DEV Community: Ketan Chavda

AngularJS vs. React vs. Vue: Who will emerge as champion in 2020?

Ketan Chavda — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 12:28:50 +0000

The growth in technology has led to an increase in the popularity of different front-end web development frameworks.Over the last few years, there has been a constant battle between AngularJS and React for dynamic web application development But with the expansion of technology and the emergence of Vue, it has become a comprehensive three-way fight.

Thus, it becomes necessary for the developers and the companies to know which framework will work the best for them.

We will provide a comprehensive guide which will help the developers to decide on which JavaScript framework they need to use.

What is AngularJS Framework?

Google developed Angular JavaScript framework in the year 2010, and thus it is the oldest of the three frameworks in contention. The framework is purely based on three pillars viz. RxJS, Zone.js, and TypeScript.

A top-notch AngularJS service provider provides the best web development services as AngularJS has a perfect MVC architecture. Popular companies like Wix and, of course, Google are using the AngularJS framework in greater amounts.

What is ReactJS?

ReactJS was launched in 2013 and had a simple aim to divide the User Interface (UI) into a cluster of components that will help in simplifying the development of visual interfaces. The framework has an extraordinary feature of virtual DOM, which is used to develop single-page applications.

ReactJS achieved a strong reputation in the business realm by 2014. It has a comprehensive library that allows the ReactJS developers to build an exceptional web application for your business. Market leaders such as Facebook and Instagram used React to a great extent.

What is Vue Framework?

Vue framework was developed by an ex-Google employee in 2014, and since then, it has become one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks in the technology world. The current version that is Vue 2.6 was released in December 2019, and there have been some small incremental releases since then.

Vue offers developers flexibility in website development without any complications. Popular companies like Alibaba and GitLab use Vue for their web development process.

To grab the top spot, it’s a three-way fight

Let us compare the three on different parameters and understand who overpowers whom…

Based on Preference

According to research done by Stackoverflow, web development with React is the most preferred option by web developers (74.5%), followed by Vue.JS (73.6%) and AngularJS (57.6%).

Despite being the oldest, developing a solution using AngularJS is the least preferred option by the web developers.

Vue brought a paradigm shift in the race to become the best web development framework in mid-2016 and since then has left AngularJS behind and is at a neck-to-neck competition with React.

If we compare according to the trends in the job market, the skill set required to work with Angular and React is more or less the same, whereas it differs marginally (20%) with Vue. Thus, from the job market's point of view, Custom web development with React and Angular edges past the Vue framework.

Summary: React is the most preferred framework by the developers followed by Vue and AngularJS.

Based on Deployment Speed

AngularJS provides a wide range of features to the web app developers. Thus, the developers can build a fully optimized app that can be deployed to any static host using a single command. AngularJS is a very broad web development framework which handles everything right from project creation to code optimization.

While React doesn’t have the same set of wide-ranged tools like AngularJS or Vue; it makes up for this flaw with high flexibility. The developers have the luxury of mixing and matching with any library to develop a web app with React dynamically. The framework has a growing ecosystem and now has CLI tools such as Next.JS and React App.

Vue has a pre-coding structure which allows a quick deployment of the app without lowering the performance of the web application. The pre-coding structure feature is not available in AngularJS or ReactJS. Vue, with simple commands, makes website development or mobile app development effortless. In addition to that, Vue is an ideal framework for startups who are intending to provide progressive web app(PWA) development services.

Summary: AngularJS has a wide range of library, ReactJS is very flexible, and Vue is highly suited for start-ups.

Based on Performance

AngularJS framework uses real DOM, which is best suited to develop single-page applications where the content is updated in a scattered manner or occasionally. In addition to that, to provide web development services, AngularJS uses a two-way data binding process. This data binding process replicates all the changes that are made in the model into the views which are efficient, secured, and intuitive.

React is a front-end library that uses virtual DOM that plays a vital role in enhancing the performance of the app irrespective of the size. Virtual DOM is used where the app needs updates regularly. Mobile app development and dynamic website development with React is possible as the framework has a uni-directional data flow. It helps in providing better control over the entire project.

Vue has incredible features that help the developers to overcome the hurdles they face while working with React and AngularJS. Like React, Vue utilizes virtual DOM to enhance the performance of the app and memory allocation.

Summary: Vue has an array of good features a little more than that are present in AngularJS or React and thus provides the best performance.

Based on Community Support

Web support and maintenance becomes a bit easy with AngularJS and ReactJS as they have strong community support, and market-leading companies such as Facebook and Google use them.

Since its inception in 2010, AngularJS has been aptly supported by Google, and the framework is updated regularly every six months. Since it is the oldest, AngularJS development solution has the support of the developers in a large number, and the majority of the problems can be solved easily. Renowned companies such as Adobe, Apple, Telegram, etc. opt for AngularJS development solution, thus adding more credibility to the network.

Dynamic web development with ReactJS is possible, and it has dynamic libraries with rich framework functionalities. The reason behind the constant growth of ReactJs is that Facebook has heavily invested in the JavaScript framework. Apart from this, it has also coded a vast number of products using ReactJs. Apart from Facebook, leading organizations such as the New York Times, Yahoo, Instagram, Whatsapp, etc. have used ReactJS to develop highly dynamic and interactive web application user interfaces.

Despite being a new member and not having active community support like React or AngularJS, companies like Grammarly, EuroNews, Xiaomi have opted for Vue, thus making it a reliable JavaScript framework.

Summary: AngularJS has the largest community support, as it is the oldest framework.

Who emerges the winner?

AngularJS, React, and Vue are the real spearheads of the JavaScript frameworks despite competing with a myriad of other frameworks. In a rapidly advancing business ecosystem, this comprehensive comparison will guide you to a better selection of frameworks. It will help you in understanding the background and functionality of the frameworks in a better manner so that you can pick the right one and excel in your website development project.

Demystifying Go and Python for the new age businesses

Ketan Chavda — Fri, 22 May 2020 08:08:38 +0000

The increase in the expansion of technology has lead to an even broader landscape of backend languages than one could ever imagine. Python has been an undisputed leader in giving backend development services, but since the last few years, it is facing stiff competition from Golang, widely known as Go.

