Building Low-Code Applications with Mendix

<Building Low-Code Applications with Mendix> Transform your app ideas into fully functional prototypes with the help of expert tips and best practices from Mendix partners

▶Book Description
Low-code is a visual approach to application development. It enables developers of varying experience levels to create web and mobile apps using drag-and-drop components and model-driven logic through a graphic user interface. Mendix is among the fastest-growing platforms that enable low-code enthusiasts to put their software ideas into practice without having to write much code, and Building Low-Code Applications with Mendix will help you get up and running with the process using examples and practice projects.

The book starts with an introduction to Mendix, along with the reasons for using this platform and its tools for creating your first app. As you progress, you'll explore Mendix Studio Pro, the visual environment that will help you learn Mendix app creation. Once you have your working app ready, you'll understand how to enhance it with custom business logic and rules. Next, you'll find out how to defend your app against bad data, troubleshoot and debug it, and finally, connect it with real-world business platforms. You'll build practical skills as the book is filled with examples, real-world scenarios, and explanations of the tools needed to help you build low-code apps successfully.

By the end of this book, you'll have understood the concept of low-code development, learned how to use Mendix effectively, and developed a working app.

▶What You Will Learn
-Gain a clear understanding of what low-code development is and the factors driving its adoption
-Become familiar with the various features of Mendix for rapid application development
-Discover concrete use cases of Studio Pro
-Build a fully functioning web application that meets your business requirements
-Get to grips with Mendix fundamentals to prepare for the Mendix certification exam
-Understand the key concepts of app development such as data management, APIs, troubleshooting, and debugging

▶Key Features
-Meet the ever-increasing demand for software solution delivery without having to write any code
-Build high-availability, low-cost applications unlike those developed via a traditional software engineering approach
-Explore Mendix from product design through to delivery using real-world scenarios

▶Who This Book Is For
This book is for tech-savvy business analysts and citizen developers who want to get started with Mendix for rapid mobile and web application development. The book is also helpful for seasoned developers looking to learn a new tool/platform and for anyone passionate about designing technical solutions without wanting to indulge in the complexities of writing code. The book assumes beginner-level knowledge of object-oriented programming and the ability to translate technical solutions from business requirements.

▶What this book covers
- Chapter 1, Introducing Mendix, goes through what low-code is and introduces Mendix and its history.

- Chapter 2, Getting to Know the Mendix Platform, walks you through the Mendix account creation process, as well as the features of the Mendix platform once created.

- Chapter 3, Getting to Know Mendix Studio, concentrates on Mendix Studio, Mendix's low-code web platform.

- Chapter 4, Getting to Know Studio Pro, deep dives into what Studio Pro is, how to use it, as well as understanding the interface.

- Chapter 5, Getting Started with Your Baseline App, helps you familiarize yourself with the Developer Portal and build a baseline app in Mendix Studio Pro.

- Chapter 6, Understanding Domain Model Basics, covers the Mendix domain model and starts you building one in Mendix Studio Pro.

- Chapter 7, Understanding the Basics of Page Design, introduces pages, widgets, layouts, and the Atlas UI framework to build a user interface in Mendix Studio Pro.

- Chapter 8, Getting to Know Microflows, covers microflows and how to use them to create application logic in Mendix Studio Pro.

- Chapter 9, Customizing Your App, discusses functions, sub-microflows, and some additional ways to enhance your application and implement custom business logic.

- Chapter 10, Error Handling and Troubleshooting, explores ways to be proactive about problems and errors, which are an inevitable part of software development, and arms you with the tools to be able to dig into problems when they do pop up.

- Chapter 11, Storing Data, explores how to build out your application's database. We will accomplish this by discussing various ways to associate your entities and create rock-solid domain models.

- Chapter 12, Getting Some REST, looks at how connected the world is these days and the importance of understanding how to create integrations with other applications and data sources. In this chapter, you will learn how to pull data from a third-party data source using a REST call.

- Chapter 13, A Review and What's Next, wraps it all up by taking a look back at all the subjects and areas we covered throughout the book!