I love how straightforward it is to develop using Mendix. All the hassle of setting up database from scratch is removed and deployments are a breeze, leaving me free to play around with UI and UX which is where the user sees and feels the most value. Debugging is also very easy and clear, while microflows allow me to put together sophisticated logic actions in a very short space of time. It's amazing to be able to gather a set of requirements on Monday and show the team a proof of concept by Friday.
Mendix can feel a little constrained at times. There would be certain features a user or user representative would request and I know that to implement such a feature using Mendix would be ten times as difficult as "traditional" development, if it was even possible. There is also a little work to "undo" some of the out of the box features that Mendix provides a project with, if required, for example styling changes. But these changes are only necessary if you want a lot more control over how the app looks and works without using default settings. Some of the widgets could be very restrictive and you have to have a good idea of the granularity of data in order to manipulate the screens to their best potential.
I used Mendix to produce solutions for a telehealth team. The benefits of using this tool included being able to provide demonstrations of the product very soon after specification, as well as respond quickly to feedback and make appropriate alterations.
With Mendix, the time it takes to develop an application is very small. This way, the feedback-loop for the product is very small, which gives great value for the customer.
There are limitations to the platform, which sometimes cannot be easily worked-around.
I am participating in a project for an insurance company. We are are developing a tool to make offers to customers, and are ever extending the range of products we are offering.
Mendix takes a lot of the guesswork out of building business applications. They have a very solid framework for creating efficient databases, integrating with the databases and building various workflows (using microflows) to enable users to accomplish their goals. The app builder (Modeler) is very intuitive and makes it quite easy to visually prototype an app, gain agreement, then fully code the app. This process does not require a traditional, highly-skilled developer to get started. Mendix has a lot of integrations, great out-of-the-box UI components, native mobile and responsive capabilities, and a variety of ways to extend core functionality including the use of Java and Javascript. In addition to the development environment, their cloud hosting is also extremely convenient and quite worry-free for most applications.
What I dislike is less about the technology and more about the challenge it is to find developers with Mendix experience. While there are millions of Java or .Net developers in the world, there are thousands of Mendix developers. They are hard to come by and when you find them, they're costly. So what you might save in rapid development, you give (at least somewhat) in resource costs. Over time I would expect that to get better.
We have mainly been focused on building internal applications to improve and automate various business processes. In some cases the ROI is around needing fewer people to handle an increased workload (first application resulted in a 3x productivity gain). In others, the result is eliminating n external vendor application that was simply not integrated into anything else (reducing multiple-entry situations, increasing data quality, eliminating licensing costs). We've also found that we can be much more nimble with turn-around, nor only related to reduced reliance on external vendors, but with development cycles that are typically based on 2 week sprints.
Closing the gap between business and IT. The ease of use, looks fantastic visually. Its a full package, you do not have to think about scalability, security, uptime it has all been arranged.
The pricing should be more flexible for SME and with less recurring fee's.
IT departments have gained control, less dependency on different tool, more capability to innovate.
Mendix really excels at getting you started, but allows you to really dive in shortly thereafter, even for someone without a development background. It's also nice to not have to worry about setting up a database, and the built-in debugging does a great job of leading you to the root cause, and telling you what must be fixed. The community has also proven to be a huge boon, and answers to most issues are only a quick forum search or question away.
OOTB, Mendix lacks some functionality, such as email integration and authentication, but this is mitigated by leveraging their great and growing appstore, and some custom Java. The default UI/UX themes are workable, but a bit stale. Delivering a truly amazing experience requires some knowledge of CSS/SASS styling. As well, you must carefully evaluate the value in updating projects to newer versions of the Modeler, as some functionality may break when doing so.
We are mostly replacing legacy business applications with Mendix-built solutions. The speed at which solutions can be delivered has proven to be a huge benefit, as well as the ease and speed of iterating on feedback from the business side of the development relationship.
Great way to build business logic fast with enterprise grade security
pricing is a little high, but on par with competitors
optimisation of business processes adding value very quickly
Accelerating business & development, Easy to learn, Build business logic fast with enterprise grade security. The flexibility and fastness of the developing a new or existing app. The easy re-usability of created logic. The fast deployment to the cloud. The version control with multiple developers on the same project. I also like quickness in response when I have an issue with the software. The pace of innovation the platform enables. The improvement of the interaction between IT and the rest of the business.
Pricing is a bit high for smaller companies Sometimes the debugger stops with errors
Optimisation of business processes adding quick value
Speed of Development to allow quick feedback loops. Covers basic implementations very well.
Debugging failure within Micro-flows is difficult.
Faster loop back cycles is helping us develop and get feedback from the product development.