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TECHNOLOGY

7 Major Benefits of Outsourcing Your Business to India

Outsourcing refers to availing the service of a third-party service provider to handle certain business functions such as software development, customer service, back-office activities and much more. Nowadays a majority of businesses be it big or small have started relying on outsourcing. India has emerged as one of the top preferred destinations for business outsourcing owing to various favourable factors. With the current COVID-19 pandemic scenario the outsourcing trend has become even more popular with companies based in the USA and EU. A large number of foreign companies have found it beneficial to outsource processes to India as it helped them cut down the labour costs and gain significant business growth.

Whether you wish to find a cost-effective strategy or simply take your business to the next level, you might as well consider outsourcing your work. So what are the major benefits of outsourcing business to India? Let us discuss in detail.

 

  • Reduced labour costs

 

Money is the major reason why firms choose to outsource their work to third parties. The labour charges for employees in India are lesser as compared to many other countries like the USA, UK, Australia and Canada. For example, if an IT professional is paid around $50-100 hourly wage in the USA, in India it will only be half the amount or even less. Moreover, outsourcing gives you flexibility in staffing where you only have to pay as and when you avail the service. This is a great option when your firm has a peak work season or when any seasonal work comes up. So instead of hiring in-house professionals, you can easily delegate your work to a reputed Indian agency and save a huge sum of money. Outsourcing helps to reduce the capital expenditure, employee training costs, infrastructure costs and other overhead expenses to a great extent.

 

  • Shift your focus back to core business

 

It is always the best idea to outsource everything that is outside your core business process. This will let you save money, time and efforts. Outsourcing your regular backend tasks will allow your firm to shift the focus to your core business activities. For instance, if you are a marketing firm, then you can save more time to do more of what is most relevant to grow your business instead of spending time for other supporting activities. When there are too many tasks pending to be done such as looking up the finances, administration, customer service or human resources, you tend to skip many of your core activities. Also, back-office activities will create extra expenses in the form of infrastructure facilities, staffing, stationery and more. This is where outsourcing comes to play. So if you want to get a mobile or web application designed to promote your business, then consider outsourcing it to a reliable software development company in India at a very affordable cost.

 

  • Gain access to new skilled resources

 

India is globally renowned for having a talent pool consisting of highly skilled professionals. With a large number of well-educated and experienced workforce, even the top global organizations are now choosing to outsource their work to India. Hiring and training new resources requires a lot of time and effort from the company’s part. Outsourcing lets you skip this entire process as you can gain access to talented professionals to take care of your varied business operations. With a few initial formalities and paperwork, you can start assigning your work to a third-party service provider from any part of the world. Employees in India are also well-versed in the English language and are familiar with the offshore work culture. Most of the time, you may find it taxing to find the right resources with specialized knowledge. However, outsourcing agencies in India will have a big pool of talented employees with good industry knowledge and expertise in various chosen domains.

 

  • Uninterrupted Service with Good Connectivity

 

Outsourcing firms in India are capable of delivering uninterrupted services due to the presence of high-speed internet facilities available throughout the nation. With the launch of Reliance Jio national 4G plans, the internet has become more accessible and affordable to every Indian. Jio network has attracted over 400 million subscribers within a few years as the charges are very cheap and pocket-friendly. By offering free voice calls and affordable 4G services, Jio has created a revolution in the Indian telecom industry. Indian firms also ensure faster delivery of projects by offering round the clock services. Most of the professionals working in India focus on completing the projects before the agreed deadlines. Owing to their high level of commitment towards work, they will be ready to stretch for longer hours to ensure timely completion of deliverables.

 

  • Tailor-made services based on needs

 

Another key benefit of outsourcing is that you can get services tailored to your specific needs as when the need arises. Outsourcing gives you the flexibility to delegate a single function or the activities of an entire department to another firm. For example, if you have a new idea and want to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) such as a mobile or web app within a limited budget, it is best to outsource it to a third-party firm. This will allow you to work on multiple projects simultaneously and contribute to business growth. A minimum viable product is a basic version of a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future product development. Depending upon your business needs, you can even find a freelancer to work for you at a minimum budget. All these will help you to reduce the operations costs by a great extent.

 

  • Round the Clock Productivity

 

Companies in the USA and other Western countries can take advantage of the time zone differences by outsourcing to Indian firms. This means that during your non-working hours, Indian employees can work remotely and support your activities without causing any delays. This will ensure that your business services are available 24/7 without any interruptions. Round the clock service also results in higher productivity as compared to working in-house with a team for 8 or 9 hours. Consistency in product quality and timely delivery are the top best attributes of Indian outsourcing firms. Owing to all these aspects, India has emerged as one of the leading global outsourcing destinations for software product development.

