Top Mobile development Companies to outsource

 

Most of the blogs on topics similar to this one on different forums try to include a bunch of companies wherein they mention about the company’s strengths and weaknesses. Usually such blogs have a hidden agenda to promote their own companies.

It is critical to choose the right outsourcing partner who can offer the appropriate skillsets and suitable engagement models for your projects. If you need to make a decision to outsource Mobile development related projects, let’s take a look at some important aspects you should be familiar with. We have tried to capture the essence of each of these parameters below.

Building a mobile app is a common thing today for any organization. It’s the minimum requirement to grow your business on a large scale. And to do the job right, you definitely need an app development company. Those people are skilled at what they do, so it’s always wise to outsource your project to a good application development company.

But where do you outsource? Many companies are out there waiting to be hired, but how do you find the perfect one for you? Before we come up with a list of such companies like every other blog, let’s discuss how to get started with choosing the right company.

What do you need to know about an app development company?

Before sending out emails to the app development companies, or even filling in contact forms on their websites, you must go through their portfolios. Focus on the following:

● Projects- Does the firm have attractive projects in its portfolio?

● Tech stack- Does the firm have experience with the latest technologies required for your project?

● Industry- Has the team developed a similar project for a similar industry as yours?

● Clients- What do previous clients think and say about the team?

● Partners- Has the team partnered with other reputable tech companies?

1. What capabilities you should look for in a Mobile development company?

a. Native Mobile App development:

You might be interested for developing a mobile application for a single platform. The application is usually built with tools that are specific to that platform like Java or Kotlin for android and Swift for IOS Apps.

b. Cross-Platform Mobile App Development:

This is used to develop apps which work on multiple platforms. It helps to save time and cost and is built with cross platform frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin etc.

c. Hybrid Mobile App Development:

This is an approach to develop mobile applications which combine both native and web solutions. The core application is written in web technology and then encapsulated within a native application. This helps in code reuse and provide a high user experience to users.

d. Progressive Web App Development:

A Progressive Web Application (PWA) is a web application that combines the advantages of native and web applications. It combines hardware functionality into cross-platform software that is easier to design and maintain than a native app.

PWAs offer features that aren’t available on traditional websites. For instance, PWA offers features like Offline work, push notifications, geolocation, camera and microphone. It can even run without a browser, thanks to a native app shell that can start up automatically.

PWA innovation makes use of an expansive ecosystem of Web-based tools and frameworks that Android and iOS developers can only imagine. Deployment and maintenance are also a lot easier with progressive web apps.

e. Apps for Smart Devices:

Smart devices are connected to other device or networks through different wireless protocols. It enables users to perform data management activities through a smart application. You might also be interested in developing an application that would help integrate different smart apps from multiple brands. This helps users to avoid juggling between multiple apps.

f. Integration with 3rd-party Apps:

Integrate apps with additional functionality like geolocation, social media login, payment gateways etc.

g. Migration to multiple Mobile Platforms

Hire developers who can migrate mobile applications to different platforms to improve performance, agility, security etc.

h. End-to-End Mobile solution

Look for software vendors who can provide End to end mobile solution like Mobile device management (MDM), mobile applications management (MAM), mobile content management (MCM), identity and access management (IAM), encryption, data loss protection (DLP) etc.

2. What technical Skills Should Mobile Developers Have?

a. Familiarity with platforms

Besides iOS and Android mobile app development platforms, being familiar with cross-platform app development frameworks, responsive design for mobile web apps, and API development platforms is a huge plus.

b. Knowledge of multiple programming languages

The more languages a developer knows, the better he can code. For any iOS app developer, Android app developer, or React Native expert, it is necessary to be familiar with most programming languages, including the common ones like HTML5, C, C++, JavaScript, etc.

c. Expertise in backend computing

To ensure that the mobile application runs perfectly, the developer needs to focus on multiple concepts associated with backend computing like memory allocation, database management, security, hardware integration, and more.

d. Understanding of other phases

Building a mobile app is more than just coding. You need to invest your efforts and time in various other phases of mobile application development, like designing, marketing, and testing. Having a comprehensive knowledge of these concepts makes it easier for an app developer.

 

Content Source: Medium

Top Java development Companies to outsource

Most of the blogs on topics similar to this one on different forums try to include a bunch of companies wherein they mention about the company’s strengths and weaknesses. Usually such blogs have a hidden agenda to promote their own companies. It is critical to choose the right outsourcing partner who can offer the appropriate skillsets and suitable engagement models for your projects. If you need to make a decision to outsource Java related projects, let’s take a look at some important aspects you should be familiar with. We have tried to capture the essence of each of these parameters below. Java is one of the most in-demand programming languages across the world. Many users state that it’s an object-oriented language that is quick, secure, dependable, etc. We can call it both user-friendly and ubiquitous as it can be used for everything. From gaming consoles to laptops, data centers to cell phones, the internet to supercomputers — Java powers everything. So, if you want some good Java work done- where can you look? We have some pointers for you if you are looking to outsource your Java development tasks. 