It is an unwritten rule in the mobile and web development companies to do thorough research before deciding on the best language for a project. Python programming or going for Go language remains a substantial matter of discussion between the developers, as both programming languages run neck to neck in competition.

Thus, how will a company know when to opt for Go programming language and when to go for Python development services for effective business solutions? We’ll give you the apt advice on when to hire python developers and Golang developers for your web app development process.

We'll list down some examples to make it easy for you to understand various aspects.

Decoding the curious case of Golang and Python Programming Language

What is Python Programming Language?

Python is a high-level object-oriented programming language with high-level built-in data structures. It was designed and released in 1991 and was primarily used in Data Science. Python is an interpreted language as the written codes here are not translated into computer-readable format at runtime. Thus, it can be used in trivial web development processes.

What is Golang?

Golang programming language was initially developed to build reliable and straightforward softwares. The open-source programming language was first released in the year 2012, and since then it is astoundingly challenging Python in terms of speed and performance. Go has many features of the modern-day programming language as it was created to eliminate the extra trash of languages such as C++.

After understanding in brief about the programming language, let us head straight and see how Python and Golang fare against each other at different parameters.

Who PERFORMS better?

When it comes to completing a task in a specific time, Golang trumps Python programming language by a huge, huge margin. When it comes to doing multiple mathematical functions, Golang is a real champion.

For example, while solving the N body mathematical equation, it took more than 14 minutes for Python while the equation was computed in 21 seconds by Golang programming language.

The Python programming language has a fantastic set of libraries, and it helps in cutting down the cost in the initial development phase. Python programming can be helpful for Startups as it is widely accessible across the web development landscape.

On the other hand, Go language has a game that is suited for the microservice architecture of the modern-day business world. And this is the reason why Web development companies providing Golang development have grown upto 7% in the past year according to GitHub.

Which Programming Language is more POPULAR?

Due to a broader audience, Python programming language is more popular as compared to Golang. Python is a cloud-native language, and it is used in the top running projects such as Docker and Ethereum.

Python developers have more experience in web development compared to Golang as the former programming language was developed 30 years before the latter one. In the past five years too, there has been a constant increase in the popularity of Python, whereas Golang has seen only a stable growth. If you hire a python developer, it will be suited to develop a plethora of web applications.

Moreover, it is seen that since 2015, there has been a rise in the number of searches for Golang, that establishes a brighter future for the programming language.

Gauging the Scalability

Golang was developed with the very aim of making the process of web development more scalable, and it succeeds in it to a great extent. Golang has an inbuilt process to support concurrent process channeling. Concurrency means that the app is doing well on multiple tasks in real-time simultaneously without any lag.

With Python, the developers find it challenging to implement concurrency, but it can work exceedingly well in applying parallelism through threads with significant effect. Parallelism is a process where the application bifurcates a bigger task into smaller sub-tasks, and the CPU processes them in a parallel manner. Thus, the task execution takes lesser time as the amount of load is less on the CPU.

Application Development

Before getting into the application development through programming languages, we need to understand that each programming language has a specific purpose, and it will be unfair to compare them on a scalar quantity.

Python development service providers cater their services in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Data Analysis and web application development. The broader range of application is due to the broad set of libraries. Thus, if you hire a Python developer, the process of web development is bound to get more comfortable for your product.

The application of Golang is majorly limited to systems programming. But as Golang is proficient in concurrency, it can be widely used in cluster computing and cloud computing. As Golang has easy to install and powerful libraries, the process of web app development can be done quickly.Thus Golang has found wide acceptance among the developer community.

Who has better Libraries?

Python programming, without a doubt, provides a wide range of libraries that can cover all the aspects of web development. With the increment of web frameworks, the popularity of Python Programming language has gone a notch up which has seen it become one of the leading backend development languages.

Although Golang has a limited set of libraries, it still manages to provide comprehensive web app development as compared to Python. There are inbuilt libraries for various purposes like database handling, concurrency programming, encryption and many more. Thus, it adds value to your business, saves time and maintains the high quality of the end product like Python.

Excelling at Execution

Python is a dynamically typed programming language, whereas Go binds with its variables statically. By working with Go, the developers can identify errors at the compilation time. Thus it gives them the liberty to identify and correct even the most difficult bugs without much hassle.

Python uses an interpreter instead of a compiler. As Python programming is done dynamically, it limits the ability of the developers to build a massive program.

Therefore, if you are looking for a programming language for complex web app development, Go is the ‘way to go’ as the developers will find it easier to handle the codes compared to Python.

Leading the way in Readability

Code readability is paramount before choosing a programming language for web application development services for your product. It is vital to keep the code clean so that the other developers working on the project can understand it and take the project forward.

Hiring Python developers gives you a lot of freedom when it comes to programming as the developers can have multiple approaches. Although, this liberty might turn hazardous as there are high chances of confusion. It can become a hurdle in the development and the future analysis of the product.

Golang comes with a specific approach when it comes to code readability, and it doesn't allow the import of unnecessary libraries or the creation of unimportant variables. Thus, it leads to a better understanding among the developers as they can perform the task without confusion. But not having class inheritance leads to a lot of code copying which, as a result, makes the code less elegant and readable as compared to Python.

What suits your business the best?
After analyzing Python Programming Language and Golang on different parameters, you will become sure regarding the fact that which language suits your business most according to your requirements.

Heed to the fact that both the concerned programming languages are powerful back-end technologies and can maintain the performance and scalability of your web app. Go and Python are not direct competitors. In-fact, they can be used in developing independently deployable microservices that requires high readability levels. You can also use the combination of Go and Python programming and see your product soar high in its genre.

.NET vs PHP: Demystifying the age old Saga

Ketan Chavda — Tue, 12 May 2020 10:24:56 +0000

The debate between .NET and PHP is eternal, with developers from both the camps swearing by their preferred mode of development. In this article, we shall discuss both these popular web development frameworks and try to clear the confusion in your mind regarding which one works for you.

.NET is a server-side web development framework released by Microsoft. Using .NET, the developers can build web services, web applications, and other dynamic websites quickly.

PHP is a server-side programming language that has been specifically designed for developing web applications. The specialty of PHP is that the developers can easily embed the PHP code in HTML files, and the HTML code can be easily written in a PHP file.