 

  • Excellent IT Infrastructure and Latest Technology

Being one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, India has numerous high-tech business parks and technology centers housing hundreds of outsourcing firms. Most of the outsourcing firms in India are located in these tech parks and will have state-of-the-art IT infrastructure facilities to support their operations. If you are planning to outsource software development or web development functions to an Indian firm, you can expect great product quality and on-time delivery. Indian professionals are keen on updating their knowledge with the latest technologies and thus they are more skilled than people from other outsourcing destinations. So if you are outsourcing your work, you don’t have to worry about training your employees with newer technologies and work techniques.

By considering the above-mentioned benefits, you must have realized how outsourcing can be of help for your business. Being one of the trusted and reliable outsourcing firms in India offering web and mobile app development solutions to clients from across the globe, we can assist you to streamline your business and boost revenue. Feel free to post an enquiry to get started.

 

Categories
TECHNOLOGY

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality : A Few Exciting Possibilities

The next big technological leap that is going to impact businesses and consumers alike is virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Revenue for these technologies is expected to jump from $52 billion to $150 billion by 2020. This will correspond with lowering price points for consumer VR and AR products.

But what exactly are Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality?

From basic 360 degree videos on Facebook to full-blown VR gaming headsets, virtual reality is the virtual world that technology is allowing the public to enter. Augmented reality is not meant to completely engulf the user, rather alter (augment) the existing world. Applying filters in real-time on Snapchat is a simple app-based example of this.

VR and AR are going to change the business world, both internally and for the end consumer. Here are 10 exciting uses of the technology that are already being used or developed:

Try Before You Buy

From uploading an image of your face to try on eyeglasses and makeup to 360-degree virtual fitting rooms – VR and AR are allowing customers to experience products before they buy them.

Augmented Gaming Becomes Marketing

There was a time that gamers were considered lazy shut-ins, but with the release of Pokémon Go millions of people took to the streets to catch and battle their pocket monsters in an augmented reality. The game is overlaid on a real life map, requiring players to go to local landmarks where items and Pokémon are virtually located. The same concept has now been applied to a range of marketing methods, such as requiring app users to go to a certain location to find coupon codes.

Travel and Tourism

The ability to showcase hotels, resorts and other locations virtually (virtual tours) is revolutionizing the travel and tourism industries. Furthermore, apps with GPS are using AR to help users with directions, to find desirable locations and translate foreign language signs!

Training

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality allow firms to train people in safe, efficient and cost-effective virtual environments. Guidelines and instructions can be delivered via augmented video, dangerous tasks can be practised virtually with no danger at all, savings are made by cutting down on physical components, and trainees might not even have to leave their home.

Meetings and Conferencing

Whether you want a meeting at the office or the Eiffel tower, video conferencing is taken to the next level with virtual reality and augmented video, where data and ideas can be displayed and manipulated.

Customer Support

The virtual space allows consumers to get hands-on-support in the form of tutorials.

Remote Events

From music concerts to trade shows, those who cannot make it in person will get a much more immersive experience than just watching basic videos of the events.

Design

VR and AR allow for the design of a product that fits pre-set requirements and its testing, without even having to manufacture it. 3D CAD models can be quickly transformed into interactive walk-throughs and presentations with programs like Autodesk Showcase.

Immersive Learning

Not only will this new technology allow for remote classroom based learning, those in the classroom will be able to experience elements of their curriculum virtually – virtual field trips for example.

Interactive Marketing

Hold your mobile device up to that billboard to learn more about the product or service.

To learn more about Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, and all the breakthroughs that will benefit the business world – check out the full infographic from Skilled.co

This blog is part of a collaboration between Webdura Technologies and Skilled.co. We have partnered with skilled.co to provide you with some high-quality articles as part of our knowledge sharing initiative.

Categories
TECHNOLOGY

What are Progressive Web Apps?

It is not uncommon for people to use their mobile phones to go on the web rather than a desktop computer. It is convenient, quick, easy to access and can be used wherever you are, perfect if you need to look up something quickly. The trouble is, not all websites are designed to be used on a mobile, therefore when accessed on a mobile they can differ a little from how they are meant to look. For example, they can have pictures or text in the wrong place, have buttons that are hard to press because they are so small or will not fit the screen size properly.

That is why many people turn to apps instead of just a website. Many companies have their own app, so even if their website doesn’t work well on a mobile, then they have the app that can be used instead. However, the problem with this is that apps can take a long time to find and download, and there are often many steps involved to download it. If you need to search for some information quickly on a company and you don’t already have the app downloaded on your phone, this can be a major problem.

