In this modern world, businesses know that staying connected with customers and employees is super important. But what’s the best part? This connection brings in a treasure trove of real-time data, and apps are the special keys to unlocking it. That’s where enterprise applications and enterprise application development come into play. But for the tech experts in Enterprise IT, it means they’ve got to rethink how they can make these apps top-notch.

What exactly is enterprise application development?

Enterprise application development involves creating and deploying customized apps that fit modern business needs. These apps are scalable and help businesses in various ways.

Nowadays, there’s a shift towards more flexibility and teamwork in this development process. IT teams are working closely with both inside and outside groups to better understand and meet user needs. This shift is mainly because of cloud technologies.

In the past, businesses made their software with big in-house teams, using slow and rigid processes like waterfall. Also, they relied on older technologies like Java or .Net, which made things inflexible. But now, with the cloud, things are getting faster and more agile. Also, making these apps was tough and expensive.

Here are a few interesting stats:

• 76% of IT professionals say it takes at least three months to make an app. They also have to handle tasks like setting up infrastructure, which is tough.
• More developers are needed, too. About 37% of companies need mobile developers, and 44% need the right skills.
• Also, 62% of IT professionals who develop apps have too many backlogs of development projects. So, in-house teams need help to keep up.

In short, the old way of making apps was difficult and required a lot of time, money, and skilled people. But today, cloud platforms are changing this, making it easier and faster!

What are the key differences between traditional and modern enterprise application development?

Here are the key differences between traditional app development and modern enterprise application development:

Traditional App Development

• Slow: Apps take a long time to build.
• OS Dependent: Apps rely on specific operating systems, making migration and scalability tricky.
• Slow Updates: It takes a while to find and fix problems, slowing down app updates.
• Organizational Hierarchy: Developers hand off code to operations before release.
• Costly: Setting up data storage and services adds to expenses.
• Not Secure: Development is hosted on organization servers, posing security risks.
• Waterfall development: Sequential process, making it difficult to accommodate changes.
• Manual scalability: Scaling requires manual intervention, leading to inefficiencies.
• Unpredictable: Project timelines and outcomes are often uncertain.
• Oversized capacity: Provisioning resources based on worst-case scenarios leads to underutilization and increased costs.

Modern App Development

• Fast: Developers follow a flexible framework for quick development.
• OS Independent: No reliance on specific operating systems, making migration and scalability easy.
• Quick Updates: Responds faster to user needs, improving user retention.
• Smooth Transition: Combines people, processes, and tools for efficient development.
• Cost-effective: You can pay only for the tools used.
• Very Secure: Data is on the cloud and can be accessible globally with high security.
• Continuous development: The iterative approach ensures ongoing improvements and updates.
• Automated scalability: Scaling resources automatically based on demand, enhancing efficiency.
• Capacity utilization: Optimizing resource allocation for better cost management.
• Predictable: Clear project milestones and outcomes make planning easier.
• Immutable: Ensuring consistency and stability by preventing unauthorized changes.

What are the types of enterprise applications you can build?

Here are some types of enterprise applications you can build:

• Asset Management Apps: These apps help track assets from procurement to disposal, providing details on location, usage, and users.
• HRMS Apps: Human Resource Management System apps store employee information and support HR functions like recruiting, training, and payroll.
• Procurement Apps: These apps give companies control over purchases, consolidating purchasing information and fostering visibility and transparency.
• Customer Support Apps: Support agents use these apps to assist customers, providing answers, troubleshooting technology, and resolving issues.
• Sales Apps: Sales representatives use these apps to market products, inform customers of discounts, and streamline sales processes, providing tools to help achieve targets.

What are the four major barriers to enterprise app development?

Here are some barriers to enterprise application development:

1. Legacy Systems

These older systems are hard to change and maintain, making them incompatible with new technologies or business processes. Moreover, they consume resources without improving performance, leading to high costs and technical debt.

2. Poor Collaboration Between Business and IT

When business and IT strategies aren’t aligned, achieving business goals can be challenging. Top of all, solutions that were meant to help can become burdens, and business users may resort to risky shadow IT. Therefore, aligning business and IT improves productivity and leads to better applications.

3. Developer Shortages

There’s a high demand for software developers, but not enough skilled professionals are available. Many developers spend their time maintaining legacy systems or fixing bad code rather than enhancing their skills. Pressure to drive digital transformation can lead to burnout and staff turnover.

