Web Development - What should programmers know?

Developers are not merely for writing codes. There is more to them as these are the guys people look upto when expecting something better from the digital life. Web development is not an easy job. The browsers and devices are evolving along with the new frameworks and languages. Thus, web development has become a challenge nowadays. If you are not aware about the latest developments, there is every possibility that your product will fail to create an impact. Failure is the last thing that anybody likes to taste. So what distinguishes an average programmer from an amazing one? There are a host of factors that a good programmer must know about web development. Without its knowledge it would be impossible to develop effective and contemporary solutions.

KPI to decide the success of an application

Application development is essential for any organization to tap into the growing market as well as popularity. But it is just not enough to build up an app; it is just the beginning or rather the easy part. The app must be tested for user experience issues as well as bugs. For measuring those factors, certain metrics are essential. These metrics are known as KPIs or Key Performance Indicators which may differ for each organization. These factors help determine the success of an application. With so many mediums available, it may be hard to select the apt KPIs; to make the job easier, here are some common must-have KPIs that an organization should use almost compulsorily.

Top 3 reasons to make websites accessible

When it comes to development as well as designing of web pages, the first and foremost factor that the designers and developers keep in mind is – accessibility. This is the most, if not the only fundamental objective behind designing web pages. When we mention the term, ‘accessibility’, this literally means making a particular site available or visible to anyone trying to look for the site to get information about any product or service. In simple terms the word, ‘accessibility’ means making the pages ‘public’. Now, the issue is not as simple as it looks. The main reason behind making the web pages accessible is not just making it available to anyone, but a combination of a number of other factors. Let us discuss the three most important reasons behind making the pages accessible.

Increases the number of audience or client base

10 Programming Languages to Be Aware Of In 2014

When we speak about programming languages, newer types with more value added features are being innovated or structured every now and then. All these languages are bringing in a revolution in the software world. Amongst an appreciable number of software programming languages that are being adored all over the world, let us discuss top 10, which are making news in 2014.

1. C:

It is an almost over 40 year old general purpose as well as imperative programming language, developed way back in the 70s. From that point of view, it can well be termed as the oldest as well as the most vividly used programming language, especially when it comes to building blocks for other languages namely, C#, JavaScript, Java, Python and so on. C is extensively utilized to implement various operating systems and embed applications.

2. C++
It is another intermediate level platform that comes up with various object oriented features that are originally designed to enhance the functionality of C. C++ helps major software packages like Adobe, Winamp, FireFox and so on. C++ is generally utilized for developing system, software applications, client applications, high-end server, video games etc.

3. Objective C
This is another general purpose language that is object oriented and is used for Apple OS. It also powers APIs as well as Apple’s OS X, iOS. Besides, it is also capable of creating various apps for iPhone.

4. PHP
PHP or HyperText Processor is a server side, open source scripting language that is specifically designed for the dynamic websites as well as development apps. The language comes up with properties that help it to be directly embedded into HTML source documents instead of any external file and this has made the language immensely popular for the web developers. It is one of the most popular languages that are applied to develop sites like Facebook, WordPress, Digg and so on.

5. Erlang
It is another highly popular concurrent, general-purpose as well as garbage collection language as well as runtime system. The sequential subset of this language comes up with capabilities to help in the evaluation, dynamic typing, and single assignment. The language has value added features like hot swapping, so that the codes can well be changed during run time, without stopping a particular system.

6. Python
This is one of the most widely applied and popular scripting languages for server-sides that are specifically designed to be used in mobile apps as well as various websites. It is considered one of the easier languages that the beginners find fairly handy to use, much due to its readability along with its compact syntax. This implies that the developers will have the option of using fewer codes than other similar types of languages for expressing a particular concept.

7. JavaScript
This is one of the most famous client side as well as server-side scripting languages that is developed to be used across various web browsers and is considered essential for development of different interactive as well as animated web functions. The language can also be used for developing games and for writing desktop applications.

8. Ruby
Ruby is a dynamic, scripting platform that is object-oriented and is used to develop websites along with mobile apps. Basically, this platform has been designed in a simplistic way, mainly to power ROR or Ruby on Rails, which is used on Shopify, Scribd, Groupon, and GitHub. The language is considered extremely user-friendly and easy, especially for the beginners.