There are several reasons why people prefer apps rather than websites. One of these being that mobile apps are just more convenient, easy to use and can even work when your phone is not connected to the internet or does not have any signal.

It is these facts that have drawn developers to create something that solves these problems, and that is where progressive web apps come in. Progressive Web Apps act much like an app, having the same layout and usability, yet they can be accessed using a search engine or URL, and need not be downloaded to be used, taking the steps out of the process. The work for all users, no matter what browser or device they are using, is already opening the market of potential users. They are also always up to date thanks to the service worker update process and are safe to use thanks to technology making it almost impossible to be tampered with. Users can keep their favourite apps onto their home screen without the bother of using the app store and they can be shared with others as they don’t need any complex installation process to use it.

They are a combination of both apps and websites, as they work well no matter what your internet connectivity is. They automatically refresh when there is an update and can send you push notifications. Progressive web apps can be accessed exactly like a website would be, and as quickly and easily. Some people would describe a progressive web application as the future, and it is looking likely that soon everyone will be using PWA’s as part of their everyday lifestyle. Only time will tell how successful they will be.

To learn more about Progressive Web Apps, their benefits to users and the businesses that use them (but also some of the current downsides), be sure to check out the new infographic from Skilled.co

This blog is part of a collaboration between Webdura Technologies and Skilled.co. We have partnered with skilled.co to provide you with some high-quality articles as part of our knowledge sharing initiative.

Categories
DEVELOPMENT

How To Enable Push Notification Using Meteor JS

Over the past few months, we have been busy developing our own revolutionary product. My team and I decided to go with Meteor on this one as the intention is to develop a multi-platform application with real-time updates being a key factor. Along with Meteor, we chose to go with React JS for the template with Meteor for reactivity of data. Working on Meteor has been a great experience so far but every now and then we did hit a roadblock as there is very limited documentation on some of the functionalities – Push Notification being once such case. We had to spend a lot of working hours to decipher the problem and get it to work properly.

So, on this blog titled ‘How to enable push notification using Meteor JS, I’ll share a few important details as to how you can get the push notification to work using the Meteor JS platform. Let’s begin!

The first step towards implementing the push notification feature on Meteor JS is to obtain the Project Number and API Key from the firebase portal.

Use the following steps to get the required details:

1. Access the Firebase Developer Console.

2. Click on ‘create project’ and give it a suitable project name.

3. Once that is done, you’ll be able to see the Firebase Overview page. Now click on the ‘Project Setting’ link found on the top left (part of the hover settings).

4. Now click on ‘Cloud Messaging’ tab.

5. Write down your Sender ID (it should be all digits) and your Server key (has upper and lower case letters, numbers, underscores, and dashes).

How To Enable Push Notification Using MeteorJS

Now Let’s Get Into The Coding Part

We have used “raix/push” for the push notification feature. The first step obviously is to install it. The installation process is as follows:

meteor add raix:push

meteor add cordova:cordova-plugin-device@1.1.5

meteor add cordova:phonegap-plugin-push@1.5.2

Now add Push.Configure as part of the client inside the Meteor Startup () block of main.js

Push.Configure({
   android: {
     senderID: xxxxxxxxxx,
     alert: true,
     badge: true,
     sound: true,
     vibrate: true,
     clearNotifications: true
     // icon: '',
     // iconColor: ''
  },
  ios: {
  alert: true,
  badge: true,
  sound: true
  }
});

How To Enable Push Notification Using MeteorJS

Additionally, you’ll have to include the mobile-config.js as well:

    App.configurePlugin('phonegap-plugin-push', {
        SENDER_ID: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
    });

How To Enable Push Notification Using MeteorJS

Once this part is done, add Push.Configure to the server inside Meteor.startup() block of main.js

Push.Configure({
        gcm: {
        projectNumber: xxxxxxxxxxx,
        apiKey: 'xxxxxxxxxxx'
        }
    });

How To Enable Push Notification Using MeteorJS

Now Try Sending The Push Notification:

The following code has to be included for the push notification to work efficiently:

Push.send({
        from: 'push',
        title: 'Push Notification',
        text: 'Push Notification text',
        badge: 1, //optional, use it to set badge count of the receiver when the app is in background.
        query: {
        // Ex. send to a specific user if using accounts:
            userId: 'xxxxxxxxx'
        } // Query the appCollection
        // token: appId or token eg. "{ apn: token }"
        // tokens: array of appId's or tokens
        // payload: user data
        // delayUntil: Date
    });

We have completed the coding part and now we can test the push notification. The push notification feature will only work on mobile devices, so connect your Android phone (to get push notifications to work on ios refer this link) and input the following command in the terminal:

Meteor run Android-device

That’s it, your push notification feature should start working. Feel free to get in touch with me on Twitter if you run into any difficulties. Do share your thoughts in the comments section as well. Happy Coding!!

