List of graphical user interface builders and rapid application development tools

Cross-platform RAD tools

• Accelerator Development Solutions provides end-to-end RAD generation and other productivity frameworks for C# and for cross platform support C.
• Alpha Five: A rapid development tool for building database driven web and mobile tools based on HTML5.
• Cincom MANTIS MANTIS is a comprehensive business application development system that is designed to increase productivity in all areas of application development—from initial design through production. By providing a high-level programming language and design facilities for creating MANTIS objects (forms, files, processes, etc.), MANTIS enables users to easily and effectively design, test and deploy business applications collaboratively.
• Code::Blocks is a cross-platform C/C++ RAD IDE using wxWidgets; the latest developmental builds have a built-in form designer wxSmith, so it's similar to Embarcadero C++ Builder and Microsoft Visual C++/MFC now.
• DaDaBIK is a software written in PHP aimed at fastly creating a CRUD (create, read, update, delete) database front-end or a simple database-driven application without coding. The DBMSs currently supported are: MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
• HyperNext is a freeware cross-platform software development system for Mac OS X & Mac OS 9, and Microsoft Windows XP & Vista. It has many similarities with HyperCard and can compile to both stand alone applications and stacks for the cross-platform HyperNext Player.
• Ebase Xi is a commercial rapid application development platform that combines web browser-based user interface development, business process management and data integration into a single-technology IDE.
• IBM Rational Business Developer Extension is a cross-platform, Rapid Application Development IDE for creating enterprise and web applications and services for Windows, Linux, Unix (Solaris, HPUX, AIX), System z and System i
• IBM Rational Application Developer is a cross-platform, Rapid Application Development IDE for creating enterprise and web applications and services for Windows, Linux and Unix (Solaris, HPUX, AIX)
• LANSA is a development environment for generating applications on multiple platforms. One of the main features of LANSA is its high level programming language, called RDML (Rapid Development and Maintenance Language). It is classified as a 4GL (4th generation language). LANSA-developed applications run on many systems including MS Windows, IBM i and Linux.
• Lazarus is a cross-platform IDE similar to Embarcadero Delphi.
• m-Power is a Software Development tool which automates application development and rapidly creates enterprise-class Web applications over any database or platform.
• MyEclipse is a Rapid Application Development environment, focusing on enterprise Java and Web application development. The specialty MyEclipse "Blue Edition" is most similar to IBM Rational Application Developer.
• NetBeans is a cross-platform, RAD IDE for creating visual desktop, mobile, web, and SOA applications for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. The IDE officially supports Java, PHP, JavaScript and C/C++ programming languages.
• nuBuilder is an open source browser based database development tool which stores all forms, reports, data and any custom code in MySQL and displays the content dynamically.
• Omnis Studio is a cross-platform, Rapid Application Development tool or IDE for creating enterprise and web applications for Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Mac OS X.
• OpenROAD is a cross-platform IDE for Linux/Unix, Windows with embedded SQL support
• Panther is a cross-platform (Windows, Unix, Linux; TUI, GUI, Web), cross-database RAD toolset for development of client–server and n-tier database-oriented applications.
• Real Studio is a cross-platform IDE for creating desktop applications for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. The language is similar to both VB and Java. It compiles to machine code, uses native controls and produces native executables.
• RadRails is a cross-platform IDE for creating Ruby on Rails web applications.
• Servoy Servoy is a cross-platform application development and deployment environment. Servoy consists of a GUI designer, is event-driven and runs scripts through JavaScript. Servoy allows applications to be deployed to both a native Smart client / Rich client and to a pure HTML Web client from the same codebase and user interface
• Smartface Platform: A cross platform tool for Windows used to create mobile applications for J2ME, Symbian S60, BlackBerry and Android, using drag-and-drop tools and action editing.
• Squeak is an open-source, cross-platform Smalltalk system which can be used to develop applications for desktop, mobile, server-based, and web platforms. Squeak supports Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Mac OS Classic, many flavors of Unix, and a handful of other operating systems. Squeak is the home of the Seaside RAD web app framework and multiple GUI toolkits, some of which allow the building of GUIs by drag and drop.
• Ultimate++ is a C++ cross-platform rapid application development framework, featuring an integrated development environment called TheIDE.
• Visual FoxPro With its local cursor engine, tight coupling between language and data, and various features, Visual FoxPro 9.0 can be used for building database solutions of all sizes. Its data-centric, object-oriented language offers developers a set of tools for building database applications for the desktop, client–server environments, or the Web. Developers will have tools to manage data, from organizing tables of information, running queries, and creating an integrated relational database management system (DBMS) to programming a fully developed data management application for end users. Note: Manufacturer announced in 2007 that there would be no future releases of this product.
• VisualWorks is a cross-platform Smalltalk RAD for creating desktop, mobile, enterprise, and web-based applications for Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Mac OS Classic, and a number of Unix systems. The system supports popular protocols and frameworks like ODBC, Seaside, and GemStone/S. Commercial and free non-commercial versions available.^[1]
• Web Dynpro is SAP's RAD to create web applications connected to function modules in mySAP ERP.
• WideStudio is an open source integrated development environment for desktop applications purely made in Japan.
• XVT is a cross-platform, Rapid Application Development IDE for creating enterprise and desktop applications in C/C++ on Windows, Linux, Unix (Solaris, HPUX, AIX), and Mac
• XPower++ is a cross-platform IDE for Windows, Linux, Mac OSX, and Mobile operating systems.
• CA Plex, a software development tool that combines the techniques of model-based development, patterns and code generation to accelerate the delivery and maintenance of multi-platform, distributed business applications
• Philasmicos Entwickler Studio is a cross-platform C/C++ RAD IDE for wxWidgets.