9. SQL
SQL or Structured Query Language is a specially designed platform that is used to manage data in various RDBMSs or Relational Database Management Systems. It is most extensively used to utilize its unique “Query” function that searches various informational Databases.

10. Haskell
This is a standardized as well as a general purpose programming platform that is purely functional. It comes up with a number of non-strict semantics as well as strong static typing. It can also be used as a functional programming platform, where ‘function’ is used as the primary control construct.

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What do you look for in a software development company? Quality or Price?

There are a lot of software development companies in the market. Each of them claims to be the best in the business. From one point of view, it will give a lot of options to choose from. However, from the other it may well leave a customer bedazzled at the end of the day. The customer, as a result may end up choosing a company which is not enough experienced to meet the requirements. Again, it may so happen that the customer selects a company that will charge an exorbitant price that will overshoot the budget by a substantial extent. Hence, it is imperative to select and adopt a definite way, when it comes to looking for the right software development company.

Experts are of the opinion that it is not right to put emphasis solely on the price of services. It is because there are a lot of companies that will promise to deliver service in shoestring budget. However, the quality of most of these ‘so called cheap’ services will be far from the expectation. Hence, what is needed is a right balance between the quality and price. In fact, it is imperative to give more emphasis on quality than price. However, when we speak of quality, there are certain factors that are needed to be focused on, before entrusting the responsibility. Let us discuss them in details.

While putting more emphasis on the quality instead of price, the following aspects are to be taken into account.

First of all, it is crucial to make sure the developers associated with the service provider have a wide range of customers from various niches of industries. This will imply that the service provider has a wide range of experience. It is because the more experience the software developers will have across a wide range of businesses, the better will be their probability of providing higher quality services.

In this respect, it is important to guarantee that the company has the experience of using various types of technologies. It is definitely better to opt for the firms that have the experience of creating projects in Java, .Net, PHP, C++ for different platforms like web, iPhone, and desktops. In case someone is willing to opt for an organization that will be able to take up the responsibility of an application development, the customer should not opt for firms who have experience on solely that particular technology. Always, companies with a wide range of experience across various platforms or technologies should get preference.

Never opt for big or expensive names. These big names may have a pool of highly talented or experienced developers and technicians, but there is no assurance that your project will reach their desks. It may well be that your requirements will be taken care of by developers who are less talented and even fresher. These big shots will charge exorbitant amounts more because of their reputation and value of their brand name than the quality of work they will deliver. Frankly speaking, at the end of the day it may drill a deep hole in your purse while you do not get what you pay for.

It is better to invest money for companies that mainly use offshore labor. This means, these companies do not rely solely on experts and developers from the developed countries. When that happens, the cost automatically shoots up because of the high labor cost these countries charge. It is better to opt for companies that hire labors from the developing, yet technologically sound countries which charge much lower labor cost.

Companies that deliver quality service will not deliver the entire project once and for all. They will, instead, prefer small and frequent releases in installments. This makes your understanding easier and it can be made surely that the product that is being delivered is entirely glitch free. Besides, it also makes deployment much easier.

Do not opt for companies that have just a few developers. Solid teams that will be delivering the project in time are ideal as that will help in controlling the costs. Experts are of the belief that one should vouch for companies which are home to at least 3 to 4 times more technicians and developers than what is needed to complete the project on time.

A quality software developing firm must have an online tool that will help track and trace the progress of the development. The tool should come in handy when taking care of bugs or features, and will also help in keeping a track of the developers’ working hours or daily notes that is left on an hourly or day to day basis. The company should also make every document available online, including the agreements and the terms & conditions thereof, various invoices, payment details etc.

When it comes to agreements, firms that give the ownership are preferable. The company needs to hand over the resulting source codes and other inventions that come up out of the development.

When you are offering the responsibility of software development to a firm, you better put more emphasis on quality instead of price for it is quality that will make the difference at the end of the day. Again, when you are focusing on quality, all the factors will have to be taken into account to make sure that the software developing company is competent enough to provide you the quality service that you are eyeing for.

You can hire developers from top software development company India who can help you accomplish your project within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide custom software development services. If you would like to hire offshore developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.

Web Components for Web Development - Is It Known or Still Foreign to Most?

