Last Updated on 2. November 2026
Low-code platforms promise that domain experts can build and customize applications without extensive development experience. In practice, this holds true to a certain extent. However, as soon as business logic comes into play that cannot be modeled, developers are needed. This creates dependencies, slows projects down, and results in each team implementing similar solutions independently.
Business Scripting addresses this exact structural problem in the A12 AI Low Code Platform from mgm technology partners. Peter Sommerhoff from the relevant A12 team explains the clear objective of the new experimental feature in release 2026.06: “With Business Scripting, we’re expanding what domain experts can implement in A12 themselves without having to go through a developer backlog. They have the necessary domain knowledge, and it should arrive exactly where it’s needed.”
What Is the A12 AI Low Code Platform?
A12 is a platform for developing enterprise applications in complex IT landscapes. Based on model-driven software engineering (MDSE), it allows domain experts and business analysts to model parts of an application using graphical tools, eliminating the need to write code. This is how A12 brings the low-code principle to professional enterprise software. As an open platform, A12 integrates with existing systems and enables AI usage at all levels.
A12 has been available on GitHub as open-source software under the EUPL 1.2 since May 2026. Additional enterprise components are available to subscribed customers.
Why Business Logic in A12 Has Required Developers Until Now
A lot can be modeled in A12, including data structures, user interfaces, relationships between documents, print templates, and processes. However, not all business logic can be expressed this way.
That’s why work on the A12 application has run on two separate tracks so far. Business analysts and modelers covered the business side, while developers took over everything else. However, it is the modelers and business analysts who have the necessary knowledge. They know the domain, the requirements, and the desired workflows. They lacked a tool that would allow them to translate this knowledge directly into executable logic.
What A12 Business Scripting Is and How It Works
Business Scripting, an experimental feature in A12, narrows this exact gap. It allows modelers and developers to define and test business logic independently, without touching the complex application code. Although the script becomes an integral part of the application, it remains separate from the rest of the application logic as a standalone, clearly defined unit.
A business script can run in one of three places in A12:
- in workflows
- in the backend, for example in Data Services
- in the frontend, for example in the Form Engine (for now, only internally at mgm)
Although the location changes, the basic principle remains the same: a single, self-contained TypeScript unit with clearly defined inputs and outputs.
Technical Design: Simple Structure Instead of Arbitrary Code
In technical terms, a business script is TypeScript code integrated with A12. TypeScript is a type-safe extension of JavaScript that is widely used and well-suited to structured logic. What distinguishes a Business Script from arbitrary code is its deliberately simple, fixed structure: input, logic, and output. Each script specifies the data it receives, how it processes that data, and the data it returns.
Specifically, Business Scripting provides an API with simple, easy-to-understand functions for common A12 operations, such as creating or editing documents. Scripters use these functions directly without needing to know the technical details behind them. These constraints are intentional, not a shortcoming, as Peter Sommerhoff explains: “We deliberately rely on boundaries because that’s what allows us to make things simpler than would otherwise be possible.”
Business scripts are not a replacement for modeling, but rather an extension of it — a bridge between what can be expressed visually and what requires executable logic.
Security Through Clear Boundaries
Almost anything is technically possible when a business script runs in the browser. That’s why the A12 client limits what a script can do. It only recognizes the functions that the application exposes, such as “open detail form” or “change product name.” A script can’t do anything that this interface can’t express.
The A12 Client ships with a small set of default functions that projects can extend or reduce depending on the context of use. Like all A12 scripts, Business Scripts run in isolation, exchange only plain data with the application, and can be canceled at any time without blocking the user interface. This establishes a clear boundary and limits the impact of errors, which is particularly important when AI agents create or modify scripts. For scripts that other users execute, projects complement this technical boundary with a business-level review.
The default set accomplishes a lot: opening the matching detail form from a document list and handling unsaved changes takes a single call to the Scripting API.
Who Uses Business Scripting, and How Does It Change Collaboration?
The A12 team describes its primary target audience as “power modelers”: individuals who are deeply familiar with the A12 platform and its domain and are comfortable with code. They should be able to implement business logic independently and test it right away without involving developers.
This changes the way the business side and the development team work together. Until now, developers were responsible for every business requirement that went beyond modeling. Going forward, Power Modelers will cover more of that path themselves. This doesn’t render developers obsolete, but it does alter their role. They will build project-specific logic as custom API extensions that modelers can use in their scripts without knowing the technical details. Developers will also review, optimize, and safeguard scripts written by modelers.
What the A12 Scripting API Delivers
Business Scripting consists of two parts: an API that provides direct access to A12 functions for scripters, and a runtime environment that executes scripts. Scripters work exclusively with the API, while the platform handles the rest in the background.
At the heart of A12 Business Scripting is the A12 Scripting API. The API covers typical A12 application operations, such as creating, reading, editing, and deleting documents, as well as creating and managing links between documents. The API is organized by topic area, allowing scripters to quickly find the necessary functions. Those who want to work with documents, for example, will find all available functions under A12.Documents, where autocomplete displays them.
A12.Documents.create("MyDocumentModel")A12.Links.create(...)The API is special because scripters don’t need to know where in the application their script is running. A script that creates a document functions identically whether it runs inside an automated workflow or is started directly from the server. The code is identical in both cases, and the platform handles the technical differences automatically.
The API can be extended with custom namespaces for project-specific requirements, such as calls to third-party systems or internal calculations.
How AI Agents Support A12 Business Scripting
From the beginning, Business Scripting was designed so that AI agents could help write and test scripts. This lowers the barrier to entry. Even those who aren’t fluent in TypeScript can create scripts with the help of an AI agent that writes the code, explains it, and fixes errors. A Claude plugin enables the development of scripts with direct AI support. The platform provides clear error messages and a structured overview of all available functions to make this work smoothly. This gives AI agents the foundation they need to provide targeted help. Additionally, a hot-reload mechanism automatically detects changes to scripts during development, ensuring that the latest version is always executed with no manual intervention required. A12 takes a controlled approach here. AI is used as a tool that knows and works with the platform rather than bypassing processes.
When Is A12 Business Scripting Available?
Business Scripting is currently available as an experimental feature. The backend is already in use in production workflows and Data Services. With the October 2026 release (2026.06-ext2), it was also released as a community component for external projects. The feature is still under active development, so changes to the API are possible at any time.
Business Scripting closes a long-standing gap in A12 projects. The extent to which this new independence actually extends for modelers in practice will become clear through real-world use.
Learn more about the A12 AI Low Code Platform at the A12 User Portal getA12.com.
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