14 Slack Channels For Software Developers
Slack channels have become a new place to discuss and talk about different topics related to software development. In fact, developers have become more active in Slack channels than in forums. This tool connects groups of people who are passionate about certain niche topics and allows them to clarify some of their doubts immediately.
It is interesting to see how these Slack communities grow considerably on a daily basis. It's become such a valuable source of information, and it almost seems like every language and framework has its own Slack channel that you can join. In this article, we will focus on the most active and popular channels:
Top 14 Slack Channels for Software Developers
1.ReactJS
Community for React and React Native developers. It has several channels covering key React libraries and other projects commonly used in conjunction with React. There is also a space for questions, code reviews and works.
2.PHP Chat
This channel is heaven for PHP developers. Here you will find channels about events, announcements, feedback, tools, tests, jobs and much more, all related to the world of PHP.
3.Types Pdx
The largest (and most active) channel for discussing and discussing TypeScript issues. Here you will find code reviews, tips, proposals, and discussions.
4.Kubernetes
Slack group for questions, events, announcements, and general discussion about Kubernetes. Here you will find very interesting conversations on the subject as well as fairly quick feedback on your ideas.
5.European Dev Explorer
Learn from other developers about the best European cities and ask them questions about it. Share experiences about living and working in different cities in Europe. By joining this channel you will learn about different internships around the world as well as job opportunities at leading companies and startups.
6.NodeJS
If you are a NodeJS user, this channel is for you. Here you will find like-minded people as well as experts who can give you valuable feedback.
7.iOS Developers
The Slack for iOS Developers channel is focused on iOS and Mac developers. It currently has thousands of active members. It is an ideal place to find a job or discuss issues related to the world of iOS with members of the community.
8.CodeBuddies
CodeBuddies is a global community of wonderful people helping each other to be better developers through Slack conversations and organized P2P study groups and virtual hangouts.
9. Software Crafters
By joining this channel you are joining the Software Crafters Community! Here you will find materials, events and articles related to software crafts.
10.Socrates Conference
The Slack channel is dedicated to the SoCraTes conference, that is, the Software Craft Testing Conference.
11.Barcelona Engineers
Since we at Apium Hub are from Barcelona, we find it interesting to share this local Slack channel, as we believe it can be very useful if you are thinking of coming to Barcelona (either because you are coming to our Software Architecture event or because you have decided to come to live here) or if you simply want to collaborate with local developers. BcnEng is a Slack channel built around the Barcelona engineering community.
12.Kotlinlang
This Kotlin language-focused Slack channel aims to be an inclusive space committed to providing a friendly, safe, and welcoming space to grow as a Kotlin expert.
13.Virtual JUG
This Slack channel is a great place to ask questions that are technical (or not) related to Java. Here you will find the world's first exclusively online Java User Group, and the best Java experts in the community.
14. Microsoft Developer Chat
The goal of this channel is to bring together people who work with Microsoft technologies so they can learn from each other and share their knowledge, projects, jobs, and events.
Top 5 Slack Features: They're As Useful As They Are Unique
Set your availability
Without a doubt, it is a way of showing whether or not we are available at a specific time. Establish a code that notifies our contacts that we are ready to attend to them or not. Setting up availability in Slack is very simple. In this way, a colleague or employee will know if it is the most opportune moment or not to establish a conversation. Availability in Slack is very easy to change, it's done with a simple gesture and you can go from available to away with a single gesture. In the same way, you can set the status you want or leave a message if you are going on vacation.
schedule messages
Slack offers the possibility of scheduling messages so that they can be sent at the right time. Thanks to this option, we can leave a message scheduled late in the afternoon to be sent first thing in the morning. It is a way of being in line with the right to digital disconnection of companies and being able to send that message at the right time. It has happened to all of us on some occasion, receiving an email at night in which we are greeted with "good morning".
In this way, the messages arrive when they are due, without any anticipation and we can project a much more professional image. Scheduling messages in Slack is very easy to do, since you just have to press the arrow on the paper plane icon and choose one of the predictive dates or programs for whenever you want.
