Publications

With our publications we cover the most diverse research areas that arise in the field of man, task and technology. In addition to traditional Business Information Systems topics such as knowledge management and business process management, you will also find articles on current topics such as blended learning, cloud computing or smart grids. Use this overview to get an impression of the range and possibilities of research in Business Information Systems at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Low Code Platforms: Promises, Concepts and Prospects: A Comparative Study of Ten Systems

Type of Publication: Research report

Low Code Platforms: Promises, Concepts and Prospects: A Comparative Study of Ten Systems - ICB Research Report

Author(s):
Frank, Ulrich; Maier, Pierre; Bock, Alexander
Number of Report or Contribution:
70
Location(s):
Essen
Publication Date:
2021
ISSN:
1866‐5101
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):
doi:10.17185/duepublico/75244
Fulltext:
Low Code Platforms: Promises, Concepts and Prospects: A Comparative Study of Ten Systems (21 MB)
Link to complete version:
https://duepublico2.uni-due.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/duepublico_derivate_00074985/ICB_Report_70.pdf
Citation:
Download BibTeX

Abstract

In recent years, the catchword “low‐code” has evolved into what can be seen as a major trend
in software development platforms. A growing number of vendors respond to this trend by
offering software development platforms that promise limited need for coding only and a tremendous
boost in productivity. Both aspects have been the subject of intensive research over
many years in areas such as domain‐specific modeling languages, model‐driven software development,
or generative programming. Therefore, the obvious question is how ʺlow codeʺ
platforms differ from such approaches and what specific performance features they offer.
Since there is no unified definition of “low‐code”, the only way to develop an elaborate understanding
of what it is – and might be – is to analyze the actual use of the term. For obvious
reasons, it is not promising in this respect to rely on marketing announcements made by vendors.
Instead, it seems more appropriate to examine “low‐code” platforms. This research report
presents a study of 10 relevant platforms, capturing and assessing common characteristics
as well as specific features of individual tools. The study is guided by a method that consists
of a conceptual framework, which provides a uniform structure to describe and compare “lowcode”
platforms, and a process model that describes the sequence of steps.