DEV Community: Perpetio

Tech Stack for Building an NFT Marketplace

Mariia Yuskevych — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 16:22:19 +0000

Suppose you want to build your very own NFT marketplace — excellent idea! Whether you are hiring a dedicated team or looking for individual professionals, you usually start out with a UI/UX design (here are a few tips), then proceed to the development stage, do some testing, and that’s it — time to attract users.

But wait, before getting to the process, you might have several questions about what will actually be going on. Let’s discuss which tech stack is used for building NFT marketplaces, so when the time comes, you are all set.

Frontend

Let’s start with the “face” of your platform: frontend. You need a user-friendly and responsive interface. Apart from being visually appealing, it needs to be quick and reliable. React or Node.js can be the perfect choice for this task.

These are modern, regularly updated, and well-established frameworks used to build the frontend of all kinds of platforms.

Backend

The backside of your platform is no less important. After all, it’s behind the curtains where all the translations and operations are going on. For the backend, you might choose between some of the most popular programming languages; they all suit NFT platform development. These include:

JavaScript
Kotlin
Swift
Python
Solidity

One thing to note: the language of your choice needs to go together with the blockchain the platform will be running on, so your developers should double-check that. For example, NFT platforms that use Ethereum blockchain are built with the Solidity language.

Blockchain frameworks

Speaking of the blockchain, you have to choose one too. Ethereum might be an obvious option, but, of course, there is more than just one blockchain out there. Some other popular ones are:

Solana
Polygon
Cardano
Tezos

Blockchain impacts your other tools, like crypto wallets and smart contract deployment, so making a wise and strategic choice is crucial. Blockchain is what defines your platform’s infrastructure.

When it comes to the very blockchain integration, APIs are happy to help. For example, you can go for NOWNodes, Ethereum API by Moralis, or Coinbase.

Crypto wallet gateways

Surely your users will need to access cryptocurrency while buying or selling NFTs. For that, they will use crypto wallets. It is not a challenge to integrate a wallet, but again the choice really depends on the blockchain. For example, AlphaWallet is a go-to option for Ethereum blockchain.

At the same time, some wallets support multiple cryptocurrencies, like MetaMask or Math Wallet. These can go with most of the popular blockchains. Some wallets are mobile-only solutions, so keep that in mind.

Smart contract deployment tools

Finally, there is one more tool to work on. And, of course, it’s connected with blockchain. Smart contracts run on blockchain and basically allow the transaction only when all the data is correct. But how do you integrate smart contracts into your NFT platform?

No worries — there are dedicated tools for that. These frameworks include

Brownie
Hardhat
OpenZeppelin

Such tools make it easy for developers to deploy smart contracts even if they are not NFT specialists.

One more thing (actually two)

And that’s the basic tech stack for building an NFT platform. You will also need cloud storage (AWS or Google Cloud Platform will do) and a database (for instance, Firebase). Cloud and databases are required for virtually any digital product today, so we don’t need to discuss them separately.

And that’s it for the tech side; when broken down, making an NFT platform isn’t such a tremendous task, is it? Does designing the interface still seem like a lot? We got your back — find valuable tips here.

Top 5 Features to Help Your Travel App Stand Out

Mariia Yuskevych — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:54:34 +0000

Are you thinking about a travel app? Great — 2021 is a perfect time to hit the market. With tourism coming back, travelers have also learned the convenience of getting services online. So if there is the best time to release such an app, it’s definitely now.

In our recent guide, we discussed what types of travel apps are out there and which features are absolutely necessary for any kind of solution. Today, let’s focus on the elements that will give your app a fun twist and help it stand out among similar solutions.

Messaging

The first feature to make your app a bit more interesting is the messaging option. Services like Airbnb allow users to contact the accommodation hosts directly to ask questions and get clarifications.

Such a communication model is convenient both for the users and the app owners. Still, the app needs to have some regulations regarding the information shared between the host and the user to prevent arrangements outside the app and ensure financial security. For example, Airbnb automatically blurs the website names and informs the users about the risks.