Key Differences between .NET and PHP

Let us have a look at the various scenarios where the efficiency of .NET and PHP are compared with each other for a better insight.

Cost

In terms of value, PHP has a plus point; being open-source, it is free while Microsoft charges a license fee for .NET.

The licensing costs of .NET can turn out of control if you need to run the site on many servers simultaneously. Another thing is that if you require various features like server clustering, hot standby, or load balancing, then you will need to shell out extra money in .NET.

Popularity amongst Developers

Being free, PHP is eventually more popular than .NET. This fact is ascertained by web technology survey firm W3tech. According to W3tech, while PHP is used by almost 79% of websites, only 11% of websites use .NET.

Scalability

The scalability of your application does not depend upon whether you use PHP or .NET. Factors like the experience of the programmer, the programming practices used, and whether the programmer has followed programming guidelines and standards or not have an overbearing effect on the scalability of your application.

Speed and Performance

Many people believe that the speed and performance of your web app depends upon whether you choose .NET or PHP, which is not entirely accurate, there is a negligible difference in the performance of a website powered by PHP and a website powered by .NET.

Routine processes like finding images, displaying pages, and accessing various file systems, run equally well in both .NET and PHP. Instead, the speed of the website relies more on factors like database server, bandwidth, and the computer hardware used by the end-user.

Support of Developers

If you decide to build your website using PHP, then you will get the assistance of a large pool of developers as PHP is an open-source language. However, .NET also has a sizable pool of the .Net developers who regularly contribute to forums related to .NET development.

A supporting developer community is essential as when your development team gets stuck, this community can pitch in and help them. A lot also depends on the type of your query.

Although, as the number of contributors in PHP are more, you can expect a faster response to your query in PHP as compared to .NET forums.

Compatibility with Various Platforms

PHP is compatible with the LAMP stack model, which includes multiple software bundles like Linux, MySQL, PHP, and Apache. The LAMP stack is an open-source platform, and hence it gains from a large support community.

.NET, on the other hand, works only on platforms compatible with the .NET framework. It limits the level of compatibility of .NET with the platforms. This will be a neck-to-neck competition since both PHP and .Net support a wide range of platforms.

Ease of Learning

PHP is straightforward to learn, and this is the reason that new programmers prefer to learn PHP. Apart from being simple to learn, the PHP framework gives freedom to the PHP developers to work with very fewer lines of code. But based on the requirement of the application, some projects that require advanced level of understanding and implementation requires developers that are experienced and expert in PHP.

On the other hand, while .NET is mostly based on C#, a language that is comparatively hard to learn but once you understand the concepts and get a hang of it, it could turn out to be an interesting game. They say programmers need years of experience to master C#, but it differs from person to person based on the capabilities. Thus it is believed that it is hard for a business to find expert .NET developers but the actual situation is about the expertise.

Hosting Requirements

While Unix and Linux servers are used to host PHP, ASP apache is required for hosting .NET. It transgresses into a limiting factor for .NET.

Where to use PHP and .NET?

PHP was brought to existence with the motive to improve the look and feel of a website. Hence it would be wise to use PHP for a client-facing website. The developers can utilize their creativity to the full, using the tools provided with PHP.

It is the reason that PHP is used widely to build websites like Facebook and other personal as well as business websites. PHP fulfills the requirements of client-facing websites like aesthetics and performance.

In-case you need to build a website which is to be used within a company's intranet, then .NET should be your choice. Security and functionality take precedence over looks in this case, and hence you should go with .NET as both these traits are better in .NET than PHP. Thought it is not that the website or applications developed in .Net are not visually attractive, now that’s all a myth.

.NET is a managed code system. Thus, it proves to be a valuable asset while designing enterprise-level solutions. The developers can build web solutions in .NET, keeping the functionality of the application in mind. If you are using Microsoft products, then using .NET will significantly increase your productivity as the framework is well integrated with the systems.
Thus .NET can be used to build high-quality internal websites.

A befitting wrap-up
To conclude the following types of websites/ web solutions can be built in PHP:

Startups and Small Business
Websites Client Facing Websites
CRMs

While .NET is suitable for the development of:

ERP Websites
Internal Websites
Enterprise-level Websites...

Although both .NET and PHP are excellent to develop a website or web applications that can be accesses across multiple devices, the trick here is to know and choose the precise one that better suits your needs.

All about Kotlin 1.3.60 and How it Will Benefit The Developers

Ketan Chavda — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 13:37:21 +0000

Google with Android app development is leaving no stone unturned in raising the performance bar of the OS platform. The latest version of Kotlin is another step in this direction. The advancements and updates in Kotlin have been very frequent ever since Google announced it as the official language for Android app development.

The recent update in Kotlin, which is Kotlin 1.3.60, created hype amongst the Android app developers even before its release, as it had features that will make Kotlin a winner in the Java vs. Kotlin battle and options that would work well for the backend projects.

Kotlin 1.3.60 contains emphatic updates and new enhancements like improved tools that can take the process of debugging to another level, improved error messages, and many more. So, without much ado, let us head straight to the grind and understand the new developments in Kotlin 1.3.60 and how it will benefit the Android app developers.

Java to Kotlin Converter

The newest version of Kotlin offers interoperability with Java so that the developers can migrate various apps from Java to Kotlin with ease and precision. The android app development company can convert multiple files easily after doing a thorough analysis.

Moreover, the Java Kotlin converter can be kept as a default so that the android app developers will not face any kind of problems, making the conversion hassle-free. Moreover, for android app developers, the process of conversion doesn't ask to begin the work right from scratch. With Kotlin 1.3.60, the developers have resolved the issues related to conversion.

Support of IntelliJ IDEA

This is by far the best thing that has happened to the Android app developers with Kotlin 1.3.60. The app developers can redesign the worksheets and scratch files apart from doing small experiments with their codebase. Scratch file has a non-permanent code that is outside the project. Despite this, the snippets work as a fully functional code that the developer can run and debug. In addition to this, if you are looking to do the debug process inside, user worksheets. The worksheets are functionally similar to the scratch sheet, the only difference being the part of the project. The developers can play with the code and see how it performs inside the app project.

