DEV Community: Divya

How To Select The Database For Your Food Delivery Software?

Divya — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 13:54:56 +0000

Food delivery software development is at its peak right now because of the increasing level of digital transition by restaurants. Another important thing that makes it hot is the rising on-demand food apps that have the potential to increase food sales. Entrepreneurs and developers are confused about what makes a perfect food app. Yes, transforming digitally alone is not enough, having better software is more vital.

Most of the restaurants and food app startups are launched by people who are not sound technically, hence their startups or restaurants fail to meet user expectations and global standards.

There is not a single parameter that can make an app successful and developers know this very well. Since we are in the development field especially in the on-demand domain, we are able to ascertain the factors that influence the building of a perfect app.

Factors that influence the making of a perfect app

Here I will briefly explain factors that are easy for laymen to understand. Next, let me pick one part i.e. database and write elaborately.

Mobile user experience

A user opens the mobile, clicks the food delivery app, orders the menu, pays the money, and comes out; this entire process must be seamless without any hindrance. Mobile users like comfort and the app must reflect the same. A simple and straightforward app is better than a sophisticated complex app.

Instant loading time

The specs of mobile matters a lot for app loading time but it is still possible to build the app in a way to fasten page loading with the usage of good quality code. A good database is also important since this is what holds all the data and a free flow of data ensures quick loading.

Design

Influencing the user in a positive way is possible by physically enabling the app to have a good look and feel. Version 2 gradients give a warm feel to the app and instill a sense of satisfaction to users.
Offline version

All the on-demand food apps need internet and GPS to work finely. But nowadays we have got apps that work even without GPS and this can be a gamechanger for food delivery apps. Tier 2/3 cities sometimes don’t have proper GPS and users here will receive well an app that works even without GPS.

This list is not exhaustive and I just tried to give an example of the important factors. Now we will go a bit more technical and find how to choose a database for your food delivery software.

Necessity for database in the app

In simple terms, when a user enters the app and registers with details like name and address, there needs a provision in the app to store the data containing name and address. Databases are the provision that collects and stores data every time in the app.

For something like an on-demand app, which functions solely using user data, a solid database is necessary. Present on-demand food delivery software has machine learning and data analytics technologies embedded in it; these technologies use user data to give output.

In the admin web app, finance and analytics tools give valuable insights to admin and they too use enormous data for everything.

In case if you are scaling the startup to new regions, then a larger and sophisticated database is required to handle new data.

Physical storage servers and cloud servers

Technological advances have disrupted databases and now we are left with two options. One is the physical server and another is cloud storage. Some of the leading providers of these two types are:

Google Firebase
Microsoft Azure web services
Amazon web services
Couchbase mobile

Physical storage as the name suggests, stores the data in servers and more the data means more is the size of the servers. This is the traditional type and is used by 80% of the tech firms. It is not necessary that you need to own physical servers for your food startup, instead, you can opt for third-party servers.

Cloud-based technology uses remote servers hosted on the internet to store data. It can be accessed from anywhere in the world. Startups are increasingly opting for cloud computing to reduce cost and easy accessibility.

These are just servers that host the database. A database should be flexible and reliable enough to be kept on these servers.

How to select the database for your food delivery app?

Database must be safe

Database handle data that are more personal to users and hence it must be very safe. A slight compromise can wreak havoc and tumble your startup. Make sure the authentication given to each data is flexible. End to end encryption of data from both the client and server end is a great move.

I want to mention that different approaches are needed for data in motion, data at rest and reading/writing access.

Data conflicts

The on-demand food app will be used by different users with different devices. Some devices will modify the data retrieved from the database before using it. This results in data conflicts that may affect the safety and quality of the data.

Such data conflicts are common and this must be addressed with a robust database system. The latest databases resolve data conflicts smoothly and work across users, devices, third-party integrations, and cloud systems.

For example, Couchbase mobile is said to be a robust solution that uses revision tree model for data conflicts.