Currency converter

If your travel app is all about bookings, a built-in currency converter is a feature your users will love. Let’s be honest, we don’t all know how much a 1000 danish Krones is worth in dollars. And you probably don’t want your users to abandon the booking process to open the converter in the browser or leave the app for good.

While some services, such as Booking, automatically convert the price to the user’s current location’s currency, the best decision is to let the user decide which currency they want the price to be converted to.

Translator

Next on, an in-app translator is also a good idea for any travel app. Clearly, your app might be in English or provide several language options. Still, for some content, such as accommodation descriptions, messages, and tours, an online translator can be really helpful.

Chatbot

One of the most exciting extra features for a travel app is a chatbot. It’s a fun and convenient way for the users to get all the answers they need. Moreover, users often need to get some help and if you yet can’t allow having a support team, a chatbot is a perfect solution.

Chatbots can handle up to 68% of all requests from start to finish. This means that if your users have inquiries about how the app work or need to resolve common problems, they will get the assistance in a couple of minutes.

Navigation

When it comes to traveling, a map is something we sooner or later need. Of course, there are Google and Apple Maps and dozens of other applications. Why would users need a map in your travel app too?

Well, if you have an accommodation booking app, a line with the address probably won’t say much to the people visiting a new city. But seeing the location on the map gives them an understanding of where they might live.

The same goes for travel guides or apps offering tours. A map gives a clear visualization of the route.

Integrating a map in the travel app is a simple task that can be done using maps APIs (application programming interface). At the same time, it can bring so much convenience for your users, agree?

Takeaway

Of course, these five features are not the only ones to make your app a top one. Augmented and virtual reality, weather forecasts, social media functionality — there is a lot to choose between. And let’s not forget about the essential features like searching and viewing the listings, booking them, and so on — we discussed each one in this blog post.

2021 Mobile App Design Trends Reevaluated: Which Ones Are There to Stay

Mariia Yuskevych — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 09:11:36 +0000

Trends, in any industry, are usually perceived as something that comes and goes, without leaving a mark. But that’s not true in many cases — often enough trends become the best practices and one can’t imagine the world without them anymore.

For example, responsive design, nowadays a default approach, was a new trend just a few years ago. Let’s look back at three 2021 UI/UX design trends. In just a year, they have transformed from newly adopted ideas to best practices.

Dark mode

A dark mode was slowly taking over both mobile and web solutions. At first, only such giants as Instagram offered its users this background. It’s easy to get used to good things, so soon enough we desired to see a dark mode option in all kinds of applications.

In early 2021, a dark mode was only gaining its popularity — it gives our eyes such a needed relief, changes how we perceive UI elements, and overall offers a fresh look. No wonder that over the past year most apps did adopt dark mode.

Now, it’s not an innovation anymore. We all expect to see a dark mode option by default when downloading a new app.

Animation

Animation has been there for quite a while now. The microtrends were changing, from liquid motion to neumorphism, but the presence of animation in mobile app designs remains consistent.

Again, while some time ago seeing an animated element in an application might have raised the user’s eyebrows, now it is something we always expect and don’t pay too much attention to anymore.

Remember that the wider adoption of 5G gives designers even more freedom in the complexity of their ideas and here you go, animation is a prevailing element in many mobile products.

If you want to stand out with your animated solutions, it’s time to roll out something more peculiar than just letters moving around. We gave you some ideas for trendy animation approaches in the recent article.

Real-life pictures

One more once a trend but now just a normal practice is using photos in your mobile app UIs. Adding real-life pictures might seem like a go-to technique for mobile apps; how can you have, let’s say, a clothing store without lots of photos?

Yes, that’s correct. But this conversation is about applications that do not necessarily ask for photos in their interfaces. For example, adding such images to the onboarding screens or fitness apps, like we once did.

Long story short, for us it is normal to see photos in all kinds of mobile applications, even in games. But just some months ago it was a way to stand out with your design.

Bottom line

We hope this little insight helped you understand or maybe reminded you once again why it’s important to stay on top of design trends. The lifespan of a design trend is not that big, so the period between its first appearance and becoming common practice is rather short — don’t miss out on that.

What do you think about design trends: do they come and go or have a bigger impact? Share your opinion in the comments!

