Building Low-Code Applications with Mendix: Enterprise web development made easy with Mendix and the power of low-code development: Enterprise web and ... Mendix and the power of no-code development

✍ Scribed by Bryan Kenneweg, Imran Kasam, Micah McMullen

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2021
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 332
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Join the low-code revolution and leverage the power of Mendix to develop software solutions using business logic, needs, and requirements

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
• Work with a complete example in Mendix to cover product design through to delivery

Book Description

Low-code is a visual approach to application development. It enables developers of varying experience levels to create web and mobile applications 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.

The book starts with an introduction to Mendix and its elements, along with the reasons for using this platform and the tools needed for creating your first application. As you progress, you'll explore Mendix Modeler, the visual environment that will help you get to grips with Mendix app creation. Once you have your working application ready, you will learn how to enhance your application with custom business logic and rules. Throughout the chapters, you'll find out how to defend your apps against bad data, troubleshoot and debug your app, and finally, connect your app with real-world business platforms. The book is filled with walkthrough 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 will have understood the concept of low-code development, learned how to use Mendix, and developed a working app.

What you will learn

• Gain a clear understanding of what low-code development is and what drives this revolution
• Become familiar with the various elements of Mendix for rapid application development
• Discover concrete use cases of Studio Pro
• Build a fully functioning web and mobile app 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

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 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 a basic understanding of object-oriented programming and the ability to translate technical solutions from business requirements.

Table of Contents

1. Introducing Mendix
2. Getting to know the Mendix Platform
3. Getting to know Mendix Studio
4. Getting to Know Studio Pro
5. Getting Started with Your Baseline App
6. Understanding Domain Model Basics
7. Understanding the Basics of Page Design
8. Getting to Know Microflows
9. Customizing your App
10. Error Handling and Troubleshooting
11. Storing Data
12. Getting some REST
13. A Review and What's Next

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Title Page
Copyright and Credits
Foreword
Contributors
Table of Contents
Preface
Section 1: The Basics
Chapter 1: Introducing Mendix
What is low-code?
What is Mendix?
Summary
Knowledge check
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Mendix Platform
Creating an account
Home page overview and breakdown
Apps, People, and Community
Mendix Forum and Docs
Mendix App Store
Summary
Chapter 1 knowledge check answers
Chapter 2 knowledge check
Chapter 3: Getting to Know Mendix Studio
What is Mendix Studio?
Using Mendix Studio
A breakdown of the UI and features
Why would you use Mendix Studio?
Summary
Chapter 2 knowledge check answers
Chapter 3 knowledge check
Chapter 4: Getting to Know Studio Pro
What is Studio Pro?
Downloading and launching Studio Pro
UI breakdown
Summary
Chapter 3 knowledge check answers
Chapter 4 knowledge check
Section 2: Building Your First App
Chapter 5: Getting Started with Your Baseline App
Technical requirements
Managing apps in the Developer Portal
Creating a new app and writing your first user stories
Embracing a development methodology
Inviting collaborators to your Mendix app
Using Mendix Studio Pro and the Mendix App Store
Opening your app in Mendix Studio Pro
Installing a module from the Mendix App Store
Working with modules in your Mendix app
Creating a module
Deleting a module
Adding elements to modules
Finding project settings, security settings, and preferences
Managing project security
Maintaining project settings
Configuring project preferences
Summary
Chapter 4 knowledge check answers
Chapter 5 knowledge check
Chapter 6: Understanding Domain Model Basics
Technical requirements
Understanding the different entity types in a Mendix domain model
Creating an entity and setting entity properties
Working with attributes and getting to know data types
Getting to know attribute types
Adding attributes to an entity in the domain model
Creating associations between entities to relate objects
Adding an entity with associations
Designing a database for your Mendix app
Using validation rules at the entity level
Using event handlers in your domain model
Optimizing your database with indexes
Summary
Chapter 5 – Knowledge check answers
Chapter 6 – Knowledge check
Chapter 7: Understanding the Basics of Page Design
Technical requirements
Building user interfaces
Creating a new page
Understanding the Atlas UI framework
Applying layouts, widgets, and building blocks
Getting to know navigation layouts
Using common widgets
Creating with Atlas UI building blocks
Calling a page in your Mendix app
Understanding the main navigation
Calling a page directly
Calling a page from a microflow
Summary
Chapter 6 knowledge check answers
Chapter 7 knowledge check
Chapter 8: Getting to Know Microflows
Technical requirements
Understanding common microflow elements
Controlling the flow with events
Working with objects and lists
Using decisions to navigate your application logic
Validating phone number on save
Validating PhoneNumberType on save
Putting annotations in your microflow
Adding an annotation, or two…
Extracting a sub-microflow
Learning with Mendix Assist
Summary
Chapter 7 knowledge check answers
Chapter 8 knowledge check
Section 3: Leveling Up Your App
Chapter 9: Customizing Your App
Technical requirements
Having some fun with Mendix functions and expressions
Understanding string functions
Integer function calls
DateTime function calls
Enumeration function calls
Relational expressions
Understanding sub-microflows – when and why?
Grouping similar functions or logic
Reusability across your application
Improving the readability of large, complex microflows
Go (con)figure – configurable settings
Let's get some Java – Java actions
Additional validations
Changing requirements
Summary
Chapter 8 knowledge check answers
Knowledge check
Chapter 10: Error Handling and Troubleshooting
Technical requirements
Being defensive with your programming
empty and '' (blank) checks
Defensively minded if statements
Manually checking your code
Unit tests
Getting a handle on those errors – error handling
Error handling options
Channeling your inner lumberjack – logging
Stepping through it – the Debugger
Seeing it – developer pages
Overview pages
Let's go make it!
Summary
Knowledge check
Chapter 10 knowledge check
Chapter 11: Storing Data
Technical requirements
Creating associations for your data
One-to-one association
One-to-many (or many-to-one) associations
Many-to-many associations
Building functional modules
Cross-module associations
Understanding generalizations and specializations of entities
Pros
Cons
Conclusion about inheritance
Let's go make it!
Summary
Knowledge check
Chapter 11 knowledge check
Chapter 12: Getting Some REST
Technical requirements
Understanding REST
Testing your integration
Consuming REST
JSON structure
Import mapping
Message definition
Publishing REST
Export mapping
Published REST service
Understanding basic security and authorization
Let's go make it!
Summary
Knowledge check
Chapter 12 knowledge check
Chapter 13: A Review and What's Next
Reviewing the material
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Preparing for the next steps
Rapid Developer Certification (and beyond)
Advanced Certification
Expert Certification
Mendix MVP
Additional experience and resources
Summary
Chapter 12 knowledge check answers
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Other Books You May Enjoy
About Packt
Index