 

Categories
DEVELOPMENT

HTML5 Canvas Tag – A Must-Know For Developers

Canvas tags are an integral part of HTML5 coding. Canvas allows the user to draw different raster-based images like geometric 2D figures, load images & media and even provides the option to bring in animations.

However, to make the maximum use of a Canvas tags, one must have expertise in coding, using JavaScript. Here’s how you can draw using canvas:

Use the
<canvas></canvas>
 tag to create an element. By default, the canvas will have 300 pixels in width and 150 pixels in height. You could change this by modifying the tag and specifying your requirements. For example,
<canvas height=”100″width=”200″></canvas>

To create a border using Canvas, one could make use of CSS. The below example can be used as a reference:

<style>
canvas { border:1px solid #333; }
</style>

Canvas

In order to make this work using JavaScript, the user must create an ID. Once that is done, you’ll be able to keep it as a reference.

<canvas height=”100″width=”200″id=”demoCanvas”></canvas>

Inserting the canvas ID into a variable:

<script type=”text/javascript”>
var canvasID = document.getElementById(“demoCanvas”);
</script>

Changing the Canvas to 2D or 3D:
Use the
var canvas = canvas.getContext(“2d”);
 to create a canvas according to your need. Once you get a reference to your Canvas, insert a concept, and you are ready to being drawing.

How can you achieve a few basic shapes using Canvas?
Refer to the tags below to create a few basic shapes:
Draw a Line:

var c = document.getElementById(“lineCanvas”);
var ctx = c.getContext(“2d”);
ctx.moveTo (0,0);
ctx.lineTo (100,100);
ctx.stroke ();

Canvas

Text with Stroke:

var c = document.getElementById(“strokeCanvas”);
var ctx = c.getContext(“2d”);
ctx.font “25px arial”;
ctx.strokeText (“Canvas”,10,30);

Canvas

Loading images:

var myImage = new Image();
myImage .src = “logo.jpg”;
myImage .onload function() { context.drawImage(myImage, 30, 15, 130, 110); }

Canvas

A Canvas element could also be used to draw gradients and shadows to scale, rotate and transform the shapes created. One may be curious as to what is so special about Canvas in the age of ActionScript and Flash technology?

Here are a few good reasons for using Canvas:

  • One of the most important reasons is that Canvas, as part of the HTML5 platform is totally free. Users don’t have to spend money on expensive software like ‘Adobe Flash’ to start coding. Canvas provides a great opportunity for developers to learn new things as it is visible in the core source of a site developed using HTML5.
  • Using Canvas, the user could simply start coding and watch the result being displayed in the browser. There is no requirement for any plug-in to be installed first like the Adobe Flash Player.
  • Today’s technology enables a browser to transfer graphic intensive tasks to a GPU for immediate processing instead of overworking the CPU. This gives the user great performance gains while using Canvas.

Advantages of using Canvas:

The advantages of using Canvas elements are manifold. Some of the important ones include the ability for elements to work on any HTML5 web browser. Being part of the HTML5 platform, it is easy to create bitmap graphics and vectors on screen. Canvas has the ability to render images and it doesn’t require parsing of JavaScript. Canvas is text based and can be read by all search engines, thereby creating an impact on SEO as well. Canvas provides cross-platform functionality as it works on both Android and iOS devices as well.

Disadvantages of using Canvas:

The disadvantages of using Canvas is that it is no longer supported by versions prior to IE9. If the JavaScript option is disabled in the browser, then the Canvas will draw-up a blank. Also, there is no option to click individual items; only the entire element can be chosen.

Conclusion:

Canvas is one of the most sought after features in HTML5. In sync with JavaScript, Canvas elements provide a huge variety of shapes and forms. It is a very powerful tool, especially for young developers as it is an open source platform and there is no investment required. It has the ability to turbocharge boring forms to rich, gorgeous animations.

Categories
TECHNOLOGY

Redefining The Future – Augmented Reality And Virtual Reality

I consider myself as a tech evangelist, constantly making efforts and taking time out from my personal schedule to stay in sync with the latest developments in the tech world. Over the past few years, there is this constant thought in my mind as to what the next big boom in the world of technology will be after the smartphone revolution. I finally have an answer for this – Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. Both concepts are undergoing rapid advancements and we are in store for some mega surprises considering the investments being made by conglomerates into both domains.

VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY – ARE BOTH THE SAME?

The simple answer in NO. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are different in their own special ways. Virtual Reality, today, is mainly defined by the use of a head-mounted gear that simulated a virtual environment for a user to experience. Supportive modules like trackpads and joysticks provide an interactive feel of the user dwelling right into the virtual world. The user has the option to interact with virtual elements and feel a new world developing around him. Few of the more renowned developers in the field include Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.

Virtual Reality, or in other words immersive multimedia, has been a big hit among the common tech enthusiasts, especially within the gaming community. The concept is making inroads into the education sector worldwide as research has proven that students respond positively to virtual based study protocols rather than just learning from books. Even the architecture industry is taking advantage of this concept as yet to be designed mega urban projects are first converted into the virtual realm for the clients to get a feel of the overall environment. The concept is promising and further modification and implementations will make the concept more accessible to the common man and are sure to be part of our day to day life in the near future.

Now let’s focus on Augmented Reality. This concept is slightly different from Virtual Reality, both in terms of the systems used and the actual usage criteria. Augmented Reality can be better defined as the ability of machines to give the user an experience of a product/service before actually making the final investment. For example, many smartphones today, most of them being super expensive has the Augmented Reality feature. This enables the concept of superimposing images and or elements as part of the immediate real-world surroundings.

Project Tango, authored by Google, is one of the more well-known concepts in the domain. The hardware part of it mainly involves a suitable processor, input devices, adaptive display and sensors. Augmented Reality works great for the real estate and e-commerce sector. A potential home buyer could experience his new home in the form of Augmented Reality to get an actual feel of the place. A person interested in getting a new piece of furniture could make use of this technology to virtually deploy the furniture into the actual world to see if it suits the place of his/her choice.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Another important player in the field of Augmented Reality is Microsoft’s HoloLens. Also known as Project Baraboo, HoloLens is a pair of mixed reality smart glasses. The concept is not well known to the global audience as the pre-production version is currently being sold in the United States and Canada, and that too at 3000 US$. The device incorporates an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), four sensors to understand the environment, camera with a 120×120 degree angle of view, a 2.4MP video camera, microphones and an ambient light sensor. The concept is being worked on by Microsoft at a rapid pace and more advancements are expected in the following months.

THE FUTURE FOR DEVELOPERS

As previously mentioned in this blog, there are massive investments being made both in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. To go ‘ Virtual’ is the new buzzword in the industry. Many firms are trying to implement interesting features & deploy products based on the two concepts and are on recruitment overdrive. A simple Google search will get you tons and tons of vacancies in the domain. I would strongly advise that developers take the time out to gain working knowledge of the two concepts to broaden the scope of your future. For starters, I suggest familiarizing the following tools:

https://www3.oculus.com/en-us/dk2/

https://developer.oculus.com/

https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us/developers

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/holographic/install_the_tools

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality is going to redefine the future. It would only make sense for developers to be early adopters of the same. Technology waits for no one and only the chance takers can make it big. The future is yours, make the most of it!

Hope you all have enjoyed this blog. Feel free to share your thoughts and comments. You can reach me at https://twitter.com/shemeermali.

Categories
TECHNOLOGY

GraphQL – Its Significance And Prospects

GraphQL is one of the most modern ways of building and querying APIs. With GraphQL, the user is able to make a single call to fetch the required information rather than to construct several REST requests to fetch the same. GraphQL is a mainly a language used to receive exact data based on your queries. For example, take a look at the below query.

{
viewer {
login
bio
organizations(first: 3) {
edges {
org:node {
name
}
}
}
}
}

The query above will generate a response by retrieving the login and bio of the user along with details of the first three organizations:

{
"data": {
"viewer": {
"login": "abctest",
"bio": "sample test",
"organizations": {
"edges": [
{
"org": {
"name": "company"
}
},
{

“org”: {
“name”: “Atom”
}
},
{
“org”: {
“name”: “sample name”
}
}
]
}
}
}
}

GitHub and GraphQL

GitHub uses GraphQL as it offers more flexibility for the developers. The option to precisely generate the information that a user wants is a great advantage over sending multiple REST calls to receive the same. To generate the information based on the above example using REST calls would require a two stage process – One to gather the information of the user and the other to fetch the information about the organization the user is associated with. GraphQL helps alleviate this two-step process.

GraphQL is one of the more recent app development tools to be generated form Facebook’s open-source internal libraries. GraphQL is a specification with usage aspects linked to several well-used languages and is not an all-out framework, tool or library. An official reference implementation is available that is written in Javascript along with other popular libraries for Ruby, Java, Python and PHP to make it easier for prospective users.