The Android app development companies can even use a sandbox for the entire project, and they can see the results of the experiment in a new window at the same time. This allows the android app developers to rectify their mistakes on the go to finish the process of Android app development promptly.

This process will allow the app developers to create demo projects and presentations in a pretty easy manner.

The latest version of Kotlin also has the facility to set function breaking points. This simply means that the mobile app developer can decide the time to stop the execution process of the debugger. The process is applicable whenever the debugger is entering or exiting then function. Moreover, an additional entry condition can be added by the Android app developers, as and when the situation demands.

Changes in the language

Although not an earth-shattering change, the developers made sure that Kotlin 1.3.60 has minor improvements in the language, such as completely changing the confusing error messages. The version also has updates for the experimental features (for example: for inline classes). The developers noticed that the quality comparison of two inline classes became the reason behind not requiring boxing of the underlying values. Thus with the newest version of Kotlin, the app developers have optimized this situation.

Other Kotlin/JavaScript updates

The Gradle plugin for the source that triggers JavaScript through org.jetbrains.kotlin.js is automatically generated in Kotlin 1.3.60. The automatically generated gradle plugin will help the android app developers to be more comfortable in debugging the code. Moreover, there will be a proper amount of opportunities to support code annotations, breakpoints, and ease of process when working with the test of the JavaScript targets.

Kotlin 1.3.60 has an improved runtime performance. The speed at which the interface calls is about 5 times higher as compared to the previous versions. In addition to this, the type checks are about 50 times faster in the newest version of Kotlin.

Kotlin 1.4

Kotlin 1.4 will release in spring 2020 as in Kotlin 1.3.60, and there were only minor changes related to the language. The features of user testing will be out soon. All you need to do is to specify the version of the corresponding language to 1.4. One should keep in mind that all the features of Kotlin 1.5 will be just experimental in the beginning.

Signing off

With Kotlin 1.3.60, Android app development companies and the app developers will have ease of developing high functioning mobile apps. The performance and durability of these apps will be higher. The improved worksheets and scratch sheets will help in giving full independence to the Android app developers to show their creativity and skills and experiment while rectifying everything on the go. The Java to Kotlin transfer process is easier now and is kept as a default to make the life easy of the app developers.

Using React Native Can Add Fuel to Your App Development

Ketan Chavda — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 09:42:01 +0000

Mobiles have become an essential part of our lives in this digital era. Apps are at the heart of the smartphone experience, and no smartphone will remain "smart" without its accompanying apps.

Building apps is a complex process that requires the coordination of various teams like the UI/UX team, the developer team, and the testing team. Over the years, many platforms have emerged that have made the process of app development faster and smoother.

What is React Native?

React Native is an open-source, cross-platform mobile application development framework developed by Facebook. React Native started its journey as an internal hackathon project of Facebook.

Then it was launched by Facebook for the public in 2015. Since then, React Native has quickly become the framework of choice amongst mobile app developers.

In this article, we shall see why React Native has risen in popularity!

Why you should opt for React Native for developing your next project?

Easy to find developers

React Native is a framework based on javascript, and javascript being one of the most popular programming languages it is relatively easy to find developers who know the art of programming in javascript. In React Native, the developers can write beautiful native-like applications in Javascript. Thus saving them the hassle of programming twice and increase the developer’s productivity, in case you want to develop two separate apps for Android and iOS.

In React Native, you can program once and deploy multiple times. The learning curve of React Native is comparatively minimal, making it one of the easiest languages to learn and utilize.

HeadingLess hassle for updating the apps

The problem with updating an iOS or Android app written in Swift or Java is that you need to recompile a new version of the app, which now has to be re-submitted to the App store again. While with React Native, there is no such need as a specific Javascript code can be compiled and downloaded without needing to submit the App to the App store again and again.

Economical

With React Native, it is inexpensive to develop a mobile app. This is because you can build one app and deploy it simultaneously on two app stores, Apple as well as Google Play store. Building a cross-platform app is reasonably easy with React Native Development Company.

This will save money if you are planning to develop separate Android and iOS apps. On the other hand, if you wanted to build native apps for both Android and iOS, it would have required two different teams doubling the cost of development in the process.

Time-saving

Android and iOS are the two most popular operating systems in the world today. If you want your app to be successful, then it is imminent that you develop a mobile app for both these platforms. Both these apps require expertise in different programming languages, programmers proficient in Java can develop Android apps, while people who know programming in Objective C or Swift can complete an iOS app.

Now with React Native, you can write once and deploy on both these platforms, this will not only save you the cost of hiring two separate developer teams but also help you in saving development time.

React Native developers have the luxury of using the 'Live reload' function. In this function, the developers can work in tandem with the designers, as the developers can implement the changes suggested by the designers in real-time.

For example, if the color of a specific button is to be changed, then the developers can edit the code and change the color, compile the code in real-time and see the effect of the changes.

Therefore substantially saving the compilation time, this in the long run during the app development lifecycle can help save on a whopping number of hours. Due to the live reloading feature, testing also becomes a breeze. The quality analysts and developers can work in tandem and remove the bugs as the compiling of the code becomes pretty fast.

Changes in core-team do not affect the project

Every mobile/software development firm goes through this problem, the members of the core team who are with the project since its inception become invaluable for the project. This means that for some reason, if any of them needs to leave the project, then it can potentially create havoc in the project.

React Native is intuitive to learn, and this helps in such situations, you can easily swap one developer with another. A new developer joining a project developed on React Native can quickly learn the nuances of the code and start contributing rapidly as opposed to a project developed in other languages.

Easy styling

React Native uses Flexbox, which allows developers to build naturally responsive layouts. Flexbox allows React Native to use the display property of CSS in a better manner.

React Native is more native

React Native lets developers build more native-like apps because React Native uses reusable ‘native components’. The look and feel of apps made in React Native is consistent with their Android and iOS counterparts. This structure of React Native, which uses reusable components, lets the developers build apps that are more agile, meaning that the cross-platform app will have the speed and functionality of a native mobile application.

React Native allows you to augment existing apps built on different languages with React Native components.

For example:- if you build your app on Cordova, then you do not need to overhaul the code, instead, use a plugin, and you can efficiently work with your existing Cordova code.

This agility is what inspires the developers to take on React Native for app development.