High scalability

Scalability is the ability to not only hold large amounts of data but also to speed up data retrieval and processing. Choose a database that can rightly handle any amount of both input/output of your food app. Feature addition is another thing that you will do in the future to meet the demands; the database must handle this also with flexibility. NoSQL databases are said to offer great flexibility.

These three are the most important things to consider before choosing the database and the rest will follow smoothly.

Final say!

Safety, conflict, and flexibility must be the deciding factor for your app’s database. Brace yourself to go through the unnerving process of picking the database. Databases not only add value to your app but also comes handy in times of scaling, technology addiction, feature inclusion, etc.

I strongly recommend you to partner with an able development company to make the whole process easy.

The on-demand startup market is bright right now and the one who catches up with a great solution will make a fortune for sure.

How to Develop a Perfect UberEats Clone in the First Shot for Your Food Delivery Business Venture?

Divya — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 11:21:34 +0000

The latest trend nowadays in cities across the world is to order food online and food will be delivered at the doorstep. Two top startups found the need for quick food delivery and developed an asset free model which we now call as the on-demand food delivery. This online ordering trend is now hot even in tier 2 and tier 3 towns.

Aspiring entrepreneurs are looking to cash in on this demand and launch their startups in local areas. The future prospects of online food delivery market is also promising.

Experts predict that the market will register a revenue of $16 billion in 2020 with an annual growth rate of 15%. So, there is no doubt that this is a potential market with huge scope, unlike other on-demand models.

In this blog, I will explain why you need to choose Ubereats clone and how to perfectly build one. If you are a technical guy and going to launch a niche food delivery app, then you will get valuable insights from this.

Is Ubereats clone the right idea?

Ubereats clone solutions are readymade with all necessary features and come with the option of customization. They are not inferior to products built from scratch and match the standards of Ubereats.

If you decided to use Ubereats clone, then you will not regret it. Now we will see the things that matter the most while building your first Ubereats clone. I hope that you are aware of the interfaces in the food app solution, by assuming this I go into the specifics.

Tech stack for a performance-centric app

Paypal, Braintree, and Stripe are standardized payment gateway system and even Ubereats use it. The cost of implementing them is not very high and also it is easy to apply. They are also safe since they use two-way encryption.

The latest available languages and javascript framework is necessary for the Android app and web app development. For iOS it is Swift. Golang, Mongo DB are standard database modules and are apt for future scaling.
Both Hybrid and Native app development has its own pros and cons, i recommend you to go with the one you are good at.

Navigation and tracking are vital for the delivery person app and customer app, there cannot be a better application than the Google Map API.

The base Ubereats script that contains all the features required are available readily with 100% source code.

Finalizing major features

While there are features and functionalities that are default, some features are optional and depend on the place of operation and target users. Unique features can also be found and built so as to be different from the rest.

First, list all the extra features that are required and find technicalities associated with it. Not all of them can be applied without affecting the core of the solution.

I will list down some optional and unique features to give an idea for you.

Single touch wallet integration

It is not necessary to enter all the details of payment every time, instead, the user can add an e-wallet to the app and make payment in a single touch.

Order for friend

Have the option for the user to order for another user in a different location. This is beneficial if a customer is unable to order.

Rewards, referrals, and coupon benefits

People crave offers and discounts; some people even won’t order anything without discounts; referrals and incentives are the best way to attract users into the fold.

UI/UX design to consider

Every feature in the food app solution completely depends on the design and interface. UI/UX can make or break your business. Since the users connect with the service using the mobile app, it is vital to make it feel good with a sense of ease to use.

Navigation and browsing inside the app should be free from hindrances. The overall experience must be smooth and pleasant. From the moment the app is opened till the payment is made, there should be no glitches. Hance, select the apt UX design.

Do a research survey to find the current trend in app design and apply it to the app. One must not overlook the delivery agent app and restaurant panel.

Use the latest design tools to get the maximum benefit.

Final say!

Succeeding in these three points itself assures you half success in building a perfect food app solution using Ubereats script. Also, make sure you select the right script from an experienced vendor.

