Empowering developers and non developers to develop applications in BMC Helix Innovation Suite
The following table lists the different application development approaches to consider with the Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) available in BMC Helix Innovation Suite:
Integrated Development Environment | Codeless approach | Code-based approach |
|---|---|---|
BMC Helix Innovation Studio | ✅️ | ✅️ |
Developer Studio (Use Developer Studio to extend or modify BMC Helix ITSM applications) | ✅️ | ❌️ |
The following video (02:22) gives an overview of these different approaches:
Scenario for developing custom applications
Method1: Using codeless approach to developing an application by using BMC Helix Innovation Studio
Developing codeless applications involves performing quick and simple tasks such as creating an application from the user interface by using drag-and-drop options. Non developers or application business analysts can create codeless applications that require less customization and are not complex. These applications consist of definitions and data only and do not include libraries.
This approach to building applications eliminates the need to set up an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and learn coding skills.
Benefits of developing codeless applications by using BMC Helix Innovation Studio
- Enables you to create applications from the user interface.
- Requires minimal programming knowledge or dependency on developers.
- Reduces errors that might arise when developing code-based applications.
- Reduces the turnaround time for creating applications that require less customization and are not complex.
- Enables you to share the codeless application with developers to add complex customizations.
Workflow for developing codeless application by using BMC Helix Innovation Studio
The following workflow provides a high-level overview of creating a codeless application in BMC Helix Innovation Studio:
Task | Action | Reference |
|---|---|---|
1 | Create a codeless application bundle from the user interface. | |
2 | Design and customize the Lunch Order application from where employees can submit their lunch orders. | |
3 | Deploy the application to the production environment so that the employees can access the Lunch Order application. |
Method 2: Using code-based approach to develop an application by using BMC Helix Innovation Studio
As a developer, code-based application development requires you to provide information about the configurations to the customers to customize the application behavior and UI. With code-based applications, developers can extend BMC Helix Innovation Studio to create custom components, custom REST APIs, connectors, and so on.
Benefits of developing code-based applications by using BMC Helix Innovation Studio
- Greater flexibility to build applications especially when you want to define complex, custom components, and actions.
- Better control over customizations to the applications and ability to extend the definitions.
- Ability to create, enhance, and integrate applications with Java and Angular technology to provide a modern experience to users.
Workflow for developing code-based application by using BMC Helix Innovation Studio
The following workflow provides a high-level overview of developing code-based applications by using the BMC Helix Innovation Studio SDK:
Task | Action | Reference |
|---|---|---|
1 | Set up the environment to develop the Lunch Order application. | |
2 | Create a new project or library project for the application. | |
3 | Design and customize a user interface from where employees can submit their lunch orders by creating a view. | |
4 | (Optional) Create custom service and custom components to provide business logic to the Lunch Order application. | |
5 | Enable employees to access the Lunch Order application by deploying the application to the production environment with all the required data, definitions, and code. |
Method 3: Developing an application by using Developer Studio
Developer Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) for AR System applications. It provides all codeless application development functions needed to design an application.
Developers or application business analysts can customize BMC Helix ITSM applications by using forms and workflow objects such as active links, filters, and escalations in Developer Studio.
Benefits of developing applications by using Developer Studio
- Ability to extend or customize the applications.
- Ability to write dynamic UI logic and server-side business logic by using workflows, active links, filters, and escalations.
- Ability to customize the UI and business logic for AR System applications.
- Access to Progressive Web Apps (PWA) technology which provides a more modernized look-and-feel for applications.
PWA enables developers to create views that are equally responsive and adaptive on traditional PC-based web browsers or mobile devices. For more information about PWA, see Developing a Progressive Web Application .
Workflow for developing applications by using Developer Studio
The following workflow provides a high-level overview of creating an application by using Developer Studio :
Task | Action | Reference |
|---|---|---|
1 | Define business logic by determining the tasks that the application aims to perform. | |
2 | Use out-of-the-box forms or create custom forms and fields for the application to collect and display data. | |
3 | Define the objects to develop the application UI based on the business logic. | |
4 | Define the workflows for the active links, filters, and escalations for the groups of forms based on the business logic. | |
5 |
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Comparison of methods for developing custom applications by using BMC Helix Innovation Suite
While any approach to build an application can be used effectively, there are some differences when it comes to tailoring applications to meet a customer-specific requirement or business logic.
The following table compares some of the key aspects of the two development approaches:
Codeless (BMC Helix Innovation Studio and Developer Studio) | Code-based ( BMC Helix Innovation Studio) | |
|---|---|---|
Need for special skills | Almost none The framework provides the special workflow constructs that are required. | Very high Requires knowledge of UI, backend technologies, and programming languages. |
Speed of development | High Time to market is quick if integrations and business logic are limited and simple. | Low to medium End-to-end implementation of an application requires extensive planning of design and development . |
Efforts for non-functional compliance | Medium to high Codeless frameworks provide built-in support for security, performance, and scalability. | Low Security, performance, and scalability can be designed and implemented right from the beginning of the design, and a developer has full control over the code to make any changes. |
Limitations in development | Medium to high There are limitations to generic development and protection of the framework from unsupported constructs. | Almost none Almost no limitations exist because they are coded apps that can be easily changed to achieve any technical implementation supported by the technology. |
Ease of customizing applications | High Because these frameworks are metadata-driven, they easily support customization for application developers and customers. | Low to medium Applications cannot be customized easily, and developers must make provisions for all possible configurations to enable tailoring the application behavior. |
Ease of integrations | Low Limited flexibility due to dependency on generic features that are available in the framework. | High Complete flexibility to define interfaces and integrations without any limitations. |
Where to go from here
Action | Reference |
|---|---|
Build codeless custom applications. | |
Build code-based custom applications. | |
Build custom applications by using Developer Studio. |