With React Native, you get a framework that is more UI focused. You can build a fluid UI with React Native since the framework allows for asynchronous JavaScript interactions with the native environment. Apps built with React Native typically have faster load times as compared to other hybrid apps.

Less memory usage

Apps developed with React Native are compatible with third-party plugins. React Native apps use less memory as compared to native iOS and Android apps, as there is no need for cross-bridge linking.

Large support community

Being open-source has its benefits; one of them is that a React Native developer enjoys the support of a large support community. This helps a lot when you are stuck with a particularly nagging programming roadblock. You could ask the support community to pitch in, and more often than not, the React Native community does pitch in.

This helps in building confidence among new developers who are just testing waters with React Native.

Another main benefit that a large support community provides is that you can easily get a large number of standard codes like watch or calculator pre-made on the forum. This saves a substantial amount of time and effort on the part of the newbie.

Together as the community grows, so does the repository of codes, and sometimes it can shave off a significant chunk of programming in a new project.

Conclusion

App development on React Native to your business app is the way to go as it lets you build native-like apps that are efficient and can be built in a faster and cheaper manner.

Moreover, with companies like Facebook, Walmart, Instagram, Tesla, Skype, Airbnb, and Soundcloud opting to go ahead with React Native as their preferred platform, it is safe to say that React Native is here to stay.

List of trends shaping up the software testing world

Ketan Chavda — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 09:02:35 +0000

The software development industry is on a roller coaster ride which is only going in the upward direction. The technology is shaping the business environment at a rapid pace, and with the advancements, the software testers have to update themselves. It becomes very crucial for software tests to update themselves with the changing trends of the technology industry as they are the first persons to get their hands on mobile apps. If they are not up to date with all things happening around, the organization can face a significant issue.

Software testing is an integral part of the mobile app development services as the IT industry is notoriously changing and keeping pace with it is becoming a task. The software testers need to understand that Artificial Intelligence (AI), Agile software testing, etc. are extensively used in modern age software testing. What might be the trend or the technologies in use in 2018 might not be used in 2019, such as the dynamic nature of the IT industry.

Therefore, without much delay, let us set the ball rolling and find out the top trends in the software testing industry.

1. Artificial Intelligence

The usability of artificial intelligence is both diversified and endless. Software testing is a process where a mobile application is scrutinized through various processes to find out its credibility. Testing also means ensuring the best accuracy and precision of the mobile app. Thus, to make it more authentic, organizations are turning to artificial intelligence. This significant move is made so that the machines take control over the software testing process and remove even a small chance of mistake in the product due to human error. Artificial intelligence will transform the software testing process into a self-adapting or self-running activity. But for that, the organizations should be utterly proficient with the

2. Testing Automation

In the last few years, automation in testing has emerged as the biggest trend and is expected to continue the name in the coming future. Automation focuses less on shortening the time of the test process and lays more emphasis on better coverage and usages. The codeless automation testing will allow both the software testers and organizations to automate the test cases without being worried about the codes. Codeless automation will help in delivering rapid results without taking much time. The time cycle with this method is less as less time is consumed in understanding the codes.

3. Adopting Agile

The software industry is ever demanding in nature, and with the increment of technology, companies want delivery of their software fast. Moreover, it needs to be more adaptive to changes as technology expansion is done on a large scale. Thus, organizations are opting for agile software development methodology, thus changing the functioning of the software testing as well. Including agile ensures that the software testes are part of the mobile app development process rather than being a separate entity. Agile development will also be helpful during the deployment of complicated systems. It will ensure that the delivery is done at a rapid pace without compromising the quality standards. Agile also ensures strengthening the quality in a budget-friendly manner; thus, the bootstrapped startups can also opt for it.

The only thing which will remain a concern for the organizations is the lack of test environments and manual test data generation. The companies will need an airtight solution for this as it can hamper the testing process in the long run.

4. Internet of Things (IoT)

The usage of IoT powered devices is highly increasing in organizations. The new-age customers too depend very much on IoT testing before they acquire the device. IoT testing requires skills and alertness as most of these devices are exposed to the internet and thus are at risk of acquiring flaws big time.

Implementing IoT testing will take the software testing to a whole new level as it will push the quality analysis engineers to go beyond their comfort zone. Also, technological advancements will enable the software testers to enhance their skill set and employ better techniques in the future. Including IoT testing will also enhance the analysis and modification techniques of the quality analysis engineers.

5. Significance of load testing

The organizations are always on their toes to know the maximum load their product can carry. Load testing is the perfect way to answer all the nagging questions of the clients like: how will the mobile app perform in various conditions? If multiple users use the mobile app at once, what will happen, etc.? The advent of technology has ensured that load testing is done up to the brim and thus it has become one of the hot trends in software testing. The QA professionals are also inclining toward load testing, leaving the traditional practices of quality assurance behind. Load testing helps in efficient, speedy and budget-friendly software testing and this technology is ubiquitous as well as easy to implement.

Are your software testers ready for the change?

The software testing industry is going through a myriad of changes in recent times. Thus to stay on course with the changing environment, you need to employ all the trends. The implementation of the trends will ensure that your company gives the best possible service to the clients. Your software testers too will cherish working on the new age trends as it will allow them to try and execute something new and exciting every day. Your organization can work closely with your clients, and in-house too, each of the mobile app developers and software testers is on the same page during the mobile app development process.

Also Read: Why Beta testing ensures a high probability of successful mobile apps?

Conclusion

The future of software testing includes a plethora of dynamic trends, and it is inevitable for the organizations as well as the software testers to keep up with the pace. Quality assurance (QA) has already become a core constituent of the software delivery process, and the journey towards the new dawn has just begun. The organizations will have to quickly realize the fact that updating the software testing method is as essential as update the mobile app development process.

.Net For Web API - Everything You Need To Know

Ketan Chavda — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 13:12:00 +0000

The software development is not just an expensive affair, while it’s technically complex as well. The development involves a lot of nitty-gritty tasks that eat up a large amount of time. Thanks to APIs which allow the developers to integrate two different parts of the applications or two separate applications through various protocols, tools, and resources that makes web application development plain-sailing.

Under the API landscape, there are different types of API, which works at the operating system level, define the software libraries behavior and the web API.

