Companies and developers seeking to construct business apps more rapidly will find low-code platforms to be a powerful solution. Low-code platforms are notable for allowing both unskilled (citizen) developers and expert developers improve their performance without sacrificing the quality of their work.
Low-code platforms do this by providing a rich visual development environment in which developers can create the user interface using drag-and-drop capabilities, as well as add actions, animations, and other features.
Mendix and OutSystems are both leaders in the 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms. Mendix vs. OutSystems: Let’s compare these two low-code platforms across a wide range of criteria to discover which one is better.
Source: 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Low-Code Application Platforms
1. About Mendix
Mendix is a cloud-based app development platform that helps users build all kinds of applications. Allowing users to create apps on a SAP cloud platform, the prime features that Mendix is comprised of are visual development, multi-channel apps, proactive and context-aware apps management, development and operations (DevOps), multi-cloud deployment, security, open and extensible integrations, AI assisted development and more. Its visual development empowers users to take advantage of real-time collaboration and develop transformative applications through experimentation, iteration and collaboration with different units.
Additionally, the platform allows users to sync and control the app development process between business developers and professional developers. Mendix’s app services enable multiple apps to be used in a component-based architecture platform through microflows, supporting multiple versioned services and deployment management. The software integrates with CloudFoundry, OpenID, Enfield Modeling Language, HTML 5, React and Bootstrap. It is priced on a per month subscription basis and has support extended through phone, email, documentation and an online help desk.
2. About OutSystems
OutSystems is known for its offline support and access to native device capabilities. The platform allows app components to be moved into a work surface and graphically integrated. It allows developers to write or use custom code in many languages including Java, SQL, C#, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, to enhance the app’s capabilities.
Many businesses select OutSystems because it combines low-code development with a variety of powerful mobile features. Developers may use it to assure the visual creation of whole application portfolios that interface easily with current systems.
Both Mendix and OutSystems are low-code specialists with feature-rich platforms that enable businesses to manage their whole app life cycle with ease. The issue is, which one should you pick?
3. Which Low Code Platform to Choose Between Mendix and OutSystems?
Mendix and OutSystems’ products have a number of features and strategies in common. Organizations may construct web and mobile apps using both platforms’ low-code capabilities. When evaluating Mendix vs. OutSystems, businesses must consider which solution platform best meets their goals and allows them to provide a comprehensive experience to their users.
In this article, we’ll examine the two platforms in further depth and compare them on a variety of criteria, including:
- Architecture, Set up and Interface
- Feature Set
- Low-Code App Creation Speed
- Community Support and Availability of Resources
- Limitations
3.1. Architecture, Set up and Interface
The Mendix low-code platform is primarily aimed at large enterprises. Its built-in social network and collaboration features give the user an entirely cloud-based experience. With a dashboard with tabs such as ‘Apps’, ‘People’, ‘Buzz’, ‘App Store’, and ‘Community’, the revamped UI of Mendix includes a new web modeler UI, a design language known as Atlas and predefined page templates. The redesigned Android and iOS apps are some of the key highlights in terms of architecture, set up, and interface.
The platform helps you instantly build up your basic app setup. It has an ‘Options’ menu where you can start developing and configuring your app, as well as a ‘Buzz’ tab within each app. Thousands of businesses throughout the world, rely on OutSystems’ low-code platform to create apps in record time. OutSystems’ dashboard is noted for its simple and easy-to-use layout, which has separate sections for ‘Platform’, ‘Community’, ‘Learn’, and ‘Support’.
OutSystems’ primary features in terms of architecture, setup, and interface are as follows:
- The platform personalizes the user experience by inquiring about the kind of apps you wish to create, as well as your professional job and degree of competence.
- OutSystems’ Community page contains a user forum, a job board, and an ‘Ideas’ tab where users may suggest platform enhancements and new features.You may use the platform to construct your own private cloud environment, complete with its own OutSystems URL.
- The OutSystems setup’s sole drawback is that users must manually download the OutSystems desktop integrated development environment (IDE) in order to proceed.