GraphQL Is Great For Developers

It would be wise for any developer, be it the ones familiar with React, Angular, Ember, iOS or Android, to take time and learn about GraphQL and to slowly but steadily start using it. There are many communities extending support to beginners who are using GraphQL. A few are Slack channel, Apollo and GraphQL GitHub organization. Be sure to pay their portals a visit for updates and support content.

Rest Just Doesn’t Cut It

Take a look at the image below and you’ll get a better picture:

What is GraphQL

GraphQL is a layer between servers and clients far more intricate and efficient than what REST could provide. I would urge you to visit the links below for more information:

• From REST to GraphQL by Jacob Gillespie

• GraphQL at The Financial Times by Victor Charypar

• The Business Case for GraphQL by James Baxley III

• Adopting GraphQL by Arunoda Susiripala

Many other options are available as well. A simple Google search will get you a barrage of sites and blogs supporting the use of GraphQL and its importance.

You Are Already Using GraphQL

GraphQL is fundamental to how Facebook works. With over one billion active users, it’s safe to say that using Facebook quite literally means using GraphQL.Facebook started used GraphQL in 2012, way before it was open-sourced in July of last year. Since then there has been a rapid growth in terms of the number of developers using GraphQL and its associated communities. Many companies are now turning to GraphQL as they understand its significance and future prospects.

  • REFERENCE LIST:

    http://graphql.org/

    http://dev.apollodata.com/react/

    https://code.facebook.com/posts/1691455094417024/graphql-a-data-query-language/

Categories
DEVELOPMENT

How to Become a Full Stack Developer

A few days ago, I got an interesting phone call from my friend. He asked a question – “Has PHP
lost its importance in today’s programming world? – I was taken aback and asked him as to why he is thinking about this all of a sudden. The answer to that came in the form of a graph, as shown below:

55



Our conversation lasted for at least an hour. We spoke about the current trends in the industry and how he could upgrade his skill set to that of a professional developer. This blog is basically intended to share my thoughts as to how a PHP developer can make inroads into the programming world and stay ahead of the competition.

I advised him to spend a minimum of two hours, outside of working hours and on a daily basis, to learn and understand the latest developments in the field. Personally, I think it’s best to take time early in the morning to get this habit going. Worried about your jogging routine? Well, you can always find time for that after work.

For starters, let’s look at two main talking points in the industry to further your growth – The NODE JS and NPM.

Node JS and NPM

According to Wikipedia, and I quote, “Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment for developing a diverse variety of tools and applications. Although Node.js is not a JavaScript framework, many of its basic modules are written in JavaScript, and developers can write new modules in JavaScript.The runtime environment interprets JavaScript using Google’s V8 JavaScript engine.”

Clearly, node is a tool to write java scripts on the server side and NPM (Node Package Manager) is the package manager for node, more like a composer in the PHP domain. I am listing below a few of the advantages in the nodejs platform:

  • Asynchronous – (More fast)
  • Javascript(Same language on server and client side)
  • Tools (great tools like NPM, Mongo DB, Sails JS , Meteor JS )

It is advisable to familiarize yourself, in detail, the advantages of using nodejs by doing a quick Google search. Most PHP developers are familiar with frameworks like Codeignitor, Laravel, Cake php and ZF to name a few. Similarly the nodejs platform has a few frameworks to work with. They are:

Express.js is a very simple and easy to use a framework, but personally I prefer sails.js as it functions in a similar manner to like Codeignitor and Laravel. I would not like to comment on koa.js as I am not familiar with the framework, but is something that I’ll look into soon.

Database 

Even if you have a good understanding of the MySql platform, one needs to understand that the database concept has undergone a sea change in its operational capacity to accommodate high volume file structures. Earlier, majority of the database generated were based on the sql concept, but there are other contenders like Mongo DB, Couch DB and Hadoop. I strongly suggest that you let go of your sql comfort zone and star learning new database handlers right away. Don’t forget, MySql can still be used for small-medium scale projects and can be made to work in tandem with Mongo DB.

ES2015 (know as ES6)

Another concept to know more about is that of ES2015. It is the latest version of javascript. Note that you may face issues with browser compatibility while using the tool. ES2015 is so flexible that you can use Babel or TypeScript in sync as transpires. To know more, I suggest going through the link below:

Resource-: https://www.codeschool.com/courses/es2015-the-shape-of-javascript-to-come

Front End Frame Works

One can find a lot of front end frameworks, but the point is that all cannot be learned in a jiffy. However, I would like to point out a few options which I think, going forward, would be the trend in the industry.

