Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

MindSphere

2018-11-15T15:03:22Z

Lowcoder: Removed Inaccurate Line

{{Infobox software
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| status = Active
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| website = {{URL|https://www.mindsphere.io/}}
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'''MindSphere''' is an open [[Cloud computing|cloud platform]] or “IoT operating system”<ref>“MindSphere — open IoT operating system - Software - Siemens Global Website”. siemens.com. Retrieved 2017-10-13.</ref> developed by [[Siemens]] for applications in the context of the Internet of Things ([[Internet of things|IoT]]).<ref name=":0">Naujoks, Stefanie. “MindSphere – Siemens cloud for industry: What is it all about?” pac-online.com. Retrieved 2016-05-09.</ref>
MindSphere stores operational data and makes it accessible through digital applications (“MindApps”) to allow industrial customers to make decisions based on valuable factual information.<ref name=":1">Weinländer, Markus. (2017) Industrielle Kommunikation: Basistechnologie für die Digitalisierung der Industrie. Beuth Verlag. pp. 59-60. {{ISBN|978-3-410-26857-4}}.</ref> The system is used in applications such as automated production and vehicle fleet management.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">Reinheimer, Stefan. (ed.) (2017) Industrie 4.0: Herausforderungen, Konzepte und Praxisbeispiele. Springer Verlag. p. 26. {{ISBN|978-3-658-18164-2}}.</ref>

Assets can be securely connected to MindSphere with auxiliary MindSphere products (e.g. MindConnect IoT2040 or MindConnect Nano) that collect and transfer relevant machine and plant data.<ref name=":0" />

Examples include real-time telemetric data from moving assets like cars, time series data and geographical data, which can be used for predictive maintenance or to develop new analytical tools.<ref name=":2" /><ref>5. Srnicek, Nick. (2017) ''Platform Capitalism.'' Polity Press. {{ISBN|978-1-5095-0490-9}}.</ref>

== Overview ==
As cloud-based PaaS ([[platform as a service]]), MindSphere collects and analyzes all kinds of sensor data in real time.<ref name=":2" /> This information can be used to optimize products, production assets and manufacturing processes along the entire value chain.<ref name=":3">Dowling, Michael; Eberspächer, Jörg; Neuburger, Rahild; Noll, Elisabeth; Zisler, Kristina. (2016) Neue Produkte in der digitalen Welt. Books on Demand. {{ISBN|9783741278419}}.</ref> MindSphere’s open application interfaces make it possible to obtain data from machines, plants or entire fleets irrespective of the manufacturer.<ref name=":0" /> These interfaces include [[OPC Foundation]]’s OPC Unified Architecture ([[OPC UA]]).<ref>Weinländer, Markus. (2017) Industrielle Kommunikation: Basistechnologie für die Digitalisierung der Industrie. Beuth Verlag. pp. 56. {{ISBN|978-3-410-26857-4}}.</ref>

To help customers create their own software applications and services, MindSphere is equipped with open application programming interfaces (APIs) and development tools.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> This allows [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]]<nowiki/>s to integrate their own technology.<ref>Schmalz, Kurt; Winter, Albrecht. (2016) “Trends in Vacuum Technology and Pneumatics in the Context of Digitalization”. qucosa.de. Retrieved 2017-10-09.</ref>

MindSphere is based on the concept of closed feedback loops enabling the bi-directional data flow between production and development:<ref>Williamson, Jonny. (2017) “Mindsphere: the next step in digital factories”. themanufacturer.com. Retrieved 2017-09-04.</ref> Real-world plants, machines and equipment can be connected to MindSphere in order to extract operational data.<ref name=":0" /> Valuable information (e.g. “[[digital twin]]s” of machines) can then be extrapolated from the raw data through analytics and utilized to optimize products as well as production processes and environments in the next cycle of innovation.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>Dillon, Stuart; Schönthaler, Frank; Vossen, Gottfried. (2017) ''The Web at Graduation and Beyond: Business Impacts and Developments''. Springer Verlag. p. 266. {{ISBN|978-3-319-60160-1}}</ref>

== Timeline ==
* August 2017 – End of closed beta phase and release of MindSphere Version 2.0
* January 2018 – Release of MindSphere Version 3.0 on [[Amazon Web Services|AWS]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en/about_us/newsroom/press/press_release.cfm?Component=259664&ComponentTemplate=822|title=Siemens’ MindSphere with industry-driven solutions now on Amazon Web Services (AWS)|website=plm.automation.siemens.com|accessdate=11 February 2018}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Internet of Things]]
* [[Industry 4.0]]

{{Clear}}

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{official website|https://www.mindsphere.io/}}

{{Cloud computing}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Industrial Internet}}

[[Category:Industrial automation]]
[[Category:Internet of things]]
[[Category:Big data products]]
[[Category:Industrial computing]]
[[Category:Technology forecasting]]
[[Category:Articles created via the Article Wizard]]
[[Category:Cloud platforms]]

Mobile enterprise application platform

2018-04-13T20:12:49Z

Lowcoder: /* See also */

{{multiple issues|{{Refimprove|date=June 2011}}
{{buzzwords|date=January 2016}}
{{peacock|date=January 2016}}}}

A '''mobile enterprise application platform''' (MEAP) is a suite of products and services that enable development of mobile applications. The term was coined in a [[Gartner Magic Quadrant]] report in 2008 when they renamed their "multi-channel access gateway market".<ref>"We've renamed the multichannel access gateway market to the mobile enterprise application platform market, reflecting its maturation, Apple's entry, and the move of mobile tools and platforms to the application development mainstream." Michael J. King, William Clark, "Magic Quadrant for Mobile Enterprise Application", [http://www.gartner.com/id=843412 Gartner] Note G00162969, 18 December 2008. The following year Gartner added the "mobile consumer application platform" category in [http://www.gartner.com/id=1244613 another magic quadrant report].</ref>

==Purpose==
MEAPs address the difficulties of developing mobile software by managing the diversity of devices, networks and user groups at the time of deployment and throughout the [[mobile computing]] technology lifecycle. Unlike standalone apps, a MEAP provides a comprehensive, long-term approach to deploying mobility. [[Cross-platform]] considerations are one big driver behind using MEAPs. For example, a company can use a MEAP to develop the mobile application once and deploy it to a variety of mobile devices (including smart phones, tablets, notebooks and ruggedized handhelds) with no changes to the underlying [[business logic]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Michael Brandenburg, Technical Editor |url=http://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/tutorial/Mobile-enterprise-application-platforms-A-primer |title=Mobile enterprise application platforms: A primer |publisher=Searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com |date= |accessdate=2013-05-08}}</ref>

Platform applications are best for companies that wish to deploy multiple applications on a single infrastructure, scaled to the size of their current mobile field force and available in an online and offline mode.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://storage.slalom.com/assets/documents/wp-meap-pov.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2011-08-08 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330123247/http://storage.slalom.com/assets/documents/wp-meap-pov.pdf |archivedate=30 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Mobile platforms provide higher level languages and easy development templates to simplify and speed the mobile application development timeframe, requiring less programming knowledge for mobile business application deployment.

==Rule of three==
Gartner observed companies consider the MEAP approach when they need to:
#Support three or more mobile applications
#Support three or more mobile [[operating system]]s (OS)
#Integrate with at least three back-end data sources

Gartner promoted using a common mobility platform in this situation.<ref>Gartner RAS Core Research Note G00211688, Michael J. King, William Clark, 20 April 2011</ref>

==Components and features==
===Structure===
A MEAP is generally composed of two parts: a ''mobile [[middleware]] server'' and a ''mobile client application''.
A middleware server handles all system integration, security, communications, scalability, cross-platform support, etc. No data is stored in the middleware server—it just manages data from the back-end system to the mobile device and back.

[[Mobile application]]s are software that connect to the middleware server and drives both the user interface and the business logic on the device. These applications are often able to transfer seamlessly across the [[Mobile operating system]], as a platform to launch applications upon. Mobile apps can be deployed as [[Fat client|"thick" applications]]—or native apps that are installed on the device—or rendered in the device's browser using technologies such as HTML5 (something that's often called the "thin" approach). Whether a "thick" or [[Thin client|"thin" application]] is deployed depends on application complexity, device support, requirements for user experience, and the need for app availability in the absence of network coverage.

===Features and capabilities===
*MEAPs can support more than one type of mobile device and operating system without having to maintain separate sets of code.
*MEAP typically contains a mobile middleware server where integration connectivity, security, app management are supported.
*Most MEAPs use techniques that do not require writing code to extend them. This can use an industry standard [[integrated development environment]], such as Eclipse.
:Some tools have a hybrid mode, which use JavaScript based UI design SDK, such as [[Dojo Toolkit]], [[YUI Library]], [[jQuery Mobile]], [[Sencha Touch]]. And a new JavaScript based Device featured APIs encapsulation (GeoLoc, Connective, AccMeter, Camera, G sensor, Events, File system, etc.) is plugged into IDE as well, such as [[PhoneGap]] ([[Apache Cordova]]), [[Appcelerator]]. That means a custom APP can use most of mobile device features without any of 4GL coding or native coding, and make it once developed, deployed anywhere.
*MEAPs evolve the principle of defining the mobile business support [[mobile workflow]] and embedded functionalities by moving beyond 4GL tools towards using the graphical environment and dedicated script language.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.i-rose.si/en/i-track-modules |title= MSP, Mobile Service Platform |website = i-Rose, Ltd |accessdate=26 December 2013 }}</ref>
*Integrate with multiple server data sources for leverage SOA services from backend systems.
*Leverage development skill and tools one already knows and expertise one already has. More details are in the [[Mobile application development]] section.
*Centrally manage mobile applications. The management of the actual devices that is more tailored for B2E scenario and it is typically done with the [[mobile device management]] (MDM). As well, some enable [[bring your own device]] features by integrating with MDM.
*Enhance existing business platforms by making them accessible to users anywhere, at any time.
*MEAPs Can be run on the cloud<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.configure.it/blog/many-device-to-many-platform-mobile-app-integration-is-no-longer-challenge/ |title=Many-device-to-many-platform Mobile App Integration is No Longer a Challenge |publisher=Configure.IT |date= |accessdate=2014-11-20}}</ref>

A 2011 marketing report predicted a $1.6 billion market by 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?ProductID=6206411 |title=Global Mobile Enterprise Applications Platforms (MEAPS) 2010-2014 |publisher= Infiniti Research Limited |work= Market Research web site |date= 24 March 2011 |accessdate= 25 March 2017 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Cross-platform software]]
*[[Field service management]]
*[[Application server]]
*[[Low-code development platforms]]
*[[Mobile application development]]
*[[Multi-channel app development]]
*[[Mobile backend as a service]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2011}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mobile Enterprise Application Framework}}
[[Category:Mobile business software|Enterprise application platform]]
[[Category:Enterprise architecture]]
[[Category:Mobile software programming tools|Enterprise application platform]]

Enterprise software

2018-04-13T19:59:17Z

Lowcoder: /* Types */

'''Enterprise software''', also known as '''enterprise application software''' ('''EAS'''), is [[computer software]] used to satisfy the needs of an [[organization]] rather than individual users. Such organizations include businesses, schools, interest-based user groups, clubs, charities, and governments.<ref name="sitaker">{{cite web|last1=Sitaker|first1=Kragen|title='Enterprise software' is a social, not technical, phenomenon|url=https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg00109.html|accessdate=12 November 2016|date=2005}}</ref> Enterprise software is an integral part of a (computer-based) [[information system]].

Services provided by enterprise software are typically business-oriented tools, such as online shopping, and [[online payment]] processing, interactive product catalogue, automated billing systems, security, [[Business process management|Business Process Management]], [[enterprise content management]], [[IT service management]], [[customer relationship management]], [[enterprise resource planning]], [[business intelligence]], [[project management]], [[collaboration]], [[human resource management]], manufacturing, [[Occupational safety and health|occupational health and safety]], [[enterprise application integration]], and [[enterprise forms automation]].

As enterprises have similar departments and systems in common, enterprise software is often available as a suite of customizable programs. Generally, the complexity of these tools requires specialist capabilities and specific knowledge.

==Definitions==
Enterprise Software describes a collection of computer programs with common business applications, tools for modeling how the entire organization works, and development tools for building applications unique to the organization.<ref>[http://www.gregvogl.net/courses/mis1/glossary.htm Management Information Systems Glossary of Terms]</ref> The software is intended to solve an enterprise-wide problem, rather than a departmental problem. Enterprise level software aims to improve the enterprise's productivity and efficiency by providing [[business logic]] support functionality.

According to [[Martin Fowler]], "Enterprise applications are about the display, manipulation, and storage of large amounts of often complex data and the support or automation of [[business processes]] with that data."<ref>[[Martin Fowler]], "Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture" (2002). Addison Wesley.</ref>

Although there is no single, widely accepted list of enterprise software characteristics,<ref>[http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=504043 What is Enterprise Software?]</ref> they generally include [[Software performance testing|performance]], [[scalability]], and [[Robustness (computer science)|robustness]]. Furthermore, enterprise software typically has interfaces to other enterprise software (for example [[Lightweight Directory Access Protocol|LDAP]] to [[directory service]]s) and is centrally managed (a single admin page, for example).<ref>[http://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/enterprise-application-software/ Gartner Group: IT Glossary - enterprise application software]</ref>

Enterprise [[application software]] performs business functions such as order processing, procurement, production scheduling, customer information management, energy management, and accounting. It is typically hosted on servers and provides simultaneous services to a large number of users, typically over a computer network. This is in contrast to a single-user application that is executed on a user's personal computer and serves only one user at a time.

== Types ==
Enterprise software can be categorized by business function. Each type of enterprise application can be considered a "system" due to the integration with a firm's business processes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/enterprise_application.html |title=What is enterprise application? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary |publisher=Webopedia.com |date= |accessdate=2013-06-16}}</ref> Categories of enterprise software may overlap due to this systemic interpretation. For example, IBM's Business Intelligence platform (Cognos), integrates with a predictive analytics platform (SPSS) and can obtain records from its database packages (Infosphere, DB2). Blurred lines between package functions make delimitation difficult, and in many ways larger software companies define these somewhat arbitrary categories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/techarticle/dm-0810wurst/index.html |title=Integrate InfoSphere Warehouse data mining with IBM Cognos reporting, Part 1: Overview of InfoSphere Warehouse and Cognos integration architecture |publisher=Ibm.com |date=2008-10-30 |accessdate=2013-06-16}}</ref> Nevertheless, certain industry standard product categories have emerged, and these are shown below :
* [[Accounting software]]
* [[Electronic billing|Billing]] Management
* [[Business intelligence]]
* [[Business process management]]
* [[Content management system]] (CMS)
* [[Customer relationship management]] (CRM)
* [[Database]]
** [[Master data management]] (MDM)
* [[Enterprise resource planning]] (ERP)
* [[Enterprise asset management]] (EAM)
* [[Low-code development platforms]] (LCDP)
* [[Supply chain management]] (SCM)
* [[Backup software]]
* [[Product data management]] (PDM)
* [[Product lifecycle|Product lifecyle management]] (PLM)
*SAP system application products.

==See also==
* [[Application_release_automation#ARA_Solutions| Application Release Automation Software]]
* [[Business informatics]]
* [[Business software]]
* [[Enterprise architecture]]
* [[Enterprise forms automation]]
* [[Identity management]]
* [[Identity management system]]
* [[Information technology management]]
* [[Integrated business planning]]
* [[Management information system]]
* [[Operational risk management]]
* [[Retail software]]
* [[Strategic information system]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Enterprise Software}}
[[Category:Business software]]
[[Category:Enterprise architecture]]

Enterprise software

2018-04-13T19:58:54Z

Lowcoder: /* Types */

'''Enterprise software''', also known as '''enterprise application software''' ('''EAS'''), is [[computer software]] used to satisfy the needs of an [[organization]] rather than individual users. Such organizations include businesses, schools, interest-based user groups, clubs, charities, and governments.<ref name="sitaker">{{cite web|last1=Sitaker|first1=Kragen|title='Enterprise software' is a social, not technical, phenomenon|url=https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/msg00109.html|accessdate=12 November 2016|date=2005}}</ref> Enterprise software is an integral part of a (computer-based) [[information system]].

Services provided by enterprise software are typically business-oriented tools, such as online shopping, and [[online payment]] processing, interactive product catalogue, automated billing systems, security, [[Business process management|Business Process Management]], [[enterprise content management]], [[IT service management]], [[customer relationship management]], [[enterprise resource planning]], [[business intelligence]], [[project management]], [[collaboration]], [[human resource management]], manufacturing, [[Occupational safety and health|occupational health and safety]], [[enterprise application integration]], and [[enterprise forms automation]].

As enterprises have similar departments and systems in common, enterprise software is often available as a suite of customizable programs. Generally, the complexity of these tools requires specialist capabilities and specific knowledge.

==Definitions==
Enterprise Software describes a collection of computer programs with common business applications, tools for modeling how the entire organization works, and development tools for building applications unique to the organization.<ref>[http://www.gregvogl.net/courses/mis1/glossary.htm Management Information Systems Glossary of Terms]</ref> The software is intended to solve an enterprise-wide problem, rather than a departmental problem. Enterprise level software aims to improve the enterprise's productivity and efficiency by providing [[business logic]] support functionality.

According to [[Martin Fowler]], "Enterprise applications are about the display, manipulation, and storage of large amounts of often complex data and the support or automation of [[business processes]] with that data."<ref>[[Martin Fowler]], "Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture" (2002). Addison Wesley.</ref>

Although there is no single, widely accepted list of enterprise software characteristics,<ref>[http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=504043 What is Enterprise Software?]</ref> they generally include [[Software performance testing|performance]], [[scalability]], and [[Robustness (computer science)|robustness]]. Furthermore, enterprise software typically has interfaces to other enterprise software (for example [[Lightweight Directory Access Protocol|LDAP]] to [[directory service]]s) and is centrally managed (a single admin page, for example).<ref>[http://www.gartner.com/it-glossary/enterprise-application-software/ Gartner Group: IT Glossary - enterprise application software]</ref>

Enterprise [[application software]] performs business functions such as order processing, procurement, production scheduling, customer information management, energy management, and accounting. It is typically hosted on servers and provides simultaneous services to a large number of users, typically over a computer network. This is in contrast to a single-user application that is executed on a user's personal computer and serves only one user at a time.

== Types ==
Enterprise software can be categorized by business function. Each type of enterprise application can be considered a "system" due to the integration with a firm's business processes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/enterprise_application.html |title=What is enterprise application? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary |publisher=Webopedia.com |date= |accessdate=2013-06-16}}</ref> Categories of enterprise software may overlap due to this systemic interpretation. For example, IBM's Business Intelligence platform (Cognos), integrates with a predictive analytics platform (SPSS) and can obtain records from its database packages (Infosphere, DB2). Blurred lines between package functions make delimitation difficult, and in many ways larger software companies define these somewhat arbitrary categories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/data/library/techarticle/dm-0810wurst/index.html |title=Integrate InfoSphere Warehouse data mining with IBM Cognos reporting, Part 1: Overview of InfoSphere Warehouse and Cognos integration architecture |publisher=Ibm.com |date=2008-10-30 |accessdate=2013-06-16}}</ref> Nevertheless, certain industry standard product categories have emerged, and these are shown below :
* [[Accounting software]]
* [[Electronic billing|Billing]] Management
* [[Business intelligence]]
* [[Business process management]]
* [[Content management system]] (CMS)
* [[Customer relationship management]] (CRM)
* [[Database]]
* [[Low-code development platforms]] (LCDP)
** [[Master data management]] (MDM)
* [[Enterprise resource planning]] (ERP)
* [[Enterprise asset management]] (EAM)
* [[Supply chain management]] (SCM)
* [[Backup software]]
* [[Product data management]] (PDM)
* [[Product lifecycle|Product lifecyle management]] (PLM)
*SAP system application products.

==See also==
* [[Application_release_automation#ARA_Solutions| Application Release Automation Software]]
* [[Business informatics]]
* [[Business software]]
* [[Enterprise architecture]]
* [[Enterprise forms automation]]
* [[Identity management]]
* [[Identity management system]]
* [[Information technology management]]
* [[Integrated business planning]]
* [[Management information system]]
* [[Operational risk management]]
* [[Retail software]]
* [[Strategic information system]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Enterprise Software}}
[[Category:Business software]]
[[Category:Enterprise architecture]]

List of Low-code development platforms

2018-04-13T19:52:23Z

Lowcoder:

This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based means.

Since little or no coding experience is required, [[low-code development platforms]] expands participation of application development to non-technical personnel of an organization.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Hadley|first1=Edward|title=Low-Code Development Platforms Address Soaring Application Needs|url=https://www.mendix.com/blog/low-code-development-answers-business-needs/|publisher=Mendix|accessdate=13 April 2018|date=9 March 2018}}</ref>

Below is a list of notable platforms found within [[Gartner]]'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Gartner 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service|url=https://www.mendix.com/resources/gartner-high-productivity-apaas/|accessdate=13 April 2018|}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Notes
|-
| Betty Blocks ||
|-
| Caspio ||
|-
| Fujitsu ||
|-
| [[Mendix]]
|
|-
| Salesforce ||
|}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Web applications]]
[[Category:Online databases]]

Visual programming language

2018-04-13T19:50:12Z

Lowcoder: /* See also */

[[File:Scratch 2.0 Screen Hello World.png|400px|thumb|An implementation of a [["Hello, world!" program]] in the [[Scratch (programming language)|Scratch]] programming language]]
In [[computing]], a '''visual programming language''' ('''VPL''') is any [[programming language]] that lets users create [[computer program|programs]] by manipulating program elements ''graphically'' rather than by specifying them ''textually''.<ref>[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?tp=&arnumber=7033055 Graphical Programming Environments for Educational Robots: Open Roberta - Yet Another One?] from the [[IEEE]]</ref><ref>[http://www.craft.ai/blog/the-maturity-of-visual-programming/ The Maturity of Visual Programming]</ref> A VPL allows programming with visual expressions, spatial arrangements of text and graphic symbols, used either as elements of [[syntax]] or [[secondary notation]]. For example, many VPLs (known as ''dataflow'' or ''diagrammatic programming'')<ref>[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=381508 Diagrammatic-graphical programming languages and DoD-STD-2167A] from the [[IEEE]]</ref> are based on the idea of "boxes and arrows", where boxes or other screen objects are treated as entities, connected by arrows, lines or arcs which represent relations.

==Definition==
VPLs may be further classified, according to the type and extent of visual expression used, into icon-based languages, form-based languages, and diagram languages. Visual programming environments provide graphical or iconic elements which can be manipulated by users in an interactive way according to some specific spatial grammar for program construction.

The general goal of VPLs is to make programming more accessible to novices and to support programmers at three different levels <ref>Repenning, A., [https://sgd.cs.colorado.edu/wiki/images/2/21/20YearsofBlockProgramingLessonsLearned_published.pdf "Moving Beyond Syntax: Lessons from 20 Years of Blocks Programing in AgentSheets"], ''Journal of Visual Languages and Sentient Systems'', July 2017.</ref>

<ul>
<li>'''''Syntax''''': VPLs use icons/blocks, forms and diagrams trying to reduce or even to completely eliminate the potential of syntactic errors helping with the arrangement of programming primitives to create well-formed programs. Non VPLs examples would be spell check in word processors underlining or even auto correcting individual words or grammar.

<li>'''''Semantics''''': VPLs may provide some mechanisms to disclose the meaning of programming primitives. This could include help functions providing documentation functions built-in to programming languages.

<li>'''''Pragmatics''''': VLPs support the study of what programs mean in particular situations. This level of support allows users to put artifacts created with a VPL into a certain state in order to explore how the program would react to that state. Examples: In [[AgentSheets]] or AgentCubes users can set games or simulations into a particular state in order to see how program would react. With the [[Thymio]] programming language users can bring a robot into a certain state in order to see how it will react, i.e., which sensors will be activated.
</ul>

A visually transformed language is a non-visual language with a superimposed visual representation. Naturally visual languages have an inherent visual expression for which there is no obvious textual equivalent.{{citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Current developments try to integrate the visual programming approach with [[dataflow programming]] languages to either have immediate access to the [[program state]], resulting in online debugging, or automatic program generation and documentation. Dataflow languages also allow [[automatic parallelization]], which is likely to become one of the greatest programming challenges of the future.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Johnston |first=W.M. |authorlink= |author2=Hanna, J.R.P. |author3=Millar, R.J. |year=2004 |title=Advances in dataflow programming languages |journal=[[ACM Computing Surveys]] |volume=36 |issue=1 |pages=1–34 |id= |url=http://www.cs.ucf.edu/~dcm/Teaching/COT4810-Spring2011/Literature/DataFlowProgrammingLanguages.pdf |format=PDF|accessdate=2011-02-16 |quote=|doi=10.1145/1013208.1013209 }}</ref>

The "visual languages" ([[Visual Basic .NET|Visual Basic]], [[C Sharp (programming language)|Visual C#]], [[J Sharp|Visual J#]], etc.) of the [[Microsoft Visual Studio]] IDE are not visual programming languages. All of these languages are textual and not graphical. The MS Visual Studio is a visual programming environment{{clarify|is this an objective feature? what distinguishes it from a typical IDE?|date=January 2017}}, however.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

[[Parser]]s for visual programming languages can be implemented using [[graph grammar]]s.<ref>Rekers, Jan, and Andy Schürr. "[http://www.utdallas.edu/~kzhang/Temp/RekersSchuerr1997.pdf Defining and parsing visual languages with layered graph grammars]." Journal of Visual Languages & Computing 8.1 (1997): 27-55.</ref><ref>Zhang, Da-Qian, Kang Zhang, and Jiannong Cao. "[https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5d3d/217d73e0f6bbeefa3749c16fbc7b2e00ec0b.pdf A context-sensitive graph grammar formalism for the specification of visual languages]." The Computer Journal 44.3 (2001): 186-200.</ref>
== List of visual languages ==
{{Dynamic list}}

The following contains a list of visual programming languages.

=== Educational ===
* [[AgentSheets]], easy to use game authoring and computational science authoring tool
* [[AgentCubes]], easy to use 3D and 2D game design and simulation design computational thinking tools
* [[Alice (software)|Alice]], an object based language used to program 3D environments.
* [[App Inventor for Android]], a tool for creating applications for Google Android, based on [[Blockly]] and Kawa
* [[Bubble (programming language)|Bubble]], a visual programming language to build production-ready web applications without code
* [https://www.catrobat.org/ Catrobat], a visual programming language and set of creativity tools for smartphones, tablets, and mobile browsers.
* [[Etoys (programming language)|Etoys]] scripting
* [[Flowgorithm (programming language)|Flowgorithm]], creates executable flowcharts which can be converted to several languages.
* [[Hopscotch (programming language)|Hopscotch]], a visual programming language for mobile touchscreen devices (available on the iPad).
* [[Kodu Game Lab|Kodu]], a visual programming tool which builds on ideas begun with Logo
* [[Kojo (learning environment)|Kojo]], a programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) for computer programming and learning.
* LARP, creates executable flowcharts, for the Windows Platform
* [http://moenagade.fisch.lu Moenagade], a Java-based mouse enabled [[game development tool]] that generates code usable directly in [https://netbeans.org/.org NetBeans] or [http://unimozer.fisch.lu Unimozer]
* [[Open Roberta]] online programming environment from Fraunhofer IAIS designed for kids
* [[Raptor (programming language)|Raptor]], creates executable flowcharts.
* [[Scratch (programming language)|Scratch]], a product of MIT designed for kids in K-12 and after school programs
* [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.besome.sketch&hl=en Sketchware], an Android app to directly develop apps on your Android device.
* [[Snap! (programming language)|Snap!]], an extension of [[Scratch (programming language)|Scratch]] with first class procedures and lists which is used for teaching by UC Berkeley (browser-based reimplementation of [[BYOB (programming language)]])
* [[Stagecast Creator]], formerly [[Apple Inc.|Apple's]] Cocoa: Internet Authoring for Kids
* [[StarLogo]], an [[Computer simulation#Types|agent-based]] [[simulation language]] developed by [[Mitchel Resnick]], Eric Klopfer, and others at [[MIT Media Lab]]. It is an extension of the [[Logo (programming language)|Logo]] [[Computer programming|programming]] [[Programming language|language]], a [[Programming language dialect|dialect]] of [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]].
* [[ToonTalk]], programming system for children
*
* [[Visual Logic (programming language)|Visual Logic]], creates executable flowcharts.

=== Multimedia ===
* [[AudioMulch]], an audio signal flow based sound and music creation environment
* [[Blender (software)]], the open source 3D graphics package, includes a "node editor" to create shading programs as graphs. Also, custom nodes allows create systems as sverchok, blendgraph or other.
* [[Cameleon (programming language)|Cameleon]], graphical functional language
* [[Clickteam]]'s The games factory/Multimedia fusion series, environments made for visually developing games
* [[Autodesk Dynamo]], a generative modeling interface for [[Revit]]
* [http://www.infomus.org/eyesweb_ita.php EyesWeb], an open platform to support the design and development of real-time multimodal systems and interfaces
* [[Filter Forge]] Node based filter generation for image processing.
* [https://www.gsn-lib.org/ GSN Composer], a web-based visual programming environment for online multimedia processing and [[GLSL]] shader development.
* [[Grasshopper 3d]], a generative modeling interface for [[Rhinoceros 3D]]
* [[Kyma (sound design language)]], a visual programming language for sound design used by musicians, researchers, and sound designers.
* [https://liveblox.org/ LiveBlox] Graphics programming engine, with audio, video, computer vision that can export standalone applications
* [[Mama (software)]] – a programming language and IDE for building 3D animations and games
* [[Max (software)]], visual programming environment for building interactive, real-time music and multimedia applications
** [[Max/MSP]]
** [[Pure Data]]
** [[nato.0+55+3d]]
* [[Nodal (software)|Nodal]], a node-based generative programming software application for music composition
* [[Nuke (software)|Nuke]], a node-based visual programming software for [[visual effects]] [[compositing]] by [[The Foundry Visionmongers|The Foundry]] powered by Tcl, Python and Blink-script.
* [[OpenMusic]], a visual programming language for music composition (based on [[Common Lisp Object System]] (CLOS)) applications, and mobile applications
* [[Pure Data]] (Pd) is a visual programming language developed for creating interactive computer music and multimedia works.
* [[Quartz Composer]], a language for processing and rendering graphical data ({{nowrap|macOS}})
* [[Reaktor]], a DSP and MIDI-processing language by [[Native Instruments]]
* [[Scala Multimedia]] Authoring suite and complete multimedia system for AmigaOS and Windows
* [[Softimage]],with ICE Interactive Creative Environment.
* [[SynthEdit]], a Synthesizer construction tool using a VPL.
* [[TouchDesigner]], visual programming language for real-time multimedia content
* [[Virtools]], a middleware used to create interactive 3D experiences
* [[WireFusion]], visual programming environment for creating interactive 3D web presentations
* [[Vsxu]], music visual / real-time 3D graphics generation (Windows, GNU/Linux, and {{nowrap|macOS}})
* [[vvvv]], real-time video synthesis

=== Video games ===
* [https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/1566 Antares Universe] is a visual environment/plugin to develop in Unity.
* [[Blender Game Engine]] (Graphical logic editor)
* [[Construct 2]] is an HTML5-based 2D game editor, developed by Scirra Ltd.
** [[Construct (game engine)#Construct Classic|Construct Classic]] is the previous, DirectX-based open-sourced version of Construct.<ref>[http://www.scirra.com/forum/construct-classic Construct Classic home page]</ref><ref>[http://sourceforge.net/projects/construct/ Construct Classic page on SourceForge]</ref>
* [[CryEngine]] has a node-based visual programming language called FlowGraph.
* [[GameMaker: Studio]], has a drag and drop game creation system developed by YoYo Games.
* [[GameSalad]] is a visual game creation tool developed by GameSalad, Inc.
* [[Godot (game engine)|Godot]], in-house open source [[MIT License]]d game development software made by OKAM Studio.
* [[Human Resource Machine]] is a visual programming-based puzzle game developed by [[Tomorrow Corporation]].
* [[Kodu]], a software designed to program games with a 3D Interface developed by Microsoft Research.
* [[Snowdrop (game engine)|Snowdrop]] has a visual scripting system.
* [[Stencyl]], a video game creation tool.
* [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]] has an editor extension on the Unity Asset Store called Playmaker made by Hutong Games.
* [[Unreal Engine|Unreal Engine 4]] has a node-based visual programming language called Blueprints.

Many modern video games make use of [[Behavior tree (artificial intelligence, robotics and control)|behavior trees]], which are in principle a family of simple programming languages designed to [[Behavior model|model behaviors]] for [[non-player character]]s. The behaviors are modeled as trees, and are often edited in graphical editors.

=== Systems / simulation ===
* [[Analytica (software)|Analytica]], commercial Microsoft Windows declarative language from 1992 to 2015.
* [[CODE (programming language)|CODE]], language to compose sequential programs into parallel programs, to 2002.
* [[DRAKON]], a graphical algorithmic language
* [[EICASLAB]], a software suite including a graphical language for supporting the design of control architectures
* [[Flowcode]] is a graphical programming language to program [[embedded microprocessor]]s
* [[Function block diagram]]s, used in [[programmable logic controller]]s
* [[KNIME]], the Konstanz Information Miner, is an open source data analytics, reporting and integration platform
* [[LabVIEW]], a graphical language designed for engineers and scientists
* [[Ladder logic]], a language that simulates relay logic commonly used in [[programmable logic controller]]s
* [[MeVisLab]], cross-platform [[application framework]] for [[medical image processing]] and [[scientific visualization]]
* [[Microsoft Visual Programming Language]], dataflow language for [[robotics]] programming that is a component of [[Microsoft Robotics Studio]]
* [[MindRover]], a robot programming game incorporating a dataflow "wiring" language
* [[Minibloq]], visual programming language for [[robotics]] and [[Arduino]] compatible boards
* [[MST Workshop]], an interactive visual programming language for creating mathematical solutions, rapid prototyping, two-dimensional and three-dimensional graphic applications
* [[Lego Mindstorms NXT#NXT-G|NXT-G]], a visual programming language for the [[Lego Mindstorms NXT]] robotics kit
* [[OpenDX]] scientific data visualization using a visual programming language and data flow model
* [[OpenWire (library)|OpenWire]] - adds visual dataflow programming abilities to [[Object Pascal|Delphi]] via [[Visual Component Library]] (VCL) components and a graphical editor (homonymous [[OpenWire (binary protocol)|binary protocol]] is unrelated)
* [[Orange (software)|Orange]] - An [[open-source software|open-source]], visual programming tool for [[data mining]], statistical [[data analysis]], and [[machine learning]]
* [[OutSystems]] language, a visual modeling language to develop and change all layers of business centric web applications
* [[Prograph]]
* [[Ptolemy Project (computing)|Ptolemy]]
* [[Qucs]] graphical interface to set up simulation of electronic circuit signal and noise behavior
* [[Reallusion]] - [[iClone]], a 3D software with LUA language and visual programing design.
* [[Fischertechnik#Robotic process control|ROBO Pro]], a visual programming language for the [[fischertechnik]] robotics kit
* [[Scicos]] A graphical language associated with the numerical analysis package [[ScicosLab]] (originally [[SciLab]])
* [[Simulink]]
* [[Sequential function chart]], a Petri-net like programming language for [[programmable logic controller]]s
* [[STELLA (programming language)|STELLA]], a VPL for system dynamics modeling
* [[Autodesk Softimage#ICE Interactive Creative Environment|Softimage ICE]], a node-based system that is used to create and modify [[3D modeling|3D models]], simulate particles and perform various other tasks
* [[Agilent VEE|VEE]]
* [[VisSim]], modeling and simulation language, allows making mathematical models quickly and executing them in real-time
* [[GNU Radio]], a development toolkit which provides signal-processing blocks to implement software-defined-radios and signal-processing systems

=== Automation ===
* [[Automator (software)|Automator]]
* [[CiMPLE]], Visual Programming Language by ThinkLABs for teaching robotics
* [[webMethods Flow|Flow]] a graphical integration language used in the [[webMethods]] platform
* [[Pipeline Pilot]] is a scientific visual and dataflow programming language, and the authoring tool for [[the Accelrys Enterprise Platform]].
* PLUS+1 GUIDE, a graphical programming environment from Sauer-Danfoss typically used for off-highway machines.
* RapR3D, a graphical programming environment for [[G-code|G-Code]] used in machine automation.
* [http://www.alivepro.com.br Alivepro] Visual Programming Language by Alivepro, company from Brazil.

=== Data warehousing / business intelligence ===
* [[Ab Initio Software|Ab Initio]], a more advanced tool for ETL processing by creating graphs
* Feature Manipulation Engine, an integrated collection of Spatial ETL tools for data transformation and data translation produced by Safe Software Inc.
* [[IBM Cognos Business Intelligence]], is an example for front-end programs in [[Business Intelligence]] applications, which are used to generate [[SQL]] queries to run against [[RDBMS]] databases
* [[IBM InfoSphere DataStage]], an ETL tool by IBM
* [[Informatica|Informatica Powercenter]] is an advanced [[Extract, transform, load|ETL]] tool to design mappings graphically for data load in Data Warehouse systems, by Informatica
* [[SQL Server Integration Services|Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)]], a platform for data integration and workflow applications, by Microsoft
* [[Pentaho|Pentaho Data Integration (PDI)]], formerly named Kettle, an open-source ETL tool
* [[Talend Open Studio for Data Integration]], an open-source ETL tool

=== Miscellaneous ===
* [[Kwikpoint]], an isotype visual translator created by Alan Stillman
* [[Lava (programming language)|Lava]], an experimental object oriented [[Rapid Application Development|RAD]] language
* [[Limnor]], a general purpose programming system. Limnor Studio is an IDE for rapid software development.
* [[Morphic (software)]], makes it easier to build and edit graphical objects by direct manipulation and from within programs; the whole [[Self (programming language)]] programming environment is built using Morphic
* [[StreamBase Systems]], StreamBase EventFlow is a visual programming language for processing streaming events
* [[Tersus]], an open source platform for the development of rich web applications by visually defining user interface, client side behavior and server side processing
* [https://www.touchdevelop.com/ TouchDevelop], programming for mobile devices
* [[WebML]], is a visual language for designing complex data-intensive Web applications that can be automatically generated
* [[Yahoo! Pipes]] is a visual data-flow programming system to process web data <ref>[http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/ Yahoo! pipes]</ref>
* [[YAWL]], graphical workflow language

=== Legacy ===
* [[AppWare]], also known as MicroBrew, icon based programming for [[classic Mac OS]] and [[Microsoft Windows]]
* [[Macromedia Authorware]] - flowchart based programming language
* GRAIL, on the [[RAND Tablet]] - a flowchart based language created in the 1960s
* [[Helix (database)|Helix]] and Double Helix, a pioneering database management system for the Apple Macintosh platform, created in 1983
* [[Illumination Software Creator]], a language and IDE for visually creating desktop and mobile software
* [[ThingLab]]

== Visual styles ==
* [[Flowchart]]
* [[DRAKON|DRAKON (Dragon)]], a [[Specification and Description Language|SDL]]- and [[Architecture Analysis & Design Language|AADL]]-influenced visual 2D programming language designed for developing the on-board hard real-time software system for automatic flight and landing of the Soviet/Russian [[Buran (spacecraft)|Buran (Snowstorm) orbiting spacecraft]]
* [[Executable UML]], a [[profile (UML)|profile]] of the [[Universal Modeling Language]] specification defining an executable semantics for a subset of UML
* [[Subtext (programming language)|Subtext]]

==See also==
*[[Argument map]]
*[[Cognitive dimensions of notations]] - Notation assessment for visual and non-visual languages
*[[Concept map]]
*[[Dataflow programming]]
*[[Deutsch limit]], an [[adage]] about the information density of [[language primitive]]s in a visual notation
*[[Domain-specific modeling]]
*[[DRAKON|Drakon-chart]]
*[[Flow-based programming]]
*[[Flowchart]]
*[[Graph drawing]]
*[[HiAsm]]
*[[Low-code development platforms]]
*[[Unified Modeling Language]]
*[[Visual language]]
*[[Visual thinking]]
*[[Widget Workshop]]
*[[Programming game]]
*[[Drag and drop]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

''This article was originally based on material from the [[Free On-line Dictionary of Computing]], used with [[Wikipedia:Foldoc license|permission]]. Update as needed.''

==External links==
*{{dmoz|Computers/Programming/Languages/Visual/|Visual programming languages}}
*[http://blog.interfacevision.com/design/design-visual-progarmming-languages-snapshots/ Visual Programming Languages - Snapshots]

{{Programming language}}

[[Category:Programming language classification]]
[[Category:Visual programming languages]]

Low-code development platform

2018-04-13T19:47:29Z

Lowcoder: /* See also */

'''Low-code development platforms''' ('''LCDPs''') allow the creation of [[application software]] through graphical user interfaces and configuration instead of traditional procedural [[computer programming]]. The platforms may focus on design and development of databases, business processes, or user interfaces such as web applications. Such platforms may produce entirely operational applications, or require or allow minimal coding to extend the applications functionality or for uncommon situations. Low-code development platforms reduce the amount of traditional ''hand-coding'', enabling accelerated delivery of business applications. A common benefit is that a wider-range of people can contribute to the application's development, not only those with more formal programming experience. LCDPs also lower the initial cost of setup, training, and deployment.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Richardson|first1=Clay|title=New Development Platforms Emerge For Customer-Facing Applications|url=https://www.forrester.com/report/New+Development+Platforms+Emerge+For+CustomerFacing+Applications/-/E-RES113411|website=www.forrester.com|accessdate=18 November 2016}}</ref>

Though not given a specific name until June 9, 2014<ref name=":0" /> (by industry analyst, Forrester Research), the low-code development platform market can be traced back to 2011.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Marvin|first1=Rob|title=How low-code development seeks to accelerate software delivery - SD Times|url=http://sdtimes.com/low-code-development-seeks-accelerate-software-delivery/|website=SD Times|publisher=San Diego TImes|accessdate=18 November 2016|date=12 August 2014}}</ref>

LCDPs trace their roots back to [[fourth-generation programming language]] and [[rapid application development]] tools of the 1990s and early 2000s. Similar to these predecessor development environments, LCDPs are based on the principles of model-driven design, automatic code generation, and visual programming.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lonergan|first1=Kevin|title=On the down low: Why CIOs should care about Low-code - Information Age|url=http://www.information-age.com/down-low-why-cios-should-care-about-low-code-123459895/|website=Information Age|publisher=Information Age|accessdate=22 January 2017|date=29 July 2015}}</ref> The concept of [[end-user development]] also existed previously, although LCDPs brought some new ways of approaching this development.

== Use ==
As a result of the micro computer revolution businesses have deployed computers widely across their employee bases, enabling widespread automation of business processes using [[software]]. The need for software automation and new applications for business processes places demands on [[software developers]] to create custom applications in volume, tailoring them to organizations' unique needs.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|last1=Marvin|first1=Rob|title=Building an App With No Coding: Myth or Reality?|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article/345661/building-an-app-with-no-coding-myth-or-reality|website=PCMAG|publisher=PC Mag|accessdate=18 November 2016}}</ref> Low-code development platforms developed as a means to allow for quick creation and use of working applications that can address the specific process- and data needs of the organization.<ref>http://www.zdnet.com/article/developers-were-on-board-with-low-code-tools/</ref>

== Reception ==
Research firm [[Forrester Research|Forrester]] estimates that the total market for Low-code development platforms will grow to $15.5 billion by 2020.<ref name=":4">{{cite web|last1=Richardson|first1=Clay|title=Vendor Landscape: The Fractured, Fertile Terrain Of Low-code Application Platforms|url=http://informationsecurity.report/Resources/Whitepapers/0eb07c59-b01c-4399-9022-dfc297487060_Forrester%20Vendor%20Landscape%20The%20Fractured,%20Fertile%20Terrain.pdf|publisher=Forrester Research}}</ref> Segments in the market include database, request handling, mobile, process and general purpose low code platforms.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}}

Low-code development’s market growth can be attributed to its flexibility and ease.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|last1=Rubens|first1=Paul|title=Use Low-code Platforms to Develop the Apps Customers Want|url=http://www.cio.com/article/2845378/development-tools/use-low-code-platforms-to-develop-the-apps-customers-want.html|website=CIO|publisher=CIO Magazine}}</ref> Low-code development platforms are shifting focus towards general purpose of applications, with the ability to add in custom code when needed or desired.<ref name=":1" />

Mobile accessibility is one of the driving factors of using Low-code Development Platforms.<ref name=":2" /> Instead of developers having to spend time creating multi-device software, Low-code packages typically come with that feature standard.<ref name=":2" />

Because of a minimum amount of required coding knowledge, low-code development platforms can be taught to nearly anyone. Using features like [[drag and drop]] interfaces which give visualization of the application rapidly speed up construction times.<ref name=":4" />

== Security concerns ==
Concerns over Low-code development platform security is growing, especially for apps that use consumer data. Some argue that there should be concerns over the security of apps built so quickly.<ref name=":3" /> Others believe Low-code apps are fueling security innovations—with continuous app development in mind, it is becoming much easier to create secure data workflows.<ref name=":3" />

== Analyst coverage and crowd evaluation ==
A Forrester report about Low-code development platforms ("The Forrester Wave™: Low-code Development Platforms, Q2 2016") featured 14 providers in a 26-criteria evaluation.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Richardson|first1=Clay|title=The Forrester Wave™: Low-code Development Platforms, Q2 2016|url=https://www.forrester.com/report/The+Forrester+Wave+LowCode+Development+Platforms+Q2+2016/-/E-RES117623|website=www.forrester.com|publisher=Forrester Research|accessdate=18 November 2016}}</ref>

An updated Forrester report charting the growth of the Low-code market was published in July 2017 (Vendor Landscape: A Fork In The Road For Low-Code Development Platforms) highlighting 3 industry trends:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forrester.com/report/Vendor+Landscape+A+Fork+In+The+Road+For+LowCode+Development+Platforms/-/E-RES137578|title=Vendor Landscape: A Fork In The Road For Low-Code Development Platforms|last=Rymer|first=John|date=31 July 2017|website=Forrester Research|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=19 September 2017}}</ref>
* Growth - the Low-code market is forecast to increase to over $21 billion over the next five years.
* Diversification - Two major new market segments are developing which focus on the needs of Business (‘Citizen’) Developers from and AD&D (App Dev) Professionals.
* Integration - As adoption of Low-code expands and businesses look towards technologies like AI, robotics and machine learning, solutions must grow to offer these capabilities.

A G2Crowd report about Low-code development platforms evaluated market share and user reviews for 46 products.<ref>https://www.g2crowd.com/categories/low-code-development-platforms</ref>

== Criticisms ==
Some IT professionals question whether Low-code development platforms are suitable for use when building large-scale and mission-critical enterprise applications.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rymer|first1=John|title=Low-Code Platforms Deliver Customer Facing Apps Fast, But Can They Scale Up?|url=https://www.forrester.com/report/LowCode+Platforms+Deliver+CustomerFacing+Apps+Fast+But+Will+They+Scale+Up/-/E-RES122546|publisher=Forrester Research| accessdate=22 January 2016}}</ref> Additionally, some CIOs have expressed concern that adopting Low-code development platforms internally could lead to an increase in unsupported applications built by [[Shadow_IT|shadow IT]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Shore|first1=Joel|title=How no-code development tools can benefit IT|url=http://searchcloudapplications.techtarget.com/news/4500250979/How-no-code-development-tools-can-benefit-IT|website=Search Cloud Applications|publisher=TechTarget Magazine| accessdate=22 January 2017|date=31 July 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of online database creator apps]]
* [[List of low-code development platforms]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* Pattani, Aneri (16 November 2016) [https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/15/a-cloud-app-boom-is-allowing-workers-in-all-jobs-to-become-coding-pros.html "A coding revolution in the office cube sends message of change to IT"]. CNBC. Retrieved 15 November 2017.

* [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10-app-development-platforms-nilesh-talaviya/ "Top 10 App Development Platforms"].

[[Category:Enterprise architecture]]
[[Category:Software development]]

List of Low-code development platforms

2018-04-13T19:46:34Z

Lowcoder:

This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based means.

Since little or no coding experience is required, low-code development platforms expands participation of application development to non-technical personnel of an organization.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Hadley|first1=Edward|title=Low-Code Development Platforms Address Soaring Application Needs|url=https://www.mendix.com/blog/low-code-development-answers-business-needs/|publisher=Mendix|accessdate=13 April 2018|date=9 March 2018}}</ref>

Below is a list of notable platforms found within [[Gartner]]'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Gartner 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service|url=https://www.mendix.com/resources/gartner-high-productivity-apaas/|accessdate=13 April 2018|}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Notes
|-
| Betty Blocks ||
|-
| Caspio ||
|-
| Fujitsu ||
|-
| [[Mendix]]
|
|-
| Salesforce ||
|}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Web applications]]
[[Category:Online databases]]

List of Low-code development platforms

2018-04-13T19:44:27Z

Lowcoder:

This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based means.

Since little or no coding experience is required, low-code development platforms expands participation of application development to non-technical personnel of an organization.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Hadley|first1=Edward|title=Low-Code Development Platforms Address Soaring Application Needs|url=https://www.mendix.com/blog/low-code-development-answers-business-needs/|publisher=https://www.mendix.com/|accessdate=13 April 2018|date=9 March 2018}}</ref>

Below is a list of notable platforms found within [[Gartner]]'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Gartner 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service|url=https://www.mendix.com/resources/gartner-high-productivity-apaas/|accessdate=13 April 2018|}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Notes
|-
| Betty Blocks ||
|-
| Caspio ||
|-
| Fujitsu ||
|-
| [[Mendix]]
|
|-
| Salesforce ||
|}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Web applications]]
[[Category:Online databases]]

List of Low-code development platforms

2018-04-13T19:43:50Z

Lowcoder:

This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based means.

Since little or no coding experience is required, low-code development platforms expands participation of application development to non-technical personnel of an organization.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Hadley|first1=Edward|title=Low-Code Development Platforms Address Soaring Application Needs|url=https://www.mendix.com/blog/low-code-development-answers-business-needs/|website=https://www.mendix.com/|publisher=Mendix|accessdate=13 April 2018|date=9 March 2018}}</ref>

Below is a list of notable platforms found within [[Gartner]]'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Gartner 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service|url=https://www.mendix.com/resources/gartner-high-productivity-apaas/|accessdate=13 April 2018|}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Notes
|-
| Betty Blocks ||
|-
| Caspio ||
|-
| Fujitsu ||
|-
| [[Mendix]]
|
|-
| Salesforce ||
|}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Web applications]]
[[Category:Online databases]]

List of Low-code development platforms

2018-04-13T19:43:22Z

Lowcoder:

This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based means.

Since little or no coding experience is required, low-code development platforms expands participation of application development to non-technical personnel of an organization.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Hadley|first1=Edward|title=Low-Code Development Platforms Address Soaring Application Needs|url=https://www.mendix.com/blog/low-code-development-answers-business-needs/|website=https://www.mendix.com/|publisher=Mendix|accessdate=13 April 2018|date=9 March 2018}}</ref>

Below is a list of notable platforms found within [[Gartner]]'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Gartner 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service|url=https://www.mendix.com/resources/gartner-high-productivity-apaas/|accessdate=13 April 2018|}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Notes
|-
| Betty Blocks ||
|-
| Caspio ||
|-
| Fujitsu ||
|-
| [[Mendix]]
|
|-
| Salesforce ||
|}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Web applications]]
[[Category:Online databases]]

List of Low-code development platforms

2018-04-13T19:40:01Z

Lowcoder: ←Created page with 'This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based...'

This '''list of low-code development platforms''' lists notable software development platforms that facilitate the creation of applications through visual based means.

Since little or no coding experience is required, low-code development platforms expands participation of application development to non-technical personnel of an organization.

Below is a list of notable platforms found within [[Gartner]]'s 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Gartner 2017 Magic Quadrant for High Productivity Application Platform as a Service|url=https://www.mendix.com/resources/gartner-high-productivity-apaas/|accessdate=13 April 2018|}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Notes
|-
| Betty Blocks ||
|-
| Caspio ||
|-
| Fujitsu ||
|-
| [[Mendix]]
|
|-
| Salesforce ||
|}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Web applications]]
[[Category:Online databases]]

Agile software development

2018-04-13T19:18:41Z

Lowcoder: /* Experience and adoption */

{{Software development process}}
'''Agile software development''' describes an approach to [[software development]] under which requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of [[Self-organization#Human society|self-organizing]] and [[cross-functional team|cross-functional]] teams and their [[Customer|customer(s)]]/[[End user|end user(s)]].<ref name="Collier 2011">{{cite book |title= Agile Analytics: A Value-Driven Approach to Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing |last=Collier|first=Ken W. |year=2011 |publisher= Pearson Education |isbn=9780321669544 | pages= 121 ff|quote=What is a self-organizing team?}}</ref> It advocates adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and [[Continual improvement process|continual improvement]], and it encourages rapid and flexible response to change.<ref name="WhatIsAgile">{{Cite web|url = http://www.agilealliance.org/the-alliance/what-is-agile/|title = What is Agile Software Development?|date = 8 June 2013|accessdate = 4 April 2015|publisher = Agile Alliance}}</ref>

The term ''agile'' (sometimes written ''Agile'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rallydev.com/blog/engineering/agile-capital-vs-agile-lowercase |title=Agile With a Capital "A" Vs. agile With a Lowercase "a" |last=Rally |first= |date=2010 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105105258/https://www.rallydev.com/blog/engineering/agile-capital-vs-agile-lowercase |archive-date=5 January 2016 |dead-url=bot: unknown |access-date=September 9, 2015 |df= }}</ref> was popularized, in this context, by the ''[[#The Agile Manifesto|Manifesto for Agile Software Development]]''.<ref name="AgileManifesto">{{cite web|url=http://agilemanifesto.org/|title=Manifesto for Agile Software Development|author=[[Kent Beck]], James Grenning, [[Robert Cecil Martin|Robert C. Martin]], Mike Beedle, [[Jim Highsmith]], [[Stephen J. Mellor|Steve Mellor]], Arie van Bennekum, [[Andy Hunt (author)|Andrew Hunt]], [[Ken Schwaber]], [[Alistair Cockburn]], [[Ron Jeffries]], [[Jeff Sutherland]], [[Ward Cunningham]], Jon Kern, [[Dave Thomas (programmer)|Dave Thomas]], [[Martin Fowler]], Brian Marick|year=2001|publisher=Agile Alliance|accessdate=14 June 2010|display-authors=}}</ref> The values and principles espoused in this manifesto were derived from and underpin a broad range of [[Software development process|software development frameworks]], including [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]] and [[Kanban (development)|Kanban]].<ref>{{cite |url=http://www.cleverpm.com/2016/03/04/which-is-better-kanban-or-scrum/|title=Which is better – Kanban or Scrum?}}</ref><ref name="LarmanGuide" />

While there is significant anecdotal evidence that adopting agile practices and values improves the agility of software professionals, teams and organizations; some empirical studies have found no scientific evidence.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Dybå|first1=Tore|last2=Dingsøyr|first2=Torgeir|title=Empirical studies of agile software development: A systematic review|journal=Information and Software Technology|date=1 August 2008|volume=50|issue=9–10|pages=833–859|doi=10.1016/j.infsof.2008.01.006|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950584908000256|language=en|issn=0950-5849}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Lee|first1=Gwanhoo|last2=Xia|first2=Weidong|date=2010|title=Toward Agile: An Integrated Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Field Data on Software Development Agility|url=|journal=MIS Quarterly|volume=34|issue=1|pages=87–114|doi=10.2307/20721416|via=}}</ref>

{{TOC limit}}

==History==
In 2001, seventeen software developers met at a resort in [[Snowbird, Utah|Snowbird]], [[Utah]] to discuss these lightweight development methods, among others [[Jeff Sutherland]], [[Ken Schwaber]], [[Jim Highsmith]], [[Alistair Cockburn]], and [[Robert Cecil Martin|Bob Martin]]. Together they published the ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development''.<ref name="AgileManifesto" />

[[Iterative and incremental development|Iterative and incremental development methods]], however, can be traced back as early as 1957,<ref name="craig2003">[[Gerald M. Weinberg]], as quoted in {{harvnb|Larman|Basili|June 2003|pp=47–56}} "We were doing incremental development as early as 1957, in Los Angeles, under the direction of Bernie Dimsdale at [[Service Bureau Corporation|IBM's Service Bureau Corporation]]. He was a colleague of [[John von Neumann]], so perhaps he learned it there, or assumed it as totally natural. I do remember Herb Jacobs (primarily, though we all participated) developing a large simulation for Motorola, where the technique used was, as far as I can tell ... All of us, as far as I can remember, thought waterfalling of a huge project was rather stupid, or at least ignorant of the realities. I think what the waterfall description did for us was make us realize that we were doing something else, something unnamed except for 'software development.'"</ref> with evolutionary project management<ref name="EvolutionaryProjectManagement">{{cite web
|url=https://www.gilb.com/Project-Management
|accessdate=2017-04-30
|deadurl=yes
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327214807/http://www.gilb.com/Project-Management
|title=Evolutionary Project Management (Original page, external archive)
|archivedate=27 March 2016
|publisher=Gilb
|df=
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://concepts.gilb.com/tiki-page.php?pageName=Evolutionary-Project-Management
|title=Evolutionary Project Management (New page)
|accessdate=2017-04-30
|publisher=Gilb}}</ref> and [[adaptive software development]]<ref name="edmonds1974">{{Cite journal
|last=Edmonds
|first=E. A.
|year=1974
|title=A Process for the Development of Software for Nontechnical Users as an Adaptive System
|journal=General Systems
|volume=19
|pages=215–18}}</ref> emerging in the early 1970s.

During the 1990s, a number of ''lightweight'' software development methods evolved in reaction to the prevailing ''heavyweight'' methods that critics described as overly regulated, planned, and [[Micromanagement|micro-managed]]. These included: [[rapid application development]] (RAD), from 1991;<ref>{{cite book | title=Rapid Application Development | publisher=Macmillan | author=Martin, James | year=1991 | isbn=0-02-376775-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title=Inside RAD: How to Build a Fully Functional System in 90 Days or Less | publisher=McGraw-Hill |author1=Kerr, James M. |author2=Hunter, Richard | year=1993 | pages=3 | isbn=0-07-034223-7}}</ref> the [[Unified Process|unified process]] (UP) and [[dynamic systems development method]] (DSDM), both from 1994; [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]], from 1995; Crystal Clear and [[extreme programming]] (XP), both from 1996; and [[feature-driven development]], from 1997. Although these all originated before the publication of the ''Agile Manifesto'', they are now collectively referred to as agile software development methods.<ref name="LarmanGuide">{{Cite book
|last=Larman
|first=Craig
|year=2004
|title=Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide
|publisher=Addison-Wesley
|isbn=978-0-13-111155-4
|page=27
|postscript= }}</ref> At the same time, similar changes were underway in manufacturing<ref>Iacocca Institute (1991). "21st Century Manufacturing Enterprise Strategy: An Industry Led View". Iacocca Institute, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.</ref> and aerospace.<ref>Presley, A., J. Mills and D. Liles (1995). "Agile Aerospace Manufacturing". Nepcon East 1995, Boston.</ref>

In 2005, a group headed by Cockburn and Highsmith wrote an addendum of [[project management]] principles, the [[PM Declaration of Interdependence|Declaration of Interdependence]],<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://pmdoi.org
|first=David |last=Anderson
|title=Declaration of Interdependence
|year=2005}}</ref> to guide software project management according to agile software development methods.

In 2009, a group working with Martin wrote an extension of [[software development]] principles, the [[Software craftsmanship|Software Craftsmanship Manifesto]], to guide agile software development according to [[professional]] conduct and mastery.

In 2011, the Agile Alliance created the ''Guide to Agile Practices'' (renamed the ''Agile Glossary'' in 2016),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.agilealliance.org/how-you-can-help-the-agile-alliance-help-you/|title=How You Can Help Agile Alliance Help You|last=McDonald|first=Kent|date=November 1, 2016|work=Agile Alliance Blog|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> an evolving open-source compendium of the working definitions of agile practices, terms, and elements, along with interpretations and experience guidelines from the worldwide community of agile practitioners.

== {{anchor|The Agile Manifesto}} The Manifesto for Agile Software Development ==
=== Agile software development values ===
Based on their combined experience of developing software and helping others do that, the seventeen signatories to the manifesto proclaimed that they value:<ref name="AgileManifesto" />
* {{em | {{strong | Individuals and Interactions}} over processes and tools }}
* {{em | {{strong | Working Software}} over comprehensive documentation }}
* {{em | {{strong | Customer Collaboration}} over contract negotiation }}
* {{em | {{strong | Responding to Change}} over following a plan }}
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, they value the items on the left more.

As [[Scott Ambler]] elucidated:<ref name="abmmw">
{{cite web |url=http://www.ambysoft.com/essays/agileManifesto.html |title=Examining the Agile Manifesto |publisher=Ambysoft Inc.
|accessdate=6 April 2011}}</ref>
* Tools and processes are important, but it is more important to have competent people working together effectively.
*Good documentation is useful in helping people to understand how the software is built and how to use it, but the main point of development is to create software, not documentation.
*A contract is important but is no substitute for working closely with customers to discover what they need.
*A project plan is important, but it must not be too rigid to accommodate changes in technology or the environment, stakeholders' priorities, and people's understanding of the problem and its solution.