Cloud-based RAD tools

• Coghead (is out of business as of 2009)
• Mendix is an enterprise application platform that facilitates the building, deployment and integration of web and mobile applications.
• nuBuilder is an open source, browser based database development tool which stores all forms, reports, data and any custom code in MySQL and displays the content dynamically. With a tool available for converting from data, forms and reports from MS Access.
• Wavemaker is an open-source, visual, drag and drop development studio that runs in a browser and generates standard Java applications for deployment.
• Zoho Office Suite

Desktop rapid application development tools

• Accelerator for .NET provides end-to-end RAD generation and other productivity frameworks for .NET, including support for MVVM, WCF, and WF.
• Qt is a cross-platform application and UI framework. It includes a cross-platform class library, integrated development tools and a cross-platform IDE. Using Qt, you can write web-enabled applications once and deploy them across many desktop and embedded operating systems without rewriting the source code.^[2]
• C++Builder
• Clarion is a data-centric Advanced Rapid Application Development (ARAD) tool featuring roundtrip code generation that preserves all of your own hand-written code while allowing you to re-generate your application as often as needed. It provides reusable metadata to quickly create "corporate quality" applications to manage business data
• Code::Blocks
• Delphi^[3]
• Dolphin Smalltalk is a Smalltalk development environment for Windows with advance RAD features. Proprietary, with a free Community Edition.
• Delphi for PHP^[3]
• Ebase Xi is a commercial rapid application development platform that combines web browser-based user interface development, business process management and data integration into a single-technology IDE.
• Gambas Basic, Open source, Linux
• Gupta Team Developer / SQLWindows
• Habanero
• Microsoft Visual Basic^[4]
• Lazarus Pascal, Open Source, Multi-platform
• LiveCode
• Panther
• PowerBASIC Forms (PBForms)
• Real Studio from REAL Software is a cross-platform, drag and drop development tool that compiles to machine code, uses native controls and produces native executables for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and the web.
• Softwell Maker is a desktop IDE with a cross-platform deployment component allowing publish application into almost any Java enable system.
• wxDev-C++
• Microsoft Visual Foxpro
• WinDev
• XVT
• GNAVI
• VX-REXX Rexx-based development tool for OS/2 and eComStation