Find messages in a conversation
If the volume of conversations is high, finding a specific message can be quite tedious. You don't have to worry, Slack provides a tool so you can find that message without having to worry much. At the top of the application there is a box in which you can put some keywords of the conversation, choose a specific channel to a user with whom you exchanged those messages. The results are immediate, so finding any message in a conversation in Slack is not a problem at all. As soon as you internalize this option, you will not stop using it.
react with emoji
Emojis have evolved communication in any field and Slack is no exception. Reactions allow you to easily express a feeling without having to use words. Ideal as quick answers without having to write an impersonal "ok". Reacting to a Slack message is very simple, you just have to press and hold the message you want to react to and choose some of the ones that are available. The reactions also save time and give an important message to our interlocutor, "if I answer like this it is because I am busy".
Create welcome channels
As you know, Slack is widely used in work environments. When someone joins a team and there is a workgroup in Slack already created, it can feel disorienting. For these cases, it is best to create a welcome channel in which all your new colleagues can give you a warm welcome. It is also a nice gesture towards that person who joins work. Doing it is very simple.
Why Software Should Be Flexible
Software development can be challenging for most businesses, as even using other companies’ software comes with potential compliance issues. It often gets to the point where some company owners go for the bare minimum of licensing to get their software off the ground.
The unfortunate thing about such a scenario is there was no need to cut corners. It can be surprisingly easy to make the most out of licensing and compliance, but it requires careful planning and the right mindset. Here are some reasons software should be as flexible as possible regarding software use, development, and distribution.
1 Making the maintenance aspect of the software development life cycle as easy as possible
First and foremost, the maintenance aspect of software development is usually considered the most challenging part of the life cycle. While it might be the last step, it’s also the step that lasts the longest, which means you’ll have to work hard if you intend to keep the attention of your target audience.
Flexibility in software development means the ability to make sweeping changes without putting in too much effort. Such a thing is only possible if you take the time to develop your software to make it as flexible as it can be upon release. You could potentially make such a thing easier to accomplish with the help of entitlement management systems, as they can help automate many aspects of the software development cycle. With many systems automated, it gives you more time and manpower to focus on flexibility.
2 Allowing end-users to more quickly trust your business
While it might be too much to expect end-users to read the EULA (end-user license agreement), it doesn’t change the fact that you can only gain the trust and loyalty of your audience if you earn it. You can only achieve their confidence by ensuring the product they receive is worthy of their faith.
Typically, you can accomplish such a task not necessarily by releasing a fantastic piece of software off the bat but by keeping a close eye on the flexibility of your software. Depending on their feedback, you’ll be making significant changes, and such a thing helps your business twofold. First, it shows that your company is willing to make changes. Second, it shows that your business will make changes based on user feedback. These are the keys to success and the reasons why flexibility is so vital.
3 Offering a roadmap ahead
Flexible software means the potential for significant upgrades and new releases down the road. When you grow the trust of your audience, they start to confide more in your business and offer more helpful feedback instead of just being negative for negativity's sake. Flexible software provides a roadmap ahead as it gives you a direction you can take to expand and improve on previous projects.
Conclusion
There's no reason not to focus on flexibility in software development. There isn't too much effort involved, and it leads to many more benefits down the line. So flexibility should be a top priority no matter the scenario.
Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/wordpress-blogging-writing-typing-923188/
Best Software Development Tips Every Beginner Should Know About
The industry of software development is rapidly gaining a lot of attention in the global market. It remains to be the most lucrative field to earn a good sum of money from the online/digital world. Many students are actively pursuing their careers in this field, as they are hugely inspired by the opportunities available in this market. However, most of them often forget that this field also requires good skills and in-depth technical knowledge to become successful in the market. It doesn’t make things automatically easy, instead requires hard efforts from the developers to build quality software solutions.
It has been noticed that many budding developers dive into the software market with little development knowledge. They anticipate that developing a software solution is something easy that could be done within minutes. This type of approach precisely leads them towards failure right at the start of their careers. It reminds them of some hard facts that knowledge and skills will remain the core aspects of software development, no matter which technology or platform they are using. From .NET development tools to premade CMS platforms, everything requires a good understanding of the core software development methodologies. It remains the same for everyone, especially for those who are just starting as a newbie in the field.
If you are also one of them who is struggling to build a good career in software development, read this article in detail. It will define some useful tips to let you understand the core concepts of software development. But, before moving into that, let's first take a quick look at the rise of software development, how this field became highly popular and why youngsters are actively looking to build their careers in it.