Some of the authors formed the Agile Alliance, a non-profit organization that promotes software development according to the manifesto's values and principles. Introducing the manifesto on behalf of the Agile Alliance, [[Jim Highsmith]] said,
{{Quote
|text=The Agile movement is not anti-methodology, in fact many of us want to restore credibility to the word methodology. We want to restore a balance. We embrace modeling, but not in order to file some diagram in a dusty corporate repository. We embrace documentation, but not hundreds of pages of never-maintained and rarely-used tomes. We plan, but recognize the limits of planning in a turbulent environment. Those who would brand proponents of XP or SCRUM or any of the other Agile Methodologies as "hackers" are ignorant of both the methodologies and the original definition of the term hacker.|sign=Jim Highsmith
|author=Jim Highsmith
|source=History: The Agile Manifesto<ref>
{{cite web
| url=http://agilemanifesto.org/history.html
| title=History: The Agile Manifesto
|year=2001
|author=Jim Highsmith
|publisher=agilemanifesto.org}}
</ref>}}

=== Agile software development principles ===
The ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development'' is based on twelve principles:<ref name="ManifestoPrinciples">
{{cite web
|url=http://www.agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
|title=Principles behind the Agile Manifesto
|last=
|first=
|date=
|year=2001
|website=
|publisher=Agile Alliance
|display-authors=
|author=[[Kent Beck]], James Grenning, [[Robert Cecil Martin|Robert C. Martin]], Mike Beedle, [[Jim Highsmith]], {{!}}{{!}}[[Stephen J. Mellor|Steve Mellor]], Arie van Bennekum, [[Andy Hunt (author)|Andrew Hunt]], [[Ken Schwaber]], [[Alistair Cockburn]], [[Ron Jeffries]], [[Jeff Sutherland]], [[Ward Cunningham]], Jon Kern, [[Dave Thomas (programmer)|Dave Thomas]], [[Martin Fowler]], [[Brian Marick]]
|accessdate=6 June 2010
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614043008/http://www.agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
|archivedate=14 June 2010
|deadurl=no
|df=dmy }}</ref>
# Customer satisfaction by early and continuous delivery of valuable software
# Welcome changing requirements, even in late development
# Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
# Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers
# Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
# Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location)
# Working software is the primary measure of progress
# Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
# Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
# Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work {{Not a typo|not}} done—is essential
# Best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams
# Regularly, the team reflects on how to become more effective, and adjusts accordingly

==Overview==
[[File:Pair programming 1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[Pair programming]], an agile development technique used by [[Extreme Programming|XP]]. Note information radiators in the background.]]

===Iterative, incremental and evolutionary===

Most agile development methods break product development work into small increments that minimize the amount of up-front planning and design. Iterations, or sprints, are short time frames ([[timeboxing|timeboxes]]) that typically last from one to four weeks. Each iteration involves a [[cross-functional team]] working in all functions: [[Project planning|planning]], [[requirements analysis|analysis]], [[Software design|design]], [[Computer programming|coding]], [[unit testing]], and [[acceptance testing]]. At the end of the iteration a working product is demonstrated to stakeholders. This minimizes overall risk and allows the product to adapt to changes quickly.<ref name="auto">{{cite book | author=Moran, A.|title=Agile Risk Management |publisher=Springer Verlag|year=2014|isbn=3319050079}}</ref> An iteration might not add enough functionality to warrant a market release, but the goal is to have an available release (with minimal [[Software bug|bugs]]) at the end of each iteration.<ref name="embracing change">{{cite journal|
last=Beck|first=Kent|
year=1999|title=Embracing Change with Extreme Programming|
journal=Computer|volume=32|issue=10|
pages=70–77|
doi=10.1109/2.796139}}</ref> Multiple iterations might be required to release a product or new features.

Working software is the primary measure of progress.

===Efficient and face-to-face communication===

No matter which development method is followed, every team should include a [[customer representative]] (Product Owner in Scrum). This person is agreed by stakeholders to act on their behalf and makes a personal commitment to being available for developers to answer questions throughout the iteration. At the end of each iteration, stakeholders and the customer representative review progress and re-evaluate priorities with a view to optimizing the [[Rate of return|return on investment]] (ROI) and ensuring alignment with customer needs and company goals.

In agile software development, an ''information radiator'' is a (normally large) physical display located prominently near the development team, where passers-by can see it. It presents an up-to-date summary of the product development status.<ref name="Cockburn, Information radiator">{{Cite web|url=http://alistair.cockburn.us/Information+radiator|title=Information radiator|last=Cockburn|first=Alistair|authorlink=Alistair Cockburn|date=19 June 2008|access-date=}}</ref><ref name=Ambler>{{cite book |title=Agile Modeling: Effective Practices for EXtreme Programming and the Unified Process |first=Scott |last=Ambler |date=12 April 2002 |isbn=978-0-471-20282-0 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |pages=12, 164, 363}}</ref> A [[build light indicator]] may also be used to inform a team about the current status of their product development.

===Very short feedback loop and adaptation cycle===

A common characteristic in agile software development is the [[Stand-up meeting|daily stand-up]] (also known as the ''daily scrum)''. In a brief session, team members report to each other what they did the previous day toward their team's iteration goal, what they intend to do today toward the goal, and any roadblocks or impediments they can see to the goal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eylean.com/Publications/DownloadPublication/3443705e-1697-4557-8327-ff8644fab40b?name=Whitepaper---Developing-agile-project-task-and-team-management-practices |title=Developing agile project task and team management practices |publisher=Eylean |first=Vidas|last=Vasiliauskas|date= 2014}}</ref>

===Quality focus===

Specific tools and techniques, such as [[continuous integration]], automated [[unit testing]], [[pair programming]], [[test-driven development]], [[Software design pattern|design patterns]], [[behavior-driven development]], [[domain-driven design]], [[code refactoring]] and other techniques are often used to improve quality and enhance product development agility.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Jeffries|first1=Ron|last2=Anderson|first2=Ann|last3=Hendrickson|first3=Chet|title=Extreme Programming installed|date=2001|publisher=Addison-Weslsy|isbn=0201-70842-6|pages=72–147}}</ref> The idea is that the quality is built into the software. <ref>{{cite book |title=Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams |author=[[Lisa Crispin]] |author2=Janet Gregory |publisher=Addison-Wesley |year=2009}}</ref>

==Philosophy==

Compared to traditional software engineering, agile software development mainly targets complex systems and product development with dynamic, non-deterministic and non-linear characteristics. Accurate estimates, stable plans, and predictions are often hard to get in early stages, and confidence in them is likely to be low. Agile practitioners will seek to reduce the ''leap-of-faith'' that is needed before any evidence of value can be obtained.<ref name=Mitchell2016>{{Cite book | last=Mitchell | first=Ian | year=2016 | title=Agile Development in Practice | publisher= Tamare House | isbn=978-1-908552-49-5| page=11 | postscript= }}</ref> Requirements and design are held to be emergent. Big up-front specifications would probably cause a lot of waste in such cases, i.e., are not economically sound. These basic arguments and previous industry experiences, learned from years of successes and failures, have helped shape agile development's favor of adaptive, iterative and evolutionary development.<ref name=Larman2004>{{Cite book | last=Larman | first=Craig | year=2004 | title=Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide | publisher=Addison-Wesley | isbn=978-0-13-111155-4 | page=27 | postscript= }}</ref>

=== Adaptive vs. predictive ===

Development methods exist on a continuum from ''adaptive'' to ''predictive''.<ref name="boehm2004App">{{cite book|last=Boehm|first=B.|authorlink=Barry Boehm|author2=[[Richard Turner (software)|R. Turner]]|title=Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed|publisher=Addison-Wesley|location=Boston, MA|year=2004|isbn=0-321-18612-5}} Appendix A, pages 165–194</ref> Agile software development methods lie on the ''adaptive'' side of this continuum. One key of adaptive development methods is a [[Rolling Wave planning|''rolling wave'']] approach to schedule planning, which identifies milestones but leaves flexibility in the path to reach them, and also allows for the milestones themselves to change.<ref>{{cite book | title=Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide | last=Larman | first=Craig | year=2004 |page=253 | chapter=Chapter 11: Practice Tips | isbn=9780131111554 | url=https://books.google.com/?id=76rnV5Exs50C&lpg=PA253&dq=adaptive%20predictive%20%22rolling%20wave%22&pg=PA253#v=onepage&q=adaptive%20predictive%20%22rolling%20wave%22&f=false | accessdate=14 October 2013}}</ref>

''Adaptive'' methods focus on adapting quickly to changing realities. When the needs of a project change, an adaptive team changes as well. An adaptive team has difficulty describing exactly what will happen in the future. The further away a date is, the more vague an adaptive method is about what will happen on that date. An adaptive team cannot report exactly what tasks they will do next week, but only which features they plan for next month. When asked about a release six months from now, an adaptive team might be able to report only the mission statement for the release, or a statement of expected value vs. cost.

''Predictive'' methods, in contrast, focus on analysing and planning the future in detail and cater for known risks. In the extremes, a predictive team can report exactly what features and tasks are planned for the entire length of the development process. Predictive methods rely on effective early phase analysis and if this goes very wrong, the project may have difficulty changing direction. Predictive teams often institute a [[change control board]] to ensure they consider only the most valuable changes.

[[Risk analysis (engineering)|Risk analysis]] can be used to choose between adaptive (''agile'' or ''value-driven'') and predictive (''plan-driven'') methods.<ref name="PMBridgeToAgility">{{Cite book |last1=Sliger |first1=Michele |last2=Broderick |first2=Stacia |title=The Software Project Manager's Bridge to Agility |publisher=Addison-Wesley |year=2008 |isbn=0-321-50275-2 |page=46 }}</ref> [[Barry Boehm]] and [[Richard Turner (software)|Richard Turner]] suggest that each side of the continuum has its own ''home ground'', as follows:<ref name="boehm2004"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Home grounds of different development methods
|-
! style="width: 33%" | Value-driven methods
! style="width: 33%" | Plan-driven methods
! Formal methods
|-
| Low criticality
| High criticality
| Extreme criticality
|-
| Senior developers
| Junior developers(?)
| Senior developers
|-
| Requirements change often
| Requirements do not change often
| Limited requirements, limited features see [[Wirth's law]]{{Clarify|date=December 2015}}
|-
| Small number of developers
| Large number of developers
| Requirements that can be modeled
|-
| Culture that responds to change
| Culture that demands order
| Extreme quality
|}

=== Iterative vs. waterfall ===

One of the differences between agile software development methods and waterfall is the approach to quality and testing. In the [[waterfall model]], there is always a separate ''testing phase'' after a ''build phase''; however, in agile software development testing is completed in the same iteration as programming.

Because testing is done in every iteration—which develops a small piece of the software—users can frequently use those new pieces of software and validate the value.
After the users know the real value of the updated piece of software, they can make better decisions about the software's future. Having a value retrospective and software re-planning session in each iteration—[[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]] typically has iterations of just two weeks—helps the team continuously adapt its plans so as to maximize the value it delivers. This follows a pattern similar to the [[PDCA]] cycle, as the work is ''planned'', ''done'', ''checked'' (in the review and retrospective), and any changes agreed are ''acted'' upon.

This iterative approach supports a ''product'' rather than a ''project'' mindset. This provides greater flexibility throughout the development process; whereas on projects the requirements are defined and locked down from the very beginning, making it difficult to change them later. Iterative product development allows the software to evolve in response to changes in business environment or market requirements.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/business/at-the-kickoff-project-development-vs-product-development/|title=At the Kickoff: Project Development vs Product Development|date=12 February 2016|website=AltexSoft Inc.|access-date=31 May 2016}}</ref>

Because of the short iteration style of agile software development, it also has strong connections with the [[lean startup]] concept.

=== Code vs. documentation ===
In a letter to ''[[Computer (magazine)|IEEE Computer]]'', Steven Rakitin expressed cynicism about agile software development, calling it "yet another attempt to undermine the discipline of software engineering" and translating "working software over comprehensive documentation" as "we want to spend all our time coding. Remember, real programmers don't write documentation."<ref name="rakitin2001">{{Cite journal| last=Rakitin| first=Steven R.| title= Manifesto Elicits Cynicism: Reader's letter to the editor by Steven R. Rakitin|journal=IEEE Computer| volume=34| year=2001| page=4|quote=The article titled 'Agile Software Development: The Business of Innovation' . . . is yet another attempt to undermine the discipline of software engineering . . . We want to spend all our time coding. Remember, real programmers don’t write documentation.}}</ref>

This is disputed by proponents of agile software development, who state that developers should write documentation if that is the best way to achieve the relevant goals, but that there are often better ways to achieve those goals than writing static documentation.<ref name="agiledoc">{{cite web|url=http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/agileDocumentation.htm|author=Scott Ambler|title=Agile/Lean Documentation: Strategies for Agile Software Development}}</ref>
[[Scott Ambler]] states that documentation should be "just barely good enough" (JBGE),<ref>{{cite web|author=Scott Ambler|url=http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/barelyGoodEnough.html|title=Just Barely Good Enough Models and Documents: An Agile Best Practice}}</ref> that too much or comprehensive documentation would usually cause waste, and developers rarely trust detailed documentation because it's usually out of sync with code,<ref name="agiledoc"/> while too little documentation may also cause problems for maintenance, communication, learning and knowledge sharing. [[Alistair Cockburn]] wrote of the ''Crystal Clear'' method:
{{Quote|text=Crystal considers development a series of co-operative games, and intends that the documentation is enough to help the next win at the next game. The work products for Crystal include use cases, risk list, iteration plan, core domain models, and design notes to inform on choices...however there are no templates for these documents and descriptions are necessarily vague, but the objective is clear, '''just enough documentation''' for the next game. I always tend to characterize this to my team as: what would you want to know if you joined the team tomorrow.|sign=Alistair Cockburn.<ref>{{cite web|author=Geoffrey Wiseman|date=July 18, 2007|title=Do Agile Methods Require Documentation?|url=http://www.infoq.com/news/2007/07/agile-methods-documentation|publisher=InfoQ}} quoting {{cite web |last=Cooper |first=Ian |date=6 July 2007 |url=https://ianhammondcooper.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/agile-and-documentation/ |title=Staccato Signals:Agile and Documentation|work=WordPress.com}}</ref>}}

==Agile software development methods==
[[File:SoftwareDevelopmentLifeCycle.jpg|thumb|right|Software development life-cycle support<ref name="Abrahamsson2002">{{cite techreport|first=Pekka|last=Abrahamson|first2=Outi|last2=Salo|first3=Jussi|last3=Ronkainen|first4=Juhani|last4=Warsta|name-list-format=vanc|title=Agile software development methods: Review and analysis|number=478|institution=[[VTT]]|year=2002|url=http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/publications/2002/P478.pdf}}</ref>]]
Agile software development methods support a broad range of the [[software development life cycle]].<ref name="Abrahamsson2002" /> Some focus on the practices (e.g., XP, pragmatic programming, agile modeling), while some focus on managing the flow of work (e.g., Scrum, Kanban). Some support activities for requirements specification and development (e.g., FDD), while some seek to cover the full development life cycle (e.g., DSDM, [[Rational Unified Process|RUP]]).

Popular agile software development frameworks include (but are not limited to):
* [[Adaptive software development]] (ASD)
* [[Agile modeling]]
* [[Agile Unified Process|Agile unified process]] (AUP)
* [[Disciplined agile delivery]]
* [[Dynamic systems development method]] (DSDM)
* [[Extreme programming]] (XP)
* [[Feature-driven development]] (FDD)
* [[Lean software development]]
* [[Kanban (development)|Kanban]]
* [[Rapid application development]] (RAD)
* [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]]
* [[Scrumban]]

=== Agile software development practices ===

Agile software development is supported by a number of concrete practices, covering areas like requirements, design, modeling, coding, testing, planning, risk management, process, quality, etc. Some notable agile software development practices include:

* [[Acceptance test-driven development]] (ATDD)
* [[Agile modeling]]
* [[Agile testing]]
* [[Scrum (development)#Product Backlog|Backlogs]] (Product and Sprint)
* [[Behavior-driven development]] (BDD)
* Business analyst designer method (BADM)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.its-all-design.com/business-analyst-designer-method/|title=Business Analyst Designer Method|website=www.its-all-design.com|last1=Heap|first1=Tony|accessdate=2015-08-08}}</ref>
* [[Continuous integration]] (CI)
* [[Cross-functional team]]
* [[Domain-driven design]] (DDD)
* Information radiators (scrum board, task board, visual management board, [[burndown chart]])
* [[Iterative and incremental development]] (IID)
* [[Low-code development platforms]]
* [[Pair programming]]
* [[Planning poker]]
* [[Refactoring]]
* [[Retrospective]]
* [[Scrum (development)|Scrum events]] (sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review and retrospective)
* [[Story-driven modeling]]
* [[Test-driven development]] (TDD)
* [[Timeboxing]]
* [[User story]]
* User story mapping
* [[Velocity (software development)|Velocity tracking]]

The Agile Alliance has provided a comprehensive online guide to applying these and other practices.<ref name="Agile Practices Guide">{{cite web|url=http://guide.agilealliance.org/ |title=Guide to Agile Practices |publisher=the Agile Alliance |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209152034/http://guide.agilealliance.org/ |archivedate=9 February 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

===Method tailoring===
In the literature, different terms refer to the notion of method adaptation, including 'method tailoring', 'method fragment adaptation' and 'situational method engineering'. Method tailoring is defined as:

{{Quote
|text=A process or capability in which human agents determine a system development approach for a specific project situation through responsive changes in, and dynamic interplays between contexts, intentions, and method fragments.
|author=Mehmet Nafiz Aydin et al.
|source=An Agile Information Systems Development Method in use<ref name="Aydin2004">{{cite journal | last1 = Aydin | first1 = M.N. | last2 = Harmsen | first2 = F. | last3 = Slooten | first3 = | last4 = Stagwee | first4 = R. A. | year = 2004 | title = An Agile Information Systems Development Method in use | url = | journal = Turk J Elec Engin | volume = 12 | issue = 2| pages = 127–138 }}</ref>}}

Situation-appropriateness should be considered as a distinguishing characteristic between agile methods and more plan-driven software development methods, with agile methods allowing product development teams to adapt working practices according to the needs of individual products.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Paradox of Agile Transformation: Why trying too hard to be Agile stops organisations from becoming truly agile|last=Morris|first=David|publisher=University of Auckland|year=2015|isbn=|location=NZ|pages=|doi=10.13140/RG.2.2.32698.08640}}</ref><ref name="Aydin2004" /> Potentially, most agile methods could be suitable for method tailoring,<ref name="Abrahamsson2002" /> such as [[Dynamic Systems Development Method|DSDM]] tailored in a [[Capability Maturity Model|CMM]] context.<ref name="Abrahamsson2003">Abrahamsson, P., Warsta, J., Siponen, M.T., & Ronkainen, J. (2003). New Directions on Agile Methods: A Comparative Analysis. ''Proceedings of ICSE'03'', 244-254</ref> and XP tailored with the ''Rule Description Practices'' (RDP) technique.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1370143.1370149|title=Proceedings of the 2008 international workshop on Scrutinizing agile practices or shoot-out at the agile corral (APOS '08)|last=Mirakhorli|first=M.|last2=Rad|first2=A.K.|last3=Shams|first3=F.|last4=Pazoki|first4=M.|last5=Mirakhorli|first5=A.|publisher=ACM|year=2008|isbn=978-1-60558-021-0|editor=|location=|pages=23–32|chapter=RDP technique: a practice to customize xp|doi=10.1145/1370143.1370149|chapterurl=}}</ref><ref name="Aydin2005">{{cite journal|last1=Aydin|first1=M.N.|last2=Harmsen|first2=F.|last3=van Slooten|first3=K.|last4=Stegwee|first4=R.A.|year=2005|title=On the Adaptation of An Agile Information(Suren) Systems Development Method|url=|journal=Journal of Database Management Special issue on Agile Analysis, Design, and Implementation|volume=16|issue=4|pages=20–24}}</ref> Not all agile proponents agree, however, with Schwaber noting "that is how we got into trouble in the first place, thinking that the problem was not having a perfect methodology. Efforts [should] center on the changes [needed] in the enterprise".<ref>Schwaber, K (2006) Scrum is hard and disruptive.</ref> Bas Vodde reinforced this viewpoint, suggesting that unlike traditional, large methodologies that require you to pick and choose elements, Scrum provides the basics on top of which you add additional elements to localise and contextualise its use.<ref>Vodde, B (2016) The Story of LeSS. Closing Keynote. Scrum Australia, Melbourne. April, 2016.</ref>

=== Large-scale, offshore and distributed ===

Agile software development has been widely seen as highly suited to certain types of environments, including small teams of experts working on [[greenfield project]]s,<ref name="boehm2004">{{cite book|last=Boehm|first=B.|authorlink=Barry Boehm|author2=[[Richard Turner (software)|R. Turner]]|title=Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed|publisher=Addison-Wesley|location=Boston, MA|year=2004|isbn=0-321-18612-5|pages=55–57}}</ref><ref name="beck1999">{{cite book|last=Beck|first=K.|authorlink=Kent Beck|title=Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change|publisher=Addison-Wesley|location=Boston, MA|year=1999|isbn=0-321-27865-8}}</ref>{{Rp|157}} and the challenges and limitations encountered in the adoption of agile software development methods in a large organization with [[Legacy system|legacy infrastructure]] are well-documented and understood.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Ian |title=Agile Delivery at British Telecom|url=http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/archive.php?id=43| accessdate =21 February 2011}}</ref>

In response, a range of strategies and patterns has evolved for overcoming challenges with large-scale development efforts (>20 developers)<ref name="ambler2006"/><ref name="sstc2007">Schaaf, R.J. (2007). Agility XL [http://www.sstc-online.org/Proceedings/2007/pdfs/RJS1722.pdf Systems and Software Technology Conference 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313105019/http://sstc-online.org/proceedings/2007/pdfs/rjs1722.pdf |date=13 March 2016 }}, Tampa, FL</ref> or distributed (non-colocated) development teams,<ref name="BridgingTheDistance">{{cite web|url=http://www.drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/184414899 |title=Bridging the Distance |publisher=Sdmagazine.com |date= |accessdate=1 February 2011}}</ref><ref name="AgileOffshore">{{cite web|first=Martin |last=Fowler |url=http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/agileOffshore.html |title=Using an Agile Software Process with Offshore Development |publisher=Martinfowler.com |date= |accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> amongst other challenges; and there are now several recognised frameworks that seek to mitigate or avoid these challenges.
* [[Scaled Agile Framework|Scaled agile framework]] (SAFe),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scaledagileframework.com/|title=Scaled Agile Framework|last=Leffingwell|first=Dean|website=Scaled Agile Framework}}</ref> Dean Leffingwell ''inter alia''
* [[Disciplined agile delivery]] (DAD), [[Scott Ambler]] ''inter alia''
* [[Large-Scale Scrum|Large-scale scrum]] (LeSS), [[Craig Larman]] and Bas Vodde
* Nexus (scaled professional Scrum),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schwaber|first1=Ken|url=https://www.scrum.org/Portals/0/NexusGuide%20v1.1.pdf|website=scrum.org|accessdate=14 September 2015|title=Nexus Guide: The Definitive Guide to Nexus: The exoskeleton of scaled Scrum development}}</ref> [[Ken Schwaber]]
* Scrum at Scale,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sutherland|first1=Jeff|last2=Brown|first2=Alex|title=Scrum At Scale: Part 1|url=http://www.scruminc.com/scrum-scale-part-1/|accessdate=14 September 2015}}</ref> [[Jeff Sutherland]], Alex Brown
* Enterprise Scrum,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Beedle|first1=Mike|title=Enterprise Scrum|url=http://www.enterprisescrum.com/|accessdate=25 September 2015}}</ref> Mike Beedle
* Setchu (Scrum-based lightweight framework),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ebbage|first1=Michael|title=Setchu – Agile at Scale|url=http://agile-setchu.org/|accessdate=30 September 2015}}</ref> Michael Ebbage
* Xscale<ref>http://agiletng.org/2014/04/21/xscale/</ref>
* Agile path<ref>http://www.agile-path.com/</ref>
* Holistic Software Development <ref>http://www.holistic-software.com</ref>

There are many conflicting viewpoints on whether all of these are effective or indeed fit the definition of agile development, and this remains an active and ongoing area of research.<ref name="ambler2006">W. Scott Ambler (2006) [http://www.drdobbs.com/184415491 Supersize Me] in Dr. Dobb's Journal, 15 February 2006.</ref><ref name="oopsla2002">Agile Processes Workshop II Managing Multiple Concurrent Agile Projects. Washington: OOPSLA 2002</ref>

When agile software development is applied in a distributed setting (with teams dispersed across multiple business locations), it is commonly referred to as distributed agile development. The goal is to leverage the unique benefits offered by each approach. Distributed development allow organizations to build software by strategically setting up teams in different parts of the globe, virtually building software round-the-clock (more commonly referred to as follow-the-sun model). On the other hand, agile development provides increased transparency, continuous feedback and more flexibility when responding to changes.

=== Regulated domains ===

Agile software development methods were initially seen as best suitable for non-critical product developments, thereby excluded from use in regulated domains such as medical devices, pharmaceutical, financial, nuclear systems, automotive, and avionics sectors, etc. However, in the last several years, there have been several initiatives for the adaptation of agile methods for these domains.<ref name="Fitzgerald2013">{{Cite journal|title = Scaling agile methods to regulated environments: An industry case study|url = http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/lpdocs/epic03/wrapper.htm?arnumber=6606635|journal = 2013 35th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE)|date = May 2013|pages = 863–872|doi = 10.1109/ICSE.2013.6606635|first = B.|last = Fitzgerald|first2 = K.-J.|last2 = Stol|first3 = R.|last3 = O'Sullivan|first4 = D.|last4 = O'Brien|isbn = 978-1-4673-3076-3}}</ref><ref name="Cawley2010">{{Cite journal|title = Lean/Agile Software Development Methodologies in Regulated Environments – State of the Art|url = https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-16416-3_4|publisher = Springer Berlin Heidelberg|journal = Lean Enterprise Software and Systems|date = 2010|isbn = 978-3-642-16415-6|pages = 31–36|series = Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing|volume = 65|first = Oisín|last = Cawley|first2 = Xiaofeng|last2 = Wang|first3 = Ita|last3 = Richardson|editor-first = Pekka|editor-last = Abrahamsson|editor2-first = Nilay|editor2-last = Oza|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-16416-3_4}}</ref><ref name="McHugh2014">{{Cite journal|title = An Agile Implementation within a Medical Device Software Organisation|url = https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-13036-1_17|publisher = Springer International Publishing|journal = Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination|date = 2014-11-04|isbn = 978-3-319-13035-4|pages = 190–201|series = Communications in Computer and Information Science|volume = 477|first = Martin|last = McHugh|first2 = Fergal|last2 = McCaffery|first3 = Garret|last3 = Coady|editor-first = Antanas|editor-last = Mitasiunas|editor2-first = Terry|editor2-last = Rout|editor3-first = Rory V.|editor3-last = O’Connor|editor4-first = Alec|editor4-last = Dorling| display-editors = 3|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-13036-1_17}}</ref>

There are numerous standards that may apply in regulated domains, including [[ISO 26262]], [[ISO 9000]], [[ISO 9001]], and [[ISO/IEC 15504]].
A number of key concerns are of particular importance in regulated domains:<ref name="Fitzgerald2013" />

* [[Quality assurance]] (QA): Systematic and inherent quality management underpinning a controlled professional process and reliability and correctness of product.
* Safety and security: Formal planning and risk management to mitigate safety risks for users and securely protecting users from unintentional and malicious misuse.
* Traceability: Documentation providing auditable evidence of regulatory compliance and facilitating traceability and investigation of problems.
* [[Verification and Validation]] (V&V): Embedded throughout the software development process (e.g. user requirements specification, functional specification, design specification, code review, unit tests, integration tests, system tests).

The [[Scrum (development)|Scrum]] framework in particular has received considerable attention. Two derived methods have been defined: R-Scrum (Regulated Scrum)<ref name="Fitzgerald2013" /> and SafeScrum.<ref name="SafeScrum">http://www.sintef.no/safescrum</ref><ref>Thor Myklebust, Tor Stålhane, Geir Kjetil Hanssen, Tormod Wien and Børge Haugset: Scrum, documentation and the IEC 61508-3:2010 software standard, http://www.sintef.no/globalassets/ec-61508-documentation-and-safescrum-psam12.pdf</ref>

==Experience and adoption==
Although agile software development methods can be used with any programming paradigm or language in practice, they were originally closely associated with object-oriented environments such as Smalltalk and Lisp and later Java. The initial adopters of agile methods were usually small to medium-sized teams working on unprecedented systems with requirements that were difficult to finalize and likely to change as the system was being developed. This section describes common problems that organizations encounter when they try to adopt agile software development methods as well as various techniques to measure the quality and performance of agile teams.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Beck|first1=Kent|title=Extreme Programming Explained|date=2000|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=0201616416|pages=1–24}}</ref>

====Low-Code Development Platforms====

Due to the intuitive and efficient nature of [[low-code development platforms]], many have adopted an agile framework for project management. Many platforms feature robust collaboration tools conductive for agile sprints and continuous feedback loops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mendix.com/agile-framework/|title=An Introduction to Agile Frameworks|publisher=https://www.mendix.com/}}</ref>

===Measuring agility===
The best agile practitioners have always emphasized sound engineering principles. As a result, there are a number of best practices and tools for measuring the performance of agile software development and teams.

==== Internal assessments ====
The ''Agility measurement index'', amongst others, rates developments against five dimensions of product development (duration, risk, novelty, effort, and interaction).<ref>{{cite journal|date=|doi=10.1145/1185448.1185509|chapter=Agility measurement index|title=Proceedings of the 44th annual southeast regional conference on - ACM-SE 44|pages=271|year=2006|last1=Datta|first1=Subhajit|isbn=1595933158}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://jroller.com/page/bokmann?entry=improving_your_processes_aim_high|title=David Bock's Weblog : Weblog|publisher=Jroller.com|accessdate=2 April 2010}}</ref>

Other techniques are based on measurable goals<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smr.co.uk/presentations/measure.pdf|title=Assessing Agility|author=Peter Lappo|author2=Henry C.T. Andrew|date=|publisher=|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> and one study suggests that [[Velocity (software development)|velocity]] can be used as a metric of agility.<ref name="Kurian 2006">Kurian, Tisni (2006). Agility Metrics: A Quantitative Fuzzy Based Approach for Measuring Agility of a Software Process, ''ISAM-Proceedings of International Conference on Agile Manufacturing'06(ICAM-2006)'', Norfolk, U.S.</ref>

There are also agile self-assessments to determine whether a team is using agile software development practices (Nokia test,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agileconsortium.blogspot.com/2007/12/nokia-test.html|title=Nokia test, A scrum-specific test|author=Joe Little|date=2 December 2007|publisher=Agileconsortium.blogspot.com|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> Karlskrona test,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mayberg.se/learning/karlskrona-test|title=Karlskrona test, A generic agile adoption test|author=Mark Seuffert|author2=Mayberg, Sweden|date=|publisher=Mayberg.se|accessdate=5 Apr 2014}}</ref> 42 points test<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutagile.com/how-agile-are-you-take-this-42-point-test/|title=How Agile Are You? (Take This 42 Point Test)|date=|publisher=allaboutagile.com/|accessdate=3 April 2014}}</ref>).

====Public surveys====
One of the early studies reporting gains in quality, productivity, and business satisfaction by using agile software developments methods was a survey conducted by Shine Technologies from November 2002 to January 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shinetech.com/attachments/104_ShineTechAgileSurvey2003-01-17.pdf|title=Agile Methodologies Survey Results|date=January 2003|publisher=Shine Technologies|format=PDF|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821225423/http://www.shinetech.com/attachments/104_ShineTechAgileSurvey2003-01-17.pdf|archivedate=21 August 2010|deadurl=yes|accessdate=3 June 2010|quote=95% stated that there was either no effect or a cost reduction ... 93% stated that productivity was better or significantly better ... 88% stated that quality was better or significantly better ... 83% stated that business satisfaction was better or significantly better|df=}}</ref>

A similar survey, the ''State of Agile'', is conducted every year starting in 2006 with thousands of participants from around the software development community. This tracks trends on the benefits of agility, lessons learned, and good practices. Each survey has reported increasing numbers saying that agile software development helps them deliver software faster; improves their ability to manage changing customer priorities; and increases their productivity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stateofagile.versionone.com/why-agile/|title=2013 State of Agile report: Why Agile?|date=27 January 2014|publisher=stateofagile.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828012224/http://stateofagile.versionone.com/why-agile/|archivedate=28 August 2014|deadurl=yes|accessdate=13 August 2014|df=}}</ref> Surveys have also consistently shown better results with agile product development methods compared to classical project management.<ref>[http://www.status-quo-agile.net Status Quo Agile], Second study on success and forms of usage of agile methods. Retrieved 1 July 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/191800169;jsessionid=2QJ23QRYM3H4PQE1GHPCKH4ATMY32JVN?queryText=agile+survey|title=Survey Says: Agile Works in Practice|last=Ambler|first=Scott|authorlink=Scott Ambler|date=3 August 2006|work=Dr. Dobb's|accessdate=3 June 2010|quote=Only 6% indicated that their productivity was lowered ... No change in productivity was reported by 34% of respondents and 60% reported increased productivity ... 66% [responded] that the quality is higher ... 58% of organizations report improved satisfaction, whereas only 3% report reduced satisfaction.}}</ref> In balance, there are reports that some feel that agile development methods are still too young to enable extensive academic research of their success.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/proof.htm|title=Answering the "Where is the Proof That Agile Methods Work" Question|date=19 January 2007|publisher=Agilemodeling.com|accessdate=2 April 2010}}</ref>

===Common agile software development pitfalls===

Organizations and teams implementing agile software development often face difficulties transitioning from more traditional methods such as [[waterfall development]], such as teams having an agile process forced on them.<ref name="The Art of Agile Development">{{harvnb|Shore|Warden|2008|p=47}}</ref> These are often termed ''agile anti-patterns'' or more commonly ''agile smells''. Below are some common examples:

====Lack of overall product design====
A goal of agile software development is to focus more on producing working software and less on documentation. This is in contrast to waterfall models where the process is often highly controlled and minor changes to the system require significant revision of supporting documentation. However, this does not justify completely doing without any analysis or design at all. Failure to pay attention to design can cause a team to proceed rapidly at first but then to have significant rework required as they attempt to scale up the system. One of the key features of agile software development is that it is iterative. When done correctly design emerges as the system is developed and commonalities and opportunities for re-use are discovered.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Beck|first1=Kent|title=Extreme Programming Explained|date=2000|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=0201616416|pages=48–49}}</ref>

====Adding stories to an iteration in progress====

In agile software development, ''stories'' (similar to [[use case]] descriptions) are typically used to define requirements and an ''iteration'' is a short period of time during which the team commits to specific goals.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rouse|first1=Margaret|title=Sprint (software development) definition|url=http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/Scrum-sprint|website=searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com|accessdate=2 October 2015}}</ref> Adding stories to an iteration in progress is detrimental to a good flow of work. These should be added to the product backlog and prioritized for a subsequent iteration or in rare cases the iteration could be cancelled.<ref name="axisagile.com.au">{{cite web|last1=Goldstein|first1=Ilan|title=Sprint issues – when sprints turn into crawls|url=http://www.axisagile.com.au/blog/planning-and-metrics/sprint-issues-when-sprints-turn-into-crawls/|website=www.axisagile.com.au|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref>

This does not mean that a story cannot expand. Teams must deal with new information, which may produce additional tasks for a story. If the new information prevents the story from being completed during the iteration, then it should be carried over to a subsequent iteration. However, it should be prioritized against all remaining stories, as the new information may have changed the story's original priority.

====Lack of sponsor support====

Agile software development is often implemented as a grassroots effort in organizations by software development teams trying to optimize their development processes and ensure consistency in the software development life cycle. By not having sponsor support, teams may face difficulties and resistance from business partners, other development teams and management. Additionally, they may suffer without appropriate funding and resources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agile-only.com/master-thesis/project-mgmt/pr-and-rd|title=Project Roles and Responsibility Distribution|website=agile-only.com|accessdate=2014-06-15}}</ref> This increases the likelihood of failure.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bourne|first1=Lynda|title=What Does a Project Sponsor Really Do?|url=http://blogs.pmi.org/blog/voices_on_project_management/2012/04/what-does-a-project-sponsor-re.html|website=blogs.pmi.org|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref>

====Insufficient training====

A survey performed by VersionOne found respondents cited insufficient training as the most significant cause for failed agile implementations<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.versionone.com/state_of_agile_development_survey/09/page5.asp|title=9th State of Agile Report|website=Stage of Agile Survey|publisher=VersionOne|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> Teams have fallen into the trap of assuming the reduced processes of agile software development compared to other methodologies such as waterfall means that there are no actual rules for agile software development. Agile software development is a set of prescribed methodologies, and training/practice is a requirement.

====Product owner role is not properly filled====

The [[product owner]] is responsible for representing the business in the development activity and is often the most demanding role.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Sims, Chris |author2=Johnson, Hillary Louise |title=The Elements of Scrum|date=2011-02-15|publisher=Dymaxicon|page=73|edition=Kindle}}</ref>

A common mistake is to have the product owner role filled by someone from the development team. This requires the team to make its own decisions on prioritization without real feedback from the business. They try to solve business issues internally or delay work as they reach outside the team for direction. This often leads to distraction and a breakdown in collaboration.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rothman|first1=Johanna Rothman|title=When You Have No Product Owner At All|url=http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2011/08/when-you-have-no-product-owner-at-all.html|website=www.jrothman.com|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref>

====Teams are not focused====

Agile software development requires teams to meet product commitments, which means they should focus only on work for that product. However, team members who appear to have spare capacity are often expected to take on other work, which makes it difficult for them to help complete the work to which their team had committed.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fox|first1=Alyssa|title=Working on Multiple Agile Teams|url=http://techwhirl.com/working-multiple-agile-teams/|website=techwhirl.com/|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

====Excessive preparation/planning====

Teams may fall into the trap of spending too much time preparing or planning. This is a common trap for teams less familiar with agile software development where the teams feel obliged to have a complete understanding and specification of all stories. Teams should be prepared to move forward only with those stories in which they have confidence, then during the iteration continue to discover and prepare work for subsequent iterations (often referred to as [[refinement (computing)|backlog refinement]] or grooming).

====Problem-solving in the daily standup====

A daily standup should be a focused, timely meeting where all team members disseminate information. If problem-solving occurs, it often can only involve certain team members and potentially is not the best use of the entire team's time. If during the daily standup the team starts diving into problem-solving, it should be set aside until a sub-team can discuss, usually immediately after the standup completes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily Scrum Meeting|url=http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/daily-scrum|website=www.mountaingoatsoftware.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

====Assigning tasks====

One of the intended benefits of agile software development is to empower the team to make choices, as they are closest to the problem. Additionally, they should make choices as close to implementation as possible, to use more timely information in the decision. If team members are assigned tasks by others or too early in the process, the benefits of localized and timely decision making can be lost.<ref name="Effective Sprint Planning">{{cite web|last1=May |first1=Robert |title=Effective Sprint Planning |url=http://www.agileexecutives.org/Blogs/tabid/66/EntryId/18/Effective-Sprint-Planning.aspx |website=www.agileexecutives.org |accessdate=2014-06-14 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628102810/http://www.agileexecutives.org/Blogs/tabid/66/EntryId/18/Effective-Sprint-Planning.aspx |archivedate=28 June 2014 |df= }}</ref>

Being assigned work also constrains team members into certain roles (for example, team member A must always do the database work), which limits opportunities for cross-training.<ref name="Effective Sprint Planning"/> Team members themselves can choose to take on tasks that stretch their abilities and provide cross-training opportunities.

====Scrum master as a contributor====

Another common pitfall is for a scrum master to act as a contributor. While not prohibited by the Scrum methodology, the scrum master needs to ensure they have the capacity to act in the role of scrum master first and not working on development tasks. A scrum master's role is to facilitate the process rather than create the product.<ref name="agileconnection.com">{{cite web|last1=Berczuk|first1=Steve|title=Mission Possible: ScrumMaster and Technical Contributor|url=http://www.agileconnection.com/article/mission-possible-scrummaster-and-technical-contributor?page=0%2C1|website=www.agileconnection.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

Having the scrum master also multitasking may result in too many context switches to be productive. Additionally, as a scrum master is responsible for ensuring roadblocks are removed so that the team can make forward progress, the benefit gained by individual tasks moving forward may not outweigh roadblocks that are deferred due to lack of capacity.<ref name="agileconnection.com"/>

====Lack of test automation====

Due to the iterative nature of agile development, multiple rounds of testing are often needed. Automated testing helps reduce the impact of repeated unit, integration, and regression tests and frees developers and testers to focus on higher value work.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Namta|first1=Rajneesh|title=Thoughts on Test Automation in Agile|url=http://www.infoq.com/articles/thoughts-on-test-automation-in-agile|website=www.infoq.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

Test automation also supports continued [[refactoring]] required by iterative software development. Allowing a developer to quickly run tests to confirm refactoring has not modified the functionality of the application may reduce the workload and increase confidence that cleanup efforts have not introduced new defects.

====Allowing technical debt to build up====

Focusing on delivering new functionality may result in increased [[technical debt]]. The team must allow themselves time for defect remediation and refactoring. Technical debt hinders planning abilities by increasing the amount of unscheduled work as production defects distract the team from further progress.<ref name="Technical Debt + Red October">{{cite web|last1 = Band|first1 = Zvi|title = Technical Debt + Red October|url = http://zviband.com/posts/technical-debt-red-october/|accessdate = 8 June 2014}}</ref>

As the system evolves it is important to [[Code refactoring|refactor]] as entropy of the system naturally increases.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Shore|first1=James|title=The Art of Agile Development: Refactoring|url=http://www.jamesshore.com/Agile-Book/refactoring.html|website=www.jamesshore.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref> Over time the lack of constant maintenance causes increasing defects and development costs.<ref name="Technical Debt + Red October"/>

====Attempting to take on too much in an iteration====
A common misconception is that agile software development allows continuous change, however an iteration backlog is an agreement of what work can be completed during an iteration.<ref>{{cite web|title=Step 4: Sprint Planning (Tasks)|url=http://www.allaboutagile.com/how-to-implement-scrum-in-10-easy-steps-step-4-sprint-planning-tasks/|website=www.allaboutagile.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref> Having too much [[Work in process|work-in-progress (WIP)]] results in inefficiencies such as context-switching and queueing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leankit.com/blog/2014/03/limiting-work-in-progress/|title=Why Limiting Your Work-in-Progress Matters|website=leankit.com|last1=George|first1=Claire|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref> The team must avoid feeling pressured into taking on additional work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-planning-meeting/|website=www.mountaingoatsoftware.com|accessdate=2014-06-14|title=Sprint Planning Meeting}}</ref>

====Fixed time, resources, scope, and quality====
Agile software development fixes time (iteration duration), quality, and ideally resources in advance (though maintaining fixed resources may be difficult if developers are often pulled away from tasks to handle production incidents), while the scope remains variable. The customer or product owner often push for a fixed scope for an iteration. However, teams should be reluctant to commit to the locked time, resources and scope (commonly known as the [[project management triangle]]). Efforts to add scope to the fixed time and resources of agile software development may result in decreased quality.<ref name="adeptechllc.com">{{cite web|last1=McMillan |first1=Keith |title=Time, Resources, Scope… and Quality. |url=http://www.adeptechllc.com/2010/05/13/time-resources-scope-and-quality/ |website=www.adeptechllc.com |accessdate=2014-06-15 }}</ref>

====Developer burnout====
Due to the focused pace and continuous nature of agile practices, there is a heightened risk of burnout among member of the delivery team. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1877050916000582/1-s2.0-S1877050916000582-main.pdf?_tid=c457f048-fb52-11e7-898a-00000aacb35e&acdnat=1516172036_b8b055d4f50de7743058b83879f35f74//|title=Current study on limitations of Agile|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

== Agile management ==
The term ''agile management'' is applied to an iterative, incremental method of managing the design and build activities of engineering, information technology and other business areas that aim to provide new product or service development in a highly flexible and interactive manner, based on the principles expressed in the ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Managing Agile: Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People |last=Moran |first=Alan|publisher=Springer |date=2015|isbn=978-3-319-16262-1}}</ref>

Agile X techniques may also be called [[extreme project management]]. It is a variant of [[iterative and incremental development|iterative life cycle]]<ref>ExecutiveBrief, [http://www.pmhut.com/which-life-cycle-is-best-for-your-project Which Life Cycle Is Best For Your Project?], PM Hut. Accessed 23. Oct 2009.</ref> where [[deliverable]]s are submitted in stages. The main difference between agile and iterative development is that agile methods complete small portions of the deliverables in each delivery cycle (iteration),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.versionone.com/agile-project-management/ | title=Agile Project Management | publisher=VersionOne | accessdate=1 June 2015}}</ref> while iterative methods evolve the entire set of deliverables over time, completing them near the end of the project. Both iterative and agile methods were developed as a reaction to various obstacles that developed in more sequential forms of project organization. For example, as technology projects grow in complexity, end users tend to have difficulty defining the long-term requirements without being able to view progressive prototypes. Projects that develop in iterations can constantly gather feedback to help refine those requirements.

Agile management also offers a simple framework promoting communication and reflection on past [[Work (project management)|work]] amongst [[Project team|team]] members.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.project-laneways.com.au/certification-courses/agilepm/what-is-agile-management | title=What is Agile Management? | publisher=Project Laneways | accessdate=1 June 2015}}</ref> Teams who were using traditional waterfall planning and adopted the agile way of development typically go through a transformation phase and often take help from agile coaches who help guide the teams through a smooth transformation. There are typically two styles of agile coaching: push-based and [[pull-based agile coaching]]. Agile management approaches have also been employed and adapted to the business and government sectors. For example, within the [[federal government of the United States]], the [[United States Agency for International Development]] (USAID) is employing a [[collaborative project management]] approach that focuses on incorporating [[collaborating, learning and adapting]] (CLA) strategies to iterate and adapt programming.<ref>USAID. [https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/201.pdf "ADS Chapter 201 Program Cycle Operational Policy"]. Retrieved April 19, 2017</ref>

Agile methods are mentioned in the ''Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge'' (''PMBOK Guide'') under the Project Lifecycle definition:
{{blockquote|'''Adaptive project life cycle''', a project life cycle, also known as change-driven or agile methods, that is intended to facilitate change and require a high degree of ongoing [[Project stakeholders|stakeholder]] involvement. Adaptive life cycles are also iterative and incremental, but differ in that iterations are very rapid (usually 2-4 weeks in length) and are fixed in time and [[Resource (project management)|resources]].<ref>[[Project Management Institute]], ''[[A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge]]'' (PMBOK Guide), Fifth Edition</ref>}}

=== Applications outside software development ===
[[File:Agile Brazil 2014 conference entrance.jpg|Agile Brazil 2014 conference|thumb|right]]
According to Jean-Loup Richet (Research Fellow at [[ESSEC]] Institute for Strategic Innovation & Services) "this approach can be leveraged effectively for non-software products and for project management in general, especially in areas of innovation and uncertainty." The end result is a product or project that best meets current customer needs and is delivered with minimal costs, waste, and time, enabling companies to achieve bottom line gains earlier than via traditional approaches.<ref>Richet, Jean-Loup (2013). ''Agile Innovation''. Cases and Applied Research, n°31. ESSEC-ISIS. {{ISBN|978-2-36456-091-8}}</ref>

Agile software development methods have been extensively used for development of software products and some of them use certain characteristics of software, such as object technologies.<ref name=Smith2007>{{Cite book | last=Smith| first=Preston G| year=2007 | title=Flexible Product Development | publisher=Jossey-Bass | isbn=978-0-7879-9584-3 | page=25 | postscript= }}</ref> However, these techniques can be applied to the development of non-software products, such as computers, motor vehicles,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agilebusinessmanagement.org/content/wikispeed-%E2%80%93-applying-agile-software-principles-and-practices-fast-automotive-development|title=WIKISPEED – Applying Agile software principles and practices for fast automotive development|publisher=Agile Business Management Consortium |date=2013-12-03 |accessdate=2015-09-11}}</ref> medical devices, food, clothing, and music;<ref>{{cite book | author=Newton Lee|title="Getting on the Billboard Charts: Music Production as Agile Software Development," ''Digital Da Vinci: Computers in Music''|publisher=Springer Science+Business Media|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4939-0535-5| asin=149390535X}}</ref> see [[Flexible product development]]. Agile software development methods have been used in non-development [[IT infrastructure]] [[IT infrastructure deployment|deployments and migrations]]. Some of the wider principles of agile software development have also found application in general management<ref>{{cite book | author=Moran, Alan |title=Managing Agile: Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People |publisher=Springer Verlag|year=2015|isbn=978-3-319-16262-1| asin=3319162616 }}</ref> (e.g., strategy, governance, risk, finance) under the terms [[business agility]] or agile business management.

Under an agile business management model, agile software development techniques, practices, principles and values are expressed across five domains.<ref>{{cite book | author=Leybourn, Evan |title=Directing the Agile Organisation: A Lean Approach to Business Management |publisher=IT Governance Publishing|year=2013|isbn=978-1-849-28491-2| asin=1849284911 }}</ref>
# Integrated [[customer engagement]]: to embed customers within any delivery process to share accountability for product/service delivery.
# Facilitation-based management: adopting agile management models, like the role of [[Scrum Master]], to facilitate the day-to-day operation of teams.
# Agile work practices: adopting specific iterative and incremental work practices such as [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]], [[Kanban (development)|Kanban]], [[test-driven development]] or [[feature-driven development]] across all business functions (from sales, [[human resources]], finance<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theagiledirector.com/article/2015/03/11/pair-trading-collaboration-in-finance/|title=Pair Trading: Collaboration in Finance|publisher=The Agile Director |date=2015-03-11 |accessdate=2015-09-11}}</ref> and [[marketing]]).
# An enabling organisational structure: with a focus on staff [[Engagement marketing|engagement]], personal autonomy and outcomes based governance.
# Applications of agile process (along with [[DevOps]] and [[lean manufacturing]]), to [[Data analysis|data analytics]], [[business intelligence]], [[big data]], and [[data science]] is called [[Dataops|DataOps]]

Agile software development paradigms can be used in other areas of life such as raising children. Its success in child development might be founded on some basic management principles; communication, adaptation, and awareness. In a [[TED (conference)|TED Talk]], Bruce Feiler shared how he applied basic agile paradigms to to household management and raising children.<ref>[http://www.ted.com/talks/bruce_feiler_agile_programming_for_your_family.html "Agile programming – for your family"].</ref>

== Criticism ==
Agile practices can be inefficient in large organizations and certain types of developments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1380615|first=Craig|last=Larman|author2=Bas Vodde|title=Top Ten Organizational Impediments to Large-Scale Agile Adoption |publisher=InformIT |date=2009-08-13}}</ref> Many organizations believe that agile software development methodologies are too extreme and adopt a Hybrid approach <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.binfire.com/blog/2016/07/hybrid-project-management-methodology//|title=Introduction to Hybrid project management|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref> that mixes elements of agile software development and plan-driven approaches.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Barlow|first=Jordan B.|author2=Justin Scott Giboney|author3=Mark Jeffery Keith|author4=David W. Wilson|author5=Ryan M. Schuetzler|author6=Paul Benjamin Lowry|author7= Anthony Vance|title=Overview and Guidance on Agile Development in Large Organizations|journal=Communications of the Association for Information Systems|year=2011|volume=29|issue=1|pages=25–44|url=http://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol29/iss1/2/}}</ref> Some methods, such as [[dynamic systems development method]] (DSDM) attempt this in a disciplined way, without sacrificing fundamental principles.

The increasing adoption of agile practices has also been criticized as being a [[management fad]] that simply describes existing good practices under new jargon, promotes a ''one size fits all'' mindset towards development strategies, and wrongly emphasizes method over results.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.batimes.com/kupe-kupersmith/agile-is-a-fad.html|title = Agile is a Fad|last = Kupersmith|first = Kupe}}</ref>

[[Alistair Cockburn]] organized a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development'' in Snowbird, Utah on 12 February 2011, gathering some 30+ people who had been involved at the original meeting and since. A list of about 20 [[elephant in the room|elephants in the room]] ('undiscussable' agile topics/issues) were collected, including aspects: the alliances, failures and limitations of agile software development practices and context (possible causes: commercial interests, decontextualization, no obvious way to make progress based on failure, limited objective evidence, cognitive biases and reasoning fallacies), politics and culture.<ref name="TeenAgile">{{cite web|url=http://www.infoq.com/articles/agile-teenage-crisis|first=Philippe|last=Kruchten|title=Agile's Teenage Crisis? |publisher=InfoQ |date=2011-06-20}}</ref> As [[Philippe Kruchten]] wrote:

{{Quote
|text=The agile movement is in some ways a bit like a teenager: very self-conscious, checking constantly its appearance in a mirror, accepting few criticisms, only interested in being with its peers, rejecting en bloc all wisdom from the past, just because it is from the past, adopting fads and new jargon, at times cocky and arrogant. But I have no doubts that it will mature further, become more open to the outside world, more reflective, and therefore, more effective.
|author=Philippe Kruchten<ref name="TeenAgile" />}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web |first=P. |last=Abrahamsson |last2=Salo |first2=O. |last3=Ronkainen |first3=J. |last4=Warsta |first4=J. |title=Agile Software Development Methods: Review and Analysis |date=2002 |work= |publisher=VTT Publications |id=478 |url=http://agile.vtt.fi/publications.html}}
*{{cite book |last=Cohen |first=D. |last2=Lindvall |first2=M. |last3=Costa |first3=P. |chapter=An introduction to agile methods |editor-first=Marvin |editor-last=Zelkowitz |series=Advances in Computers |title=Advances in Software Engineering |chapterurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=N-06uoJ9iSsC&pg=PA1 |date=2004 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=978-0-08-047190-7 |pages=1–66 |volume=62}}
*{{cite book |first=Torgeir |last=Dingsøyr |first2=Tore |last2=Dybå |first3=Nils Brede |last3=Moe |title=Agile Software Development: Current Research and Future Directions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRhGAAAAQBAJ |date=2010 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-642-12575-1 }}
*{{cite book|last=Fowler|first=Martin|chapter=Is Design Dead?|chapterurl=http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/designDead.html|pages=3–18|editor-first=Giancarlo|editor-last=Succi|editor2-first=Michele|editor2-last=Marchesi|title=Extreme Programming Examined|year=2001|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=978-0-201-71040-3|ref={{harvid|Succi|Marchesi|2001}}}}
*{{cite journal |first=Craig |last=Larman |last2=Basili |first2=Victor R. |title=Iterative and Incremental Development: A Brief History |journal=IEEE Computer |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=47–56 |date=June 2003 |doi=10.1109/MC.2003.1204375 |url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f9b3/ca89c69bacfade039c8be40762c6857bda11.pdf |format=PDF |ref=harv}}
*{{cite web | publisher = MITRE | title =Handbook for Implementing Agile in Department of Defense Information Technology Acquisition | url=https://www.mitre.org/publications/technical-papers/handbook-for-implementing-agile-in-department-of-defense-information-technology-acquisition}}
*{{cite book|first=Alan|last=Moran|title=Managing Agile: Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I6l_BwAAQBAJ|date=2015|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-319-16262-1}}
*{{cite web|first=Dirk|last=Riehle|title=A Comparison of the Value Systems of Adaptive Software Development and Extreme Programming: How Methodologies May Learn From Each Other|url=http://www.riehle.org/computer-science/research/2000/xp-2000.html}} In {{harvnb|Succi|Marchesi|2001}}
* {{cite book |first=James |last=Shore |first2=Shane |last2=Warden |title=The Art of Agile Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2q6bAgAAQBAJ |date=2008 |publisher=O'Reilly Media |isbn=978-0-596-52767-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|first=M.|last=Stephens|first2=D.|last2=Rosenberg|title=Extreme Programming Refactored: The Case Against XP|publisher=Apress|year=2003|isbn=1-59059-096-1}}
*Willison, Brian (2008). Iterative Milestone Engineering Model. New York, NY.
* Willison, Brian (2008). Visualization Driven Rapid Prototyping. Parsons Institute for Information Mapping.
* {{cite book |title=Introduction to Agile Methods |author=Sondra Ashmore Ph.D |author2=Kristin Runyan |publisher=Addison-Wesley |year=2015}}

==External links==
* [http://agilemanifesto.org/ Agile Manifesto]
* [https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/agile-glossary/ Agile Glossary]
* [http://martinfowler.com/articles/newMethodology.html The New Methodology] [[Martin Fowler]]'s description of the background to agile methods
* [http://www.pragprog.com/magazines/2011-02/agile-- Ten Authors of The Agile Manifesto Celebrate its Tenth Anniversary]
* [http://agilepatterns.org/ AgilePatterns.org]

* [http://blog.tfl.gov.uk/2015/06/10/agile-continuous-delivery-in-the-cloud-part-1/ Agile Continuous Delivery in the Cloud by Tariq Khurshid]
* [https://ivarjacobson.com/ Agile Training] and resources available from [[Ivar Jacobson]]

{{Software engineering}}

{{use dmy dates|date=January 2012}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agile Software Development}}
[[Category:Software project management]]
[[Category:Software development philosophies]]
[[Category:Agile software development| ]]

Agile software development

2018-04-13T19:18:23Z

Lowcoder: /* Experience and adoption */

{{Software development process}}
'''Agile software development''' describes an approach to [[software development]] under which requirements and solutions evolve through the collaborative effort of [[Self-organization#Human society|self-organizing]] and [[cross-functional team|cross-functional]] teams and their [[Customer|customer(s)]]/[[End user|end user(s)]].<ref name="Collier 2011">{{cite book |title= Agile Analytics: A Value-Driven Approach to Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing |last=Collier|first=Ken W. |year=2011 |publisher= Pearson Education |isbn=9780321669544 | pages= 121 ff|quote=What is a self-organizing team?}}</ref> It advocates adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, and [[Continual improvement process|continual improvement]], and it encourages rapid and flexible response to change.<ref name="WhatIsAgile">{{Cite web|url = http://www.agilealliance.org/the-alliance/what-is-agile/|title = What is Agile Software Development?|date = 8 June 2013|accessdate = 4 April 2015|publisher = Agile Alliance}}</ref>

The term ''agile'' (sometimes written ''Agile'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rallydev.com/blog/engineering/agile-capital-vs-agile-lowercase |title=Agile With a Capital "A" Vs. agile With a Lowercase "a" |last=Rally |first= |date=2010 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105105258/https://www.rallydev.com/blog/engineering/agile-capital-vs-agile-lowercase |archive-date=5 January 2016 |dead-url=bot: unknown |access-date=September 9, 2015 |df= }}</ref> was popularized, in this context, by the ''[[#The Agile Manifesto|Manifesto for Agile Software Development]]''.<ref name="AgileManifesto">{{cite web|url=http://agilemanifesto.org/|title=Manifesto for Agile Software Development|author=[[Kent Beck]], James Grenning, [[Robert Cecil Martin|Robert C. Martin]], Mike Beedle, [[Jim Highsmith]], [[Stephen J. Mellor|Steve Mellor]], Arie van Bennekum, [[Andy Hunt (author)|Andrew Hunt]], [[Ken Schwaber]], [[Alistair Cockburn]], [[Ron Jeffries]], [[Jeff Sutherland]], [[Ward Cunningham]], Jon Kern, [[Dave Thomas (programmer)|Dave Thomas]], [[Martin Fowler]], Brian Marick|year=2001|publisher=Agile Alliance|accessdate=14 June 2010|display-authors=}}</ref> The values and principles espoused in this manifesto were derived from and underpin a broad range of [[Software development process|software development frameworks]], including [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]] and [[Kanban (development)|Kanban]].<ref>{{cite |url=http://www.cleverpm.com/2016/03/04/which-is-better-kanban-or-scrum/|title=Which is better – Kanban or Scrum?}}</ref><ref name="LarmanGuide" />

While there is significant anecdotal evidence that adopting agile practices and values improves the agility of software professionals, teams and organizations; some empirical studies have found no scientific evidence.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Dybå|first1=Tore|last2=Dingsøyr|first2=Torgeir|title=Empirical studies of agile software development: A systematic review|journal=Information and Software Technology|date=1 August 2008|volume=50|issue=9–10|pages=833–859|doi=10.1016/j.infsof.2008.01.006|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950584908000256|language=en|issn=0950-5849}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Lee|first1=Gwanhoo|last2=Xia|first2=Weidong|date=2010|title=Toward Agile: An Integrated Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Field Data on Software Development Agility|url=|journal=MIS Quarterly|volume=34|issue=1|pages=87–114|doi=10.2307/20721416|via=}}</ref>

{{TOC limit}}

==History==
In 2001, seventeen software developers met at a resort in [[Snowbird, Utah|Snowbird]], [[Utah]] to discuss these lightweight development methods, among others [[Jeff Sutherland]], [[Ken Schwaber]], [[Jim Highsmith]], [[Alistair Cockburn]], and [[Robert Cecil Martin|Bob Martin]]. Together they published the ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development''.<ref name="AgileManifesto" />

[[Iterative and incremental development|Iterative and incremental development methods]], however, can be traced back as early as 1957,<ref name="craig2003">[[Gerald M. Weinberg]], as quoted in {{harvnb|Larman|Basili|June 2003|pp=47–56}} "We were doing incremental development as early as 1957, in Los Angeles, under the direction of Bernie Dimsdale at [[Service Bureau Corporation|IBM's Service Bureau Corporation]]. He was a colleague of [[John von Neumann]], so perhaps he learned it there, or assumed it as totally natural. I do remember Herb Jacobs (primarily, though we all participated) developing a large simulation for Motorola, where the technique used was, as far as I can tell ... All of us, as far as I can remember, thought waterfalling of a huge project was rather stupid, or at least ignorant of the realities. I think what the waterfall description did for us was make us realize that we were doing something else, something unnamed except for 'software development.'"</ref> with evolutionary project management<ref name="EvolutionaryProjectManagement">{{cite web
|url=https://www.gilb.com/Project-Management
|accessdate=2017-04-30
|deadurl=yes
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327214807/http://www.gilb.com/Project-Management
|title=Evolutionary Project Management (Original page, external archive)
|archivedate=27 March 2016
|publisher=Gilb
|df=
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://concepts.gilb.com/tiki-page.php?pageName=Evolutionary-Project-Management
|title=Evolutionary Project Management (New page)
|accessdate=2017-04-30
|publisher=Gilb}}</ref> and [[adaptive software development]]<ref name="edmonds1974">{{Cite journal
|last=Edmonds
|first=E. A.
|year=1974
|title=A Process for the Development of Software for Nontechnical Users as an Adaptive System
|journal=General Systems
|volume=19
|pages=215–18}}</ref> emerging in the early 1970s.

