What’s RAD?
Rapid Application Development or RAD is a model where software can be developed in small modules and quickly with strong usage of tools and techniques, foregoing the traditional software processes. IBM initially proposed this model in the 1980s, but the model has undergone radical changes through decades with new tools and methods in the software development space.
Major Characteristics of the RAD
Automation
While the model proposes string use of tools and techniques to expedite the software development process, all such effort may be encapsulated in the term ‘automation’. Rapid automation in the development process has transformed the way we make software.
Parallel Development of Small Independent Modules
Application development with small teams and processes being done in parallel has been a hallmark of microservice architecture and DevSecOps methodology. RAD inherently adopts this paradigm with appropriate tools.
Reusable Components
The applications use many common libraries and microservices as their constituents. A RAD Platform must strive to offer such libraries and microservices.
Quicker Feedback Cycle from Customer
With quicker development and deployment schedules, it is much easier to get feedback from the customer - even sometimes, on the same day.
Adherence to Modern Software Compliance
With privacy and security by design getting more adoption and strict compliance procedures in place for privacy and security, adherence to those rules has been more required than before. RAD Platform must make compliance tasks easier.
Compare RAD with Other Contemporary Approaches
Comparision of Different Software Processes and Tools concerning software application development, deployment, maintenance, and governance
| Language Frameworks | Low-Code | RAD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Business Solution | Not possible | Achievable through solution templates | Solution Templates make the realization of the business solutions faster |
| Rapid technical solution and Full-proofing software architecture | Certain aspects are taken care of due to code-scaffolding. However, the coder’s initiative is paramount. | Behind-the-scene management. No effort is required from the customer. | Tools, and the Code Framework takes care of without effort from the customer. |
| Access to Source Code | Yes | No | Yes |
| Speed of Code Generation | Faster due to scaffolding, but usual coding effort | Very fast aided by UI-driven code generation | Very fast aided by UI-driven code generation |
| Code Documentation | Manual | No transparency. Not available to customer | Available - fully-documented codebase. |
| Adherence to Standard secure coding practices | Certain aspects are taken care of due to code-scaffolding though the coder’s initiative is paramount. | No transparency. | Code generated to well-laid practices and fully transparent with codebase being available. |
| Accuracy and Reducing Bugs | Certain aspects are taken care of due to code-scaffolding though the coder’s initiative is paramount. | Not transparently visible to customer. | High-quality codebase is available to the customer. |
| Deployment Migration | Complex tasks from system administration to code configurations | No interoperability. | Easy steps to move the application from one location to another |
| Security Management | Additional effort needed though specific initiatives may have been included in the framework. | No transparency though assurance is given with various certifications | Security audit is integrated into the codebase. |
| Application Life-cycle management | Tedious though a few aspects of the codebase are streamlined through the use of a framework. | No difficulty. | No difficulty. |
| Lowering Cost of running digital asset | Expensive DevSecOps. | Though development and maintenance are cost-effective, running the application is very expensive due to per user billing models. | Lowers the cost of DevSecOps, and billing cost is transparent to the customer. |
| Rapid Business Solution | |
| Language Frameworks | Not possible |
| Low-Code | Achievable through solution templates |
| RAD | Solution Templates make the realization of the business solutions faster |
| Rapid technical solution and Full-proofing software architecture | |
| Language Frameworks | Certain aspects are taken care of due to code-scaffolding. However, the coder’s initiative is paramount |
| Low-Code | Behind-the-scene management. No effort is required from the customer |
| RAD | Tools, and the Code Framework takes care of without effort from the customer |
| Access to Source Code | |
| Language Frameworks | Yes |
| Low-Code | No |
| RAD | Yes |
| Speed of Code Generation | |
| Language Frameworks | Faster due to scaffolding, but usual coding effort |
| Low-Code | Very fast aided by UI-driven code generation |
| RAD | Very fast aided by UI-driven code generation |
| Code Documentation | |
| Language Frameworks | Manual |
| Low-Code | No transparency. Not available to customer |
| RAD | Available - fully-documented codebase |
| Adherence to Standard secure coding practices | |
| Language Frameworks | Certain aspects are taken care of due to code-scaffolding though the coder’s initiative is paramount. |
| Low-Code | No transparency. |
| RAD | Code generated to well-laid practices and fully transparent with codebase being available |
| Accuracy and Reducing Bugs | |
| Language Frameworks | Certain aspects are taken care of due to code-scaffolding though the coder’s initiative is paramount. |
| Low-Code | Not transparently visible to customer. |
| RAD | High-quality codebase is available to the customer. |
| Deployment Migration | |
| Language Frameworks | Complex tasks from system administration to code configurations |
| Low-Code | No interoperability. |
| RAD | Easy steps to move the application from one location to another |
| Security Management | |
| Language Frameworks | Additional effort needed though specific initiatives may have been included in the framework. |
| Low-Code | No transparency though assurance is given with various certifications |
| RAD | Security audit is integrated into the codebase. |
| Application Life-cycle management | |
| Language Frameworks | Tedious though a few aspects of the codebase are streamlined through the use of a framework. |
| Low-Code | No difficulty. |
| RAD | No difficulty. |
| Lowering Cost of running digital asset | |
| Language Frameworks | Expensive DevSecOps. |
| Low-Code | Though development and maintenance are cost-effective, running the application is very expensive due to per user billing models. |
| RAD | Lowers the cost of DevSecOps, and billing cost is transparent to the customer. |
Batoi is RAD.
Batoi RAD Platform offers to build tools to create applications, APIs, and pre-built microservices. The platform also offers a transparent view of the project and DevSecOps processes.