 1. What development capabilities you should look for in a Java company? 

 a. Customization + Security
You can find a company that helps you customize your Java applications with high-end security. It would be best to choose the firm providing robust features and innovative solutions to offer you an advantage over competitors.  

b. Java Consulting Get a firm that provides breakthrough strategies and insights to create and enhance your application with top guidance from experts.  

c. Enterprise Solutions You might be interested in solving your individual needs concerning daily operations while searching for solutions. This can be possible by finding firms that present you with specially designed solutions to provide integrated software. Look for companies that specialize in the niche that you are looking for.  

d. Re-Engineering of Java Application Complete overhauls are expensive, time-consuming and impractical Find the firm that can revamp your already existing Java software with the latest techniques. Such a firm should provide the latest requirements to give you the best user-friendly backend and frontend aspects.  

e. Java CMS The best company providing a Java facility should give you a content management system and admin dashboard customized with Java. You should also see whether the company offers you a user-friendly approach concerning interfaces to interact with others.  

f. Maintenance facility Java applications need proper maintenance since it’s always running even after the project ends. Go for companies that can do regular checks and maintain the app perfectly. If a company does not provide maintenance services- look for other options.

 g. Java migration A company that helps you migrate your app from another language to Java with ease should be your default choice. Look for companies that are experienced in software migration

. h. Mobile app development Since the world is now mostly mobile- you should look for companies that can help you offer good mobile experiences to your audiences. Look for developers who are experts in mobile ui/ux. You can choose the company to develop your app on smartphones while focusing on the latest trends.  

2. What Skills Should Java Developers Have? 

 When searching for a developer’s unique skills, you can look at this list of top technical concepts as listed below. A business might hire a Java developer firm, as people don’t understand different concepts during the development process. But once you get a skilled developer, you get the skills too! 

 a) Tools To Build Java App According to what you need, the company will provide you with specific Java tools to help you with your app. They are well-versed in the Java toolset, including Gradle and Maven. 

 b) Core Java Skills Some companies can provide you with Core Java Skills. They are the building blocks for perfect Java Development. Look for: Abstract Class: It helps decrease the overall code to ensure that it remains simple Java Design Patterns: You can easily customize the designs created by these companies later Object-Oriented Programing: It helps you bind functions and data both 

 c) Frameworks of Java Web Java web frameworks of top companies can be used to support web development that includes the web APIs to help build and deploy it all online. d) Web Technology If you want your java application to run on all platforms, you can find the companies that can provide you with web technologies. The developer should have a good understanding of web development skills. It might include JQuery, CSS, and HTML.

 e) Control concerning the Code Version The company should help you keep track of essential projects related to your Java application, which includes changes in data, codes, frameworks, etc. 

 f) Tools for Testing A Java developer company should provide you with the best facilities by using the top web applications and testing JSP pages. After that, they should focus on launching an app or website for both laptops and mobile. 

 g) Java EE Components Most Java developers companies use Java EE components to provide you with server-side software. Good Java developers have techniques for logging activities such as cookies so that you can fix server-side issues. 

 3. Below are the listed skill tests to help you find a company for your project. 

 a. You can find the developer that has passed the Java MCQ Online Test. A Java Architect company can quantify skills needed such as demand mapping, auto wiring, annotation, aggregate functions, and much more.  

b. The developer with Advanced Java Online test certificates can help you with any project. This coding test has a high complexity level concerning coding. By this, you can hire senior developers. 

 c. Another best aspect is to choose the developer that has passed the Core Java Online Test. This test helps you evaluate various core theories like string data, Java OOPs, Java 8 –stream, Lambda Function, collections, etc.  

d. The developer with Java Practical Test certificates can help you choose a Mid-Level Java Developer. This coding test has coding difficulties at a medium level. It can help you hire a Mid-level Java developer firm easily.  

e. Another option is to go for the developers who have passed the Liferay Online Test. You can learn skills such as Portlet classes, deployments in Portlets, and Liferay Portlet applications.

 f. The developers with Spring Boot Online Test certificates help you evaluate skills such as Lines, Security, Dependencies, and Spring Boot annotations.  

g. Java Full Stack Developer Skill Test set is another test that you should look at: the developer passing this test can help estimate full-stack Java developer skills, including regular and strings expressions, demand mapping, burndown chart, models, and more. 

h. Last but not least, the RESTful Test: It helps you evaluate the skills of the developers, including JAX-RS and RESTEasy made using REST web services. 

