Modernise Your Legacy Systems with Outsystems: 3 Strategies for Success.
Businesses are under constant pressure to adapt and innovate to stay ahead. However, many organisations are held back by their legacy systems, which struggle to keep pace with modern demands. Fortunately, there’s a solution: OutSystems. As an OutSystems partner, 9X5 is committed to helping businesses transform their existing IT infrastructure into modern, efficient technology. In this article, we’ll explore three powerful strategies for modernising legacy systems using OutSystems’ high-performance low-code platform.
The Challenge of Legacy Systems
Legacy systems, including outdated technologies like COBOL, continue to play a vital role in many organisations, performing core functions reliably but lacking the flexibility and agility required to meet today’s business needs. The traditional approach of ripping and replacing these systems is costly, time-consuming, and fraught with risk. Moreover, IT and business teams often struggle to align their priorities, leading to frustration and inefficiency.
Three Strategies for Modernisation
OutSystems offers three innovative strategies for modernising legacy systems:
1. Extend
Think of your enterprise IT systems as a house. Extending is akin to adding a new room or window to accommodate changing needs. With OutSystems, you can quickly add new capabilities and customer journeys without altering the core system architecture. Leveraging prebuilt connectors to common enterprise systems like SAP and Salesforce, you can seamlessly integrate data and build custom views tailored to your business requirements. This approach enables rapid innovation without incurring technical debt.
2. Refactor
Refactoring involves re-envisioning legacy systems one component at a time, gradually transforming the entire architecture into a modern, decoupled environment. Like rearranging the rooms of a house, refactoring allows organisations to address urgent needs while minimising disruption. With OutSystems, enterprises can refactor specific functions, integrating them with the rest of the ecosystem to facilitate interoperability and scalability. By eliminating technical debt and unexpected dependencies, this approach sets the stage for long-term success.
3. Re-build
When legacy systems reach the end of their life or no longer meet business requirements, rebuilding becomes necessary. OutSystems empowers organisations to rebuild from the ground up, creating purpose-built, cloud-native solutions tailored to their exact needs. By tapping into original data sources and leveraging high-performance low-code development, companies can accelerate the transition to a modern architecture while minimising downtime and disruption. This approach ensures seamless integration with existing systems, enabling a smooth transition to the new platform.
Conclusion
Modernising legacy systems is essential for businesses looking to thrive in today’s digital economy. With OutSystems, organisations can choose from three powerful strategies—extend, refactor, or rebuild—to transform their IT infrastructure at their own pace. Whether augmenting existing systems, re-envisioning legacy components, or building from scratch, OutSystems provides the tools and expertise needed to drive innovation and accelerate growth. Partner with 9X5 and embark on your digital transformation journey today.
Ready to modernise your legacy systems with OutSystems? Contact us today to learn more about how companies around the world have successfully transformed their IT infrastructure using our high-performance low-code platform. Unlock the power of innovation and drive accelerated growth with OutSystems and 9X5.
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Unleashing the Power of Progressive Web Apps with OutSystems: A Comprehensive Guide
Mobile-friendly services have become a necessity, with over half of all internet traffic now originating from mobile devices. The question arises: must one invest in native iOS and Android development to cater to this ever-growing user base? The answer lies in Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), a revolutionary alternative that provides a native app-like experience without the complexities of native app development.
Understanding Progressive Web Apps
PWAs empower developers to deliver a seamless mobile app experience using standard web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These apps are fast, capable of working offline, and even offer an “install” option, placing an app icon on the device’s home screen. But how do they achieve this?
PWA Fundamentals
At their core, PWAs are web applications that function in any browser. Leveraging the principle of progressive enhancement, PWAs gain additional functionalities, such as offline capabilities, when accessed through modern browsers. The key components that make PWAs stand out are:
Service Workers: These allow the execution of background JavaScript tasks directly on the device, enhancing responsiveness and reducing the need for constant server interactions.
