Rapid application development - Definition and Overview

Rapid application development (RAD), is a software programming technique that allows quick development of software applications. Some RAD implementations include visual tools for development and others generate software frameworks through tools known as "wizards."

Many implementations of RAD are available today. Some include Microsoft's MFC, Delphi, Visual BASIC and RAD Game Tools. The Revolution development environment is an example offering very high-level functionality.

While RAD tools significantly cut down in software development time, they sometimes do it while sacrificing application execution speed or efficiency. Solutions developed via RAD techniques may not be the optimal solutions for any given problem set. However, many software applications do not need "the best" solution, just one that is "good enough." Given the time-saving RAD allows, this trade-off is often considered worthwhile. Given the speed of today's personal computers, many RAD-developed applications execute at no discernable speed difference than hand-crafted applications.