Here, we will dig deep inside at what web API is:

The web API is also referred to as a web server that provides an interface where the communication takes place leveraging web-specific protocols and internet. The web API makes the resources appear local to internet users by allowing them to store the content online. The web APIs that defines a set of endpoints, response structure, and request messages are served through an HTTP interface and used a standard approach to find out the response media types.

The different types of technology stacks are used to create web APIs, namely- Java, .NET, PHP, and others. Among all, ASP.NET technology is popular among Web developers to build a web API.

Take a glance at ASP.NET API:

The ASP.NET API is a framework that’s highly used to create HTTP services which can be easily accessed in different applications on a wide range of client machines including browsers, web, and mobile devices. Except sending data as response and supporting only HTTP protocol, the ASP.NET web API works similar to ASP.NET MVC application.

The ASP.NET web communicate with different devices from a single database, API includes HttpClient to communicate with web API server, can be self-hosted or hosted in IIS, support different forms of response data (JSON, XML, and others), and ASP.NET request/response pipeline that makes it an ideal platform to build RESTful services, AJAX-based web applications, and back-end for native mobile applications.

Still, not convinced? Need more reasons on why to use .NET for creating web API? Here’s the answer:

The endpoints automatically serialize the class to properly formatted response data type with no additional configuration required. Besides, the serialization customization for endpoints facilitates serving unique web development needs that further helps in delivering modern web experiences.
The built-in support for JSON web tokens makes the API endpoints secure. By defining the access control rules in the code, the policy-based authorization and authentication can be enabled.
Defining routes alongside the coding is feasible with ASP.NET development services. The query string, data from the request path, and request body bound to method parameters.
The support for HTTPS allows the developers to run, test, debug, and deploy the app securely by enabling local HTTPs and generating test certificate.

In this manner, ASP.NET web API provides a set of default options, and extensible infrastructure that meet the demands of varied types of modern development needs such as high compatibility with all the browsers and mobile devices. Twitter, Facebook, and Google are some of the savvy leaders that are using web API to power web applications and mobile applications.

Geared up to build the flexible framework- ASP.NET web API for building HTTP based endpoints and client? If so, we have covered the need in the next section.

How to create ASP.NET web API?

Before heading to the step-by-step tutorial for building web API using ASP.NET, take a look at the software prerequisites that are Visual studio 2019, ASP.NET, C#, SQL server, and WideWorldImporters database.

Now, let’s get started:

Create a project

Open the visual studio and perform the following steps to create a new blank project.

Go to File -> New -> Project, then select installed and go to Installed > Visual C# > Web > .NET Core. Post-selection, give a name to the project and click OK.

A new model dialog will appear, where you have to select web API and then click OK that will prepare all the initial files for the project. Finally, the project file created can be reviewed or browsed in solution explorer.

Install NuGet

The next step is to install NuGet packages that can be installed by using a couple of commands from the package manager console.

Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi

Install-Package Microsoft.Owin.Host.SystemWeb

Install-Package Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.OwinSelfHost

Add model

In the solution explorer, go to model folder > Add > Class, and then give a name to the class to make it ready for use. Later, add all the fields to the model.

Add controller

The controller in the web API is essentially an object that handles HTTP requests and it’s created by default, so if you require a new controller with a different name, then you have to create it.

In solution explorer, go to controllers > Add > controller > Web API 2 controller-Empty template. Later, click the add button to add the controller and give a suitable name to it. The successfully created controller handles all the CRUD functions and a namespace will be added to the class.

A GET method is written and added in the controller class to respond to the GET HTTP verb.

Set up dependency injection

ASP.NET excels at enabling dependency injection natively that eliminate the need for using third-party frameworks to inject dependencies in controllers. ASP.NET project template has a class named Startup where the configuration to inject instances such as repositories, DBContext, and loggers are added. The configure method aids in adding the configuration for HTTP request runtime.

Run web API

Now, build the solution and run it. Click F5 to start debugging for the web API project and when everything works fine, the output will appear in the browser at your localhost in available port. Thereafter, the web API services can be deployed on a local dedicated server using IIS to keep it running as service. Open the IIS, and on the left side under sites, go to add a new website and provide all the details including site name, physical path, and binding. Finally, the web API will run on the webserver.

Test the API

Testing is all-important to see the output that web API produce in the browser. Open the web API methods- http://webapi.localhost.net/api/users which is created for the webserver in your browser to see the results.

Also Read: The Prominence of 7 PHP Frameworks In Modernizing The Web Presence

Epilogue

Do you want to build a web API using .NET? Are you creating a new API or a rookie player who is attempting to create an API for the first time? If so, the article is certainly your piece of cake that helps right from understanding why to leverage ASP.NET to how to embrace the technology for building a web API with all the nitty-gritty details included. Let’s dive in!

The Best Mobile App Development Frameworks For The Future

Ketan Chavda — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 07:44:46 +0000

Mobile technology is the best buddy of the people around the globe that has connected them in the fragmented world, made the life better than before and added comfort to get everything from the couch. The power of magnifying efficiency and improving productivity has brought an astronomical rise in mobile app development. Be it for personal, business, or society, there is an app for that.

In the hyper-competitive market with a sea of apps, seizing an edge is not plain-sailing. Making the app perform to the notch, offer best-in-class functionalities, and deliver wow experience is all-important to gain momentum and create a huge buzz in the app store.

This is feasible when the right framework, right platform, and the right development methodology is selected. As we are already in the mid of the year 2019, it’s vital to choose the right framework to thrive in the near future. The radical changes in user behavior and business needs have made it a more important task.

In order to reduce your efforts and time investment in finding the best framework that helps you build better and faster applications for distinct niches, I have come up with a list of frameworks that are a perfect fit for the different apps with various features, UI, and UX needs.

Let’s take a sneak peek inside them:

PhoneGap

The open-source framework is developed by Adobe that’s previously known as Apache Cordova. It’s considered as a reliable platform for the cross-platform app development due to better access to native APIs which further helps in including native features and add native feel to the app in a cost-effective manner.

The large community base of PhoneGap is a great help to get support or answers for the problems. The robust backend support accelerates the development process and minimizes the developer’s effort. The slew of UI libraries makes using the framework worth for better UI development that offers a brilliant user experience.

