DEV Community: Sharon Wang

LocalStack：Free Cloud Service

Sharon Wang — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 01:15:22 +0000

If you don't have an AWS account and a credit card, or you don't want to worry about being overcharged or having to wait forever for services to be provisioned, this is what you need: http://LocalStack.cloud.

Developers can create, design, test, and deploy your serverless and cloud apps offline using LocalStack, a fully complete local AWS cloud stack. It provides a user-friendly interface for testing on the local device, with an environment that functions similarly to the actual AWS cloud environment and has the same APIs. Numerous important cloud APIs may be used on the local device.

The LocalStack project is open-source and free. It is well-known as a testing framework and simulation engine for creating cloud apps that can rapidly start a free cloud server on a local PC that is compatible with AWS. In the majority of use cases, LocalStack can replace AWS. It comes as a Docker image and offers sophisticated collaboration tools, continuous integrations, and APIs for more than 90 AWS services, such as API Gateway, Kinesis, DynamoDB, Firehose, Lambda, S3, SNS, and many more.

The main features of LocalStack include:

1. Simulate AWS environment
Create a container on the local computer that supports a variety of cloud resources, including Lambda functions, API Gateway, S3 buckets, DynamoDB databases, and others, and offers capabilities and APIs comparable to those of AWS.

2. No need for remote cloud services
With the help of the cloud service emulator LocalStack, developers may run AWS apps locally without establishing a connection with a distant cloud provider. This can streamline the testing and development processes. By developing and testing locally rather than utilising remote cloud providers, developers can save money and time.

3. Error injection feature
Users may simulate problems and introduce faults into their apps and infrastructure by using LocalStack's Fault Injection Service (FIS) and Chaos API. These tools assist users with identifying possible vulnerabilities and testing the robustness of their systems.

The Fault Injection Service (FIS) replicates defects like service errors and resource unavailability. It can be used to help developers better prepare for possible problems by offering error injection capabilities similar to those seen in a true cloud environment, such as simulating region outages, interrupting a portion of requests, and adding latency to API calls; it enables customers to evaluate their applications function when components of their infrastructure fail.
The Chaos API enables users to test their systems in difficult settings, such as outages. It can be employed to confirm the architecture's resilience and carry out failover situations.

Benefits of utilising FIS and the Chaos API include: (1) assisting users in locating and addressing possible defects; (2) assisting users in creating more resilient systems that can endure turbulence; (3) enabling early chaos testing in the development process; and (4) enabling rapid experimentation with various failure scenarios.

Now available is LocalStack 3.7, with an emphasis on better parity with AWS. This version brings a number of new features, improvements, and corrections.

https://github.com/localstack/localstack

https://docs.localstack.cloud/overview/

https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/awsmarketplace/accelerating-software-delivery-localstack-cloud-emulator-aws-marketplace/

Oracle Using Agile in ERP

Sharon Wang — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 08:10:19 +0000

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is the next step in the evolution of Manufacturing Resource Planning II. The purpose of MRP systems was to help companies achieve maximum efficiency, making them more efficient and effective. MRP eventually spread to other parts of the enterprise organisation, leading to the development of a single system capable of tightening up the entire organisation's processes and providing a single unified dataset as well as an industry-proven standard workflow across the organisation's processes, resulting in a single system that provides all operations data and transparency into what is happening in the organisation. ERP systems automate business processes and provide real-time data for optimising functionality and generating reports.

Project management is an ever-changing challenge that necessitates cutting-edge solutions to handle projects from inception to handover and maintenance. There are dozens of ready-to-use methodologies and frameworks accessible since they have previously been professionally tested and are widely utilised by small and large businesses.

Reputable methodologies such as the waterfall method, Agile method, Lean, Critical Path Method (CPM), Critical Chain Method (CCM), Projects in Controlled Environments (PRINCE2), Projects Integrating Sustainable Methods (PRiSM), Six Sigma, Extreme Project Management (XPM), and hybrid approaches (such as Scrumban, Scrum, and Kanban) are used to manage the projects effectively and professionally.

Oracle Suite has been operational for around 20 years and is a completely native cloud-based ERP system for small and medium-sized organizations. It has the potential to expand businesses that comply with vanilla standard business processes, but it is not necessary. It has greatly accelerated the deployment of modern technology.