React JS

Reactjs is a front end library developed by Facebook. It follows an awesome component method for front end development. I believe that React has a great future and it’s very easy to learn. I can assure you that if you familiarize well with React, then you can easily adopt React Native for Hybrid Application development while the aframe-react can be used for development of virtual reality applications. Know more by clicking the links below:

Resource 1-: https://www.codeschool.com/courses/powering-up-with-react

Resource 2-: http://www.webduratech.com/blog/reactjs-tutorial-for-beginners/

Angular 2

Angular is currently the buzz word in the industry. If you have not had a chance to learn Angular 1, then I suggest moving straight to Angular 2 as it utilizes the same operational components. It is one of the most comprehensive and full-fledged MV* frameworks currently available and is developed by Google.

Even though Angular and React are the key trends in the industry, it would be wise to invest your time in learning Emberjs and Vuejs as well.

Miscellaneous

The options to learn are basically endless. That’s why it would be an injustice if I fail to Mention, and also request you all, to look into Gulp, Grunt and Yomen front ends tools to make the leap towards being a full stack developer.

Hybrid App Development

Hybrid App Development holds the key to the future and it is imperative that you learn it right now. There are three major tools to develop Hybrid Applications – Iconic, Meteor Js and React Native. More information on the three can be found by accessing the links below:

I also suggest going through a blog that I had written a few months back on the importance of Hybrid App Development – http://www.webduratech.com/blog/what-are-hybrid-apps-how-it-can-be-helpful-for-small-business-owners/

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Virtual Reality Apps

Virtual Reality is fast gaining momentum as one of the most important concepts in the programming world. Microsoft and Facebook have already introduced their VR products for the masses. As it is a new concept, efficient learning of associated tools in the VR domain will go a long way in making you a top notch developed with awesome pay.

More on VR can be found here – https://github.com/ngokevin/aframe-react

There is no end to learning, especially for us programmers. We have to stay constantly updated with all the latest trends in the industry to further our chances of making a difference in the field.

How to become a full Stack Developer - Virtual Reality in Google Trends



Keep an open mind and embrace the changes in the industry. Always keep in mind that self-learning is the only way to ensure that you do not get lost amongst the crowd.

Follow me at https://twitter.com/shemeermali for all the latest from the world of programming. Happy Coding Everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
DEVELOPMENT

React JS Tutorial for Beginners

Last weekend, I was trying to find the boilerplate repo for ReactJS SPA (Single Page Application) to figure out the best folder structure that can be adopted for React js projects. I could not find anything on the folder structure, but was able to find two starter/boilerplate repos. I decided to learn more about the two starter/boilerplate repos in order to make a sample folder structure by myself, to be used in ReactJS projects.

1) create-react-app –
The create-react-app is developed/configured by Facebook as part of the Facebook incubator.  This tool will help you to create React apps without the need for any build configuration.

2) generator-react-webpack –
The “generator-react-webpack” is a yomen generator for ReactJS applications and can be used to quickly set up a project along with the karma test runner and the Webpack module system.

 

I have installed  the create-react-app in my local system –  it has a very simple installation procedure and doesn’t require any configuration. I suggest going through the “README.md” file to know more about the installation procedure to create-react-app.

 

I have created another repo to implement sma-react-boilerplate. You should make sure that the repo is cloned to see the related files as shown in the image below. I have not worked on developing a CSS to make the page more attractive as this tutorial is just a basic demonstration of the tool.

 

React js tutorial for beginners



The “public” folder contains index.html and .favicon files, and they should not be messed with. The folder that requires our utmost attention is “src” – more commonly known as ‘a developer’s playground.’ This folder contains an index.js file, which is one of the core elements of the application. This file is used to write the router characteristics of the application. The root(“/”) router here is pointed to Home components for the user to see the ‘Home Page’ when attempting a call.

 

React js tutorial - react js app tutorial



Inside the “src” folder, I have created separate files for each page like Home.js, About.js, Contact.js, etc. Each file contains a “components” folder. This folder is used to keep the components of each page. You can refer the Contact.js file and the Contact folder for more clarity. Each folder may have different components and can be saved in different files.



React js tutorial - contact-js-react-app



Finally, we have three more folders –  “Common”, “layout” and “Forms” – within the “components” folder. The “Common” folder is used for generic components while the “Layout” folder is used to save files related to the Header and the Footer. The “Form” folder can be accessed for elements like Textbox, Textarea, etc. These folders can be considered as common components depending on the scenario.

 

I hope that you have got a general idea about developing a sample application and the folder structure associated with it. These simple concepts can be used in developing small and large scale applications, but keep in mind that the heavy applications require a more modular folder structure. You can reach out to me at https://twitter.com/shemeermali for any queries that you may have on the subject.

