Report:
The Forrester Wave™: Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers, Q2 2025
How does Forrester define the Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers market in 2025?
Low-code platforms for professional developers are evolving toward application generation (AppGen) platforms as AI transforms both software development and delivery. Most developers globally now use low-code for most development work. The market is experiencing unprecedented change driven by AI-infused use cases (agents), dramatic improvements in SDLC automation via TuringBots, and the shift toward platform-first software strategies. Fundamental platform components (data modeling, UX development, digital process automation, SDLC management, developer governance) remain most important, while AI features are rapidly evolving across all vendors. The future IT operating model will depend on federating development beyond IT roles, requiring platforms that serve both professional and citizen developers.
Key Facts for The Forrester Wave™: Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers, Q2 2025 in 2025
- Publication Date: 08-May-2025
- Document ID: 80a93734
- Summary: In our evaluation of low-code platforms for professional developer providers, we identified the most significant ones and researched, analyzed, and scored them. This report shows how each provider measures up and helps you select the right one for your needs.
- Authors: John Bratincevic
How did the Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers market evolve in 2025?
- Low-code platform adoption continues to rise, with most developers globally now using low-code for most of their development work
- The market is moving toward application generation (AppGen) platforms where firms increasingly generate and adapt solutions as they adopt platform-first software strategies
- AI-infused use cases (such as agents) and AI in the software development lifecycle (via TuringBots) are upending traditional software development calculus
- The AI feature race has barely started, with virtually every vendor having aggressive plans for SDLC automation and AI-infused applications
- The pace of change in this sector is unprecedented, with those ahead in AI features today likely not maintaining that lead in a matter of months
- Fundamental components (data modeling, UX development, digital process automation, SDLC management, developer governance) remain the most important long-term considerations
- The future IT operating model will depend on federation of software development to those outside IT, requiring citizen development capabilities even in professional tools
- 13 providers were evaluated in this assessment across Leaders, Strong Performers, and Contenders categories
What product features are required to be included in this year's evaluation?
- Broad enterprise-level support for functionality in low-code platforms for pro developers. The vendor natively provides all core functions for this space and has a demonstrated track record of supporting large enterprises as a broad general-development platform.
- A solution for purchase as a standalone product, with a relevant go-to-market strategy. The product has its own SKU and pricing and is not solely available as a free feature within a larger portfolio, and the platform's executed go-to-market strategy aligns with the professional developer low-code market.
- Significant mindshare in the developer market. We've heard about the product from Forrester clients in the form of low-code inquiries, advisories, consulting engagements, and other interactions, or the platform is prominent as a primary low-code platform in our developer survey data.
What are the common features of top products in the Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers space?
No common features specified.
Scope Exclusions
- Vendors without standalone product SKUs and pricing
- Products only available as free features within larger portfolios
- Vendors lacking enterprise-level support track record
- Platforms without all core low-code functions natively provided
- Vendors with insufficient mindshare in developer market
- Products not prominent in Forrester client inquiries or developer survey data
Inclusion Criteria
Vendors must, among other requirements:
- Broad enterprise-level support for functionality in low-code platforms for professional developers
- Solution available for purchase as a standalone product with relevant go-to-market strategy
- Significant mindshare in the developer market through client inquiries and survey data
Offering Strengths — Relative Weighting
- Data modeling and management — 10%
- Integration development tools and adapters — 7%
- Digital process automation — 10%
- GenAI and agentic tools — 5%
- Other AI tools (non-genAI) — 2%
- UX development tools — 10%
- Mobile and wearable app development — 3%
- Reporting and business intelligence — 2%
- Version control and CI/CD — 8%
- Quality assurance and testing — 5%
- Application deployment options — 2%
- Agile planning and collaboration — 3%
- Application generation — 8%
- Tools for citizen developers — 5%
- Developer RBAC — 5%
- Use case governance and guardrails — 5%
- Portfolio management — 5%
- Platform security practices and certifications — 2%
- Tools for coding — 3%
Strategy Strength — Relative Weighting
- Vision — 25%
- Innovation — 25%
- Roadmap — 25%
- Partner ecosystem — 5%
- Pricing flexibility and transparency — 5%
- Community — 5%
- Supporting services and offerings — 10%
FAQs
Q: What does this research cover?
