Rapid application development (RAD), is a software development process developed initially by James Martin in the 1980s. The methodology involves iterative development, the construction of prototypes, and the use of Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools. Traditionally the rapid application development approach involves compromises in usability, features, and/or execution speed. It is described as a process through which the development cycle of an application is expedited. Rapid Application Development thus enables quality products to be developed faster, saving valuable resources.

Positive aspects of RAD:

• Increased speed of development through methods including rapid prototyping, virtualization of system related routines, the use of CASE tools, and other techniques.
• Decreased end-user functioality (arising from narrower design focus), hence reduced complexity
• Larger emphasis on simplicity and usability of GUI design

Negative aspects of RAD:

• Reduced Scalability, and reduced features when a RAD developed application starts as a prototype and evolves into a finished application
• Reduced features occur due to time boxing when features are pushed to later versions in order to finish a release in a short amount of time

RAD development is applicable only when the application to be developed can call on the modular nature of the frameworks used to create it. High availability and performance software aare not usually created using RAD, and neither are mission critical sysems.