What is our primary use case?
The GeneXus solution is used in various applications, and I apply it in many enterprises, including banks and insurance companies. It is also useful in social and medical enterprises.
What is most valuable?
GeneXus is a programming language that allows for the automatic insertion, updating, and deletion of information in the basic data while enabling automatic high and low modifications in the database. This feature frees up time to customize the application for other, potentially more complicated tasks. Utilizing GeneXus allows faster and cheaper program development, resulting in lower costs due to increased speed. Additionally, GeneXus offers good integration with third-party tools, which can enhance customization on the front-end, although with added complexity compared to normal. The front-end with GeneXus is not as good as the back-end.
What needs improvement?
GeneXus is a language that is more inclined to back-end than front-end. So, I would say that the front-end part needs improvement.
One such area of the solution to be improved is its ability to consume web services, while the other one is to make the solution's integration with other systems quicker. Though the solution's integration is good, it is also a little complicated, but not much. You have an option called "Object" in GeneXus, which can be of the same comportment or the same behavior.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for around twelve years now. So, I use this solution at work. Basically, I work with GeneXus 18. Also, I am a freelance developer for GeneXus.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I think the stability of the solution depends on the environment. For instance, if you are developing a bank, GeneXus is a good option. However, for an application where the front-end has more complex components that need to be connected with one another, GeneXus may not be a very good choice. Basically, it is an untold thing that GeneXus only allows you to view data on the screen and doesn't enable communication between other screen components unless a page reload is requested. However, you can have integration for a chat or chatbot.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate this solution an eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
I find the implementation process of GeneXus to be easy. You can develop it on Java with Apache or on Internet Explorer. The primary languages used in GeneXus are Java and .NET. While on GeneXus, I worked on Java and employed Apache Docker, which was a simple process. Once you have a machine configured with Apache Docker, GeneXus can perform several functions automatically.
I am not directly involved in the deployment task of the solution, but GeneXus enables the deployment of applications to the cloud for cell phone applications. I do not have any experience in deploying GeneXus on Azure or any other cloud-based solutions other than deploying it through Apache. We have servers in the enterprise in Argentina, and Apache is readily available. Essentially, servers and data centers for Apache are located in Argentina. Also, at times, some may have their own servers. In short, the GeneXus I use is deployed using servers by Apache. When you have established connections with an Apache server across three different development environments, you can choose to put the classes in a specific environment.
In my experience, I can only speak based on what I've encountered in terms of the time required to deploy a solution. When I work on a task that I've experienced before, it's typically easier for me to complete it. However, I may not always be able to replicate the same level of ease always.
What was our ROI?
I think that the reimbursement part for using GeneXus depends on the environment in which it is used. For example, it may not be suitable for custom development, but it can be convenient for big companies. The return on investment for using GeneXus is favorable for big companies.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
People tend to work with GeneXus if it's cheap, but GeneXus does have licensing policies. I don't know for sure, but I think I heard that just the license of GeneXus costs around 3,000 dollars per year. Moreover, the cost of resourcing work in GeneXus may make it more expensive than other programming languages.
What other advice do I have?
In my experience, GeneXus is a good programming language, but it has a different policy for developing applications compared to other languages. It's somewhat similar to Flutter. In fact, Flutter is a copy of GeneXus. Moreover, GeneXus has been in existence for thirty years or more.
Overall, I rate this solution a seven out of ten.