During the 1990s, a number of ''lightweight'' software development methods evolved in reaction to the prevailing ''heavyweight'' methods that critics described as overly regulated, planned, and [[Micromanagement|micro-managed]]. These included: [[rapid application development]] (RAD), from 1991;<ref>{{cite book | title=Rapid Application Development | publisher=Macmillan | author=Martin, James | year=1991 | isbn=0-02-376775-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | title=Inside RAD: How to Build a Fully Functional System in 90 Days or Less | publisher=McGraw-Hill |author1=Kerr, James M. |author2=Hunter, Richard | year=1993 | pages=3 | isbn=0-07-034223-7}}</ref> the [[Unified Process|unified process]] (UP) and [[dynamic systems development method]] (DSDM), both from 1994; [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]], from 1995; Crystal Clear and [[extreme programming]] (XP), both from 1996; and [[feature-driven development]], from 1997. Although these all originated before the publication of the ''Agile Manifesto'', they are now collectively referred to as agile software development methods.<ref name="LarmanGuide">{{Cite book
|last=Larman
|first=Craig
|year=2004
|title=Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide
|publisher=Addison-Wesley
|isbn=978-0-13-111155-4
|page=27
|postscript= }}</ref> At the same time, similar changes were underway in manufacturing<ref>Iacocca Institute (1991). "21st Century Manufacturing Enterprise Strategy: An Industry Led View". Iacocca Institute, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.</ref> and aerospace.<ref>Presley, A., J. Mills and D. Liles (1995). "Agile Aerospace Manufacturing". Nepcon East 1995, Boston.</ref>

In 2005, a group headed by Cockburn and Highsmith wrote an addendum of [[project management]] principles, the [[PM Declaration of Interdependence|Declaration of Interdependence]],<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://pmdoi.org
|first=David |last=Anderson
|title=Declaration of Interdependence
|year=2005}}</ref> to guide software project management according to agile software development methods.

In 2009, a group working with Martin wrote an extension of [[software development]] principles, the [[Software craftsmanship|Software Craftsmanship Manifesto]], to guide agile software development according to [[professional]] conduct and mastery.

In 2011, the Agile Alliance created the ''Guide to Agile Practices'' (renamed the ''Agile Glossary'' in 2016),<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.agilealliance.org/how-you-can-help-the-agile-alliance-help-you/|title=How You Can Help Agile Alliance Help You|last=McDonald|first=Kent|date=November 1, 2016|work=Agile Alliance Blog|access-date=July 4, 2017}}</ref> an evolving open-source compendium of the working definitions of agile practices, terms, and elements, along with interpretations and experience guidelines from the worldwide community of agile practitioners.

== {{anchor|The Agile Manifesto}} The Manifesto for Agile Software Development ==
=== Agile software development values ===
Based on their combined experience of developing software and helping others do that, the seventeen signatories to the manifesto proclaimed that they value:<ref name="AgileManifesto" />
* {{em | {{strong | Individuals and Interactions}} over processes and tools }}
* {{em | {{strong | Working Software}} over comprehensive documentation }}
* {{em | {{strong | Customer Collaboration}} over contract negotiation }}
* {{em | {{strong | Responding to Change}} over following a plan }}
That is, while there is value in the items on the right, they value the items on the left more.

As [[Scott Ambler]] elucidated:<ref name="abmmw">
{{cite web |url=http://www.ambysoft.com/essays/agileManifesto.html |title=Examining the Agile Manifesto |publisher=Ambysoft Inc.
|accessdate=6 April 2011}}</ref>
* Tools and processes are important, but it is more important to have competent people working together effectively.
*Good documentation is useful in helping people to understand how the software is built and how to use it, but the main point of development is to create software, not documentation.
*A contract is important but is no substitute for working closely with customers to discover what they need.
*A project plan is important, but it must not be too rigid to accommodate changes in technology or the environment, stakeholders' priorities, and people's understanding of the problem and its solution.

Some of the authors formed the Agile Alliance, a non-profit organization that promotes software development according to the manifesto's values and principles. Introducing the manifesto on behalf of the Agile Alliance, [[Jim Highsmith]] said,
{{Quote
|text=The Agile movement is not anti-methodology, in fact many of us want to restore credibility to the word methodology. We want to restore a balance. We embrace modeling, but not in order to file some diagram in a dusty corporate repository. We embrace documentation, but not hundreds of pages of never-maintained and rarely-used tomes. We plan, but recognize the limits of planning in a turbulent environment. Those who would brand proponents of XP or SCRUM or any of the other Agile Methodologies as "hackers" are ignorant of both the methodologies and the original definition of the term hacker.|sign=Jim Highsmith
|author=Jim Highsmith
|source=History: The Agile Manifesto<ref>
{{cite web
| url=http://agilemanifesto.org/history.html
| title=History: The Agile Manifesto
|year=2001
|author=Jim Highsmith
|publisher=agilemanifesto.org}}
</ref>}}

=== Agile software development principles ===
The ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development'' is based on twelve principles:<ref name="ManifestoPrinciples">
{{cite web
|url=http://www.agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
|title=Principles behind the Agile Manifesto
|last=
|first=
|date=
|year=2001
|website=
|publisher=Agile Alliance
|display-authors=
|author=[[Kent Beck]], James Grenning, [[Robert Cecil Martin|Robert C. Martin]], Mike Beedle, [[Jim Highsmith]], {{!}}{{!}}[[Stephen J. Mellor|Steve Mellor]], Arie van Bennekum, [[Andy Hunt (author)|Andrew Hunt]], [[Ken Schwaber]], [[Alistair Cockburn]], [[Ron Jeffries]], [[Jeff Sutherland]], [[Ward Cunningham]], Jon Kern, [[Dave Thomas (programmer)|Dave Thomas]], [[Martin Fowler]], [[Brian Marick]]
|accessdate=6 June 2010
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614043008/http://www.agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
|archivedate=14 June 2010
|deadurl=no
|df=dmy }}</ref>
# Customer satisfaction by early and continuous delivery of valuable software
# Welcome changing requirements, even in late development
# Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
# Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers
# Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
# Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location)
# Working software is the primary measure of progress
# Sustainable development, able to maintain a constant pace
# Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
# Simplicity—the art of maximizing the amount of work {{Not a typo|not}} done—is essential
# Best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams
# Regularly, the team reflects on how to become more effective, and adjusts accordingly

==Overview==
[[File:Pair programming 1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[Pair programming]], an agile development technique used by [[Extreme Programming|XP]]. Note information radiators in the background.]]

===Iterative, incremental and evolutionary===

Most agile development methods break product development work into small increments that minimize the amount of up-front planning and design. Iterations, or sprints, are short time frames ([[timeboxing|timeboxes]]) that typically last from one to four weeks. Each iteration involves a [[cross-functional team]] working in all functions: [[Project planning|planning]], [[requirements analysis|analysis]], [[Software design|design]], [[Computer programming|coding]], [[unit testing]], and [[acceptance testing]]. At the end of the iteration a working product is demonstrated to stakeholders. This minimizes overall risk and allows the product to adapt to changes quickly.<ref name="auto">{{cite book | author=Moran, A.|title=Agile Risk Management |publisher=Springer Verlag|year=2014|isbn=3319050079}}</ref> An iteration might not add enough functionality to warrant a market release, but the goal is to have an available release (with minimal [[Software bug|bugs]]) at the end of each iteration.<ref name="embracing change">{{cite journal|
last=Beck|first=Kent|
year=1999|title=Embracing Change with Extreme Programming|
journal=Computer|volume=32|issue=10|
pages=70–77|
doi=10.1109/2.796139}}</ref> Multiple iterations might be required to release a product or new features.

Working software is the primary measure of progress.

===Efficient and face-to-face communication===

No matter which development method is followed, every team should include a [[customer representative]] (Product Owner in Scrum). This person is agreed by stakeholders to act on their behalf and makes a personal commitment to being available for developers to answer questions throughout the iteration. At the end of each iteration, stakeholders and the customer representative review progress and re-evaluate priorities with a view to optimizing the [[Rate of return|return on investment]] (ROI) and ensuring alignment with customer needs and company goals.

In agile software development, an ''information radiator'' is a (normally large) physical display located prominently near the development team, where passers-by can see it. It presents an up-to-date summary of the product development status.<ref name="Cockburn, Information radiator">{{Cite web|url=http://alistair.cockburn.us/Information+radiator|title=Information radiator|last=Cockburn|first=Alistair|authorlink=Alistair Cockburn|date=19 June 2008|access-date=}}</ref><ref name=Ambler>{{cite book |title=Agile Modeling: Effective Practices for EXtreme Programming and the Unified Process |first=Scott |last=Ambler |date=12 April 2002 |isbn=978-0-471-20282-0 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |pages=12, 164, 363}}</ref> A [[build light indicator]] may also be used to inform a team about the current status of their product development.

===Very short feedback loop and adaptation cycle===

A common characteristic in agile software development is the [[Stand-up meeting|daily stand-up]] (also known as the ''daily scrum)''. In a brief session, team members report to each other what they did the previous day toward their team's iteration goal, what they intend to do today toward the goal, and any roadblocks or impediments they can see to the goal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eylean.com/Publications/DownloadPublication/3443705e-1697-4557-8327-ff8644fab40b?name=Whitepaper---Developing-agile-project-task-and-team-management-practices |title=Developing agile project task and team management practices |publisher=Eylean |first=Vidas|last=Vasiliauskas|date= 2014}}</ref>

===Quality focus===

Specific tools and techniques, such as [[continuous integration]], automated [[unit testing]], [[pair programming]], [[test-driven development]], [[Software design pattern|design patterns]], [[behavior-driven development]], [[domain-driven design]], [[code refactoring]] and other techniques are often used to improve quality and enhance product development agility.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Jeffries|first1=Ron|last2=Anderson|first2=Ann|last3=Hendrickson|first3=Chet|title=Extreme Programming installed|date=2001|publisher=Addison-Weslsy|isbn=0201-70842-6|pages=72–147}}</ref> The idea is that the quality is built into the software. <ref>{{cite book |title=Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams |author=[[Lisa Crispin]] |author2=Janet Gregory |publisher=Addison-Wesley |year=2009}}</ref>

==Philosophy==

Compared to traditional software engineering, agile software development mainly targets complex systems and product development with dynamic, non-deterministic and non-linear characteristics. Accurate estimates, stable plans, and predictions are often hard to get in early stages, and confidence in them is likely to be low. Agile practitioners will seek to reduce the ''leap-of-faith'' that is needed before any evidence of value can be obtained.<ref name=Mitchell2016>{{Cite book | last=Mitchell | first=Ian | year=2016 | title=Agile Development in Practice | publisher= Tamare House | isbn=978-1-908552-49-5| page=11 | postscript= }}</ref> Requirements and design are held to be emergent. Big up-front specifications would probably cause a lot of waste in such cases, i.e., are not economically sound. These basic arguments and previous industry experiences, learned from years of successes and failures, have helped shape agile development's favor of adaptive, iterative and evolutionary development.<ref name=Larman2004>{{Cite book | last=Larman | first=Craig | year=2004 | title=Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide | publisher=Addison-Wesley | isbn=978-0-13-111155-4 | page=27 | postscript= }}</ref>

=== Adaptive vs. predictive ===

Development methods exist on a continuum from ''adaptive'' to ''predictive''.<ref name="boehm2004App">{{cite book|last=Boehm|first=B.|authorlink=Barry Boehm|author2=[[Richard Turner (software)|R. Turner]]|title=Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed|publisher=Addison-Wesley|location=Boston, MA|year=2004|isbn=0-321-18612-5}} Appendix A, pages 165–194</ref> Agile software development methods lie on the ''adaptive'' side of this continuum. One key of adaptive development methods is a [[Rolling Wave planning|''rolling wave'']] approach to schedule planning, which identifies milestones but leaves flexibility in the path to reach them, and also allows for the milestones themselves to change.<ref>{{cite book | title=Agile and Iterative Development: A Manager's Guide | last=Larman | first=Craig | year=2004 |page=253 | chapter=Chapter 11: Practice Tips | isbn=9780131111554 | url=https://books.google.com/?id=76rnV5Exs50C&lpg=PA253&dq=adaptive%20predictive%20%22rolling%20wave%22&pg=PA253#v=onepage&q=adaptive%20predictive%20%22rolling%20wave%22&f=false | accessdate=14 October 2013}}</ref>

''Adaptive'' methods focus on adapting quickly to changing realities. When the needs of a project change, an adaptive team changes as well. An adaptive team has difficulty describing exactly what will happen in the future. The further away a date is, the more vague an adaptive method is about what will happen on that date. An adaptive team cannot report exactly what tasks they will do next week, but only which features they plan for next month. When asked about a release six months from now, an adaptive team might be able to report only the mission statement for the release, or a statement of expected value vs. cost.

''Predictive'' methods, in contrast, focus on analysing and planning the future in detail and cater for known risks. In the extremes, a predictive team can report exactly what features and tasks are planned for the entire length of the development process. Predictive methods rely on effective early phase analysis and if this goes very wrong, the project may have difficulty changing direction. Predictive teams often institute a [[change control board]] to ensure they consider only the most valuable changes.

[[Risk analysis (engineering)|Risk analysis]] can be used to choose between adaptive (''agile'' or ''value-driven'') and predictive (''plan-driven'') methods.<ref name="PMBridgeToAgility">{{Cite book |last1=Sliger |first1=Michele |last2=Broderick |first2=Stacia |title=The Software Project Manager's Bridge to Agility |publisher=Addison-Wesley |year=2008 |isbn=0-321-50275-2 |page=46 }}</ref> [[Barry Boehm]] and [[Richard Turner (software)|Richard Turner]] suggest that each side of the continuum has its own ''home ground'', as follows:<ref name="boehm2004"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Home grounds of different development methods
|-
! style="width: 33%" | Value-driven methods
! style="width: 33%" | Plan-driven methods
! Formal methods
|-
| Low criticality
| High criticality
| Extreme criticality
|-
| Senior developers
| Junior developers(?)
| Senior developers
|-
| Requirements change often
| Requirements do not change often
| Limited requirements, limited features see [[Wirth's law]]{{Clarify|date=December 2015}}
|-
| Small number of developers
| Large number of developers
| Requirements that can be modeled
|-
| Culture that responds to change
| Culture that demands order
| Extreme quality
|}

=== Iterative vs. waterfall ===

One of the differences between agile software development methods and waterfall is the approach to quality and testing. In the [[waterfall model]], there is always a separate ''testing phase'' after a ''build phase''; however, in agile software development testing is completed in the same iteration as programming.

Because testing is done in every iteration—which develops a small piece of the software—users can frequently use those new pieces of software and validate the value.
After the users know the real value of the updated piece of software, they can make better decisions about the software's future. Having a value retrospective and software re-planning session in each iteration—[[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]] typically has iterations of just two weeks—helps the team continuously adapt its plans so as to maximize the value it delivers. This follows a pattern similar to the [[PDCA]] cycle, as the work is ''planned'', ''done'', ''checked'' (in the review and retrospective), and any changes agreed are ''acted'' upon.

This iterative approach supports a ''product'' rather than a ''project'' mindset. This provides greater flexibility throughout the development process; whereas on projects the requirements are defined and locked down from the very beginning, making it difficult to change them later. Iterative product development allows the software to evolve in response to changes in business environment or market requirements.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/business/at-the-kickoff-project-development-vs-product-development/|title=At the Kickoff: Project Development vs Product Development|date=12 February 2016|website=AltexSoft Inc.|access-date=31 May 2016}}</ref>

Because of the short iteration style of agile software development, it also has strong connections with the [[lean startup]] concept.

=== Code vs. documentation ===
In a letter to ''[[Computer (magazine)|IEEE Computer]]'', Steven Rakitin expressed cynicism about agile software development, calling it "yet another attempt to undermine the discipline of software engineering" and translating "working software over comprehensive documentation" as "we want to spend all our time coding. Remember, real programmers don't write documentation."<ref name="rakitin2001">{{Cite journal| last=Rakitin| first=Steven R.| title= Manifesto Elicits Cynicism: Reader's letter to the editor by Steven R. Rakitin|journal=IEEE Computer| volume=34| year=2001| page=4|quote=The article titled 'Agile Software Development: The Business of Innovation' . . . is yet another attempt to undermine the discipline of software engineering . . . We want to spend all our time coding. Remember, real programmers don’t write documentation.}}</ref>

This is disputed by proponents of agile software development, who state that developers should write documentation if that is the best way to achieve the relevant goals, but that there are often better ways to achieve those goals than writing static documentation.<ref name="agiledoc">{{cite web|url=http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/agileDocumentation.htm|author=Scott Ambler|title=Agile/Lean Documentation: Strategies for Agile Software Development}}</ref>
[[Scott Ambler]] states that documentation should be "just barely good enough" (JBGE),<ref>{{cite web|author=Scott Ambler|url=http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/barelyGoodEnough.html|title=Just Barely Good Enough Models and Documents: An Agile Best Practice}}</ref> that too much or comprehensive documentation would usually cause waste, and developers rarely trust detailed documentation because it's usually out of sync with code,<ref name="agiledoc"/> while too little documentation may also cause problems for maintenance, communication, learning and knowledge sharing. [[Alistair Cockburn]] wrote of the ''Crystal Clear'' method:
{{Quote|text=Crystal considers development a series of co-operative games, and intends that the documentation is enough to help the next win at the next game. The work products for Crystal include use cases, risk list, iteration plan, core domain models, and design notes to inform on choices...however there are no templates for these documents and descriptions are necessarily vague, but the objective is clear, '''just enough documentation''' for the next game. I always tend to characterize this to my team as: what would you want to know if you joined the team tomorrow.|sign=Alistair Cockburn.<ref>{{cite web|author=Geoffrey Wiseman|date=July 18, 2007|title=Do Agile Methods Require Documentation?|url=http://www.infoq.com/news/2007/07/agile-methods-documentation|publisher=InfoQ}} quoting {{cite web |last=Cooper |first=Ian |date=6 July 2007 |url=https://ianhammondcooper.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/agile-and-documentation/ |title=Staccato Signals:Agile and Documentation|work=WordPress.com}}</ref>}}

==Agile software development methods==
[[File:SoftwareDevelopmentLifeCycle.jpg|thumb|right|Software development life-cycle support<ref name="Abrahamsson2002">{{cite techreport|first=Pekka|last=Abrahamson|first2=Outi|last2=Salo|first3=Jussi|last3=Ronkainen|first4=Juhani|last4=Warsta|name-list-format=vanc|title=Agile software development methods: Review and analysis|number=478|institution=[[VTT]]|year=2002|url=http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/publications/2002/P478.pdf}}</ref>]]
Agile software development methods support a broad range of the [[software development life cycle]].<ref name="Abrahamsson2002" /> Some focus on the practices (e.g., XP, pragmatic programming, agile modeling), while some focus on managing the flow of work (e.g., Scrum, Kanban). Some support activities for requirements specification and development (e.g., FDD), while some seek to cover the full development life cycle (e.g., DSDM, [[Rational Unified Process|RUP]]).

Popular agile software development frameworks include (but are not limited to):
* [[Adaptive software development]] (ASD)
* [[Agile modeling]]
* [[Agile Unified Process|Agile unified process]] (AUP)
* [[Disciplined agile delivery]]
* [[Dynamic systems development method]] (DSDM)
* [[Extreme programming]] (XP)
* [[Feature-driven development]] (FDD)
* [[Lean software development]]
* [[Kanban (development)|Kanban]]
* [[Rapid application development]] (RAD)
* [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]]
* [[Scrumban]]

=== Agile software development practices ===

Agile software development is supported by a number of concrete practices, covering areas like requirements, design, modeling, coding, testing, planning, risk management, process, quality, etc. Some notable agile software development practices include:

* [[Acceptance test-driven development]] (ATDD)
* [[Agile modeling]]
* [[Agile testing]]
* [[Scrum (development)#Product Backlog|Backlogs]] (Product and Sprint)
* [[Behavior-driven development]] (BDD)
* Business analyst designer method (BADM)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.its-all-design.com/business-analyst-designer-method/|title=Business Analyst Designer Method|website=www.its-all-design.com|last1=Heap|first1=Tony|accessdate=2015-08-08}}</ref>
* [[Continuous integration]] (CI)
* [[Cross-functional team]]
* [[Domain-driven design]] (DDD)
* Information radiators (scrum board, task board, visual management board, [[burndown chart]])
* [[Iterative and incremental development]] (IID)
* [[Low-code development platforms]]
* [[Pair programming]]
* [[Planning poker]]
* [[Refactoring]]
* [[Retrospective]]
* [[Scrum (development)|Scrum events]] (sprint planning, daily scrum, sprint review and retrospective)
* [[Story-driven modeling]]
* [[Test-driven development]] (TDD)
* [[Timeboxing]]
* [[User story]]
* User story mapping
* [[Velocity (software development)|Velocity tracking]]

The Agile Alliance has provided a comprehensive online guide to applying these and other practices.<ref name="Agile Practices Guide">{{cite web|url=http://guide.agilealliance.org/ |title=Guide to Agile Practices |publisher=the Agile Alliance |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209152034/http://guide.agilealliance.org/ |archivedate=9 February 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>

===Method tailoring===
In the literature, different terms refer to the notion of method adaptation, including 'method tailoring', 'method fragment adaptation' and 'situational method engineering'. Method tailoring is defined as:

{{Quote
|text=A process or capability in which human agents determine a system development approach for a specific project situation through responsive changes in, and dynamic interplays between contexts, intentions, and method fragments.
|author=Mehmet Nafiz Aydin et al.
|source=An Agile Information Systems Development Method in use<ref name="Aydin2004">{{cite journal | last1 = Aydin | first1 = M.N. | last2 = Harmsen | first2 = F. | last3 = Slooten | first3 = | last4 = Stagwee | first4 = R. A. | year = 2004 | title = An Agile Information Systems Development Method in use | url = | journal = Turk J Elec Engin | volume = 12 | issue = 2| pages = 127–138 }}</ref>}}

Situation-appropriateness should be considered as a distinguishing characteristic between agile methods and more plan-driven software development methods, with agile methods allowing product development teams to adapt working practices according to the needs of individual products.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Paradox of Agile Transformation: Why trying too hard to be Agile stops organisations from becoming truly agile|last=Morris|first=David|publisher=University of Auckland|year=2015|isbn=|location=NZ|pages=|doi=10.13140/RG.2.2.32698.08640}}</ref><ref name="Aydin2004" /> Potentially, most agile methods could be suitable for method tailoring,<ref name="Abrahamsson2002" /> such as [[Dynamic Systems Development Method|DSDM]] tailored in a [[Capability Maturity Model|CMM]] context.<ref name="Abrahamsson2003">Abrahamsson, P., Warsta, J., Siponen, M.T., & Ronkainen, J. (2003). New Directions on Agile Methods: A Comparative Analysis. ''Proceedings of ICSE'03'', 244-254</ref> and XP tailored with the ''Rule Description Practices'' (RDP) technique.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1370143.1370149|title=Proceedings of the 2008 international workshop on Scrutinizing agile practices or shoot-out at the agile corral (APOS '08)|last=Mirakhorli|first=M.|last2=Rad|first2=A.K.|last3=Shams|first3=F.|last4=Pazoki|first4=M.|last5=Mirakhorli|first5=A.|publisher=ACM|year=2008|isbn=978-1-60558-021-0|editor=|location=|pages=23–32|chapter=RDP technique: a practice to customize xp|doi=10.1145/1370143.1370149|chapterurl=}}</ref><ref name="Aydin2005">{{cite journal|last1=Aydin|first1=M.N.|last2=Harmsen|first2=F.|last3=van Slooten|first3=K.|last4=Stegwee|first4=R.A.|year=2005|title=On the Adaptation of An Agile Information(Suren) Systems Development Method|url=|journal=Journal of Database Management Special issue on Agile Analysis, Design, and Implementation|volume=16|issue=4|pages=20–24}}</ref> Not all agile proponents agree, however, with Schwaber noting "that is how we got into trouble in the first place, thinking that the problem was not having a perfect methodology. Efforts [should] center on the changes [needed] in the enterprise".<ref>Schwaber, K (2006) Scrum is hard and disruptive.</ref> Bas Vodde reinforced this viewpoint, suggesting that unlike traditional, large methodologies that require you to pick and choose elements, Scrum provides the basics on top of which you add additional elements to localise and contextualise its use.<ref>Vodde, B (2016) The Story of LeSS. Closing Keynote. Scrum Australia, Melbourne. April, 2016.</ref>

=== Large-scale, offshore and distributed ===

Agile software development has been widely seen as highly suited to certain types of environments, including small teams of experts working on [[greenfield project]]s,<ref name="boehm2004">{{cite book|last=Boehm|first=B.|authorlink=Barry Boehm|author2=[[Richard Turner (software)|R. Turner]]|title=Balancing Agility and Discipline: A Guide for the Perplexed|publisher=Addison-Wesley|location=Boston, MA|year=2004|isbn=0-321-18612-5|pages=55–57}}</ref><ref name="beck1999">{{cite book|last=Beck|first=K.|authorlink=Kent Beck|title=Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change|publisher=Addison-Wesley|location=Boston, MA|year=1999|isbn=0-321-27865-8}}</ref>{{Rp|157}} and the challenges and limitations encountered in the adoption of agile software development methods in a large organization with [[Legacy system|legacy infrastructure]] are well-documented and understood.<ref>{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Ian |title=Agile Delivery at British Telecom|url=http://www.methodsandtools.com/archive/archive.php?id=43| accessdate =21 February 2011}}</ref>

In response, a range of strategies and patterns has evolved for overcoming challenges with large-scale development efforts (>20 developers)<ref name="ambler2006"/><ref name="sstc2007">Schaaf, R.J. (2007). Agility XL [http://www.sstc-online.org/Proceedings/2007/pdfs/RJS1722.pdf Systems and Software Technology Conference 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313105019/http://sstc-online.org/proceedings/2007/pdfs/rjs1722.pdf |date=13 March 2016 }}, Tampa, FL</ref> or distributed (non-colocated) development teams,<ref name="BridgingTheDistance">{{cite web|url=http://www.drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/184414899 |title=Bridging the Distance |publisher=Sdmagazine.com |date= |accessdate=1 February 2011}}</ref><ref name="AgileOffshore">{{cite web|first=Martin |last=Fowler |url=http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/agileOffshore.html |title=Using an Agile Software Process with Offshore Development |publisher=Martinfowler.com |date= |accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> amongst other challenges; and there are now several recognised frameworks that seek to mitigate or avoid these challenges.
* [[Scaled Agile Framework|Scaled agile framework]] (SAFe),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scaledagileframework.com/|title=Scaled Agile Framework|last=Leffingwell|first=Dean|website=Scaled Agile Framework}}</ref> Dean Leffingwell ''inter alia''
* [[Disciplined agile delivery]] (DAD), [[Scott Ambler]] ''inter alia''
* [[Large-Scale Scrum|Large-scale scrum]] (LeSS), [[Craig Larman]] and Bas Vodde
* Nexus (scaled professional Scrum),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schwaber|first1=Ken|url=https://www.scrum.org/Portals/0/NexusGuide%20v1.1.pdf|website=scrum.org|accessdate=14 September 2015|title=Nexus Guide: The Definitive Guide to Nexus: The exoskeleton of scaled Scrum development}}</ref> [[Ken Schwaber]]
* Scrum at Scale,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sutherland|first1=Jeff|last2=Brown|first2=Alex|title=Scrum At Scale: Part 1|url=http://www.scruminc.com/scrum-scale-part-1/|accessdate=14 September 2015}}</ref> [[Jeff Sutherland]], Alex Brown
* Enterprise Scrum,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Beedle|first1=Mike|title=Enterprise Scrum|url=http://www.enterprisescrum.com/|accessdate=25 September 2015}}</ref> Mike Beedle
* Setchu (Scrum-based lightweight framework),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ebbage|first1=Michael|title=Setchu – Agile at Scale|url=http://agile-setchu.org/|accessdate=30 September 2015}}</ref> Michael Ebbage
* Xscale<ref>http://agiletng.org/2014/04/21/xscale/</ref>
* Agile path<ref>http://www.agile-path.com/</ref>
* Holistic Software Development <ref>http://www.holistic-software.com</ref>

There are many conflicting viewpoints on whether all of these are effective or indeed fit the definition of agile development, and this remains an active and ongoing area of research.<ref name="ambler2006">W. Scott Ambler (2006) [http://www.drdobbs.com/184415491 Supersize Me] in Dr. Dobb's Journal, 15 February 2006.</ref><ref name="oopsla2002">Agile Processes Workshop II Managing Multiple Concurrent Agile Projects. Washington: OOPSLA 2002</ref>

When agile software development is applied in a distributed setting (with teams dispersed across multiple business locations), it is commonly referred to as distributed agile development. The goal is to leverage the unique benefits offered by each approach. Distributed development allow organizations to build software by strategically setting up teams in different parts of the globe, virtually building software round-the-clock (more commonly referred to as follow-the-sun model). On the other hand, agile development provides increased transparency, continuous feedback and more flexibility when responding to changes.

=== Regulated domains ===

Agile software development methods were initially seen as best suitable for non-critical product developments, thereby excluded from use in regulated domains such as medical devices, pharmaceutical, financial, nuclear systems, automotive, and avionics sectors, etc. However, in the last several years, there have been several initiatives for the adaptation of agile methods for these domains.<ref name="Fitzgerald2013">{{Cite journal|title = Scaling agile methods to regulated environments: An industry case study|url = http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/lpdocs/epic03/wrapper.htm?arnumber=6606635|journal = 2013 35th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE)|date = May 2013|pages = 863–872|doi = 10.1109/ICSE.2013.6606635|first = B.|last = Fitzgerald|first2 = K.-J.|last2 = Stol|first3 = R.|last3 = O'Sullivan|first4 = D.|last4 = O'Brien|isbn = 978-1-4673-3076-3}}</ref><ref name="Cawley2010">{{Cite journal|title = Lean/Agile Software Development Methodologies in Regulated Environments – State of the Art|url = https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-16416-3_4|publisher = Springer Berlin Heidelberg|journal = Lean Enterprise Software and Systems|date = 2010|isbn = 978-3-642-16415-6|pages = 31–36|series = Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing|volume = 65|first = Oisín|last = Cawley|first2 = Xiaofeng|last2 = Wang|first3 = Ita|last3 = Richardson|editor-first = Pekka|editor-last = Abrahamsson|editor2-first = Nilay|editor2-last = Oza|doi=10.1007/978-3-642-16416-3_4}}</ref><ref name="McHugh2014">{{Cite journal|title = An Agile Implementation within a Medical Device Software Organisation|url = https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-13036-1_17|publisher = Springer International Publishing|journal = Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination|date = 2014-11-04|isbn = 978-3-319-13035-4|pages = 190–201|series = Communications in Computer and Information Science|volume = 477|first = Martin|last = McHugh|first2 = Fergal|last2 = McCaffery|first3 = Garret|last3 = Coady|editor-first = Antanas|editor-last = Mitasiunas|editor2-first = Terry|editor2-last = Rout|editor3-first = Rory V.|editor3-last = O’Connor|editor4-first = Alec|editor4-last = Dorling| display-editors = 3|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-13036-1_17}}</ref>

There are numerous standards that may apply in regulated domains, including [[ISO 26262]], [[ISO 9000]], [[ISO 9001]], and [[ISO/IEC 15504]].
A number of key concerns are of particular importance in regulated domains:<ref name="Fitzgerald2013" />

* [[Quality assurance]] (QA): Systematic and inherent quality management underpinning a controlled professional process and reliability and correctness of product.
* Safety and security: Formal planning and risk management to mitigate safety risks for users and securely protecting users from unintentional and malicious misuse.
* Traceability: Documentation providing auditable evidence of regulatory compliance and facilitating traceability and investigation of problems.
* [[Verification and Validation]] (V&V): Embedded throughout the software development process (e.g. user requirements specification, functional specification, design specification, code review, unit tests, integration tests, system tests).

The [[Scrum (development)|Scrum]] framework in particular has received considerable attention. Two derived methods have been defined: R-Scrum (Regulated Scrum)<ref name="Fitzgerald2013" /> and SafeScrum.<ref name="SafeScrum">http://www.sintef.no/safescrum</ref><ref>Thor Myklebust, Tor Stålhane, Geir Kjetil Hanssen, Tormod Wien and Børge Haugset: Scrum, documentation and the IEC 61508-3:2010 software standard, http://www.sintef.no/globalassets/ec-61508-documentation-and-safescrum-psam12.pdf</ref>

==Experience and adoption==
Although agile software development methods can be used with any programming paradigm or language in practice, they were originally closely associated with object-oriented environments such as Smalltalk and Lisp and later Java. The initial adopters of agile methods were usually small to medium-sized teams working on unprecedented systems with requirements that were difficult to finalize and likely to change as the system was being developed. This section describes common problems that organizations encounter when they try to adopt agile software development methods as well as various techniques to measure the quality and performance of agile teams.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Beck|first1=Kent|title=Extreme Programming Explained|date=2000|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=0201616416|pages=1–24}}</ref>

===Low-Code Development Platforms===

Due to the intuitive and efficient nature of [[low-code development platforms]], many have adopted an agile framework for project management. Many platforms feature robust collaboration tools conductive for agile sprints and continuous feedback loops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mendix.com/agile-framework/|title=An Introduction to Agile Frameworks|publisher=https://www.mendix.com/}}</ref>

===Measuring agility===
The best agile practitioners have always emphasized sound engineering principles. As a result, there are a number of best practices and tools for measuring the performance of agile software development and teams.

==== Internal assessments ====
The ''Agility measurement index'', amongst others, rates developments against five dimensions of product development (duration, risk, novelty, effort, and interaction).<ref>{{cite journal|date=|doi=10.1145/1185448.1185509|chapter=Agility measurement index|title=Proceedings of the 44th annual southeast regional conference on - ACM-SE 44|pages=271|year=2006|last1=Datta|first1=Subhajit|isbn=1595933158}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://jroller.com/page/bokmann?entry=improving_your_processes_aim_high|title=David Bock's Weblog : Weblog|publisher=Jroller.com|accessdate=2 April 2010}}</ref>

Other techniques are based on measurable goals<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smr.co.uk/presentations/measure.pdf|title=Assessing Agility|author=Peter Lappo|author2=Henry C.T. Andrew|date=|publisher=|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> and one study suggests that [[Velocity (software development)|velocity]] can be used as a metric of agility.<ref name="Kurian 2006">Kurian, Tisni (2006). Agility Metrics: A Quantitative Fuzzy Based Approach for Measuring Agility of a Software Process, ''ISAM-Proceedings of International Conference on Agile Manufacturing'06(ICAM-2006)'', Norfolk, U.S.</ref>

There are also agile self-assessments to determine whether a team is using agile software development practices (Nokia test,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agileconsortium.blogspot.com/2007/12/nokia-test.html|title=Nokia test, A scrum-specific test|author=Joe Little|date=2 December 2007|publisher=Agileconsortium.blogspot.com|accessdate=6 June 2010}}</ref> Karlskrona test,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mayberg.se/learning/karlskrona-test|title=Karlskrona test, A generic agile adoption test|author=Mark Seuffert|author2=Mayberg, Sweden|date=|publisher=Mayberg.se|accessdate=5 Apr 2014}}</ref> 42 points test<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutagile.com/how-agile-are-you-take-this-42-point-test/|title=How Agile Are You? (Take This 42 Point Test)|date=|publisher=allaboutagile.com/|accessdate=3 April 2014}}</ref>).

====Public surveys====
One of the early studies reporting gains in quality, productivity, and business satisfaction by using agile software developments methods was a survey conducted by Shine Technologies from November 2002 to January 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shinetech.com/attachments/104_ShineTechAgileSurvey2003-01-17.pdf|title=Agile Methodologies Survey Results|date=January 2003|publisher=Shine Technologies|format=PDF|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821225423/http://www.shinetech.com/attachments/104_ShineTechAgileSurvey2003-01-17.pdf|archivedate=21 August 2010|deadurl=yes|accessdate=3 June 2010|quote=95% stated that there was either no effect or a cost reduction ... 93% stated that productivity was better or significantly better ... 88% stated that quality was better or significantly better ... 83% stated that business satisfaction was better or significantly better|df=}}</ref>

A similar survey, the ''State of Agile'', is conducted every year starting in 2006 with thousands of participants from around the software development community. This tracks trends on the benefits of agility, lessons learned, and good practices. Each survey has reported increasing numbers saying that agile software development helps them deliver software faster; improves their ability to manage changing customer priorities; and increases their productivity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stateofagile.versionone.com/why-agile/|title=2013 State of Agile report: Why Agile?|date=27 January 2014|publisher=stateofagile.com|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828012224/http://stateofagile.versionone.com/why-agile/|archivedate=28 August 2014|deadurl=yes|accessdate=13 August 2014|df=}}</ref> Surveys have also consistently shown better results with agile product development methods compared to classical project management.<ref>[http://www.status-quo-agile.net Status Quo Agile], Second study on success and forms of usage of agile methods. Retrieved 1 July 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.drdobbs.com/architecture-and-design/191800169;jsessionid=2QJ23QRYM3H4PQE1GHPCKH4ATMY32JVN?queryText=agile+survey|title=Survey Says: Agile Works in Practice|last=Ambler|first=Scott|authorlink=Scott Ambler|date=3 August 2006|work=Dr. Dobb's|accessdate=3 June 2010|quote=Only 6% indicated that their productivity was lowered ... No change in productivity was reported by 34% of respondents and 60% reported increased productivity ... 66% [responded] that the quality is higher ... 58% of organizations report improved satisfaction, whereas only 3% report reduced satisfaction.}}</ref> In balance, there are reports that some feel that agile development methods are still too young to enable extensive academic research of their success.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/proof.htm|title=Answering the "Where is the Proof That Agile Methods Work" Question|date=19 January 2007|publisher=Agilemodeling.com|accessdate=2 April 2010}}</ref>

===Common agile software development pitfalls===

Organizations and teams implementing agile software development often face difficulties transitioning from more traditional methods such as [[waterfall development]], such as teams having an agile process forced on them.<ref name="The Art of Agile Development">{{harvnb|Shore|Warden|2008|p=47}}</ref> These are often termed ''agile anti-patterns'' or more commonly ''agile smells''. Below are some common examples:

====Lack of overall product design====
A goal of agile software development is to focus more on producing working software and less on documentation. This is in contrast to waterfall models where the process is often highly controlled and minor changes to the system require significant revision of supporting documentation. However, this does not justify completely doing without any analysis or design at all. Failure to pay attention to design can cause a team to proceed rapidly at first but then to have significant rework required as they attempt to scale up the system. One of the key features of agile software development is that it is iterative. When done correctly design emerges as the system is developed and commonalities and opportunities for re-use are discovered.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Beck|first1=Kent|title=Extreme Programming Explained|date=2000|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=0201616416|pages=48–49}}</ref>

====Adding stories to an iteration in progress====

In agile software development, ''stories'' (similar to [[use case]] descriptions) are typically used to define requirements and an ''iteration'' is a short period of time during which the team commits to specific goals.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rouse|first1=Margaret|title=Sprint (software development) definition|url=http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/Scrum-sprint|website=searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com|accessdate=2 October 2015}}</ref> Adding stories to an iteration in progress is detrimental to a good flow of work. These should be added to the product backlog and prioritized for a subsequent iteration or in rare cases the iteration could be cancelled.<ref name="axisagile.com.au">{{cite web|last1=Goldstein|first1=Ilan|title=Sprint issues – when sprints turn into crawls|url=http://www.axisagile.com.au/blog/planning-and-metrics/sprint-issues-when-sprints-turn-into-crawls/|website=www.axisagile.com.au|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref>

This does not mean that a story cannot expand. Teams must deal with new information, which may produce additional tasks for a story. If the new information prevents the story from being completed during the iteration, then it should be carried over to a subsequent iteration. However, it should be prioritized against all remaining stories, as the new information may have changed the story's original priority.

====Lack of sponsor support====

Agile software development is often implemented as a grassroots effort in organizations by software development teams trying to optimize their development processes and ensure consistency in the software development life cycle. By not having sponsor support, teams may face difficulties and resistance from business partners, other development teams and management. Additionally, they may suffer without appropriate funding and resources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agile-only.com/master-thesis/project-mgmt/pr-and-rd|title=Project Roles and Responsibility Distribution|website=agile-only.com|accessdate=2014-06-15}}</ref> This increases the likelihood of failure.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bourne|first1=Lynda|title=What Does a Project Sponsor Really Do?|url=http://blogs.pmi.org/blog/voices_on_project_management/2012/04/what-does-a-project-sponsor-re.html|website=blogs.pmi.org|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref>

====Insufficient training====

A survey performed by VersionOne found respondents cited insufficient training as the most significant cause for failed agile implementations<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.versionone.com/state_of_agile_development_survey/09/page5.asp|title=9th State of Agile Report|website=Stage of Agile Survey|publisher=VersionOne|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> Teams have fallen into the trap of assuming the reduced processes of agile software development compared to other methodologies such as waterfall means that there are no actual rules for agile software development. Agile software development is a set of prescribed methodologies, and training/practice is a requirement.

====Product owner role is not properly filled====

The [[product owner]] is responsible for representing the business in the development activity and is often the most demanding role.<ref>{{cite book|author1=Sims, Chris |author2=Johnson, Hillary Louise |title=The Elements of Scrum|date=2011-02-15|publisher=Dymaxicon|page=73|edition=Kindle}}</ref>

A common mistake is to have the product owner role filled by someone from the development team. This requires the team to make its own decisions on prioritization without real feedback from the business. They try to solve business issues internally or delay work as they reach outside the team for direction. This often leads to distraction and a breakdown in collaboration.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rothman|first1=Johanna Rothman|title=When You Have No Product Owner At All|url=http://www.jrothman.com/blog/mpd/2011/08/when-you-have-no-product-owner-at-all.html|website=www.jrothman.com|accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref>

====Teams are not focused====

Agile software development requires teams to meet product commitments, which means they should focus only on work for that product. However, team members who appear to have spare capacity are often expected to take on other work, which makes it difficult for them to help complete the work to which their team had committed.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fox|first1=Alyssa|title=Working on Multiple Agile Teams|url=http://techwhirl.com/working-multiple-agile-teams/|website=techwhirl.com/|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

====Excessive preparation/planning====

Teams may fall into the trap of spending too much time preparing or planning. This is a common trap for teams less familiar with agile software development where the teams feel obliged to have a complete understanding and specification of all stories. Teams should be prepared to move forward only with those stories in which they have confidence, then during the iteration continue to discover and prepare work for subsequent iterations (often referred to as [[refinement (computing)|backlog refinement]] or grooming).

====Problem-solving in the daily standup====

A daily standup should be a focused, timely meeting where all team members disseminate information. If problem-solving occurs, it often can only involve certain team members and potentially is not the best use of the entire team's time. If during the daily standup the team starts diving into problem-solving, it should be set aside until a sub-team can discuss, usually immediately after the standup completes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily Scrum Meeting|url=http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/daily-scrum|website=www.mountaingoatsoftware.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

====Assigning tasks====

One of the intended benefits of agile software development is to empower the team to make choices, as they are closest to the problem. Additionally, they should make choices as close to implementation as possible, to use more timely information in the decision. If team members are assigned tasks by others or too early in the process, the benefits of localized and timely decision making can be lost.<ref name="Effective Sprint Planning">{{cite web|last1=May |first1=Robert |title=Effective Sprint Planning |url=http://www.agileexecutives.org/Blogs/tabid/66/EntryId/18/Effective-Sprint-Planning.aspx |website=www.agileexecutives.org |accessdate=2014-06-14 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628102810/http://www.agileexecutives.org/Blogs/tabid/66/EntryId/18/Effective-Sprint-Planning.aspx |archivedate=28 June 2014 |df= }}</ref>

Being assigned work also constrains team members into certain roles (for example, team member A must always do the database work), which limits opportunities for cross-training.<ref name="Effective Sprint Planning"/> Team members themselves can choose to take on tasks that stretch their abilities and provide cross-training opportunities.

====Scrum master as a contributor====

Another common pitfall is for a scrum master to act as a contributor. While not prohibited by the Scrum methodology, the scrum master needs to ensure they have the capacity to act in the role of scrum master first and not working on development tasks. A scrum master's role is to facilitate the process rather than create the product.<ref name="agileconnection.com">{{cite web|last1=Berczuk|first1=Steve|title=Mission Possible: ScrumMaster and Technical Contributor|url=http://www.agileconnection.com/article/mission-possible-scrummaster-and-technical-contributor?page=0%2C1|website=www.agileconnection.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

Having the scrum master also multitasking may result in too many context switches to be productive. Additionally, as a scrum master is responsible for ensuring roadblocks are removed so that the team can make forward progress, the benefit gained by individual tasks moving forward may not outweigh roadblocks that are deferred due to lack of capacity.<ref name="agileconnection.com"/>

====Lack of test automation====

Due to the iterative nature of agile development, multiple rounds of testing are often needed. Automated testing helps reduce the impact of repeated unit, integration, and regression tests and frees developers and testers to focus on higher value work.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Namta|first1=Rajneesh|title=Thoughts on Test Automation in Agile|url=http://www.infoq.com/articles/thoughts-on-test-automation-in-agile|website=www.infoq.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref>

Test automation also supports continued [[refactoring]] required by iterative software development. Allowing a developer to quickly run tests to confirm refactoring has not modified the functionality of the application may reduce the workload and increase confidence that cleanup efforts have not introduced new defects.

====Allowing technical debt to build up====

Focusing on delivering new functionality may result in increased [[technical debt]]. The team must allow themselves time for defect remediation and refactoring. Technical debt hinders planning abilities by increasing the amount of unscheduled work as production defects distract the team from further progress.<ref name="Technical Debt + Red October">{{cite web|last1 = Band|first1 = Zvi|title = Technical Debt + Red October|url = http://zviband.com/posts/technical-debt-red-october/|accessdate = 8 June 2014}}</ref>

As the system evolves it is important to [[Code refactoring|refactor]] as entropy of the system naturally increases.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Shore|first1=James|title=The Art of Agile Development: Refactoring|url=http://www.jamesshore.com/Agile-Book/refactoring.html|website=www.jamesshore.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref> Over time the lack of constant maintenance causes increasing defects and development costs.<ref name="Technical Debt + Red October"/>

====Attempting to take on too much in an iteration====
A common misconception is that agile software development allows continuous change, however an iteration backlog is an agreement of what work can be completed during an iteration.<ref>{{cite web|title=Step 4: Sprint Planning (Tasks)|url=http://www.allaboutagile.com/how-to-implement-scrum-in-10-easy-steps-step-4-sprint-planning-tasks/|website=www.allaboutagile.com|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref> Having too much [[Work in process|work-in-progress (WIP)]] results in inefficiencies such as context-switching and queueing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leankit.com/blog/2014/03/limiting-work-in-progress/|title=Why Limiting Your Work-in-Progress Matters|website=leankit.com|last1=George|first1=Claire|accessdate=2014-06-14}}</ref> The team must avoid feeling pressured into taking on additional work.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/scrum/sprint-planning-meeting/|website=www.mountaingoatsoftware.com|accessdate=2014-06-14|title=Sprint Planning Meeting}}</ref>

====Fixed time, resources, scope, and quality====
Agile software development fixes time (iteration duration), quality, and ideally resources in advance (though maintaining fixed resources may be difficult if developers are often pulled away from tasks to handle production incidents), while the scope remains variable. The customer or product owner often push for a fixed scope for an iteration. However, teams should be reluctant to commit to the locked time, resources and scope (commonly known as the [[project management triangle]]). Efforts to add scope to the fixed time and resources of agile software development may result in decreased quality.<ref name="adeptechllc.com">{{cite web|last1=McMillan |first1=Keith |title=Time, Resources, Scope… and Quality. |url=http://www.adeptechllc.com/2010/05/13/time-resources-scope-and-quality/ |website=www.adeptechllc.com |accessdate=2014-06-15 }}</ref>

====Developer burnout====
Due to the focused pace and continuous nature of agile practices, there is a heightened risk of burnout among member of the delivery team. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1877050916000582/1-s2.0-S1877050916000582-main.pdf?_tid=c457f048-fb52-11e7-898a-00000aacb35e&acdnat=1516172036_b8b055d4f50de7743058b83879f35f74//|title=Current study on limitations of Agile|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref>

== Agile management ==
The term ''agile management'' is applied to an iterative, incremental method of managing the design and build activities of engineering, information technology and other business areas that aim to provide new product or service development in a highly flexible and interactive manner, based on the principles expressed in the ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Managing Agile: Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People |last=Moran |first=Alan|publisher=Springer |date=2015|isbn=978-3-319-16262-1}}</ref>

Agile X techniques may also be called [[extreme project management]]. It is a variant of [[iterative and incremental development|iterative life cycle]]<ref>ExecutiveBrief, [http://www.pmhut.com/which-life-cycle-is-best-for-your-project Which Life Cycle Is Best For Your Project?], PM Hut. Accessed 23. Oct 2009.</ref> where [[deliverable]]s are submitted in stages. The main difference between agile and iterative development is that agile methods complete small portions of the deliverables in each delivery cycle (iteration),<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.versionone.com/agile-project-management/ | title=Agile Project Management | publisher=VersionOne | accessdate=1 June 2015}}</ref> while iterative methods evolve the entire set of deliverables over time, completing them near the end of the project. Both iterative and agile methods were developed as a reaction to various obstacles that developed in more sequential forms of project organization. For example, as technology projects grow in complexity, end users tend to have difficulty defining the long-term requirements without being able to view progressive prototypes. Projects that develop in iterations can constantly gather feedback to help refine those requirements.

Agile management also offers a simple framework promoting communication and reflection on past [[Work (project management)|work]] amongst [[Project team|team]] members.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.project-laneways.com.au/certification-courses/agilepm/what-is-agile-management | title=What is Agile Management? | publisher=Project Laneways | accessdate=1 June 2015}}</ref> Teams who were using traditional waterfall planning and adopted the agile way of development typically go through a transformation phase and often take help from agile coaches who help guide the teams through a smooth transformation. There are typically two styles of agile coaching: push-based and [[pull-based agile coaching]]. Agile management approaches have also been employed and adapted to the business and government sectors. For example, within the [[federal government of the United States]], the [[United States Agency for International Development]] (USAID) is employing a [[collaborative project management]] approach that focuses on incorporating [[collaborating, learning and adapting]] (CLA) strategies to iterate and adapt programming.<ref>USAID. [https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1870/201.pdf "ADS Chapter 201 Program Cycle Operational Policy"]. Retrieved April 19, 2017</ref>

Agile methods are mentioned in the ''Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge'' (''PMBOK Guide'') under the Project Lifecycle definition:
{{blockquote|'''Adaptive project life cycle''', a project life cycle, also known as change-driven or agile methods, that is intended to facilitate change and require a high degree of ongoing [[Project stakeholders|stakeholder]] involvement. Adaptive life cycles are also iterative and incremental, but differ in that iterations are very rapid (usually 2-4 weeks in length) and are fixed in time and [[Resource (project management)|resources]].<ref>[[Project Management Institute]], ''[[A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge]]'' (PMBOK Guide), Fifth Edition</ref>}}

=== Applications outside software development ===
[[File:Agile Brazil 2014 conference entrance.jpg|Agile Brazil 2014 conference|thumb|right]]
According to Jean-Loup Richet (Research Fellow at [[ESSEC]] Institute for Strategic Innovation & Services) "this approach can be leveraged effectively for non-software products and for project management in general, especially in areas of innovation and uncertainty." The end result is a product or project that best meets current customer needs and is delivered with minimal costs, waste, and time, enabling companies to achieve bottom line gains earlier than via traditional approaches.<ref>Richet, Jean-Loup (2013). ''Agile Innovation''. Cases and Applied Research, n°31. ESSEC-ISIS. {{ISBN|978-2-36456-091-8}}</ref>

Agile software development methods have been extensively used for development of software products and some of them use certain characteristics of software, such as object technologies.<ref name=Smith2007>{{Cite book | last=Smith| first=Preston G| year=2007 | title=Flexible Product Development | publisher=Jossey-Bass | isbn=978-0-7879-9584-3 | page=25 | postscript= }}</ref> However, these techniques can be applied to the development of non-software products, such as computers, motor vehicles,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://agilebusinessmanagement.org/content/wikispeed-%E2%80%93-applying-agile-software-principles-and-practices-fast-automotive-development|title=WIKISPEED – Applying Agile software principles and practices for fast automotive development|publisher=Agile Business Management Consortium |date=2013-12-03 |accessdate=2015-09-11}}</ref> medical devices, food, clothing, and music;<ref>{{cite book | author=Newton Lee|title="Getting on the Billboard Charts: Music Production as Agile Software Development," ''Digital Da Vinci: Computers in Music''|publisher=Springer Science+Business Media|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4939-0535-5| asin=149390535X}}</ref> see [[Flexible product development]]. Agile software development methods have been used in non-development [[IT infrastructure]] [[IT infrastructure deployment|deployments and migrations]]. Some of the wider principles of agile software development have also found application in general management<ref>{{cite book | author=Moran, Alan |title=Managing Agile: Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People |publisher=Springer Verlag|year=2015|isbn=978-3-319-16262-1| asin=3319162616 }}</ref> (e.g., strategy, governance, risk, finance) under the terms [[business agility]] or agile business management.

Under an agile business management model, agile software development techniques, practices, principles and values are expressed across five domains.<ref>{{cite book | author=Leybourn, Evan |title=Directing the Agile Organisation: A Lean Approach to Business Management |publisher=IT Governance Publishing|year=2013|isbn=978-1-849-28491-2| asin=1849284911 }}</ref>
# Integrated [[customer engagement]]: to embed customers within any delivery process to share accountability for product/service delivery.
# Facilitation-based management: adopting agile management models, like the role of [[Scrum Master]], to facilitate the day-to-day operation of teams.
# Agile work practices: adopting specific iterative and incremental work practices such as [[Scrum (software development)|Scrum]], [[Kanban (development)|Kanban]], [[test-driven development]] or [[feature-driven development]] across all business functions (from sales, [[human resources]], finance<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theagiledirector.com/article/2015/03/11/pair-trading-collaboration-in-finance/|title=Pair Trading: Collaboration in Finance|publisher=The Agile Director |date=2015-03-11 |accessdate=2015-09-11}}</ref> and [[marketing]]).
# An enabling organisational structure: with a focus on staff [[Engagement marketing|engagement]], personal autonomy and outcomes based governance.
# Applications of agile process (along with [[DevOps]] and [[lean manufacturing]]), to [[Data analysis|data analytics]], [[business intelligence]], [[big data]], and [[data science]] is called [[Dataops|DataOps]]

Agile software development paradigms can be used in other areas of life such as raising children. Its success in child development might be founded on some basic management principles; communication, adaptation, and awareness. In a [[TED (conference)|TED Talk]], Bruce Feiler shared how he applied basic agile paradigms to to household management and raising children.<ref>[http://www.ted.com/talks/bruce_feiler_agile_programming_for_your_family.html "Agile programming – for your family"].</ref>

== Criticism ==
Agile practices can be inefficient in large organizations and certain types of developments.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1380615|first=Craig|last=Larman|author2=Bas Vodde|title=Top Ten Organizational Impediments to Large-Scale Agile Adoption |publisher=InformIT |date=2009-08-13}}</ref> Many organizations believe that agile software development methodologies are too extreme and adopt a Hybrid approach <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.binfire.com/blog/2016/07/hybrid-project-management-methodology//|title=Introduction to Hybrid project management|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|access-date=}}</ref> that mixes elements of agile software development and plan-driven approaches.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Barlow|first=Jordan B.|author2=Justin Scott Giboney|author3=Mark Jeffery Keith|author4=David W. Wilson|author5=Ryan M. Schuetzler|author6=Paul Benjamin Lowry|author7= Anthony Vance|title=Overview and Guidance on Agile Development in Large Organizations|journal=Communications of the Association for Information Systems|year=2011|volume=29|issue=1|pages=25–44|url=http://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol29/iss1/2/}}</ref> Some methods, such as [[dynamic systems development method]] (DSDM) attempt this in a disciplined way, without sacrificing fundamental principles.

The increasing adoption of agile practices has also been criticized as being a [[management fad]] that simply describes existing good practices under new jargon, promotes a ''one size fits all'' mindset towards development strategies, and wrongly emphasizes method over results.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.batimes.com/kupe-kupersmith/agile-is-a-fad.html|title = Agile is a Fad|last = Kupersmith|first = Kupe}}</ref>

[[Alistair Cockburn]] organized a celebration of the 10th anniversary of the ''Manifesto for Agile Software Development'' in Snowbird, Utah on 12 February 2011, gathering some 30+ people who had been involved at the original meeting and since. A list of about 20 [[elephant in the room|elephants in the room]] ('undiscussable' agile topics/issues) were collected, including aspects: the alliances, failures and limitations of agile software development practices and context (possible causes: commercial interests, decontextualization, no obvious way to make progress based on failure, limited objective evidence, cognitive biases and reasoning fallacies), politics and culture.<ref name="TeenAgile">{{cite web|url=http://www.infoq.com/articles/agile-teenage-crisis|first=Philippe|last=Kruchten|title=Agile's Teenage Crisis? |publisher=InfoQ |date=2011-06-20}}</ref> As [[Philippe Kruchten]] wrote:

{{Quote
|text=The agile movement is in some ways a bit like a teenager: very self-conscious, checking constantly its appearance in a mirror, accepting few criticisms, only interested in being with its peers, rejecting en bloc all wisdom from the past, just because it is from the past, adopting fads and new jargon, at times cocky and arrogant. But I have no doubts that it will mature further, become more open to the outside world, more reflective, and therefore, more effective.
|author=Philippe Kruchten<ref name="TeenAgile" />}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web |first=P. |last=Abrahamsson |last2=Salo |first2=O. |last3=Ronkainen |first3=J. |last4=Warsta |first4=J. |title=Agile Software Development Methods: Review and Analysis |date=2002 |work= |publisher=VTT Publications |id=478 |url=http://agile.vtt.fi/publications.html}}
*{{cite book |last=Cohen |first=D. |last2=Lindvall |first2=M. |last3=Costa |first3=P. |chapter=An introduction to agile methods |editor-first=Marvin |editor-last=Zelkowitz |series=Advances in Computers |title=Advances in Software Engineering |chapterurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=N-06uoJ9iSsC&pg=PA1 |date=2004 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=978-0-08-047190-7 |pages=1–66 |volume=62}}
*{{cite book |first=Torgeir |last=Dingsøyr |first2=Tore |last2=Dybå |first3=Nils Brede |last3=Moe |title=Agile Software Development: Current Research and Future Directions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRhGAAAAQBAJ |date=2010 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-642-12575-1 }}
*{{cite book|last=Fowler|first=Martin|chapter=Is Design Dead?|chapterurl=http://www.martinfowler.com/articles/designDead.html|pages=3–18|editor-first=Giancarlo|editor-last=Succi|editor2-first=Michele|editor2-last=Marchesi|title=Extreme Programming Examined|year=2001|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=978-0-201-71040-3|ref={{harvid|Succi|Marchesi|2001}}}}
*{{cite journal |first=Craig |last=Larman |last2=Basili |first2=Victor R. |title=Iterative and Incremental Development: A Brief History |journal=IEEE Computer |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=47–56 |date=June 2003 |doi=10.1109/MC.2003.1204375 |url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/f9b3/ca89c69bacfade039c8be40762c6857bda11.pdf |format=PDF |ref=harv}}
*{{cite web | publisher = MITRE | title =Handbook for Implementing Agile in Department of Defense Information Technology Acquisition | url=https://www.mitre.org/publications/technical-papers/handbook-for-implementing-agile-in-department-of-defense-information-technology-acquisition}}
*{{cite book|first=Alan|last=Moran|title=Managing Agile: Strategy, Implementation, Organisation and People|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I6l_BwAAQBAJ|date=2015|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-319-16262-1}}
*{{cite web|first=Dirk|last=Riehle|title=A Comparison of the Value Systems of Adaptive Software Development and Extreme Programming: How Methodologies May Learn From Each Other|url=http://www.riehle.org/computer-science/research/2000/xp-2000.html}} In {{harvnb|Succi|Marchesi|2001}}
* {{cite book |first=James |last=Shore |first2=Shane |last2=Warden |title=The Art of Agile Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2q6bAgAAQBAJ |date=2008 |publisher=O'Reilly Media |isbn=978-0-596-52767-9 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book|first=M.|last=Stephens|first2=D.|last2=Rosenberg|title=Extreme Programming Refactored: The Case Against XP|publisher=Apress|year=2003|isbn=1-59059-096-1}}
*Willison, Brian (2008). Iterative Milestone Engineering Model. New York, NY.
* Willison, Brian (2008). Visualization Driven Rapid Prototyping. Parsons Institute for Information Mapping.
* {{cite book |title=Introduction to Agile Methods |author=Sondra Ashmore Ph.D |author2=Kristin Runyan |publisher=Addison-Wesley |year=2015}}

==External links==
* [http://agilemanifesto.org/ Agile Manifesto]
* [https://www.agilealliance.org/agile101/agile-glossary/ Agile Glossary]
* [http://martinfowler.com/articles/newMethodology.html The New Methodology] [[Martin Fowler]]'s description of the background to agile methods
* [http://www.pragprog.com/magazines/2011-02/agile-- Ten Authors of The Agile Manifesto Celebrate its Tenth Anniversary]
* [http://agilepatterns.org/ AgilePatterns.org]

* [http://blog.tfl.gov.uk/2015/06/10/agile-continuous-delivery-in-the-cloud-part-1/ Agile Continuous Delivery in the Cloud by Tariq Khurshid]
* [https://ivarjacobson.com/ Agile Training] and resources available from [[Ivar Jacobson]]

{{Software engineering}}

{{use dmy dates|date=January 2012}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agile Software Development}}
[[Category:Software project management]]
[[Category:Software development philosophies]]
[[Category:Agile software development| ]]

Cross-platform software

2018-04-13T18:54:51Z

Lowcoder: /* Cross-platform programming toolkits and environments */

{{For|a type of interchange between different lines in a metro system|cross-platform interchange}}
{{Redirect|Multiplatform|multiplatform television|multi-platform television}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2009}}

In [[computing]], '''cross-platform software''' (also '''multi-platform software''' or '''platform-independent software''') is [[computer software]] that is implemented on multiple [[computing platform]]s.<ref name="Sun-Web-00">{{cite web|url=http://java.sun.com/products/jlf/ed1/dg/higq.htm|title=Design Guidelines: Glossary|accessdate=2011-10-19|publisher=java.sun.com}}</ref> Cross-platform software may be divided into two types; one requires individual building or compilation for each platform that it supports, and the other one can be directly run on any platform without special preparation, e.g., software written in an [[interpreted language]] or pre-compiled portable [[bytecode]] for which the [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreters]] or run-time packages are common or standard components of all platforms.<ref name="pcmag_cross_platform">{{cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=cross+platform&i=40495,00.asp#fbid=aHfb3ldkqPq | title=Encyclopedia > cross platform | accessdate=2011-10-19 | publisher=PC MAgazine Encyclopedia}}</ref>

For example, a cross-platform [[application software|application]] may run on [[Microsoft Windows]] on the [[x86|x86 architecture]], [[Linux]] on the x86 architecture and [[macOS]] on either the [[PowerPC]] or x86-based [[Macintosh|Apple Macintosh]] systems. Cross-platform programs may run on as many as all existing platforms, or on as few as two platforms. Cross-platform frameworks (such as [[Qt (software)|Qt]], [[Xamarin]], [[Apache Cordova|Phonegap]], or [[Ionic (mobile app framework)|Ionic]]) exist to aid cross-platform development.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.codeproject.com/articles/1079101/xamarin-vs-ionic-a-mobile-cross-platform-shootout|title=
Xamarin vs Ionic: A Mobile, Cross Platform, Shootout|author=Lee P Richardson|date=2016-02-16}}</ref>

==Platforms==
{{Main|Platform (computing)}}
''Platform'' can refer to the type of processor (CPU) or other hardware on which a given operating system or [[Application software|application]] runs, the type of [[operating system]] on a computer or the combination of the type of hardware and the type of operating system running on it.<ref name="The Linux Information Project">{{cite web|url=http://www.linfo.org/platform.html|title=Platform Definition|accessdate=2014-03-27|publisher=The Linux Information Project}}</ref> An example of a common platform is [[Microsoft Windows]] running on the [[x86 architecture]]. Other well-known desktop computer platforms include [[Linux]]/[[Unix]] and [[macOS]] - both of which are themselves cross-platform.<ref name="The Linux Information Project" /> There are, however, many devices such as [[smartphone]]s that are also effectively computer platforms but less commonly thought about in that way. [[Application software]] can be written to depend on the features of a particular platform—either the hardware, operating system, or [[virtual machine]] it runs on. The [[Java (software platform)|Java platform]] is a [[virtual machine]] platform which runs on many operating systems and hardware types, and is a common platform for software to be written for.