3.2. Feature Set
Both Mendix and OutSystems enable organizations and users to build mobile and web applications with little to no programming knowledge. They do, however, have certain distinguishing characteristics that tell them apart from one another.
Full access control and authorization, real-time monitoring of all app use and performance, native support for Agile development, and adaptability for bespoke application development are just a few of the characteristics offered by OutSystems.
Mendix provides an easy-to-use application creation process. The developers are guided step by step through the application construction process, with pre-built models that they may utilize or modify to meet their own requirements. Mendix has a slight edge as it performs better in database customization and app maintenance than OutSystens to offer a more streamlined developer experience.
3.3. Low-Code App Creation Speed
Low-code development aims to make app development easier for the common business customers, as well as IT departments and developers. Both the Mendix and OutSystems platforms provide a simple, step-by-step app building experience to help citizen developers get started.
In the case of OutSystems, developers may pick from the start whether they want to construct a web or mobile app. It allows customers to choose whether the software is for a smartphone or a universal app that will automatically resize to fit different screens. OutSystems assists you at every stage of the app creation process, whether it’s establishing a database table from a Microsoft Excel file, developing a form, customizing the UI, or aiding the user to publish the app with just one click.
Mendix, on the other hand, provides a page of pre-built applications for managing events, costs, and other tasks, as well as tutorials to walk you through more sophisticated app templates. A sophisticated Web Modeler, which provides device previews for smart devices, desktop, and tablet apps, is one of the platform’s key features. To improve the app creation experience, the platform may also start you off with UI design and wire-framing instead of database setup, which then comes later.
3.4. Community Support and Availability of Resources
The availability of community resources is one of the most important considerations for potential low-code users. Many of them choose goods with pre-built applications that may assist businesses and developers in customizing generic apps for unique business goals.
Both Mendix and OutSystems have significant community support system in place, as well as an application shop and user forums.
3.5. Limitations
Despite the fact that both Mendix and OutSystems are good platforms for low-code development and application deployment, they do have some restrictions that you should examine before making a final selection.
Mendix
The following are some of the most significant Mendix drawbacks:
- Once the apps are constructed, Mendix might be difficult to handle when it comes to one-click deployment.
- When compared to OutSystems’ drag-and-drop procedure, mapping application objects to relevant databases with Mendix is a little more difficult.
- Small organizations will struggle to get the most out of Mendix’s free edition, which only allows 10 users.
OutSystems
The following are some of the most significant OutSystems drawbacks:
- In OutSystems, the process of developing an app is more strict. Unlike Mendix, it forces users to select application types such as smartphones, tablets, and other devices from the start, rather than enabling them to do so later.
- OutSystems lacks a full cloud-based solution, making it difficult for users to interact, especially across a wide variety of locations.
4. Mendix vs. OutSystems – Which one is better?
It is difficult to choose between Mendix and OutSystems because both solutions are excellent enterprise low-code platforms that appeal to a wide spectrum of business customers. Both solutions have a lot to offer, from end-to-end app lifecycle management to continuous maintenance and analytics.
OutSystems shines in the area of easy app interface with its supply of thorough instructions to create apps, while Mendix offers a fully cloud-based choice with great IT project management and native collaboration. The decision should ideally be based on the total set of features you’re searching for in your app development project.
As a Mendix solution partner, Kyanon Digital works hard to ensure this partnership’s goal is to accelerate digital transformation for our clients by providing excellent low-code solutions from Mendix. We’re also focused on dramatically boosting the development of new apps, enhancing the power of pre-built and customized low-code solutions, and expanding the business ecosystem.
Kyanon Digital is a Vietnam-based tech powerhouse providing world-class digital solutions with an Agile approach. At Kyanon Digital, we strive everyday to leverage our expertise to create endless value for our clients, especially recommending the most suitable and the most effective solutions. Our consultant teams are capable of providing global support and fulfilling your technological missing piece with the best-suited advice in the sector.
