[论文解读] Characteristics and Challenges of Low-Code Development: The Practitioners' Perspective

Yajing Luo, Peng Liang+3 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jul 15, 2021

Software Engineering Research参考文献 14被引用 12

一句话总结

本实证研究通过分析来自 Stack Overflow 和 Reddit 的 301 条帖子，探讨了从业者对低代码开发（LCD）的看法。研究发现，LCD 广泛被视为一种基于图形用户界面（GUI）的拖拽式方法，利用预构建组件加速开发，尤其在工作流自动化方面表现突出，但同时也存在供应商锁定以及对优势看法不一致等挑战。

ABSTRACT

Background: In recent years, Low-code development (LCD) is growing rapidly, and Gartner and Forrester have predicted that the use of LCD is very promising. Giant companies, such as Microsoft, Mendix, and Outsystems have also launched their LCD platforms. Aim: In this work, we explored two popular online developer communities, Stack Overflow (SO) and Reddit, to provide insights on the characteristics and challenges of LCD from a practitioners' perspective. Method: We used two LCD related terms to search the relevant posts in SO and extracted 73 posts. Meanwhile, we explored three LCD related subreddits from Reddit and collected 228 posts. We extracted data from these posts and applied the Constant Comparison method to analyze the descriptions, benefits, and limitations and challenges of LCD. For platforms and programming languages used in LCD, implementation units in LCD, supporting technologies of LCD, types of applications developed by LCD, and domains that use LCD, we used descriptive statistics to analyze and present the results. Results: Our findings show that: (1) LCD may provide a graphical user interface for users to drag and drop with little or even no code; (2) the equipment of out-of-the-box units (e.g., APIs and components) in LCD platforms makes them easy to learn and use as well as speeds up the development; (3) LCD is particularly favored in the domains that have the need for automated processes and workflows; and (4) practitioners have conflicting views on the advantages and disadvantages of LCD. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that researchers should clearly define the terms when they refer to LCD, and developers should consider whether the characteristics of LCD are appropriate for their projects.

研究动机与目标

• 理解从业者在真实情境中对低代码开发（LCD）的看法。
• 从在线社区的开发者讨论中，识别 LCD 的关键特征与挑战。
• 研究 LCD 中使用的平台、编程语言、实现单元及应用类型。
• 评估从业者报告的 LCD 优势与劣势。
• 为研究人员和从业者提供采纳 LCD 进行软件开发的实际影响信息。

提出的方法

• 使用与 LCD 相关的搜索词，从 Stack Overflow 收集 73 条帖子。
• 从三个专注于低代码开发的 Reddit 子版块收集 228 条帖子。
• 采用恒定比较法分析关于 LCD 的优势、局限性和描述的定性数据。
• 使用描述性统计方法分析 LCD 的平台、编程语言、实现单元、支持技术、应用类型及领域。
• 通过多位作者进行试点数据提取，以确保一致性并减少偏差。
• 公开数据集和编码结果，以支持可复现性。

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 从业者如何描述低代码开发的核心特征及其感知优势？
• RQ2 低代码开发中最常使用的平台、编程语言和实现单元是什么？
• RQ3 哪些类型的应用和领域最常使用低代码平台进行开发？
• RQ4 从业者将哪些挑战与低代码开发联系起来，特别是供应商锁定和源代码访问问题？
• RQ5 从业者在不同情境下对 LCD 优势与劣势的看法有何差异？

主要发现

• 从业者普遍将低代码开发描述为一种拖拽式、基于图形用户界面（GUI）的方法，可实现几乎无需编码的应用开发。
• LCD 平台中预构建组件和开箱即用的单元显著提升了可用性并加速了开发进程。
• 低代码平台最常用于构建 Web 和移动应用，对前端开发、工作流自动化及系统集成提供强有力支持。
• LCD 在需要自动化流程和工作流的领域中尤其受欢迎，例如业务流程管理及企业内部工具。
• 从业者对 LCD 优势与劣势的看法存在矛盾，表明其采纳存在情境依赖的权衡。
• 主要挑战包括缺乏源代码访问权限和供应商锁定，尤其是在商业 LCD 平台中，可能限制长期可维护性和定制能力。