If you are ready to explore 2022 mobile app UI/UX design trends, we invite you to have a look at our predictions.

Claymorphism: What It Is and Why This Style Is Becoming a Top 2022 UI Trend

Mariia Yuskevych — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 11:28:27 +0000

Everything ending with -morphism has been trending in the world of UI design trends for the last couple of years. Glassmorphism, neumorphism, skeuomorphism, you name it. Some of these are popular for a few months only, others are here to stay. Let’s discuss the most recent UI trend — claymorphism.

What is claymorphism?

The very name of this style gives you a little hint — the 3D objects look as if they were made from clay. Often, designers create human figures and various characters in the claymorphic style. Claymorphism takes neumorphism to the next level, making the elements even more expressive and lifelike.

This effect is reached because the elements look somewhat inflated and rounded. One might say that claymorphic UI elements also look like balloons. The objects are usually simple in their shape.

Claymorphism is often referred to as “fluffy 3D”. True: this style gives a touch of friendliness and cuteness to your UI. Clay figures remind us of childhood, games, and the good old times, so claymorphism is perfect for communicating your design as fun and uncomplicated.

App design by Ana Baghdavadze

How to create claymorphic objects?

The main tool for creating claymorphic elements is shadows. Quite predictable, isn’t it? Using shadows gives the feeling of depths and balloon-like appearance to the elements. You can use your usual design tool, like Figma or Adobe XD for creating claymorphic UIs.

What’s important here is that you won’t only use outer or background shadows, but also the inner ones. That’s exactly how the “clay” effect is created — by two inner shadows.

Additionally, the corners of objects in claymorphism are usually rounded; you won’t find sharp edges in this style. It’s all about being fluffy and toy-like, remember?

Webiste design by Filip Rygucki

Why is claymorphism getting so popular?

After looking at some examples of claymorphic UIs, it’s not hard to guess why everyone likes them so much. They present a new, fresh look and take away the seriousness from the design.
What is more, such style gives feeling of depth and volume to the objects and they don’t seem so abstract and flat.

Interacting with claymorphic design is more like watching an animated movie rather than just clicking through an app or website. In such a way, claymorphism makes your UI more engaging and visually appealing, and isn’t it what you as a designer would want the most?

You can also learn some more 2022 UI/UX design trends — trust us, there is plenty to know about.

Why AI Will Be a Top Cybersecurity Trend in 2022

Mariia Yuskevych — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 11:05:13 +0000

Artificial intelligence has been in tech news headlines for several years now. And this technology is surely making its way into the 2022 trends. One of the most perspective use cases of AI is in cybersecurity. Let’s explore why it’s high time to look into AI for your platform’s security.

No human error

Artificial intelligence reduces the chances of an overlooked risk. Everybody makes mistakes (Hannah Montana said so, at least), and your cybersecurity specialist is not an exclusion. It doesn’t mean that you have to fire anyone — AI is only a tool that will work perfectly if used wisely.

By introducing artificial intelligence software in your company, you give your security department a chance to identify any risks faster, without scanning the system manually every day. In the meanwhile, they can work on strategic decisions and address the identified problems.

What is more, if you run a digital startup or a smaller company, you might not have the budget to hire a cybersecurity professional. In this case, an AI tool can be your only investment into your business’ and customers’ data safety.

Breach risk predictions

One characteristic of AI is that the system learns over time. It means that the longer you use the artificial intelligence software, the more precise its risk predictions get. AI-aided tools help you identify and manage all the potential vulnerabilities without investing too much time in the process.

It takes a lot of resources to regularly scan your digital infrastructure, especially if it’s a bigger company. AI evaluates your current system to identify the weak points or deviations and offers suggestions on leveraging the data breach risks.

Round the clock availability

One of the biggest challenges met by a cybersecurity team is time and resource restrictions. Your company’s personnel will rarely work at night or over the weekend, right? It’s best if you get updated information about any possible breach risks at all times. You never know when someone tries to target your platform or some aspect of your security system fails.

Target more data in a shorter time

One more reason to consider introducing AI software to monitor your security is the amount of data such a tool can process. This is especially important for bigger enterprises. Again, no matter the skills and expertise, there is a limit to human capabilities, especially when it comes to large scopes of data.