===Hardware platforms===
A hardware platform can refer to an [[instruction set architecture]]. For example: [[x86 architecture]] and its variants such as [[IA-32]] and [[x86-64]]. These machines often run one version of [[Microsoft Windows]],<ref name="Net Marketshare">[http://www.netmarketshare.com/os-market-share.aspx?qprid=9 On the Net Marketshare website], Windows (all variants) has ~ 89% market share as of March 2011</ref> though they can run other [[operating system]]s as well, including [[Linux]], [[OpenBSD]], [[NetBSD]], [[macOS]] and [[FreeBSD]].

The [[32-bit]] [[ARM architecture]] (and newer [[64-bit computing|64-bit]] version) is common on [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer]]s, which run [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]] and other [[mobile operating system]]s.

===Software platforms===
[[Software platform]]s can either be an [[operating system]] or [[programming environment]], though more commonly it is a combination of both. A notable exception to this is [[Java (programming language)|Java]], which uses an operating system independent [[virtual machine]] for its [[compiled]] code, known in the world of Java as [[bytecode]]. Examples of software platforms include:

* [[BlackBerry 10|BlackBerry]]
* [[Android (operating system)|Android]] for [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer]]s (x86, ARM)
* [[iOS]] ([[ARM architecture|ARM]])
* [[Microsoft Windows]] (x86, [[ARM architecture|ARM]])
** The [[Common Language Infrastructure|CLI]], also known by the implementation names [[.NET Framework]] (from Microsoft) and cross-platform variant [[Mono (software)|Mono]] (previously by [[Novell]] and now by [[Xamarin]] <ref name="Mono_by_Xamarin">{{cite web|url=http://www.mono-project.com/docs/about-mono/|title=About Mono|accessdate=2015-12-17|publisher=mono-project.com}}</ref>)
* [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
* Web browsers – more or less compatible with each other, running [[JavaScript]] web-apps
* [[Linux]] (x86, PowerPC, ARM, and other architectures)
* [[macOS]] (x86, PowerPC (on 10.5 and below))
* [[Mendix]]
* [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]] (SPARC, x86)
* [[PlayStation 4]] (x86), PlayStation 3 (PowerPC based) and [[PlayStation Vita]] (ARM)

;Minor/historical
* AmigaOS (m68k), [[AmigaOS 4]] (PowerPC), [[AROS]] (x86, PowerPC, m68k), MorphOS (PowerPC)
* [[Atari TOS]], [[MiNT]]
* [[BSD]] (Many platforms; see NetBSD, for example)
* [[DOS]]-type systems on the x86: MS-DOS[[IBM PC DOS|DOS]], DR-DOS, [[FreeDOS|S]]
* [[OS/2]], eComStation

====Java platform====
{{Main|Java platform}}
As previously noted, the [[Java platform]] is an exception to the general rule that an [[operating system]] is a software platform. The Java language typically compiles to a [[virtual machine]]: a virtual CPU which runs all of the code that is written for the language. This enables the same [[executable]] [[binary file|binary]] to run on all systems that implement a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java programs can be executed natively using a [[Java processor]]. This isn't common and is mostly used for embedded systems.

Java code running in the [[Java virtual machine|JVM]] has access to OS-related services, like disk I/O and network access, if the appropriate privileges are granted. The [[Java Virtual Machine|JVM]] makes the system calls on behalf of the Java application. This setup allows users to decide the appropriate protection level, depending on an [[Access Control List|ACL]]. For example, disk and network access is usually enabled for desktop applications, but not for browser-based [[applet]]s. [[Java Native Interface|JNI]] can also be used to enable access to [[operating system]] specific functions.

Currently, Java Standard Edition programs can run on [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]], several Unix-like operating systems, and several more non-UNIX-like operating systems like embedded systems. For mobile applications, browser plugins are used for Windows and Mac based devices, and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] has built-in support for Java. There are also subsets of Java, such as [[Java Card]] or [[Java Platform, Micro Edition]], designed for resource-constrained devices.

==Cross-platform software==
For a piece of software to be considered cross-platform, it must be able to function on more than one [[computer architecture]] or [[operating system]]. Developing such a program can be a time-consuming task because different operating systems have different [[application programming interface]]s (API). For example, [[Linux]] uses a different API for application software than Windows does.

Software written for a particular operating system does not automatically work on all architectures that operating system supports. One example as of August 2006 was [[OpenOffice.org]], which did not natively run on the [[AMD64]] or [[Intel 64]] lines of processors implementing the [[x86-64]] standards for computers; this has since been changed, and the OpenOffice.org suite of software is “mostly” ported to these 64-bit systems.<ref>[http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Porting_to_x86-64_(AMD64,_EM64T) Porting to x86-64 (AMD64, EM64T) – Apache OpenOffice Wiki]. Wiki.services.openoffice.org (2012-06-22). Retrieved on 2013-07-17.</ref> This also means that just because a program is written in a popular [[programming language]] such as [[C (programming language)|C]] or [[C++14|C+]], it does not mean it will run on all operating systems that support that programming language—or even on the same operating system on a different architecture.

===Web applications===
[[Web application]]s are typically described as cross-platform because, ideally, they are accessible from any of various [[web browser]]s within different operating systems. Such applications generally employ a [[client–server model|client–server]] system architecture, and vary widely in complexity and functionality. This wide variability significantly complicates the goal of cross-platform capability, which is routinely at odds with the goal of advanced functionality.

Basic web applications perform all or most processing from a [[stateless server]], and pass the result to the client web browser. All user interaction with the application consists of simple exchanges of data requests and server responses. These types of applications were the norm in the early phases of [[World Wide Web]] application development. Such applications follow a simple [[Transaction processing|transaction]] model, identical to that of serving [[static web page]]s. Today, they are still relatively common, especially where cross-platform compatibility and simplicity are deemed more critical than advanced functionalities.

Prominent examples of advanced web applications include the Web interface to [[Gmail]], [[A9.com]], [[Google Maps]] website, and the Live Search service (now [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]]) from Microsoft. Such advanced applications routinely depend on additional features found only in the more recent versions of popular web browsers. These dependencies include [[Ajax (programming)|Ajax]], [[JavaScript]], [[Dynamic HTML]], [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], and other components of [[rich Internet application]]s. Older versions of popular web browsers tend to lack support for certain features.

====Design strategies====
Because of the competing interests of cross-platform compatibility and advanced functionality, numerous alternative web application design strategies have emerged. Such strategies include:
;Graceful degradation:
Graceful degradation attempts to provide the same or similar functionality to all users and platforms, while diminishing that functionality to a least common denominator for more limited client browsers. For example, a user attempting to use a limited-feature browser to access Gmail may notice that Gmail switches to basic mode, with reduced functionality. This differs from other cross-platform techniques, which attempt to provide equivalent functionality, not just adequate functionality, across platforms.
;Multiple codebases:
Multiple codebase applications maintain distinct codebases for different (hardware and OS) platforms, with equivalent functionality. This obviously requires a duplication of effort in maintaining the code, but can be worthwhile where the amount of platform-specific code is high.
;Single codebase:
This strategy relies on having one codebase that may be compiled to multiple platform-specific formats. One technique is [[conditional compilation]]. With this technique, code that is common to all platforms is not repeated. Blocks of code that are only relevant to certain platforms are made conditional, so that they are only [[interpreter (computer science)|interpreted]] or [[compiler|compiled]] when needed. Another technique is separation of functionality, which disables functionality not supported by client browsers or operating systems, while still delivering a complete application to the user. (See also: [[Separation of concerns]]). This technique is used in web development where interpreted code (as in scripting languages) can query the platform it is running on to execute different blocks conditionally.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Corti|first=Sascha P.|title=Browser and Feature Detection|journal=MSDN Magazine|date=October 2011|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/hh475813.aspx|accessdate=28 January 2014}}</ref>
;Third-party libraries:
Third-party libraries attempt to simplify cross-platform capability by hiding the complexities of client differentiation behind a single, unified API.
;Responsive Web design:
[[Responsive web design]] (RWD) is a Web design approach aimed at crafting the visual layout of sites to provide an optimal viewing experience—easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling—across a wide range of devices, from mobile phones to desktop computer monitors. Little or no platform-specific code is used with this technique.

====Testing strategies====
One complicated aspect of cross-platform web application design is the need for [[software testing]]. In addition to the complications mentioned previously, there is the additional restriction that some web browsers prohibit installation of different versions of the same browser on the same operating system. Although, there are several development approaches that companies use to target multiple platforms, all of them result in software that requires substantial manual effort for testing and maintenance across the supported platforms.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Choudhary|first=S.R.|date=2014|title=Cross-platform testing and maintenance of web and mobile applications.|url=|journal=Companion Proceedings of the 36th International Conference on Software Engineering - ICSE Companion 2014|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref> Techniques such as [[full virtualization]] are sometimes used as a workaround for this problem.

Using tools such as the Page Object Model, cross platform tests can be scripted in such a way that one test case is usable for multiple versions of an app.<ref name="POMxplatform">[http://blog.testmunk.com/cross-platform-mobile-testing-page-object/ Cross Platform Mobile Testing with the Page Object Model]</ref> So long as the different versions have similar user interfaces, both versions can be tested at one time, with one test case.

===Traditional applications===
Web applications are becoming increasingly popular but many computer users still use traditional application software which does not rely on a client/web-server architecture. The distinction between traditional and [[Web application|web applications]] is not always clear. Features, installation methods and architectures for web and traditional applications overlap and blur the distinction. Nevertheless, this simplifying distinction is a common and useful generalization.

====Binary software====
Traditionally in modern computing, application software has been distributed to end-users as [[binary file]], especially [[executable file]]s. Executables only support the operating system and computer architecture that they were built for—which means that making a single cross-platform executable would be something of a massive task, and is generally replaced by offering a selection of executables for the platforms supported.

For software that is distributed as a binary executable, such as software written in C or C++, the programmer must ''[[software build|build the software]]'' for each different operating system and computer architecture, i.e. must use a toolset that translates—transcompiles—a single codebase into multiple binary executables. For example, [[Firefox]], an open-source web browser, is available on Windows, [[macOS]] (both [[PowerPC]] and x86 through what [[Apple Inc.]] calls a [[Universal binary]]), Linux, and *BSD on multiple computer architectures. The four platforms (in this case, Windows, macOS, Linux, and *BSD) are separate executable distributions, although they come from the same [[source code]].

The use of different toolsets to perform different builds may not be sufficient to achieve a variety of working executables for different platforms. In this case, the software engineer must ''[[porting|port]]'' it, i.e. amend the code to be suitable to a new computer architecture or operating system. For example, a program such as Firefox, which already runs on Windows on the x86 family, can be modified and re-built to run on Linux on the x86 (and potentially other architectures) as well. The multiple versions of the code may be stored as separate codebases, or merged into one codebase by [[conditional compilation]] (see above). Note that, while
porting must be accompanied by cross-platform building, the reverse is not the case.

As an alternative to porting, ''[[cross-platform virtualization]]'' allows applications compiled for one CPU and operating system to run on a system with a different CPU and/or operating system, without modification to the source code or binaries. As an example, Apple's [[Rosetta (software)|Rosetta]], which is built into [[Intel]]-based Macintosh computers, runs applications compiled for the previous generation of Macs that used PowerPC CPUs. Another example is IBM [[Lx86|PowerVM Lx86]], which allows Linux/x86 applications to run unmodified on the Linux/Power operating system.

====Scripts and interpreted languages====
A script can be considered to be cross-platform if its [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] is available on multiple platforms and the script only uses the facilities provided by the language. That is, a script written in [[Python (programming language)|Python]] for a [[Unix-like]] system will likely run with little or no modification on Windows, because Python also runs on Windows; there is also more than one implementation of Python that will run the same scripts (e.g., [[IronPython]] for [[.NET Framework]]). The same goes for many of the [[open-source]] [[programming language]]s that are available and are [[scripting language]]s.

Unlike binary executable files, the same script can be used on all computers that have software to interpret the script. This is because the script is generally stored in [[plain text]] in a [[text file]]. There may be some issues, however, such as the type of [[newline|new line character]] that sits between the lines. Generally, however, little or no work has to be done to make a script written for one system, run on another.

Some quite popular cross-platform scripting or [[interpreted language]]s are:

* [[Bash (Unix shell)|bash]] – A [[Unix shell]] commonly run on [[Linux]] and other modern Unix-like systems, as well as on Windows via the [[Cygwin]] [[POSIX]] compatibility layer.
* [[Perl]] – A [[scripting language]] first released in 1987. Used for [[Common Gateway Interface|CGI]] [[WWW]] programming, small [[system administration]] tasks, and more.
* [[PHP]] – A [[scripting language]] most popular in use for web applications.
* [[Python (programming language)|Python]] – A modern [[scripting language]] where the focus is on [[rapid application development]] and ease-of-writing, instead of program run-time efficiency.
* [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]] – A scripting language whose purpose is to be object-oriented and easy to read. Can also be used on the web through [[Ruby on Rails]].
* [[Tcl]] – A dynamic programming language, suitable for a wide range of uses, including web and desktop applications, networking, administration, testing and many more.

===Video games===
Cross-platform or multi-platform is a term that can also apply to [[video game]]s released on a range of [[video game console]]s, specialized computers dedicated to the task of playing games. Examples of cross-platform video games include:

* ''[[Miner 2049er]]''
* ''[[Tomb Raider: Legend]]''
* ''[[FIFA (video game series)]]''
* ''[[NHL Series]]''
* ''[[Minecraft]]''

Each has been released across a variety of gaming platforms, such as the [[Wii]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Xbox 360]], [[personal computer]]s (PCs), and [[mobile devices]].

The characteristics of a particular system may lengthen the time taken to implement a video game across multiple platforms. So, a video game may initially be released on a few platforms and then later released on remaining platforms. Typically, this situation occurs when a new gaming system is released, because [[video game developer]]s need to acquaint themselves with the hardware and software associated with the new console.

Some games may not become cross-platform because of licensing agreements between developers and video game console manufacturers that limit development of a game to one particular console. As an example, [[Disney]] could create a game with the intention of release on the latest [[Nintendo]] and [[Sony]] game consoles. Should Disney license the game with Sony first, Disney may in exchange be required to release the game solely on Sony’s console for a short time [[Console exclusivity|or indefinitely]]—effectively prohibiting a cross-platform release for the duration.

====Cross-platform play====
{{Main|Cross-platform play|List of video games that support cross-platform play}}
Several developers have implemented means to play games online while using different platforms. [[Psyonix]], [[Epic Games]], [[Microsoft]], and [[Valve Corporation]] all possess technology that allows [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]] gamers to play with PC gamers, leaving the decision of which platform to use to consumers. The first game to allow this level of interactivity between PC and console games was ''[[Quake 3]]''.<ref>Cribba. [https://www.giantbomb.com/quake-iii-arena/3030-3874/ Quake III Arena], ''Giant Bombcast'', February 15, 2013.</ref>

Games that feature cross-platform [[online play]] include ''[[Rocket League]]'', ''[[Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn|Final Fantasy XIV]]'', ''[[Street Fighter V]]'', ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'', ''[[Paragon (video game)|Paragon]]'' and ''[[Fable Fortune]],'' and ''[[Minecraft]]'' with its Better Together update on [[Windows 10]], VR editions, [[Minecraft - Pocket Edition|Pocket Edition]] and [[Xbox One]].

==Cross-platform programming==
Cross-platform programming is the practice of actively writing software that will work on more than one platform.

===Approaches to cross-platform programming===
There are different ways of approaching the problem of writing a cross-platform application program. One such approach is simply to create multiple versions of the same program in different ''source trees''—in other words, the [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] version of a program might have one set of source code files and the [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] version might have another, while a [[Free and open-source software|FOSS]] [[*nix]] system might have another.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}} While this is a straightforward approach to the problem, it has the potential to be considerably more expensive in development cost, development time, or both, especially for corporate entities. The idea behind this is to create more than two different programs that have the ability to behave similarly to each other. It is also possible that this means of developing a cross-platform application will result in more problems with bug tracking and fixing, because the two different ''source trees'' would have different programmers, and thus different defects in each version.

Another approach that is used is to depend on pre-existing software that hides the differences between the platforms—called [[Abstraction layer|abstraction]] of the platform—such that the program itself is unaware of the platform it is running on. It could be said that such programs are ''platform agnostic''. Programs that run on the [[Java Virtual Machine]] (JVM) are built in this fashion.

Some applications mix various methods of cross-platform programming to create the final application. An example of this is the [[Firefox]] [[web browser]], which uses [[Abstraction layer|abstraction]] to build some of the lower-level components, separate source subtrees for implementing platform-specific features (like the GUI), and the implementation of more than one [[scripting language]] to help facilitate ease of portability. Firefox implements [[XUL]], [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]] and [[JavaScript]] for extending the browser, in addition to classic [[Netscape]]-style browser plugins. Much of the browser itself is written in XUL, CSS, and JavaScript, as well.

===Cross-platform programming toolkits and environments===
There are a number of tools<ref name="TheGUIToolkit">[https://web.archive.org/web/20091026132520/http://geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/7184/guitool.html The GUI Toolkit, Framework Page]</ref><ref name="PlatformIndependentFAQ">[http://www.zeta.org.au/~rosko/pigui.htm Platform Independent FAQ]</ref> which are available to help facilitate the process of cross-platform programming:

* [http://8th-dev.com 8th]: A cross-platform development language, which utilizes [[Juce]] as its GUI layer. The platforms it currently supports are: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi.
* [[Anant computing|Anant Computing]]: A mobile application platform that works in all Indian languages, including their keyboards, which is also supports AppWallet and Native performance inside all operating systems.
* [[AppearIQ]]: A framework that supports the workflow of app development and deployment in an enterprise environment. Natively developed containers present hardware features of the mobile devices or tablets through an API to HTML5 code thus facilitating the development of mobile apps that run on different platforms.
* [[Cairo (graphics)|Cairo]]: A [[free software]] library used to provide a vector graphics-based, device-independent API. It is designed to provide primitives for 2-dimensional drawing across a number of different backends. Cairo is written in C and has bindings for many programming languages.
* [[Cocos2d]]: An open source toolkit and game engine for developing 2D and simple 3D cross-platform games and applications.
* [[Delphi (programming language)|Delphi]]: A cross platform IDE, which uses Pascal language for Development. Currently it supports Android, iOS, Windows, macOS.
* [http://ecere.org Ecere SDK]: A cross platform GUI & 2D/3D graphics toolkit and IDE, written in [[EC (programming language)|eC]] and with support for additional languages such as [[C (programming language)|C]] and [[Python (programming language)|Python]]. Currently it supports Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, Android, macOS and the Web through Emscripten or Binaryen (WebAssembly)
* [[Eclipse IDE|Eclipse]]: An open source cross-platform development environment. Implemented in Java with a configurable architecture which supports many tools for software development. Add-ons are available for several languages, including Java and C++.
* [[FLTK]]: Another open source cross platform toolkit, but more lightweight because it restricts itself to the GUI.
* [[fpGUI]]: An open source widget toolkit that is completely implemented in Object Pascal. It currently supports Linux, Windows and a bit of Windows CE.
* [[GeneXus]]: A Windows rapid software development solution for cross-platform application creation and deployment based on [[knowledge representation]] and supporting [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], [[COBOL]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]] including Android and BlackBerry smart devices, [[Objective-C]] for [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] mobile devices, [[IBM RPG|RPG]], [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]], [[Visual Basic]], and [[Visual FoxPro]].
* [[GLBasic]]: A BASIC dialoect and compiler that generates C++ code. It includes cross compilers for many platforms and supports numerous platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android,iOS and some exotic handhelds).
* [[GTK+]]: An open source widget toolkit for Unix-like systems with X11 and Microsoft Windows.
* [[Haxe]]: An open source cross-platform language.
* [[Juce]]: An application framework written in C++, used to write native software on numerous systems (Microsoft Windows, POSIX, macOS), with no change to the code.
* [[Lazarus (IDE)|Lazarus]]: A programming environment for the FreePascal Compiler. It supports the creation of self-standing graphical and console applications and runs on Linux, MacOSX, iOS, Android, WinCE, Windows and WEB.
* [[Max (software)|Max/MSP]]: A [[visual programming language]] that encapsulates platform-independent code with a platform-specific runtime environment into applications for macOS and Windows.
* [[MechDome]]: A cross-platform Android runtime. It allows unmodified Android apps to run natively on iOS and macOS
* [[Mendix]]: A cloud based low-code application development platform.
* [[MonoCross]]: An open-source [[model-view-controller]] design pattern where the model and controller are shared cross-platform but the view is platform-specific.
* [[Mono (software)|Mono]]: An open-source cross-platform version of [[Microsoft .NET]] (a framework for applications and programming languages)
* [[MoSync]]: An open-source SDK for mobile platform app development in the C++ family
* [[Mozilla application framework]]: An open source platform for building macOS, Windows and Linux applications
* [[OpenGL]]: A cross-platform 3D graphics library.
* [[PureBasic]]: A proprietary cross-platform language and IDE for building macOS, Windows and Linux applications
* [[Qt (toolkit)|Qt]]: An application framework and [[widget toolkit]] for [[Unix-like]] systems with [[X11]], Microsoft Windows, macOS, and other systems—available under both [[open source]] and proprietary licenses.
* Simple and Fast Multimedia Library: A multimedia C++ [[Application programming interface|API]] that provides low and high level access to graphics, input, audio, etc.
* [[Simple DirectMedia Layer]]: An open-source cross-platform multimedia library written in C that creates an abstraction over various platforms’ graphics, sound, and input [[Application programming interface|APIs]]. It runs on many operating systems including Linux, Windows and macOS and is aimed at games and multimedia applications.
* [[Smartface]]: A cross platform native app development tool to create mobile applications for Android and iOS, using [[WYSIWYG]] design editor with JavaScript code editor.
* [[Tcl/Tk]]
* [[Ultimate++]]: A C++ cross-platform rapid application development framework focused on programmers productivity. It includes a set of libraries (GUI, SQL, etc..), and an integrated development environment. It supports Windows and Unix-like OS-s. The U++ competes with popular scripting languages while preserving C/C++ runtime characteristics. It has its own integrated development environment, TheIDE, which features BLITZ-build technology to speedup C++ rebuilds up to 4 times.
* [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]]: Another cross-platform SDK which uses Unity Engine.
* [[Unreal Engine|Unreal]]: A cross-platform SDK which uses Unreal Engine.
* [[V-Play Engine]]: V-Play is a cross-platform development SDK based on the popular Qt framework. V-Play apps and games are created within Qt Creator.
* [[WaveMaker]]: A Cross-platform low-code development tool to create responsive web and hybrid mobile (Android & iOS) applications.
* [http://www.windev.com WinDev]: Integrated Development Environment for Windows, Linux, .Net and Java (also with support for [http://www.windev.com/webdev/index.html Internet and Intranet])
* [[wxWidgets]]: An open source widget toolkit that is also an [[application framework]].<ref name="wxwidgets">[http://wxwidgets.org/ WxWidgets Description]</ref> It runs on [[Unix-like]] systems with [[X11]], Microsoft Windows and macOS. It permits applications written to use it to run on all of the systems that it supports, if the application does not use any [[operating system]]-specific programming in addition to it.
* [[Xojo]]: A RAD IDE developed by Xojo, Inc. that uses an object-oriented programming language to create desktop, web and iOS apps. Xojo makes native, compiled desktop apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Raspberry Pi. It creates compiled web apps that can be run as standalone servers or through CGI. And it recently added the ability to create native iOS apps.

==Challenges to cross-platform development==
There are certain issues associated with cross-platform development. Some of these include:

* Testing cross-platform applications may be considerably more complicated, since different platforms can exhibit slightly different behaviors or subtle bugs. This problem has led some developers to deride cross-platform development as "write once, debug everywhere", a take on [[Sun Microsystems]]' "[[write once, run anywhere]]" marketing slogan.
* Developers are often restricted to using the [[lowest common denominator (computers)|lowest common denominator]] subset of features which are available on all platforms. This may hinder the application's performance or prohibit developers from using platforms’ most advanced features.
* Different platforms often have different user interface conventions, which cross-platform applications do not always accommodate. For example, applications developed for macOS and [[GNOME]] are supposed to place the most important button on the right-hand side of a window or dialog, whereas Microsoft Windows and [[KDE]] have the opposite convention. Though many of these differences are subtle, a cross-platform application which does not conform appropriately to these conventions may feel clunky or alien to the user. When working quickly, such opposing conventions may even result in [[data loss]], such as in a [[dialog box]] confirming whether the user wants to save or discard changes to a file.
* Scripting languages and virtual machines must be translated into native executable code each time the application is executed, imposing a performance penalty. This penalty can be alleviated using advanced techniques like [[just-in-time compilation]]; but even using such techniques, some computational overhead may be unavoidable.
* Different platforms require the use of native package formats such as [[RPM Package Manager|RPM]] and [[Windows Installer|MSI]]. Multi-platform installers such as [[InstallAnywhere]] address this need.
* Cross-platform execution environments may suffer cross-platform security flaws, creating a fertile environment for cross-platform malware.

==See also==
* [[List of widget toolkits]]
* [[Platform virtualization]]
* [[Java (software platform)]]
* [[Language binding]]
* [[Transcompiler]]
* [[Binary code compatibility]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross-Platform}}
[[Category:Computing platforms]]

Cross-platform software

2018-04-13T18:52:53Z

Lowcoder: /* Software platforms */

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{{Refimprove|date=July 2009}}

In [[computing]], '''cross-platform software''' (also '''multi-platform software''' or '''platform-independent software''') is [[computer software]] that is implemented on multiple [[computing platform]]s.<ref name="Sun-Web-00">{{cite web|url=http://java.sun.com/products/jlf/ed1/dg/higq.htm|title=Design Guidelines: Glossary|accessdate=2011-10-19|publisher=java.sun.com}}</ref> Cross-platform software may be divided into two types; one requires individual building or compilation for each platform that it supports, and the other one can be directly run on any platform without special preparation, e.g., software written in an [[interpreted language]] or pre-compiled portable [[bytecode]] for which the [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreters]] or run-time packages are common or standard components of all platforms.<ref name="pcmag_cross_platform">{{cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=cross+platform&i=40495,00.asp#fbid=aHfb3ldkqPq | title=Encyclopedia > cross platform | accessdate=2011-10-19 | publisher=PC MAgazine Encyclopedia}}</ref>

For example, a cross-platform [[application software|application]] may run on [[Microsoft Windows]] on the [[x86|x86 architecture]], [[Linux]] on the x86 architecture and [[macOS]] on either the [[PowerPC]] or x86-based [[Macintosh|Apple Macintosh]] systems. Cross-platform programs may run on as many as all existing platforms, or on as few as two platforms. Cross-platform frameworks (such as [[Qt (software)|Qt]], [[Xamarin]], [[Apache Cordova|Phonegap]], or [[Ionic (mobile app framework)|Ionic]]) exist to aid cross-platform development.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.codeproject.com/articles/1079101/xamarin-vs-ionic-a-mobile-cross-platform-shootout|title=
Xamarin vs Ionic: A Mobile, Cross Platform, Shootout|author=Lee P Richardson|date=2016-02-16}}</ref>

==Platforms==
{{Main|Platform (computing)}}
''Platform'' can refer to the type of processor (CPU) or other hardware on which a given operating system or [[Application software|application]] runs, the type of [[operating system]] on a computer or the combination of the type of hardware and the type of operating system running on it.<ref name="The Linux Information Project">{{cite web|url=http://www.linfo.org/platform.html|title=Platform Definition|accessdate=2014-03-27|publisher=The Linux Information Project}}</ref> An example of a common platform is [[Microsoft Windows]] running on the [[x86 architecture]]. Other well-known desktop computer platforms include [[Linux]]/[[Unix]] and [[macOS]] - both of which are themselves cross-platform.<ref name="The Linux Information Project" /> There are, however, many devices such as [[smartphone]]s that are also effectively computer platforms but less commonly thought about in that way. [[Application software]] can be written to depend on the features of a particular platform—either the hardware, operating system, or [[virtual machine]] it runs on. The [[Java (software platform)|Java platform]] is a [[virtual machine]] platform which runs on many operating systems and hardware types, and is a common platform for software to be written for.

===Hardware platforms===
A hardware platform can refer to an [[instruction set architecture]]. For example: [[x86 architecture]] and its variants such as [[IA-32]] and [[x86-64]]. These machines often run one version of [[Microsoft Windows]],<ref name="Net Marketshare">[http://www.netmarketshare.com/os-market-share.aspx?qprid=9 On the Net Marketshare website], Windows (all variants) has ~ 89% market share as of March 2011</ref> though they can run other [[operating system]]s as well, including [[Linux]], [[OpenBSD]], [[NetBSD]], [[macOS]] and [[FreeBSD]].

The [[32-bit]] [[ARM architecture]] (and newer [[64-bit computing|64-bit]] version) is common on [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer]]s, which run [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[iOS]] and other [[mobile operating system]]s.

===Software platforms===
[[Software platform]]s can either be an [[operating system]] or [[programming environment]], though more commonly it is a combination of both. A notable exception to this is [[Java (programming language)|Java]], which uses an operating system independent [[virtual machine]] for its [[compiled]] code, known in the world of Java as [[bytecode]]. Examples of software platforms include:

* [[BlackBerry 10|BlackBerry]]
* [[Android (operating system)|Android]] for [[smartphone]]s and [[tablet computer]]s (x86, ARM)
* [[iOS]] ([[ARM architecture|ARM]])
* [[Microsoft Windows]] (x86, [[ARM architecture|ARM]])
** The [[Common Language Infrastructure|CLI]], also known by the implementation names [[.NET Framework]] (from Microsoft) and cross-platform variant [[Mono (software)|Mono]] (previously by [[Novell]] and now by [[Xamarin]] <ref name="Mono_by_Xamarin">{{cite web|url=http://www.mono-project.com/docs/about-mono/|title=About Mono|accessdate=2015-12-17|publisher=mono-project.com}}</ref>)
* [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
* Web browsers – more or less compatible with each other, running [[JavaScript]] web-apps
* [[Linux]] (x86, PowerPC, ARM, and other architectures)
* [[macOS]] (x86, PowerPC (on 10.5 and below))
* [[Mendix]]
* [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]] (SPARC, x86)
* [[PlayStation 4]] (x86), PlayStation 3 (PowerPC based) and [[PlayStation Vita]] (ARM)

;Minor/historical
* AmigaOS (m68k), [[AmigaOS 4]] (PowerPC), [[AROS]] (x86, PowerPC, m68k), MorphOS (PowerPC)
* [[Atari TOS]], [[MiNT]]
* [[BSD]] (Many platforms; see NetBSD, for example)
* [[DOS]]-type systems on the x86: MS-DOS[[IBM PC DOS|DOS]], DR-DOS, [[FreeDOS|S]]
* [[OS/2]], eComStation

====Java platform====
{{Main|Java platform}}
As previously noted, the [[Java platform]] is an exception to the general rule that an [[operating system]] is a software platform. The Java language typically compiles to a [[virtual machine]]: a virtual CPU which runs all of the code that is written for the language. This enables the same [[executable]] [[binary file|binary]] to run on all systems that implement a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java programs can be executed natively using a [[Java processor]]. This isn't common and is mostly used for embedded systems.

Java code running in the [[Java virtual machine|JVM]] has access to OS-related services, like disk I/O and network access, if the appropriate privileges are granted. The [[Java Virtual Machine|JVM]] makes the system calls on behalf of the Java application. This setup allows users to decide the appropriate protection level, depending on an [[Access Control List|ACL]]. For example, disk and network access is usually enabled for desktop applications, but not for browser-based [[applet]]s. [[Java Native Interface|JNI]] can also be used to enable access to [[operating system]] specific functions.

Currently, Java Standard Edition programs can run on [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]], several Unix-like operating systems, and several more non-UNIX-like operating systems like embedded systems. For mobile applications, browser plugins are used for Windows and Mac based devices, and [[Android (operating system)|Android]] has built-in support for Java. There are also subsets of Java, such as [[Java Card]] or [[Java Platform, Micro Edition]], designed for resource-constrained devices.

==Cross-platform software==
For a piece of software to be considered cross-platform, it must be able to function on more than one [[computer architecture]] or [[operating system]]. Developing such a program can be a time-consuming task because different operating systems have different [[application programming interface]]s (API). For example, [[Linux]] uses a different API for application software than Windows does.

Software written for a particular operating system does not automatically work on all architectures that operating system supports. One example as of August 2006 was [[OpenOffice.org]], which did not natively run on the [[AMD64]] or [[Intel 64]] lines of processors implementing the [[x86-64]] standards for computers; this has since been changed, and the OpenOffice.org suite of software is “mostly” ported to these 64-bit systems.<ref>[http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Porting_to_x86-64_(AMD64,_EM64T) Porting to x86-64 (AMD64, EM64T) – Apache OpenOffice Wiki]. Wiki.services.openoffice.org (2012-06-22). Retrieved on 2013-07-17.</ref> This also means that just because a program is written in a popular [[programming language]] such as [[C (programming language)|C]] or [[C++14|C+]], it does not mean it will run on all operating systems that support that programming language—or even on the same operating system on a different architecture.

===Web applications===
[[Web application]]s are typically described as cross-platform because, ideally, they are accessible from any of various [[web browser]]s within different operating systems. Such applications generally employ a [[client–server model|client–server]] system architecture, and vary widely in complexity and functionality. This wide variability significantly complicates the goal of cross-platform capability, which is routinely at odds with the goal of advanced functionality.

Basic web applications perform all or most processing from a [[stateless server]], and pass the result to the client web browser. All user interaction with the application consists of simple exchanges of data requests and server responses. These types of applications were the norm in the early phases of [[World Wide Web]] application development. Such applications follow a simple [[Transaction processing|transaction]] model, identical to that of serving [[static web page]]s. Today, they are still relatively common, especially where cross-platform compatibility and simplicity are deemed more critical than advanced functionalities.

Prominent examples of advanced web applications include the Web interface to [[Gmail]], [[A9.com]], [[Google Maps]] website, and the Live Search service (now [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]]) from Microsoft. Such advanced applications routinely depend on additional features found only in the more recent versions of popular web browsers. These dependencies include [[Ajax (programming)|Ajax]], [[JavaScript]], [[Dynamic HTML]], [[Scalable Vector Graphics|SVG]], and other components of [[rich Internet application]]s. Older versions of popular web browsers tend to lack support for certain features.

====Design strategies====
Because of the competing interests of cross-platform compatibility and advanced functionality, numerous alternative web application design strategies have emerged. Such strategies include:
;Graceful degradation:
Graceful degradation attempts to provide the same or similar functionality to all users and platforms, while diminishing that functionality to a least common denominator for more limited client browsers. For example, a user attempting to use a limited-feature browser to access Gmail may notice that Gmail switches to basic mode, with reduced functionality. This differs from other cross-platform techniques, which attempt to provide equivalent functionality, not just adequate functionality, across platforms.
;Multiple codebases:
Multiple codebase applications maintain distinct codebases for different (hardware and OS) platforms, with equivalent functionality. This obviously requires a duplication of effort in maintaining the code, but can be worthwhile where the amount of platform-specific code is high.
;Single codebase:
This strategy relies on having one codebase that may be compiled to multiple platform-specific formats. One technique is [[conditional compilation]]. With this technique, code that is common to all platforms is not repeated. Blocks of code that are only relevant to certain platforms are made conditional, so that they are only [[interpreter (computer science)|interpreted]] or [[compiler|compiled]] when needed. Another technique is separation of functionality, which disables functionality not supported by client browsers or operating systems, while still delivering a complete application to the user. (See also: [[Separation of concerns]]). This technique is used in web development where interpreted code (as in scripting languages) can query the platform it is running on to execute different blocks conditionally.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Corti|first=Sascha P.|title=Browser and Feature Detection|journal=MSDN Magazine|date=October 2011|url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/hh475813.aspx|accessdate=28 January 2014}}</ref>
;Third-party libraries:
Third-party libraries attempt to simplify cross-platform capability by hiding the complexities of client differentiation behind a single, unified API.
;Responsive Web design:
[[Responsive web design]] (RWD) is a Web design approach aimed at crafting the visual layout of sites to provide an optimal viewing experience—easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling—across a wide range of devices, from mobile phones to desktop computer monitors. Little or no platform-specific code is used with this technique.

====Testing strategies====
One complicated aspect of cross-platform web application design is the need for [[software testing]]. In addition to the complications mentioned previously, there is the additional restriction that some web browsers prohibit installation of different versions of the same browser on the same operating system. Although, there are several development approaches that companies use to target multiple platforms, all of them result in software that requires substantial manual effort for testing and maintenance across the supported platforms.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Choudhary|first=S.R.|date=2014|title=Cross-platform testing and maintenance of web and mobile applications.|url=|journal=Companion Proceedings of the 36th International Conference on Software Engineering - ICSE Companion 2014|doi=|pmid=|access-date=}}</ref> Techniques such as [[full virtualization]] are sometimes used as a workaround for this problem.

Using tools such as the Page Object Model, cross platform tests can be scripted in such a way that one test case is usable for multiple versions of an app.<ref name="POMxplatform">[http://blog.testmunk.com/cross-platform-mobile-testing-page-object/ Cross Platform Mobile Testing with the Page Object Model]</ref> So long as the different versions have similar user interfaces, both versions can be tested at one time, with one test case.

===Traditional applications===
Web applications are becoming increasingly popular but many computer users still use traditional application software which does not rely on a client/web-server architecture. The distinction between traditional and [[Web application|web applications]] is not always clear. Features, installation methods and architectures for web and traditional applications overlap and blur the distinction. Nevertheless, this simplifying distinction is a common and useful generalization.

====Binary software====
Traditionally in modern computing, application software has been distributed to end-users as [[binary file]], especially [[executable file]]s. Executables only support the operating system and computer architecture that they were built for—which means that making a single cross-platform executable would be something of a massive task, and is generally replaced by offering a selection of executables for the platforms supported.

For software that is distributed as a binary executable, such as software written in C or C++, the programmer must ''[[software build|build the software]]'' for each different operating system and computer architecture, i.e. must use a toolset that translates—transcompiles—a single codebase into multiple binary executables. For example, [[Firefox]], an open-source web browser, is available on Windows, [[macOS]] (both [[PowerPC]] and x86 through what [[Apple Inc.]] calls a [[Universal binary]]), Linux, and *BSD on multiple computer architectures. The four platforms (in this case, Windows, macOS, Linux, and *BSD) are separate executable distributions, although they come from the same [[source code]].

The use of different toolsets to perform different builds may not be sufficient to achieve a variety of working executables for different platforms. In this case, the software engineer must ''[[porting|port]]'' it, i.e. amend the code to be suitable to a new computer architecture or operating system. For example, a program such as Firefox, which already runs on Windows on the x86 family, can be modified and re-built to run on Linux on the x86 (and potentially other architectures) as well. The multiple versions of the code may be stored as separate codebases, or merged into one codebase by [[conditional compilation]] (see above). Note that, while
porting must be accompanied by cross-platform building, the reverse is not the case.

As an alternative to porting, ''[[cross-platform virtualization]]'' allows applications compiled for one CPU and operating system to run on a system with a different CPU and/or operating system, without modification to the source code or binaries. As an example, Apple's [[Rosetta (software)|Rosetta]], which is built into [[Intel]]-based Macintosh computers, runs applications compiled for the previous generation of Macs that used PowerPC CPUs. Another example is IBM [[Lx86|PowerVM Lx86]], which allows Linux/x86 applications to run unmodified on the Linux/Power operating system.

====Scripts and interpreted languages====
A script can be considered to be cross-platform if its [[Interpreter (computing)|interpreter]] is available on multiple platforms and the script only uses the facilities provided by the language. That is, a script written in [[Python (programming language)|Python]] for a [[Unix-like]] system will likely run with little or no modification on Windows, because Python also runs on Windows; there is also more than one implementation of Python that will run the same scripts (e.g., [[IronPython]] for [[.NET Framework]]). The same goes for many of the [[open-source]] [[programming language]]s that are available and are [[scripting language]]s.

Unlike binary executable files, the same script can be used on all computers that have software to interpret the script. This is because the script is generally stored in [[plain text]] in a [[text file]]. There may be some issues, however, such as the type of [[newline|new line character]] that sits between the lines. Generally, however, little or no work has to be done to make a script written for one system, run on another.

Some quite popular cross-platform scripting or [[interpreted language]]s are:

* [[Bash (Unix shell)|bash]] – A [[Unix shell]] commonly run on [[Linux]] and other modern Unix-like systems, as well as on Windows via the [[Cygwin]] [[POSIX]] compatibility layer.
* [[Perl]] – A [[scripting language]] first released in 1987. Used for [[Common Gateway Interface|CGI]] [[WWW]] programming, small [[system administration]] tasks, and more.
* [[PHP]] – A [[scripting language]] most popular in use for web applications.
* [[Python (programming language)|Python]] – A modern [[scripting language]] where the focus is on [[rapid application development]] and ease-of-writing, instead of program run-time efficiency.
* [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]] – A scripting language whose purpose is to be object-oriented and easy to read. Can also be used on the web through [[Ruby on Rails]].
* [[Tcl]] – A dynamic programming language, suitable for a wide range of uses, including web and desktop applications, networking, administration, testing and many more.

===Video games===
Cross-platform or multi-platform is a term that can also apply to [[video game]]s released on a range of [[video game console]]s, specialized computers dedicated to the task of playing games. Examples of cross-platform video games include:

* ''[[Miner 2049er]]''
* ''[[Tomb Raider: Legend]]''
* ''[[FIFA (video game series)]]''
* ''[[NHL Series]]''
* ''[[Minecraft]]''

Each has been released across a variety of gaming platforms, such as the [[Wii]], [[PlayStation 3]], [[Xbox 360]], [[personal computer]]s (PCs), and [[mobile devices]].

The characteristics of a particular system may lengthen the time taken to implement a video game across multiple platforms. So, a video game may initially be released on a few platforms and then later released on remaining platforms. Typically, this situation occurs when a new gaming system is released, because [[video game developer]]s need to acquaint themselves with the hardware and software associated with the new console.

Some games may not become cross-platform because of licensing agreements between developers and video game console manufacturers that limit development of a game to one particular console. As an example, [[Disney]] could create a game with the intention of release on the latest [[Nintendo]] and [[Sony]] game consoles. Should Disney license the game with Sony first, Disney may in exchange be required to release the game solely on Sony’s console for a short time [[Console exclusivity|or indefinitely]]—effectively prohibiting a cross-platform release for the duration.

====Cross-platform play====
{{Main|Cross-platform play|List of video games that support cross-platform play}}
Several developers have implemented means to play games online while using different platforms. [[Psyonix]], [[Epic Games]], [[Microsoft]], and [[Valve Corporation]] all possess technology that allows [[Xbox 360]] and [[PlayStation 3]] gamers to play with PC gamers, leaving the decision of which platform to use to consumers. The first game to allow this level of interactivity between PC and console games was ''[[Quake 3]]''.<ref>Cribba. [https://www.giantbomb.com/quake-iii-arena/3030-3874/ Quake III Arena], ''Giant Bombcast'', February 15, 2013.</ref>

Games that feature cross-platform [[online play]] include ''[[Rocket League]]'', ''[[Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn|Final Fantasy XIV]]'', ''[[Street Fighter V]]'', ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]]'', ''[[Paragon (video game)|Paragon]]'' and ''[[Fable Fortune]],'' and ''[[Minecraft]]'' with its Better Together update on [[Windows 10]], VR editions, [[Minecraft - Pocket Edition|Pocket Edition]] and [[Xbox One]].

==Cross-platform programming==
Cross-platform programming is the practice of actively writing software that will work on more than one platform.

===Approaches to cross-platform programming===
There are different ways of approaching the problem of writing a cross-platform application program. One such approach is simply to create multiple versions of the same program in different ''source trees''—in other words, the [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] version of a program might have one set of source code files and the [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] version might have another, while a [[Free and open-source software|FOSS]] [[*nix]] system might have another.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}} While this is a straightforward approach to the problem, it has the potential to be considerably more expensive in development cost, development time, or both, especially for corporate entities. The idea behind this is to create more than two different programs that have the ability to behave similarly to each other. It is also possible that this means of developing a cross-platform application will result in more problems with bug tracking and fixing, because the two different ''source trees'' would have different programmers, and thus different defects in each version.

Another approach that is used is to depend on pre-existing software that hides the differences between the platforms—called [[Abstraction layer|abstraction]] of the platform—such that the program itself is unaware of the platform it is running on. It could be said that such programs are ''platform agnostic''. Programs that run on the [[Java Virtual Machine]] (JVM) are built in this fashion.

Some applications mix various methods of cross-platform programming to create the final application. An example of this is the [[Firefox]] [[web browser]], which uses [[Abstraction layer|abstraction]] to build some of the lower-level components, separate source subtrees for implementing platform-specific features (like the GUI), and the implementation of more than one [[scripting language]] to help facilitate ease of portability. Firefox implements [[XUL]], [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]] and [[JavaScript]] for extending the browser, in addition to classic [[Netscape]]-style browser plugins. Much of the browser itself is written in XUL, CSS, and JavaScript, as well.

===Cross-platform programming toolkits and environments===
There are a number of tools<ref name="TheGUIToolkit">[https://web.archive.org/web/20091026132520/http://geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/7184/guitool.html The GUI Toolkit, Framework Page]</ref><ref name="PlatformIndependentFAQ">[http://www.zeta.org.au/~rosko/pigui.htm Platform Independent FAQ]</ref> which are available to help facilitate the process of cross-platform programming:

* [http://8th-dev.com 8th]: A cross-platform development language, which utilizes [[Juce]] as its GUI layer. The platforms it currently supports are: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi.
* [[Anant computing|Anant Computing]]: A mobile application platform that works in all Indian languages, including their keyboards, which is also supports AppWallet and Native performance inside all operating systems.
* [[AppearIQ]]: A framework that supports the workflow of app development and deployment in an enterprise environment. Natively developed containers present hardware features of the mobile devices or tablets through an API to HTML5 code thus facilitating the development of mobile apps that run on different platforms.
* [[Cairo (graphics)|Cairo]]: A [[free software]] library used to provide a vector graphics-based, device-independent API. It is designed to provide primitives for 2-dimensional drawing across a number of different backends. Cairo is written in C and has bindings for many programming languages.
* [[Cocos2d]]: An open source toolkit and game engine for developing 2D and simple 3D cross-platform games and applications.
* [[Delphi (programming language)|Delphi]]: A cross platform IDE, which uses Pascal language for Development. Currently it supports Android, iOS, Windows, macOS.
* [http://ecere.org Ecere SDK]: A cross platform GUI & 2D/3D graphics toolkit and IDE, written in [[EC (programming language)|eC]] and with support for additional languages such as [[C (programming language)|C]] and [[Python (programming language)|Python]]. Currently it supports Linux, FreeBSD, Windows, Android, macOS and the Web through Emscripten or Binaryen (WebAssembly)
* [[Eclipse IDE|Eclipse]]: An open source cross-platform development environment. Implemented in Java with a configurable architecture which supports many tools for software development. Add-ons are available for several languages, including Java and C++.
* [[FLTK]]: Another open source cross platform toolkit, but more lightweight because it restricts itself to the GUI.
* [[fpGUI]]: An open source widget toolkit that is completely implemented in Object Pascal. It currently supports Linux, Windows and a bit of Windows CE.
* [[GeneXus]]: A Windows rapid software development solution for cross-platform application creation and deployment based on [[knowledge representation]] and supporting [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], [[COBOL]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]] including Android and BlackBerry smart devices, [[Objective-C]] for [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] mobile devices, [[IBM RPG|RPG]], [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]], [[Visual Basic]], and [[Visual FoxPro]].
* [[GLBasic]]: A BASIC dialoect and compiler that generates C++ code. It includes cross compilers for many platforms and supports numerous platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android,iOS and some exotic handhelds).
* [[GTK+]]: An open source widget toolkit for Unix-like systems with X11 and Microsoft Windows.
* [[Haxe]]: An open source cross-platform language.
* [[Juce]]: An application framework written in C++, used to write native software on numerous systems (Microsoft Windows, POSIX, macOS), with no change to the code.
* [[Lazarus (IDE)|Lazarus]]: A programming environment for the FreePascal Compiler. It supports the creation of self-standing graphical and console applications and runs on Linux, MacOSX, iOS, Android, WinCE, Windows and WEB.
* [[Max (software)|Max/MSP]]: A [[visual programming language]] that encapsulates platform-independent code with a platform-specific runtime environment into applications for macOS and Windows.
* [[MechDome]]: A cross-platform Android runtime. It allows unmodified Android apps to run natively on iOS and macOS
* [[MonoCross]]: An open-source [[model-view-controller]] design pattern where the model and controller are shared cross-platform but the view is platform-specific.
* [[Mono (software)|Mono]]: An open-source cross-platform version of [[Microsoft .NET]] (a framework for applications and programming languages)
* [[MoSync]]: An open-source SDK for mobile platform app development in the C++ family
* [[Mozilla application framework]]: An open source platform for building macOS, Windows and Linux applications
* [[OpenGL]]: A cross-platform 3D graphics library.
* [[PureBasic]]: A proprietary cross-platform language and IDE for building macOS, Windows and Linux applications
* [[Qt (toolkit)|Qt]]: An application framework and [[widget toolkit]] for [[Unix-like]] systems with [[X11]], Microsoft Windows, macOS, and other systems—available under both [[open source]] and proprietary licenses.
* Simple and Fast Multimedia Library: A multimedia C++ [[Application programming interface|API]] that provides low and high level access to graphics, input, audio, etc.
* [[Simple DirectMedia Layer]]: An open-source cross-platform multimedia library written in C that creates an abstraction over various platforms’ graphics, sound, and input [[Application programming interface|APIs]]. It runs on many operating systems including Linux, Windows and macOS and is aimed at games and multimedia applications.
* [[Smartface]]: A cross platform native app development tool to create mobile applications for Android and iOS, using [[WYSIWYG]] design editor with JavaScript code editor.
* [[Tcl/Tk]]
* [[Ultimate++]]: A C++ cross-platform rapid application development framework focused on programmers productivity. It includes a set of libraries (GUI, SQL, etc..), and an integrated development environment. It supports Windows and Unix-like OS-s. The U++ competes with popular scripting languages while preserving C/C++ runtime characteristics. It has its own integrated development environment, TheIDE, which features BLITZ-build technology to speedup C++ rebuilds up to 4 times.
* [[Unity (game engine)|Unity]]: Another cross-platform SDK which uses Unity Engine.
* [[Unreal Engine|Unreal]]: A cross-platform SDK which uses Unreal Engine.
* [[V-Play Engine]]: V-Play is a cross-platform development SDK based on the popular Qt framework. V-Play apps and games are created within Qt Creator.
* [[WaveMaker]]: A Cross-platform low-code development tool to create responsive web and hybrid mobile (Android & iOS) applications.
* [http://www.windev.com WinDev]: Integrated Development Environment for Windows, Linux, .Net and Java (also with support for [http://www.windev.com/webdev/index.html Internet and Intranet])
* [[wxWidgets]]: An open source widget toolkit that is also an [[application framework]].<ref name="wxwidgets">[http://wxwidgets.org/ WxWidgets Description]</ref> It runs on [[Unix-like]] systems with [[X11]], Microsoft Windows and macOS. It permits applications written to use it to run on all of the systems that it supports, if the application does not use any [[operating system]]-specific programming in addition to it.
* [[Xojo]]: A RAD IDE developed by Xojo, Inc. that uses an object-oriented programming language to create desktop, web and iOS apps. Xojo makes native, compiled desktop apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Raspberry Pi. It creates compiled web apps that can be run as standalone servers or through CGI. And it recently added the ability to create native iOS apps.

==Challenges to cross-platform development==
There are certain issues associated with cross-platform development. Some of these include:

* Testing cross-platform applications may be considerably more complicated, since different platforms can exhibit slightly different behaviors or subtle bugs. This problem has led some developers to deride cross-platform development as "write once, debug everywhere", a take on [[Sun Microsystems]]' "[[write once, run anywhere]]" marketing slogan.
* Developers are often restricted to using the [[lowest common denominator (computers)|lowest common denominator]] subset of features which are available on all platforms. This may hinder the application's performance or prohibit developers from using platforms’ most advanced features.
* Different platforms often have different user interface conventions, which cross-platform applications do not always accommodate. For example, applications developed for macOS and [[GNOME]] are supposed to place the most important button on the right-hand side of a window or dialog, whereas Microsoft Windows and [[KDE]] have the opposite convention. Though many of these differences are subtle, a cross-platform application which does not conform appropriately to these conventions may feel clunky or alien to the user. When working quickly, such opposing conventions may even result in [[data loss]], such as in a [[dialog box]] confirming whether the user wants to save or discard changes to a file.
* Scripting languages and virtual machines must be translated into native executable code each time the application is executed, imposing a performance penalty. This penalty can be alleviated using advanced techniques like [[just-in-time compilation]]; but even using such techniques, some computational overhead may be unavoidable.
* Different platforms require the use of native package formats such as [[RPM Package Manager|RPM]] and [[Windows Installer|MSI]]. Multi-platform installers such as [[InstallAnywhere]] address this need.
* Cross-platform execution environments may suffer cross-platform security flaws, creating a fertile environment for cross-platform malware.

==See also==
* [[List of widget toolkits]]
* [[Platform virtualization]]
* [[Java (software platform)]]
* [[Language binding]]
* [[Transcompiler]]
* [[Binary code compatibility]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross-Platform}}
[[Category:Computing platforms]]

List of Massachusetts companies

2018-04-13T18:37:55Z

Lowcoder: /* M */

{{Expand list|date=March 2018}}
This is a '''list of companies located in [[Massachusetts]]'''.
{{compact ToC|num=yes}}

== 0–9 ==
* [[3Com Corporation|3Com]]

== A ==
* [[ABRY Partners]]
* [[Acadian Asset Management]]
* [[Actifio]]
* [[American Outdoor Brands Corporation]]
* [[Analog Devices]]
* [[Analysis Group]]
* [[Arbella Insurance Group]]
* [[athenahealth]]
* [[Au Bon Pain]]
* [[Avedis Zildjian Company]]

== B ==
* [[Bad Martha Brewing Company]]
* [[Bain Capital]]
* [[Baskin-Robbins]]
* [[BBN Technologies]]
* [[Bertucci's]]
* [[No Sweat Apparel|Bienestar International]]
* [[Big Y Foods]]
* [[Biogen]]
* [[BJ's Wholesale Club]]
* [[Blue Hills Brewery]]
* [[Bose Corporation]]
* [[Boston Beer Company]]
* [[Boston Scientific]]
* [[Brine, Corp.]]
* [[BroadVoice]]

== C ==
* [[Cabot Corporation]]
* [[Cape Air]]
* [[Charles River Associates]]
* [[Cisco Brewers]]
* [[Commerce Bank and Trust Company]]
* [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]], a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
* [[Cutter Consortium]]
* [[Cybex International]]

== D ==
* [[Daily Table]]
* [[DeMoulas' Market Basket]]
* [[Destination XL Group]]
* [[Dunkin' Brands|Dunkin' Brands Inc.]], parent company of [[Baskin-Robbins]], [[Dunkin' Donuts]] and [[Togo's]] (Dunkin' Deli)

== E ==
* [[Eaton Vance]]
* [[EditMe]]
* [[EMC Corporation]]
* [[Equal Exchange]]

== F ==
* [[Fidelity Investments]] and [[Fidelity Ventures]]
* [[Filene's Basement]]
* [[Forrester Research]]
* [[Friendly's]]

== G ==
* [[GE Sensing]]
* [[Genzyme]]
* [[The Gillette Company|Gillette]]
* [[Global Insight]]
* [[Global Partners LP]]
* [[GreenFuel Technologies Corporation]]

== H ==
* [[Hanover Insurance Group]]
* [[Harpoon Brewery]]
* [[Highland Capital Partners]]
* [[Homestead Technologies]]
* [[Honey Dew Donuts]]
* [[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]]

== I ==
* [[I-Logix]]
* [[Important Records]]
* [[iRobot]]
* [[Iron Mountain Incorporated|Iron Mountain]]

== J ==
* [[John Hancock Insurance]]
* [[Johnny Cupcakes]]
* [[Jordan's Furniture]]

== K ==
* [[Kadant]]
* [[KB Toys]]
* [[Kronos Incorporated|Kronos]]
* [[Kurzweil Educational Systems]]

== L ==
* [[L. S. Starrett Company]]
* [[Liberty Mutual]]
* [[Lord & Burnham]]
* [[Lotus Software]]
* [[LPL Financial]]

== M ==
* [[Massachusetts Bay Trading Company]]
* [[Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company]]
* [[Mendix]]
* [[Mercury Brewing Company]]
* [[Millennium Pharmaceuticals]]

== N ==
* [[Nantucket Airlines]]
* [[National Amusements]]
* [[Necco]]
* [[New Balance]]
* [[Newburyport Brewing Company]]
* [[Novell]]
* [[NSTAR (company)|NSTAR]]

== O ==
* [[Ocean Spray (cooperative)|Ocean Spray]]
* [[OptiRTC]]

== P ==
* [[Papa Gino's]]
* [[Perini Building Company|Perini]]
* [[Peter Pan Bus Lines]]
* [[Pinsly Railroad Company]]
* [[Polaroid Corporation|Polaroid]]
* [[Puma AG|Puma]] (North America)

== R ==
* [[Raytheon]]
* [[Reebok]]
* [[Rockport (company)|Rockport]]

== S ==
* [[Salary.com]]
* [[Saucony]]
* [[Savage Arms]]
* [[Shaw's Supermarkets]] and [[Star Market]], a division of [[SuperValu (United States)|SuperValu]]
* [[Smith & Wesson]]
* [[Staples, Inc.|Staples]]
* [[State St. Corp.]]
* [[Steinway Musical Instruments]]
* [[Stride Rite Corporation]]

== T ==
* [[Talbots]]
* [[Tea Forté]]
* [[Thermo Fisher Scientific]]
* [[Thinking Phone Networks]]
* [[TJX Companies]], owners of [[HomeGoods]], [[Marshalls]]<nowiki/>and [[T.J. Maxx]] st[[T.J. Maxx|es]]<nowiki/>or
* [[Traveling Vineyard]]

== U ==
* [[Unitrends]]
* [[Uno Chicago Grill]]

== V ==
* [[Vertex Pharmaceuticals]]
* [[Vertica]]
* [[Village Ventures]]

== W ==
* [[Wachusett Brewing Company]]
* [[Welch's]]

== Y ==
* [[Yankee Candle Company]]
* [[Yottaa]]

== Z ==
* [[Zoom Technologies]]

== See also ==
* [[List of companies of the United States by state]]

{{clear}}
{{Lists of companies by U.S. state}}
{{Massachusetts}}

[[Category:Lists of companies of the United States by state]]
[[Category:Companies based in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Massachusetts-related lists]]

Greater Boston

2018-04-13T18:36:44Z

Lowcoder: /* {{anchor|Major companies}}Major companies */

{{Infobox settlement
| name = Boston Combined Statistical Area
| other_name = {{nowrap|Boston–Worcester–Providence}}
| settlement_type = [[Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas|Metropolitan region]]
| image_skyline = Panoramic_Boston.jpg
| imagesize = 280px
| image_caption = [[Boston]]
| image_map = greaterboston2.png
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|42.35817|N|71.06369|W|region:US_scale:200000|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1 = State(s)
| subdivision_name1 = {{plainlist|
*{{Flag|Massachusetts}} (MA)
*{{Flag|Rhode Island}} (RI)
*{{Flag|New Hampshire}} (NH)
*{{Flag|Connecticut}} (CT)
}}
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| parts_type = Principal cities
| parts = {{plainlist|
*{{flag|Boston}}
*[[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]
*[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
*[[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]
*[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
*{{flag|Quincy}}
}}
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| unit_pref = US
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_sq_mi =
| area_land_sq_mi =
| area_water_sq_mi =
| area_note =
| elevation_ft = 
| population_total = 4,732,161 (MSA) or 8,099,575 (CSA)
| population_as_of = 2014
| population_footnotes =
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_rank = {{ubl|[[List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Ranked 10th in the US for Metropolitan Statistical Areas]]|[[Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas|Ranked 6th in the US for Combined Statistical Areas]]}}
| population_demonym =
| area_code = [[Area code 617|617]], [[Area code 781|781]], [[Area code 857|857]], [[Area code 339|339]], [[Area code 978|978]], [[Area code 508|508]], [[Area code 351|351]], [[Area code 774|774]], [[Area code 603|603]], [[Area code 401|401]]
| timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset =
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
}}

'''Greater Boston''' is the metropolitan region of [[New England]] encompassing the municipality of [[Boston]], the capital of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Massachusetts]], and the most populous city in [[New England]], as well as its surrounding areas. The region forms the northern arc of the [[Northeast megalopolis|US northeast megalopolis]] and as such, Greater Boston can be described as either a [[metropolitan statistical area]] (MSA), or as a broader [[combined statistical area]] (CSA). The MSA consists of most of the eastern third of Massachusetts, excluding the [[South Coast (Massachusetts)|South Coast region]] and [[Cape Cod]]; while the CSA additionally includes the municipalities of [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]] (the largest [[List of cities in New Hampshire|city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire]]), [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] (the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of [[Rhode Island]]), [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] (the second largest [[List of cities by population in New England|city in New England]]), as well as the South Coast region and Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

Some of Greater Boston's most well-known contributions to human civilization involve the region's [[List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston|higher education]] and medical institutions. Greater Boston has been influential upon American [[History of the United States|history]] and [[Economy of the United States|industry]]. The region and the state of Massachusetts are global leaders in [[biotechnology]], [[engineering]], [[List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts|higher education]], [[finance]], and [[maritime trade]].<ref>{{cite web| title=Housing and Economic Development:Key Industries| url=http://www.mass.gov/hed/economic/industries/| website=mass.gov| accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref>

Over 80% of Massachusetts' population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan region. Greater Boston is [[List of United States metropolitan statistical areas|ranked tenth in population among US metropolitan statistical areas]], home to 4,732,161 people as of the 2014 US Census estimate, and [[List of United States combined statistical areas|sixth among combined statistical areas]], with a population of 8,099,575.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/S0101/330M200US148|title=2014 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=January 18, 2016}}</ref> The area has hosted many people and sites significant to [[Culture of the United States|American culture]] and history, particularly [[American literature]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/09/books/where-literary-legends-took-shape-around-boston.html?pagewanted=all|title=Where Literary Legends Took Shape Around Boston|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Will Joyner|date=9 April 1999|accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> [[Kennedy family|politics]], and the [[American Revolution]].