Oracle Corporation adopts an Agile methodology for its software development processes, prioritizing flexibility, collaboration, and iterative development. This enables Oracle to promptly address evolving customer needs and release software products more frequently. Agile methodologies encourage cross-functional teams, regular feedback loops, and continuous improvement across the development lifecycle. These practices empower Oracle to stay responsive, promote effective teamwork, and ensure ongoing enhancements to their software offerings. We can further extract this as below mentioned.

1. Development of Projects
This is one aspect of breaking projects into smaller parts known as sprints, typically lasting a few weeks. Each sprint focuses on delivering specific features or functionalities, facilitating
regular progress updates, feedback integration, and adaptation to evolving project requirements. This iterative nature brings several advantages to Agile development. It enables the early and frequent release of valuable features, expediting the delivery time to users. Continuous collaboration with stakeholders ensures their ongoing involvement and input, allowing for their needs and perspectives to be consistently incorporated.

Moreover, this approach aids in the early identification and resolution of issues or challenges, thereby mitigating potential risks. By embracing an iterative framework, NetSuite ERP ensures a flexible, adaptive, and customer-centric development process, resulting in the timely delivery of valuable features while maintaining stakeholder engagement and reducing project risks.

2. User Stories
User stories in NetSuite ERP are descriptions of desired system behaviours from the users perspective. Agile development in NetSuite ERP begins with identifying these user stories, which serve as the basis for prioritizing and planning development efforts. User stories outline the needs and expectations of end-users, helping the development team align their work with customer requirements. These stories follow a simple template, like the INVEST acronym, and
are used to prioritize work, estimate effort, and break down development tasks. Throughout the Agile development process, user stories are continually refined, reviewed, and iterated upon to ensure the final product effectively addresses user needs and expectations. This iterative approach ensures that the development team stays focused on delivering value to users and remains responsive to changing requirements.

3. Product Backlog
Product backlog is a dynamic list of features and improvements ranked by their importance to the business. This list is continuously updated and refined as the project progresses. The backlog considers feedback from customers, market trends, and evolving business needs. The development team regularly reviews and adjusts the backlog to prioritize the most valuable features for implementation and delivery. By maintaining a well-managed backlog, NetSuite ERP ensures that customer needs and business objectives are consistently
considered, resulting in the development of impactful and valuable features that align with the organization goals.

4. Scrum Meetings
In NetSuite ERP, the Scrum framework is used for project management, which is a popular Agile methodology. Scrum meetings are essential for promoting communication, coordination, and teamwork among team members. These meetings include daily stand-ups where the team discusses progress and any obstacles they are facing. Sprint planning meetings are held to define goals and tasks for the upcoming sprint. During the sprint review, completed work is demonstrated to takeholders. Finally, the sprint retrospective allows the team to reflect on the sprint and identify areas for improvement in future sprints. By conducting these meetings, NetSuite ERP ensures effective collaboration and continuous enhancement of project outcomes.

5. Cross-functional Teams
Agile teams consist of members with different skills and expertise, including developers, quality assurance, designers, and product managers. This diverse composition encourages collaboration, sharing of knowledge, and a sense of shared responsibility. By bringing together team members with varied backgrounds, NetSuite ERP ensures that different viewpoints are considered during the development process. This diversity of skills enables the team to work efficiently and deliver high-quality products. Each team member contributes their unique expertise, contributing to a well-rounded approach that addresses various aspects of the project.

By leveraging the collective skills and perspectives of its cross-functional team, NetSuite ERP can effectively meet customer needs and deliver successful outcomes.

6. Continuous Feedback and Adaptation
In NetSuite ERP, feedback from customers and stakeholders is actively sought throughout the development process. Regular demos and iterations are conducted to make iterative improvements and ensure that the software meets customer needs. This continuous feedback
loop allows NetSuite ERP to adapt and make necessary adjustments based on changing requirements, market dynamics, and emerging insights. By actively listening to customer feedback, NetSuite ERP enhances the value and usability of its product. It enables the team to address any gaps or areas for improvement promptly, resulting in a more refined and customer-focused solution. Through this iterative feedback process, NetSuite ERP stays responsive to customer needs, delivering a product that evolves with their requirements and provides a better user experience.

Finally, Oracle has benefitted from incorporating Agile into its structure, resulting in faster product launch times. Product quality has increased, and new product releases have caused minimal disruption to the supply chain. Product and process innovation has improved predictability and sustainability, leading to decreased total cost of ownership and implementation risks.

Blockchain-based FinTech Solution

Sharon Wang — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 07:00:43 +0000

NASDAQ said in 2015 that blockchain technology was being used in its initial safety operation. Since then, blockchain technology used in FinTech has swept the globe and become more and more popular all over the world.