Final thoughts 

 Finding a Java development company might be tricky in today’s well-developed IT market. Still, the tactics mentioned above can help make a choice quickly and efficiently. When you face difficulty while searching for Java development companies, consider the questions below: 

 ● What do you need in a company? 

● What are your project requirements? 

 ● From which country do you want to hire this company? 

 ● What are the ratings of that company on different platforms? 

When it comes to choosing the right outsourcing partner- don’t go by pricing alone. Look for companies that have the expertise that you need- and start from there. Content Source: Medium

Upgrading to ASP.Net Core 2.0

Microsoft has already released version 2.0 of ASP.Net Core along with .Net Core 2.0. .Net Core 2.0 enables developers to avail several new class libraries and over 20000 new application programming interfaces (APIs) by supporting .Net Standard 2.0. The developers can upgrade their existing applications to ASP.Net Core 2.0 to take advantage of the new APIs supported by .Net Core 2.0. Also, they can write high quality code by availing the new language features provided by C# 7.1. At the same time, ASP.Net Core 2.0 also comes with several new features and improvements.

It comes with a new coding paradigm called Razor Pages. The developers can use Razor Pages as a page first structure and a lightweight alternative to ASP.Net MVC. Razor Pages allows programmers to create razor views based on PageModel without using controllers. Also, the coding paradigm contains the entire code for a specific page in a single file. Hence, developers can upgrade their existing applications to ASP.Net Core 2.0 to take advantage of the new features and APIs. However, the developers must keep in mind some simple points while upgrading from ASP.Net Core 1.x to ASP.Net Core 2.0.

Important Points to Consider while Upgrading to ASP.Net Core 2.0

Deciding the Right Way to Upgrade

Microsoft allows developers to upgrade existing applications to ASP.Net Core 2.0 in two distinct ways. If the application is developed by targeting .Net Core 1.0, the developers can upgrade it simply by upgrading the targeted framework to .NET Core 2.0.  They need to change the innertext of the <TargetFramework> node to netcoreapp2.0 in the .csproj file. On the other hand, the developers have to install the version 2.0 of .Net Core along with ASP.Net Core 2.0 if the application is developed without targeting .Net Core.

Upgrade the Package Reference

In version 1.0 of ASP.Net Core, the .csproj file lists the Nuget packages used by the project individually. ASP.Net Core 2.0 replaces the collection of individual Nuget packages with a single metapackage reference called Microsoft.AspNetCore.All. The metapackage reference includes the core packages of both ASP.Net and Entity Framework, along with additional dependencies required by the programmer. Hence, the developers have to update the package references while upgrading the existing application to Microsoft.AspNetCore.All.

Update the Main Method

While using, the programmers can take advantage of a simpler Main method in the Programs.cs. The simplified Main method even does not require programmers to write additional lines of code. Hence, the developers must update the Main method of the Programs.cs file while upgrading from version 1.x to version 2.0 of ASP.Net Core. The updated Main method will enable developers to take advantage of the new features provided by ASP.Net Core 2.0 and work with Entity Framework Core 2.0. Also, the developers can avoid a number of coding errors by updating the Main method.

Update the Startup Class

In addition to updating the Main method, the developers also need to update the Startup class while upgrading to ASP.Net Core 2.0. They are no longer to set up Logging and Configuration as part of the Startup class. Instead, they have to move the move the Logging and Configuration setup to the simplified Main method. They can even use the WebHostBuilder to add both Configuration and Logging to the Program class. The option enables ASP Net developers to use Configuration and Logging as core services while working with ASP.Net Core 2.0.

Additional Configuration Changes

While upgrading to ASP.Net Core 2.0, the developers need to version attribute of various .Net Core command line interface (CLI) tools to 2.0.0. They have to update the changes by modifying the <DotNetCliToolReference /> node. Likewise, the developers also need to rename both name and variable in the <PackageTargetFallback> node to AssetTargetFallback. They also have to invoke Entity Framework 2.0 commands to upgrade the database initialization code and obtain the application services. As ASP.Net Core 2.0 enables Razor View compilation by default, the programmers are no longer required to set the MvcRazorCompileOnPublish property as true. But they still need to target the specific Nuget package to configure Razor View compilation accurately.

On the whole, developers must upgrade their applications to ASP.Net Core 2.0 to avail several new features and APIs. But they have to focus on a number of factors to upgrade the applications seamlessly from ASP.Net Core 1.x to ASP.Net Core 2.0. Also, they must refer to the migration guide provided by Microsoft to understand the best way to upgrading to ASP.Net Core 2.0.