A: This research evaluates 13 low-code platform providers for professional developers across current offering capabilities, strategic vision, and customer feedback. The evaluation focuses on platforms that provide enterprise-level support for core low-code functionality including data modeling, UX development, digital process automation, AI/ML tools, integration, SDLC management, and developer governance. The report assesses each vendor's strengths and weaknesses in delivering AI-enabled application generation capabilities while maintaining strong fundamental platform components.
Q: Who should use this research?
A: Low-code platforms for professional developer customers should use this evaluation to inform purchase decisions by considering: 1) The fundamental platform components (data modeling, UX, DPA, SDLC, governance) as the most important long-term factors, 2) Vendor roadmaps and AI feature announcements given the unprecedented pace of change in the sector, and 3) Whether the platform's integrated development environments are suitable for citizen developers if federated development is part of their IT operating model strategy. The evaluation helps identify vendors based on specific needs such as complex automation, high-scale applications, industrial use cases, Microsoft/SAP ecosystems, or multiplatform mobile development.
Q: What are the mandatory features of vendors included in this market?
A: Vendors must provide comprehensive enterprise-level low-code functionality natively, including data modeling and storage, UX development tools, digital process automation capabilities, SDLC management features, and developer governance controls. The platform must be available as a standalone purchasable product with its own SKU and pricing, not merely bundled as a free add-on. Vendors must demonstrate proven track records supporting large enterprises for broad general-purpose application development. Finally, platforms must show significant market presence through Forrester client inquiries, consulting engagements, or prominence in developer survey data indicating meaningful adoption and mindshare in the professional developer community.
Q: What are some reasons for not being included in this report?
A:
- Product only available bundled with other offerings without standalone pricing
- Lack of native support for core low-code platform functions
- Limited or no enterprise customer track record
- Insufficient market mindshare or adoption in professional developer community
- Go-to-market strategy not aligned with professional developer low-code market
- Niche or specialized platforms not suitable for broad general-purpose development
- Vendors that declined to participate in evaluation process
- Platforms lacking demonstrated capability across all evaluated functional areas
Q: What should buyers consider when evaluating products in this market?
A:
- Fundamental components (data modeling, UX development, digital process automation, SDLC management, developer governance) are most important long-term
- AI features are rapidly evolving - closely monitor vendor roadmaps and announcements rather than current AI capabilities alone
- Consider citizen development requirements even for professional developer platforms due to future IT operating model changes
- Evaluate IDE suitability for both professional and citizen developers
- Assess platform tools for managing and governing large populations of developers and applications
- Consider quality and integration of core platform components over AI feature leadership
- Review pricing transparency and complexity across vendors
- Evaluate deployment flexibility (cloud-only vs. on-premises vs. multi-cloud options)
- Assess vendor ecosystem including partner networks, marketplaces, and community size
- Consider industry-specific capabilities and compliance certifications if relevant
Q: How has the Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers market evolved in 2025?
A:
- Low-code platform adoption continues to rise with most developers globally using low-code for most development work
- AI-infused use cases such as agents are driving new application patterns
- TuringBots and AI in the SDLC are dramatically improving development productivity
- Movement toward application generation (AppGen) platforms where firms generate and adapt solutions
- Adoption of platform-first software strategies
- AI feature race across vendors with unprecedented pace of change
- Federation of software development to citizen developers outside IT roles
- Focus on AI governance and pragmatic AI implementation
- Shift from traditional software market segments toward unified AppGen platforms
Q: What differentiates Strength of Offering vs. Strength of Strategy?
A: Strength of Offering (vertical axis) evaluates current product capabilities across functional areas like data modeling, UX development, AI tools, automation, SDLC management, and governance features. Strength of Strategy (horizontal axis) assesses forward-looking elements including vendor vision, innovation track record, product roadmap, ecosystem partnerships, pricing transparency, community size, and support services. Offering focuses on what the platform can do today, while Strategy evaluates the vendor's direction and long-term viability.
Reference
- Forrester, The Forrester Wave™: Low-Code Platforms For Professional Developers, Q2 2025, 08-May-2025, ID 80a93734
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