A business or organisation usually uses an accounting information system (AIS), which is typically designed as a centralised platform, to collect, maintain, control, and reveal its financial data so that auditors, accounting professionals, executives, legislators, and taxing organisations can use it. To assure the highest level of accuracy in a company's financial transactions and record-keeping, as well as to make financial data easily accessible to those who legitimately need access to it, all while keeping data intact and secure, blockchain could work closely with AIS.

Blockchain as a decentralised public ledger can record the ownership, origin and movement of financial data. The widespread use of smart contracts and distributed ledger technology will significantly contribute to improving the security and productivity of the financial industry.

FinTech accounts for the largest share of the blockchain market. Some researchers reviewed the uses of smart contracts and distributed ledger technology (DLT) in FinTech and guided the direction of financial solutions. They gave a thorough analysis of the most pertinent blockchain-based FinTech solutions as well as a breakdown of FinTech industries and segments in their survey. For each portion, they included an explanation and an evaluation of how each blockchain implementation helped investigators and FinTech companies solve the vast majority of their challenges. In this system, blockchain was a neutral intermediary responsible for distributing the data, automating storage, and verifying the process. Moreover, it could serve as a secure platform for accounting that did not allow for tampering or irregular accounting practises. The blockchain could record monetary exchanges between two parties, such as bill payments and bank deposits. Thus, the role of accountants might change into one of verifying ledger transactions.

Another study focused on the application of blockchain in accounting practise and research to find areas that might benefit from further research as well as to create a framework for how blockchain affects accounting processes. Blockchain had a wide range of effects on accounting practise and study. The reasons why practitioners were engaged in this technology, including triple-entry accounting system, the inalterability of operations, the mechanisation of repetitive work that did not require voluntary choices, the recognition of cryptocurrencies in accounting records, value-chain management, and social and ecological auditing.

The key conclusions with regard to the auditing and accounting processes were that immutability on the blockchain was undoubtedly beneficial for auditors and accountants and could help prevent fraudulent activity and ensure the accuracy of data and information. The capacity to execute genuine accounting and uninterrupted auditing, the potential for testing a complete database rather than a sample, the decrease of mistakes, and the removal of the requirement for balance are just a few of the benefits that could come from blockchain technology. With third entries maintained on a chain, triple-entry accounting was another potential use, despite certain concerns about privacy and visibility that needed to be addressed.

It was predicted that blockchain developments would have a substantial impact on accountants, auditors, and legislators, especially when it came to processes linked to the methods in which trades were originated, conducted, documented, balanced, audited, and published. Blockchain could play a rather significant role in the fields of ecological and social accounting and monitoring, even though it could not entirely replace the functions of auditors and insurance premiums.

Accordingly, the FinTech industry has learned how innovative blockchain can be for boosting revenue, improving the terminal experience, optimising the supply chain, improving efficiency, and reducing company risk. Blockchain for AIS will achieve critical mass in adoption during the next several years and become widely used in the future.

Create AWS Lambda function

Sharon Wang — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 01:08:51 +0000

With AWS Lambda, you can run code without needing to provision or maintain servers thanks to serverless computing. You just pay for the computation time that you use. The AWS Lambda interface can be invoked through the AWS command line or the AWS Software Development Kit (SDK) that can run on servers, browsers, and mobile devices.

The first step is to go to https://console.aws.amazon.com/ in the browser in order to access the AWS console. After logging in, click "Get Started Now" on the pop-up page after selecting Lambda in the Compute section and selecting the AWS location from the top menu on the right (typically pick a location closest to your location to minimize network latency). You will see a list of current function codes instead of the welcome page if this is not the first function in the chosen region.Simply select "Create a Lambda Function" in this instance.

The next step is to create lambda functions. Set the option to "Edit code inline" and enter the following code in the web console editor according to your chosen runtime environment. AWS Lambda functions are executed in a environment without any visual information. Therefore, all runtimes implement a convenient way to write centralized logs to Amazon CloudWatch.

Amazon CloudWatch is a monitoring and logging service that can be used to manage application metrics, alerts, and logs, as well as AWS services used within the application.In a Node.js environment, anything written with console.log() is redirected to CloudWatch Logs, whereas in Python, any output from print is redirected.

The following is two instances of the Node.js lambda function.
1.