Developers frequently explore options to optimize the internet application’s look, feel and performance. The innovative technologies like web components make these easier for them to add a higher level of interactivity and visual richness to the websites and recyclable widgets by using multiple components. Thus, the term web content can be defined as a collection of components used widely for website development including images, bitmap, JavaScript or PHP.

In addition to allowing developers to bundle styles and markups into custom HTML elements, the web components further facilitate encapsulation of HTML and CSS to avail enhanced code security. So the web components are used widely by modern internet developers to build websites and recyclable widgets with the help of HTML, JavaScript and CSS. If you are not familiar with web components, it is a good idea to understand some of these commonly used web components.

Five Essential Elements of the Web Components

1) Templates
Similar to other software development projects, website development also needs a solid blueprint. The web components provide the blueprint for a project through the tag. The tag enables programmers to store specific markup on the page that can be reused and cloned subsequently. The developers familiar with handlebars, moustaches and similar libraries can understand and use the tag immediately. As the markup inside a template are not recognized by web browsers, it becomes easier to include non-executable tags for images, videos and audio having external sources.

2) Decorators
Unlike other web components, decorators are yet to have a specification. The decorator components can, however, be used in a number of ways. Normally, decorators complement the rich visual and behavioral changes by applying templates. In addition to overriding and enhancing the way existing elements are presented, the programmers also have option to use CSS to customize the decorators. Thus, each user can define his own decorator simply by using a markup and a scripting language.

3) Custom Elements
The custom elements can be defined as advanced DOM elements that can be defined by programmers. However, the custom elements, unlike decorators, are both ephemeral and stateless. So the programmers can use custom elements to encapsulate state, along with providing script interfaces. However, each author must understand some of the important differences between custom elements and decorators. A custom element can be defined through the < element > tag.

4) Shadow DOM
Most web developers use iframes to ensure that the user experience is not affected negatively due to HTML and CSS. Despite being useful, iframes cannot be used for building complex and large internet applications. As an innovative web component, Shadow DOM enables programmers to avail the features and advantages of iframes including style and markup encapsulation. The developers can further use Shadow DOM to strictly control the interaction between content and styles. The programmers can crate Shadow DOM simply by selecting an element, and then invoking its createShadowRoot method. The action will return a document fragment that can be filled with desired content.

5) Imports
Both custom elements and decorators can also be loaded from external sources. The < link > tag is used to define if the custom element or decorator will be loaded from external sources, along with the URL of the external file. The user agent can further interpret the decorators and custom elements. But the import property of the < link > tag will help the scrip in accessing the DOM. Further, programmers are required to use the CORs attribute to describe if the definitions are designed to run across multiple websites and internet applications.

The programmers can use web components to easily optimize the application’s look, feel, performance and security. The JavaScript component will help them in improving the website’s appearance, whereas other components will enable the application to interact with server smoothly. At the same time, the programmers can use plug in components to provide comprehensive security to the application by blocking unwanted traffic.

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We provide custom software development services from India. If you would like to hire offshore developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solution.

What Does 2014 Hold for Enterprise Software Development?

The frequent changes in the lifestyles and changes of modern people have made web application development undergo many changes. The consumer devices and cloud computing further made it easier for users to access information and data anytime and anywhere. At the same time, new devices and operating systems also require enterprise software development to change. So enterprise software development will be affected in 2014 by many trends. We are highlighting some of the important trends that will drive enterprise software development in 2014.

5 Trends that will Drive Enterprise Software Development in 2014

1) Growing Popularity of HTML5

The rapid growth of HTML has made many businesses realize the advantages of this technology for enterprises. In 2013, many enterprises invested in HTML5. Also, many organizations converted Flash to HTML5 to make the advertisement, banners and videos more engaging. Most enterprises will now look for more customized HTML5 applications that works across web browsers. Also, businesses will look for innovative features like advanced drawing tools, multi-media playback, offline file storage, and drag and drop. Thus, more and more business web applications will be developed with HTML5 support.

2) Gamification of Business Apps

The concept of gamification is considered to be more effective in keeping the users engaged. As the concept has been used effectively by mobile app developers, enterprises will gamify their apps to deliver rich user experience. An enterprise also has option to boost the productivity and efficiency of employees by gamifying the business environment. Once the tasks are quantified, an organization can implement the primary mechanism required to complete the tasks on time. So many organizations will build integrated systems and software applications to reenergize the workforce through gamifications.