 

Happy Reactive Coding

 

 

 

Categories
TECHNOLOGY

What is Hybrid App and How it can Help Small Scale Business

India will overtake the US as the second largest market for smartphones in the world by 2016. WOW!  India will exceed 200 million (20 crores ) smartphone users by 2016. Again WOW!

Don’t you think it is the best opportunity for small/medium scale businesses in product development to enter into the area of digital business, especially who leads existing business and need to reach new heights? As we all know we are going through a revolution. To be more specific, Smartphone revolution! I am not exaggerating as it is very clear that most of the customers are using good spec phones. Hence, I would definitely say that this is the right time for all the SMBEs to start using mobile phone applications for their business development. If you hesitate now, that will be a bad decision you have ever made. Yes! Go Digital!

 

hybrid apps for small business owners - mobile users by 2017

What Should I do?

The answer is Digital Business.  Firstly, provide an option for the customers to get goods or services through their mobile phones. That will make a tremendous change in your business. What I feel is, in the present scenario it is easier for you to run a business in digital version than going for all the traditional tactics.

From my personal experience, my friend runs a furniture business in the main city of Kerala. Recently, he started a website to list all the products so that customer inquiries about furniture could be easily made. Surprisingly, this change could make double furniture sales within six months. Then, isn’t it the right time to change to digital mode? So think about a mobile application to customers for easy access. Anytime! Anywhere!  In this case, a hybrid application will be the right choice.

What is Hybrid App?

Hybrid App is a mobile application in which the same app can be worked in different mobile operating systems like iOS, Android, Windows, etc…, and even in browsers (Mozilla, Chrome, IE, etc.. )! It is the same as mobile applications for users, which can be installed from App Store or Google Play store. But technically it’s different, its works with a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Usually, mobile applications are built using own tools. Once the application is built for iOS it cannot be installed with Android and vice versa. Here comes the difference of hybrid applications. These are hosted inside a native application that uses mobile platform’s Web View which provides access to capabilities like camera, contacts, accelerometer, etc. or it is a combination of both native applications and web applications. Thus, these applications can work on specific platforms as well as multiple platforms.

 

Why Should I work on Multiple Platforms?

 

 

hybrid apps for small business - mobile OS increased user base

 

We have 1.4 billion(140 crores) active Android devices worldwide and 1 billion (100 crores) Apple users and others using Windows. So it’s not easy to make applications for each operating system and maintain them separately at an early stage of the business. This is where hybrid applications work for you. It can be worked everywhere but can be maintained in one place.

What are the Advantages ? 

Cost Effective?

Of course, it is! As we build a single application to use different devices, the app development cost will be very less since same code can work on all devices (iOS, Android, Windows). This again increases the speed of development and reduces the maintenance cost.

Apart from this, in future, if any changes are to be made to the application, then, you can bravely go for it as there is no need to make changes for all the devices which the application work for.

Resource Availability?

As I mentioned before, it works based on HTML and JavaScript. So a normal web developer can develop a hybrid app with an extra training.

Help product development?

Product development is one of the most uses of the hybrid application, because when we start a product we cannot spend a lot of money on to it. So we can build MVP (Minimum Viable Product) in hybrid and can also build native app after the success of product using user trends and behaviours.

Facebook was hybrid at an early stage, but later they cannot manage with a hybrid, and they have to move to native for each device. Trust me! The time has changed! Hybrid application tools are stronger now. Hence, a medium scale application can be easily managed with a hybrid.

What are the Disadvantages?

Obviously! Every technology has got its own pros and cons. Some disadvantages of our hybrid app are:

  • You may or may not have access to native application features(Hardware Device Buttons not now but in future).

Do Hybrid Apps have a future?

Hybrid app development is one of the most growing areas of IT now. There are many  frameworks that have access to more devices. So, in the coming future, it can work like a native app. Future is of hybrid everywhere!

Here are some tools described below and go following links for reading more about those.

 

Hybrid apps for small business owners - Hybrid application tools
  • IONIC
  • React Native
  • Meteor JS
  • Native Script
  • PhoneGap
  • jQuery Mobile

For more read -:

https://www.sitepoint.com/top-7-hybrid-mobile-app-frameworks/

http://tutorialzine.com/2015/10/comparing-the-top-frameworks-for-building-hybrid-mobile-apps/

Conclusion

To put it in a nutshell, Hybrid applications are the best option for medium scale business’ product development to enter the digital business model. Think and take the best decision. If you are looking high hardware dependent or billion user mobile applications, please excuse hybrid. You can see the zenith of your business. Wish you Good Luck!

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