[[Plymouth, Massachusetts|Plymouth]] was the site of the first colony in New England, founded in 1620 by the [[Pilgrim Fathers|Pilgrims]], passengers of the ''[[Mayflower]]''. In 1692, the town of [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]] and surrounding areas experienced one of America's most infamous cases of [[mass hysteria]], the [[Salem witch trials]].<ref>{{cite web| title=The 1692 Salem Witch Trials| url=http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/education| website=SalemWitchTrialsMuseum.com| accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> In the late 18th century, Boston became known as the "Cradle of Liberty"<ref>{{cite web| title=Faneuil Hall| url=http://www.celebrateboston.com/sites/faneuil-hall.htm| website=Celebrateboston.com| accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref> for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution.

The Greater Boston region has played a powerful commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States. Before the [[American Civil War]], the region was a center for the [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionist]], [[temperance movement|temperance]],<ref>{{cite web| title=The Temperance Issue in the Election of 1840: Massachusetts| url=http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/articles/temperance-issue-election-1840-massachusetts| website=Teachushistory.org| accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> and [[transcendentalism|transcendentalist]]<ref>{{cite book| last1=Packer| first1=Barbara| title=The Transcendentalists| publisher=University of Georgia Press; First edition (April 25, 2007)| isbn=978-0820329581}}</ref> movements.<ref>{{cite web| title=Images of the Antislavery Movement in Massachusetts| url=http://www.masshist.org/online/abolition/index.php| website=Masshist.org| accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> In 2004, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize [[Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts|same-sex marriage]] as a result of [[Goodridge v. Department of Public Health|the decision]] of the [[Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court]] in Boston.<ref name=CNNmarriage>{{cite news| title=Massachusetts court strikes down ban on same-sex marriage| url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/11/18/gay.marriage.reut/| accessdate=April 21, 2015| agency=Reuters| date=November 18, 2003}}</ref> Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the Boston region, including the [[Adams family|Adams]] and [[Kennedy family|Kennedy]] families.

[[Harvard University]] in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]] is [[List of Colonial Colleges|the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States]],<ref>{{cite web| title=History of Harvard University| url=http://www.harvard.edu/history| website=[[Harvard University]]| accessdate=April 21, 2015}}</ref> with the largest [[financial endowment]] of any university,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/us/harvards-endowment-remains-biggest-of-all.html?_r=0| title=Harvard’s Endowment Remains Biggest of All| author=Tamar Lewin| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=January 28, 2015| accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> and whose [[Harvard Law School|Law School]] has spawned a contemporaneous majority of [[United States Supreme Court]] [[United States Supreme Court Justice|Justices]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/16/merrick-garland-supreme-court-obama-nominee/81529760/| title=Meet Merrick Garland, Obama's Supreme Court nominee| author=Richard Wolf| newspaper=[[USA Today]]| date=March 16, 2016| accessdate=May 9, 2016}}</ref> [[Kendall Square]] in Cambridge has been called "the most innovative square mile on the planet", in reference to the high concentration of [[entrepreneurship|entrepreneurial]] [[startup company|start-ups]] and quality of innovation which have emerged in the vicinity of the square since 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kendallsquare.mit.edu/|title=Kendall Square Initiative|publisher=MIT|accessdate=December 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.boston.com/business/innovation/blogs/inside-the-hive/2013/05/02/when-neighborhood-crowned-the-most-innovative-square-mile-the-world-how-you-keep-that-way/B1QxCjswQZZuG21WBdyBWK/blog.html|title=
When a neighborhood is crowned the most innovative square mile in the world, how do you keep it that way?|author=Lelund Cheung|publisher=Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC|accessdate=December 1, 2016}}</ref> Both Harvard University and the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], also in Cambridge, have been ranked among the most highly regarded [[academic institution]]s in the world.<ref name=AcademicRanking2>[https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2016/reputation-ranking#!/page/0/length/25/sort_by/rank_label/sort_order/asc/cols/rank_only] Accessed May 9, 2016.</ref>

==Definitions==
{{update|section|date=August 2012|population figures}}
[[File:Greater Boston Lg.PNG|right|275px|thumb|Light Blue represents the area in Massachusetts known as Greater Boston, while Dark Blue represents the Metro-Boston area{{specify|date=January 2011}}{{Citation needed|date=January 2011|reason=What do you mean by Metro-Boston? Whose definition?}} and Red represents the City of Boston.]]

===Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)===
{{anchor|Metropolitan Area Planning Council}}

The most restrictive definition of the Greater Boston area is the region administered by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).<ref name=mapc>{{cite web
| url = http://www.mapc.org/about_mapc.html
| publisher=Metropolitan Area Planning Council
| title = About MAPC
| accessdate = 2007-05-14
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070221050155/http://www.mapc.org/about_mapc.html  |archivedate = 2007-02-21}}</ref> The MAPC is a regional planning organization created by the [[General Court of Massachusetts|Massachusetts legislature]] to oversee transportation infrastructure and economic development concerns in the Boston area. The MAPC includes 101 cities and towns that are grouped into eight subregions. These include most of the area within the region's outer circumferential highway, [[I-495 (MA)|I-495]]. In 2013, the population of the MAPC district was 3.2 million, which was 48% of the total population of Massachusetts,<ref name=datacommon>{{cite web | url = http://www.mapc.org/sites/default/files/FINAL%20StrategicPlan%2012-2-14-web.pdf | publisher=Metropolitan Area Planning Council | title = Metropolitan Area Planning Council Strategic Plan 2015–2020 | accessdate=2017-04-22}}</ref> in an area of {{convert|1422|sqmi|km2}},<ref name=mapc/> of which 39% is forested and an additional 11% is water, wetland, or other open space.<ref name="mpo-draft2030">{{cite web|url=http://www.ctps.org/bostonmpo/3_programs/1_transportation_plan/plan.html |title=Transportation Plan – Overview |year=2009 |publisher=Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization |accessdate=2009-09-27 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829235936/http://www.ctps.org/bostonmpo/3_programs/1_transportation_plan/plan.html |archivedate=August 29, 2008 }}</ref>

The eight subregions and their principal towns are: Inner Core (Boston), Minuteman ([[Massachusetts Route 2|Route 2]] corridor), [[MetroWest, Massachusetts|MetroWest]] (Framingham), [[North Shore (Massachusetts)|North Shore]] (Lynn), North Suburban (Woburn), [[South Shore (Massachusetts)|South Shore]] ([[Massachusetts Route 3|Route 3]] corridor), SouthWest (Franklin), and Three Rivers (Norwood).

Notably excluded from the MAPC and its partner planning body, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, are the [[Merrimack Valley (Massachusetts)|Merrimack Valley]] cities of Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill, much of [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts|Plymouth County]], and all of [[Bristol County, Massachusetts|Bristol County]]; these areas have their own regional planning bodies. Bristol County is part of the Greater Boston CSA, as part of the Providence MSA.

===New England City and Town Area (NECTA)===
[[File:MIT Charles River aerial.JPG|thumb|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]] and Boston; [[MIT]] and [[Kendall Square]] in the foreground, and Boston's [[Financial District, Boston|Financial District]] in the background]]
The [[United States urban area|urbanized area]] surrounding Boston serves as the core of a definition used by the [[US Census Bureau]] known as the [[New England city and town area]] (NECTA). The set of towns containing the core urbanized area plus surrounding towns with strong social and economic ties to the core area is defined as the '''Boston–Cambridge–Nashua, MA–NH Metropolitan NECTA'''.<ref name="NECTA-principal" /> The Boston NECTA is further subdivided into several NECTA divisions, which are listed below. The Boston, Framingham, and Peabody NECTA divisions together correspond roughly to the MAPC area. The total population of the Boston NECTA was 4,540,941 (as of 2000).
*Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA NECTA Division (92 towns)
*Framingham, MA NECTA Division (12 towns)
*Peabody–Salem–Beverly, MA NECTA Division (4 towns)
*Brockton–Bridgewater–Easton, MA NECTA Division (Old Colony region) (8 towns)
*Haverhill–Newburyport–Amesbury, MA–NH NECTA Division (Merrimack Valley region) (21 towns)
*Lawrence–Methuen–Salem, MA–NH NECTA Division (part of Merrimack Valley region) (4 towns)
*Lowell–Billerica–Chelmsford, MA–NH NECTA Division (Northern Middlesex region) (15 towns)
*Nashua, NH–MA NECTA Division (21 towns)
*Taunton–Middleborough–Norton, MA NECTA Division (part of Southeastern region) (9 towns)
*Lynn–Saugus–Marblehead, MA NECTA Division (5 towns)

===Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)===
{{US Census population
| 1850 = 650357
| 1860 = 830998
| 1870 = 978346
| 1880 = 1205439
| 1890 = 1515684
| 1900 = 1890122
| 1910 = 2260762
| 1920 = 2563123
| 1930 = 2866567
| 1940 = 2926650
| 1950 = 3186970
| 1960 = 3516435
| 1970 = 3918092
| 1980 = 3938585
| 1990 = 4133895
| 2000 = 4391344
| 2010 = 4552402
| estimate = 4732161
| estyear = 2014
| align-fn = center
| footnote = [https://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/ US Decennial Census]
}}

An alternative definition defined by the [[United States Office of Management and Budget]], using counties as building blocks instead of towns, is the '''Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metropolitan Statistical Area''', which is further subdivided into four metropolitan divisions. The metropolitan statistical area had a total population of approximately 4,732,161 as of 2014 and is the [[United States metropolitan area|tenth-largest]] in the United States. The components of the metropolitan area with their estimated 2012 populations are listed below.
*Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metropolitan Statistical Area (4,640,802)
**Boston, MA Metropolitan Division (1,926,030)
***[[Norfolk County, Massachusetts|Norfolk County]], Massachusetts (681,845)
***[[Plymouth County, Massachusetts|Plymouth County]], Massachusetts (499,759)
***[[Suffolk County, Massachusetts|Suffolk County]], Massachusetts (744,426)
**Cambridge–Newton–Framingham, MA Metropolitan Division (2,292,833)
***[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts|Middlesex County]], Massachusetts (1,537,215)
***[[Essex County, Massachusetts|Essex County]], Massachusetts (755,618)
**Rockingham County–Strafford County, NH Metropolitan Division (421,939)
***[[Rockingham County, New Hampshire|Rockingham County]], New Hampshire (297,820)
***[[Strafford County, New Hampshire|Strafford County]], New Hampshire (124,119)

===Combined Statistical Area (CSA)===
[[File:Providence, RI skyline edit.jpg|thumb|Providence, Rhode Island]]
A wider functional metropolitan area based on commuting patterns is also defined by the Office of Management and Budget as the '''Boston–Worcester–Providence combined statistical area'''. This area consists of the metropolitan areas of [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]], [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], as well as [[Cape Cod]], in addition to greater Boston. The total population as of 2014 for the extended region was estimated at 8,099,575. The following areas, along with the above MSA, are included in the combined statistical area, with their estimated 2012 populations:
*Worcester, Massachusetts–Connecticut, metropolitan statistical area (923,762)
**[[Worcester County, Massachusetts|Worcester County]], Massachusetts (806,163)
**[[Windham County, Connecticut|Windham County]], Connecticut (117,599)
*[[Providence metropolitan area|Providence–Warwick, Rhode Island–Massachusetts, metropolitan statistical area]] (1,601,374)
**[[Bristol County, Massachusetts|Bristol County]], Massachusetts (551,082)
**[[Bristol County, Rhode Island|Bristol County]], Rhode Island (49,144)
**[[Kent County, Rhode Island|Kent County]], Rhode Island (164,843)
**[[Newport County, Rhode Island|Newport County]], Rhode Island (82,036)
**[[Providence County, Rhode Island|Providence County]], Rhode Island (628,323)
**[[Washington County, Rhode Island|Washington County]], Rhode Island (125,946)
*Concord, New Hampshire, [[micropolitan statistical area]] (146,761)
**[[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]], New Hampshire (146,761)
*Laconia, New Hampshire, micropolitan statistical area (60,327)
**[[Belknap County, New Hampshire|Belknap County]], New Hampshire (60,327)
*Manchester–Nashua, New Hampshire, metropolitan statistical area (402,922)
**[[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire|Hillsborough County]], New Hampshire (402,922)
*Barnstable Town, Massachusetts, metropolitan statistical area (215,423)
**[[Barnstable County, Massachusetts|Barnstable County]], Massachusetts (215,423)

==Principal cities and towns==
[[File:Winthrop ma.jpg|thumb|Winthrop, MA]]
;Cities and towns
{{Div col|cols=3}}
*[[Arlington, Massachusetts|Arlington]]
*[[Bedford, Massachusetts|Bedford]]
*[[Belmont, Massachusetts|Belmont]]
*[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]]
*[[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]]
*[[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]]
*[[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]]
*[[Burlington, Massachusetts|Burlington]]
*[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
*[[Chelsea, Massachusetts|Chelsea]]
*[[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]]
*[[Everett, Massachusetts|Everett]]
*[[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]]
*[[Lexington, Massachusetts|Lexington]]
*[[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]]
*[[Lynnfield, Massachusetts|Lynnfield]]
*[[Malden, Massachusetts|Malden]]
*[[Medford, Massachusetts|Medford]]
*[[Melrose, Massachusetts|Melrose]]
*[[Milton, Massachusetts|Milton]]
*[[Nahant, Massachusetts|Nahant]]
*[[Natick, Massachusetts|Natick]]
*[[Needham, Massachusetts|Needham]]
*[[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]]
*[[North Reading, Massachusetts|North Reading]]
*[[Norwood, Massachusetts|Norwood]]
*[[Peabody, Massachusetts|Peabody]]
*[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]
*[[Randolph, Massachusetts|Randolph]]
*[[Reading, Massachusetts|Reading]]
*[[Revere, Massachusetts|Revere]]
*[[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]]
*[[Saugus, Massachusetts|Saugus]]
*[[Somerville, Massachusetts|Somerville]]
*[[Stoneham, Massachusetts|Stoneham]]
*[[Swampscott, Massachusetts|Swampscott]]
*[[Wakefield, Massachusetts|Wakefield]]
*[[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]]
*[[Watertown, Massachusetts|Watertown]]
*[[Wellesley, Massachusetts|Wellesley]]
*[[Weymouth, Massachusetts|Weymouth]]
*[[Wilmington, Massachusetts|Wilmington]]
*[[Winchester, Massachusetts|Winchester]]
*[[Winthrop, Massachusetts|Winthrop]]
*[[Woburn, Massachusetts|Woburn]]
{{Div col end}}

===Boston metropolitan area===
The Census Bureau defines the following as principal cities in the Boston NECTA<ref name="NECTA-principal">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/population/metro/files/lists/2013/List4.xls |format=XLS spreadsheet |title=Principal cities of New England city and town areas (NECTAs) |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |accessdate=April 26, 2015}}</ref> using criteria developed for what the [[Office of Management and Budget]] calls a [[Core Based Statistical Area]]:<ref name="OMB-standards">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/metroareas/files/00-32997.pdf|title=Standards for Defining Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas|date=December 27, 2000|publisher=Office of Management and Budget|accessdate=September 14, 2009}}</ref>
*[[Boston]]
*[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
*[[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]
*[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
*[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]
*[[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]

===Largest cities and towns===
Cities and towns in the Boston CSA with at least 50,000 residents:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!City
!2000 population
!2010 population
!2014 population<ref name="census-2013">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/index.html|title=City and Town Population for 2013|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|accessdate=September 19, 2014}}</ref>
!% change (2010 to 2014)
|-
|1
|[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]]||align="right"|589,141||{{change|617594|655884}}
|-
|2
|[[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]||align="right"|172,648||{{change|181045|183016}}
|-
|3
|[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]||align="right"|173,618||{{change|178042|179154}}
|-
|4
|[[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]]||align="right"|107,006||{{change|109565|110448}}
|-
|5
|[[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]||align="right"|105,167||{{change|106519|109945}}
|-
|6
|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]||align="right"|101,355||{{change|105162|109694}}
|-
|7
|[[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]]||align="right"|93,768||{{change|95072|94845}}
|-
|8
|[[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]]||align="right"|94,304||{{change|93810|94779}}
|-
|9
|[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]||align="right"|88,025||{{change|92271|93397}}
|-
|10
|[[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]]||align="right"|89,050||{{change|90329|92137}}
|-
|11
|[[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]]||align="right"|91,938||{{change|88857|88712}}
|-
|12
|[[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]]||align="right"|83,829||{{change|85146|88287}}
|-
|13
|[[Nashua, New Hampshire|Nashua]]||align="right"|86,605||{{change|86494|87259}}
|-
|14
|[[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]]||align="right"|85,808||{{change|82672|81963}}
|-
|15
|[[Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston]]||align="right"|79,269||{{change|80387|81037}}
|-
|16
|[[Somerville, Massachusetts|Somerville]]||align="right"|77,478||{{change|75754|78901}}
|-
|17
|[[Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence]]||align="right"|72,043||{{change|76377|78197}}
|-
|18
|[[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]]||align="right"|72,958||{{change|71148|71499}}
|-
|19
|[[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]]||align="right"|66,910||{{change|68318|70068}}
|-
|20
|[[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]]||align="right"|59,226||{{change|60632|63014}}
|-
|21
|[[Haverhill, Massachusetts|Haverhill]]||align="right"|58,969||{{change|60879|62488}}
|-
|22
|[[Malden, Massachusetts|Malden]]||align="right"|56,340||{{change|59450|60859}}
|-
|23
|[[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]]||align="right"|57,107||{{change|58732|59115}}
|-
|24
|[[Plymouth, Massachusetts|Plymouth]]||align="right"|51,701||{{change|56468|57463}}
|-
|25
|[[Medford, Massachusetts|Medford]]||align="right"|55,765||{{change|56173|57437}}
|-
|26
|[[Taunton, Massachusetts|Taunton]]||align="right"|55,976||{{change|55874|56544}}
|-
|27
|[[Weymouth, Massachusetts|Weymouth]]||align="right"|53,988||{{change|53743|55643}}
|-
|28
|[[Revere, Massachusetts|Revere]]||align="right"|47,283||{{change|51755|54157}}
|-
|29
|[[Peabody, Massachusetts|Peabody]]||align="right"|48,129||{{change|51251|52376}}
|-
|30
|[[Methuen, Massachusetts|Methuen]]||align="right"|43,789||{{change|47255|52044}}
|}

==Demographics==
[[File:St. Patrick Day's Parade, Scituate MA.jpg|thumb|[[St. Patrick's Day Parade]] in [[Scituate, Massachusetts]], in [[Plymouth County, Massachusetts|Plymouth County]], the municipality with the highest percentage identifying [[Irish diaspora|Irish]] ancestry in the United States, at 47.5% in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/the-most-irish-town-in-america-is-named-133427563-237789381.html|title=The most Irish town in America is named using US census data|author=Jane Walsh|publisher=Irish Central|date=November 25, 2015|accessdate=May 8, 2016}}</ref> [[Irish American]]s constitute the largest ethnicity in Greater Boston.]]
[[File:Boston Chinatown Paifang.jpg|thumb|[[Chinatown, Boston|Boston's Chinatown]], with its [[paifang]] gate, is home to many [[Chinese Americans in Boston|Chinese]] and also [[Vietnamese Americans in Boston|Vietnamese]] restaurants.]]
[[File:Were_a_gay_and_happy_family_wagon.jpg|thumb|Boston [[gay pride]] march, held annually in June]]

===Population density===
The most densely populated census tracts in the Boston CSA (2010):<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite web|url=http://projects.nytimes.com/census/2010/map|title=Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- valign=bottom
!rowspan=2|Rank
!rowspan=2|City or neighborhood
!rowspan=2|Census tract
!rowspan=2|Population
!colspan=2|Population density
|-
!/sq mi
!/km2
|-
|1
|[[Fenway–Kenmore]]
|align=right|10404
|align=right|5,817
|{{convert|110,108|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|2
|Fenway–Kenmore
|align=right|10403
|align=right|3,003
|{{convert|87,828|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|3
|Fenway–Kenmore
|align=right|10408
|align=right|1,426
|{{convert|85,137|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|4
|[[Beacon Hill, Boston|Beacon Hill]]
|align=right|202
|align=right|3,649
|{{convert|80,851|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|5
|[[North End, Boston|North End]]
|align=right|301
|align=right|1,954
|{{convert|66,288|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|6
|North End, Boston|North End
|align=right|302
|align=right|1,665
|{{convert|64,642|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|7
|North End, Boston|North End
|align=right|304
|align=right|2,451
|{{convert|58,435|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|8
|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
|align=right|3539
|align=right|7,090
|{{convert|56,819|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|9
|[[Back Bay, Boston|Back Bay]]
|align=right|10801
|align=right|2,783
|{{convert|56,534|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|-
|10
|[[East Boston]]
|align=right|502
|align=right|5,231
|{{convert|55,692|sqmi|km2|disp=table|sortable=on}}
|}

===Race and ethnicity===
The 40 most diverse Census tracts in the Boston CSA:<ref name="nytimes1"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!Rank
!City or neighborhood
!Census tract
!Population
!% White
!% Black
!% Hispanic
!% Asian
!% multiracial or other
|-
|1
|[[Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester]]
|916
|3,138
|12
|32
|15
|26
|14
|-
|2
|[[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]]
|161
|4,607
|28
|24
|28
|1
|18
|-
|3
|Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket
|151
|4,472
|24
|24
|29
|1
|23
|-
|4
|Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket
|164
|4,938
|29
|26
|21
|2
|20
|-
|5
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|912
|3,234
|30
|24
|22
|6
|18
|-
|6
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|92101
|6,451
|30
|22
|11
|31
|6
|-
|7
|[[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]]
|5115
|4,308
|21
|32
|13
|2
|32
|-
|8
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|511
|3,040
|28
|33
|15
|1
|24
|-
|9
|[[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]]
|6519
|1,942
|26
|11
|33
|1
|29
|-
|10
|[[Mission Hill, Massachusetts|Mission Hill]]
|80801
|3,885
|32
|20
|35
|10
|2
|-
|11
|Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket
|154
|2,258
|35
|20
|35
|0
|11
|-
|12
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5114
|3,716
|24
|36
|14
|2
|23
|-
|13
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5109
|2,531
|24
|36
|16
|1
|24
|-
|14
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5103
|3,798
|23
|38
|15
|2
|24
|-
|15
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5104
|3,706
|19
|38
|15
|2
|25
|-
|16
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|90901
|3,730
|38
|18
|21
|20
|4
|-
|17
|[[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]
|733
|3,762
|38
|10
|37
|12
|4
|-
|18
|[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
|26
|3,098
|23
|22
|39
|10
|6
|-
|19
|[[Malden, Massachusetts|Malden]]
|3415
|4,780
|39
|23
|14
|19
|5
|-
|20
|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
|3524
|2,126
|27
|39
|16
|12
|5
|-
|21
|[[South End, Boston|South End]]
|71202
|3,131
|39
|19
|24
|15
|3
|-
|22
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|511301
|5,334
|39
|31
|11
|2
|17
|-
|23
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|15
|2,994
|28
|13
|41
|14
|4
|-
|24
|[[South Boston]]
|61
|3,098
|41
|15
|29
|11
|4
|-
|25
|[[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]]
|2072
|2,939
|30
|12
|42
|13
|2
|-
|26
|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge
|3549
|6,058
|35
|30
|9
|20
|5
|-
|27
|South Boston
|61101
|2,232
|20
|21
|42
|14
|2
|-
|28
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5116
|7,211
|42
|29
|10
|2
|16
|-
|29
|[[Roxbury, Boston|Roxbury]]
|801
|3,350
|15
|43
|28
|1
|11
|-
|30
|[[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]
|3114
|5,986
|44
|11
|14
|26
|5
|-
|31
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5108
|6,339
|18
|44
|12
|2
|22
|-
|32
|Mission Hill, Boston|Mission Hill
|81001
|4,890
|45
|14
|19
|19
|2
|-
|33
|Malden, Massachusetts|Malden
|3418
|6,554
|46
|20
|13
|16
|5
|-
|34
|South Boston
|607
|1,893
|19
|20
|46
|10
|5
|-
|35
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5107
|5,656
|46
|31
|8
|4
|11
|-
|36
|Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton
|5112
|4,849
|47
|26
|11
|1
|13
|-
|37
|[[Somerville, Massachusetts|Somerville]]
|351404
|4,289
|47
|7
|22
|13
|11
|-
|38
|Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn
|2071
|3,513
|18
|11
|48
|19
|3
|-
|39
|[[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]]
|383101
|4,923
|23
|10
|48
|1
|18
|-
|40
|Mission Hill, Boston|Mission Hill
|811
|4,091
|48
|21
|15
|13
|2
|}

The 40 census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Hispanic or Latino:<ref name="nytimes1"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!Rank
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% Hispanic or Latino
|-
|1
|[[Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence]]
|2525
|3,810
|94
|-
|2
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2509
|2,193
|93
|-
|3
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2504
|3,858
|90
|-
|4
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2503
|2,101
|89
|-
|5
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2513
|3,721
|89
|-
|6
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2512
|1,356
|86
|-
|7
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2507
|4,756
|86
|-
|8
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|251
|1,782
|85
|-
|9
|[[Chelsea, Massachusetts|Chelsea]]
|1602
|4,043
|83
|-
|10
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2506
|5,599
|83
|-
|11
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2514
|5,053
|77
|-
|12
|Chelsea, Massachusetts|Chelsea
|160101
|7,551
|76
|-
|13
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2501
|2,329
|75
|-
|14
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2516
|5,977
|74
|-
|15
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2511
|2,937
|73
|-
|16
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2502
|5,524
|72
|-
|17
|Chelsea, Massachusetts|Chelsea
|1604
|2,716
|71
|-
|18
|Chelsea, Massachusetts|Chelsea
|160501
|5,604
|71
|-
|19
|[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
|16
|8,540
|70
|-
|20
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2515
|6,149
|70
|-
|21
|[[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]
|732001
|3,327
|67
|-
|22
|[[East Boston]]
|506
|2,063
|67
|-
|23
|East Boston
|502
|5,231
|66
|-
|24
|East Boston
|507
|4,504
|65
|-
|25
|East Boston
|50901
|4,165
|65
|-
|26
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|2
|6,452
|64
|-
|27
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|4
|3,761
|64
|-
|28
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|14
|6,693
|63
|-
|29
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|5
|3,040
|63
|-
|30
|[[Central Falls, Rhode Island|Central Falls]]
|11
|5,534
|63
|-
|31
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2508
|6,932
|63
|-
|32
|Chelsea, Massachusetts|Chelsea
|160502
|4,460
|62
|-
|33
|[[Methuen, Massachusetts|Methuen]]
|2524
|4,175
|62
|-
|34
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|17
|3,744
|62
|-
|35
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|18
|7,114
|61
|-
|36
|Central Falls, Rhode Island|Central Falls
|111
|4,176
|61
|-
|37
|East Boston
|50101
|5,115
|61
|-
|38
|Lawrence, Massachusetts|Lawrence
|2517
|5,145
|61
|-
|39
|Providence, Rhode Island|Providence
|3
|7,714
|60
|-
|40
|Central Falls, Rhode Island|Central Falls
|108
|4,763
|59
|}

Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Black American:<ref name="nytimes1"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!Rank
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% Black
|-
|1
|[[Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan]]
|101101
|3,115
|84
|-
|2
|Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan
|101102
|4,396
|84
|-
|3
|Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan
|101001
|5,480
|83
|-
|4
|Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan
|1003
|3,303
|80
|-
|5
|Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan
|1002
|2,787
|78
|-
|6
|Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan
|101002
|4,979
|77
|-
|7
|[[Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester]]
|923
|2,893
|77
|-
|8
|[[Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury]]
|82
|2,815
|74
|-
|9
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|817
|3,820
|71
|-
|10
|[[Hyde Park, Massachusetts|Hyde Park]]
|1404
|7,650
|71
|-
|11
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|901
|4,571
|71
|-
|12
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|919
|3,860
|70
|-
|13
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|1004
|4,865
|68
|-
|14
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|819
|3,115
|66
|-
|15
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|924
|5,277
|66
|-
|16
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|818
|2,898
|65
|-
|17
|Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan
|1001
|5,510
|64
|-
|18
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|815
|2,134
|62
|-
|19
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|821
|5,025
|62
|-
|20
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|803
|1,769
|60
|-
|21
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|903
|3,179
|58
|-
|22
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|1009
|4,072
|58
|-
|23
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|1005
|5,909
|55
|-
|24
|Hyde Park, Massachusetts|Hyde Park
|1403
|6,382
|54
|-
|25
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|92
|4,945
|54
|-
|26
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|902
|2,233
|53
|-
|27
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|918
|3,452
|52
|-
|28
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|904
|3,659
|52
|-
|29
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|814
|3,003
|50
|-
|30
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|80401
|2,710
|50
|-
|31
|[[Roslindale, Massachusetts|Roslindale]]
|140106
|1,901
|49
|-
|32
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|917
|3,069
|47
|-
|33
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|914
|2,741
|46
|-
|34
|[[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]]
|5108
|6,339
|44
|-
|35
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|805
|3,096
|44
|-
|36
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|801
|3,350
|43
|-
|37
|[[Randolph, Massachusetts|Randolph]]
|420302
|7,703
|42
|-
|38
|Roxbury, Massachusetts|Roxbury
|813
|4,760
|42
|-
|39
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|922
|3,349
|42
|-
|40
|Randolph, Massachusetts|Randolph
|420202
|6,303
|40
|}

Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Asian American:<ref name="nytimes1"/>
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!Rank
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% Asian
|-
|1
|[[South End, Boston|South End]]
|70402
|1,723
|70
|-
|2
|[[Chinatown, Boston|Chinatown]]
|702
|5,218
|58
|-
|3
|[[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]]
|3112
|3,267
|55
|-
|4
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3118
|3,513
|54
|-
|5
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3117
|5,098
|47
|-
|6
|[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]
|417502
|4,639
|45
|-
|7
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|4172
|8,182
|44
|-
|8
|[[Malden, Massachusetts|Malden]]
|3413
|5,439
|39
|-
|9
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3113
|4,057
|38
|-
|10
|[[Westborough, Massachusetts|Westborough]]
|742402
|3,026
|38
|-
|11
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|417501
|5,004
|37
|-
|12
|[[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]
|353102
|5,040
|36
|-
|13
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|417802
|3,150
|35
|-
|14
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3111
|2,410
|34
|-
|15
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3115
|2,974
|33
|-
|16
|[[Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester]]
|92101
|6,451
|31
|-
|17
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|417601
|5,196
|30
|-
|18
|[[Fenway–Kenmore]]
|10103
|4,569
|29
|-
|19
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|4180002
|7,020
|28
|-
|20
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|417602
|5,155
|28
|-
|21
|Chinatown, Boston|Chinatown/[[Leather District, Boston|Leather District]]/[[Downtown Crossing|Downtown]]
|70101
|5,902
|27
|-
|22
|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge
|3539
|7,090
|27
|-
|23
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3114
|5,986
|26
|-
|24
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3116
|5,295
|26
|-
|25
|Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell
|3107
|4,441
|26
|-
|26
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|4171
|4,264
|26
|-
|27
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|916
|3,138
|26
|-
|28
|Malden, Massachusetts|Malden
|3412
|6,857
|25
|-
|29
|Malden, Massachusetts|Malden
|341102
|4,564
|25
|-
|30
|Malden, Massachusetts|Malden
|341101
|3,675
|25
|-
|31
|Acton, Massachusetts|Acton
|363102
|5,909
|25
|-
|32
|Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester
|911
|4,861
|25
|-
|33
|[[Allston-Brighton]]
|703
|2,791
|24
|-
|34
|[[Lexington, Massachusetts|Lexington]]
|3583
|5,526
|24
|-
|35
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|418004
|4,280
|23
|-
|36
|[[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]]
|4009
|3,865
|22
|-
|37
|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge
|3532
|4,897
|22
|-
|38
|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge
|352101
|1,654
|22
|-
|39
|[[Shrewsbury, Massachusetts|Shrewsbury]]
|7391
|9,557
|22
|-
|40
|Westborough, Massachusetts|Westborough
|7612
|5,780
|22
|}

Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Irish American:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usa.com/rank/irish-as-first-ancestry-population-percentage--rank-of-census-tract-near--02176.htm?yr=3000&dis=100&wist=&plow=&phigh=|title=Irish as First Ancestry Population Percentage Rank of Census Tract within 100 miles of Zip Code 02176|publisher=Usa.com|accessdate=4 January 2015}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% Irish
|-
|[[South Boston]]
|60101
|3,106
|68
|-
|[[Milton, Massachusetts|Milton]]
|416400
|6,069
|63
|-
|[[Charlestown, Massachusetts|Charlestown]]
|040401
|2,439
|63
|-
|[[Dorchester, Massachusetts|Dorchester]]
|1007
|4,322
|63
|-
|South Boston
|608
|3,964
|62
|-
|South Boston
|604
|4,904
|61
|-
|Milton, Massachusetts|Milton
|416101
|5,724
|58
|-
|[[Marshfield, Massachusetts|Marshfield]]
|506204
|4,886
|57
|-
|[[Weymouth, Massachusetts|Weymouth]]
|422100
|5,293
|57
|-
|[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]
|417801
|5,443
|55
|-
|[[Hull, Massachusetts|Hull]]
|500101
|3,702
|55
|-
|[[Scituate, Massachusetts|Scituate]]
|505101
|3,860
|55
|-
|[[West Roxbury, Massachusetts|West Roxbury]]
|130402
|4,637
|54
|-
|Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy
|417400
|2,566
|53
|-
|South Boston
|60301
|3,076
|52
|-
|[[Abington, Massachusetts|Abington]]
|520100
|6,458
|52
|-
|[[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]]
|419200
|5,002
|52
|-
|Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree
|419600
|6,766
|52
|-
|Abington, Massachusetts|Abington
|520201
|3,952
|52
|-
|[[Pembroke, Massachusetts|Pembroke]]
|508200
|6,031
|52
|}

Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Italian American:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usa.com/rank/italian-as-first-ancestry-population-percentage--rank-of-census-tract-near--02176.htm?yr=3000&dis=100&wist=&plow=&phigh=|title=Italian as First Ancestry Population Percentage Rank of Census Tract within 100 miles of Zip Code 02176|publisher=Usa.com|accessdate=4 January 2015}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% Italian
|-
|[[Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston]]
|012402
|2,486
|63
|-
|[[Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston]]
|014501
|5,179
|58
|-
|Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston
|012500
|5,490
|57
|-
|Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston
|012200
|7,187
|57
|-
|[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
|011902
|4,780
|55
|-
|Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston
|014800
|5,591
|55
|-
|[[Saugus, Massachusetts|Saugus]]
|208102
|3,343
|51
|-
|Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston
|014300
|4,716
|49
|-
|Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston
|014600
|6,991
|49
|-
|Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston
|014502
|4,096
|48
|-
|Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston
|012300
|6,656
|48
|-
|Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston
|012401
|6,950
|48
|-
|[[Stoneham, Massachusetts|Stoneham]]
|337102
|5,042
|45
|-
|Stoneham, Massachusetts|Stoneham
|337202
|4,849
|45
|-
|[[Revere, Massachusetts|Revere]]
|170200
|4,564
|45
|-
|Revere, Massachusetts|Revere
|170502
|2,818
|43
|-
|Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston
|013900
|2,992
|43
|-
|Revere, Massachusetts|Revere
|170300
|9,040
|43
|-
|[[North Providence, Rhode Island|North Providence]]
|012103
|2,965
|43
|}

Census tracts in the Boston CSA with the highest percentage of residents who identify as Portuguese American:<ref>[https://archive.is/20141001051524/http://www.usa.com/rank/Portugese-as-first-ancestry-population-percentage--rank-of-census-tract-near--02176.htm?yr=3000&dis=100&wist=&plow=&phigh=]</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% Portuguese
|-
|[[New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford]]
|652800
|3,277
|72
|-
|[[Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River]]
|640600
|4,450
|69
|-
|[[Dartmouth, Massachusetts|Dartmouth]]
|653203
|5,005
|65
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|652400
|2,664
|64
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|652000
|2,676
|62
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|640500
|5,165
|60
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|641200
|2,803
|59
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|650500
|3,141
|58
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|640901
|5,071
|58
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|650400
|3,773
|57
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|652500
|2,589
|56
|-
|[[East Providence, Rhode Island|East Providence]]
|010400
|6,661
|55
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|652300
|2,870
|54
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|641000
|2,419
|54
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|640300
|3,693
|53
|-
|[[Westport, Massachusetts|Westport]]
|646101
|7,356
|53
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|640700
|2,900
|53
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|640400
|2,682
|53
|-
|New Bedford, Massachusetts|New Bedford
|650101
|5,753
|53
|-
|Fall River, Massachusetts|Fall River
|640100
|5,358
|52
|}

Census tracts in the Boston CSA with French or French Canadian listed as first ancestry:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usa.com/rank/French-as-first-ancestry-population-percentage--rank-of-census-tract-near--02176.htm?yr=3000&dis=100&wist=&plow=&phigh=|title=French as First Ancestry Population Percentage Rank of Census Tract within 100 miles of Zip Code 02176|publisher=Usa.com|accessdate=4 January 2015}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|-
!City or Neighborhood
!Census Tract
!Population
!% French
|-
|[[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]]
|018500
|2,831
|66
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|017700
|3,518
|61
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|017500
|3,128
|59
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|017800
|2,514
|58
|-
|[[Burrillville, Rhode Island|Burrillville]]
|013001
|3,479
|56
|-
|[[North Smithfield, Rhode Island|North Smithfield]]
|012802
|2,391
|54
|-
|North Smithfield, Rhode Island|North Smithfield
|012803
|4,776
|53
|-
|Burrillville, Rhode Island|Burrillville
|013002
|7,539
|53
|-
|North Smithfield, Rhode Island|North Smithfield
|012801
|4,800
|52
|-
|[[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]]
|002300
|3,758
|52
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|017900
|3,049
|51
|-
|Burrillville, Rhode Island|Burrillville
|012900
|4,937
|50
|-
|Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester
|000202
|2,297
|49
|-
|Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester
|002100
|4,782
|49
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|017600
|2,560
|49
|-
|Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester
|002600
|5,746
|48
|-
|Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester
|002200
|3,232
|47
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|018400
|6,527
|47
|-
|[[Blackstone, Massachusetts|Blackstone]]
|747101
|5,110
|47
|-
|Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket
|018000
|2,680
|46
|}

===Other===
Greater Boston has a sizable Jewish community, estimated at between 210,000 people,<ref name=jewglobe>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/11/10/jewish_population_in_region_rises/|work=The Boston Globe|title=Jewish population in region rises|accessdate=2009-11-29|author=Michael Paulson |date=2006-11-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_judaism.html#cities|title=Cities with the Largest Jewish Population in the Diaspora|accessdate=2009-11-29|publisher=adherents.com}}</ref> and 261,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/metro/1123_2000.asp|title=Metro Area Membership Report|publisher=The Association of Religion Data Archives|accessdate=2009-11-29}}</ref> or 5–6% of the Greater Boston metro population, compared with about 2% for the nation as a whole. Contrary to national trends, the number of Jews in Greater Boston has been growing, fueled by the fact that 60% of children in Jewish mixed-faith families are raised Jewish, compared with roughly one in three nationally.<ref name=jewglobe/>

The City of Boston also has one of the largest [[LGBT]] populations per capita. It ranks fifth of all major cities in the country (behind San Francisco, and slightly behind [[Seattle]], [[Atlanta]], and [[Minneapolis]] respectively), with 12.3% of the city identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2003432941.html |title=12.9% in Seattle are gay or bisexual, second only to S.F., study says |accessdate=2009-05-01 |work=The Seattle Times |publisher=The Seattle Times Company |year=2006}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable"
![[List of counties in Massachusetts|County]]
!2016 Estimate
!2010 Census
!Change
!Area
!Density
|-
|[[Essex County, Massachusetts]]
| {{change|invert=on|779018|743159}}
|{{convert|492.56|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|779018|492.56|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|[[Middlesex County, Massachusetts]]
| {{change|invert=on|1589774|1503085}}
|{{convert|817.82|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|1589774|817.82|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|[[Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]
| {{change|invert=on|697181|670850}}
|{{convert|396.11|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|697181|396.11|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|[[Plymouth County, Massachusetts]]
| {{change|invert=on|513565|494919}}
|{{convert|659.07|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|513565|659.07|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|[[Suffolk County, Massachusetts]]
| {{change|invert=on|784230|722023}}
|{{convert|58.15|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|784230|58.15|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|[[Rockingham County, New Hampshire]]
| {{change|invert=on|303251|295223}}
|{{convert|694.72|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|303251|694.72|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|[[Strafford County, New Hampshire]]
| {{change|invert=on|127428|123143}}
|{{convert|368.97|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|127428|368.97|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|-
|- class=sortbottom style="background:#fbfbbb"
|'''Total'''
| {{change|invert=on|4794447|4552402|bgcolour=#fbfbbb}}
|{{convert|3487.40|sqmi|abbr=on}}
|{{Pop density|4794447|3487.40|sqmi|km2|prec=0}}
|}

==Higher education==
{{See also
|Boston, Massachusetts#Education
|List of colleges and universities in metropolitan Boston
|List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts}}
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width = 180
| align = right
| footer = [[Harvard University]] (''top'') and [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] (''bottom'') are both widely regarded as in the top handful of universities worldwide for academic research in various disciplines.<ref name=AcademicRanking2/>
| image1 = HarvardWidenerLibrary.jpg
| image2 = MIT_Building_10_and_the_Great_Dome,_Cambridge_MA.jpg}}
A long established center of higher education, the area includes many community colleges, two-year schools, and internationally prominent undergraduate and graduate institutions. The graduate schools include highly regarded schools of law, medicine, business, technology, international relations, public health, education, and religion. Greater Boston contains seven [[List of research universities in the United States|R1 Research Institutions]] as per the [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education]]. This is, by far, the highest number of such institutions in a single [[Metropolitan Statistical Area]] in the [[United States]].

{{Colleges_and_universities_in_metropolitan Boston}}

==Selected statistics==
Changes in [[house price index|house prices]] for the Greater Boston area are publicly tracked on a regular basis using the [[Case–Shiller index]]; the statistic is published by [[Standard & Poor's]] and is also a component of S&P's 10-city [[composite (finance)|composite index]] of the value of the residential real estate market.

=={{anchor|Major companies}}Major companies==

References:<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2009/mass_based_employers/ |work=The Boston Globe |title=2009 Globe 100 – Top Massachusetts-based employers |date=2010-01-19 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522112709/http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2009/mass_based_employers/ |archivedate=May 22, 2009 }}</ref><ref>[http://ucso.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/Students/CareerResources/CityScapes/Boston.pdf] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090310130608/http://ucso.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/Students/CareerResources/CityScapes/Boston.pdf |date=March 10, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2011/state/ma/|title=Top Companies in Massachusetts on the Inc. 5000 - Inc.com|publisher=Inc.com|accessdate=4 January 2015}}</ref><ref>[http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010004102/http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/ |date=October 10, 2007 }}</ref>
* Companies along, inside or outside [[Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)|I-495]]:
** [[Abbott Laboratories]], in [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]] (pharmaceutical laboratory)
** [[Advanced Cell Technology]], in Worcester (research laboratory)
** [[AMD]], in [[Boxborough, Massachusetts|Boxborough]]
** [[Analog Devices]], in [[Norwood, Massachusetts|Norwood]]
** [[Atlantic Broadband]], in Quincy
** [[Atlantic Tele-Network]], in Beverly
** [[Avid Technology|Avid Technology, Inc]], in [[Burlington, Massachusetts|Burlington]] (headquarters)
** [[Azimuth Systems]], in [[Acton, Massachusetts|Acton]]
** [[Bain & Company]], in Boston (headquarters)
** [[Bain Capital]], in Boston (headquarters)
** [[Bertucci's|Bertucci's Corporation]], in [[Northborough, Massachusetts|Northborough]] (headquarters)
** [[BJ's Wholesale Club|BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.]], in [[Westborough, Massachusetts|Westborough]] (headquarters)
** [[Bose Corporation]], in [[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]] (headquarters)
** [[Boston Properties|Boston Properties, Inc.]], in Boston (headquarters)
** [[Boston Scientific|Boston Scientific Corporation]], in Marlborough
** [[Boston Scientific|Boston Scientific Corporation]], in [[Natick, Massachusetts|Natick]] (headquarters)
** [[Charles River Laboratories]], in [[Wilmington, Massachusetts|Wilmington]] (headquarters)
** [[Cisco Systems]], in Boxborough
** CommunityRoot, in Boston (headquarters)
** [[David Clark Company]], in Worcester (manufacturer of space suits)
** [[Diebold]], in Marlborough (regional headquarters)
** [[EMC Corporation]], in [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts|Hopkinton]] (headquarters)
** [[Evergreen Solar]], in Marlborough (headquarters)
** [[Genzyme Corporation]], in [[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]]
** [[Hewlett-Packard]], in Marlborough (regional headquarters)
** [[Schneider Electric]], in [[Andover, Massachusetts]]
** [[HourlyNerd]], in Boston
** [[Innerscope Research]], in Boston (headquarters)
** [[Intel Corporation]], in [[Hudson, Massachusetts|Hudson]]
** [[Kronos Incorporated]], in [[Chelmsford, Massachusetts]] (headquarters)
** [[Marshalls]], Inc, in Framingham (headquarters)
** [[The MathWorks]], in Natick
** [[MITRE Corporation]], in Bedford (headquarters)
** Morgan Construction Company, in Worcester (rolling steel mill technology)
** [[National Amusements]], in Norwood (headquarters)
** [[Novartis]], headquartered in [[Cambridge (Massachusetts)|Cambridge]], with locations worldwide (a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[multinational corporation|multinational]] [[pharmaceutical company]] based in [[Basel, Switzerland|Basel]])
** [[Philips|Philips Electronics North America]], in Andover (regional headquarters)
** [[Philips Healthcare]], in [[Andover, Massachusetts|Andover]] (global headquarters) and Framingham
** [[Puma (brand)|Puma]], in Westford (North American headquarters)<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://www.omaha.com/money/top-shoe-brands-like-reebok-and-converse-move-headquarters-to/article_d5a19ef4-33bc-5ae7-8fa6-17cb513598df.html |title= Top shoe brands, like Reebok and Converse, move headquarters to Boston |newspaper= Omaha.com |language=en |accessdate= 2017-01-19}}</ref>
** [[Red Hat]], in [[Westford, Massachusetts|Westford]] (engineering headquarters)
** [[Reed & Barton]] in [[Taunton, Massachusetts|Taunton]] (factory and headquarters)
** [[Saint-Gobain]], in Worcester
** [[Sepracor|Sepracor, Inc.]], in Marlborough (headquarters)
** [[Staples, Inc.]], in [[Framingham, Massachusetts|Framingham]] (headquarters)
** [[Stop & Shop]], in [[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]] (headquarters)
** [[TJX Corporation]], in Framingham (headquarters)
** [[Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.]], in Boston (headquarters)
** [[UniFirst]], in Wilmington (headquarters)
** [[WB Mason]], in [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]] (headquarters)
** [[Wyman-Gordon]], in [[Grafton, Massachusetts|Grafton]] (complex metal components and products)
* Companies along or inside [[Interstate 95 in Massachusetts|I-95]] ([[Massachusetts Route 128|Route 128]]), not including Boston:
** [[Akamai Technologies]], in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]] (headquarters)
** [[AstraZeneca]], in [[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]] (R&D)
** [[BBN Technologies]], in Cambridge (headquarters)
** [[Biocell Center]], in [[Medford, Massachusetts|Medford]] (North American headquarters)
** [[Biogen Idec]], in [[Weston, Massachusetts|Weston]] (North American headquarters)
** [[Carl Zeiss AG|Carl Zeiss SMT]], in [[Peabody, Massachusetts|Peabody]] (North American headquarters)
** [[Constant Contact]], in Walthem
** [[Dunkin' Brands]], in [[Canton, Massachusetts|Canton]] (headquarters)
** [[Facebook]], in Cambridge
** [[General Electric Aviation]], in [[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]]
** [[Genzyme Corporation]], in Cambridge (headquarters)
** [[Genzyme Corporation]], in [[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]] (R&D)
** [[Google|Google Inc.]], in Cambridge
** [[Haemonetics]], in [[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]]
** [[IBM]], in Waltham, Cambridge and [[Littleton, Massachusetts|Littleton]]
** [[InterSystems | InterSystems Corporation]], in Cambridge (headquarters)
** [[iRobot|iRobot Corporation]], in [[Burlington, Massachusetts|Burlington]] (headquarters)
** [[Keurig]], in [[Reading, Massachusetts|Reading]] (headquarters)
** [[Meditech]], in [[Westwood, Massachusetts|Westwood]] (headquarters)
** [[Microsoft|Microsoft Corporation]], in Cambridge
** [[Millennium Pharmaceuticals]], in Cambridge
** [[National Amusements]] (Parent company of CBS and Viacom), in [[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]] (headquarters)
** [[National Grid plc|National Grid]], in Waltham (US headquarters)
** [[NetApp Inc.|NetApp Inc]], in Waltham
** NetBlazr, in Watertown
** [[Nokia]], in Burlington
** [[Novartis|Novartis AG, Inc]], in Cambridge (research headquarters)
** [[Novell, Inc.]], in Waltham
** [[Nuance Communications]], in Burlington
** [[Oracle Corporation]] in Burlington
** [[Osram Sylvania]] in [[Danvers, Massachusetts|Danvers]] (headquarters)
** [[Parametric Technology Corporation]] in [[Needham, Massachusetts|Needham]] (headquarters)
** [[Philips Lighting]] in Burlington
** [[Progress Software]] in [[Bedford, Massachusetts|Bedford]] (headquarters)
** [[Raytheon]], in Waltham (headquarters)
** [[Reebok]], in [[Canton, Massachusetts|Canton]] (US headquarters)
** [[SunSetter Awnings|SunSetter Products, LP]], in [[Malden, Massachusetts|Malden]] (headquarters)
** [[Teradyne]], in [[North Reading, Massachusetts|North Reading]] (headquarters)
** [[Thermo Fisher Scientific]], in Waltham (headquarters)
** [[TripAdvisor|TripAdvisor, LLC]], in [[Needham, Massachusetts|Needham]] (headquarters)
** [[Twitter]], in Cambridge
** [[Vistaprint]], in [[Lexington, Massachusetts|Lexington]] (North American headquarters)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.vistaprint.com/facility/us-operations-and-north-american-business-unit-head-office |title=Who We Are & About Us - Vistaprint |work=News.vistaprint.com |accessdate=4 January 2015 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018182241/http://news.vistaprint.com/facility/us-operations-and-north-american-business-unit-head-office |archivedate=18 October 2014 |df= }}</ref>
* Major companies inside Boston proper:
** [[American Tower Corporation|American Tower]] (headquarters)
** [[Au Bon Pain]] (headquarters)
** [[Bain & Company]] (headquarters)
** [[Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts]] (headquarters)
** [[Boston Consulting Group]] (headquarters)
** [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]](headquarters)
** [[Fidelity Investments]] (headquarters)
** [[General Electric]] (headquarters)
** [[The Gillette Company]], now owned by [[Procter & Gamble]] (headquarters)
** [[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt]] (headquarters)
** [[John Hancock Insurance|John Hancock Financial Services, Inc]], now the United States division of Canada's [[Manulife Financial]]
** [[Liberty Mutual]] (headquarters)
** [[LogMeIn]] (headquarters)
** [[LPL Financial]] (headquarters)
** [[Mendix]] (headquarters)
** [[New Balance|New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.]] (headquarters)
** [[Putnam Investments]] (headquarters)
** [[Sapient Corporation]] (headquarters)
** Sonesta International Hotels Corp. (headquarters)
** [[State Street Corporation]] (headquarters)
** [[Steward Health Care System]] (headquarters)
** [[Toast, Inc.]] (headquarters)
** [[Vertex Pharmaceuticals]] (headquarters)
** [[Wayfair]] (headquarters)
** [[Wellington Management Company]] (headquarters)
** [[Zipcar]] (headquarters)

==Sports==
{{Main article|Sports in Boston}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Club
!Sport
!League
!Stadium
!Established
!League titles
|-
|[[Boston Breakers]]
|[[Soccer]]
|[[National Women's Soccer League]]
|[[Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium]] (Boston)
|2008
|
|-
|[[Boston Bruins]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[National Hockey League]]
|[[TD Garden]] (Boston)
|1924
|6 [[Stanley Cups]] 7 [[Eastern Conference (NHL)|Eastern Conference]] Titles
|-
|[[Boston Cannons]]
|[[Lacrosse]]
|[[Major League Lacrosse]]
|[[Harvard Stadium]] (Boston)
|2001
|1 [[Steinfeld Cup|MLL Championship]]
|-
|[[Boston Celtics]]
|[[Basketball]]
|[[National Basketball Association]]
|[[TD Garden]] (Boston)
|1946
|17 [[NBA Championships]] 21 [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] Titles
|-
|[[Boston Lobsters]]
|[[Team tennis]]
|[[World TeamTennis]]
|Manchester Athletic Club ([[Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts|Manchester-by-the-Sea]])
|2005 (1974)
|
|-
|[[Boston Pride]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[National Women's Hockey League (2015–)|National Women's Hockey League]]
|[[Bright Hockey Center]] (Boston)
|2015
|1 Isobel Cup
|-
|[[Boston Red Sox]]
|[[Baseball]]
|[[Major League Baseball]] ([[American League]])
|[[Fenway Park]] (Boston)
|1901
|8-time [[MLB]] [[World Series]] Champions 13 American League Pennants
|-
|[[New England Patriots]]
|[[American Football|Football]]
|[[National Football League]] ([[American Football Conference]])
|[[Gillette Stadium]] ([[Foxboro, Massachusetts|Foxboro]])
|1960 (as Boston Patriots)
|5-time [[Super Bowl]] Champions 9-time AFC Champions
|-
|[[New England Revolution]]
|[[Soccer]]
|[[Major League Soccer]]
|[[Gillette Stadium]] ([[Foxboro, Massachusetts|Foxboro]])
|1995
|1 [[US Open Cup]] 1 [[North American SuperLiga|SuperLiga]]
|}

[[Annual events in Boston|Annual sporting events]] include:
* The [[Boston Marathon]], which follows a course from [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts|Hopkinton]] to Boston
* The [[Head of the Charles Regatta]]
* The [[Lenox Industrial Tools 301]], [[Sylvania 300]] and [[New Hampshire Indy 225]] auto races at the [[New Hampshire Motor Speedway]] oval track.

==Transportation==
{{See also|Boston Transportation}}

===Interstates===
* {{jct|country=USA|I|90}}
* {{jct|country=USA|I|93}}
* {{jct|country=USA|I|95}}
* {{jct|state=MA|I|190}}
* {{jct|state=MA|I|195}}
* {{jct|state=MA|I|290}}
* {{jct|state=NH|I|293}}
* {{jct|state=RI|I|295}}
* {{jct|state=CT|I|395}}
* {{jct|state=MA|I|495}}

===U.S. Routes===
* {{jct|country=USA|US|1}}
* {{jct|country=USA|US|3}}
* {{jct|country=USA|US|6}}
* {{jct|country=USA|US|20}}
* {{jct|country=USA|US|44}}

===State Highways===
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|1A}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|2}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|2A}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|3}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|3A}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|4}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|9}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|16}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|18}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|24}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|25}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|27}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|28}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|30}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|38}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|53}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|58}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|60}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|62}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|97}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|106}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|109}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|110}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|113}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|114}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|115}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|117}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|122}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|123}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|125}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|126}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|128}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|129}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|133}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|135}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|138}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|139}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|140}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|146}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|213}}
* {{jct|state=MA|MA|225}}

===Bridges and tunnels===
* [[Callahan Tunnel]], carrying [[Massachusetts Route 1A|Route 1A]] Northbound
* [[Charles M. Braga Jr. Memorial Bridge]], carrying [[Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts)|Interstate 195]]
* [[Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge]], carrying [[Rhode Island Route 138|Route 138]]
* [[Fore River Bridge]], carrying [[Massachusetts Route 3A]]
* [[Sumner Tunnel]], carrying [[Massachusetts Route 1A|Route 1A]] Southbound
* [[Ted Williams Tunnel]], carrying [[Interstate 90|I-90]]
* [[Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel]], carrying [[Interstate 93|I-93]] and Routes 1 and 3 concurrently
* [[Tobin Bridge]], carrying [[US Route 1|Route 1]]
* [[Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge|Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge]], carrying [[Interstate 93]], [[US Route 1|Route 1]] and [[Massachusetts Route 3|Route 3]] concurrently

===Airports===
* [[Logan International Airport]] in Boston, {{convert|3|mi}} northeast of downtown Boston, New England's largest transportation center
* [[Manchester-Boston Regional Airport]] in [[Manchester, New Hampshire]]
* [[T. F. Green Airport]] in [[Warwick, Rhode Island]]
* [[Hanscom Field]] in Bedford
* [[Norwood Memorial Airport]]
* [[Worcester Regional Airport]]
* [[Beverly Regional Airport]]
* [[Lawrence Municipal Airport (Massachusetts)|Lawrence Municipal Airport]]

===Rail and bus===
[[File:MBTA Commuter Rail and funding district map.svg|thumb|The MBTA district, with Commuter Rail lines in purple]]
* [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]] (MBTA, generally known as the "T") rapid transit lines:
** [[Red Line (MBTA)|Red Line]] [[Rapid Transit|heavy rail]]: [[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]]–[[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]] and Boston ([[Mattapan, Massachusetts|Mattapan]])
** [[Orange Line (MBTA)|Orange Line]] heavy rail: Boston ([[Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts|Jamaica Plain]])–[[Malden, Massachusetts|Malden]]
** [[Blue Line (MBTA)|Blue Line]] heavy rail: Boston–[[Revere, Massachusetts|Revere]]
** [[Green Line (MBTA)|Green Line]] [[light rail]]/[[tram|streetcar]]: Cambridge–[[Brookline, Massachusetts|Brookline]] and [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]]
** [[Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line]] [[tram|streetcar]]: [[Ashmont, Boston|Ashmont]]-[[Milton, Massachusetts|Milton]]-[[Mattapan]]
** [[Silver Line (MBTA)|Silver Line]] [[Bus Rapid Transit]] South Station–Logan Airport and Downtown–[[Dudley Square (MBTA station)|Dudley Square]]
* [[MBTA Commuter Rail]]
** [[Old Colony Lines (MBTA)|Old Colony Lines]] serving Plymouth County
** [[Providence/Stoughton Line]] serving northern Bristol County, western Norfolk County, Kent County, and Washington County, connecting to [[Providence, Rhode Island]]
** [[Fairmount Line]] shuttle service from [[South Station]]
** [[Franklin Line]] serving western Norfolk County
** [[Greenbush Line]] serving Boston's South Shore
** [[Needham Line]] serving Boston suburbs and [[Needham, Massachusetts|Needham]]
** [[Framingham/Worcester Line]] serving southwestern Middlesex County, connecting to [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]
** [[Fitchburg Line]] serving northwestern Middlesex County, connecting to [[Fitchburg, Massachusetts|Fitchburg]]
** [[Lowell Line]] serving northern Middlesex County
** [[Haverhill/Reading Line]] and [[Newburyport/Rockport Line]] serving Essex County & Boston's North Shore
* [[Amtrak]] service to New York City and Washington, D.C.
* Amtrak ''[[Downeaster (train)|Downeaster]]'' service to [[Maine]] from [[North Station]]

The first railway line in the United States was in Quincy. See [[Neponset River]].