`//Introducing the core modules required for Lambda
const AWS = require('aws-sdk');

// Function for handling Lambda events
exports.handler = async (event, context,callback) => {
    // return result body
    return {
        statusCode: 200,
        body: JSON.stringify({ message: 'Hello, World!' })
    };
};`

`exports.handler = async (event, context,callback) => {
    console.log('lambda event:', JSON.stringify(event, null, 2));
    var name = '';
    if('name' in event ){
        name = ['name'];
        console.log('name = ', event.name)
    }else{
        name = 'world';
        console.log('name = ', name)
    }
    var result = 'Hi,' + name ;
    callback(null, result);
};`

In Node.js, we use the callback to end functions in the standard Node.js programming model. In this case, the function successfully ends with callback(null, data) and returns the greeting string object. If the first parameter of the callback is not null, it indicates that the function encountered an execution error and returns, such as callback(error).

After initialization is complete, the function receives the information provided as event input and the context of the call—both in their native runtime formats: JavaScript objects in Node.js like https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/evaluate-config_develop-rules_nodejs-sample.html and dictionary types in Python like https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/evaluate-config_develop-rules_python-sample.html, event use case is like this https://docs.aws.amazon.com/config/latest/developerguide/evaluate-config_develop-rules_example-events.html.

The next step is to test function.

Click the Test button in the upper left corner of the console, and then you need to prepare a test event for all the tests. When invoking a Lambda function, the event object information expressed in JSON format will be converted by the actual function runtime into their respective native objects or types, such as JavaScript objects or the Dict type in Python.

The dropdown menu on the test interface contains some sample events, which are received when subscribing to standard resources like Amazon S3 or Amazon DynamoDB. Our function uses a custom format for events, so these sample event templates are temporarily not needed.You need to edit the event information and provide the name as input for the function.

{"name":"Hi, Peter!"}

Click "Save and test" in the window, and the function will be called using the event information you edited as input.The execution results will be displayed at the bottom of the window page. The displayed results include the function's return value, logs, and a summary of the execution status, such as the actual execution time, billing time (in 100 ms units), and memory usage. All this information is also output in the form of raw logs.

If everything goes well, you will see the result in the execution result. Now, you have successfully executed your first Lambda function!

You can also install and configure AWS CLI.

To install and configure the AWS CLI command-line tool, you can refer to the installation guides for Windows, Mac, and Linux provided on the AWS website at http://aws.amazon.com/cli/.

It is recommended to start with the Getting Started link in the documentation to create an AWS IAM user for the CLI.The following is the security policy:

AWSLambdaFullAccess
AmazonAPIGatewayAdministrator
AmazonCognitoPowerUser

When using the aws configure command to set up the CLI, you need to set the current AWS region as the default. Otherwise, you need to explicitly specify the region for each AWS CLI command using the --region option.

At the same time, it is also recommended that you enable the CLI autocompletion feature described in the documentation. To test whether the AWS CLI installation and configuration are correct, you can try executing the command：‘aws lambda list-functions’ to get a list of AWS Lambda functions that have been created under your account, along with the configuration information for each function, such as memory size, timeout, execution role, etc.

The default output format of the CLI is JSON, but it can be changed during the initial configuration of the CLI using the --output option. To invoke the function we just created, use the following syntax in the command line, and the JSON event is in single quotes. If you are using the AWS CLI on Windows to invoke the Lambda function, you need to change the single quotes mentioned above to double quotes and repeat once.

For example, --payload'' should be changed to --payload"{""name"":""Peter""}".

The output of the function is written to a local file. For example, if you want to greet "Peter," enter the following command in the command line. If you did not specify the region where you created and run AWS Lambda when configuring the AWS CLI, you must specify it at the end of the command using the --region parameter; otherwise, the above command will result in an error.

Execute the following command in the command line to test the output of function when no name is provided as input; the returned message will be "Hi, world!"

Eclipse development solutions

Sharon Wang — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:36:04 +0000

Eclipse cannot open when I run the exe

I downloaded the most recent Eclipse 2024 version. When I attempt to launch Eclipse.exe in the designated folder, it fails to start. For a few instances, the Eclipse splash screen will appear before disappearing. There aren't any mistakes.

The 64-bit JDK version 21 is installed by default while installing Eclipse 2024. I use the standard Eclipse IDE for Java and Windows 7.
I use a variety of approaches to try to tackle this issue. Some proposed removing the previous JDK version. This can't work, in my opinion. Finally, I discovered that that method is accessible: