From High-Code to Low-Code

Before using Mendix, we primarily used the following tools: VScode and WebStorm for front end, and IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm for back end. Traditional development required manually writing a large amount of code, and frontend development was not WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), necessitating joint debugging with the backend. This led to slower development speeds and increased complexity in team collaboration.

Due to our long-term collaboration with Siemens, we started using Mendix in 2020 and have been using it for five years.

Here are some insights I’d like to share about our Mendix journey. Before adopting the Mendix low-code platform, we mainly used high-code development for implementation and delivery due to the following reasons:

• High communication costs: The development process involves multiple roles and teams (requirements, frontend, backend, product management, testing, etc.). Communication and coordination were complex, leading to inefficiencies and product quality issues due to miscommunication or misunderstandings.
• High technical barriers: Traditional development requires proficiency in multiple programming languages, frameworks, and tools, which raises the difficulty of onboarding new team members and maintaining a highly skilled team.
• High maintenance and scalability costs: As project scales increase, maintaining and extending code becomes more difficult, affecting system stability and scalability over the long term.
• Resource waste: Traditional development often requires significant resource investments, including manpower, time, and funds, particularly in complex projects where inefficiencies become more pronounced.

The Mendix Marketplace offers numerous modules, components, and templates. Modules such as Email Connector, Community Commons, Excel Exporter, Excel Importer, NanoflowCommons, and others can be directly downloaded and used in Studio Pro, significantly improving development efficiency. Mendix also provides developer-friendly interfaces that allow for custom components and modules, making development more flexible.

When encountering issues during development, I can refer to similar cases in the Mendix community (available in both English and Chinese) or post queries in the forums to seek help, which usually resolves the problem.

So far, our team has developed a range of applications using the Mendix low-code platform. Some applications address our department’s internal needs, while others support various business units within the company. Below are some major application cases:

Smart Approval Platform Case

• A highly flexible business process management approach allows users to dynamically adjust process paths and steps based on actual business needs during execution.
• Unlike traditional fixed processes, free-flow processes allow users to dynamically choose the next step based on business requirements.

Platform Architecture

• Access Terminal Layer: Users can access the platform via PC and mobile devices.
• Function Items: Includes process management, form management, homepage, approval records, and system management modules, providing core platform functionalities.
• Core Components Layer: Comprising the BPMN engine, form builder, process creation and publication, process user management, and backend engine to support process definition, execution, and management.
• Data Management Layer: Manages file data, user data, system data, and provides other data services.
• Infrastructure Layer: Based on the Mendix platform and integrated with the PostgreSQL database, this provides foundational support and security assurance for the platform.

Platform Functions

• Basic Processes: Processes can be configured with multiple approvers. Each step allows approval or rejection, and historical record queries.
• Complex Processes: Supports countersignatures and additional sign-offs, including pre-sign-off and post-sign-off.
• More Complex Processes: Includes transfer, delegation, jumping, parent-child processes, automatic condition judgment, and graphical representation.

System Screenshots

Process Builder

Form Builder

Process Viewer

Operation Records

Adopting Mendix low-code development has shown the following advantages over traditional development:

• Lower Development Barriers: Mendix’s drag-and-drop interface and WYSIWYG development greatly reduce technical requirements. With some basic development knowledge, one can start developing projects after just one month of learning.
• Faster Development Speed: Mendix offers rich pre-built modules and components, enabling rapid application building. Compared to traditional development, which involves extensive coding and debugging, Mendix significantly shortens development cycles.
• Reduced Resource Investment: By simplifying the development process and lowering the need for specialized skills, Mendix allows companies to efficiently undertake development work with limited resources, reducing dependency on highly skilled developers.

Compared to other low-code platforms, Mendix’s main advantages are its comprehensive feature set, robust integration capabilities, and development environment. Mendix offers intuitive visual tools, supports complex application customization, high community activity, and flexible deployment options.

Using the Mendix Studio Pro IDE, its clear layout, smooth operation, fast development speed, customizable capabilities, comprehensive documentation, and support for local development and one-click application deployment stand out.

Currently, our team is exploring integrating form building and BPMN with the Mendix platform to achieve more efficient application development.

Finally, I would gladly recommend Mendix to other developers! Mendix is an excellent low-code platform that supports a fully visualized workflow from data modeling → page development → microflow (logic) development. It enables rapid adaptation to changing business needs, improving efficiency and shortening development cycles.