The following Regional Transit Authorities have bus service that connects with MBTA commuter rail stations:
* [[Brockton Area Transit Authority]]
* [[Cape Ann Transportation Authority]]
* [[Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority]]
* [[Lowell Regional Transit Authority]]
* [[Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority]]
* [[MetroWest Regional Transit Authority]]
* [[Montachusett Regional Transit Authority]]
* [[Rhode Island Public Transit Authority]]
* [[Worcester Regional Transit Authority]]

===Ocean transportation===
[[File:Salem Ferry.JPG|thumb|right|The Salem Ferry, 92 ft. [[Catamaran]] is photographed approaching its dock off Blaney Street at the [[Salem Maritime National Historic Site]] in [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], [[Massachusetts]], United States.]]
* [[Port of Boston]] ([[Massport]])
* [[Cape Cod Canal]]

== Geography ==
* Rivers
** [[Charles River]]
** [[Concord River]]
** [[Ipswich River]]
** [[Merrimack River]]
** [[Mystic River]]
** [[Neponset River]]
** [[Sudbury River]]
** [[Taunton River]]
** [[Weymouth Fore River]]
* Hills
** [[Bellevue Hill, Boston|Bellevue Hill]]
** [[Great Blue Hill]]

===Climate===
{{Concord, New Hampshire weatherbox}}
{{Boston, MA weatherbox}}
{{Providence, Rhode Island weatherbox}}
{{Clear}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Boston}}
* [[Greater Boston League]], a high school athletic conference in Massachusetts

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{wikivoyage}}
*{{cite book
| last = Wilson
| first = Susan
| year = 2005
| title = The Literary Trail of Greater Boston: A Tour of Sites in Boston, Cambridge, and Concord, Revised Edition
| publisher = Commonwealth Editions
| isbn = 1-889833-67-3
}} An informative guidebook, with facts and data about literary figures, publishers, bookstores, libraries, and other historic sites on the newly designated Literary Trail of Greater Boston.
*{{cite book
| last = Warner
| first = Sam, Jr.
| year = 2001
| title = Greater Boston: Adapting Regional Traditions to the Present
| publisher = University of Pennsylvania Press
| isbn = 0-8122-1769-1
}}

{{Greater Boston}}
{{Massachusetts}}
{{New Hampshire}}
{{Rhode Island}}
{{USLargestMetros}}
{{Northeast Megalopolis}}

[[Category:Greater Boston| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Massachusetts|Greater Boston]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Geography of Boston|*]]
[[Category:Geography of New England]]
[[Category:Regions of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Regions of Rhode Island]]
[[Category:Regions of New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Economy of the Northeastern United States]]

List of companies of the United States

2018-04-13T18:20:22Z

Lowcoder: /* M */

This is a '''list of notable companies based in the United States'''. For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations, see "[[Types of business entity#United States|Business entities in the United States]]".

== Largest firms ==
This list shows firms in the [[Fortune Global 500]], which ranks firms by total revenues reported before 31 March 2017.<ref>{{cite web |first=Scott|last=DeCarlo|url=http://fortune.com/global500/list/|title=The Fortune 2017 Global 500|work=Fortune|date=20 July 2017}}</ref> Only the top five firms (if available) are included as a sample.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Rank
!Image
!Name
!2016 revenues (US$M)
!Employees
!Notes
|-
| 1
| [[File:Walmart Home Office.jpg|100px]]
| [[Walmart]]
|align="right"| 485,873
|align="right"| 2,300,000
| Multinational retailer founded by [[Sam Walton]] in 1962. The family-controlled business is the largest employer in the world, and the largest form by revenues. Internal branded divisions include [[Walmart Canada]] and [[Walmart de México y Centroamérica]]. Other retailing subsidiaries are [[Sam's Club]], [[Jet.com]], and [[Asda]].
|-
| 8
| [[File:OmahaKiewitPlaza.jpg|100px]]
| [[Berkshire Hathaway]]
|align="right"| 223,604
|align="right"| 367,700
| [[Nebraska]]-based multinational conglomerate and investment firm led by [[Warren Buffett]]. The holding company includes financials such as [[GEICO]] and [[Gen Re]], retailers [[Dairy Queen]] and the [[Oriental Trading Company]], and industrials [[Johns Manville]] and the [[Marmon Group]].
|-
| 9
| [[File:Apple Headquarters in Cupertino.jpg|100px]]
| [[Apple Inc.]]
|align="right"| 215,639
|align="right"| 116,000
| Multinational technology company focused on consumer electronics and software. Primary brand include the [[iPhone]] smartphone, [[iPad]] tablet computer, and [[Macintosh|Mac]] line of personal computers.
|-
| 10
| [[File:ExxonMobilDowntownHoustonTX.JPG|100px]]
| [[ExxonMobil]]
|align="right"| 205,004
|align="right"| 72,700
| [[Texas]]-based international oil and gas corporation tracing back to [[Standard Oil]]. The [[Big Oil|supermajor]] is the largest non-state entity in the sector, providing exploration, refining, distribution, and retailing.
|-
| 11
| [[File:McKesson Pharmacy Systems Livonia Michigan.JPG|100px]]
| [[McKesson Corporation]]
|align="right"| 198,533
|align="right"| 64,500
| Pharmaceutical distribution and retailer encompassing medical technology, supplies and care management aides. The retail division is executed under the [[Health Mart]] brand.
|}

==Current companies==
{{TOC right}}

===0–9===
{{div col}}
*[[21st Century Fox]]
*[[24 Hour Fitness]]
*[[3M]]
*[[4Licensing Corporation]]
*[[4moms]]
*[[42 Technologies Inc.]]
{{div col end}}

===A===
{{div col}}
*[[A. O. Smith]]
*[[A. Schulman]]
*[[A&W Restaurants]]
*[[a21, Inc.]]
*[[Aaron's, Inc.]]
*[[Abbott Laboratories]]
*[[AbbVie Inc.|AbbVie]]
*[[Abercrombie & Fitch]]
*[[Ablitech, Inc.]]
*[[ABM Industries]]
*[[ABS Capital Partners]]
*[[ABX Air]]
*[[AC Lens]]
*[[Academi]]
*[[Accenture Plc]]
*[[Access Systems Americas|Access Systems Americas, Inc.]]
*[[ACCO Brands]]
*[[Accuquote]]
*[[Accuride Corporation]]
*[[Ace Hardware]]
*[[Acme Fresh Market]]
*[[ACN Inc.]]
*[[Acsis|Acsis Inc.]]
*[[Activision Blizzard]]
**[[Activision]]
**[[Blizzard]]
*[[Acuity Brands]]
*[[Acuity Insurance]]
*[[Adaptec]]
*[[Adobe Systems]]
*[[ADT Corp]]
*[[ADTRAN]]
*[[Advance Auto Parts]]
*[[Advance Publications]]
*[[Advanced Micro Devices]]
*[[Advent International]]
*[[AECOM]]
*[[AerCap]]
*[[Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings]]
*[[Aeropostale (clothing)|Aeropostale]]
*[[AES Corporation]]
*[[Aetna]]
*[[Affiliated Managers Group]]
*[[Aflac]]
*[[AGCO]]
*[[Agilent Technologies]]
*[[AGL Resources]]
*[[Agriprocessors]]
*[[Air Products & Chemicals]]
*[[Air Tractor]]
*[[Air Transport International]] (ATI)
*[[Air Wisconsin]]
*[[Airgas]]
*[[Aimco]]
*[[AK Steel Holding]]
*[[Akamai Technologies]]
*[[Alaska Air Group]]
*[[Albemarle Corporation]]
*[[Albertsons LLC]]
**[[Safeway Inc.]]
*[[Alcoa]]
*[[Aleris]]
*[[Alexander & Baldwin]]
*[[Alexion Pharmaceuticals]]
*[[Alliance Data]]
*[[Align Technology]]
*[[Alleghany Corporation]]
*[[Allegheny Technologies]]
*[[Allegion]]
*[[Allegis Group]]
*[[Allen Organ Company]]
*[[Allergan]]
*[[Ale-8-One]]
*[[Alliance Rubber Company]]
*[[Alliant Energy]]
*[[Alliant Techsystems]]
*[[Allison Transmission]]
*[[Allstate]]
*[[Ally Financial]]
*[[Aloha Air Cargo]]
*[[Alphabet Inc.]]
**[[Google, Inc.]]
**[[Nest Labs]]
**[[X (company)|X]]
*[[Altec Lansing]]
*[[Alton Steel]]
*[[Altra Industrial Motion]]
*[[Altria]]
**[[Philip Morris USA|Philip Morris]]
*[[Amazon.com]]
**[[Audible, Inc.]]
**[[Whole Foods Market]]
*[[Ambarella]]
*[[Ameren]]
*[[American Axle]]
*[[American Eagle Outfitters]]
*[[American Electric Power]]
*[[American Express]]
*[[American Family Insurance]]
*[[American Financial Group]]
*[[American Greetings]]
*[[American International Group]]
*[[American Licorice Company]]
*[[American Outdoor Brands Corporation]]
**[[Crimson Trace]]
**[[Smith & Wesson]]
*[[American Reprographics Company]]
*[[American Securities LLC]]
**[[Oreck Corporation]]
*[[American Sugar Refining|American Sugar Refining, Inc.]]
*[[American Tower Corporation]]
*[[American Water (company)|American Water]]
*[[Amerigroup]]
*[[Ameriprise Financial]]
*[[AmerisourceBergen]]
*[[Ametek]]
*[[Amgen]]
*[[Amkor Technology]]
*[[Ampex Corporation]]
*[[Amphenol]]
*[[AMR Corporation]]
**[[American Airlines]]
*[[Amsoil|AMSOIL, Inc.]]
*[[Amtrak]] (National Railroad Passenger Corporation)
*[[Amway]]
*[[Amy's Kitchen]]
*[[Anadarko Petroleum Corporation]]
*[[Analog Devices]]
*[[Ancestry.com|Ancestry.com, Inc.]]
*[[Anchor Bay Entertainment]]
*[[Anchor Brewing Company]]
*[[AND1]]
*[[Andeavor]]
**[[Western Refining]]
*[[Andersen Corporation]]
*[[Andronico's]]
*[[Anixter]]
*[[Ann Taylor (clothing retailer)|Ann Taylor]]
*[[Annabelle Candy Company]]
*[[Ansys]]
*[[Antec]]
*[[Anthem Inc.]]
*[[Aon plc]]
*[[Apache Corporation]]
*[[Apollo Global Management]]
*[[Apollo Group]]
*[[Apple Inc.]]
*[[Applico]]
*[[Applied Biosystems]]
*[[Applied Industrial Technologies]]
*[[Applied Materials]]
*[[Apptio]]
*[[Aramark]]
*[[Arc Machines]]
*[[Arch Coal]]
*[[Archer Daniels Midland]]
*[[Arconic]]
*[[Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.]]
*[[Arctic Cat]]
*[[Argonide]]
*[[Ariba]]
*[[Arizona Beverage Company]]
*[[Arkeia Software]]
*[[Armstrong World Industries]]
*[[Arrow Electronics]]
*[[Arryx]]
*[[ASARCO]] (American Smelting and Refining Company)
*[[Asbury Automotive Group]]
*[[Ashland Inc.]]
*[[Ashley Furniture Industries]]
*[[AskMeNow]]
*[[Aspen Skiing Company]]
*[[Aspyr Media]]
*[[Associated Electrics]]
*[[Associated Wholesale Grocers]]
*[[Assurant]]
*[[AT Conference, Inc.]]
*[[AT&T|AT&T Inc.]]
**[[AT&T Mobility]]
*[[Atari]]
*[[Atlas Air]]
**[[Southern Air]]
*[[Atlas Van Lines]]
*[[Atmel Corporation]]
*[[Atmos Energy]]
*[[Au Bon Pain]]
*[[Authentic Brands Group]]
*[[Auto-Owners Insurance]]
*[[Autodesk]]
*[[Automatic Data Processing]]
*[[AutoNation]]
*[[AutoZone]]
*[[AvalonBay Communities]]
*[[Avaya]]
*[[Avery Dennison]]
*[[Avis Budget Group]]
*[[Avnet]]
*[[Avon Products]]
*[[AVST]]
*[[AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company|AXA]]
*[[Azumio]]
{{div col end}}

===B===
{{div col|3}}
* [[B&H Photo Video]]
* [[Babcock & Wilcox]]
* [[Bain & Company]]
* [[Bain Capital]]
**[[Manischewitz|The Manischewitz Company]]
* [[Baker Hughes]]
* [[Bakers Square Restaurant & Pies|Bakers Square Restaurants]]
* [[Baldor Electric Company]]
* [[Ball Corporation]]
* [[Ballistic Recovery Systems]]
* [[Balsam Hill]]
* [[Bank of America]]
* [[The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation]]
* [[BarkBox]]
* [[Barnes & Noble]]
* [[Barrett Firearms Manufacturing]]
* [[Bass Pro Shops]]
** [[Cabela's]]
* [[Baxter International]]
* [[BB&T|BB&T Corporation]]
* [[Bealls (Florida)|Bealls]]
* [[Beam Suntory|Beam Inc.]]
* [[Beazer Homes USA]]
* [[Bebo]]
* [[Bechtel]]
* [[Beckman Coulter]]
* [[Becton Dickinson]]
* [[Bed Bath & Beyond]]
* [[Beer Nuts|Beer Nuts, Inc.]]
* [[Belk]]
* [[Belkin]]
* [[Bellwether Technology Corporation]]
* [[Bemis Company|Bemis Company, Inc.]]
* [[Bemis Manufacturing Company]]
* [[Ben Franklin (company)|Ben Franklin]]
* [[Benchmark Electronics]]
* [[Benco Dental]]
* [[Benihana]]
* [[Bennigan's]]
* [[Berkshire Hathaway]]
**[[Acme Brick]]
** [[BNSF Railway]]
**[[Dairy Queen]]
**[[Fruit of the Loom]]
**[[GEICO]]
**[[Gen Re]]
**[[Nebraska Furniture Mart]]
**[[NetJets]]
**[[Oriental Trading Company]]
** [[Precision Castparts Corp.]]
* [[Berry Plastics]]
* [[Best Buy]]
* [[Best Western International]]
* [[BFG Technologies]]
* [[Big 5 Sporting Goods]]
* [[Big Boy Restaurants]]
* [[Big Lots]]
* [[Bigelow Tea Company]]
* [[Biggby Coffee]]
* [[Biglari Holdings]]
* [[Bio-Rad Laboratories]]
* [[Biogen Idec]]
* [[Biomet]]
* [[Birchbox]]
* [[Birdwell (clothing)|Birdwell]]
* [[Bissell|Bissell, Inc.]]
* [[BJ Services Company]]
* [[BJ's Wholesale Club]]
* [[Black Angus Steakhouse]]
* [[BlackRock]]
* [[Blackstone Group]]
* [[Blistex, Incorporated|Blistex, Inc.]]
* [[Bloomin' Brands]]
* [[BlueLinx]]
* [[Blyth, Inc.]]
* [[BMC Software]]
* [[Bob Evans Restaurants]]
* [[Boeing]]
* [[Boise Cascade]]
* [[Bollinger Shipyards]]
* [[Books-A-Million]]
* [[Booz Allen Hamilton]]
* [[Borders Group]]
* [[BorgWarner]]
* [[Bose Corporation]]
* [[Boston Acoustics]]
* [[Boston Beer Company]]
*[[Boston Properties]]
* [[Boston Scientific]]
* [[Bowlmor AMF]]
* [[Boyd Gaming]]
* [[Boyer Brothers]]
* [[Briggs & Stratton]]
*[[Brighthouse Financial]]
* [[BrightPoint]]
* [[Brinker International]]
* [[Brink's]]
* [[Bristol-Myers Squibb]]
* [[Broadcom Limited]]
* [[Brocade Communications Systems]]
* [[Bronco Wine Company]]
* [[Brookdale Senior Living]]
* [[Brooks Brothers]]
* [[Brown and Haley]]
* [[Brown-Forman]]
* [[Brown Shoe Company]]
* [[Browning Arms Company]]
* [[Bruker]]
* [[Brunswick Corporation]]
* [[Brynwood Partners]]
** [[Sunny Delight Beverages]]
* [[BucketFeet]]
* [[Bungie]]
* [[Bunn-o-Matic Corporation|Bunn-O-Matic Corporation]]
* [[Burlington Coat Factory]]
* [[Burpee Seeds]]
* [[Burton Snowboards]]
* [[BuzzFeed]]
{{div col end}}

===C===
{{div col|3}}
* [[C. H. Robinson]]
* [[C. R. Bard|C. R. Bard, Inc.]]
* [[C&S Wholesale Grocers]]
* [[CA Technologies]]
* [[Cablevision Systems]]
* [[Cabot Corporation]]
* [[Cabot Oil & Gas]]
* [[CACI]]
* [[Cadence Design Systems]]
* [[Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.]]
* [[California Pizza Kitchen]]
* [[Calista Corporation]]
* [[Callaway Golf Company]]
* [[Calpine]]
* [[Cameron International]]
* [[Campbell Soup Company]]
* [[Cantor Fitzgerald]]
* [[Cape Air]]
* [[Capital Group Companies]]
* [[Capital One]]
* [[Cardinal Health]]
* [[Cargill]]
* [[Carlisle Companies]]
* [[Carlson Companies]]
* [[Carlyle Group]]
* [[CarMax]]
* [[Carnival Corporation & plc]]
* [[Carpenter Technology Corporation]]
* [[Carroll Shelby International]]
* [[Carter's, Inc.]]
* [[Casco Bay Lines]]
* [[Caterpillar Inc.]]
** [[Bucyrus-Erie]]
* [[CBS Corporation]]
*[[CBOE Holdings]]
* [[CDI Corporation]]
* [[CDW Corporation]]
* [[Cedar Fair Entertainment Company]]
* [[Celanese Corporation]]
* [[Celgene]]
* [[CenterPoint Energy]]
* [[Centene Corporation]]
* [[CenturyLink]]
* [[Cerberus Capital Management]]
* [[Ceridian]]
* [[Cerner]]
* [[CF Industries]]
* [[CH2M Hill|CH2M Hill Companies]]
* [[Charles Schwab Corporation]]
* [[Charter Arms]]
* [[Charter Communications]]
* [[The Cheesecake Factory]]
* [[Chem-Dry]]
* [[Chesapeake Energy]]
* [[Chevron Corporation]]
* [[ChexSystems]]
* [[Chicago Bridge & Iron Company]]
* [[Chick-fil-A]]
* [[Chipotle Mexican Grill]]
* [[Choice Hotels International]]
* [[Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.|Christian Moerlein Brewing Company]]
* [[CHS Inc.]]
* [[Chubb Corporation]]
* [[Chuck E. Cheese's]]
* [[Chugach Alaska Corporation]]
* [[Church & Dwight]]
* [[CiCi's Pizza]]
* [[Cigna|CIGNA]]
* [[Cimarex Energy]]
* [[Cincinnati Financial]]
* [[Cinemark Theatres]]
* [[Cintas Corporation]]
* [[Cirrus Aircraft|Cirrus Aircraft Corporation]]
* [[Cisco Systems]]
* [[CIT Group]]
* [[Citigroup]]
* [[Citrix Systems]]
* [[Citizens Financial Group, Inc.]]
* [[CKE Restaurants]]
** [[Carl's Jr.]]
** [[Hardee's]]
* [[Clayton, Dubilier & Rice]]
* [[Clearwater Paper]]
* [[Cliffs Natural Resources]]
* [[The Clorox Company]]
* [[CME Group]]
* [[CMS Energy]]
* [[CNA Financial]]
* [[CNO Financial Group]]
* [[Coach, Inc.|Coach]]
* [[The Coca-Cola Company]]
* [[Cogent Communications]]
* [[Cognizant Technology Solutions]]
* [[Cole Haan]]
* [[Coleman Company]]
* [[Colgate-Palmolive]]
* [[Colt Defense]]
* [[Colt's Manufacturing Company]]
* [[Columbia Sportswear]]
* [[Columbia Sussex]]
* [[Comcast]]
** [[NBCUniversal]]
*** [[NBC]]
*** [[Telemundo]]
*** [[Universal Parks & Resorts]]
*** [[Universal Pictures]]
** [[Xfinity]]
* [[Comerica]]
* [[Commercial Metals Company]]
* [[Commonwealth Edison]]
* [[Comodo Group|Comodo]]
* [[The Compleat Sculptor|The Compleat Sculptor, Inc.]]
* [[Compuware]]
* [[ConAgra Foods]]
* [[Conair Corporation]]
* [[Concho Resources]]
* [[Concur Technologies]]
* [[ConocoPhillips]]
* [[Consol Energy]]
* [[Consolidated Edison]]
* [[Constellation Brands]]
* [[ConverDyn]]
* [[Convergys]]
* [[Copeland's]]
* [[Cordell & Cordell]]
* [[Corning Inc.]]
* [[Corrections Corporation of America]]
* [[Corsair Memory]]
* [[Costco Wholesale Corporation]]
* [[Cott Corporation]]
* [[Coty, Inc.]]
* [[Coup d'etat Brooklyn]]
* [[Cox Enterprises]]
** [[Cox Communications]]
** [[Cox Media Group]]
** [[Cox Automotive]]
* [[Cracker Barrel]]
* [[Craft Brew Alliance]]
* [[Craigslist]]
* [[Crane & Co.|Crane & Co., Inc.]]
* [[Crane Carrier Company]]
* [[Crane Company]]
* [[Cray]]
* [[Crowley Maritime]]
* [[Crown Castle International]]
* [[Crown Equipment Corporation]]
* [[Crown Holdings]]
* [[CSX Corporation]]
* [[Cubic Corporation]]
* [[Culver's|Culver's Franchising System, Inc.]]
* [[Cumberland Farms]]
* [[Cummins]]
* [[Curtiss-Wright]]
* [[Curves International]]
* [[CVS Health]]
** [[Navarro Discount Pharmacies]]
** [[Longs Drugs]]
** [[Omnicare]]
* [[Cypress Semiconductor]]
{{div col end}}

===D===
{{div col|3}}
*[[D. R. Horton]]
*[[Daktronics]]
*[[Dana Holding Corporation]]
*[[Danaher Corporation|Danaher]]
**[[X-Rite]]
*[[Darden Restaurants]]
*[[Dart Container|Dart Container Corporation]]
*[[Datavail]]
*[[DaVita]]
*[[Day & Zimmermann]]
*[[Dayton Superior]]
*[[DC Comics]]
*[[Dean Foods]]
*[[John Deere|Deere & Company]]
*[[Del Monte Foods]]
*[[Dell Technologies]]
*[[Delphi Automotive|Delphi]]
*[[Delta Air Lines]]
*[[Deluxe Corporation]]
*[[Demaco]]
*[[Denbury Resources]]
*[[Denny's]]
*[[Dentsply Sirona]]
*[[Devon Energy]]
*[[DeVry Education Group|DeVry, Inc.]]
*[[Dex Media]]
*[[Diamond Foods]]
*[[Diamond Offshore Drilling]]
*[[Dickies]]
*[[Dick's Sporting Goods]]
*[[Diebold]]
*[[Digi-Key]]
*[[Digital Realty Trust, Inc.]]
*[[Dillard's]]
*[[DineEquity]]
*[[Dippin' Dots]]
*[[Discover Financial]]
*[[Discovery Communications]]
*[[Dish Network]]
*[[DivX, Inc.]]
*[[Dogfish Head Brewery]]
*[[Dole Food Company]]
*[[Dollar General]]
*[[Dollar Tree]]
*[[Dominion Resources]]
*[[Domino's Pizza]]
*[[Domtar]]
*[[Dorm Company Corporation]]
*[[Dover Corporation]]
*[[DowDuPont Inc.]]
*[[Dr Pepper Snapple Group]]
*[[DRS Technologies]]
*[[DTE Energy]]
*[[Duke Energy]]
*[[Dun & Bradstreet]]
*[[Dunkin' Brands]]
*[[Dura Automotive Systems]]
*[[DXC Technology]]
*[[DynCorp]]
*[[Dynegy]]
{{div col end}}

===E===
{{div col|3}}
*[[E & J Gallo Winery]]
*[[E-Trade|E*Trade Financial Corporation]]
*[[Eastman Chemical Company]]
*[[Eastman Kodak]]
*[[Eaton Corporation]]
*[[eBay]]
*[[Ebonite International]]
*[[EBSCO Industries]]
*[[EchoStar]]
**[[Hughes Communications]]
*[[Ecolab]]
*[[Eddie Bauer]]
*[[Edison International]]
**[[Southern California Edison]]
*[[Edward Jones Investments|Edward Jones]]
*[[Edwards Lifesciences]]
*[[El Pollo Loco]]
*[[Electronic Arts]]
*[[Electronics for Imaging|Electronics for Imaging, Inc.]]
*[[Eli Lilly and Company]]
*[[Elizabeth Arden, Inc.]]
*[[Emcor]]
*[[Emerson Electric Company]]
*[[Emerson Radio]]
*[[Energizer Holdings]]
*[[Entergy]]
*[[Enterprise Holdings]]
*[[Enterprise Products]]
*[[Envision Healthcare]]
*[[EOG Resources]]
*[[EQT Corporation]]
*[[Equifax]]
*[[Equinix]]
*[[Equity Residential]]
*[[Erickson Inc.|Erickson]]
*[[Erie Insurance Group]]
*[[Esselte]]
*[[Essex Property Trust]]
*[[Estée Lauder Companies]]
*[[Esterline]]
*[[Estes Industries]]
*[[Estwing|Estwing Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Ethan Allen (furniture company)|Ethan Allen]]
*[[Evans & Dixon]]
*[[Eversource Energy]]
*[[Exelis Inc.|Exelis]]
*[[Exelon]]
*[[Exide|Exide Technologies]]
*[[Expedia, Inc.]]
*[[Expeditors International]]
*[[Express Scripts]]
*[[Extra Space Storage]]
*[[Extron]]
*[[ExxonMobil]]
{{div col end}}

===F===
{{div col|3}}
*[[F5 Networks]]
*[[Fabletics]]
*[[Fabrik Inc.]]
*[[Facebook]]
**[[Oculus VR]]
*[[Fannie Mae]] (Federal National Mortgage Association)
*[[FAO Schwarz]]
*[[Far West Capital]]
*[[Falck USA]]
*[[Farmers Insurance Group]]
*[[Fastenal company]]
*[[Faultless Starch/Bon Ami Company]]
*[[Federal-Mogul Corporation]]
*[[Federal Realty Investment Trust]]
*[[Federal Signal Corporation]]
*[[FedEx]]
*[[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation]]
*[[Fenway Partners]]
*[[FICO]]
*[[Fidelity Investments]]
*[[Fidelity National Information Services]]
*[[Fifth Third Bancorp.]]
*[[Filter Forge Inc.]]
*[[First Hawaiian Bank]]
* [[FirstEnergy Corporation]]
*[[Firstsource]]
*[[Fiserv]]
*[[Fisker Inc.]]
*[[Five Guys Enterprises]]
*[[FLIR Systems]]
*[[Flowers Foods]]
*[[Flowserve]]
*[[Fluor Corporation]]
*[[FMC Corporation]]
*[[Foot Locker]]
*[[Ford Motor Company]]
*[[Forest Laboratories]]
*[[Forrester Research]]
*[[Fortive]]
*[[Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc.]]
*[[Forum Communications]]
*[[Fossil Group|Fossil, Inc.]]
*[[Foster Farms (poultry company)|Foster Farms]]
*[[Fosters Freeze]]
*[[Franklin Templeton]]
*[[Frasca International]]
*[[Fred Meyer]]
*[[Freddie Mac]] (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation)
*[[Freedom Group]]
** [[Bushmaster Firearms International]]
**[[Marlin Firearms]]
*[[Fred Flare]]
*[[Freeport-McMoRan]]
*[[Freescale Semiconductor]]
*[[FreeWave Technologies]]
*[[Fresh & Easy]]
*[[Friedman Fleischer & Lowe]]
*[[Frieling USA]]
*[[Frontier Airlines]]
*[[Frontier Communications]]
*[[Fry's Electronics]]
*[[Funko]]
{{div col end}}

===G===
{{div col|3}}
*[[GameStop]]
*[[Gannett Company]]
*[[Gap Inc.|Gap]]
*[[Gardner Denver]]
*[[Garmin]]
*[[Gartner]]
*[[GCI (company)|GCI]]
*[[Gemini Sound Products]]
*[[GenCorp]]
*[[Genentech]]
*[[Generac Power Systems]]
*[[General Atomics]]
*[[General Cable]]
*[[General Dynamics]]
**[[Bath Iron Works]]
**[[General Dynamics Electric Boat]]
**[[Gulfstream Aerospace]]
*[[General Electric]]
*[[General Fibre Company]]
*[[General Mills]]
*[[General Motors]]
*[[Genesco|Genesco Inc.]]
*[[Gentiva Health Services]]
*[[Genuine Parts Company]]
*[[Genworth Financial]]
*[[Gerber Scientific]]
*[[GHD Group]]
*[[Gibson Guitar Corporation]]
*[[Gilead Sciences]]
*[[Gillette (brand)|Gillette]]
*[[Global Insight]]
*[[Global Franchise Group]]
*[[GlobalFoundries]]
*[[Go Daddy]]
*[[GoCanvas]]
*[[Gojo Industries]]
*[[Golden Corral]]
*[[Goldman Sachs]]
*[[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company]]
*[[Google]]
*[[Gordon Food Service]]
*[[Graco (fluid handling)|Graco]]
*[[Graham Holdings Company]]
*[[Gray Line Worldwide]]
*[[The Greenbrier Companies]]
*[[Ground Round]]
*[[Group O]]
*[[Groupon]]
*[[Growmark]]
{{div col end}}

===H===
{{div col|3}}
*[[H&R Block]]
*[[H-E-B]]
*[[H. T. Hackney Company]]
*[[Haas Automation]]
*[[Hain Celestial Group]]
*[[Halliburton]]
*[[Hallmark Cards]]
*[[Hamilton Exhibits]]
*[[HanesBrands]]
*[[The Hanover Insurance Group]]
*[[Harbor Freight Tools]]
*[[Hard Rock Cafe]]
*[[Harley-Davidson]]
*[[Harman International Industries]]
*[[Harris Corporation]]
*[[Harsco Corporation]]
*[[The Hartford Financial Services Group]]
*[[Hartzell Propeller]]
*[[Hasbro]]
*[[Hastings Entertainment]]
*[[Hawaiian Airlines]]
*[[Hawley Products Company]]
*[[Haworth (company)|Haworth Inc.]]
*[[HC2 Holdings]]
*[[Hearst Corporation]]
*[[Heaven Hill|Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.]]
*[[Henry Repeating Arms]]
*[[Henry Schein|Henry Schein, Inc.]]
*[[Herbalife]]
*[[Herman Miller (manufacturer)|Herman Miller, Inc.]]
*[[The Hershey Company]]
*[[The Hertz Corporation]]
*[[Hess Corporation]]
*[[Hewlett Packard Enterprise]]
*[[Hexcel Corporation]]
*[[Hi-Point Firearms]]
*[[Hillerich & Bradsby Company]]
*[[Hilton Worldwide]]
*[[HNI Corporation]]
*[[Hobbico|Hobbico, Inc.]]
*[[Hobby Lobby]]
*[[Holley Performance Products]]
*[[Hologic|Hologic, Inc.]]
*[[The Home Depot]]
*[[Home Shopping Network]]
*[[Honeywell]]
*[[Hormel Foods Corporation]]
*[[Hornbeck Offshore Services]]
*[[Horton Holding]]
*[[Hospital Corporation of America]]
*[[Host Hotels & Resorts|Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.]]
*[[Hostess Brands]]
*[[Hot Topic]]
*[[Houchens Industries]]
*[[Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Learning Technology]]
*[[Houlihan's]]
*[[HP Inc.]]
*[[Humana]]
*[[Huntington Ingalls Industries]]
*[[Huntsman Corporation]]
*[[Hush Puppies]]
*[[Hy-Vee]]
*[[Hyland Software]]
{{div col end}}

===I===
{{div col|3}}
*[[IBM]]
*[[Icahn Enterprises]]
**[[Pep Boys]]
*[[Iconix Brand Group]]
*[[Ideal Industries]]
*[[iHeartMedia]]
*[[Ilitch Holdings]]
*[[Illinois Tool Works]]
*[[Illumina (company)|Illumina]]
*[[In-N-Out Burger]]
*[[Infinity Fluids]]
*[[Infodata Systems]]
*[[Infor Global Solutions]]
*[[Ingram Industries]]
*[[Ingram Micro]]
*[[Ingredion Incorporated]]
*[[inMusic Brands]]
*[[Intel]]
*[[Intellectual Ventures]]
*[[Interactive Brokers]]
*[[Intercontinental Exchange]]
** [[NYSE Euronext]]
*[[Intercontinental Manufacturing Company]]
*[[International Flavors & Fragrances]]
*[[International Paper]]
*[[Interplay Entertainment]]
*[[Interpublic Group]]
*[[Intersil Corporation]]
*[[Interstate Batteries]]
*[[Interstate Van Lines]]
*[[Intuit]]
*[[Intuitive Surgical]]
*[[Invacare Corporation]]
*[[Invesco]]
*[[Ion Media Networks]]
*[[iRobot]]
*[[Iron City Brewing Company]]
*[[Iron Mountain Incorporated]]
*[[ITT Corporation]]
*[[IXYS Corporation]]
{{div col end}}

===J===
{{div col|3}}
*[[J. B. Hunt Transport Services]]
*[[J. C. Penney]]
*[[J. Crew Group]]
*[[The J.M. Smucker Company]]
*[[J. R. Simplot Company]]
*[[Jabil Circuit]]
*[[Jack in the Box]]
*[[Jacobs Engineering Group]]
*[[Jamba Juice]]
*[[Janus Capital Group]]
*[[Jarden]]
*[[JDS Uniphase]]
*[[The Jelly Belly Candy Company]]
*[[JetBlue Airways]]
*[[Jimmy John's]]
*[[JL Audio]]
*[[JN-International Medical Corporation]]
*[[Jockey International|Jockey International, Inc.]]
*[[Johnson & Johnson]]
*[[Johnson Controls]]
*[[Johnsonville Foods]]
*[[John Wiley & Sons]]
*[[Jones Soda]]
*[[Journal Communications]]
*[[JPMorgan Chase]]
*[[Juniper Networks]]
{{div col end}}

===K===
{{div col|3}}
*[[K-Swiss]]
*[[Kahala Corp.|Kahala Corporation]]
*[[Kahr Arms]]
*[[Kaiser Aluminum]]
*[[Kaiser Permanente]]
*[[Kalitta Air]]
*[[Kaman Aerospace]]
*[[Kansas City Southern Railway]]
* [[Karma Automotive]]
*[[Kate Spade & Company]]
*[[KB Home]]
*[[KBR (company)|KBR]]
*[[Kel-Tec CNC Industries]]
*[[Kellogg Company]]
*[[Kelly Services]]
*[[Kendall-Jackson]]
*[[Kennametal]]
*[[Kerr-McGee]]
*[[Keurig Green Mountain]]
*[[KeyBank]]
*[[Kiewit Corporation]]
*[[Kimball International]]
*[[Kimber Manufacturing]]
*[[Kimberly-Clark]]
*[[Kinder Morgan]]
*[[King Kullen Grocery Company]]
*[[Kingston Technology]]
*[[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts|KKR]] (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts)
*[[KLA Tencor]]
*[[Knight's Armament Company]]
*[[Koch Industries]]
**[[Georgia-Pacific]]
**[[Guardian Industries]]
**[[Invista]]
**[[Molex|Molex, Inc.]]
*[[Kohler Company]]
*[[Kohl's]]
*[[Kraft Heinz]]
**[[Kraft]]
**[[Heinz]]
*[[Krispy Kreme]]
*[[Kroger]]
{{div col end}}

===L===
{{div col|3}}
*[[L-3 Communications]]
*[[L&L Hawaiian Barbecue]]
*[[L Brands]]
** [[Bath & Body Works]]
** [[Victoria's Secret]]
*[[L.L.Bean]]
*[[L.S. Starrett Company]]
*[[Seecamp|L. W. Seecamp Company]]
*[[La-Z-Boy]]
*[[LabCorp]]
*[[Lam Research]]
*[[Land O' Lakes]]
*[[Las Vegas Sands Corp.]]
*[[Laserfiche]]
*[[Lattice Semiconductor]]
**[[Silicon Image]]
*[[LeapFrog Enterprises]]
*[[Lear Corporation]]
*[[Lee Enterprises]]
*[[Legg Mason]]
*[[Leggett & Platt]]
*[[Leidos]]
*[[Lennar Corporation]]
*[[Lennox International]]
*[[Leonard Green & Partners]]
*[[Les Schwab Tire Centers]]
*[[Leucadia National]]
*[[Levi Strauss & Co.]]
*[[Leviton|Leviton Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Lexmark]]
*[[Liberty Global]]
*[[Liberty Interactive]]
**[[QVC]]
*[[Liberty Media]]
*[[Liberty Mutual]]
**[[Safeco]]
*[[Liberty Tax Service]]
*[[The Library Corporation]] (TLC)
*[[Lifetouch|Lifetouch Inc.]]
* [[Lionsgate]]
**[[Anchor Bay Entertainment]]
**[[Debmar-Mercury]]
**[[Pilgrim Studios]]
**[[Starz Inc.|Starz]]
**[[Summit Entertainment]]
*[[Lincoln National Corporation]]
*[[Line and Space]]
*[[Little Caesars]]
*[[Live Nation Entertainment]]
*[[Local Matters]]
*[[Local Motion (company)|Local Motion]]
*[[Lockheed Martin]]
*[[Lodge (company)|Lodge Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Loews Corporation]]
*[[Lone Star Funds]]
**[[Southeastern Grocers]]
***[[BI-LO (United States)|BI-LO]]
***[[Harveys Supermarkets]]
***[[Winn-Dixie]]
*[[Long John Silver's]]
*[[Loot Crate]]
*[[Loral Space & Communications]]
*[[Lorillard]]
*[[Louisiana-Pacific]]
*[[Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores]]
*[[Lowe's]]
*[[Luby's|Luby's Inc.]]
*[[Lucas Oil]]
*[[Lumencraft]]
{{div col end}}

===M===
{{div col|3}}
*[[MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings]]
*[[Macy's, Inc.]]
*[[Madison Dearborn Partners]]
*[[Magellan Navigation]]
*[[Magnavox]]
*[[Magpul Industries]]
*[[ManpowerGroup]]
*[[Marathon Oil]]
*[[Marathon Petroleum]]
*[[Marie Callender's]]
*[[Marriott International]]
**[[The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company]]
**[[Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide]]
*[[Mars, Incorporated]]
*[[Marsh & McLennan Companies]]
*[[Marshall Pottery]]
*[[Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia]]
*[[Martin Marietta Materials]]
*[[Marvell Technology Group]]
*[[Mary Kay]]
*[[Masco Corporation]]
*[[MasterCard]]
*[[MasterCraft]]
*[[Mattel]]
*[[Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation]]
*[[Maxim Integrated]]
*[[McAfee]]
*[[The McClatchy Company]]
*[[McCormick & Company]]
*[[McDonald's]]
*[[McGraw-Hill]]
*[[McIlhenny Company]]
*[[McIntosh Laboratory]]
*[[McKee Foods Corporation]]
*[[McKesson Corporation]]
*[[McKinsey & Company]]
*[[MD Helicopters]]
*[[MeadWestvaco]]
*[[Mechanism Digital]]
*[[Medimix International]]
*[[Medtronic]]
*[[Meijer]]
*[[Meineke Car Care Center]]s
*[[Menards]]
*[[Mendix]]
*[[Merck & Co.]]
*[[Mercury Insurance Group]]
*[[Meredith Corporation]]
*[[Meritor]]
*[[Mesa Airlines]]
*[[Metapress]]
*[[MetLife]]
*[[MGM Holdings, Inc.]]
*[[Mettler-Toledo]]
*[[Michaels|Michaels Stores, Inc.]]
*[[Microchip Technology]]
*[[Micron Technology]]
*[[Microsoft]]
*[[MicroStrategy]]
*[[Midway Games]]
*[[Midwest Communications]]
*[[Miro Technologies]]
*[[Mohawk Industries]]
*[[Molson Coors Brewing Company]]
*[[Mondelēz International]]
** [[Nabisco]]
*[[Monotype Corporation|Monotype Imaging Holdings]]
*[[Monsanto]]
*[[Monster Beverage Corporation]]
*[[Montana Resources LLP|Montana Resources]]
*[[Moody's Corporation]]
*[[Moog Inc.|Moog Incorporated]]
*[[Monro Muffler Brake|Monro Muffler Brake, Inc.]]
*[[Morgan Stanley]]
*[[Morningstar, Inc.|Morningstar]]
*[[The Mosaic Company]]
*[[Movado]]
*[[MTX Audio]]
*[[Murphy Oil Corporation]]
*[[Musco Lighting]]
*[[Mutual of Omaha]]
*[[Mylan|Mylan Inc.]]
{{div col end}}

===N===
{{div col|3}}
* [[NACCO Industries]]
* [[NASDAQ OMX Group]]
* [[Nathan's Famous|Nathan's Famous, Inc.]]
* [[National Airlines (N8)|National Airlines]]
* [[National Beverage]]
* [[National Oilwell Varco]]
* [[National Presto Industries]]
* [[National Railway Equipment Company]]
* [[Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company]]
* [[Nautilus, Inc.]]
* [[NCR Corporation]]
* [[Necco]]
* [[Neiman Marcus Group]]
* [[NetApp]]
* [[Netcordia]]
* [[Netflix]]
* [[Netgear]]
* [[New Balance]]
* [[New York Life Insurance Company]]
* [[Newegg|Newegg.com, Inc.]]
* [[Newell Rubbermaid]]
* [[Newfield Exploration]]
* [[Newmont Mining Corporation]]
* [[NewPage Corporation]]
* [[News Corporation]]
* [[Nielsen Media Research|Nielsen]]
* [[Nike, Inc.]]
* [[NL Industries]]
* [[Noble Energy]]
* [[Nordstrom]]
* [[Norfolk Southern Railway]]
* [[North Sails]]
* [[NorthStar Moving]]
* [[Northrop Grumman]]
* [[Norwegian Cruise Line]]
* [[Novell]]
* [[NRG Energy]]
* [[Nuance Communications]]
* [[Nucor]]
* [[Nvidia]]

{{div col end}}

===O===
{{div col|3}}
* [[O.F. Mossberg & Sons]]
* [[Oak Hill Capital Partners]]
* [[Oaktree Capital Management]]
* [[Oberto Sausage Company]]
* [[Oberweis Dairy]]
* [[Occidental Petroleum]]
* [[Ocean Spray (cooperative)|Ocean Spray]]
* [[Oceaneering International]]
* [[OCZ Technology]]
* [[Office Depot]]
** [[OfficeMax]]
* [[Old Dominion Freight Line]]
* [[Olin Corporation]]
* [[Olympic Steel]]
* [[Omaha Steaks]]
* [[Omni Air International]]
* [[The Omni Group]]
* [[Omnicom Group]]
* [[ON Semiconductor]]
* [[Onanon]]
* [[ONEOK]]
* [[Onvia]]
* [[Open Interface North America]]
* [[OptiRTC]]
* [[Oracle Corporation]]
** [[Opower]]
** [[Oracle Financial Services Software]]
* [[Orbital Sciences Corporation]]
* [[O'Reilly Auto Parts]]
* [[O'Reilly Media]]
* [[Oshkosh Corporation]]
* [[OSI Restaurant Partners]]
* [[Outerwall]]
* [[Overcast Media]]
* [[Overstock.com|Overstock.com, Inc.]]
* [[Owens Corning]]
* [[Owens-Illinois]]
{{div col end}}

===P===
{{div col|3}}
*[[Pabst Brewing Company]]
*[[Paccar|PACCAR]]
**[[Kenworth]]
**[[Peterbilt]]
*[[Pacific Gas and Electric Company]] (PG&E)
*[[Pacific Life Insurance Company]]
*[[Packaging Corporation of America]]
*[[Pall Corporation]]
*[[Panda Energy International]]
*[[Panda Express]]
*[[Panera Bread]]
*[[Pantone]]
*[[Papa John's Pizza]]
*[[Papa Murphy's]]
*[[Park Seed Company]]
*[[Parker Hannifin Corporation]]
*[[Patagonia (clothing)|Patagonia]]
*[[Patterson Companies]]
*[[Paxton Media Group]]
*[[Paychex|Paychex Inc.]]
*[[Payless ShoeSource]]
*[[PC Power and Cooling]]
*[[Peabody Energy]]
*[[Pearson's Candy Company]]
*[[Peavey Electronics|Peavey Electronics Corporation]]
*[[Peet's Coffee]]
*[[Pelican Products]]
*[[Penn National Insurance]]
*[[Penske Corporation]]
*[[PepsiCo]]
*[[Perdue Farms]]
*[[PerkinElmer]]
*[[Perrigo]]
*[[Perry Ellis International]]
*[[Petco Animal Supplies]]
*[[PetMeds]]
*[[PetSmart]]
*[[Pfizer]]
*[[Philco]]
*[[Phillips 66]]
*[[PVH (company)|Phillips-Van Heusen]] (PVH)
*[[Pier 1 Imports]]
*[[Piggybackr]]
*[[Pilgrim's Pride]]
*[[Pilot Travel Centers]]
*[[Pinnacle Foods|Pinnacle Foods Group]]
*[[Pinnacle Systems]]
*[[Pioneer Natural Resources]]
*[[Pioneer Railcorp]]
*[[Piper Jaffray]]
*[[Pitney Bowes]]
*[[Plains All American Pipeline]]
*[[Planet Hollywood]]
*[[Plantronics]]
*[[Plochman's]]
*[[PMC-Sierra]]
*[[PNY Technologies]]
*[[Polaroid Corporation]]
*[[Polaris Industries]]
*[[PPG Industries]]
*[[Praxair]]
*[[Prestige Brands]]
*[[The Priceline Group]]
*[[PricewaterhouseCoopers]]
*[[Primerica]]
*[[Principal Financial Group]]
*[[Procter & Gamble]]
*[[Progressive Corporation]]
*[[Promotus Advertising]]
*[[Protective Life Corporation]]
*[[Prudential Financial]]
*[[PSSC Labs]]
*[[Public Storage]]
*[[Publishers Clearing House]]
*[[Publix]]
*[[Pulte Homes]]
{{div col end}}

===Q===
{{div col|3}}
*[[QCR Holdings]]
*[[Qualcomm]]
*[[Quanta Services]]
*[[Quantum Corporation]]
*[[Quest Diagnostics]]
*[[Quest Software]]
*[[Quiksilver]]
**[[DC Shoes]]
*[[QuikTrip|QuikTrip Corporation]]
*[[Quincy Newspapers]]
*[[Quiznos]]
{{div col end}}

===R===
{{div col|3}}
*[[R.J. Corman Railroad Group]]
*[[RaceTrac Petroleum]]
*[[RadioShack]]
*[[Raley's Supermarkets]]
*[[Ralph Lauren Corporation]]
*[[Rambus]]
*[[Rand McNally]]
*[[Ranger Boats]]
*[[Raybestos]]
*[[Raycom Media]]
*[[Raymond James Financial]]
*[[Raytheon]]
*[[RE/MAX|RE/MAX International]]
*[[Realogy]]
*[[Recreational Equipment Inc.]]
*[[Red Hat]]
*[[Red River Broadcasting]]
*[[Red Robin Gourmet Burgers]]
*[[Regal-Beloit]]
*[[Regal Entertainment Group]]
*[[Regeneron Pharmaceuticals]]
*[[Regions Financial Corporation]]
*[[Regis Corporation]]
*[[Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.]]
*[[Renco Group]]
*[[Rent-A-Center]]
*[[Rent-A-Wreck]]
*[[Renys]]
*[[Republic Services|Republic Services, Inc.]]
*[[ReServe Interactive]]
*[[Respironics]]
*[[Restaurant Brands International]]
*[[Burger King]]
**[[Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen]]
*[[Reyes Holdings]]
*[[Reynolds American]]
*[[Riceland Foods]]
*[[Rite Aid]]
*[[Roark Capital Group]]
*[[Robert Half International]]
*[[Robinson Helicopter Company]]
*[[Roblox Corporation|ROBLOX]]
*[[Rockport Company]]
*[[Rockstar (drink)|Rockstar, Inc.]]
*[[Rockwell Automation]]
*[[Rockwell Collins]]
*[[Rodale, Inc.]]
*[[Rollins Inc.]]
*[[Roper Technologies]]
*[[Rosetta Stone (company)|Rosetta Stone Inc.]]
*[[Ross Stores]]
*[[Roush Performance]]
*[[Rowan Companies]]
*[[Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.]]
*[[RPM International]]
*[[RR Donnelley]]
*[[Ruby Tuesday (restaurant)|Ruby Tuesday]]
*[[Russell Stover Candies]]
*[[Ryder]]
{{div col end}}

===S===
{{div col|3}}
*[[S.C. Johnson & Son]]
*[[S3 Graphics]]
*[[Sabre Corporation]]
*[[Science Applications International Corporation|SAIC]]
*[[Saleen|Saleen Automotive]]
*[[Salem Communications]]
*[[Salesforce.com|Salesforce.com, Inc.]]
*[[SanDisk]]
*[[Savage Arms Company]]
*[[Save Mart Supermarkets]]
*[[Savers]]
*[[Sbarro]]
*[[SCANA Corporation]]
*[[Schlumberger]]
*[[Schneider National|Schneider National, Inc.]]
*[[Schnitzer Steel Industries]]
*[[Schnucks]]
*[[Schoep's Ice Cream]]
*[[Scholastic Corporation]]
*[[Schwan Food Company]]
*[[Scientific Games Corporation]]
**[[Bally Technologies]]
**[[WMS Industries]]
*[[The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company]]
*[[Scripps Networks Interactive]]
*[[Seaboard Corporation]]
*[[Seagate Technology]]
*[[Sealed Air Corporation]]
*[[Sears|Sears Holdings]]
*[[Seneca Foods|Seneca Foods Corporation]]
*[[Sequoia Capital]]
*[[Service Corporation International]] (SCI)
*[[Servpro|SERVPRO Industries]]
*[[SFN Group]]
*[[Shaklee Corporation]]
*[[Sharecare]]
*[[Shea Homes]]
*[[Sheetz|Sheetz, Inc.]]
*[[Sherwin-Williams]]
*[[Shirokiya]]
*[[Shoney's]]
*[[Shure]]
*[[Shutterstock]]
*[[Sierra Nevada Brewing Company]]
*[[Sierra Nevada Corporation]]
*[[Sigma-Aldrich]]
*[[Signet Jewelers]]
**[[Zale Corporation]]
**[[Kay Jewelers]]
*[[Silicon Graphics International]]
*[[Silver Lake Partners]]
*[[Simon Property Group]]
*[[Sinclair Oil Corporation]]
*[[Sirius XM Radio]]
*[[Six Flags]]
*[[Sizzler]]
*[[Skechers]]
*[[SkyWest, Inc.]]
*[[Sky Combat Ace]]
*[[Smart & Final]]
*[[Snap-On]]
*[[Snyder's-Lance|Snyder's-Lance, Inc.]]
*[[Society Awards]]
*[[Sociometric Solutions]]
*[[Sonic Drive-In|Sonic Restaurants, Inc.]]
*[[Sony Corporation of America]]
**[[Columbia Pictures]]
**[[Sony Pictures Entertainment]]
*[[Sotheby's]]
*[[Southern Company]]
*[[Southern Wine & Spirits]]
*[[Southwest Airlines]]
*[[Soyo Group]]
*[[Space Adventures]]
*[[Space Exploration Technologies Corporation]]
*[[Spanx]]
*[[Specialized Bicycle Components|Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc.]]
*[[Spectra Energy]]
*[[Spectrum Brands]]
*[[Speedway Motorsports]]
*[[Spirit AeroSystems]]
*[[Spirit Airlines]]
*[[Springfield Armory, Inc.]]
*[[Sprint Corporation]]
*[[SPX Corporation]]
*[[Stanley Black & Decker]]
*[[Staples Inc.]]
*[[Starbucks]]
**[[Seattle's Best Coffee]]
*[[State Farm Insurance]]
*[[State Street Corporation]]
*[[Stater Bros. Markets]]
*[[Steel Dynamics]]
*[[Steelcase|Steelcase, Inc.]]
*[[Steinway Musical Instruments]]
*[[Stephens Inc.]]
*[[Stericycle]]
*[[Sterling Ledet & Associates]]
*[[Stew Leonard's]]
*[[Stewart & Stevenson]]
*[[Stewart-Warner]]
*[[STI International]]
*[[Storage Technology Corporation]]
*[[Strayer Voigt Inc|Strayer-Voigt, Inc.]]
*[[Stryker Corporation]]
*[[Stuckey's]]
*[[Sturm, Ruger & Company]]
*[[STX (sports manufacturer)|STX]]
*[[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]]
*[[Sun Capital Partners]]
*[[Sun-Maid|Sun-Maid Growers of California]]
*[[Sun Products]]
*[[Sunoco]]
*[[Sunrise Senior Living]]
*[[Sunsweet Growers Incorporated]]
*[[SunTrust Banks|SunTrust Banks, Inc.]]
*[[Super One Foods]]
*[[SuperValu (United States)|SuperValu]]
***[[Shop 'n Save]]
*[[Sur La Table]]
*[[Survata]]
*[[SurveyMonkey]]
*[[Sweet Frog]]
*[[SweetWater Brewing Company]]
*[[Symantec]]
*[[Symetra]]
*[[Synopsys]]
*[[Synovus|Synovus Financial Corporation]]
*[[Syntel]]
*[[Sysco Corporation]]
{{div col end}}

===T===
{{div col|3}}
*[[T. Rowe Price]]
*[[TA Associates]]
**[[Russell Investments]]
*[[Take-Two Interactive]]
**[[2K Games]]
**[[Rockstar Games]]
*[[Tailored Brands, Inc.]]
*[[Talbots]]
*[[Talend]]
*[[Tanadgusix Corporation]]
*[[Tapestry, Inc.]]
*[[Tara Labs]]
*[[Target Corporation]]
*[[Taser International]]
*[[Tastee-Freez]]
*[[Taunton Press]]
*[[TD Ameritrade]]
*[[Tektronix]]
*[[Teledyne Technologies]]
*[[Tellabs]]
*[[Tempur Sealy International]]
**[[Sealy Corporation]]
**[[Tempur-Pedic]]
*[[Tenet Healthcare]]
*[[Teradata]]
*[[Teradyne]]
*[[Terex Corporation]]
*[[Tesla Motors]]
*[[Testor Corporation]]
*[[Texas Instruments]]
*[[Textron]]
**[[Beechcraft]]
**[[Bell Helicopter]]
**[[Cessna Aircraft]]
*[[Thermo Fisher Scientific]]
** [[Nalge Nunc International]]
*[[Thor Industries]]
*[[TIAA]]
*[[Tiffany & Company]]
* [[Time Inc.]]
**[[Myspace]]
**[[Southern Progress Corporation]]
*[[Time Warner]]
**[[HBO]]
**[[Turner Broadcasting System]]
***[[Cartoon Network]]
***[[CNN]]
***[[Turner Sports]]
**[[Warner Bros.]]
**[[DC Comics]]
*[[Timken Company]]
*[[TiVo Corporation]]
*[[TJX Companies]]
*[[Togo's|Togo's Eateries, Inc.]]
*[[Toll Brothers]]
*[[Tony Roma's]]
*[[Tootsie Roll Industries]]
*[[The Toro Company]]
*[[Torry Harris Business Solutions]]
*[[Total System Services]]
*[[Tower Automotive]]
*[[Toys "R" Us]]
*[[TPG Capital]]
*[[Trader Joe's]]
*[[Trader Vic's]]
*[[Transamerica Corporation]]
**[[World Financial Group]]
*[[Transammonia|Transammonia, Inc.]]
*[[TransDigm Group]]
*[[The Travelers Companies]]
*[[Traxxas]]
*[[TreeRing]]
*[[TreeHouse Foods]]
**[[Ralcorp]]
*[[Trek Bicycle Corporation]]
*[[Trianz]]
*[[TricorBraun]]
*[[Trijicon]]
*[[Trimble Navigation]]
*[[Trinity Industries]]
*[[Triumph Group]]
*[[Troop Sport|Troop Holdings]]
*[[Tropicana Products]]
*[[TRT Holdings]]
*[[The Trump Organization]]
*[[TRW Automotive]]
*[[Tuff Shed]]
*[[Tully's Coffee]]
*[[Tumi Inc.|Tumi]]
*[[Tupperware Brands]]
*[[Turtle Wax]]
*[[Twitter]]
*[[Tyr Sport, Inc.]]
*[[Tyson Foods]]
{{div col end}}

===U===
{{div col|3}}
*[[U-Haul]]
*[[UberOffices]]
*[[Ubu Productions]]
*[[ULTA Beauty]]
*[[Ultimate Software]]
*[[Under Armour]]
*[[UL (safety organization)|UL]]
*[[UNICOM Global|Unicom]]
**[[USRobotics]]
*[[Unify Square]]
*[[MUFG Union Bank|UnionBank]]
*[[Union Pacific Railroad]]
*[[Unisys]]
*[[United Airlines]]
*[[United Country Real Estate]]
*[[United Parcel Service]] (UPS)
*[[United Rentals]]
*[[United States Enrichment Corporation]]
*[[United Technologies Corporation]]
**[[Carrier Corporation]]
**[[Otis Elevator Company]]
**[[Pratt & Whitney]]
**[[Sikorsky Aircraft]]
*[[UnitedHealth Group]]
*[[Universal Forest Products]]
*[[Uno Chicago Grill]]
*[[Unum Group]]
*[[Upland Brewing Company]]
*[[Upper Deck Company]]
*[[Urban Outfitters]]
*[[U.S. Bancorp]]
*[[U.S. Cellular]]
*[[US Foods]]
*[[US Highland]]
*[[U.S. Music Corporation|U.S. music]]
**[[Washburn Guitars]]
*[[U.S. Ordnance|U.S. Ordnance, Inc.]]
*[[U.S. Steel]]
*[[U.S. Venture Partners]]
*[[USAA]] (United Services Automobile Association)
*[[USG Corporation]]
*[[Uwajimaya]]
{{div col end}}

===V===
{{div col|3}}
* [[Vail Resorts|Vail Resorts, Inc.]]
* [[Valero Energy Corporation]]
* [[The Valspar Corporation]]
* [[Valve Corporation]]
* [[The Vanguard Group]]
* [[VantagePoint Capital Partners]]
* [[Varian Medical Systems]]
* [[Vaughan & Bushnell Manufacturing]]
* [[Vectren]]
* [[Venrock]]
* [[Venus Swimwear]]
* [[Verifone|Verifone Systems, Inc.]]
* [[Verisign]]
* [[Verisk Analytics]]
* [[Verizon Communications]]
** [[Verizon Wireless]]
* [[Vertex Pharmaceuticals]]
* [[VF Corporation]]
** [[Bulwark Protective Apparel]]
** [[Eastpak]]
** [[Eagle Creek (company)|Eagle Creek]]
** [[Lee (jeans)|Lee]]
** [[Lucy Activewear]]
** [[Nautica (clothing company)|Nautica]]
** [[The North Face]]
** [[JanSport]]
** [[Red Kap]]
** [[Reef (company)|Reef]]
** [[Rock and Republic]]
** [[The Timberland Company|Timberland]]
** [[Wrangler (jeans)|Wrangler]]
** [[Vans]]
* [[Viacom]]
**[[Paramount Pictures]]
* [[ViaSat]]
* [[Victorious 22]]
* [[ViewSonic]]
* [[Visa Inc.]]
* [[Vishay Intertechnology]]
*[[Vista Outdoor]]
* [[Visteon Corporation]]
* [[Vivitar]]
* [[Viz Media|VIZ Media]](Subsidiary of various Japanese media companies)
* [[Vizio]]
* [[VMware]]
* [[Vonage]]
* [[Vornado Realty Trust]]
* [[Voxx International]]
**[[Klipsch Audio Technologies]]
* [[Voya Financial]]
* [[Vulcan Corporation]]
* [[Vulcan Materials Company]]
* [[VWR International]]
{{div col end}}

===W===
{{div col|3}}
*[[W. C. Bradley Co.]]
**[[Char-Broil]]
*[[W. L. Gore & Associates]]
*[[W. R. Berkley Corporation|W. R. Berkley]]
*[[W. R. Grace and Company]]
*[[W. W. Grainger]]
*[[Wabash National]]
*[[Wabtec Corporation]]
*[[Waffle House]]
*[[Wahl Clipper]]
*[[Wakefern Food Corporation]]
*[[Walgreens Boots Alliance]]
**[[Alliance Healthcare]]
**[[drugstore.com]]
**[[Duane Reade]]
**[[Walgreens]]
*[[Walmart]]
*[[The Walt Disney Company]]
**[[Disney–ABC Television Group]]
**[[Pixar|Pixar Animation Studios]]
**[[Marvel Entertainment]]
**[[Walt Disney Studios (division)|Walt Disney Studios]]
***[[Lucasfilm]]
***[[Walt Disney Animation Studios]]
*[[Warburg Pincus]]
**[[Washburn Guitars]]
*[[Waste Management (corporation)|Waste Management]]
*[[Watco Companies]]
*[[Waters Corporation]]
*[[Watkins Incorporated]]
*[[Watsco|Watsco, Inc.]]
*[[Wausau Paper]]
*[[Wawa Inc.]]
*[[WD-40 Company|WD-40]]
*[[Wegmans Food Markets]]
*[[The Weinstein Company]]
*[[Weis Markets]]
*[[Welch's]]
*[[Wells Fargo]]
*[[Wendy's Company]]
*[[Werner Enterprises]]
*[[West Liberty Foods]]
*[[Westat]]
*[[Western Digital]]
*[[Western Sugar Cooperative]]
*[[Western Union]]
*[[Westinghouse Digital LLC]]
*[[Weyerhaeuser]]
*[[Whataburger]]
*[[Whirlpool Corporation]]
*[[White Castle (restaurant)|White Castle]]
*[[Wienerschnitzel]]
*[[Willett Distilling Company]]
*[[William Blair & Company]]
*[[Williams Companies]]
*[[Williams-Sonoma]]
*[[WinCo Foods|WinCo Foods, Inc.]]
*[[Windstream Communications]]
*[[The Wine Group]]
*[[Winnebago Industries]]
*[[Wolverine Worldwide]]
*[[Woodward, Inc.]]
*[[Woolrich|Woolrich, Inc.]]
*[[World Fuel Services]]
*[[Worthington Industries]]
*[[WWE]] (World Wrestling Entertainment)
*[[Wyndham Worldwide]]
*[[Wynn Resorts]]
{{div col end}}