Even the best team of cybersecurity specialists might run into time restrictions or lack of tech resources. If there is a way to make their job easier and more effective with the help of AI software, why not benefit from it? AI tools will target the specialists’ attention when necessary instead of them routinely scanning the system over and over again.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence can help a business in numerous ways — from assisting your customers via chatbots to guarding your data as a part of automized security tool. No wonder predictions are that AI will play an even more significant role in tech this year.

By the way, if you are curious about other 2022 software development trends: here’sa short overview to stay on top of things.

5 Ways Microinteractions Can Make Any Product Better

Mariia Yuskevych — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 11:06:30 +0000

Good UX design is the only way to make your product convenient and likable for the users. No matter how innovative your idea is or how stylish the UI is, if the digital product is hard to navigate and overall confusing, no one will want to use it in a long run.

So what contributes to a proper UX design? Among other parameters, microinteractions is definitely one of the most crucial elements. The name is pretty self-explanatory: these are small touchpoints that help users achieve a single task at a time. (More about the definition and theoretical part of microinteractions).

Take a look at five ways microinteractions are used in apps to make the UX even better.

Simpler navigation

Microinterations are what help the user figure out how to navigate your app in the first place. You probably know that a golden rule for a UX design is that it should be intuitive.

Microinteractions give this very intuitiveness — for example, a very common swiping action. You don’t have a think a lot before swiping to a new tab, do you? Often enough, users can get through the whole app with swipes alone.

What are some other examples of navigation microinteractions? For instance, pressing a “+” button or a hamburger menu causes several action options to appear on the screen. It lets you avoid a screen cluttered with too many buttons.

Source: Sandhya on Dribbble

System feedback

Apart from making the navigation through an app smoother, microinteractions can also provide your users some feedback about their actions. In fact, system feedback is one of the most common microinteraction use cases, even if you don’t know about it yet.

For example, when an action, such as sending a payment, is successful, the color of a button might change to green. As a result, this color change alone is enough for the user to understand that the transaction is completed.

Imagine sending a money transfer in a banking app. After you click “Send” or “Confirm” nothing happens, you just get back to a home screen. This will make you wonder whether your transfer was successful, won’t it? As users, we always need confirmations and reassurance when completing any actions in the apps.

Source: Uma Sankar on Dribbble

Animations for loading pages

Waiting for a page to load is frustrating in most cases. How can it not be, right? Well, there is one way to make your users entertained rather than irritated. Add an animation to the loading screen. It’s a great way to increase user engagement and make sure that they won’t close the app in the meantime.

The easiest example of a loading screen animation is loading progress. In such a way, you keep your users informed as to how long do they still have to wait. Talking about more fun options, it all goes down to your creativity.

Source: Oleksandr Pronskyi on Dribbble

Calls to action

Microinteractions are not limited to pure functionality. Believe it or not, but they are also a powerful marketing tool. You can add various calls to action in the app to encourage users to get the most from the app or try out some external services.

For example, a CTA microinteraction can be an animated chatbox button. In such a way, a user will see that there is a chat option to use. What is more, a simple animation will highlight this button on the screen.

Source: Nabil Mir on Dribbble

Brand communication

Finally, microinteractions can also help with communicating the brand voice and its values. If, let’s say, a banking service is positioning itself as a fun and easy to deal with one, then why not add an animated microinteraction here and there to reflect it?

Apart from making an app design usable, convenient, and good-looking, it’s also a must to make it humane. Bringing some emotion and personalization is a sure way to establish a better connection with your users and, as a result, get higher engagement rates.

Source: Nour Kada on Dribbble

Summing up

You might have been using microinteractions in your products without really knowing about it. Still, it is better to be aware of the power of your design to get the best of it, right?

You can find more examples of microinteractions and some theoretical information in our recent blog post — click on the link to read it.

What Are Widgets in Flutter and How to Use Them

Mariia Yuskevych — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 09:29:37 +0000

What is the main Flutter’s peculiarity? It’s the widgets. Apart from being a cross-platform UI toolkit and using the Dart language, of course.