Database rapid application development tools

• AppFlower open source application builder using Propel with a visual designer for Model Add/Edit/View.
• Base One Foundation Component Library (BFC) is a RAD framework for building .NET applications using SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, Sybase, and MySQL databases.
• Cincom MANTIS MANTIS is a comprehensive business application development system that is designed to increase productivity in all areas of application development—from initial design through production. By providing a high-level programming language and design facilities for creating MANTIS objects (forms, files, processes, etc.), MANTIS enables users to easily and effectively design, test and deploy business applications collaboratively.
• Clarion is a data-centric Advanced Rapid Application Development (ARAD) tool featuring roundtrip code generation that preserves all of your own hand-written code while allowing you to re-generate your application as often as needed. It provides reusable metadata to quickly create "corporate quality" applications to manage business data
• CodeCharge Studio is a visual rapid application development environment for web-based database driven application development. CodeCharge Studio places emphasis on code generation technology to provide ASP.NET, PHP, JSP, Servlets, ColdFusion and Perl language support.
• DaDaBIK is a software written in PHP aimed at fastly creating a CRUD (create, read, update, delete) database front-end or a simple database-driven application without coding. The DBMSs currently supported are: MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
• Ebase Xi is a commercial rapid application development platform that combines web browser-based user interface development, business process management and data integration into a single-technology IDE.
• IBM Rational Business Developer Extension supports database application development for IBM DB2, IBM Informix, Oracle database, Microsoft SQL Server and other JDBC compliant relational databases
• IBM Rational Application Developer supports database application development for IBM DB2, IBM Informix, Oracle database, Microsoft SQL Server and other JDBC compliant relational databases
• IBM Lotus Notes is a RAD environment for collaboration and document management tasks.^[5]
• Iron Speed Designer is an application generator that builds database-driven web Web 2.0 applications for .NET. It creates application Web pages ASPX, user interface code and data access logic (C#, Visual Basic .NET; and SQL queries) without programming.
• FileMaker is a cross-platform database application from FileMaker Inc. (a subsidiary of Apple Inc.)^[6]
• OpenOffice.org Base is an open source database-driven RAD development environment for building client (desktop) based applications.
• Kexi is an open source database-driven RAD development environment for building desktop applications. It is considered an alternative to Open Office Base in the Open Source environment and provides similar features to commercially available RAD development environments such as FileMaker, Alpha Five and Microsoft Access.
• m-Power is a Software Development tool which automates application development and rapidly creates enterprise-class Web applications over any database or platform.
• nuBuilder is an open source browser based database development tool which stores all forms, reports, data and any custom code in MySQL and displays the content dynamically.
• Oracle Forms
• Oracle Application Express (Oracle APEX) is software development environment based on the Oracle database. It allows a very fast development cycle to be achieved to create web based applications.
• Outsystems Platform
• Panther is a cross-platform (Windows, Unix, Linux; TUI, GUI, Web), cross-database RAD toolset for development of C/S and n-tier database oriented applications.
• Real Studio from REAL Software is a cross-platform, visual, drag and drop development tool with an object-oriented language that has a report editor and supports database connectivity to SQLite, Oracle, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server (Windows only), Postgres and ODBC.
• Softwell Maker is an ultra RAP data-centric IDE with a cross-platform deployment component allowing publish application into almost any Java enable system.
• Sybase PowerBuilder is data-driven development tool for creating client/server, distributed, Web and Smart Clients applications for JEE, Win32, and .NET platforms.
• Visual DataFlex is a Windows based development environment for creating Windows and web-based database applications. Object oriented, database neutral, 3-tier model (database – business rules – user interface).
• Wavemaker is an open-source, visual, drag and drop development studio that runs in a browser and generates standard Java applications for deployment. Runs on Windows/Linux/MacOS.
• WinDev

Embedded control rapid application development tools

• VisSim is a block diagram language for model based embedded system development
• LabVIEW is a graphical programming language that allows you to program embedded off-the-shelf systems, FPGAs, custom designs
• EICASLAB is a Visual programming language that allows you to design embedded control architectures, providing assistance in modelling, simulation, rapid control prototyping and automatic code generation for the final target.

Notification/communication rapid application development tools

• Boomerang Software Framework – Boomerang is a notification/communication framework for professional developers that provides a service oriented infrastructure and a rapid development interface. The infrastructure supports e-mail out, printers, fax servers, file/ftp servers and incoming e-mail (e-mail to database).

