Microsoft and Salesforce have been ranked by GlobalData as leaders in the low-code market segment after causing a tectonic shift in this market with the automation capabilities within its Power Platform. The low-code market segment has become fiercely competitive, and Microsoft’s Power Automate is expected, in itself, to be highly competitive when coupled with Azure’s backend integration and storage service.

Charlotte Dunlap, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Low-code enabled artificial intelligence (AI) and automation innovations, coupled with the cloud have created a culture of data ubiquity where data from virtually any source can be accessed and integrated into modern apps. As such, enterprises are prioritizing modern software delivery initiatives through these development platforms. Increased prominence is ensuring lucrative funding, acquisitions, and profitability, prompting new low-code plans among cloud giants including Google and Amazon.”

According to GlobalData’s new ‘Competitive Landscape Assessment for Low-Code Platforms’ report, the role of these high-productivity development tools in the application modernization process have been significantly elevated as a result of recent technology advancements.

Dunlap continues: “The need to remove any red tape from the app modernization process has never been greater following the COVID-19 crisis, spurring organizations to accelerate digital transformations. Whether enterprises are entrenched in new software delivery efforts or barely beginning them, the impact of COVID-19 has CIOs opting for emerging technologies to rapidly develop digital projects and combat inevitable downward economic outcomes. Many are betting on next-generation low-code/no-code and automation platforms.”

Low-code platforms are consolidating further to include automation technologies, largely through robotic process automation (RPA) as a key component for shoring up DevOps models. Automation of backend data integration supports operations’ need to digitize workflows and business processes to support application lifecycle management (ALM) and CICD (continuous integration, continuous delivery).

Dunlap adds: “These advancements, coupled with economic pressures from the COVID-19 global pandemic, have placed this market segment prominently at the industry forefront for its value in helping to accelerate the application development and delivery process. Shining a light on low-code’s importance is a flurry of projects spanning apps for at-home workers to providing interactive healthcare assistance to communities in order to provide new ways for enterprises to conduct business with customers and partners.

“Microsoft has significantly invested in Automation via Power Automate and a recent RPA acquisition, Softomotive. Power Platform plans include the ability to create Power Apps directly from within Power Platforms. Vendors included in the Competitive Landscape Assessment for Low-Code Platforms are Microsoft, Salesforce, Appian, Mendix, OutSystems, and Pegasystems.”

Source: Globaldata