Unsung Unqork pops out no-code platform update | ZDNet

Unsung and unusually named Unqork, which makes a no-code enterprise software development platform that’s used daily by such clients as Goldman Sachs,  Liberty Mutual, and the cities of Washington, D.C., Chicago, and New York, has released its second platform update this year in Unqork 2021.10.

In the new version, the company has sped up platform performance and expanded its enterprise-grade security infrastructure, among other embellishments. The update was introduced today at the virtualized Unqork Create, billed as the first no-code software conference for enterprise development professionals. 

Included in v.2021.10 is the launch of Unqork Private Cloud, which provides a secure connection between the data management platform and an enterprise’s data center, so that traffic never leaves the private network. The release also introduces a new tool for streamlined testing across various enterprise functions; a grid system for aggregating, sorting, and extracting data; a parallel execution feature to support simultaneous business processes; and a workspace called Discovery Hub for developers and business users to work together to track, prioritize, and measure ROI of all projects.

Low-code and no-code software development, which allows developers to build applications by configuring graphical widgets and data fields instead of sifting through obtuse programming languages, has become widely popular in the last several years. Unqork’s version enables users to manage complex applications without writing a single line of code and streamlines the product sales process to improve customer experience, CEO and founder Gary Hoberman told ZDNet.

Focus on insurance, financial services, government

Unqork enables large companies to build complex custom software faster with higher quality and lower costs than conventional approaches, Hoberman said. The 4-year-old company offers solutions for insurance, financial services, and state and local government sectors.

“We came from the large-enterprise world, so we knew what these companies needed,” Hoberman said. “Everything we do is automated for DevOps. It’s cloud-agnostic; we can span any cloud provider and multiple cloud providers. And what that means is the customer can choose the best place they’re comfortable hosting, or they let us choose. But when we upgrade, every one (of the customers) gets upgraded, no matter which cloud instance, which cloud region, or which cloud area the app is in. We update the platform right across the board, so all our customers benefit from the experience of the community.”

This is unusual in that software-as-a-service providers normally update each user’s applications on an individual basis.

Unqork Private Cloud allows users to pass data securely between Unqork and their data centers, without ever leaving their private network and traversing the public internet. Direct connections like this are not the norm in today’s e-commerce world. Unqork Private Cloud works with on-premise data centers as well as through PrivateLink with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure clouds. By eliminating endpoints on the public internet, Unqork Private Cloud effectively seals off public openings for malicious actors, enhancing overall cloud security. 

The testing tool provides a central dashboard for users across an enterprise to initiate, track and automate testing. Within many enterprises, testing is a segmented process, spread across different teams (e.g AppDev, QA, DevOps), leading to inconsistencies or redundancies, with vulnerabilities sometimes going undetected. Unqork’s new Testing Tool brings all testing information into one central dashboard, allowing for enhanced visibility and coordination, resulting in higher-quality applications. 

Unqork’s grid system provides users with a database for managing, sorting, and extracting data. It aggregates high volumes of data from multiple sources, storing everything in a central repository. It enables users to export data with a single click into an Excel file. Users can even build new workflows on top of the grid, allowing developers to build new UX and UI patterns for the end-user, Hoberman said.

Lastly, the updated platform also includes Unqork’s new Discovery Hub, a central location where developers and business users can collaborate to track, prioritize, and measure ROI for ongoing projects; and a new Parallel Execution feature, which gives developers the ability to create workflows that support simultaneous automated processes.