===X===
{{div col|3}}
*[[Xcel Energy]]
*[[Xenco Medical]]
*[[Xerox]]
*[[Xilinx]]
*[[XIM, Inc.]]
*[[XPO Logistics]]
*[[Xylem Inc.]]
{{div col end}}

===Y===
{{div col|3}}
*[[Yahoo!]]
*[[Yelp|Yelp, Inc.]]
*[[YRC Worldwide]]
*[[Yum! Brands]]
**[[KFC]]
**[[Pizza Hut]]
**[[Taco Bell]]
*[[Yum-Yum Donuts]]
{{div col end}}

===Z===
{{div col|3}}
*[[Zapata Corporation]]
*[[Zappos.com]]
*[[Zaxby's]]
*[[Zildjian]]
*[[Zimmer Holdings]]
*[[Zions Bancorp]]
*[[Zippo Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Zoetis|Zoetis, Inc.]]
*[[Zoo York (company)|Zoo York]]
*[[Zoom Telephonics]]
*[[Zumiez]]
*[[Zynga]]
{{div col end}}

==By industry==
*[[List of airlines of the United States]]
*[[List of common carrier freight railroads in the United States]]
*[[List of department stores of the United States]]
*[[List of independent bookstores in the United States]]
*[[List of restaurant chains in the United States]]
*[[List of supermarket chains in the United States]]
*[[List of United States cable and satellite television networks]]
*[[List of United States clock companies]]
*[[List of United States electric companies]]
*[[List of United States insurance companies]]
*[[List of United States natural gas companies]]
*[[List of United States over-the-air television networks]]
*[[List of United States telephone companies]]
*[[List of United States water companies]]
*[[List of U.S. beverage companies]]
*[[List of US breweries]]

==Former companies==
This list includes former companies and those that were acquired or merged:
{{div col|colwidth=}}
*[[Adventure International]]
*[[Affiliated Computer Services]], acquired by [[Xerox]] in 2010
*[[Airborne Express]]
*[[Aldus]] Corp., (merged with [[Adobe Systems]])
*[[AlliedSignal]], acquired Honeywell and adopted the Honeywell name
*[[America West Airlines]], merged with [[US Airways]] in 2005
*[[American Motors|American Motors Corporation]] (AMC)
*[[AmeriCredit]], acquired by [[General Motors]] in 2010
*[[Ameritech]], now part of [[AT&T Inc.]]
*[[Amoco]], now part of [[BP]]
*[[Amoskeag Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Apollo Computer]], acquired by [[Hewlett-Packard]] in 1989
*[[Arbusto Energy]]
*[[ARCO|Arco]], or Atlantic Richfield Company, acquired by [[BP|BP Amoco]]
*[[Arthur Andersen]]
*[[AT&T Corporation]], acquired by SBC Communications (now [[AT&T Inc.]])
*[[AT&T Wireless]], acquired by [[Cingular Wireless|Cingular]]
*[[Avalon Hill]], acquired by [[Hasbro]]
*[[Bell Atlantic]], now part of [[Verizon Communications]]
*[[Bell Labs]], largely acquired by [[Alcatel-Lucent]]
*[[BellSouth]], acquired by [[AT&T Inc.]]
*[[Boston Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Butler International]]
*[[Central West Public Service Corporation]]
*[[Cingular Wireless|Cingular]], now part of [[AT&T Inc.]]
*[[Coleco]] Inc. (Connecticut Leather Company)
*[[Columbia Records]], now part of [[Sony]]
*[[CommWorks Corporation]], acquired by [[UTStarcom]] in 2003
*[[Compaq]], acquired by [[Hewlett-Packard]] in 2002
*[[Connectix]] Corp.
*[[Conoco]], now part of [[ConocoPhillips]]
*[[Continental Airlines]], merged with [[United Airlines]] in 2010
*[[CSK Auto]], acquired by [[O'Reilly Auto Parts|O'Reilly]]
*[[Data Resources Inc.]] (DRI)
*[[Digital Equipment Corporation]], acquired by [[Compaq]] in 1998 (now part of [[Hewlett-Packard]])
*[[Enron]]
*[[Esso]] (S.O.), renamed [[Exxon]], now part of [[ExxonMobil]]
*[[Exxon]], now part of [[ExxonMobil]]
*[[Fox Film Corporation]], forerunner of [[20th Century Fox]]
*[[GTE]], now part of [[Verizon Communications]]
*[[Gulf Oil]]
*[[Hazel-Atlas Glass Company]], acquired in 1956 by the [[Continental Can Company]]
*[[IGN|IGN Entertainment Inc.]], formerly Snowball Inc., now owned by News Corp.
*[[Infocom]] Inc.
*[[Kozmo.com]]
*[[Lehman Brothers]]
*[[Lighthouse Design]], taken over by [[Sun Microsystems]] in 1996
*[[Macromedia]], taken over by [[Adobe Systems]] in 2005
*[[Maxis|Maxis Software Inc.]], taken over by EA in 1997
*[[McDonnell Douglas]], now part of [[Boeing]]
*[[Merrill Lynch]], acquired by [[Bank of America]] at year-end 2008
*[[Nabisco]] (National Biscuit Company), acquired by Kraft
*[[Nashua Manufacturing Company]]
*[[Netscape]], now part of [[Time Warner]]
*[[NYNEX]], now part of [[Verizon Communications]]
*[[Oakley, Inc.]], acquired by [[Luxottica|Luxottica Group S.p.A.]]
*[[Orange Micro]]
*[[Pacific Bell]], now part of [[AT&T Inc.]]
*[[PageNet]]
*[[Palantir Technologies]]
*[[Palm, Inc.]], was split into [[PalmOne, Inc.]] and [[PalmSource, Inc.]]
*[[Pan American World Airways]]
*[[PeopleSoft]], acquired by [[Oracle Corporation]]
*[[Phillips Petroleum Company]], now part of [[ConocoPhillips]]
*[[Rockwell International]]
*[[Sara Lee Corporation]], acquired by Mexican bakery giant [[Grupo Bimbo]]
*[[Siebel Systems]], acquired by Oracle Corporation
*[[Sierra Entertainment]] Inc. (formerly Sierra On-Line) 
*[[Southern New England Telephone]], now part of [[AT&T Inc.]]
*[[Southwestern Bell]] or [[SBC Communications]], now called [[AT&T Inc.]]
*[[Standard Oil]] (dissolved in 1911)
*[[Standard Oil of Indiana]], later became [[Amoco]], still later acquired by [[BP]]
*[[Standard Oil of Ohio]], or Sohio, now part of [[BP]]
*[[Sun Microsystems]], now part of Oracle Corporation
*[[Texaco]], now part of [[Chevron Corporation]]
*[[TSR, Inc.]], acquired and discontinued
*[[Union Carbide]], now part of [[Dow Chemical Company]]
*[[Universal Studios]], now part of [[NBCUniversal]] (controlled by [[General Electric]])
*[[Unocal Corporation]] (Unocal), acquired by [[Chevron Corporation]]
*[[URS Corporation]], acquired by [[AECOM]]
*[[US West|US WEST]], now part of [[Qwest]]
*[[Wachovia]], now part of [[Wells Fargo]]
*[[Washington Mutual]], now part of [[JPMorgan Chase]]
*[[Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates]] (WEFA), now [[Global Insight]]
*[[WIL Research Laboratories]], now part of [[Charles River Laboratories]]
*[[WorldCom]], renamed [[MCI Inc.|MCI]]
{{div col end}}

===Lists===
* [[List of defunct airlines of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct automobile manufacturers of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct department stores of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct newspapers of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct restaurants of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct retailers of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct television networks in the United States]]

==See also==
{{portal|Companies|Lists|United States}}
*[[List of companies of the United States by state]]
*[[List of largest employers in the United States]]

==References==
<references />

{{United States topics}}
{{North America topic|List of companies of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Companies Of The United States}}
[[Category:Companies of the United States|*]]
[[Category:Lists of companies by country|United States]]
[[Category:Lists of companies of the United States| ]]

SAP

2018-03-29T19:37:24Z

Lowcoder: /* Partnerships */

{{redirect|SAP (company)|other companies|SAP (disambiguation)}}
{{Primary sources|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox company
|name = SAP SE
|logo = [[File:SAP 2011 logo.svg|200px|SAP SE logo]]
|image = [[File:Sap-wdf.jpg|300px]]
|type = ''[[Societas Europaea]]''
|traded_as = {{FWB|SAP}} {{nyse|SAP}} [[DAX|DAX Component]]
|caption =
|foundation = [[Weinheim]], Germany ({{start date and age|1972}})
|founder = [[Dietmar Hopp]] Hans-Werner Hector [[Hasso Plattner]] [[Klaus Tschira]] [[Claus Wellenreuther]]
|location_city = [[Walldorf]]
|location_country = Germany
|area_served = Worldwide
|key_people =
*[[Hasso Plattner]] (Chairman) 
*[[Bill McDermott]] (CEO) 
|industry = [[Enterprise software]]
|products = See [[list of SAP products]]
|revenue = {{Increase}} [[Euro|€]]22.062 billion (2016)<ref name="financials">{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/docs/download/investors/2016/sap-2016-q4-statement.pdf|title=SAP Q4 2016 Quarterly Statement|publisher=SAP SE|accessdate=31 January 2017}}</ref>
|operating_income = {{Increase}} €5.121 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|net_income = {{Increase}} €3.618 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|assets = {{Increase}} €44.354 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|equity = {{Increase}} €26.382 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|num_employees = 84,183 (Q4 2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|parent =
|homepage = {{URL|https://www.sap.com/}}
|footnotes =
|intl = yes
}}

'''SAP [[Societas Europaea|SE]]''' ({{IPAc-en|ɛ|s|eɪ|ˈ|p|i}}) ({{lang|de|'''''S'''ysteme, '''A'''nwendungen und '''P'''rodukte in der Datenverarbeitung''}}; "'''S'''ystems, '''A'''pplications & '''P'''roducts in Data Processing") is a German-based European [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[software corporation]] that makes [[enterprise software]] to manage business operations and customer relations.<ref name="SAP Company History">{{cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/history.html|title=SAP Company History|accessdate=25 January 2017}}</ref> SAP is headquartered in [[Walldorf]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], [[Germany]] with regional offices in 180 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/de/company.html|title=Unternehmensinformationen{{!}} Über SAP|website=SAP|language=de|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref><ref name="SAP Company Information">{{cite web|url=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/our-company/index.epx|title=SAP at a Glance: Company Information|accessdate=27 January 2015}}</ref> The company has over 335,000 customers in over 180 countries.<ref name="SAP Company Information"/> The company is a component of the [[Euro Stoxx 50]] [[stock market index]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/en/equities/indices/euro+stoxx+50+EU0009658145/constituents|title=Börse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stock Exchange): Stock market quotes, charts and news|publisher=}}</ref>

==History==

===Formation===
When [[Xerox]] aimed to exit the computer industry in 1975,<ref>Holmes, Edith. "IBM Opposes Retelling of Whole Xerox Story in Court", ''Computerworld'', p. 42, 26 January 1976.</ref> it asked [[IBM]] to migrate its business systems to IBM technology. As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM was given the rights to the [[Scientific Data Systems|Scientific Data Systems (SDS)]]/SAPE software, reportedly for a contract credit of $80,000.

Five IBM engineers from the AI department<ref name="funding universe">{{cite web|title=History of SAP AG|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sap-ag-history|accessdate=3 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="idch">International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 16. St James Press, 1997.</ref> ([[Dietmar Hopp]], [[Klaus Tschira]], Hans-Werner Hector, [[Hasso Plattner]], and [[Claus Wellenreuther]], all from [[Mannheim]], Baden-Württemberg) were working in an enterprise-wide system based on this software, only to be told that it would no longer be necessary. Rather than abandoning the project, they decided to leave IBM Tech and start another company.<ref name="saphistory">{{cite web|author=Staff|title=SAP History: From Start-Up Software Vendor to Global Market Leader|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/index.html|accessdate=10 October 2010}}</ref>

In June 1972, they founded {{lang|de|''Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung''}} ("System Analysis and Program Development") company, as a private partnership under the German Civil Code.<ref name="saphistory"/>

Their first client was the German branch of [[Imperial Chemical Industries]] in [[Östringen]],<ref>[http://www.sap.com/uk/about/success/casestudies/ici.epx SAP UK – ICI Success Story], Sap.com (1 January 1999); retrieved 24 April 2011.</ref> where they developed mainframe programs for payroll and accounting. Instead of storing the data on [[punch card]]s mechanically, as IBM did, they stored it locally in the Electronic System which using common Logical database for all activities of Organization.{{clarify|date=April 2017}} Therefore, they called their software a [[real-time computing|real-time]] system, since there was no need to process the punch cards overnight (for this reason their flagship product carried an '''R''' in its name until the late 1990s). This first version was also a standalone software that could be offered to other interested parties.<ref>{{cite web|title=Standard Application Software for Real-time processing is developed|URL=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/1972-1981.html}}</ref>

===Enterprise Resource Planning===
In 1973, the first commercial product was launched. It was called SAP R/98,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.simplilearn.com/sap-r-98-the-first-commercial-erp-product-rar378-article|title=SAP R/98 – The First Commercial ERP Product|website=Simplilearn.com|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref> and offered a common system for multiple tasks. This permitted the use of a centralized data storage, improving the maintenance of data. From a technical point of view, therefore, a [[database]] was necessary.<ref name="ErfolgsfaktorenSAP">{{cite web|url=http://chbeck.metapress.com/content/ph64048135784551|title=Vom Programmierbüro zum globalen Softwareproduzenten: Die Erfolgsfaktoren der SAP von der Gründung bis zum R/3-Boom, 1972 bis 1996|publisher=Chbeck.metapress.com|date=14 November 2008|accessdate=27 March 2014}}</ref>

In 1976, SAP [[GmbH]] was founded, and moved its headquarters the following year to [[Walldorf]], Germany. Three years later, in 1979, SAP launched [[SAP R/2]], expanding the capabilities of the system to other areas, such as material management and [[production planning]]. In 1981, SAP brought a re-designed product to market. However, SAP R/2 did not improve until the period between 1985 and 1990. SAP released the new [[SAP R/3]] in 1992. SAP developed and released several versions of R/3 through 1995. By the mid-1990s, SAP followed the trend from [[Mainframe computer|mainframe]] computing to [[client-server architecture|client/server architectures]]. The development of SAP's internet strategy with mySAP.com redesigned the concept of business processes (integration via Internet).<ref name="saphistory"/> As a result, R/3 was replaced with the introduction of SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) 5.0 in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cipherbsc.com/sap-ecc-modules/|title=SAP ECC Modules - Cipher Business Solutions|last=Solutions|first=Cipher Business|work=Cipher Business Solutions|access-date=2017-03-29|language=en-US}}</ref> Architectural changes were also made to support an enterprise service architecture to transition customers to a services-oriented architecture. The latest version, SAP ERP 6.0, was released in 2006. SAP ERP 6.0 has since then been updated through SAP enhancement packs, the most recent: SAP enhancement package 8 for SAP ERP 6.0 in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-version-sap-erp-available-ecc-60-ehp7-what-do-you-rakesh-singh|title=The latest version of SAP ERP available is SAP ECC 6.0 EHP7, What do you understand by ECC ?|date=2016-03-04|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en}}</ref>

=== Corporate restructuring ===
In August 1988, SAP GmbH became SAP [[Aktiengesellschaft|AG]], and public trading started on 4 November 1988. Shares were listed on the [[Frankfurt Stock Exchange|Frankfurt]] and [[Börse Stuttgart|Stuttgart stock exchanges]].<ref name="saphistory"/> In 1995, SAP was included in the German stock index [[DAX]] and, on 22 September 2003, SAP was included in the [[STOXX Europe 50|Dow Jones STOXX 50]].<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Stoxx|title=STOXX Limited Announces Changes to its Blue-Chip Index Series|date=1 September 2003|url=http://www.whitehallresources.co.uk/stoxx-limited-announces-changes-to-its-blue-chip-index-series/|accessdate=21 October 2016}}</ref>

The company's official name became ''SAP [[Aktiengesellschaft|AG]]'' (a public limited company) after the 2005 [[annual general meeting]]. In 2014, SAP changed from an AG to a European Company ([[Societas Europaea|Societas Europaea or SE]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/investors/investorservices/faq/index.html|title=Company Q & A|work=Investor Relations|publisher=SAP.com|accessdate=27 May 2015}}</ref>

=== Focus on cloud ===
Since 2012, SAP has acquired several companies that sell [[cloud computing|cloud-based products]], with several multibillion-dollar acquisitions seen by analysts as an attempt to challenge competitor [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-05-22/sap-agrees-to-buy-ariba |title=SAP to Acquire Ariba for $4.3 Billion in Push Into Cloud |first1=Kenneth |last1=Wong |first2=Dina |last2=Bass |newspaper=Bloomberg News |date=23 May 2012}}</ref> In 2014 SAP bought [[Concur Technologies]], a provider of cloud-based travel and expense management software, for $8.3 billion, SAP's most expensive purchase to that date.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/09/22/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-to-boost-cloud-sales |title=SAP To Acquire Concur Technologies To Boost Cloud Sales |newspaper=Forbes |date=22 September 2014}}</ref> Analysts' reactions to the purchase were mixed, with Thomas Becker of Commerzbank questioning whether Concur was the right choice for SAP, while Credit Suisse called the acquisition an "aggressive" move.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-1411076535 |title=SAP to Acquire Concur Technologies |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |first1=Neetha |last1=Mahadevan |first2=Stephan |last2=Doerner |date=19 September 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, IBM and SAP began a partnership to sell cloud-based services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-and-sap-score-win-over-amazon-2014-10|title=IBM and SAP Score Win Over Amazon|work=BusinessInsider|date=14 October 2014}}</ref> Likewise, in 2015, SAP also partnered with [[Hewlett Packard Enterprise|HPE]] to provide secure hybrid cloud-based services running the SAP platform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=1982676#.WNdTf1XytEY|title=HP News - HP and SAP Accelerate Journey to SAP® S/4HANA on HP Helion Managed Cloud|website=www8.hp.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-26}}</ref> Both HPE and IBM provide infrastructure services to SAP, and SAP runs its SAP HANA cloud solution on top. SAP has announced additional partnerships with Microsoft in order to give customers tools for data visualization, as well as improved mobile applications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/19/microsoft-sap-strengthen-ties-with-mobile-data-cloud-partnership|title=Microsoft and SAP Strengthen Ties with Mobile, Data, Cloud Partnership|publisher=TechCrunch|date=19 May 2014}}</ref>

SAP exceeded its revenue projections due to the expansion in its cloud business and the success of SAP HANA. The growth can also be partially attributed to the acquisitions of Concur and Fieldglass.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2015/01/22/sap-posts-strong-2014-results-cloud-business-to-drive-future-growth SAP Posts Strong 2014 Results, Cloud Business to Drive Future Growth ], Forbes, 22 January 2015</ref>

The company announced plans in 2016 to invest heavily into technology relating to [[Internet of things|Internet of Things]] (IoT) as part of a strategy to capitalize on the growth in that market. For that purpose, €2 billion is planned for investment in relevant sectors by the end of 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2016/09/28/sap-invest-billion-internet-things-2020/|title=SAP Plans to Invest $2.2 Billion in the Internet of Things by 2020|last=Reuters|website=Fortune|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref> SAP will also launch a new product line called SAP IoT, which "will combine large amounts of data from things connected to the Internet with machine learning and SAP's real-time database S/4 HANA."<ref name=":0" />

===SAP S/4HANA===
In 2015, the company launched [[SAP S/4HANA]], the newest generation of the SAP Business Suite. It was written natively for the [[SAP HANA]] platform. It offers cloud, on-premises and hybrid deployment options to customers, with its benefits including a smaller data footprint, higher throughput, faster analytics and faster access to data. It also allows existing SAP Business Suite customers to upgrade to this product from SAP Business Suite.<ref>{{cite web|title=Answers on SAP upgradation to SAP S/4HANA|URL=http://news.sap.com/what-is-sap-s4hana-13-questions-answered/}}</ref>

In 2016, SAP introduced SAP HANA, Express Edition which is meant to run on personal computers or on cloud computing platforms for students and other small-scale developers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-aims-to-court-more-hana-developers-launches-express-edition/ |title=SAP aims to court more HANA developers, launches express edition |publisher=ZDNet |date=16 September 2016 |accessdate=19 November 2016 |author=Larry Dignan}}</ref>

[[Bill McDermott]], CEO of SAP, compared the release of SAP S/4HANA to a "[[Apollo program|moonshot]]", describing it as the most important launch in the company's history.<ref>[http://diginomica.com/2015/02/03/sap-s4hana-user-analyst-partner-views "SAP S4/HANA – the user, analyst and partner views"], Diginomica.com, 3 February 2015.</ref>

==Acquisitions==
{{More citations needed|section|date=February 2018}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Acquisition number !! Acquired company !! Acquisition date !! Specialty !! Country of origin !! Acquisition costs
|-
| 67 || [[CallidusCloud]] || Jan 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/30/sap-snags-calliduscloud-for-2-4-billion/|title=SAP snags CallidusCloud for $2.4 billion|first=Ron|last=Miller|publisher=|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Sales Performance Management Tool || USA || 2.24 b
|-
| 66 || Recast.ai || Jan 2018<ref>[https://www.enterprisetimes.co.uk/2018/01/24/sap-acquires-recast-ai-invests-france/]</ref> || Conversational User Experience Technology || France ||
|-
| 65 || Gigya || Sep 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/24/sap-is-buying-identity-management-firm-gigya-for-350m/|title=SAP buys customer identity management firm Gigya for $350M|first=Ingrid|last=Lunden|publisher=|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Identity Management || USA || $350m
|-
| 64 || Abakus || Dec 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abakus.me/2016/12/14/sap-the-fastest-growing-enterprise-cloud-company-announces-acquisition-of-abakus/|title=Marketing attribution software & tool vendor - SAP Hybris|website=abakus.me|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Marketing attribution || USA ||
|-
| 63 || Plat.One || Oct 2016 || IoT || USA ||
|-
| 62 || Altiscale || Aug 2016 || Big Data and Hadoop Hosting || USA || $125m+
|-
| 61 || Fedem Technology || Jun 2016 || IoT || Norway ||
|-
| 60 || MeLLmo Inc. ([[Roambi]] ) || Feb 2016 || Mobile Business Intelligence || USA ||
|-
| 59 || [[Concur Technologies]] || Sept 2014 || Travel and Expense Management || USA || $8.3b
|-
| 58 || SeeWhy || May 2014 || Behavioural target marketing || USA || $1.1b
|-
| 57 || Fieldglass || Mar 2014 || Contingent labour and services || USA ||
|-
| 56 || KXEN || Oct 2013 || Predictive analytics || France||
|-
| 55 || [[Hybris (company)|hybris]] || May 2013 || E-Commerce Solutions || Switzerland ||
|-
| 54 || Camilion || March 2013 || Insurance solutions || Canada ||
|-
| 53 || [[Sridhar Tayur#SmartOps|SmartOps]] || Feb 2013 || Inventory optimization || USA ||
|-
| 52 || Ticket-Web || Feb 2013 || CRM for sports and entertainment promoters || USA ||
|-
| 51 || [[Ariba]] || Oct 2012 || Supplier network || USA || $4.3b
|-
| 50 || Syclo || Jun 2012 || Mobile asset management || USA ||
|-
| 49 || datango || Jan 2012 || Electronic performance support technologies || Germany ||
|-
| 48 || [[SuccessFactors]] || Dec 2011 || Human Capital Management || USA || $3.4b
|-
| 47 || Right Hemisphere || Sep 2011 || 3D visualization || USA ||
|-
| 46 || Crossgate || Sep 2011 || B2B eCommerce || Germany||
|-
| 45 || Secude || Mar 2011 || Security software (Not the whole company, only some assets were acquired) || Germany ||
|-
| 44 || Cundus || Dec 2010 || Disclosure Management || Germany ||
|-
| 43 || [[Sybase]] || May 2010 || Database, middleware, mobile software || USA || $5.8b
|-
| 42 || TechniData || May 2010 || Environmental, Health and Safety || Germany ||
|-
| 41 || SAF || Sep 2009 || Inventory Management || Switzerland || $91m
|-
| 40 || Highdeal || May 2009 || High-volume billing || France ||
|-
| 39 || Visiprise || Jul 2008 || Manufacturing Execution || USA ||
|-
| 38 || Saicon INC || Oct 2014 || US Recruitment || India ||
|-
| 37 || [[BusinessObjects]] || Oct 2007 || Business Intelligence || France || $6.78b
|-
|36
|Yasu Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
|Oct 2007
|Business Rules Management Software
|India
|
|-
| 35 || Wicom Communications || May 2007 || Internet Communication software || Finland||
|-
| 34 || [[MaXware]] || May 2007 || Identity software || Norway ||
|-
| 33 || Outlooksoft || May 2007 || Planning & consolidation || USA ||
|-
| 32 || Pilot Software || Feb 2007 || Strategy Management software || USA || ~$200m
|-
| 31 || Factory Logic || Dec 2006 || Lean scheduling and supply synchronisation || USA ||
|-
| 30 || Praxis Software Solutions || Jul 2006 || Web-based CRM and eCommerce || USA ||
|-
| 29 || Frictionless Commerce || May 2006 || SRM software || USA ||
|-
| 28 || Virsa Systems || Apr 2006 || Compliance solutions || USA ||
|-
| 27 || SAP Systems Integration || Dec 2005 || Consulting services || Germany ||
|-
| 26 || Callixa || Nov 2005 || Enterprise Integration Information software || USA ||
|-
| 25 || Khimetrics || Nov 2005 || retail software || USA ||
|-
| 24 || Triversity || Sep 2005 || POS software || Canada ||
|-
| 23 || Lighthammer || Jun 2005 || Manufacturing Intelligence and Collaborative Manufacturing || USA ||
|-
| 22 || DCS Quantum || Feb 2005 || Automotive Dealer Management || United Kingdom ||
|-
| 21 || [[TomorrowNow]] || Jan 2005 || grey-market support || USA ||
|-
| 20 || ilytix || Jan 2005 || SAP BusinessOne Business Intelligence || Norway ||
|-
| 19 || A2i || Jul 2004 || Master Data Management || USA ||
|-
| 18 || SPM Technologies || Dec 2003 || IT architecture consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 17 || DCW Software || Jul 2003 || OS/400 Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 16 || Guimachine || Dec 2002 || NetWeaver Visual Composer toolkit || USA ||
|-
| 15 || IMHC || May 2001 || Integrated managed health care from IDS || USA ||
|-
| 14 || Expression || May 2002 || real-time file sharing || ? ||
|-
| 13 || Topmanage || Feb 2002 || SAP BusinessOne Suite || Israel ||
|-
| 12 || Paynet International AG || Dec 2001 || Invoice Processing || Germany ||
|-
| 11 || COPA GmbH || Nov 2001 || Beverage industry consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 10 || Infinite Data Structures || May 2001 || Trade Management / CRM || USA ||
|-
| 9 || Toptier || Mar 2001 || Enterprise Information Portal and Integration Infrastructure || USA || ~$400m
|-
| 8 || Prescient Consulting || Feb 2000 || Consulting services || USA ||
|-
| 7 || In-Q-My Technologies GmbH || 2000 || J2EE Server || Bulgaria ||
|-
| 6 || Campbell Software || 1999 || Workforce Management || USA ||
|-
| 5 || AMC Development || 1998 || Call Center telephony integration software || USA ||
|-
| 4 || OFEK-Tech || 1998 || Warehousing and distribution centre software || Israel ||
|-
| 3 || Kiefer & Veittinger || 1997 || Sales force Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 2 || Dacos || 1996 || Retail solution || Germany ||
|-
| 1 || Steeb || 1991 || Software and Consulting Services || Germany ||
|-
|}

==Business and markets==
{{As of|2016}}, SAP is the world's third largest software and programming company.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/global2000/list/#industry:Software%20%26%20Programming |title=The World's Biggest Public Companies, Software & Programming |website=Forbes |accessdate=21 October 2016}}</ref> The corporation operates in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and South America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Worldwide Office Directory of SAP|URL=http://www.sap.com/directory/main.html}}</ref>

SAP focuses on 25 industries and six industry sectors: process industries, discrete industries, consumer industries, service industries, financial services and public services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/solution.html|title=Business in Brief: Markets|publisher=SAP|accessdate=15 October 2007}}</ref> It offers integrated product sets for large enterprises,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/midmarket-solutions-2.html#1|title=Midmarket Solutions: SAP ALL-IN-ONE – Solutions for mid-size companies|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP.ocm|accessdate=15 October 2007}}</ref> mid-sized companies and small businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|title=Industry Solutions: Innovation – One Industry at a Time|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP.com|accessdate=15 October 2007|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011100833/http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|archivedate=11 October 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture==
[[Service-oriented architecture]] has been incorporated into the SAP ERP ([[Enterprise Resource Planning]]) system and other products defined within the SAP Enterprise Services Architecture (Enterprise SOA).

===Enterprise SOA=== 
''SAP Enterprise Service Oriented Architecture'' (or ''Enterprise SOA'') is SAP SE's [[service-oriented architecture]] implementation.<ref>[http://global.sap.com/platform/soa/adoptionprogram.epx ''SAP - Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture: Adoption Program''], global.sap.com; accessed 27 May 2015.</ref> Enterprise SOA is enabled by the [[SAP NetWeaver]] platform and builds on the benefits of [[Web service]]s. SAP has positioned Enterprise SOA to deliver the benefits offered by service-oriented architecture, including enabling both flexibility and business efficiency. SAP markets Enterprise SOA as a cost-effective way of adding new applications to existing infrastructure.<ref>"When Does a Web Service Become an Enterprise Service?" by Dr Franz-Josef Fritz (SAP AG), ''SAP Insider'', April–May–June 2004.</ref> SAP Solutions that currently use Enterprise SOA are [[mySAP CRM]], [[mySAP ERP]], and [[mySAP SRM]].

==Partnerships==
SAP partners include Global Services Partners with cross-industry multinational consulting capabilities,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Services Partners]. SAP AG. Retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref> Global Software Partners providing integrated products that complement SAP Business Suite solutions,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Software Partners]. Sap.com (30 June 2009). Retrieved on 7 July 2011.</ref> and Global Technology Partners providing user companies with a wide range of products to support SAP technology, including vendors of hardware, database, storage systems, networks, and mobile computing technology.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Technology Partners], go.sap.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

Extensions partners are companies which provide functionality that complements SAP product capabilities. Their products are certified, sold, and supported by SAP. These partner companies include [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]], [[CA Technologies]], [[GK Software]],<ref>[http://www.news-sap.com/sap-offers-extended-global-reseller-agreement-with-gk-software/ SAP Offers Retailers in North America a Full Range of Store Solutions to Optimize Their Businesses Through Extended Global Reseller Agreement With GK Software]. sap-news.com (28 May 2013). Retrieved on 22 May 2015.</ref> [[Hewlett-Packard]], [[IDS Scheer]], [[Mendix]],<ref>[https://www.mendix.com/press/mendix-announces-global-reseller-agreement-with-sap-providing-enterprises-low-code-development-for-building-web-and-mobile-apps-at-speed-and-scale/ Mendix Announces Global Reseller Agreement with SAP, Providing Enterprises Low-Code Development for Building Enterprise Apps at Speed and Scale]. Mendix.com (26 September 2017). Retrieved on 28 March 2018.</ref> [[OpenText]],<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opentext-named-solution-extension-partner-of-the-year-and-sap-database-and-data-management-partner-of-the-year-in-2017-sap-pinnacle-awards-300458320.html OpenText Named Solution Extension Partner of the Year and SAP Database and Data Management Partner of the Year in 2017 SAP® Pinnacle Awards]. prnewswire.com (16 May 2017). Retrieved on 09 March 2018.</ref> [[Knoa Software]], and [[BackOffice Associates]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scn.sap.com/community/solution-extensions|title=Solution Extensions {{!}} Digital Jouney {{!}} SAP|website=SAP|language=en|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref>

SAP has also partnered with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] to work on the mobile experience for SAP enterprise customers. As part of the partnership, a new [[SAP HANA Cloud Platform]] SDK would be delivered exclusively for [[iOS]]. As a result, developers can build applications based on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform for the [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]] devices. The partnership was announced in May 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sap.com/apple-sap-partner-to-revolutionize-work-on-iphone-ipad/|title=Apple & SAP Partner to Revolutionize Work on iPhone & iPad|date=2016-05-05|work=SAP News Center|access-date=2017-09-04|language=en-US}}</ref>

==SAP PartnerEdge==
SAP products for small businesses and midsize companies are delivered through its global partner network. The SAP PartnerEdge programme, SAP's partner programme, offers a set of business enablement resources and program benefits to help partners including value-added resellers (VARs) and independent software vendors (ISVs) be profitable and successful in implementing, selling, marketing, developing and delivering SAP products to a broad range of customers.<ref>[http://www1.sap.com/about/press/factsheets/smb.epx SAP – SAP Solutions for Small Businesses and Midsize Companies: Press Fact Sheet, July 2007]. SAP.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Communities==
[[SAP Community Network]] (SCN) is a community of SAP customers, partners, employees, and influencers – typically in roles such as: developers, consultants, integrators, and business analysts – who gain and share knowledge about [[ABAP]], Java, .NET, SOA, and other technologies, plus analytics and dashboards, business process best practices, cloud, mobile, big data, and a range of other topics via blogs, discussion forums, downloads and code samples, training materials, and a technical library.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/community.html SAP – Communities]. go.sap.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Organization==
{{primary sources|section|date=July 2016}}
SAP uses a two-tier structure of boards, with an [[executive board]] and a [[supervisory board]]. As of 2016, members of the executive board were [[Bill McDermott]] ([[chief executive officer|CEO]] and Chairman, joined in 2008), Robert Enslin (2014) Bernd Leukert (2014), Luka Mucic ([[Chief financial officer|CFO]], 2014), Michael Kleinemeier (2015), Stefan Ries (2016), Steve Singh (2016) and Gerhard Oswald (1996).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/our-boards/executive-board.html|title=SAP Executive Board|work=SAP}}</ref>

Functional units of SAP are split across different organizational units for R&D needs, field activities and customer support. SAP Labs are mainly responsible for product development whereas the field organizations spread across each country are responsible for field activities such sales, marketing and consulting. Headquarters is responsible for overall management as well as core Engineering activities related to product development. Worldwide customer support is not provided by the field organizations but by a unified organization called Active Global Support (AGS).<ref>{{cite web|title=SAP launches Global Support Center|URL=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/news.epx?PressID=3042}}</ref>

== SAP Labs ==
{{primary sources|section|date=October 2017}}
'''SAP Labs''' are R&D locations that develop and improve SAP core products. SAP Labs are strategically located in high-tech clusters around the globe.

SAP Labs are located in Germany (main locations: [[Walldorf]]/Rot, [[Markdorf]], [[Berlin]]), United States (main location: [[Silicon Valley]]), India (main location: [[Bangalore]]), China (main location: [[Shanghai]]), Brazil (main location: [[São Leopoldo|Sao Leopoldo]]), Bulgaria (main location: [[Sofia]]), Canada (main locations: [[Vancouver]], [[Montreal]]), Vietnam (main location: [[Ho Chi Minh City]]), Israel (main location: [[Ra'anana]]), CIS (main location: [[Moscow]]), France (main location: [[Paris]], [[Sophia Antipolis]]), Ireland (main location: [[Dublin]]), Hungary (main location: [[Budapest]]), Slovakia (main location: [[Bratislava]]), Czech Republic (main location: [[Brno]]), Poland (main location: [[Gliwice]]).

SAP's main 4 Labs' locations are Germany, India, China and the US. Labs Walldorf was founded in 1972 and became SAP's first location. At the beginning, the focus of SAP expansion was entering highly developed IT markets: in 1993 Palo Alto becomes a part of SAP Labs‘ locations. Aiming to acquire talented employees, in 1998, SAP opens its Labs in Bangalore, in 2003 – in China.

Among the latest SAP Labs are Labs Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. All three labs have been established in 2016.

In order to manage SAP Labs, '''SAP Labs Network (SLN)''' was created. SLN is a global unit that manages regional Labs and shares best business practices. It coordinates and distributes development projects among individual SAP Labs locations, accelerates product delivery, gives SAP full access to talent, and drives SAP corporate strategy regarding innovation and business growth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/innovation/sap-labs.html|title=R&D Locations {{!}} SAP Labs {{!}} About SAP SE|website=SAP|access-date=2016-04-29}}</ref>

==SAP User Groups==
{{more citations needed|section|date=October 2017}}
'''SAP User Groups''' are independent, non-profit organizations of SAP customers and SAP partners. They serve as communications channel for their members towards SAP and for SAP towards the markets. The Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) is the company's largest user group, with 100,000 individuals at 3,800 companies. ASUG members are professionals who work in more than 17 industries. Many are technical and business process experts in the SAP ecosystem; they have varied levels of experience, and come from small businesses to global corporations, as well as universities. In 2007, the SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN) was established.

SAP provoked controversy and frustration among its users in 2008 by raising the cost of its maintenance contracts. The issue was the subject of intense discussion among user groups.<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/it-business/supplier-relations/news/index.cfm?newsid=10632 SAP faces user wrath over price hikes]. Computerworlduk.com. Retrieved on 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Conferences==
SAP has two annual conferences:
* SAPPHIRE is SAP's customer-facing event, where it generally announces major product changes and strategic direction. It is typically held in the spring in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2154366/sap-unveils-successfactors-cloud-computing-roadmap-squares-oracle|title=SAP unveils SuccessFactors cloud computing roadmap as it squares up to Oracle|publisher=V3.co.uk|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/2223461|title=SAP Rolls Out Updates at SAPPHIRE|publisher=InternetNews|date=17 June 2003|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref>
* SAP TechEd is the company's more technical conference, aimed at SAP's ecosystem of consultants and software development partners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-09-22/bangalore/27845182_1_teched-key-theme-solutions|title=SAP TechEd '05 in Bangalore|publisher=Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com|date=22 September 2005|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/207317/sap_teched_to_go_deep_on_mobility_ondemand.html|title=SAP TechEd to Go Deep on Mobility|publisher=Pcworld.com|date=8 October 2010|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref> SAP TechEd has been held annually since 1995.

==Competitive landscape==
SAP competitors are primarily in the [[enterprise resource planning]] software industry. In this field, [[Oracle Corporation]] is SAP's major competitor. SAP also competes in the customer relationship management, marketing & sales software, manufacturing, warehousing & industrial software, and supply chain management & logistics software sectors.<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff|title=SAP Competitors|url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.sap_se.48cbdfcd173cadff.html}}</ref>

Oracle Corporation filed [[Oracle Corp. v. SAP AG|a lawsuit against SAP]] for malpractice and unfair competition in the California courts in 2007. SAP lost the case in 2010 and was ordered to pay a sum of US $1.3 billion, which was cited as the largest [[copyright infringement]] judgment in history.<ref>{{cite news|title=SAP to pay Oracle $1.3 billion in landmark decision|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2010/11/24/us-oracle-sap-idUSTRE6AL4IN20101124|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|accessdate=2 October 2015|first=Dan|last=Levine|date=23 November 2010}}</ref> The verdict was overturned in 2011,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/technology/oracle-verdict-against-sap-is-overturned.html|title=Oracle Verdict Against SAP Is Overturned|publisher=Associated Press|date=1 September 2011|accessdate=12 January 2015}}.</ref> and the lawsuit was finally settled in 2014 for $356.7 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/11/13/technology/13reuters-oracle-sap-se-settlement.html|title=Oracle, SAP Settle Long-Running TomorrowNow Lawsuit|publisher=Reuters|date=13 November 2014|accessdate=14 August 2015}}.</ref>

The resulting pressure saw SAP and SUGEN (SAP User Group Executive Network) agree to a major benchmarking exercise to prove the value of the new support pricing policy to customers. In December 2009, SAP delayed its Enterprise Support price rises until agreement had been reached on the benchmarks and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsId=17810 SAP delays Enterprise Support price rises]. Computerworlduk.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

In January 2010, SAP reversed its direction on Enterprise Support and reintroduced its standard support package for customers. The move to reinstate standard support – at 18 percent of annual license fees, "will enable all customers to choose the option that best meets their requirements", the company said.<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsId=18318 SAP does U-turn on Enterprise Support]. Computerworlduk.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

In August 2013, SAP acquired German software company [[Hybris (company)|Hybris]] for eCommerce capabilities.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.eweek.com/it-management/sap-closes-deal-to-acquire-mdm-maker-hybris|title=SAP Closes Deal to Acquire MDM Maker Hybris|work=eWEEK|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>[http://www.informationweek.com/applications/sap-buys-hybris-gains-customer-experience-power/d/d-id/1111073 "SAP buys Hybris, gains customer experience, power"], informationweek.com; accessed 27 May 2015.</ref>

==Philanthropic efforts==
SAP has donated several millions of dollars to a variety of global health causes including the [[Product Red]] campaign and the [[Global Fund]].<ref>{{cite web|title=(RED) Partners|url=http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|work=(RED)|publisher=The ONE Campaign|date=14 October 2012|accessdate=27 May 2015|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524044206/http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|archivedate=24 May 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/tech-philanthropy/2014/10/8/what-this-giant-software-company-is-doing-to-advance-global.html |title=What This Giant Software Company Is Doing to Advance Global Health |website=Inside Philanthropy |date=8 October 2014 |accessdate=13 November 2016}}</ref> In addition, SAP has distributed free software in South Africa as part of an effort towards developing future markets there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/08/business-case-strategic-philanthropy |title=The Business Case for Strategic Philanthropy |website= TriplePundit |date=8 August 2013 |accessdate=13 November 2016}}</ref> The company also encourages employees to volunteer through social sabbaticals, sending teams of people to different countries to aid non-profits. SAP employees have volunteered in China, India, Brazil, and South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/ernst-young-sap-corporate-volunteering |title=How EY and SAP are championing corporate volunteering |publisher=The Guardian |date=11 February 2014 |accessdate = 13 November 2016}}</ref>

==Autism hiring==
SAP also engages in outreach activities within its company. In 2013, the company launched an initiative to hire employees with autism and [[Asperger syndrome]], citing their undervalued ability to contribute to its workforce. SAP aims to compose 1% of its workforce with individuals with autism by the year 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22621829 |title=SAP in autism recruitment drive |publisher=BBC News |date=22 May 2013}}</ref>

== Bribery and corruption ==

=== South African allegations ===

In July 2017, allegations were made that SAP had been involved in business transactions with the controversial and politically influential [[Gupta family]] in South Africa. SAP was accused of paying CAD House, a Gupta-controlled company, R100 million in order to secure a [[Transnet]] deal. SAP denied the allegations, claiming that the money was paid as "an extension of the sales force", despite CAD House having no prior SAP experience.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptaleaks-software-giant-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business-20170711|title=#GuptaLeaks: Software giant paid Gupta front R100m 'kickbacks' for state business|work=News24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://amabhungane.co.za/article/2017-07-11-guptaleaks-software-giant-sap-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business|title=amaBhungane - #GuptaLeaks: Software giant SAP paid Gupta front R100m "kickbacks" for state business|website=amabhungane.co.za|language=en|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref>

The Guptas' dealings with SAP were revealed in a widely publicised e-mail leak.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fin24.com/Economy/guptas-just-tip-of-sas-corruption-ice-berg-saftu-20170711|title=Guptas just tip of SA's corruption ice-berg - Saftu|work=Fin24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/184559/software-giant-pulled-into-gupta-saga-with-allegations-of-r100-million-kickbacks/|title=Software giant pulled into Gupta saga with allegations of R100 million kickbacks|access-date=2017-07-11|language=en-US}}</ref>

As a consequence of the allegations, SAP launched an investigation that led to four of its South African managers being placed on administrative leave along with the seizure of their mobile phones and computers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d8d693c0-67d8-11e7-8526-7b38dcaef614|title=Germany's SAP to investigate South Africa kickback allegations|website=Financial Times}}</ref> Claas Kuehnemann was named as acting managing director for Africa while the investigation continued.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=163367|title=SAP names Kuehnemann as acting MD|last=Writer|first=Staff|work=ITWeb Technology News|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref>

On 26 October 2017, SAP announced that it had voluntarily reported itself to the [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] for a possible violation of US law, including the [[Foreign Corrupt Practices Act]], related to the South African bribery allegations. SAP's own investigation, conducted by law firm [[Baker McKenzie]], revealed that SAP had paid $7.7 million in commissions to third-parties linked to the Gupta family while securing contracts worth $48 million with Transnet and [[Eskom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|title=SAP Provides Update on Ongoing Investigation into Its South Africa Business|date=26 October 2017|website=SAP News Ceter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143054/https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|archivedate=26 October 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|title=SAP Is Being Investigated by the U.S. Over a Major International Kickback Scandal|last=Meyer|first=David|date=26 October 2017|website=Fortune.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143214/http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|archivedate=26 October 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|title=US justice department launches investigation into SAP-Gupta dealings|date=26 October 2017|website=Mail and Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143251/https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|archivedate=26 October 2017}}</ref>

=== Panamanian bribery ===

In May 2015, SAP agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] civil charges over a former executive's scheme to bribe Panama government officials in order to win lucrative technology contracts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sap-se-sec-idUSKCN0VA3HW|title=#PanamaBribery: SAP settles with SEC over Panama bribery scheme|work=Reuters|access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Companies|Computer Science}}
* [[List of ERP software packages]]
* [[List of SAP products]]
* [[SAP Center]], an indoor arena in San Jose, California that bears the company's name via a sponsorship contract
* [[SAP Fiori]]
* [[SAP Implementation]]
* [[SAP ERP]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|SAP}}
* {{official website}}
{{Finance links
| name = SAP SE
| symbol = SAP
| sec_cik = 1000184
| hoovers = SAP_AG.48cbdfcd173cadff
}}

{{SAP AG}}
{{Euro Stoxx 50 Companies}}
{{DAX companies}}
{{Philadelphia Corporations}}
{{Accounting_software}}
{{Major software companies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sap Se}}
[[Category:SAP SE| ]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Banking software companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Companies based in Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1972]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:CRM software companies]]
[[Category:ERP software companies]]
[[Category:German brands]]
[[Category:Multinational companies headquartered in Germany]]
[[Category:OpenTravel Alliance]]
[[Category:Software companies of Germany]]
[[Category:Societates Europaeae]]
[[Category:Companies in the Euro Stoxx 50]]
[[Category:1972 in computer science]]
[[Category:1978 in computer science]]

SAP

2018-03-29T19:35:35Z

Lowcoder: /* Partnerships */

{{redirect|SAP (company)|other companies|SAP (disambiguation)}}
{{Primary sources|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox company
|name = SAP SE
|logo = [[File:SAP 2011 logo.svg|200px|SAP SE logo]]
|image = [[File:Sap-wdf.jpg|300px]]
|type = ''[[Societas Europaea]]''
|traded_as = {{FWB|SAP}} {{nyse|SAP}} [[DAX|DAX Component]]
|caption =
|foundation = [[Weinheim]], Germany ({{start date and age|1972}})
|founder = [[Dietmar Hopp]] Hans-Werner Hector [[Hasso Plattner]] [[Klaus Tschira]] [[Claus Wellenreuther]]
|location_city = [[Walldorf]]
|location_country = Germany
|area_served = Worldwide
|key_people =
*[[Hasso Plattner]] (Chairman) 
*[[Bill McDermott]] (CEO) 
|industry = [[Enterprise software]]
|products = See [[list of SAP products]]
|revenue = {{Increase}} [[Euro|€]]22.062 billion (2016)<ref name="financials">{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/docs/download/investors/2016/sap-2016-q4-statement.pdf|title=SAP Q4 2016 Quarterly Statement|publisher=SAP SE|accessdate=31 January 2017}}</ref>
|operating_income = {{Increase}} €5.121 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|net_income = {{Increase}} €3.618 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|assets = {{Increase}} €44.354 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|equity = {{Increase}} €26.382 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|num_employees = 84,183 (Q4 2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|parent =
|homepage = {{URL|https://www.sap.com/}}
|footnotes =
|intl = yes
}}

'''SAP [[Societas Europaea|SE]]''' ({{IPAc-en|ɛ|s|eɪ|ˈ|p|i}}) ({{lang|de|'''''S'''ysteme, '''A'''nwendungen und '''P'''rodukte in der Datenverarbeitung''}}; "'''S'''ystems, '''A'''pplications & '''P'''roducts in Data Processing") is a German-based European [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[software corporation]] that makes [[enterprise software]] to manage business operations and customer relations.<ref name="SAP Company History">{{cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/history.html|title=SAP Company History|accessdate=25 January 2017}}</ref> SAP is headquartered in [[Walldorf]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], [[Germany]] with regional offices in 180 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/de/company.html|title=Unternehmensinformationen{{!}} Über SAP|website=SAP|language=de|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref><ref name="SAP Company Information">{{cite web|url=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/our-company/index.epx|title=SAP at a Glance: Company Information|accessdate=27 January 2015}}</ref> The company has over 335,000 customers in over 180 countries.<ref name="SAP Company Information"/> The company is a component of the [[Euro Stoxx 50]] [[stock market index]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/en/equities/indices/euro+stoxx+50+EU0009658145/constituents|title=Börse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stock Exchange): Stock market quotes, charts and news|publisher=}}</ref>

==History==

===Formation===
When [[Xerox]] aimed to exit the computer industry in 1975,<ref>Holmes, Edith. "IBM Opposes Retelling of Whole Xerox Story in Court", ''Computerworld'', p. 42, 26 January 1976.</ref> it asked [[IBM]] to migrate its business systems to IBM technology. As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM was given the rights to the [[Scientific Data Systems|Scientific Data Systems (SDS)]]/SAPE software, reportedly for a contract credit of $80,000.

Five IBM engineers from the AI department<ref name="funding universe">{{cite web|title=History of SAP AG|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sap-ag-history|accessdate=3 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="idch">International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 16. St James Press, 1997.</ref> ([[Dietmar Hopp]], [[Klaus Tschira]], Hans-Werner Hector, [[Hasso Plattner]], and [[Claus Wellenreuther]], all from [[Mannheim]], Baden-Württemberg) were working in an enterprise-wide system based on this software, only to be told that it would no longer be necessary. Rather than abandoning the project, they decided to leave IBM Tech and start another company.<ref name="saphistory">{{cite web|author=Staff|title=SAP History: From Start-Up Software Vendor to Global Market Leader|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/index.html|accessdate=10 October 2010}}</ref>

In June 1972, they founded {{lang|de|''Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung''}} ("System Analysis and Program Development") company, as a private partnership under the German Civil Code.<ref name="saphistory"/>

Their first client was the German branch of [[Imperial Chemical Industries]] in [[Östringen]],<ref>[http://www.sap.com/uk/about/success/casestudies/ici.epx SAP UK – ICI Success Story], Sap.com (1 January 1999); retrieved 24 April 2011.</ref> where they developed mainframe programs for payroll and accounting. Instead of storing the data on [[punch card]]s mechanically, as IBM did, they stored it locally in the Electronic System which using common Logical database for all activities of Organization.{{clarify|date=April 2017}} Therefore, they called their software a [[real-time computing|real-time]] system, since there was no need to process the punch cards overnight (for this reason their flagship product carried an '''R''' in its name until the late 1990s). This first version was also a standalone software that could be offered to other interested parties.<ref>{{cite web|title=Standard Application Software for Real-time processing is developed|URL=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/1972-1981.html}}</ref>

===Enterprise Resource Planning===
In 1973, the first commercial product was launched. It was called SAP R/98,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.simplilearn.com/sap-r-98-the-first-commercial-erp-product-rar378-article|title=SAP R/98 – The First Commercial ERP Product|website=Simplilearn.com|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref> and offered a common system for multiple tasks. This permitted the use of a centralized data storage, improving the maintenance of data. From a technical point of view, therefore, a [[database]] was necessary.<ref name="ErfolgsfaktorenSAP">{{cite web|url=http://chbeck.metapress.com/content/ph64048135784551|title=Vom Programmierbüro zum globalen Softwareproduzenten: Die Erfolgsfaktoren der SAP von der Gründung bis zum R/3-Boom, 1972 bis 1996|publisher=Chbeck.metapress.com|date=14 November 2008|accessdate=27 March 2014}}</ref>

In 1976, SAP [[GmbH]] was founded, and moved its headquarters the following year to [[Walldorf]], Germany. Three years later, in 1979, SAP launched [[SAP R/2]], expanding the capabilities of the system to other areas, such as material management and [[production planning]]. In 1981, SAP brought a re-designed product to market. However, SAP R/2 did not improve until the period between 1985 and 1990. SAP released the new [[SAP R/3]] in 1992. SAP developed and released several versions of R/3 through 1995. By the mid-1990s, SAP followed the trend from [[Mainframe computer|mainframe]] computing to [[client-server architecture|client/server architectures]]. The development of SAP's internet strategy with mySAP.com redesigned the concept of business processes (integration via Internet).<ref name="saphistory"/> As a result, R/3 was replaced with the introduction of SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) 5.0 in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cipherbsc.com/sap-ecc-modules/|title=SAP ECC Modules - Cipher Business Solutions|last=Solutions|first=Cipher Business|work=Cipher Business Solutions|access-date=2017-03-29|language=en-US}}</ref> Architectural changes were also made to support an enterprise service architecture to transition customers to a services-oriented architecture. The latest version, SAP ERP 6.0, was released in 2006. SAP ERP 6.0 has since then been updated through SAP enhancement packs, the most recent: SAP enhancement package 8 for SAP ERP 6.0 in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-version-sap-erp-available-ecc-60-ehp7-what-do-you-rakesh-singh|title=The latest version of SAP ERP available is SAP ECC 6.0 EHP7, What do you understand by ECC ?|date=2016-03-04|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en}}</ref>

=== Corporate restructuring ===
In August 1988, SAP GmbH became SAP [[Aktiengesellschaft|AG]], and public trading started on 4 November 1988. Shares were listed on the [[Frankfurt Stock Exchange|Frankfurt]] and [[Börse Stuttgart|Stuttgart stock exchanges]].<ref name="saphistory"/> In 1995, SAP was included in the German stock index [[DAX]] and, on 22 September 2003, SAP was included in the [[STOXX Europe 50|Dow Jones STOXX 50]].<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Stoxx|title=STOXX Limited Announces Changes to its Blue-Chip Index Series|date=1 September 2003|url=http://www.whitehallresources.co.uk/stoxx-limited-announces-changes-to-its-blue-chip-index-series/|accessdate=21 October 2016}}</ref>

The company's official name became ''SAP [[Aktiengesellschaft|AG]]'' (a public limited company) after the 2005 [[annual general meeting]]. In 2014, SAP changed from an AG to a European Company ([[Societas Europaea|Societas Europaea or SE]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/investors/investorservices/faq/index.html|title=Company Q & A|work=Investor Relations|publisher=SAP.com|accessdate=27 May 2015}}</ref>

=== Focus on cloud ===
Since 2012, SAP has acquired several companies that sell [[cloud computing|cloud-based products]], with several multibillion-dollar acquisitions seen by analysts as an attempt to challenge competitor [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-05-22/sap-agrees-to-buy-ariba |title=SAP to Acquire Ariba for $4.3 Billion in Push Into Cloud |first1=Kenneth |last1=Wong |first2=Dina |last2=Bass |newspaper=Bloomberg News |date=23 May 2012}}</ref> In 2014 SAP bought [[Concur Technologies]], a provider of cloud-based travel and expense management software, for $8.3 billion, SAP's most expensive purchase to that date.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/09/22/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-to-boost-cloud-sales |title=SAP To Acquire Concur Technologies To Boost Cloud Sales |newspaper=Forbes |date=22 September 2014}}</ref> Analysts' reactions to the purchase were mixed, with Thomas Becker of Commerzbank questioning whether Concur was the right choice for SAP, while Credit Suisse called the acquisition an "aggressive" move.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-1411076535 |title=SAP to Acquire Concur Technologies |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |first1=Neetha |last1=Mahadevan |first2=Stephan |last2=Doerner |date=19 September 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, IBM and SAP began a partnership to sell cloud-based services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-and-sap-score-win-over-amazon-2014-10|title=IBM and SAP Score Win Over Amazon|work=BusinessInsider|date=14 October 2014}}</ref> Likewise, in 2015, SAP also partnered with [[Hewlett Packard Enterprise|HPE]] to provide secure hybrid cloud-based services running the SAP platform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=1982676#.WNdTf1XytEY|title=HP News - HP and SAP Accelerate Journey to SAP® S/4HANA on HP Helion Managed Cloud|website=www8.hp.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-26}}</ref> Both HPE and IBM provide infrastructure services to SAP, and SAP runs its SAP HANA cloud solution on top. SAP has announced additional partnerships with Microsoft in order to give customers tools for data visualization, as well as improved mobile applications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/19/microsoft-sap-strengthen-ties-with-mobile-data-cloud-partnership|title=Microsoft and SAP Strengthen Ties with Mobile, Data, Cloud Partnership|publisher=TechCrunch|date=19 May 2014}}</ref>

SAP exceeded its revenue projections due to the expansion in its cloud business and the success of SAP HANA. The growth can also be partially attributed to the acquisitions of Concur and Fieldglass.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2015/01/22/sap-posts-strong-2014-results-cloud-business-to-drive-future-growth SAP Posts Strong 2014 Results, Cloud Business to Drive Future Growth ], Forbes, 22 January 2015</ref>

The company announced plans in 2016 to invest heavily into technology relating to [[Internet of things|Internet of Things]] (IoT) as part of a strategy to capitalize on the growth in that market. For that purpose, €2 billion is planned for investment in relevant sectors by the end of 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2016/09/28/sap-invest-billion-internet-things-2020/|title=SAP Plans to Invest $2.2 Billion in the Internet of Things by 2020|last=Reuters|website=Fortune|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref> SAP will also launch a new product line called SAP IoT, which "will combine large amounts of data from things connected to the Internet with machine learning and SAP's real-time database S/4 HANA."<ref name=":0" />

===SAP S/4HANA===
In 2015, the company launched [[SAP S/4HANA]], the newest generation of the SAP Business Suite. It was written natively for the [[SAP HANA]] platform. It offers cloud, on-premises and hybrid deployment options to customers, with its benefits including a smaller data footprint, higher throughput, faster analytics and faster access to data. It also allows existing SAP Business Suite customers to upgrade to this product from SAP Business Suite.<ref>{{cite web|title=Answers on SAP upgradation to SAP S/4HANA|URL=http://news.sap.com/what-is-sap-s4hana-13-questions-answered/}}</ref>

In 2016, SAP introduced SAP HANA, Express Edition which is meant to run on personal computers or on cloud computing platforms for students and other small-scale developers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-aims-to-court-more-hana-developers-launches-express-edition/ |title=SAP aims to court more HANA developers, launches express edition |publisher=ZDNet |date=16 September 2016 |accessdate=19 November 2016 |author=Larry Dignan}}</ref>

[[Bill McDermott]], CEO of SAP, compared the release of SAP S/4HANA to a "[[Apollo program|moonshot]]", describing it as the most important launch in the company's history.<ref>[http://diginomica.com/2015/02/03/sap-s4hana-user-analyst-partner-views "SAP S4/HANA – the user, analyst and partner views"], Diginomica.com, 3 February 2015.</ref>

==Acquisitions==
{{More citations needed|section|date=February 2018}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Acquisition number !! Acquired company !! Acquisition date !! Specialty !! Country of origin !! Acquisition costs
|-
| 67 || [[CallidusCloud]] || Jan 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/30/sap-snags-calliduscloud-for-2-4-billion/|title=SAP snags CallidusCloud for $2.4 billion|first=Ron|last=Miller|publisher=|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Sales Performance Management Tool || USA || 2.24 b
|-
| 66 || Recast.ai || Jan 2018<ref>[https://www.enterprisetimes.co.uk/2018/01/24/sap-acquires-recast-ai-invests-france/]</ref> || Conversational User Experience Technology || France ||
|-
| 65 || Gigya || Sep 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/24/sap-is-buying-identity-management-firm-gigya-for-350m/|title=SAP buys customer identity management firm Gigya for $350M|first=Ingrid|last=Lunden|publisher=|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Identity Management || USA || $350m
|-
| 64 || Abakus || Dec 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abakus.me/2016/12/14/sap-the-fastest-growing-enterprise-cloud-company-announces-acquisition-of-abakus/|title=Marketing attribution software & tool vendor - SAP Hybris|website=abakus.me|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Marketing attribution || USA ||
|-
| 63 || Plat.One || Oct 2016 || IoT || USA ||
|-
| 62 || Altiscale || Aug 2016 || Big Data and Hadoop Hosting || USA || $125m+
|-
| 61 || Fedem Technology || Jun 2016 || IoT || Norway ||
|-
| 60 || MeLLmo Inc. ([[Roambi]] ) || Feb 2016 || Mobile Business Intelligence || USA ||
|-
| 59 || [[Concur Technologies]] || Sept 2014 || Travel and Expense Management || USA || $8.3b
|-
| 58 || SeeWhy || May 2014 || Behavioural target marketing || USA || $1.1b
|-
| 57 || Fieldglass || Mar 2014 || Contingent labour and services || USA ||
|-
| 56 || KXEN || Oct 2013 || Predictive analytics || France||
|-
| 55 || [[Hybris (company)|hybris]] || May 2013 || E-Commerce Solutions || Switzerland ||
|-
| 54 || Camilion || March 2013 || Insurance solutions || Canada ||
|-
| 53 || [[Sridhar Tayur#SmartOps|SmartOps]] || Feb 2013 || Inventory optimization || USA ||
|-
| 52 || Ticket-Web || Feb 2013 || CRM for sports and entertainment promoters || USA ||
|-
| 51 || [[Ariba]] || Oct 2012 || Supplier network || USA || $4.3b
|-
| 50 || Syclo || Jun 2012 || Mobile asset management || USA ||
|-
| 49 || datango || Jan 2012 || Electronic performance support technologies || Germany ||
|-
| 48 || [[SuccessFactors]] || Dec 2011 || Human Capital Management || USA || $3.4b
|-
| 47 || Right Hemisphere || Sep 2011 || 3D visualization || USA ||
|-
| 46 || Crossgate || Sep 2011 || B2B eCommerce || Germany||
|-
| 45 || Secude || Mar 2011 || Security software (Not the whole company, only some assets were acquired) || Germany ||
|-
| 44 || Cundus || Dec 2010 || Disclosure Management || Germany ||
|-
| 43 || [[Sybase]] || May 2010 || Database, middleware, mobile software || USA || $5.8b
|-
| 42 || TechniData || May 2010 || Environmental, Health and Safety || Germany ||
|-
| 41 || SAF || Sep 2009 || Inventory Management || Switzerland || $91m
|-
| 40 || Highdeal || May 2009 || High-volume billing || France ||
|-
| 39 || Visiprise || Jul 2008 || Manufacturing Execution || USA ||
|-
| 38 || Saicon INC || Oct 2014 || US Recruitment || India ||
|-
| 37 || [[BusinessObjects]] || Oct 2007 || Business Intelligence || France || $6.78b
|-
|36
|Yasu Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
|Oct 2007
|Business Rules Management Software
|India
|
|-
| 35 || Wicom Communications || May 2007 || Internet Communication software || Finland||
|-
| 34 || [[MaXware]] || May 2007 || Identity software || Norway ||
|-
| 33 || Outlooksoft || May 2007 || Planning & consolidation || USA ||
|-
| 32 || Pilot Software || Feb 2007 || Strategy Management software || USA || ~$200m
|-
| 31 || Factory Logic || Dec 2006 || Lean scheduling and supply synchronisation || USA ||
|-
| 30 || Praxis Software Solutions || Jul 2006 || Web-based CRM and eCommerce || USA ||
|-
| 29 || Frictionless Commerce || May 2006 || SRM software || USA ||
|-
| 28 || Virsa Systems || Apr 2006 || Compliance solutions || USA ||
|-
| 27 || SAP Systems Integration || Dec 2005 || Consulting services || Germany ||
|-
| 26 || Callixa || Nov 2005 || Enterprise Integration Information software || USA ||
|-
| 25 || Khimetrics || Nov 2005 || retail software || USA ||
|-
| 24 || Triversity || Sep 2005 || POS software || Canada ||
|-
| 23 || Lighthammer || Jun 2005 || Manufacturing Intelligence and Collaborative Manufacturing || USA ||
|-
| 22 || DCS Quantum || Feb 2005 || Automotive Dealer Management || United Kingdom ||
|-
| 21 || [[TomorrowNow]] || Jan 2005 || grey-market support || USA ||
|-
| 20 || ilytix || Jan 2005 || SAP BusinessOne Business Intelligence || Norway ||
|-
| 19 || A2i || Jul 2004 || Master Data Management || USA ||
|-
| 18 || SPM Technologies || Dec 2003 || IT architecture consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 17 || DCW Software || Jul 2003 || OS/400 Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 16 || Guimachine || Dec 2002 || NetWeaver Visual Composer toolkit || USA ||
|-
| 15 || IMHC || May 2001 || Integrated managed health care from IDS || USA ||
|-
| 14 || Expression || May 2002 || real-time file sharing || ? ||
|-
| 13 || Topmanage || Feb 2002 || SAP BusinessOne Suite || Israel ||
|-
| 12 || Paynet International AG || Dec 2001 || Invoice Processing || Germany ||
|-
| 11 || COPA GmbH || Nov 2001 || Beverage industry consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 10 || Infinite Data Structures || May 2001 || Trade Management / CRM || USA ||
|-
| 9 || Toptier || Mar 2001 || Enterprise Information Portal and Integration Infrastructure || USA || ~$400m
|-
| 8 || Prescient Consulting || Feb 2000 || Consulting services || USA ||
|-
| 7 || In-Q-My Technologies GmbH || 2000 || J2EE Server || Bulgaria ||
|-
| 6 || Campbell Software || 1999 || Workforce Management || USA ||
|-
| 5 || AMC Development || 1998 || Call Center telephony integration software || USA ||
|-
| 4 || OFEK-Tech || 1998 || Warehousing and distribution centre software || Israel ||
|-
| 3 || Kiefer & Veittinger || 1997 || Sales force Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 2 || Dacos || 1996 || Retail solution || Germany ||
|-
| 1 || Steeb || 1991 || Software and Consulting Services || Germany ||
|-
|}

==Business and markets==
{{As of|2016}}, SAP is the world's third largest software and programming company.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/global2000/list/#industry:Software%20%26%20Programming |title=The World's Biggest Public Companies, Software & Programming |website=Forbes |accessdate=21 October 2016}}</ref> The corporation operates in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and South America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Worldwide Office Directory of SAP|URL=http://www.sap.com/directory/main.html}}</ref>

SAP focuses on 25 industries and six industry sectors: process industries, discrete industries, consumer industries, service industries, financial services and public services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/solution.html|title=Business in Brief: Markets|publisher=SAP|accessdate=15 October 2007}}</ref> It offers integrated product sets for large enterprises,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/midmarket-solutions-2.html#1|title=Midmarket Solutions: SAP ALL-IN-ONE – Solutions for mid-size companies|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP.ocm|accessdate=15 October 2007}}</ref> mid-sized companies and small businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|title=Industry Solutions: Innovation – One Industry at a Time|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP.com|accessdate=15 October 2007|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011100833/http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|archivedate=11 October 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture==
[[Service-oriented architecture]] has been incorporated into the SAP ERP ([[Enterprise Resource Planning]]) system and other products defined within the SAP Enterprise Services Architecture (Enterprise SOA).