Web-based RAD tools

• Active Agenda's code generator is a RAD development framework using XML specification files and the PHP development language.
• Alpha Five is a commercial RAD development environment for both client and web-server based database driven applications. This tool is typically classified with commercial packages such as Microsoft Access and FileMaker. Alpha Five has, in the last few years, evolved into becoming a real alternative to PHP, Visual Studio.net and Ruby for building database driven web apps, but in a lot less time because its RAD component approach.
• AppFlower is a very rapid application development framework for creating enterprise application without the need of coding. Advanced users can extend AppFlower applications using PHP, the Symfony framework and ExtJS.
• BFC is a RAD framework for both client and server-side development in the .NET environment.
• CakePHP is a RAD development framework using the PHP development language.
• Caspio is a platform-as-a-service framework that uses wizards instead of coding for RAD.
• CodeCharge Studio is a visual RAD development environment for web-based database driven application development. CodeCharge Studio places emphasis on code generation technology to provide ASP.NET, PHP, JSP, Servlets, ColdFusion and Perl language support.
• Zend Framework is an open source, object-oriented web application framework licensed under the New BSD License.
• Django is an open source web application framework, written in Python, which loosely follows the model-view-controller design pattern.^[7]
• Ebase Xi is a commercial rapid application development platform that combines web browser-based user interface development, business process management and data integration into a single-technology IDE.
• IBM Rational Business Developer Extension is a cross-platform, Rapid Application Development IDE for creating enterprise and web applications and services for Windows, Linux, Unix (Solaris, HPUX, AIX), System z and System i
• Grails is an open-source Groovy-based high-productivity framework inspired by Ruby on Rails and following the "coding by convention" paradigm. Grails applications can run in standard Java servlet containers.
• Iron Speed Designer is an application generator that builds database-driven web Web 2.0 applications for .NET. It creates application Web pages ASPX, user interface code and data access logic (C#, Visual Basic .NET; and SQL queries) without programming.
• Joget Workflow is an open source web-based application builder with emphasis on workflow and Business Process Management.
• LibreSource
• Portofino is an open source web application framework written in Java and extensible using Groovy that generates a web application from an existing database.
• Morfik is a Windows web RAD tool with cross platform deployment.
• m-Power is a Software Development tool which automates application development and rapidly creates enterprise-class Web applications over any database or platform.
• nuBuilder is an open source browser based database development tool which stores all forms, reports, data and any custom code in MySQL and displays the content dynamically.
• OpenXava is a domain-driven Java framework for rapid development of AJAX applications. It's open source.
• Oracle Application Development Framework uses Oracle's JDeveloper a FREE IDE that supports ADF's J2EE based framework.
• Panther is a cross-platform (Windows, Unix, Linux; TUI, GUI, Web), cross-database RAD toolset for development of client–server and n-tier database oriented applications.
• Pylons is a set of open source web application frameworks, written in Python, which makes extensive use of the Web Server Gateway Interface (WSGI) standard to promote re-usability and to separate functionality into distinct modules.
• Pinax is python/django based platform for rapidly developing web based apps that integrates reusable Django apps and providing starter projects and infrastructure tools, so your apps already have capabilities like user registration, login, lost password workflows etc.
• radPHP commercial, visual, rapid application development IDE for PHP by Embarcadero (formerly Delphi for PHP)^[3]
• Real Studio Web Edition is a rapid application development environment for the web. The language is object oriented and is similar to both VB and Java. Applications are uniquely compiled to binary code.
• Ruby on Rails sponsored by 37signals^[7]
• Scriptcase is a powerful tool to increase web development productivity. It supports most databases available generating highly customizable PHP code, AJAX and JQUERY.
• Spring Roo is an open source rapid application development tool that produces Java-based Spring applications.^[8]
• Symfony
• Visual DataFlex is a Windows based development environment for creating advanced web-based database applications using AJAX. Object oriented, database neutral, 3-tier model (database – business rules – user interface).
• Web2py is a RAD framework for web-based database driven applications with key features including in-browser coding support, admin/design interface, DAL (database abstraction layer), and translation support.
• WebDev
• Wavemaker visual, drag and drop development, standard Java deployment, open source (Windows/Linux/MacOS). It has been acquired by VMWARE and now offers community and professional versions of the product.
• Wolf Frameworks is a 100% AJAX, XML & .NET based Platform for designing and delivering cross platform web applications using a browser.
• Yii Framework Yii is a high-performance PHP framework best for developing Web 2.0 applications.

Components based on rapid application development paradigm

• Add-in Express provides a number of rapid development tools for creating extensions for Microsoft Office applications and Internet Explorer using Visual Studio and Delphi.
• Panther is a cross-platform (Windows, Unix, Linux; TUI, GUI, Web), cross-database RAD toolset for development of n-tier component based database oriented applications. It builds native components employing the same visual paradigm used for client screens. Editions for middleware from IBM, BEA and Microsoft exist (and can be combined).

References