But how does this system work? And what should you know about widgets if you want to start programming with Flutter? Let’s discuss.

What widgets are?

Each screen element is represented by a widget in Flutter. For example, take a look at this screen of our fitness app.

Every button you see here is a widget. By the way, you can check out how we created each of these in our tutorial. Basically, building a Flutter app means creating a mosaic of widgets and working on the relations between them. A code in Flutter is often called a widget tree.

Not all the widgets can be seen on the app’s screen. Many of them help the programmer with managing other widgets and the overall app’s appearance and functionality. For instance, the Center widget helps align the elements on the screen.

Types of widgets

There are two main types of Flutter widgets: stateful and stateless. What’s the difference between them?

Stateful widgets create a State object. It is done so that the widget can keep track of the UI changes and update itself correspondingly. Basically, a whole new widget is created when the values of the State object change.

For example, we used the ChangePasswordScreen or EditProfileScreen stateful widgets in our fitness app because the UI had to reflect the changes the user makes.

As opposed to stateful widgets, the stateless ones do not contain any states. As a result, these widgets cannot change. Various buttons and icons are stateless. For instance, the “Save” and “Back” buttons in our app are stateless widgets.

14 widget categories

Overall, there are 14 categories of Flutter widgets. Each category is there to provide different functionality for your app. These include widgets for adding animation, dealing with design responsiveness, displaying text, and so on.

Among Flutter widgets you might find both the basic ones, which are needed for any kind of application, and some more complex widgets to add a twist to your solution.

How to use widgets in Flutter

Adding a widget usually takes a few lines of code. Let’s get back to our fitness app example. This is how we added the _createSelectTime() widget for the workout reminder:

Widget _createSelectTime() {
return Text(
TextConstants.selectTime,
style: TextStyle(
fontSize: 18,
fontWeight: FontWeight.w600,
),
);
}

Some touches to work on the text’s font and style and here you go: the widget is ready.

Bottomline

At the first sight, the way Flutter works might be confusing. But after dedicating just a bit of time to this framework you will definitely find it convenient. There is a good reason why Flutter is built this way and why so many developers now prefer it.

If you want to see Flutter widgets in action, you can check out our recent fitness app tutorial; there you can observe how to get from creating the very first folder to having a fully functioning application.

How to Choose a Database for Your Flutter App

Mariia Yuskevych — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 14:26:57 +0000

It’s hard to imagine an app that doesn’t have any data in it. And the data has to be stored somewhere. Depending on the app’s needs, this place can be a local database or a cloud. For example, in our recent fitness app tutorial, we used a local database to have access to the data even offline.

But how do you choose the best suiting database for your Flutter project? Let’s discuss what to pay attention to.

Using packages to store data

The easiest way to add a database to your Flutter app is with a ready-made package. Just a few lines of code and you have a database to store all of your app’s information. What are some of the most popular database packages out there? Those are

SQLite
Cloud Firestore
Flutter secure storage
and Shared preferences.

Let’s see what are the peculiarities of each of them and how do they suit different projects.

SQLite

We are starting out with the most popular developer’s choice: SQLite. Basically, it is a universal SQL-based database.

The “lite” part is there for a reason. This database package is all about being compact and self-contained.

To use SQLite in a Flutter project you would need a sqflite package. It is the most popular and convenient way to connect this database.

Don’t forget to use the path_provider package along with the sqflite one.

Cloud Firestore

While SQLite is a way to store your data locally, Cloud Firestore is a cloud-based service. It is more suitable for apps that involve a lot of real-time interactions.

Cloud Firestore is a pre-configured NoSQL database, meaning that each piece of data is stored as a separate document. As a result, you can change your data structure at any time.

Setting up Cloud Firestore might take a bit more effort as compared to the other three tools but it is definitely worth it if you want to synchronize any data quickly. For example, you might be building an app where many users exchange the data, so it should be in sync at all times.

Flutter secure storage

Flutter secure storage was our choice for the fitness app we recently showed you how to make. Why? The answer is quite simple and the hint is in the name: this database helps you deal with some sensitive data.

Because the database we were making was to contain the users’ private data, such as their full names and emails, our biggest priority was to make sure that this information is stored safely.