Besides, the use of languages like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript doesn’t require the developers to put extra efforts into learning the language and execute the development process, which brings suppleness in app development.

Flutter

The framework that enables seamless cross-platform app development with one codebase is based on OOPs language- Dart. It’s well-famous for hot reloading feature that enables dynamic app development due to its ability to make changes directly in the code and view the results in a fraction of a second.

The automatic tests are written just for one codebase, which means the developers require less time to test the app. The catalog of Flutter’s widgets and the capability to customize the existing widget or create a new widget enables designers to craft the designs that sync with a business goal and vision on-the-fly. Creating outstanding animation has become possible with 2D Flare.

Using a single language, both backend and front-end can be developed because there are no separate files for views that need to be referenced by Java.

Ionic

The mystical framework is built on the top of Angular that lower down the entry barrier for the beginners. Learning one programming language- JavaScript enables the developers to create apps for three different platforms, namely- iOS, Android and Windows. Incorporating native features in the apps is feasible with Cordova (Inbuilt in Ionic) that packages the app into WebView and versatile native plugins that enable access to native device features.

The powerful command line interface (CLI) compiles the project to native projects, and create the new files and folders following the right architecture. The Ionic lab feature speed up the app testing by showcasing how the app looks on the different platforms, side by side. When the changes are made, the Live Reload is triggered that helps in viewing the changes in app preview and then the code is updated automatically.

Not to forget the beautiful UI components which come with predefined styling that add Material design touch to the elements on Android, and the latest iOS look to the iOS apps.

Xamarin

The .NET based framework is amazing in the sense of yielding true Android and iOS mobile apps concurrently within the Xamarin environment. It provides access to platform-specific SDKs using simple syntax that further helps in bringing the apps close to native. It also supports building the wearable app for all three platforms.

Complementing C# with .NET, the apps can be created for any mobile platform with 96% of the source code reuse, which accelerates the development speed and alleviates the need to switch between different development environments.

Xamarin.Forms convert app UI components into platform-specific UI components at the runtime to create a flawless native experience across the platforms. With full hardware compatibility and access to platform-specific APIs, the app can be linked with native libraries that enable better customization and creation of native-level functionality with little overhead.

The maintenance and updates are a lot easier. By simply deploying the changes or making updates to the source file, the changes can be applied to apps on various platforms. Xamarin test cloud packed with performance tracking capabilities can test and detect the bugs or performance issues over 2000 devices in a couple of seconds.

React Native

Reaching masses, low development cost, and fast launch time are the sweet spots that every business desire to achieve, but they don’t come cheap. Therefore a compromise on one of the elements becomes essential, but it does not happen while using React Native framework.

By writing the code once that runs everywhere, the developers can build the app for multiple platforms. Besides, the native components and the counterparts of native-specific components of every platform are available in React Native that can be reused during the app development without building from scratch, which results in an app that performs and looks like a native app. The numerous third-party plugins incorporate device-specific elements in the app.

With React Native, the developers have to write the least number of lines of code, which automatically reduces the number of bugs, errors, and other issues thereby the code quality can be ensured.Flexbox is a popular solution to structure mobile UI and animated API can be leveraged for animations.

NativeScript

The open-source framework is leveraged in conjunction with Angular, Vue.js, TypeScript, or JavaScript to develop true native apps. It allows the developers to work with the latest native APIs, native theme, the native components without waiting for plugins to begin support for a new feature. Moreover, NativeScript apps can directly run on native devices without requiring any browser interaction or cross-compiling.

It’s highly extendable with 100% access to all iOS and Android APIs, which signals the developers will never be in the tough spot of writing native code and can remove the native coding factor from the development equation. Besides, it won’t rely on WebViews to build the interface, instead transpile the code into native to offer native-like performance.

jQuery Mobile

The framework supports most of the operating systems, and device with different screen sizes that enable developers to code once and get the app run for multiple platforms without making any significant changes to the code.

Saying it a theming framework won’t be an overstatement as it supercharges the developers with the ability to create custom themes, apply the CSS-based transition effects, customize form controls, layout, page panels, and manipulate other elements of the UI to create the interface that best suit the business-specific mobile app needs.

The support for HTML5 enables UI development with minimal scripting. It comes in two variants- the customized version and the latest stable version. The latter version is high in demand for rapid app development in combination with plugins.

Also Read: Cross-Platform War — Which Side are you on Ionic or React Native?

Epilogue

Which is the best framework to place a bet on? Exactly, this is the question followed by the end of every listing article. In the mobile universe, a plethora of frameworks offering different approaches to develop the same app. Every framework is evolving every single day, leaving no room for outdated techniques to increase their influence in the mobile space and stay ahead of the rest.

It muddies the water. There is no straightforward formula to decide and invest in the right mobile app development framework. The definition of Right framework encompasses all the factors and elements that business needs to win the game through the groundbreaking app.

You guess it exactly correct. Wear the user’s lens to identify the app needs and then narrow down the choice to one framework that best fit in the scenario.

How to Design a Unique Mobile App Marketing Strategy?

Ketan Chavda — Wed, 08 May 2019 12:55:54 +0000

During the app development stage, we only focus on developing a feature-rich app that promises a solution for a specific problem. Most of the developers, usually miss out on planning the promotional and marketing strategies. However, once the app is ready and beta testing is done, it is high time that you prepare for a strategy to create a buzz among the target audience. No matter how proficient the app is, if you fail to reach out to the people who might need it, it is a waste of resource.

Even today, mobile app makers don't give much importance to app marketing, and it is one of the primary reasons for app failures. How can you expect app downloads when your target audience doesn’t know that your app exists! Hence, carefully planned marketing and promotion strategies are essential for spreading the awareness of your mobile apps.

Here, in this article, we will discuss some a few points to create, plan and execute a mobile app marketing strategy that’ll help you grab the attention of your audience.

Let’s divide the timeline into three stages:

Pre-launch
Initial launch
Post-launch

Mobile App Marketing: Pre Launch

Decide on a release date:

When it comes to technology, you cannot foresee the future. You might get stuck with various technical blunders and hindrances at different point of time. Hence, it is wise to decide on a release date and plan accordingly. Be ready for any contingencies in advance to prevent any unwanted situations.
Choose a date when there are no big events scheduled in your space. It might surpass your release.

