How Important is Smarty for PHP Developers?

At present, PHP is more popular than other server-side programming languages. The latest versions of PHP further simplifies website and web application development by providing an array of new language features, enhanced speed, and reduced resource consumption. The programmers also have option to execute the code written in PHP 7 in two distinct ways – embed the PHP code into HTML code or execute the PHP code through frameworks and content management systems.

While developing small and simple web applications, many developers prefer embedding PHP code into HTML code. But they had to embed new PHP scripts while adding new features and functionalities to the web application. The additional scripts make the application code complex and messy. As a template engine, Smarty helps programmers to keep the application code simple and maintainable by keeping business logic and presentation separated. The developers can further use Smarty to parse templates into PHP scripts, and reuse the parsed templates seamlessly.

Features that Make Smarty Useful for PHP Developers

Keep Business Logic and Presentation Separate

Smarty is not a PHP framework. But like robust PHP frameworks, it enables users to implement model-view-controller (MVC) paradigm. The programmers can use Smarty to keep the application’s business logic (PHP code) and presentation (HTML and CSS) separated. The separation helps programmers to prevent the application code from becoming complex and messy. Also, the separation makes it easier for them to maintain and update the PHP applications within a short amount of time.

Faster Parsing Engine

Smarty is designed as a template engine. It helps PHP programmers to parse templates into PHP scripts. The version 3 of Smarty further comes with a rewritten and new template parser. The redesigned template parser makes Smarty faster than other template engines for PHP. Also, it enables developers to control template syntax, and avail functions like in-template math, recursive template and line-precision error messages.

Keep Templates Fast and Maintainable

Smarty compiles a template into PHP script only once when the application is invoked for the first time. It does not recompile the templates each time the application is invoked. Also, it does not require users to manage or maintained the compiled versions of templates. The one-time parsing and compilation boosts the web application’s performance significantly, in addition to making templates fast and maintainable.

Template Portability

The programmers can use Smarty to parse templates into reusable PHP scripts. But the templates still remain language-agnostic. The developers can use specialized tools to compile the Smarty templates into JavaScript and other programming languages. Also, they can easily port the templates to other programming languages with identical syntax rules.

Template Security

While using Smarty, the programmers can edit the templates without managing their compiled versions. But it does not allow users to access and make changes to the templates directly. The users have to make changes to the templates through specific Smarty functions. The Smarty security feature boosts the web application’s security by preventing third-party users to access or modify the templates directly.

Template Caching

Smarty further enables programmers to boost the performance of PHP applications by caching templates which require longer computation time. They can further call two simple functions – display() and fetch() – to store the cached output in a single file. Hence, a single file will contain multiple template and configuration files. The web developers can further specify what must be cached and for how long the templates need to be cached.

Template Inheritance

The latest version of Smarty comes with a new feature called template inheritance. The new feature enables programmers to maintain templates as single pages. The users are no longer required to manage templates with specific tags. They can further make one template inherit content from another template, and change the content blocks within each template smoothly. The feature makes it easier for PHP programmers to manage and maintain templates.

Despite being an open source template engine, Smarty has been updating at regular intervals. The PHP developers can use Smarty 3 to avail a new template parser and runtime template inheritance. However, the web developers must keep in mind the specific requirements of each project while opting for Smarty.

 

What do App Developers Need to Know about Samsung Pay?

A number of studies have shown a steady increase in the amount of money spent using mobile wallets across the world. As a new payment system, mobile wallets enable customers to make purchases and payments without using their debit/credit cards physically. The customers can use mobile wallets to store their debit/credit card information in digital format, and make payment using their mobile devices. Each customer has option to choose from several mobile wallet services.

Samsung Pay is a mobile payment and digital wallet service that enables users to make payment using specific devices manufactured by Samsung Electronics. A customer can use Samsung Pay to make payment simply by waving their Samsung smartphone or tablet near a cash register. The mobile app developers can enhance the user experience delivered by the mobile apps by allowing users to make payment through Samsung Pay.

Understanding Important Aspects of Samsung Pay

Mobile Payment Service

Samsung Pay is a mobile payment service launched by Samsung Electronics. It enables users to make payment without swiping their debit or credit card at the cash register. The users can make payment simply by waving their Samsung smartphone near the cash register. Hence, they are not required to reveal their sensitive payment information. Samsung has formed strategic partnership with multiple banks and card networks to enable users to make payment using its mobile payment service without any hassle or inconvenience.

Available to Selected Models of Galaxy Smartphone

At present, Samsung Pay is available to specific models of Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Samsung further requires users to use its mobile payment system through particular carriers. Likewise, the users can store details of Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. Samsung has also partnered with several banks to facilitate payment using its mobile payment service. However, the carrier, banks and payment companies differ from one country to another.

Works with Swipe-Based Card Machines

A customer can use Samsung Pay at any regular swipe-based card machines or point-of-sales machines. If the point-of-sales machine supports near field communication (NFC), it will facilitate payment by creating a high frequency network between the payment terminal and mobile device. On the other hand, the point-of-sales machine supporting magnetic secure transmission (MST) will facilitate payment by creating a dynamic magnetic field between the Samsung smartphone and card reader of the payment terminal.

Design Rule

Samsung Pay is designed with features to enable users to make payment without using their debit or credit cards physically. It facilitates payment by generating a 6-digit token number for payments based on the scanned image of the debit/credit card. However, the mobile payment system generates the 6-digit token number for payments randomly for each transaction, and without using the debit/credit card number. Hence, the users can make payment for a variety of products or services simply by waving their Samsung Galaxy smartphone near the cash register.

Use

As noted earlier, Samsung Pay is currently available on specific models of Samsung Galaxy smartphone. Hence, a user can make payment with Samsung Pay only if he is using a compatible device. But he can use Samsung Pay to make payment for a variety of goods and services at various retail outlets without using his debit/credit card physically. After configuring Samsung Pay, he can make payment simply by waving his smartphone at the cash register.

Further he can use Samsung Pay by following three simple steps – tap the Galaxy smartphone on a point-of-sales machine that supports NFC, select the specific card, and authenticate the transaction. Each user can authenticate the transaction by entering a four-digit PIN or scanning his fingerprint.

Security

Samsung implement three levels of security to keep Samsung Pay transactions secure. It requires users to authenticate the transaction by entering a four-digit pin or scanning their fingerprint. The company further uses Samsung KNOX to store card information in encrypted format. Also, the mobile wallet service hides the debit/credit card information by generating a random token for each transaction.

However, Samsung plans to roll out its mobile payment and digital wallet service gradually.  Hence, Samsung Pay is currently available in specific countries. Likewise, the mobile wallet service is available to specific models of Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Hence, mobile app developers need to ensure that the mobile app allows users to choose from a number of mobile wallet services including Samsung Pay.