So you’re a developer, architect or project manager who has had time to become familiar with Vaadin, our open-source frameworks for Java backends, and Java UI components, and you think they’re great. Maybe you’ve already built a small app to really dive into what Vaadin has to offer. As a result, you’ve probably noticed how fast you can build sleek, modern UIs for Java web apps. Quite impressive, right?
Now you would love to use Vaadin in your day-to-day job in building or modernizing business apps, but unfortunately the decision isn’t yours. Nevertheless, where there’s a will, there’s a way. We’ll do some of the heavy lifting for you, and help you convince your boss to choose Vaadin for your team’s upcoming project. In this article, we share a few things to consider when making the business case on Vaadin to your boss.
Let’s jump in.
What is Vaadin?
In a nutshell, Vaadin is the company behind the open-source Vaadin frameworks for Java backends, Vaadin Flow and Hilla, and a comprehensive library of web components. As a company, we have been developing business web applications and the technologies that run them for over 20 years. Globally, our expertise is trusted by 150,000+ developers and 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies.
"Why?" you may ask. Well...
Vaadin has everything you need to build future-proof business apps...fast
Business web apps run all modern enterprises. They are used to solve complex and mission-critical problems to enable employees and businesses to succeed. However, developing and maintaining enterprise-grade apps can be a daunting task, since they require:
- Security in a world of increased cyber-threat
- Reliability, to ensure that users can always complete their work
- Collaboration between users, no matter where they work
- Accessibility, so anyone can use the app
- Usability, to avoid mistakes and be productive while using the app
- Compatibility with the latest web technologies
- Future-proofing, so that businesses can keep running.
Vaadin simplifies the process with an integrated web app development platform for Java backends. We provide you with the UI components, tools, and support you need in order to succeed, whether you’re looking to build a new app or modernize an existing one.
We want developers to focus on what matters – building great business apps efficiently that are a delight for end users. Here are just a few of the many ways we help you succeed in this mission:
- Great developer experience. Vaadin includes a comprehensive set of high-quality UI components, intuitive Java frameworks and integrated tooling that help you turn complex business requirements into apps with ease.
- Delightful user experience. All Vaadin UI components are designed and tested to be easy to use and accessible. Support remote and hybrid workers by securely integrating real-time collaboration with Collaboration Engine in your business app.
- Vaadin is secure by default. Vaadin Flow apps run on the server for maximal security and minimal attack surface. On the other hand, client-side Hilla apps automatically validate input on both the client and the server.
- You can depend on us. We offer industry-leading support for everything we do. Get up to 15 years of support for any Vaadin release to ensure your applications stay secure and functional as long as they need to.
Vaadin helps your app meet the demands of modern workplaces
Technologies age, new platforms emerge, customer requirements change and the standards for a great UX are ever-increasing. The end users of your app are used to the near-flawless UX offered by the consumer apps found in their back pockets, where corporations have a large budget to spend on polishing every view to perfection.
The case is a little different for business app budgets, but that doesn’t mean your users have to continue struggling with overly complicated business apps, whilst losing valuable time and productivity.
An improved user experience can boost workflow efficiency, reduce user errors and support costs, and increase overall user satisfaction. Forrester found that every dollar invested in UX returns 100 dollars. This is potentially a 9,900 percent ROI you shouldn’t miss out on. Vaadin can help you bring your application to the future.
Vaadin approaches their software development from a usability and user interface standpoint, where most other people were focusing on very technical aspects first.
- Merritt Dake, CEO, AXPM
Psst. Is your app on an older version of Vaadin?
Upgrading from a previous version of Vaadin is much more (cost-)efficient than doing a complete rewrite. The upgrade takes up to 80 percent less effort and resources than a complete rewrite on a comparable platform, as you can reuse your architecture, concepts, development model, backend and data binding.
UI Components to help your team develop faster
Vaadin comes with 45+ enterprise-grade components for web apps. Vaadin components are based on the open W3C Web Components standard, mobile-friendly, themable, accessible – and more.
Our components are designed to be compliant with the WCAG 2.0 level AA standard and both EU and US accessibility legislation, and are tested with assistive technologies. This is noteworthy, because, globally, an estimated one billion people experience some form of disability. With the Vaadin components, you can save time and money by building apps with a great user experience – for all users – faster.
Learn more about digital accessibility in our Accessibility Now webinar series.
Vaadin has an active Developer Community
It's no secret that having a strong and enthusiastic community around open-source technologies is one of the main driving factors in the success not only of open-source projects but, most importantly, of their users.
A stronger community means that you get more answers to questions, better learning resources, more bug fixes, more add-ons, better functionality and, in general, a higher level of confidence and success when using the technology.
We have a wide variety of learning resources, from tutorials and videos to blog posts, to help you and your team throughout their Vaadin journey. In addition, our growing Discord community and StackOverflow are the best places for you to find answers to your questions and join discussions.
We also host regular events and meetups, but do keep an eye out for our community member-driven meetups, like this one on Hilla.
The way forward
Hopefully you found the above talking points useful and feel more confident in suggesting Vaadin to your boss for an upcoming project, whether it be to build a new business app from scratch, or to modernize an existing application.
We have plenty of additional resources to dig into, such as the Vaadin blog and upcoming events and webinars. For more information on how Vaadin can help your company level up its business app, we’re happy to have a chat.