SAP Build is a pro-code development and automation solution with a comprehensive suite of low-code, pro-code, and generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Its low-code tools, in particular, help developers automate routine tasks and free up time for more strategic and high-value IT projects.

Many companies no longer just use LCAPs to develop simple applications; these platforms have become integral to developing critical, complex business capabilities. In fact, according to Gartner, by 2028, 60% of software development organizations will use enterprise LCAPs as their main internal developer platform, compared to 10% in 2024.

The 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for LCAPs examines the factors driving the move to low-code across industries and breaks down which LCAP features and vendors can help companies achieve their goals.

Must-have capabilities for an enterprise LCAP

The 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for LCAPs outlines the most crucial capabilities an enterprise LCAP must be able to offer, including:

• Low-code tools to develop a complete application—including business logic and user interfaces for web and mobile
• The ability to run applications enterprise-wide developed on the LCAP
• Support for model-driven and visual programming approaches
• Extension support through prebuilt component catalogs, scripting, and more traditional code-based software development kits (SDKs)
• Support for complex data structures with both internal and external sources

For Lufthansa Technik AG, a leading provider of aircraft maintenance, repair, overhaul, and modification services, support for internal and external data sources was a deciding factor in choosing SAP Build to automate its material logistics process. Lufthansa was able to integrate SAP Build with multiple types of data sources to automate the company’s data collection and entry process.

But these are the very least of what an enterprise LCAP should provide, along with standard core capabilities, such as:

• Support across the entire software development lifecycle
• Generative AI for automating routine tasks and providing insights
• A library of connectors for popular application platforms, business applications, and database management systems
• Tools for creating and maintaining packaged business capabilities
• A collaborative development environment where multiple developers and business experts can work in parallel

When Brazilian agribusiness Pif Paf Alimentos needed to streamline its machinery maintenance processes, it specifically chose SAP Build for the solution’s visual development environment. Developing enterprise-grade apps by writing code in a traditional development environment could take up to four months. By using a cloud-based graphical environment, it was done in just three weeks.

What it means to be a Visionary

According to Gartner, an LCAP Visionary must demonstrate a strong strategic vision and a thorough understanding of the needs of the LCAP market. SAP Build was recognized as a Visionary based on its ability to execute and completeness of vision.

Combining a traditional developer stack with low-code SAP Build products provides enterprise developers and IT leaders with the flexibility to create custom applications using a wide range of approaches. This composition also makes it easy for customers to take advantage of pre-built, reusable components from the SAP Store and SAP Business Accelerator Hub.

Using SAP Build also provides customers with business benefits like:

• Extensibility:  Protecting IT investments across the cloud ERP and application ecosystem with cloud-ready extensions
• Faster time to market:  Automating operational IT tasks and speeding up innovative app development with generative AI and prebuilt solutions
• Collaboration: Breaking down department and technical silos by giving development teams and business users the tools to develop business applications collaboratively

Key trends driving LCAP market growth

The 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for LCAPs highlights three main trends behind many software organizations’ move to low-code application platforms:

1. Mainstream enterprise adoption

IT companies are transitioning from traditional high-code application development stacks and gravitating toward enterprise LCAPs that can achieve the same scale, performance, and controls needed to develop mission-critical business applications.

2. Generative AI-augmented development

As IT leaders seek technologies with generative AI-augmented development capabilities, enterprise LCAP vendors like SAP offer secure and speedy methods for utilizing gen AI. Gen AI provides tremendous potential for companies to analyze customer data and find new revenue opportunities. Pro-developers and business experts can also benefit from gen AI tools, which can automate workflows, approval recommendations, and documentation search.

3. Composable business

According to Gartner, a composable business operates on four basic principles: “greater speed through discovery; greater agility through modularity; better leadership through orchestration; plus, resilience through autonomy. (Gartner Keynote, “The Future of Business is Composable,” 2020).

For this reason, modern enterprise application delivery requires the most up-to-date approaches to maintain acceptable time to market, costs, and risks. Enterprise LCAPs implement platform-based delivery with advanced software cataloging, integration, and orchestration capabilities that empower platform engineering and composability.

Put your trust in an LCAP Visionary

We at SAP are grateful for this recognition from Gartner, as well as the support and trust of our customers. We are committed to ensuring our customers’ success with exciting new enhancements to the SAP Build platform, including access to prebuilt components, templates, extensions, and advanced generative AI technologies.

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