Secure storage is a library created specifically for the Flutter apps, so it’s rather easy to use. You just need to add the flutter_secure_storage: *current version* package to your code and then work it out with your variables. We showed how to do that step by step in the tutorial.

Shared preferences

The shared preferences package is perfect when you don’t have loads of data to store. If it’s just a number or a string, for example, the username of a current user, the shared preferences package is more than enough.

Just like the secure storage one, this package is designed specifically for Flutter. That’s why adding and running it only takes a few lines of code. The package is called shared_preferences: ^ *current version*.

Summing up

As you can see, there is a database package for any situation. Not always do you need a complex cloud system; in many cases, SQLite is more than enough. Whether your data is just a bunch of usernames or tons of information to be accessed by multiple devices at a time, there is a fit for you.

How to Use Firebase Phone Verification for Your Next Mobile App

Mariia Yuskevych — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 10:37:55 +0000

Have you ever heard about Firebase? If you are into mobile app development, then we bet you did. It is hard to imagine setting up your newly created app without registering it within Firebase. But it goes further than that. Firebase also offers excellent cloud and verification services for any kind of application.

While working on our recent tutorial on how to make a fitness app with Flutter (it’s really fun, check it out!), we decided to explore the Firebase verification method a bit more. Let’s discuss how phone verification with Firebase works and why you should choose it for your next mobile app.

Why Firebase phone verification?

Before we talk about how Firebase SMS verification actually works, let’s review its perks and what makes this service a good choice for apps of all scales.

The system works both for iOS and Android.
Free SMS for verifying up to 10 000 users every month.
A simple set-up process that takes up minutes, not hours.
All the user data is stored in the cloud, so this information can be used for logging in later and other purposes.

Considering these, there might be no better choice than opting for a Firebase authentication.

How does Firebase verification work?

Firebase provides some ready-made UIs, SDKs (software development kits), and backend services. All of this helps you identify your users and handle their data properly. You can choose between verification via phone numbers, emails, passwords as well as social media platforms.

Now, let’s focus on the process behind the lines of code.

First of all, you need to fetch the user’s sign-in or sign-up data. As we already discussed, it can be a phone number or an email. Then, this information is passed to Firebase SDK. The backend service checks the data and returns the response — the use is either verified or not. After the successful login, you can access and store the user’s data.

How to integrate Firebase verification into your project?

Now, when you know how Firebase verification works, the question is how to add this tool to your project? That’s the most exciting part. It is a relatively simple process. Let’s now have a quick recap, so you can understand how can you do that. You can always get the step-by-step direction in our Flutter fitness app tutorial.

All you have to do is add your new project via the Firebase website and configure your app in the code. The process varies depending on the platform you choose (iOS or Android) as well as the language and framework you are using. But don’t worry, all the ways are pretty straightforward.

For example, for adding Firebase to the Android app made in Flutter, you first have to register your app in Firebase by downloading the google-services.json file, placing it in the project’s app root directory, and modifying the build.gradle files to use the plugin.

Next, to add the user verification via SMS, you need to make a future inside the dedicated class. Again, more details on this are in our tutorial.

And that’s it! Just like we said, the actions do not take too much time.

Conclusion

Firebase provides numerous ways to verify your users and bring more security to your app, from sending one-time passwords to connecting one’s email. It is an easy to implement and reliable verification tool, and that’s exactly why our team prefers it over all the other available methods.

What about you? What verification method do you use in your mobile apps? Is it Firebase, or do you know something better? Share in the comments!

How Concurrency in Swift 5.5 Makes Programming Easier

Mariia Yuskevych — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 11:41:47 +0000

Swift 5.5 came out with a lot of updates. And we mean a lot. You can tell that Apple decided to change our experience with Swift drastically. Among many other updates discussed in our recent article, concurrent programming is the most prominent one.

Why is this feature so crucial for Swift, and how to use concurrent programming in Swift? Let’s discuss.

Simply call the async/await function

The easiest way to get hold of the concurrent, or as it is also known, asynchronous programming, is to call the function via async or await keyword. What happens when you use those? Each function goes in a separate thread, making it somewhat independent from the others instead of running one by one.

