rapiddevelopment

Rapid development refers to software development practices that prioritize speed, responsiveness, and frequent delivery of working software over extensive upfront planning. It aims to reduce cycle times by using iterative prototyping, early user involvement, and incremental delivery, allowing requirements to evolve as the project advances. The term is closely related to rapid application development (RAD), a framework popularized in the 1990s by James Martin that emphasizes prototyping, user feedback, and architecture that accommodates change.

Core techniques include time-boxed iterations, rapid prototyping, reusable components, and automation in build, testing, and deployment. Teams often employ low-code or no-code platforms, high-level frameworks, and model-driven approaches to accelerate development. Continuous integration, automated testing, and frequent releases support fast feedback loops and progress visibility.

Applications span information systems, enterprise software, web and mobile applications, and internal tools where speed-to-delivery is valued. Benefits include shorter time to market, improved stakeholder alignment, early risk mitigation, and the ability to adapt scope through incremental delivery. Potential drawbacks include higher risk of technical debt if quality controls are neglected, challenges in maintaining architecture, and difficulties in scaling to large, complex systems. The approach works best when combined with disciplined architecture, governance, and testing.

History and context: the concept emerged from both software engineering and systems development practices in the late 1980s and 1990s.

See also: agile software development, rapid prototyping, prototyping, low-code development.