3) Client-Side Based Web Applications

The enterprise software applications, traditionally, are developed to run on the server side. But the popularity of mobile applications has made it essential for the enterprise software to function like a native app. So, most companies will build powerful and fast applications that run on web browsers. The reduced load on the server will further make the application run faster. The growing popularity of desktop-like website and web applications will compel businesses to develop enterprise software applications that run on the client-side. The enterprises, however, will use frameworks to build complex client-side based web applications at rapid pace.

4) Integration and Compatibility with Third-Party Applications

Earlier, enterprises were concentrating on enterprise software with the right features and functionalities. But most users, nowadays, want to avail combined benefits of multiple applications. Further, many individual users and enterprises are switching to Cloud computing. Therefore, the enterprise software applications have to be integrated with other applications and services to deliver rich user experience. However, the application must be integrated with several third-party services seamlessly to avail competitive advantage.

5) Shift in User Interfaces

The huge popularity of mobile devices has made the concept of typical user obsolete. As users can access internet on a variety of devices, the enterprise software must be accessible on a variety of devices. Along with the existing models of computers, cell phones, smartphones and tablets, the application must adapt capabilities to work on a variety of devices. According to many reports, the wearable devices will become hugely popular in 2014. So the enterprise software development plan must consider the emerging devices. Further, most users, nowadays, use their handheld devices to work on remote networks. So the enterprise web application has to support several operating systems and devices.

Earlier, enterprise software development was not impacted hugely due to new and emerging technologies. But it has become essential, nowadays, to plan enterprise software development by keeping in mind the emerging technologies from the consumer space. The new technologies also need to be implemented in various stages of the project to attract, impress and engage end users.

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We provide software development services. If you would like to hire certified software developers from us, we would be glad to assist you at Mindfire Solutions.

Things to Watch while Doing SharePoint Integration with Java Web Services

Microsoft SharePoint is one of the most popular and preferred web application development platform today and most business enterprises make use of the same. Now, integration of SharePoint with the java web application can turn out to be real benefits. However, this integration requires one to take care of a number of aspects and consider certain essential factors. Only a planned and strategic approach towards integrating the two can lead to the ultimate success.

Let us begin by discussing the first few questions to which one needs to find answers. The version of the programming that is used is the first issue that plays an important role in the integration. The second point is regarding the version of the MOSS/WSS that is being employed and the third most important consideration here is the level of integration.

It can be assumed that for the purpose of the integration, Java 1.4 (J2EE 4) and the 2007/WSS 3.0 version of the SharePoint is used. With this, one can take the right approach to SharePoint and Java web applications integration. Here is an overview of the prominent requirements of the same.

Primary Requirements

To begin with, the IIS schemes for authentication support as well as the SharePoint/WSS remote access protocols support are essential. Alongside, the support for the best possible level of integration and integration based on LAN, where there is no such necessity of internet specific transport, is also required.

SharePoint Service Access Options

When it comes to the options of SharePoint/WSS service access, the MOSS/WSS products offer quite a good number of service based access options. This, however, is dependent on the version that happens to be in use. The options available are:

• XML-RPC interface on object API
• WS-* SOAP web service interface

It has to be kept in mind that the specific capabilities have to be chosen prior to deciding upon the versions.

Different Versions of Java Affecting the Integration

The integration is mostly dependent upon the version of Java used and here is a glance at the different integration options with the varying versions of Java.

Java 1.4 (J2EE 4)

The 1.4 version has limited support for the WS-* based services, found in the base distribution. Supporting for WS-* SOAP web services interfaces to MOSS/WSS necessitates extra web service framework. Now, out of the various java web service frameworks available, Axis2 is a highly recommended one, as it supports NTLM V1. With the Support for IIS authentication being a primary consideration, this particular version has XML-RPC in the base distribution.

Java 1.5 (J2EE 5)

The 1.5 version of the programming platform facilitates complete support for WS-* based services while XML-RPC interfaces are supported out of the box including that of NTLM V1 authentication.

Java 6

Java 6 is not always considered an option for integration though it provides full WS-* and XML-RPC support in the base distribution as well as facilitate NTLM V1 authentication.