As a result, you can have bigger gaps between the blocks of code or run them simultaneously. It makes managing larger-scale projects way easier as your asynchronous code will run almost like a usual synchronous one.

Combine async/await function with the try/catch one

While it is possible to use the async/await function on its own, you can get the most out of it if combined with the try/catch. Such a combination allows your functions to throw errors. In such a way, you can always be sure that your code will be executed in the right way and no surprises will ever come up.

For instance, you might use the try await function. In this way, an error might come up when all of your asynchronous code has run.

Use async/await sequences

One more way to apply the async/await function more effectively is to use it as a sequence. In this way, you can decide to process values in a specific order but not precompute them in advance. Sequences give you even more control over how the code will run at any point.

Apply unstructured concurrency

Concurrency is quite a complex notion that comes in different shapes. For example, there is structured and unstructured concurrency.

It’s important to understand that not in every case will you have a structured pattern in your asynchronous tasks, or some of them won’t follow the rules. You still have to possess some control over them, so that’s when the unstructured concurrency approach can help you.

How does it work? Unstructured concurrency allows you to launch async tasks from non-async contexts or even completely detach some tasks and make them unstructured so that they are not dependent on the parent task and run on their own.

Don’t forget about Actors

Along with concurrency, Swift 5.5 also introduced Actors. We explained what those are more thoroughly here. A quick recap: actors are particular reference types, just like our regular classes. The difference is that actors are designed specifically for the concurrent environment. Needless to say that actors go perfectly well with the async and await functions.

The bottom line: why use concurrency

Concurrency is an addition to Swift that was long-awaited by many coders. And that’s for a reason: it allows you to suspend and resume your code, run multiple operations, or choose which pieces of code to carry out and which to stop at any given point. All of this gives your solution the flexibility that was never there before.

How iOS 15 Helps Us Focus Better

Mariia Yuskevych — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 13:20:52 +0000

You have probably already heard about the new iOS version. The most curious users can even be beta testers of iOS 15 to learn about all the updates firsthand. Among other features (which we discussed here), one of the most important changes in this version is the focus on the user’s productivity.

It is not all that surprising: with all that was happening in the past two years, we had to learn to work from home and set apart our professional and personal lives. For many of us work-life balance is now limited to closing the work-related tabs on our laptops and turning the notifications off.

iOS 15 gives us even more power in controlling our digital environment. Let’s review how the new Focus tool will help you work and rest better.

Different Focus modes

First of all, with the Focus, you can choose various modes to determine what kind of notifications you want to get at any given time. For example, if you select the Work mode, you might get messages from Slack, your email, or Microsoft Teams. At the same time, getting notifications from Instagram or Twitter can be distracting, so you may choose to turn those off.

After all the work is done, you can change your Work mode into the Personal one, and everything is vice versa: no more work-related notifications, but you are now are receiving messages from your friends.

It is important to remember that it is up to you which apps can send notifications and which do not. Maybe you are a social media manager and need to get Instagram messages during your office hours?

Better Communication

One more aspect of Focus that will make you more productive is letting people know that your notifications are silenced. In this way, anyone willing to send you a message can know that you won’t see it right away.

Such a tool helps us with better communication: you won’t get distracted by notifications or purposefully ignore the messages. Before sending a message to someone who is not currently available, we can now consider getting in touch later or scheduling a message.

Notification Summary

If you don’t get a specific notification because of your Focus settings, it doesn’t mean that you won’t see it at all. You will get a summary daily, or when you want to, so there is no chance of missing out on anything.

Such a summary gives us a chance to balance the constant distractions and FOMO (the fear of missing out). While you are not getting messages all the time, there is also a possibility to check all the notifications at once when needed.

In conclusion

In a world full of distractions, our phones are both our friends and enemies. That’s why we are now paying more attention to regulating what information we share and get. No wonder Apple is addressing these concerns and allowing its users to control their digital environment more.

Of course, making us more productive is not the only spotlight of iOS 15. For example, the Apple team also enhanced the users’ data privacy and made our browsing experience more comfortable. If interested, you can read about these updates in this article.