Offline Cache: Service workers enable local data caching on the device, allowing PWAs to function without a network connection and sync with the server once back online.
App Manifest: Similar to native apps, PWAs come with an app manifest—a JSON file specifying the app’s icon, URL, and other relevant data, ensuring a user experience akin to traditional mobile apps.
Business Benefits of PWAs
PWAs offer a plethora of advantages, not just from a development perspective but also concerning user engagement and return on investment (ROI). Some of these include:
Discoverability: PWAs are indexed by search engines like regular websites, ranking higher and often appearing as snippet cards at the top of search results, thanks to Google’s mobile-first indexing.
Stickiness: Once installed, PWAs reside on the device’s home screen, providing easy access with a single tap, eliminating the need to open a browser first.
High Performance: Speed is critical for user adoption, and PWAs, loading and running faster as they work offline first, address this concern effectively.
Always Up to Date: PWAs automatically update over the air when the user connects to the server, ensuring users always have the latest version without manual intervention.
Responsiveness: PWAs adapt seamlessly to various screen sizes, providing a consistent user experience across devices.
Shareability: Easily shareable via links, PWAs eliminate the need for app marketplaces and lengthy downloads, promoting accessibility.
Native Device Capabilities: PWAs can utilise a device’s hardware features and support built-in payment systems like Apple Pay or Google Pay, offering a native app-like experience.
Advantages of PWAs
PWAs bring significant advantages to the table, including:
Built Using Existing Skills: Developed using familiar web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript), PWAs leverage existing skills, accelerating development.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Running on browsers, PWAs operate on any device with a modern browser, streamlining compatibility across multiple platforms.
Rapid Upgrading/Iterative Improvement: PWAs allow swift deployment of updates directly to users, eliminating the lag associated with app store approval processes.
Lower Costs: With a single code base applicable to all devices, development time is reduced compared to native app development, and there are no revenue-sharing costs with app stores.
Choosing PWAs makes sense for teams that struggle with resource allocation, prioritise speed, need a gradual adoption path for applications, aim to expand mobile presence, or face obstacles in delivering mobile applications.
OutSystems Accelerates PWA Development
OutSystems, a leading app development platform, streamlines the PWA development process. Key advantages include:
No Additional Knowledge Required: OutSystems automates the creation of PWAs, handling manifests and service workers seamlessly.
Single Code Base: Develop UI and front-end code once for both mobile apps and PWAs, engaging users across platforms without adapting code for each device.
Data Sync Framework: OutSystems facilitates seamless data synchronisation between PWAs and servers.
Streamlined Deployment: OutSystems automates the generation of resources needed for PWA deployment without developer intervention, achieving maximum scores on Google Lighthouse.
Modern Application Platform: Leveraging a visual, model-based development platform, OutSystems supports multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring apps meet business needs and performance requirements.
Automated Impact Analysis and Bug Checking: OutSystems utilises automation, AI, and analytics to remove guesswork, checking for errors and dependencies in real-time.
Embracing PWAs with OutSystems presents a compelling proposition for those seeking a cost-effective, efficient, and user-friendly solution for their mobile projects. Explore the world of PWAs and transform your mobile development journey today.
Need a PWA with OutSystems for your next project? See how 9X5 can help.
Boosting Operational Efficiency with High-Performance Low-Code Development
In an era where traditional strategies for driving growth are losing their efficacy, tech leaders are navigating a landscape marked by inflationary pressures and economic uncertainties. To stay ahead, they are turning to practical and affordable solutions that facilitate rapid adaptation and innovation at scale. One such solution gaining traction among Chief Information Officers (CIOs) is the adoption of high-performance low-code platforms, a strategy that not only fosters innovation but also maximises operational efficiency. This blog sheds light on why IT leaders are increasingly turning to high-performance low-code development and how your organisation can leverage this approach for similar gains.
