• Challengers like Oracle APEX and Zoho Creator are good in specific areas but need to catch up in bringing new ideas.
• Visionaries like Pega and Creatio are full of great ideas but struggle to bring them all to life.
• Niche players focus on doing really well in particular areas instead of trying to do everything.

When you're choosing a platform, think about:

• If you need to build big, important apps
• How fast you want to get your app out there
• Making sure the platform lets everyone work together easily
• Using AI to make your apps better
• How well it works with your way of making software

Looking ahead, here's what's coming:

• More people who aren't tech experts will start making apps (this is called democratization).
• These platforms will get smarter with AI, like doing tests on their own.
• They'll be able to handle bigger, more complex apps.
• There will be more ways to interact with apps, like voice commands or even VR.
• It'll be easier to put together parts of apps instead of building from scratch (this is called composability).
• These tools will fit better into how teams make and deliver software (this is part of DevOps).

As low code gets better and more popular, companies can use it to move faster and come up with new ideas more quickly. Choosing the right platform that fits what you need is key to success. Gartner's research gives a clear, detailed look at the best options out there.

Related Questions

What does Gartner say about low-code?

Gartner thinks that by 2026, most new apps will be made with low-code tools because they're quicker and there aren't enough skilled workers. This means businesses can keep improving without needing a lot of coders.

What is the best low code development platform?

Here are some of the top picks for low-code platforms based on what they're best for:

• Appian - Great for managing cases
• Nintex - Great for managing workflows
• Mendix - Great for Agile development, which is a way to build software fast and with flexibility
• Studio Creatio - Great for managing business processes
• Caspio - Known for excellent customer service
• WaveMaker - Great for aPaaS (Application Platform as a Service) management, which means using cloud services to create apps
• Jotform Apps - Great for gathering information from users

What is Gartner forecast for low-code in 2024?

Gartner expects the low-code market to grow to $31.9 billion by 2024. This growth is because low-code makes it much easier and faster to create apps.

What is the world's most popular enterprise low-code application platform?

Oracle APEX is considered the top choice for enterprise low-code platforms globally. It's popular because it's easy to use, speeds up app development, and works well with Oracle databases.

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• Appian Low Code No Code: A Comprehensive Guide