Understand your target audience

Your app addresses a pain-point that a specific group of people suffers from and it has the potential to take care of the issue. Further, after thorough market research, all you have to do is reach out to your audience. The question that arises is - how? Research for blogs, webinars, forums, and websites that your target audience might visit often. Also, look out for influencers that your audience might follow. Read comments, reviews, and other blurbs that they write related to the problem and the cross-check whether your app addresses them. This data will help you to strategise better.

Competitive analysis:

There might be thousands of apps available on the app stores that might be similar to your business niche. Each app might have something unique to offer. Hence, you need to do a quick analysis of - what different are you offering? How uniquely do you address a particular issue? What does your app have that no other apps provide? Choose at least five competitive apps and research on the features, solutions they offer, drawbacks, loopholes, monetisation model, reviews and suggestions by users. Find out where your app fits in the competition matrix. Make a list of unique features that your app offers to address the problem and highlight them in your marketing strategy.

Humanise the app:

People trust products with emotional quotient. What is the story of your brand? Customers don’t just look for features; they need something to connect with. Share a story behind the inception of the app. Customers will resonate and connect with it immediately.

Create a Pitch Deck for investors:

If you look forward to getting some funding from investors, then you need to prepare a pitch deck to lure them. The Pitch deck should have your business information, team strength, vision for the app, and other crucial details. Usually, a pitch deck is sent to the investors before a personal meeting. Ensure that it is easy to understand, crisp and visually engaging.

Reach out to influencers:

Influencers are great. Reach out to them and ask to promote your app. However, not all influencers look for monetary rewards. If there is a prototype of the app, then let them use the app and discover the usefulness of the app. If your app has potential, they will inevitably mention it in their blogs or webinars or social media accounts.

Start PR Outreach:

Don't just reach out to influencers, but also to bloggers and journalists of the same niche and ask them to experience your app functionalities before its release. Later, get them to review your app and share their feedback. Also, write press releases and submit to relevant sites

Develop a website for the app:

Yes, a website is vital for search engine optimisation. Develop a responsive website that is SEO-friendly to start your pre-launch SEO campaign. Also, you can make a video trailer for your app to attract more viewers.

Email marketing:

Though you might think of an email marketing technique to be a traditional one, however, it is still relevant and useful. So, start sending emails to all your contacts about the app launch and along with other relevant information.

Start App Store Optimization:

Before the launch, make sure to start with ASO. It is a technique that will help rank your app page high on the app store. Use relevant keywords to ensure that your app ranks high.

App name and description:

Choose a unique app name to entice your customers. With keyword research option, find out the frequently searched keywords and choose a name accordingly. Also, ensure that the app description is all about conveying a message about the app.

Add screenshots and videos:

Thankfully, you can add short videos and screenshots on your app page on both- iOS and Google. You can add a preview of the app to lure users into checking it out.

Test the app page with A/B testing:

One of the highly effective ways to test the app page is A/B testing. It boosts the conversion rate.

Make a blog:

An effective content marketing strategy never disappoints. Create a blog page in advance and start posting regularly. By the time your app launches, you will have genuine followers for the business niche. Discuss your app, its features, problems it solves and other details.

Make social media accounts:

In the contemporary era, social media platforms have redefined the way we promote things. It is the most influential medium to promote almost anything. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media platforms can provide an opportunity to market your app effectively. In addition to that, these platforms also allow you to make community and groups. Open accounts in these social media platforms and start posting about the app. You might need to design a social media strategy separately.

Create relevant, original and engaging social media content with videos, images, infographics, and screenshots.

Collect reviews:

It is a known fact that users first read reviews before downloading an app. Hence, gather some good reviews from genuine users and display them on the top of the app page. The reviews should be honest and confident, but should not look fake or promoted ones.

Mobile App Marketing: Initial Launch

More downloads, high ranking:

In the first week of the launch, ensure that you get as many downloads as possible. It will help you rate your app better on the app store. Encash on the user acquisition efforts you have done so far. Also, come up with some special promotional offers for downloads to attract more users.

Start linking your app:

Start linking your app in your marketing materials, email signature, social bios, and other notable places.

Go for paid advertising options

The most significant advantage of paid promotions is -they offer quick results! After the initial launch, employ paid promotion techniques for user acquisition. Facebook paid promotions are considered very effective and bring pleasant results. Even Twitter and Instagram platforms are good if you want to target millennials. Also, Google ads can work well for your app.

Customer engagement is the key:

Communication is a two-way street, so you need to ensure that you engage with your customers effectively. Social media platforms are best to initiate conversations with your target audience. Post articles or queries on different groups, discussion boards, and forums. Quora is yet another powerful tool to communicate with users. You can post questions there, and answer queries relevant to your business niche.

Guest post, interviews, podcasts, videos

Post the launch; it's time to market your app. Schedule interviews with experts make podcasts, and videos to create a buzz. Also, find industry blog sites and request for guest posts and submit high-quality content.

Approach to app review websites:

There are various app review websites such as 148apps, AppReviews and many more. Contact their editors and request to post an app review.

Mobile App Marketing: Post Launch

Ask for feedback:

Feedbacks helps to get an insight into what users think about your app. It also gives you an opportunity to update your app to make the UX more entertaining. Explore more options to get their genuine opinions through emails, in-app surveys and push notifications.

Constant updates:

Users do not appreciate stagnant apps. It is the main reason after a certain period people discard apps. Hence, you should regularly update your app as per the user expectations and feedback. Make sure to keep adding value for users to keep their interest intact.
Conclusion

Don’t abandon SEO activities

SEO activities are fantastic for brand recognition in the long run. Continuous authority backlinking always helps the brand. Keep doing it. Google still appreciates genuine SEO efforts and offers good rewards.

Also Read:Why Media and Entertainment Industry is placing a big bet on the Mobile App?

Conclusion

Creating an effective marketing strategy is very important. However, try to avoid oversell. Promising more than what your offer might give you good results initially but in the long run, it’ll affect the brand credibility, negatively. At the same time, diversification is also important. Vary your marketing strategy as per the user needs and expectations. Ensure that your app marketing strategy is not static but dynamic.