The Shift in Approach
Gone are the days when companies could rely solely on price increases to fuel growth. The current landscape demands a more nuanced and adaptive approach. CIOs are at the forefront of this change, recognising the need for solutions that not only foster innovation but also enhance operational efficiency. High-performance low-code development emerges as a compelling choice in this scenario, offering a means to simultaneously innovate and achieve cost savings that can be reinvested in future app development.
Unlocking Efficiency with High-Performance Low-Code
The heart of the matter lies in the transformative capabilities of high-performance low-code development. Today, we will emphasise three key traits that enterprises should embrace to innovate faster. These traits not only set the foundation for innovation but also create an environment where operational efficiency is a natural by-product.
The first trait involves a strategic shift towards adaptability and agility. High-performance low-code platforms enable organisations to respond swiftly to changing market dynamics and customer needs. The inherent flexibility of these platforms allows for rapid prototyping and iteration, a crucial aspect in today’s fast-paced business environment.
Second, the current focus for most CIOs is on cost-effectiveness. CIOs are increasingly recognising the financial benefits of adopting high-performance low-code. Organisations can fund the development of future applications with the savings generated from current apps. This dual-purpose approach ensures that innovation is sustainable, with cost savings acting as a catalyst for future developments.
The third trait centres on scalability. High-performance low-code platforms are designed to scale seamlessly, accommodating the growing demands of an expanding business. This scalability is essential for organisations looking to innovate at scale without compromising operational efficiency.
Conclusion
In a landscape where traditional growth strategies fall short, tech leaders are turning towards innovative and cost-effective solutions to drive efficiency. High-performance low-code development stands out as a beacon in this transformative journey, enabling organisations to innovate at speed and scale while simultaneously maximising operational efficiency. The Operational Efficiency eBook serves as a valuable guide, offering insights and use cases that can empower your organisation to harness the full potential of high-performance low-code, unlocking a new era of innovation and efficiency.
Interested in using a high-performance low-code solution to build your next app? Contact us today to see how we can help.
Unlocking Your Potential: The Power of Low Code Development for Non-Techies
Software development is no longer confined solely to those fluent in complex programming languages. The emergence of low code development has become a catalyst, ushering in a new era where individuals with non-technical backgrounds can actively participate and shape technological innovations.
Empowering Non-Tech Visionaries
Low code development presents an accessible gateway for individuals who possess unique visions and innovative ideas but lack traditional programming expertise. It’s a transformative tool that allows them to actualise their concepts into tangible, functional applications without the need for intricate coding knowledge.
Breaking Down Technological Barriers
One of the remarkable advantages of low code development is its ability to break through the barriers that traditionally hindered non-technical individuals from engaging in software creation. By providing intuitive interfaces and drag-and-drop functionalities, it simplifies the development process, empowering users to build, test, and deploy applications with remarkable ease.
Rapid Prototyping and Iteration
The agility of low code development expedites the prototyping and iteration stages. This rapid pace allows for quick idea validation and immediate feedback incorporation, fostering an environment conducive to innovation and evolution of ideas.
Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness
The streamlined nature of low code development significantly reduces the time and resources required for application creation. This not only accelerates the time-to-market but also minimises the financial investments typically associated with traditional software development.
Integration with Diverse Industries
The versatility of low code development transcends industry boundaries. Its adaptability makes it a valuable asset across various sectors, including healthcare, finance, education, and beyond. This adaptability ensures its relevance and applicability in solving multifaceted challenges.
The Road Ahead: Unleashing Boundless Creativity
The future of low code development holds promise, unlocking the creative potential of individuals and businesses alike. As technology continues to evolve, low code development stands as a beacon, democratising innovation and fostering a collaborative ecosystem where anyone with a vision can turn it into reality.
In conclusion, the power of low code development goes beyond mere simplification. It’s a revolutionary enabler, democratising technology and empowering non-techies to become architects of the digital future.
Are you interested in a low code solution for your next project? Contact us now to see what we can do to help.