===Enterprise SOA=== 
''SAP Enterprise Service Oriented Architecture'' (or ''Enterprise SOA'') is SAP SE's [[service-oriented architecture]] implementation.<ref>[http://global.sap.com/platform/soa/adoptionprogram.epx ''SAP - Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture: Adoption Program''], global.sap.com; accessed 27 May 2015.</ref> Enterprise SOA is enabled by the [[SAP NetWeaver]] platform and builds on the benefits of [[Web service]]s. SAP has positioned Enterprise SOA to deliver the benefits offered by service-oriented architecture, including enabling both flexibility and business efficiency. SAP markets Enterprise SOA as a cost-effective way of adding new applications to existing infrastructure.<ref>"When Does a Web Service Become an Enterprise Service?" by Dr Franz-Josef Fritz (SAP AG), ''SAP Insider'', April–May–June 2004.</ref> SAP Solutions that currently use Enterprise SOA are [[mySAP CRM]], [[mySAP ERP]], and [[mySAP SRM]].

==Partnerships==
SAP partners include Global Services Partners with cross-industry multinational consulting capabilities,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Services Partners]. SAP AG. Retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref> Global Software Partners providing integrated products that complement SAP Business Suite solutions,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Software Partners]. Sap.com (30 June 2009). Retrieved on 7 July 2011.</ref> and Global Technology Partners providing user companies with a wide range of products to support SAP technology, including vendors of hardware, database, storage systems, networks, and mobile computing technology.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Technology Partners], go.sap.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

Extensions partners are companies which provide functionality that complements SAP product capabilities. Their products are certified, sold, and supported by SAP. These partner companies include [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]], [[CA Technologies]], [[GK Software]],<ref>[http://www.news-sap.com/sap-offers-extended-global-reseller-agreement-with-gk-software/ SAP Offers Retailers in North America a Full Range of Store Solutions to Optimize Their Businesses Through Extended Global Reseller Agreement With GK Software]. sap-news.com (28 May 2013). Retrieved on 22 May 2015.</ref> [[Hewlett-Packard]], [[IDS Scheer]], [[Mendix]]<ref>[https://www.mendix.com/press/mendix-announces-global-reseller-agreement-with-sap-providing-enterprises-low-code-development-for-building-web-and-mobile-apps-at-speed-and-scale/ Mendix Announces Global Reseller Agreement with SAP, Providing Enterprises Low-Code Development for Building Enterprise Apps at Speed and Scale]. Mendix.com (26 September 2017). Retrieved on 28 March 2018.</ref>, [[OpenText]],<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opentext-named-solution-extension-partner-of-the-year-and-sap-database-and-data-management-partner-of-the-year-in-2017-sap-pinnacle-awards-300458320.html OpenText Named Solution Extension Partner of the Year and SAP Database and Data Management Partner of the Year in 2017 SAP® Pinnacle Awards]. prnewswire.com (16 May 2017). Retrieved on 09 March 2018.</ref> [[Knoa Software]], and [[BackOffice Associates]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scn.sap.com/community/solution-extensions|title=Solution Extensions {{!}} Digital Jouney {{!}} SAP|website=SAP|language=en|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref>

SAP has also partnered with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] to work on the mobile experience for SAP enterprise customers. As part of the partnership, a new [[SAP HANA Cloud Platform]] SDK would be delivered exclusively for [[iOS]]. As a result, developers can build applications based on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform for the [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]] devices. The partnership was announced in May 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sap.com/apple-sap-partner-to-revolutionize-work-on-iphone-ipad/|title=Apple & SAP Partner to Revolutionize Work on iPhone & iPad|date=2016-05-05|work=SAP News Center|access-date=2017-09-04|language=en-US}}</ref>

==SAP PartnerEdge==
SAP products for small businesses and midsize companies are delivered through its global partner network. The SAP PartnerEdge programme, SAP's partner programme, offers a set of business enablement resources and program benefits to help partners including value-added resellers (VARs) and independent software vendors (ISVs) be profitable and successful in implementing, selling, marketing, developing and delivering SAP products to a broad range of customers.<ref>[http://www1.sap.com/about/press/factsheets/smb.epx SAP – SAP Solutions for Small Businesses and Midsize Companies: Press Fact Sheet, July 2007]. SAP.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Communities==
[[SAP Community Network]] (SCN) is a community of SAP customers, partners, employees, and influencers – typically in roles such as: developers, consultants, integrators, and business analysts – who gain and share knowledge about [[ABAP]], Java, .NET, SOA, and other technologies, plus analytics and dashboards, business process best practices, cloud, mobile, big data, and a range of other topics via blogs, discussion forums, downloads and code samples, training materials, and a technical library.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/community.html SAP – Communities]. go.sap.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Organization==
{{primary sources|section|date=July 2016}}
SAP uses a two-tier structure of boards, with an [[executive board]] and a [[supervisory board]]. As of 2016, members of the executive board were [[Bill McDermott]] ([[chief executive officer|CEO]] and Chairman, joined in 2008), Robert Enslin (2014) Bernd Leukert (2014), Luka Mucic ([[Chief financial officer|CFO]], 2014), Michael Kleinemeier (2015), Stefan Ries (2016), Steve Singh (2016) and Gerhard Oswald (1996).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/our-boards/executive-board.html|title=SAP Executive Board|work=SAP}}</ref>

Functional units of SAP are split across different organizational units for R&D needs, field activities and customer support. SAP Labs are mainly responsible for product development whereas the field organizations spread across each country are responsible for field activities such sales, marketing and consulting. Headquarters is responsible for overall management as well as core Engineering activities related to product development. Worldwide customer support is not provided by the field organizations but by a unified organization called Active Global Support (AGS).<ref>{{cite web|title=SAP launches Global Support Center|URL=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/news.epx?PressID=3042}}</ref>

== SAP Labs ==
{{primary sources|section|date=October 2017}}
'''SAP Labs''' are R&D locations that develop and improve SAP core products. SAP Labs are strategically located in high-tech clusters around the globe.

SAP Labs are located in Germany (main locations: [[Walldorf]]/Rot, [[Markdorf]], [[Berlin]]), United States (main location: [[Silicon Valley]]), India (main location: [[Bangalore]]), China (main location: [[Shanghai]]), Brazil (main location: [[São Leopoldo|Sao Leopoldo]]), Bulgaria (main location: [[Sofia]]), Canada (main locations: [[Vancouver]], [[Montreal]]), Vietnam (main location: [[Ho Chi Minh City]]), Israel (main location: [[Ra'anana]]), CIS (main location: [[Moscow]]), France (main location: [[Paris]], [[Sophia Antipolis]]), Ireland (main location: [[Dublin]]), Hungary (main location: [[Budapest]]), Slovakia (main location: [[Bratislava]]), Czech Republic (main location: [[Brno]]), Poland (main location: [[Gliwice]]).

SAP's main 4 Labs' locations are Germany, India, China and the US. Labs Walldorf was founded in 1972 and became SAP's first location. At the beginning, the focus of SAP expansion was entering highly developed IT markets: in 1993 Palo Alto becomes a part of SAP Labs‘ locations. Aiming to acquire talented employees, in 1998, SAP opens its Labs in Bangalore, in 2003 – in China.

Among the latest SAP Labs are Labs Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. All three labs have been established in 2016.

In order to manage SAP Labs, '''SAP Labs Network (SLN)''' was created. SLN is a global unit that manages regional Labs and shares best business practices. It coordinates and distributes development projects among individual SAP Labs locations, accelerates product delivery, gives SAP full access to talent, and drives SAP corporate strategy regarding innovation and business growth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/innovation/sap-labs.html|title=R&D Locations {{!}} SAP Labs {{!}} About SAP SE|website=SAP|access-date=2016-04-29}}</ref>

==SAP User Groups==
{{more citations needed|section|date=October 2017}}
'''SAP User Groups''' are independent, non-profit organizations of SAP customers and SAP partners. They serve as communications channel for their members towards SAP and for SAP towards the markets. The Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) is the company's largest user group, with 100,000 individuals at 3,800 companies. ASUG members are professionals who work in more than 17 industries. Many are technical and business process experts in the SAP ecosystem; they have varied levels of experience, and come from small businesses to global corporations, as well as universities. In 2007, the SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN) was established.

SAP provoked controversy and frustration among its users in 2008 by raising the cost of its maintenance contracts. The issue was the subject of intense discussion among user groups.<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/it-business/supplier-relations/news/index.cfm?newsid=10632 SAP faces user wrath over price hikes]. Computerworlduk.com. Retrieved on 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Conferences==
SAP has two annual conferences:
* SAPPHIRE is SAP's customer-facing event, where it generally announces major product changes and strategic direction. It is typically held in the spring in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2154366/sap-unveils-successfactors-cloud-computing-roadmap-squares-oracle|title=SAP unveils SuccessFactors cloud computing roadmap as it squares up to Oracle|publisher=V3.co.uk|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/2223461|title=SAP Rolls Out Updates at SAPPHIRE|publisher=InternetNews|date=17 June 2003|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref>
* SAP TechEd is the company's more technical conference, aimed at SAP's ecosystem of consultants and software development partners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-09-22/bangalore/27845182_1_teched-key-theme-solutions|title=SAP TechEd '05 in Bangalore|publisher=Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com|date=22 September 2005|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/207317/sap_teched_to_go_deep_on_mobility_ondemand.html|title=SAP TechEd to Go Deep on Mobility|publisher=Pcworld.com|date=8 October 2010|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref> SAP TechEd has been held annually since 1995.

==Competitive landscape==
SAP competitors are primarily in the [[enterprise resource planning]] software industry. In this field, [[Oracle Corporation]] is SAP's major competitor. SAP also competes in the customer relationship management, marketing & sales software, manufacturing, warehousing & industrial software, and supply chain management & logistics software sectors.<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff|title=SAP Competitors|url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.sap_se.48cbdfcd173cadff.html}}</ref>

Oracle Corporation filed [[Oracle Corp. v. SAP AG|a lawsuit against SAP]] for malpractice and unfair competition in the California courts in 2007. SAP lost the case in 2010 and was ordered to pay a sum of US $1.3 billion, which was cited as the largest [[copyright infringement]] judgment in history.<ref>{{cite news|title=SAP to pay Oracle $1.3 billion in landmark decision|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2010/11/24/us-oracle-sap-idUSTRE6AL4IN20101124|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|accessdate=2 October 2015|first=Dan|last=Levine|date=23 November 2010}}</ref> The verdict was overturned in 2011,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/technology/oracle-verdict-against-sap-is-overturned.html|title=Oracle Verdict Against SAP Is Overturned|publisher=Associated Press|date=1 September 2011|accessdate=12 January 2015}}.</ref> and the lawsuit was finally settled in 2014 for $356.7 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/11/13/technology/13reuters-oracle-sap-se-settlement.html|title=Oracle, SAP Settle Long-Running TomorrowNow Lawsuit|publisher=Reuters|date=13 November 2014|accessdate=14 August 2015}}.</ref>

The resulting pressure saw SAP and SUGEN (SAP User Group Executive Network) agree to a major benchmarking exercise to prove the value of the new support pricing policy to customers. In December 2009, SAP delayed its Enterprise Support price rises until agreement had been reached on the benchmarks and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsId=17810 SAP delays Enterprise Support price rises]. Computerworlduk.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

In January 2010, SAP reversed its direction on Enterprise Support and reintroduced its standard support package for customers. The move to reinstate standard support – at 18 percent of annual license fees, "will enable all customers to choose the option that best meets their requirements", the company said.<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsId=18318 SAP does U-turn on Enterprise Support]. Computerworlduk.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

In August 2013, SAP acquired German software company [[Hybris (company)|Hybris]] for eCommerce capabilities.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.eweek.com/it-management/sap-closes-deal-to-acquire-mdm-maker-hybris|title=SAP Closes Deal to Acquire MDM Maker Hybris|work=eWEEK|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>[http://www.informationweek.com/applications/sap-buys-hybris-gains-customer-experience-power/d/d-id/1111073 "SAP buys Hybris, gains customer experience, power"], informationweek.com; accessed 27 May 2015.</ref>

==Philanthropic efforts==
SAP has donated several millions of dollars to a variety of global health causes including the [[Product Red]] campaign and the [[Global Fund]].<ref>{{cite web|title=(RED) Partners|url=http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|work=(RED)|publisher=The ONE Campaign|date=14 October 2012|accessdate=27 May 2015|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524044206/http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|archivedate=24 May 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/tech-philanthropy/2014/10/8/what-this-giant-software-company-is-doing-to-advance-global.html |title=What This Giant Software Company Is Doing to Advance Global Health |website=Inside Philanthropy |date=8 October 2014 |accessdate=13 November 2016}}</ref> In addition, SAP has distributed free software in South Africa as part of an effort towards developing future markets there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/08/business-case-strategic-philanthropy |title=The Business Case for Strategic Philanthropy |website= TriplePundit |date=8 August 2013 |accessdate=13 November 2016}}</ref> The company also encourages employees to volunteer through social sabbaticals, sending teams of people to different countries to aid non-profits. SAP employees have volunteered in China, India, Brazil, and South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/ernst-young-sap-corporate-volunteering |title=How EY and SAP are championing corporate volunteering |publisher=The Guardian |date=11 February 2014 |accessdate = 13 November 2016}}</ref>

==Autism hiring==
SAP also engages in outreach activities within its company. In 2013, the company launched an initiative to hire employees with autism and [[Asperger syndrome]], citing their undervalued ability to contribute to its workforce. SAP aims to compose 1% of its workforce with individuals with autism by the year 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22621829 |title=SAP in autism recruitment drive |publisher=BBC News |date=22 May 2013}}</ref>

== Bribery and corruption ==

=== South African allegations ===

In July 2017, allegations were made that SAP had been involved in business transactions with the controversial and politically influential [[Gupta family]] in South Africa. SAP was accused of paying CAD House, a Gupta-controlled company, R100 million in order to secure a [[Transnet]] deal. SAP denied the allegations, claiming that the money was paid as "an extension of the sales force", despite CAD House having no prior SAP experience.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptaleaks-software-giant-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business-20170711|title=#GuptaLeaks: Software giant paid Gupta front R100m 'kickbacks' for state business|work=News24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://amabhungane.co.za/article/2017-07-11-guptaleaks-software-giant-sap-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business|title=amaBhungane - #GuptaLeaks: Software giant SAP paid Gupta front R100m "kickbacks" for state business|website=amabhungane.co.za|language=en|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref>

The Guptas' dealings with SAP were revealed in a widely publicised e-mail leak.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fin24.com/Economy/guptas-just-tip-of-sas-corruption-ice-berg-saftu-20170711|title=Guptas just tip of SA's corruption ice-berg - Saftu|work=Fin24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/184559/software-giant-pulled-into-gupta-saga-with-allegations-of-r100-million-kickbacks/|title=Software giant pulled into Gupta saga with allegations of R100 million kickbacks|access-date=2017-07-11|language=en-US}}</ref>

As a consequence of the allegations, SAP launched an investigation that led to four of its South African managers being placed on administrative leave along with the seizure of their mobile phones and computers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d8d693c0-67d8-11e7-8526-7b38dcaef614|title=Germany's SAP to investigate South Africa kickback allegations|website=Financial Times}}</ref> Claas Kuehnemann was named as acting managing director for Africa while the investigation continued.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=163367|title=SAP names Kuehnemann as acting MD|last=Writer|first=Staff|work=ITWeb Technology News|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref>

On 26 October 2017, SAP announced that it had voluntarily reported itself to the [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] for a possible violation of US law, including the [[Foreign Corrupt Practices Act]], related to the South African bribery allegations. SAP's own investigation, conducted by law firm [[Baker McKenzie]], revealed that SAP had paid $7.7 million in commissions to third-parties linked to the Gupta family while securing contracts worth $48 million with Transnet and [[Eskom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|title=SAP Provides Update on Ongoing Investigation into Its South Africa Business|date=26 October 2017|website=SAP News Ceter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143054/https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|archivedate=26 October 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|title=SAP Is Being Investigated by the U.S. Over a Major International Kickback Scandal|last=Meyer|first=David|date=26 October 2017|website=Fortune.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143214/http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|archivedate=26 October 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|title=US justice department launches investigation into SAP-Gupta dealings|date=26 October 2017|website=Mail and Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143251/https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|archivedate=26 October 2017}}</ref>

=== Panamanian bribery ===

In May 2015, SAP agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] civil charges over a former executive's scheme to bribe Panama government officials in order to win lucrative technology contracts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sap-se-sec-idUSKCN0VA3HW|title=#PanamaBribery: SAP settles with SEC over Panama bribery scheme|work=Reuters|access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Companies|Computer Science}}
* [[List of ERP software packages]]
* [[List of SAP products]]
* [[SAP Center]], an indoor arena in San Jose, California that bears the company's name via a sponsorship contract
* [[SAP Fiori]]
* [[SAP Implementation]]
* [[SAP ERP]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|SAP}}
* {{official website}}
{{Finance links
| name = SAP SE
| symbol = SAP
| sec_cik = 1000184
| hoovers = SAP_AG.48cbdfcd173cadff
}}

{{SAP AG}}
{{Euro Stoxx 50 Companies}}
{{DAX companies}}
{{Philadelphia Corporations}}
{{Accounting_software}}
{{Major software companies}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sap Se}}
[[Category:SAP SE| ]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Germany]]
[[Category:Banking software companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Companies based in Baden-Württemberg]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1972]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:CRM software companies]]
[[Category:ERP software companies]]
[[Category:German brands]]
[[Category:Multinational companies headquartered in Germany]]
[[Category:OpenTravel Alliance]]
[[Category:Software companies of Germany]]
[[Category:Societates Europaeae]]
[[Category:Companies in the Euro Stoxx 50]]
[[Category:1972 in computer science]]
[[Category:1978 in computer science]]

SAP

2018-03-29T19:30:10Z

Lowcoder: /* Partnerships */

{{redirect|SAP (company)|other companies|SAP (disambiguation)}}
{{Primary sources|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox company
|name = SAP SE
|logo = [[File:SAP 2011 logo.svg|200px|SAP SE logo]]
|image = [[File:Sap-wdf.jpg|300px]]
|type = ''[[Societas Europaea]]''
|traded_as = {{FWB|SAP}} {{nyse|SAP}} [[DAX|DAX Component]]
|caption =
|foundation = [[Weinheim]], Germany ({{start date and age|1972}})
|founder = [[Dietmar Hopp]] Hans-Werner Hector [[Hasso Plattner]] [[Klaus Tschira]] [[Claus Wellenreuther]]
|location_city = [[Walldorf]]
|location_country = Germany
|area_served = Worldwide
|key_people =
*[[Hasso Plattner]] (Chairman) 
*[[Bill McDermott]] (CEO) 
|industry = [[Enterprise software]]
|products = See [[list of SAP products]]
|revenue = {{Increase}} [[Euro|€]]22.062 billion (2016)<ref name="financials">{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/docs/download/investors/2016/sap-2016-q4-statement.pdf|title=SAP Q4 2016 Quarterly Statement|publisher=SAP SE|accessdate=31 January 2017}}</ref>
|operating_income = {{Increase}} €5.121 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|net_income = {{Increase}} €3.618 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|assets = {{Increase}} €44.354 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|equity = {{Increase}} €26.382 billion (2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|num_employees = 84,183 (Q4 2016)<ref name="financials"/>
|parent =
|homepage = {{URL|https://www.sap.com/}}
|footnotes =
|intl = yes
}}

'''SAP [[Societas Europaea|SE]]''' ({{IPAc-en|ɛ|s|eɪ|ˈ|p|i}}) ({{lang|de|'''''S'''ysteme, '''A'''nwendungen und '''P'''rodukte in der Datenverarbeitung''}}; "'''S'''ystems, '''A'''pplications & '''P'''roducts in Data Processing") is a German-based European [[Multinational corporation|multinational]] [[software corporation]] that makes [[enterprise software]] to manage business operations and customer relations.<ref name="SAP Company History">{{cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/history.html|title=SAP Company History|accessdate=25 January 2017}}</ref> SAP is headquartered in [[Walldorf]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], [[Germany]] with regional offices in 180 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sap.com/corporate/de/company.html|title=Unternehmensinformationen{{!}} Über SAP|website=SAP|language=de|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref><ref name="SAP Company Information">{{cite web|url=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/our-company/index.epx|title=SAP at a Glance: Company Information|accessdate=27 January 2015}}</ref> The company has over 335,000 customers in over 180 countries.<ref name="SAP Company Information"/> The company is a component of the [[Euro Stoxx 50]] [[stock market index]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boerse-frankfurt.de/en/equities/indices/euro+stoxx+50+EU0009658145/constituents|title=Börse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Stock Exchange): Stock market quotes, charts and news|publisher=}}</ref>

==History==

===Formation===
When [[Xerox]] aimed to exit the computer industry in 1975,<ref>Holmes, Edith. "IBM Opposes Retelling of Whole Xerox Story in Court", ''Computerworld'', p. 42, 26 January 1976.</ref> it asked [[IBM]] to migrate its business systems to IBM technology. As part of IBM's compensation for the migration, IBM was given the rights to the [[Scientific Data Systems|Scientific Data Systems (SDS)]]/SAPE software, reportedly for a contract credit of $80,000.

Five IBM engineers from the AI department<ref name="funding universe">{{cite web|title=History of SAP AG|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sap-ag-history|accessdate=3 May 2013}}</ref><ref name="idch">International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 16. St James Press, 1997.</ref> ([[Dietmar Hopp]], [[Klaus Tschira]], Hans-Werner Hector, [[Hasso Plattner]], and [[Claus Wellenreuther]], all from [[Mannheim]], Baden-Württemberg) were working in an enterprise-wide system based on this software, only to be told that it would no longer be necessary. Rather than abandoning the project, they decided to leave IBM Tech and start another company.<ref name="saphistory">{{cite web|author=Staff|title=SAP History: From Start-Up Software Vendor to Global Market Leader|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/index.html|accessdate=10 October 2010}}</ref>

In June 1972, they founded {{lang|de|''Systemanalyse und Programmentwicklung''}} ("System Analysis and Program Development") company, as a private partnership under the German Civil Code.<ref name="saphistory"/>

Their first client was the German branch of [[Imperial Chemical Industries]] in [[Östringen]],<ref>[http://www.sap.com/uk/about/success/casestudies/ici.epx SAP UK – ICI Success Story], Sap.com (1 January 1999); retrieved 24 April 2011.</ref> where they developed mainframe programs for payroll and accounting. Instead of storing the data on [[punch card]]s mechanically, as IBM did, they stored it locally in the Electronic System which using common Logical database for all activities of Organization.{{clarify|date=April 2017}} Therefore, they called their software a [[real-time computing|real-time]] system, since there was no need to process the punch cards overnight (for this reason their flagship product carried an '''R''' in its name until the late 1990s). This first version was also a standalone software that could be offered to other interested parties.<ref>{{cite web|title=Standard Application Software for Real-time processing is developed|URL=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/history/1972-1981.html}}</ref>

===Enterprise Resource Planning===
In 1973, the first commercial product was launched. It was called SAP R/98,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.simplilearn.com/sap-r-98-the-first-commercial-erp-product-rar378-article|title=SAP R/98 – The First Commercial ERP Product|website=Simplilearn.com|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref> and offered a common system for multiple tasks. This permitted the use of a centralized data storage, improving the maintenance of data. From a technical point of view, therefore, a [[database]] was necessary.<ref name="ErfolgsfaktorenSAP">{{cite web|url=http://chbeck.metapress.com/content/ph64048135784551|title=Vom Programmierbüro zum globalen Softwareproduzenten: Die Erfolgsfaktoren der SAP von der Gründung bis zum R/3-Boom, 1972 bis 1996|publisher=Chbeck.metapress.com|date=14 November 2008|accessdate=27 March 2014}}</ref>

In 1976, SAP [[GmbH]] was founded, and moved its headquarters the following year to [[Walldorf]], Germany. Three years later, in 1979, SAP launched [[SAP R/2]], expanding the capabilities of the system to other areas, such as material management and [[production planning]]. In 1981, SAP brought a re-designed product to market. However, SAP R/2 did not improve until the period between 1985 and 1990. SAP released the new [[SAP R/3]] in 1992. SAP developed and released several versions of R/3 through 1995. By the mid-1990s, SAP followed the trend from [[Mainframe computer|mainframe]] computing to [[client-server architecture|client/server architectures]]. The development of SAP's internet strategy with mySAP.com redesigned the concept of business processes (integration via Internet).<ref name="saphistory"/> As a result, R/3 was replaced with the introduction of SAP ERP Central Component (ECC) 5.0 in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cipherbsc.com/sap-ecc-modules/|title=SAP ECC Modules - Cipher Business Solutions|last=Solutions|first=Cipher Business|work=Cipher Business Solutions|access-date=2017-03-29|language=en-US}}</ref> Architectural changes were also made to support an enterprise service architecture to transition customers to a services-oriented architecture. The latest version, SAP ERP 6.0, was released in 2006. SAP ERP 6.0 has since then been updated through SAP enhancement packs, the most recent: SAP enhancement package 8 for SAP ERP 6.0 in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/latest-version-sap-erp-available-ecc-60-ehp7-what-do-you-rakesh-singh|title=The latest version of SAP ERP available is SAP ECC 6.0 EHP7, What do you understand by ECC ?|date=2016-03-04|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en}}</ref>

=== Corporate restructuring ===
In August 1988, SAP GmbH became SAP [[Aktiengesellschaft|AG]], and public trading started on 4 November 1988. Shares were listed on the [[Frankfurt Stock Exchange|Frankfurt]] and [[Börse Stuttgart|Stuttgart stock exchanges]].<ref name="saphistory"/> In 1995, SAP was included in the German stock index [[DAX]] and, on 22 September 2003, SAP was included in the [[STOXX Europe 50|Dow Jones STOXX 50]].<ref>{{cite press release|publisher=Stoxx|title=STOXX Limited Announces Changes to its Blue-Chip Index Series|date=1 September 2003|url=http://www.whitehallresources.co.uk/stoxx-limited-announces-changes-to-its-blue-chip-index-series/|accessdate=21 October 2016}}</ref>

The company's official name became ''SAP [[Aktiengesellschaft|AG]]'' (a public limited company) after the 2005 [[annual general meeting]]. In 2014, SAP changed from an AG to a European Company ([[Societas Europaea|Societas Europaea or SE]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/investors/investorservices/faq/index.html|title=Company Q & A|work=Investor Relations|publisher=SAP.com|accessdate=27 May 2015}}</ref>

=== Focus on cloud ===
Since 2012, SAP has acquired several companies that sell [[cloud computing|cloud-based products]], with several multibillion-dollar acquisitions seen by analysts as an attempt to challenge competitor [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-05-22/sap-agrees-to-buy-ariba |title=SAP to Acquire Ariba for $4.3 Billion in Push Into Cloud |first1=Kenneth |last1=Wong |first2=Dina |last2=Bass |newspaper=Bloomberg News |date=23 May 2012}}</ref> In 2014 SAP bought [[Concur Technologies]], a provider of cloud-based travel and expense management software, for $8.3 billion, SAP's most expensive purchase to that date.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/09/22/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-to-boost-cloud-sales |title=SAP To Acquire Concur Technologies To Boost Cloud Sales |newspaper=Forbes |date=22 September 2014}}</ref> Analysts' reactions to the purchase were mixed, with Thomas Becker of Commerzbank questioning whether Concur was the right choice for SAP, while Credit Suisse called the acquisition an "aggressive" move.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sap-to-acquire-concur-technologies-1411076535 |title=SAP to Acquire Concur Technologies |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |first1=Neetha |last1=Mahadevan |first2=Stephan |last2=Doerner |date=19 September 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, IBM and SAP began a partnership to sell cloud-based services.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-and-sap-score-win-over-amazon-2014-10|title=IBM and SAP Score Win Over Amazon|work=BusinessInsider|date=14 October 2014}}</ref> Likewise, in 2015, SAP also partnered with [[Hewlett Packard Enterprise|HPE]] to provide secure hybrid cloud-based services running the SAP platform.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hp-news/press-release.html?id=1982676#.WNdTf1XytEY|title=HP News - HP and SAP Accelerate Journey to SAP® S/4HANA on HP Helion Managed Cloud|website=www8.hp.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-26}}</ref> Both HPE and IBM provide infrastructure services to SAP, and SAP runs its SAP HANA cloud solution on top. SAP has announced additional partnerships with Microsoft in order to give customers tools for data visualization, as well as improved mobile applications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/19/microsoft-sap-strengthen-ties-with-mobile-data-cloud-partnership|title=Microsoft and SAP Strengthen Ties with Mobile, Data, Cloud Partnership|publisher=TechCrunch|date=19 May 2014}}</ref>

SAP exceeded its revenue projections due to the expansion in its cloud business and the success of SAP HANA. The growth can also be partially attributed to the acquisitions of Concur and Fieldglass.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2015/01/22/sap-posts-strong-2014-results-cloud-business-to-drive-future-growth SAP Posts Strong 2014 Results, Cloud Business to Drive Future Growth ], Forbes, 22 January 2015</ref>

The company announced plans in 2016 to invest heavily into technology relating to [[Internet of things|Internet of Things]] (IoT) as part of a strategy to capitalize on the growth in that market. For that purpose, €2 billion is planned for investment in relevant sectors by the end of 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2016/09/28/sap-invest-billion-internet-things-2020/|title=SAP Plans to Invest $2.2 Billion in the Internet of Things by 2020|last=Reuters|website=Fortune|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref> SAP will also launch a new product line called SAP IoT, which "will combine large amounts of data from things connected to the Internet with machine learning and SAP's real-time database S/4 HANA."<ref name=":0" />

===SAP S/4HANA===
In 2015, the company launched [[SAP S/4HANA]], the newest generation of the SAP Business Suite. It was written natively for the [[SAP HANA]] platform. It offers cloud, on-premises and hybrid deployment options to customers, with its benefits including a smaller data footprint, higher throughput, faster analytics and faster access to data. It also allows existing SAP Business Suite customers to upgrade to this product from SAP Business Suite.<ref>{{cite web|title=Answers on SAP upgradation to SAP S/4HANA|URL=http://news.sap.com/what-is-sap-s4hana-13-questions-answered/}}</ref>

In 2016, SAP introduced SAP HANA, Express Edition which is meant to run on personal computers or on cloud computing platforms for students and other small-scale developers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/sap-aims-to-court-more-hana-developers-launches-express-edition/ |title=SAP aims to court more HANA developers, launches express edition |publisher=ZDNet |date=16 September 2016 |accessdate=19 November 2016 |author=Larry Dignan}}</ref>

[[Bill McDermott]], CEO of SAP, compared the release of SAP S/4HANA to a "[[Apollo program|moonshot]]", describing it as the most important launch in the company's history.<ref>[http://diginomica.com/2015/02/03/sap-s4hana-user-analyst-partner-views "SAP S4/HANA – the user, analyst and partner views"], Diginomica.com, 3 February 2015.</ref>

==Acquisitions==
{{More citations needed|section|date=February 2018}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Acquisition number !! Acquired company !! Acquisition date !! Specialty !! Country of origin !! Acquisition costs
|-
| 67 || [[CallidusCloud]] || Jan 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/01/30/sap-snags-calliduscloud-for-2-4-billion/|title=SAP snags CallidusCloud for $2.4 billion|first=Ron|last=Miller|publisher=|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Sales Performance Management Tool || USA || 2.24 b
|-
| 66 || Recast.ai || Jan 2018<ref>[https://www.enterprisetimes.co.uk/2018/01/24/sap-acquires-recast-ai-invests-france/]</ref> || Conversational User Experience Technology || France ||
|-
| 65 || Gigya || Sep 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/24/sap-is-buying-identity-management-firm-gigya-for-350m/|title=SAP buys customer identity management firm Gigya for $350M|first=Ingrid|last=Lunden|publisher=|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Identity Management || USA || $350m
|-
| 64 || Abakus || Dec 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abakus.me/2016/12/14/sap-the-fastest-growing-enterprise-cloud-company-announces-acquisition-of-abakus/|title=Marketing attribution software & tool vendor - SAP Hybris|website=abakus.me|accessdate=3 March 2018}}</ref> || Marketing attribution || USA ||
|-
| 63 || Plat.One || Oct 2016 || IoT || USA ||
|-
| 62 || Altiscale || Aug 2016 || Big Data and Hadoop Hosting || USA || $125m+
|-
| 61 || Fedem Technology || Jun 2016 || IoT || Norway ||
|-
| 60 || MeLLmo Inc. ([[Roambi]] ) || Feb 2016 || Mobile Business Intelligence || USA ||
|-
| 59 || [[Concur Technologies]] || Sept 2014 || Travel and Expense Management || USA || $8.3b
|-
| 58 || SeeWhy || May 2014 || Behavioural target marketing || USA || $1.1b
|-
| 57 || Fieldglass || Mar 2014 || Contingent labour and services || USA ||
|-
| 56 || KXEN || Oct 2013 || Predictive analytics || France||
|-
| 55 || [[Hybris (company)|hybris]] || May 2013 || E-Commerce Solutions || Switzerland ||
|-
| 54 || Camilion || March 2013 || Insurance solutions || Canada ||
|-
| 53 || [[Sridhar Tayur#SmartOps|SmartOps]] || Feb 2013 || Inventory optimization || USA ||
|-
| 52 || Ticket-Web || Feb 2013 || CRM for sports and entertainment promoters || USA ||
|-
| 51 || [[Ariba]] || Oct 2012 || Supplier network || USA || $4.3b
|-
| 50 || Syclo || Jun 2012 || Mobile asset management || USA ||
|-
| 49 || datango || Jan 2012 || Electronic performance support technologies || Germany ||
|-
| 48 || [[SuccessFactors]] || Dec 2011 || Human Capital Management || USA || $3.4b
|-
| 47 || Right Hemisphere || Sep 2011 || 3D visualization || USA ||
|-
| 46 || Crossgate || Sep 2011 || B2B eCommerce || Germany||
|-
| 45 || Secude || Mar 2011 || Security software (Not the whole company, only some assets were acquired) || Germany ||
|-
| 44 || Cundus || Dec 2010 || Disclosure Management || Germany ||
|-
| 43 || [[Sybase]] || May 2010 || Database, middleware, mobile software || USA || $5.8b
|-
| 42 || TechniData || May 2010 || Environmental, Health and Safety || Germany ||
|-
| 41 || SAF || Sep 2009 || Inventory Management || Switzerland || $91m
|-
| 40 || Highdeal || May 2009 || High-volume billing || France ||
|-
| 39 || Visiprise || Jul 2008 || Manufacturing Execution || USA ||
|-
| 38 || Saicon INC || Oct 2014 || US Recruitment || India ||
|-
| 37 || [[BusinessObjects]] || Oct 2007 || Business Intelligence || France || $6.78b
|-
|36
|Yasu Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
|Oct 2007
|Business Rules Management Software
|India
|
|-
| 35 || Wicom Communications || May 2007 || Internet Communication software || Finland||
|-
| 34 || [[MaXware]] || May 2007 || Identity software || Norway ||
|-
| 33 || Outlooksoft || May 2007 || Planning & consolidation || USA ||
|-
| 32 || Pilot Software || Feb 2007 || Strategy Management software || USA || ~$200m
|-
| 31 || Factory Logic || Dec 2006 || Lean scheduling and supply synchronisation || USA ||
|-
| 30 || Praxis Software Solutions || Jul 2006 || Web-based CRM and eCommerce || USA ||
|-
| 29 || Frictionless Commerce || May 2006 || SRM software || USA ||
|-
| 28 || Virsa Systems || Apr 2006 || Compliance solutions || USA ||
|-
| 27 || SAP Systems Integration || Dec 2005 || Consulting services || Germany ||
|-
| 26 || Callixa || Nov 2005 || Enterprise Integration Information software || USA ||
|-
| 25 || Khimetrics || Nov 2005 || retail software || USA ||
|-
| 24 || Triversity || Sep 2005 || POS software || Canada ||
|-
| 23 || Lighthammer || Jun 2005 || Manufacturing Intelligence and Collaborative Manufacturing || USA ||
|-
| 22 || DCS Quantum || Feb 2005 || Automotive Dealer Management || United Kingdom ||
|-
| 21 || [[TomorrowNow]] || Jan 2005 || grey-market support || USA ||
|-
| 20 || ilytix || Jan 2005 || SAP BusinessOne Business Intelligence || Norway ||
|-
| 19 || A2i || Jul 2004 || Master Data Management || USA ||
|-
| 18 || SPM Technologies || Dec 2003 || IT architecture consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 17 || DCW Software || Jul 2003 || OS/400 Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 16 || Guimachine || Dec 2002 || NetWeaver Visual Composer toolkit || USA ||
|-
| 15 || IMHC || May 2001 || Integrated managed health care from IDS || USA ||
|-
| 14 || Expression || May 2002 || real-time file sharing || ? ||
|-
| 13 || Topmanage || Feb 2002 || SAP BusinessOne Suite || Israel ||
|-
| 12 || Paynet International AG || Dec 2001 || Invoice Processing || Germany ||
|-
| 11 || COPA GmbH || Nov 2001 || Beverage industry consulting || Germany ||
|-
| 10 || Infinite Data Structures || May 2001 || Trade Management / CRM || USA ||
|-
| 9 || Toptier || Mar 2001 || Enterprise Information Portal and Integration Infrastructure || USA || ~$400m
|-
| 8 || Prescient Consulting || Feb 2000 || Consulting services || USA ||
|-
| 7 || In-Q-My Technologies GmbH || 2000 || J2EE Server || Bulgaria ||
|-
| 6 || Campbell Software || 1999 || Workforce Management || USA ||
|-
| 5 || AMC Development || 1998 || Call Center telephony integration software || USA ||
|-
| 4 || OFEK-Tech || 1998 || Warehousing and distribution centre software || Israel ||
|-
| 3 || Kiefer & Veittinger || 1997 || Sales force Applications || Germany ||
|-
| 2 || Dacos || 1996 || Retail solution || Germany ||
|-
| 1 || Steeb || 1991 || Software and Consulting Services || Germany ||
|-
|}

==Business and markets==
{{As of|2016}}, SAP is the world's third largest software and programming company.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/global2000/list/#industry:Software%20%26%20Programming |title=The World's Biggest Public Companies, Software & Programming |website=Forbes |accessdate=21 October 2016}}</ref> The corporation operates in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America, and South America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Worldwide Office Directory of SAP|URL=http://www.sap.com/directory/main.html}}</ref>

SAP focuses on 25 industries and six industry sectors: process industries, discrete industries, consumer industries, service industries, financial services and public services.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/solution.html|title=Business in Brief: Markets|publisher=SAP|accessdate=15 October 2007}}</ref> It offers integrated product sets for large enterprises,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/midmarket-solutions-2.html#1|title=Midmarket Solutions: SAP ALL-IN-ONE – Solutions for mid-size companies|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP.ocm|accessdate=15 October 2007}}</ref> mid-sized companies and small businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|title=Industry Solutions: Innovation – One Industry at a Time|work=Annual Report 2006|publisher=SAP.com|accessdate=15 October 2007|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011100833/http://www.sap.com/germany/company/investor/reports/gb2006/en/business/industry-solutions.html|archivedate=11 October 2007|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture==
[[Service-oriented architecture]] has been incorporated into the SAP ERP ([[Enterprise Resource Planning]]) system and other products defined within the SAP Enterprise Services Architecture (Enterprise SOA).

===Enterprise SOA=== 
''SAP Enterprise Service Oriented Architecture'' (or ''Enterprise SOA'') is SAP SE's [[service-oriented architecture]] implementation.<ref>[http://global.sap.com/platform/soa/adoptionprogram.epx ''SAP - Enterprise Service-Oriented Architecture: Adoption Program''], global.sap.com; accessed 27 May 2015.</ref> Enterprise SOA is enabled by the [[SAP NetWeaver]] platform and builds on the benefits of [[Web service]]s. SAP has positioned Enterprise SOA to deliver the benefits offered by service-oriented architecture, including enabling both flexibility and business efficiency. SAP markets Enterprise SOA as a cost-effective way of adding new applications to existing infrastructure.<ref>"When Does a Web Service Become an Enterprise Service?" by Dr Franz-Josef Fritz (SAP AG), ''SAP Insider'', April–May–June 2004.</ref> SAP Solutions that currently use Enterprise SOA are [[mySAP CRM]], [[mySAP ERP]], and [[mySAP SRM]].

==Partnerships==
SAP partners include Global Services Partners with cross-industry multinational consulting capabilities,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Services Partners]. SAP AG. Retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref> Global Software Partners providing integrated products that complement SAP Business Suite solutions,<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Software Partners]. Sap.com (30 June 2009). Retrieved on 7 July 2011.</ref> and Global Technology Partners providing user companies with a wide range of products to support SAP technology, including vendors of hardware, database, storage systems, networks, and mobile computing technology.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/partner.html SAP – Global & Local Partner Directories: Global Technology Partners], go.sap.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

Extensions partners are companies which provide functionality that complements SAP product capabilities. Their products are certified, sold, and supported by SAP. These partner companies include [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]], [[CA Technologies]], [[GK Software]],<ref>[http://www.news-sap.com/sap-offers-extended-global-reseller-agreement-with-gk-software/ SAP Offers Retailers in North America a Full Range of Store Solutions to Optimize Their Businesses Through Extended Global Reseller Agreement With GK Software]. sap-news.com (28 May 2013). Retrieved on 22 May 2015.</ref> [[Hewlett-Packard]], [[IDS Scheer]], [[Mendix]], [[OpenText]],<ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/opentext-named-solution-extension-partner-of-the-year-and-sap-database-and-data-management-partner-of-the-year-in-2017-sap-pinnacle-awards-300458320.html OpenText Named Solution Extension Partner of the Year and SAP Database and Data Management Partner of the Year in 2017 SAP® Pinnacle Awards]. prnewswire.com (16 May 2017). Retrieved on 09 March 2018.</ref> [[Knoa Software]], and [[BackOffice Associates]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scn.sap.com/community/solution-extensions|title=Solution Extensions {{!}} Digital Jouney {{!}} SAP|website=SAP|language=en|access-date=2018-02-01}}</ref>

SAP has also partnered with [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] to work on the mobile experience for SAP enterprise customers. As part of the partnership, a new [[SAP HANA Cloud Platform]] SDK would be delivered exclusively for [[iOS]]. As a result, developers can build applications based on the SAP HANA Cloud Platform for the [[iPhone]] and [[iPad]] devices. The partnership was announced in May 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.sap.com/apple-sap-partner-to-revolutionize-work-on-iphone-ipad/|title=Apple & SAP Partner to Revolutionize Work on iPhone & iPad|date=2016-05-05|work=SAP News Center|access-date=2017-09-04|language=en-US}}</ref>

==SAP PartnerEdge==
SAP products for small businesses and midsize companies are delivered through its global partner network. The SAP PartnerEdge programme, SAP's partner programme, offers a set of business enablement resources and program benefits to help partners including value-added resellers (VARs) and independent software vendors (ISVs) be profitable and successful in implementing, selling, marketing, developing and delivering SAP products to a broad range of customers.<ref>[http://www1.sap.com/about/press/factsheets/smb.epx SAP – SAP Solutions for Small Businesses and Midsize Companies: Press Fact Sheet, July 2007]. SAP.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Communities==
[[SAP Community Network]] (SCN) is a community of SAP customers, partners, employees, and influencers – typically in roles such as: developers, consultants, integrators, and business analysts – who gain and share knowledge about [[ABAP]], Java, .NET, SOA, and other technologies, plus analytics and dashboards, business process best practices, cloud, mobile, big data, and a range of other topics via blogs, discussion forums, downloads and code samples, training materials, and a technical library.<ref>[http://go.sap.com/community.html SAP – Communities]. go.sap.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Organization==
{{primary sources|section|date=July 2016}}
SAP uses a two-tier structure of boards, with an [[executive board]] and a [[supervisory board]]. As of 2016, members of the executive board were [[Bill McDermott]] ([[chief executive officer|CEO]] and Chairman, joined in 2008), Robert Enslin (2014) Bernd Leukert (2014), Luka Mucic ([[Chief financial officer|CFO]], 2014), Michael Kleinemeier (2015), Stefan Ries (2016), Steve Singh (2016) and Gerhard Oswald (1996).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/about/our-company/our-boards/executive-board.html|title=SAP Executive Board|work=SAP}}</ref>

Functional units of SAP are split across different organizational units for R&D needs, field activities and customer support. SAP Labs are mainly responsible for product development whereas the field organizations spread across each country are responsible for field activities such sales, marketing and consulting. Headquarters is responsible for overall management as well as core Engineering activities related to product development. Worldwide customer support is not provided by the field organizations but by a unified organization called Active Global Support (AGS).<ref>{{cite web|title=SAP launches Global Support Center|URL=http://global.sap.com/corporate-en/news.epx?PressID=3042}}</ref>

== SAP Labs ==
{{primary sources|section|date=October 2017}}
'''SAP Labs''' are R&D locations that develop and improve SAP core products. SAP Labs are strategically located in high-tech clusters around the globe.

SAP Labs are located in Germany (main locations: [[Walldorf]]/Rot, [[Markdorf]], [[Berlin]]), United States (main location: [[Silicon Valley]]), India (main location: [[Bangalore]]), China (main location: [[Shanghai]]), Brazil (main location: [[São Leopoldo|Sao Leopoldo]]), Bulgaria (main location: [[Sofia]]), Canada (main locations: [[Vancouver]], [[Montreal]]), Vietnam (main location: [[Ho Chi Minh City]]), Israel (main location: [[Ra'anana]]), CIS (main location: [[Moscow]]), France (main location: [[Paris]], [[Sophia Antipolis]]), Ireland (main location: [[Dublin]]), Hungary (main location: [[Budapest]]), Slovakia (main location: [[Bratislava]]), Czech Republic (main location: [[Brno]]), Poland (main location: [[Gliwice]]).

SAP's main 4 Labs' locations are Germany, India, China and the US. Labs Walldorf was founded in 1972 and became SAP's first location. At the beginning, the focus of SAP expansion was entering highly developed IT markets: in 1993 Palo Alto becomes a part of SAP Labs‘ locations. Aiming to acquire talented employees, in 1998, SAP opens its Labs in Bangalore, in 2003 – in China.

Among the latest SAP Labs are Labs Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. All three labs have been established in 2016.

In order to manage SAP Labs, '''SAP Labs Network (SLN)''' was created. SLN is a global unit that manages regional Labs and shares best business practices. It coordinates and distributes development projects among individual SAP Labs locations, accelerates product delivery, gives SAP full access to talent, and drives SAP corporate strategy regarding innovation and business growth.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sap.com/corporate/en/company/innovation/sap-labs.html|title=R&D Locations {{!}} SAP Labs {{!}} About SAP SE|website=SAP|access-date=2016-04-29}}</ref>

==SAP User Groups==
{{more citations needed|section|date=October 2017}}
'''SAP User Groups''' are independent, non-profit organizations of SAP customers and SAP partners. They serve as communications channel for their members towards SAP and for SAP towards the markets. The Americas' SAP Users' Group (ASUG) is the company's largest user group, with 100,000 individuals at 3,800 companies. ASUG members are professionals who work in more than 17 industries. Many are technical and business process experts in the SAP ecosystem; they have varied levels of experience, and come from small businesses to global corporations, as well as universities. In 2007, the SAP User Group Executive Network (SUGEN) was established.

SAP provoked controversy and frustration among its users in 2008 by raising the cost of its maintenance contracts. The issue was the subject of intense discussion among user groups.<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/it-business/supplier-relations/news/index.cfm?newsid=10632 SAP faces user wrath over price hikes]. Computerworlduk.com. Retrieved on 7 July 2011.</ref>

==Conferences==
SAP has two annual conferences:
* SAPPHIRE is SAP's customer-facing event, where it generally announces major product changes and strategic direction. It is typically held in the spring in North America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2154366/sap-unveils-successfactors-cloud-computing-roadmap-squares-oracle|title=SAP unveils SuccessFactors cloud computing roadmap as it squares up to Oracle|publisher=V3.co.uk|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/2223461|title=SAP Rolls Out Updates at SAPPHIRE|publisher=InternetNews|date=17 June 2003|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref>
* SAP TechEd is the company's more technical conference, aimed at SAP's ecosystem of consultants and software development partners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-09-22/bangalore/27845182_1_teched-key-theme-solutions|title=SAP TechEd '05 in Bangalore|publisher=Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com|date=22 September 2005|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/207317/sap_teched_to_go_deep_on_mobility_ondemand.html|title=SAP TechEd to Go Deep on Mobility|publisher=Pcworld.com|date=8 October 2010|accessdate=29 February 2012}}</ref> SAP TechEd has been held annually since 1995.

==Competitive landscape==
SAP competitors are primarily in the [[enterprise resource planning]] software industry. In this field, [[Oracle Corporation]] is SAP's major competitor. SAP also competes in the customer relationship management, marketing & sales software, manufacturing, warehousing & industrial software, and supply chain management & logistics software sectors.<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff|title=SAP Competitors|url=http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/competition.sap_se.48cbdfcd173cadff.html}}</ref>

Oracle Corporation filed [[Oracle Corp. v. SAP AG|a lawsuit against SAP]] for malpractice and unfair competition in the California courts in 2007. SAP lost the case in 2010 and was ordered to pay a sum of US $1.3 billion, which was cited as the largest [[copyright infringement]] judgment in history.<ref>{{cite news|title=SAP to pay Oracle $1.3 billion in landmark decision|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2010/11/24/us-oracle-sap-idUSTRE6AL4IN20101124|work=[[Reuters]]|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters]]|accessdate=2 October 2015|first=Dan|last=Levine|date=23 November 2010}}</ref> The verdict was overturned in 2011,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/technology/oracle-verdict-against-sap-is-overturned.html|title=Oracle Verdict Against SAP Is Overturned|publisher=Associated Press|date=1 September 2011|accessdate=12 January 2015}}.</ref> and the lawsuit was finally settled in 2014 for $356.7 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/11/13/technology/13reuters-oracle-sap-se-settlement.html|title=Oracle, SAP Settle Long-Running TomorrowNow Lawsuit|publisher=Reuters|date=13 November 2014|accessdate=14 August 2015}}.</ref>

The resulting pressure saw SAP and SUGEN (SAP User Group Executive Network) agree to a major benchmarking exercise to prove the value of the new support pricing policy to customers. In December 2009, SAP delayed its Enterprise Support price rises until agreement had been reached on the benchmarks and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsId=17810 SAP delays Enterprise Support price rises]. Computerworlduk.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

In January 2010, SAP reversed its direction on Enterprise Support and reintroduced its standard support package for customers. The move to reinstate standard support – at 18 percent of annual license fees, "will enable all customers to choose the option that best meets their requirements", the company said.<ref>[http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsId=18318 SAP does U-turn on Enterprise Support]. Computerworlduk.com; retrieved 7 July 2011.</ref>

In August 2013, SAP acquired German software company [[Hybris (company)|Hybris]] for eCommerce capabilities.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.eweek.com/it-management/sap-closes-deal-to-acquire-mdm-maker-hybris|title=SAP Closes Deal to Acquire MDM Maker Hybris|work=eWEEK|access-date=2018-02-01|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>[http://www.informationweek.com/applications/sap-buys-hybris-gains-customer-experience-power/d/d-id/1111073 "SAP buys Hybris, gains customer experience, power"], informationweek.com; accessed 27 May 2015.</ref>

==Philanthropic efforts==
SAP has donated several millions of dollars to a variety of global health causes including the [[Product Red]] campaign and the [[Global Fund]].<ref>{{cite web|title=(RED) Partners|url=http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|work=(RED)|publisher=The ONE Campaign|date=14 October 2012|accessdate=27 May 2015|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524044206/http://www.joinred.com/partners/#!/shopred/sap|archivedate=24 May 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidephilanthropy.com/tech-philanthropy/2014/10/8/what-this-giant-software-company-is-doing-to-advance-global.html |title=What This Giant Software Company Is Doing to Advance Global Health |website=Inside Philanthropy |date=8 October 2014 |accessdate=13 November 2016}}</ref> In addition, SAP has distributed free software in South Africa as part of an effort towards developing future markets there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/08/business-case-strategic-philanthropy |title=The Business Case for Strategic Philanthropy |website= TriplePundit |date=8 August 2013 |accessdate=13 November 2016}}</ref> The company also encourages employees to volunteer through social sabbaticals, sending teams of people to different countries to aid non-profits. SAP employees have volunteered in China, India, Brazil, and South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/ernst-young-sap-corporate-volunteering |title=How EY and SAP are championing corporate volunteering |publisher=The Guardian |date=11 February 2014 |accessdate = 13 November 2016}}</ref>

==Autism hiring==
SAP also engages in outreach activities within its company. In 2013, the company launched an initiative to hire employees with autism and [[Asperger syndrome]], citing their undervalued ability to contribute to its workforce. SAP aims to compose 1% of its workforce with individuals with autism by the year 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22621829 |title=SAP in autism recruitment drive |publisher=BBC News |date=22 May 2013}}</ref>

== Bribery and corruption ==

=== South African allegations ===

In July 2017, allegations were made that SAP had been involved in business transactions with the controversial and politically influential [[Gupta family]] in South Africa. SAP was accused of paying CAD House, a Gupta-controlled company, R100 million in order to secure a [[Transnet]] deal. SAP denied the allegations, claiming that the money was paid as "an extension of the sales force", despite CAD House having no prior SAP experience.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/guptaleaks-software-giant-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business-20170711|title=#GuptaLeaks: Software giant paid Gupta front R100m 'kickbacks' for state business|work=News24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://amabhungane.co.za/article/2017-07-11-guptaleaks-software-giant-sap-paid-gupta-front-r100m-kickbacks-for-state-business|title=amaBhungane - #GuptaLeaks: Software giant SAP paid Gupta front R100m "kickbacks" for state business|website=amabhungane.co.za|language=en|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref>

The Guptas' dealings with SAP were revealed in a widely publicised e-mail leak.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fin24.com/Economy/guptas-just-tip-of-sas-corruption-ice-berg-saftu-20170711|title=Guptas just tip of SA's corruption ice-berg - Saftu|work=Fin24|access-date=2017-07-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/184559/software-giant-pulled-into-gupta-saga-with-allegations-of-r100-million-kickbacks/|title=Software giant pulled into Gupta saga with allegations of R100 million kickbacks|access-date=2017-07-11|language=en-US}}</ref>

As a consequence of the allegations, SAP launched an investigation that led to four of its South African managers being placed on administrative leave along with the seizure of their mobile phones and computers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/d8d693c0-67d8-11e7-8526-7b38dcaef614|title=Germany's SAP to investigate South Africa kickback allegations|website=Financial Times}}</ref> Claas Kuehnemann was named as acting managing director for Africa while the investigation continued.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=163367|title=SAP names Kuehnemann as acting MD|last=Writer|first=Staff|work=ITWeb Technology News|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref>

On 26 October 2017, SAP announced that it had voluntarily reported itself to the [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] for a possible violation of US law, including the [[Foreign Corrupt Practices Act]], related to the South African bribery allegations. SAP's own investigation, conducted by law firm [[Baker McKenzie]], revealed that SAP had paid $7.7 million in commissions to third-parties linked to the Gupta family while securing contracts worth $48 million with Transnet and [[Eskom]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|title=SAP Provides Update on Ongoing Investigation into Its South Africa Business|date=26 October 2017|website=SAP News Ceter|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143054/https://news.sap.com/sap-provides-update-on-ongoing-investigation-into-its-south-africa-business/|archivedate=26 October 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|title=SAP Is Being Investigated by the U.S. Over a Major International Kickback Scandal|last=Meyer|first=David|date=26 October 2017|website=Fortune.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143214/http://fortune.com/2017/10/26/sap-south-africa-gupta-doj-sec-corruption/|archivedate=26 October 2017|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|title=US justice department launches investigation into SAP-Gupta dealings|date=26 October 2017|website=Mail and Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026143251/https://mg.co.za/article/2017-10-26-us-justice-department-launches-investigation-into-sap-gupta-dealings|archivedate=26 October 2017}}</ref>

=== Panamanian bribery ===

In May 2015, SAP agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] civil charges over a former executive's scheme to bribe Panama government officials in order to win lucrative technology contracts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sap-se-sec-idUSKCN0VA3HW|title=#PanamaBribery: SAP settles with SEC over Panama bribery scheme|work=Reuters|access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Companies|Computer Science}}
* [[List of ERP software packages]]
* [[List of SAP products]]
* [[SAP Center]], an indoor arena in San Jose, California that bears the company's name via a sponsorship contract
* [[SAP Fiori]]
* [[SAP Implementation]]
* [[SAP ERP]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|SAP}}
* {{official website}}
{{Finance links
| name = SAP SE
| symbol = SAP
| sec_cik = 1000184
| hoovers = SAP_AG.48cbdfcd173cadff
}}

{{SAP AG}}
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