Use better tools and resources to get the utmost advantage. Test the solution on multiple platforms to ensure it works smoothly. Always keep up with the market trend and don’t neglect the competitors.

Follow the steps sincerely and finally deliver a top-notch Ubereats like food app solution for your startup in the first shot!

What are the Non-Technical Factors Food Delivery App Developers Should Focus On?

Divya — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 10:07:39 +0000

If you are in charge of a new on-demand food startup or planning to launch one, then you might have heard about improvising your startup. Off late all of them are focussed only on the technical side like increasing the app performance and implementing new design. These suggestions require intensive development work. For a layman to carry out this work is next to impossible. In a study conducted in the US found that most of the on-demand startup founders are from non-technical background.

This blog will be useful if you are a non-technical entrepreneur forayed into the on-demand segment. Here I have explained some non-technical factors if managed will give great dividends to your online food delivery startup.

Acquiring restaurants into the app

People who eat out or order food online value the food quality, appearance, taste, quality of cooking, and presentation. Restaurants who can give food comprising all these values alone can maintain a good customer base. It is vital for you to choose the restaurants based on these values and get them on-board.

Food safety departments of respective governments usually give certification to restaurants based on several factors; make it mandatory for restaurants to upload it and also put badges to restaurants for the certificates. Users then will order with complete satisfaction.

In-app chat between user and restaurant

In-app chat with customer care assistant is in the customer, restaurant, and delivery agent app. Now I have a slight improvisation of it; the user can chat directly with the restaurant.

Real-time suggestions are possible and the user can have more control over every process. This feature may sound a bit technical, yet it can be easily applied with the help of your app developer.

Make it free

In order to earn more money from the food ordering service, some startups go overboard and charge for all the service in the app. For example, to get access to certain premium restaurants, users have to pay extra. This badly affects customer acquisition and hurts unit economics.

Yes, in order to survive the competitive food delivery segment it is practical to find ways to earn more but some will backfire. At least bring new changes as a pilot without affecting maximum users.

Let users personalize the customer app

What I mean by this is that the customer app by default has a lot of options and functionalities, restaurant listings, and many more; not all of them are used by a typical user. So why not the user have the provision to personalize the app to his desire?

Such a function that gives good control for the user over the app is a sign of reliability and perfect user interface.

This feature will be cool; less is always good. People like to be minimalistic and this feature entirely lies with your app developer to materialize.

Font size change in users mobile/web app

This change may sound silly, but it isn’t. Misplaced font size is annoying and it is directly linked to the app’s user experience.

Have the provision at the top corner of the user’s app to change font size. This applies to the delivery agent app and restaurant app as well. This is a very small change that won’t take too long to apply.

Apply application performance management tool

How your app fares with the users can be found using mobile metrics and tools which are collectively called as application performance management(APM). APM gives insight into the app behavior like which OS have high downloads, features highly exploited, usage pattern among demographics, etc.

There are third-party APM tools in the market and are easy to integrate with the app solution. Since most of the APM tools are cloud-based, there is no need for a separate database along with the app solution.

Discuss the right APM tool with your development firm since APM can give valuable insight into layman terms to make informed decisions.

Final say!

One cannot deny that the present on-demand food ordering system evolved well over the last five years. But if there is potential for improvement, then why let it go? And the above-said factors are non-technical in nature and most of them can be modified independently.

It would be good if you use Ubereats clone for your startup; reason being that it is easy to work on it and deploy quickly. Few experienced development firms are well versed in customization of Ubereats clone.

Do partner with them and have a brainstorming session to find the needs and requirements Not all what I said above can find its place perfectly into every interface.

What Cutting Edge Technologies a Developer Can Use to Create a Food Delivery App Like UberEats?

Divya — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 11:21:15 +0000

Online food delivery firms like Postmates, GrubHub, Swiggy have got more than $100 million dollars in funding. What these improvements denote? There is no stopping the growth of the on-demand food delivery business. Although online food delivery business is uncertain, it is still the choice of many entrepreneurs mainly because of its less ownership model.

With the rapid expansion in developing countries and heavy competition in food delivery business has called for something new in this business. Easily, the app is the only factor that can be easily leveraged to make a difference between the adversaries.

First of all, online food delivery business has two models.

-The aggregator model
-In house delivery

The aggregator model

This is the real less ownership model. Here as an entrepreneur, your main investment is to develop a customer app, restaurant app, admin app, and delivery partner app. The main work is to persuade the restaurants to list in your app.

An interested person with vehicles can enroll as a delivery partner with you. Once the customer has ordered from the app, it is reverted to the respective restaurant. After some time, a delivery partner is assigned to it. He picks the finished order and delivers it to the customer.

Here, for every order, you get a percentage as commission. This is the working model of Swiggy, UberEats, etc.

In-house delivery model

This model is suitable for those who own a restaurant. A customer app in the name of your restaurant should be there. Contrary to the aggregator model, here you employ delivery fleets. The food ordering and delivery process is similar to the aggregator model. The main advantage of this model is that you need not pay any commission to anyone.

Needless to say, in both models, there are many common features.

In what areas of the app a developer make a mark among the competitors

GPS tracking

GPS is an important part of an on-demand app. Here real-time information has to be sent to the customer app, driver app, and the admin. Below are some of the technologies that can be used for GPS tracking.

To find the customer’s location

-Core Location Framework (for iOS)
-Google Places API (for Android)

To provide a route to the delivery agent

-MapKit (for iOS)
-Google Maps API (for Android)

UI/UX design

Adobe XD, Axure RP, Sketch, etc are some of the top tools for UI/UX design. These tools are compatible with both iOS and Android.
User experience and app design are one of the important factors which influence the user and helps in customer retention and expand customer base. So, as a developer, there is a lot of scope of improving the business via UI/UX.

Try to integrate analytics with UX. The analytics data can be used to gauge the behavior of the user. Nowadays measuring gesture usage is important since many smartphones have removed the home button. The gesture by adults, teenagers, and children is different. So, optimize the app by measuring the gesture UX.

Make the navigation bar as seamless as possible. Sometimes the navigation bar may be unresponsive and this can take a serious toll on the user base.

Do A/B retention test to find the reason for the user’s retention in your app. This helps you to optimize the app.

Integrated payment gateway

Payment gateway system is the place where the users want it to be safe and secure. There are many secure payment integrations available in the market but only a few of them are reliable and credible.

-PayPal Payments Pro
-Braintree
-Stripe
-Skrill
-Square’s API

To expand the customer base, more payment options like e-wallet and digital payments should be made available.

Search and Navigation

When you take a restaurant, there will be a lot of cuisines and each cuisine have a lot of different foods. So, in a food delivery app, you have to bring all those menus in it. The user should be able to easily navigate through the menu and order foods without any hassles. All the details about the menu should be there in a database. An API is used to source the data from the DB whenever required.
Fortunately, there are APIs which helps to easily search and navigate in a mobile app. These APIs belong to food giant GrubHub and the good thing is that it is open source.

-GrubHub API
-Foursquare API

GrubHub API can support more than 10,000 restaurants in it.

Ratings & Reviews

The success of on-demand based business is because of the instant feedback system in place. Users can rate and review the service which provided scope for the service provider to improve the quality of service. New users also used reviews to decide whether the service is good or bad.
The developer should make available the review and rating feature for each restaurant and every delivery person. A threshold is fixed for the restaurant and delivery agent. If their rating drops below the threshold, their service will be suspended. Such a system is followed in UberEats and Zomato.

Wrapping up

Above are some of the cutting edge technologies a developer can use to develop an online food delivery app for a small startup equal to the giants like GrubHub and Postmates.

Moreover, if you are an entry level entrepreneur in the food delivery business then, it is better to load the app with all the above-mentioned features. Doing this will surely place you in the top among the adversaries.