Best practices in PHP for 2018

The relevant and popularity of PHP as a server-side programming language will remain intact in 2018. According to the latest usage statistics posted on several websites, the latest version of PHP is currently being used by less that 10% of all websites. Most web developers will switch to PHP 7.x in 2018 to build web applications that run faster and consume less memory. Likewise, the developers will execute PHP code through various micro and full-stack web frameworks to build custom web applications quickly and efficiently according to varied business requirements. At the same time, the developers will implement a number of PHP coding best practices to keep the code base clean and the web application maintainable.

7 PHP Development Best Practices Web Developers Must Implement in 2018

1) Choose Coding Style according to PHP Framework or Libraries

Web programmers can format and share PHP code more efficiently by using various coding styles – PSR-1, PSR-2, PSR-3 and PSR-4. He can use the coding styles interchangeably. But the latest version of the coding style may not support some of the coding standard included in the latest version. Also, the coding style followed by individual PHP frameworks and libraries differ. Some of the PHP web frameworks and libraries even do not follow the latest coding style. Hence, the developers need to use the coding style followed by the web framework and libraries used by the specific project.

2) Manage Project Dependencies with Composer

It is also important for web developers to choose the right PHP libraries and manage them efficiently. The developers can easily manage various PHP libraries and their dependencies by using a robust dependency manager like Composer. Composer is designed as an application-level package manager for PHP. It even simplifies dependency installation and management by providing standard methods. They even have option to run Composer through a command-line interface, and manage dependencies by running specific commands.

3) Use PHP Debug Bar to Debug Code Efficienty

In addition to writing clean and maintainable code, the PHP programmers also need to find and repair all errors in the code. They must explore ways to debug the PHP code efficiently to locate and repair all errors in the code. The PHP developers have option to choose from a wide range of debugging tools. But they must consider using PHP Debug Bar to identify the coding errors quickly based on the profiling information displayed at the bottom of the page. They can even install PHP Debug Bar without putting extra time and effort. Also, PHP Debug Bar can be integrated seamlessly with various projects.

4) Explore Ways to Use Service-Oriented Architecture

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) helps developers to build websites with services or functions which can be invoked by clients regardless of the device, operating system, or programming language. Despite being platform-independent, the services or functions make web applications deliver richer user experience by facilitating data translation and improving information flow. There are a number of PHP web frameworks – Laravel, Yii, Zend and Symfony – that enables web application developers to use SOA. The PHP developer must use one of the HTTP-centric web frameworks to build web applications with components that run independently while interacting with each other seamlessly.

5) Optimize Database Operations

While writing PHP code, programmers often ignore the significance of optimizing database operations. They must optimize database operations while writing code to improve the PHP application’s speed and performance. The PHP programmers can easily make the web application consume less memory by closing database connections in the code. Likewise, they must explore ways to make the application run faster by not hitting the database frequently. They can write comprehensive SQL queries to perform common database operations without hitting the database frequently. At the same time, it is also important to identify and update the slow SQL queries to make the web application access resources quickly and smoothly.

6) Opt for JSON Data Format instead of XML

While writing web applications in PHP, a programmer has option to choose from two used format for data exchange – JSON and XML. But he must remember that XML uses more words than JSON. Also, JSON parses data much faster than XML. The developer can even accelerate parsing by availing the built-in functions provided by PHP – json_endcode and json-decode. They can use json-encode function to return the JSON representation of a value and json-decode to decode a JSON string into a PHP variable. If a PHP programmer prefers XML to JSON, he must use regular expressions instead of DOM manipulation for data parsing.

7) Adopt Test Driven Development through PHPUnit

Unlike conventional software development practices, test driven development (TDD) allows developers to write code only after an automated test fails. Hence, it becomes easier for developers to deliver high quality web applications by writing readable code and avoiding code duplication. PHP does not provide any built-in feature to facilitate TDD. But the PHP programmers can easily implement TDD by using a robust programming-oriented unit testing framework like PHPUnit. The features provided by PHPUnit will make it easier for programmers to define and run tests before writing code.

In addition to implementing these development best practices, it is also important for developers to pick the right PHP web framework. The full-stack web frameworks for PHP makes it easier for programmers to build large and complex web applications by providing several advanced features and tools. But the additional features provided by the web framework often impact the web application’s performance and speed. Hence, the PHP programmers must spend some time in evaluating the pros and cons of individual web frameworks based on precise needs of each project to build PHP applications that run faster and deliver richer user experience.