What is a No-Code Platform for Cloud Native Deployments?

It is gone are the days of productization taking years. Between 2011 and 2016, cloud computing has revolutionized the way we think about and use our data.

DevOps This was the way to automation and versatility. Each cloud offered a different interface. Multicloud was not a realistic strategy as it was difficult to automate operations for one cloud platform.

Kubernetes was a standard interface that could be used in a variety of hybrid environments. Multicloud was possible because automation tools became one.

Kubernetes implementation was a difficult task for all teams. D2IQ found that 41% of developers and architects felt very burned out, and 51% felt that application modernization (aka “cloud native apps”) added stress to their daily jobs. Complexity was a hindering factor.

The impact of COVID-19 in the last 1.5 years has added another dimension to this equation. Companies now need to do more with less. This puts pressure on teams to learn faster.

While there are more demands on one side, there is still a shortage in skilled developers on the opposite. Both business and product owners are trying to improve their software delivery processes. This has led to “citizen” development, which is the next-generation development paradigm in the cloud native space.

What Is Citizen Development?

Citizen development is not a new concept. It is a well-established practice in software development. This includes building enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and business process modeling (BPM).

Citizen development uses low-code platforms that allow for visual representations to create applications without the need to have a deep programming background. These platforms have been proven to dramatically increase productivity and speed up time to market.

Statistical evidence supports the rise in Platforms that do not require a code They are not surprising. Visuals are processed faster by than text representation . Visuals not only make it easy to understand but also allow for shared knowledge between technical and non-technical groups.

This allows teams to concentrate on higher-value tasks and not spend time solving technical problems. This paradigm can be extended from application development to delivery, automation, and empowers the entire organization, from product owners to developers to manage software delivery and reduce communication barriers.
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The Fabric for No Code Platforms

Let’s first look at the fundamental characteristics of these platforms before we get into no-code cloud-native platforms.

Visual Models, not code. These no-code platforms have the fundamental building blocks of visual modeling tools. They use visual modeling tools to automatically generate data models and workflows.

Model-Driven Approach No-code platforms use a model-driven approach for building applications.
Guard Rails If code is generated by a non-code platform, it is essential that they contain validation and security checks to ensure quality code. This will prevent manual errors.

Reusability – No-code platforms have one of two fundamental features: they allow or enable dynamically-composable modules. These platforms often include marketplaces or product hubs that offer a wide range of reusable components as well as third-party integrations.

Change management The visual models are the only source of truth for the entire business. They must be version controlled to ensure better traceability and compliance.

Governance These platforms encourage collaboration, Role-Based Controls, and centralized management to avoid shadow IT.

What Is a No-Code Platform for Cloud Native Deployments?

No-code cloud native platform uses a code-free method to transform and maintain microservices as cloud native deployments. These platforms automatically generate Docker files, Kubernetes artifacts and pipeline code during the transformation process.

There are many similarities between cloud native platforms and no-code platforms within the BPM domain. Many of the same characteristics that were used in BPM application development can be applied in the cloud native context.

A centralized governance system across resources can help reduce cluster sprawl or service disruptions and give an overview of the entire DevOps process. A few other factors are crucial to the success and viability of a cloud-native platform that is not code.
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Scaffolding This allows you to seamlessly onboard a microservice

Sophisticated Modelling- Visual modeling must go beyond just stacking up microservices blocks. It has to include a variety of applications platforms, Kubernetes resources and the underlying infrastructure.

Share 12 factors at different stages in the release cycles. This ensures that best practices are followed at all stages of building applications to make them cloud-native compliant starting day 1.

Simplified hybrid Cloud Management – A simple interface using UI wizards and a command-line utility that allows you to provision and manage Kubernetes environments in cloud, edge and on-premise.

No Lock in – Although Kubernetes’ primary purpose is standardization and portability it should also embrace the core principles of no-code platforms and provide portable artifacts.

Developer tools and out-of-box experience. Unlike traditional citizen-development, cloud native no-code platforms work with many 3rd-party tools, hybrid environments and loosely coupled microservices. It is crucial to create a developer-friendly environment for building applications. Logs, metrics, and direct terminal access to the environment are all included.