If you are a developer, you might have heard about the Rapid Application Development. There is a lot of buzz surrounding it, but most of the people are now aware of what it exactly is and how they can take help from it. In this article, we will guide you about the RAD and what it can do for you.
What is Rapid Application Development?
The RAD is a method of software development. It focuses on the prototyping and iterative delivery. The model is said to be an excellent alternative to the commonly used waterfall development model. It was introduced back in 1991 by James Martin’s book. Since then, it has been utilized by a number of people and come under the agile development technique.
The biggest reason why many people prefer the use of this model is because it is inheriting the synergy which is, for many mediums, a significant requirement. By using the appropriate software, you can proceed with the experiments and development, and you can perform lending and iteration without much problem. You can morph the stuff quickly using it.
By using the RAD, the developers and designers can use the knowledge and discoveries that come across during the development. They can use it for improving the design or may alter the logic of the software from scratch.
Some steps in RAD
If you are at the initial stage and are thinking about working with RAD or have just started working with it, you must pay attention to this section. It is because the RAD works on following four basic steps:
• Plan the requirements: First of all, the designer and developers start planning the requirements. They proceed with making a rough agreement considering the project and application. It helps them in prototyping at the next stages.
• User interface and design: The feedback user provides highly rely on the interface and design. Moreover, system architecture plays its role too. Once you do it, you can be certain that you have created the basic model. You can repeat the step as the project proceeds to the next stages.
• Construction on RAD: The construction begins by relying on the fundamentals of RAD. You know the primary user and system design and architecture; now you can start the construction. It involves the coding of the application and its testing. It is where the integration will take place. The user design keeps changing during this phase because as you progress, new things will be introduced in the system. Therefore, you will have to alter the design on regular intervals.
• Cutover: The final part is known as the cutover stage. It is where the development team proceeds with moving components to live production environment. If required, the testing and team training are also done.
When can you use the RAD model?
There are times when you need to complete the projects with great agility and speed. In these conditions, you can benefit from RAD. The RAD model allows you to develop with frequent iterations and prototyping. Therefore, it is best for building applications that have low risk and the ones that you need to get over with in no time.
Why should you use it?
There are three main reasons why people are shifting towards the RAD. These include:
• The RAD process is fast and quick. It is around 67% faster than the traditional software delivery process. Therefore, developers and designers make use of it as they can submit projects quickly and easily.
• When it comes to coding, the developers do not have to write long codes that extend to thousands of lines. If you make the comparison, there is 80% less coding required as compared to traditional software development.
• The maintenance cost of regular software is pretty high. However, the ones that you develop using RAD model have 75% low maintenance cost.
Final words
In short, we can say that the RAD development model is a great solution for developers and coders that want to build decent sized applications in a nutshell time. However, the Rapid Application Development model must only be used where the risk is lower. Else, you may go through problems after building the application. Developers also use it for bigger projects, but that requires skill and experience.
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