4. Lack of Organizational Agility

When a company isn’t flexible, its teams work in separate bubbles on app development. This makes everything slower, leads to worse apps, and costs more money. So, being agile is pretty important for a company to succeed.

Two different ways to build enterprise applications: low code and no code

Here are two ways to build apps: Low-code and No-code:

1. Low-code

With low code, developers still play a role, but they work faster. There’s more drag-and-drop, so they don’t have to start from scratch. Also, developers have control over what the app does and how it functions, but it’s simpler. As a result, many enterprise low-code platforms are so user-friendly that business users can sit with developers and work together to create the app.

2. No-code

No code means no custom coding. Everything is drag-and-drop, making it visual and easy. It’s great for business users who want to make their own apps quickly. However, there might be some limitations in features or customization options.

What are the five key features every enterprise application development platform should have?

Here are some essential features every enterprise application development platform should have:

1. Security

To protect sensitive data, look for advanced threat detection, secure firewalls, multi-factor authentication, reliable password policies, secure data centers, backup and disaster recovery options, HTTPS encryption, and IP login restrictions.

2. Scalability

The platform should be able to grow with your business, handling increased data, workload, and users. It should support large data streams, including IoT data, for business growth.

3. Integration

Ensure the platform integrates well with other business systems and acts as a centralized data hub. It should sync data in real time, automate processes, and facilitate data sharing across departments for informed decision-making.

4. Reporting & Analytics

Look for features that provide insights into process efficiencies, user behavior, and market trends. Analytics tools empower decision-makers to make data-driven decisions and drive business growth.

5. Cloud Access

Cloud access allows users to log in from anywhere, enhancing convenience and flexibility. The platform should offer user access controls to restrict data access as needed.

How do high-productivity cloud platforms make enterprise application development super easy?

• Using the cloud makes it easy for people to access programs and services without worrying about expensive hardware or server issues. 
• Plus, on-premise app development is getting old because cloud platforms help teams work together better.
• Also, cloud app development platforms do most of the hard work for creating customer apps.
• Moreover, they offer tools, security features, and even pre-made components, making it easier for businesses of all sizes to make their own apps.
• Plus, there are three cloud levels: SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service). SaaS is for end users and is delivered directly over the web. On the other hand, PaaS lets non-coders build custom apps easily, and IaaS gives developers various services to build and run apps without needing a lot of setups.

Now, businesses can use cloud platforms instead of big infrastructure. IT teams don’t ask, “How can we design this app?” anymore, but “Which type of cloud is best for us?”.

Therefore, choosing the right cloud provider is also super important for successful app projects in 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 major applications for enterprise applications?

The four major applications for enterprise applications are Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Human Resource Management (HRM).

What is the future of enterprise application development?

Enterprise application development (EAD) is shifting to cloud-based platforms, with 80% of AppDev on cloud platforms projected to utilize microservices and functions by 2026. Additionally, the global enterprise software market is expected to grow steadily, reaching approximately USD 376.40 billion by 2028, according to a Statista report.

What is an example of an enterprise application?

CRM, ERP, accounting, project management tools, SCM, and HRM systems are examples of enterprise application systems.

Which language is mostly used for enterprise application development?

Java is predominantly used for enterprise application development due to its robustness, scalability, and cross-platform compatibility.

Why is Java used in enterprise application development?

Java is favored in enterprise application development for its platform independence, a strong ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, scalability, security features, and long-term support provided by Oracle and the Java community.

How can ThinkPalm help you leverage enterprise application development?

At ThinkPalm, we’re experts in creating customized enterprise solutions. We use MVC for dynamic web pages and advanced applications and build responsive desktop and server-side applications with technologies like Java and .NET. Moreover, we’re skilled in WPF/WCF services for tailored software development. Plus, our in-house AngularJS developers boost functionality with JS markups, and we offer custom mobile apps for Windows, iOS, and Android, boosting your online presence.

Also, our Enterprise application development expertise will enhance your competitive edge through:

• Instant sharing and exchange of information
• Improved engagement and increased productivity
• Creation of better opportunities
• Reduced complexity and increased agility
• Offering comprehensive solutions tailored to your needs on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux platforms, as well as Java software development and SaaS offerings.

Connect with our experts today and discover how our Enterprise Application Development Services can boost your organization’s digital transformation and growth.

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