Considering the Importance of Axis2

Axis2 comes with quite a few options for generating the proxy code of the client though the choice is largely determined by the particular SOAP data binding framework that one wants to use. Following are the available choices:

• AXIOM client uses the generic AXIOM classes for getting access to the web services. The same must work with raw XML.
• The Axis Data Binding is the default data binding frameworks which works well with the Axis2 web services but not with all the SOAP features.
• XML Beans is the functional schema compiler working with most of the WS compatible web services.
• JiBX, on the other hand, is flexible but involves a rather complicated setup process.

All the above- mentioned factors and issues are essential considerations in integrating SharePoint with Java Web Services. If you are thinking of SharePoint webparts development using Java web services, this can surely be helpful.

We provide SharePoint development services. If you would like to talk to one of our certified SharePoint programmers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

Adobe ColdFusion Roadmap: Tracking the Future Directions

Adobe recently came up with a development roadmap for ColdFusion highlighting the two prime upcoming releases of the ColdFusion server, code named “Splendor” and “Dazzle”. Through these new releases, Adobe plans to render increased support for analytics, social media, mobile applications, video, responsive content across multiples screens, along with a host of other features. These new features are sure to enable organizations to streamline their work with the aid of custom solutions.

Let us have a look at some of the latest versions of ColdFusion which will give us a fair idea of the current status of the software and where it is heading in the future. This will for sure help you decide if you want to do the ColdFusion migration now or later.

A look at the ColdFusion Servers

Adobe has charted out a detailed outline of Dazzle and Splendor, the two anticipated releases of the ColdFusion server. In the meantime, the team continued working on some other aspects. For instance, support for the much talked about Amazon cloud through the Splendor AMI was launched early in 2013, rendering users with a quick and simplified approach for the deployment of ColdFusion applications within the Amazon cloud.

Splendor: The prime thematic aspects of enhancements for Splendor incorporate taking ColdFusion into the age of social application support and mobile application development. Special focus is laid on additional security aspects, drawing upon the considerable work done in the field of security for release 10 and acquiring its priorities from the OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) Top 10 Project. Enhanced deployment and manageability coupled with new and revamped PDF assimilation functionality have also been planned. In short the version of ColdFusion server codenamed “Splendor” involves the following:

• Mobile Application Development that is mobile streamlined
• Novel PDF functionalities
• Empowering enterprises to go for easy integration of Social Media Streams
• Enhanced deployment and installation experience
• Language Improvement
• Pluggable Framework

Dazzle: So far as the dazzle release is concerned, extension of the mobile platform to render support to the multi-screen content and capabilities are planned. Dazzle is also anticipated to give Adobe the required push within the digital marketing domain through introduction of more intense social, mobile and web analytics functionality. The Dazzle release is expected to offer an enterprise video portal having the potential to be customized, along with capabilities that will empower ColdFusion to operate within cloud environments in key cloud platforms. Lastly, the enhancements are expected to be accompanied by a serious focus on the security aspects, moving ahead with the work that is done with splendor and emphasizing on mobile security with respect to the Mobile Security Project of OWASP. So, with Dazzle, we have the following:

• Enterprise mobility ensuring scalability, performance and multiple-platform support
• Support for content that is multi-screen and responsive
• Social Mobile and Web analytics for digital marketing
• Enterprise Video Portal that can be tailored

An Insight into the ColdFusion Builders With regard to ColdFusion Builders, two releases coinciding with the Servers are on the cards. Key work areas have also been identified for the latest releases of ColdFusion Builder.

Thunder: The release of Thunder is anticipated to play a major role in the stepwise developmental workflow in case of mobile application development and also offer a professional experience in JavaScript authoring. New developers would constitute the prime focus area along with new workflows underlining a “getting started” scenario. On the whole, Thunder brings with it the following:

• Step-by-step workflow for mobile application development
• An enhanced getting started experience
• Professional support for JavaScript development

Blizzard: The ColdFusion Builder, code-named Blizzard, would most probably be released simultaneous to the Dazzle server release, featuring multi-screen one click support and deployment support corresponding to Ops/Dev integration trends, as well as enhanced debug and test workflows. In short, we get,

• Multi-screen support with a single click
• Convenient application deployment
• High quality, improved debug and test workflows

Along with the server and builder releases, ColdFusion also brings in some cloud offerings. All of these taken together indeed spell a bright future for Adobe ColdFusion with increased performance, support and security.

We provide coldfusion web development services. If you would like to discuss with an expert coldfusion developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.