The Rise of Software Development
Everyone knows that the field of software development is full of opportunities. It can help truly skilled professionals to earn thousands of dollars easily from just one gig. And what’s optimistic about this prospect is that there are tons of clients out there who want to hire quality software engineers to develop different digital business products. This is something that aspires every youngster, especially those who have seen its fast-rising potential in the world.
Besides growing rapidly, software development has also branched out many sub-fields under its umbrella. Today, people can choose different roles for their careers, ranging from front-end to back-end backend development and more. It shows the vast array of opportunities in this field, as how people can pick different jobs according to their own preferences.
Furthermore, the continuous rise of different development technologies has also helped the industry to advance swiftly without any disruptions. From .NET to PHP and WordPress to Magento, there are a whole lot of development options available for developers. They can pick their favorite technologies according to the best preferences, rightly to get started strongly in the field. This shows the true diversity of this field, as well as the core reason for its rapid rise in the world.
Important Tips for Quality Software Development
Software development can be tricky for those people who have little knowledge about its core concepts. Here are some tips that will help them to get started in this field by building quality software products.
Understand the Fundamentals
Everything starts with the understanding of fundamentals. It means that a developer should first learn about the problems rather than quickly jumping onto building a random software product. It is the basic principle for solving any problem, no matter which industry you are related to. For software engineers, problem identification comes first before the proposal of any solution. It lets them know how a problem should be addressed using the exact tools that could solve its underlying roots precisely.
By understanding the fundamentals, the selection of resources and strategies also becomes a lot easier. It lets you know the pathway of development, as how a product should be built to following some core rules. This makes the development simplified, as well as produces strong positive results at the end of the process.
Pick One Language at the Start
It is always advised to beginners to pick one programming language for learning purposes at the start. It helps to give them a firm footing in the development world, allowing their bases to get strong at the start. Those people who pick different programming languages at one time always remain confused with the usage of coding syntax. Basically, a beginner cannot understand the difference between various coding syntaxes, however, an experienced professional can still work with it effectively.
It is therefore recommended to beginners select one programming language for learning at the start. This could be either PHP, Python, or .NET according to their preferences. They could also take a little help from the seniors in picking one of them from the start, as these guys are well acquainted with the knowledge of mid-level to advanced programming languages.
Start from Simple Projects
Learning programming languages is not just enough for any developer. They need to advance from the cycle of learning to building something qualitative after a certain point. This is important because practical knowledge is termed crucial for beginners. It gives various lessons at the start, allowing them to advance further in the field. Anybody with stagnant knowledge will certainly find it difficult to approach a practical scenario. It could be only done by getting hands-on knowledge and building something that is meaningful for the users.
As a beginner, you can start with simple projects at the initial stage. This could be like developing a website or android application for any local client. This approach not only strengthens your development skills, but also gives you the confidence to move forward in the field. Meanwhile, it also provides valuable insights about the latest software development trends, as what type of tools and technologies are being used currently in the industry.
Learn How to Debug
Every developer must also know about the debugging process. It is an important trait that allows developers to produce applications without bugs. Many times, software projects only get rejected or delayed due to some little underlying errors. These bugs are often not identified during the development process. They only come to the light when projects enter into the execution phase. This creates a lot of problems for the developers, forcing them to go again into the development phase requiring more testing efforts.
To avoid this problem, it is best advised to the developers to learn some debugging skills. This will allow them to test and debug applications on their own easily. Sometimes, companies also hire external QA professionals to take care of this job. This often increases their project cost, taking the overall allotted budget a bit higher. So, it is better recommended to learn the debugging skills on your own, as it helps to test everything without taking any external assistance.
Final Words
That concludes our entire article in which we have discussed some useful tips about software development. These few rules will help you to approach every software project positively. It will simplify your development process, allowing you to meet the required project goals easily. You can follow these rules for every type of software project including websites, CRM solutions, mobile applications, and more others.
8 Benefits of Using Software Testing for Tech Startups
Software testing is one of the key factors that tech startups need to consider in order to ensure that the venture is running on efficient and reliable technology. Not only does software testing help to ensure that the technology is functioning as intended and customer experience is maximized, but it will also open up more opportunities for prospective investors. Software testing can be beneficial for any tech startup.
1. Improves quality
To improve the quality, doing software testing within the company guarantees that the company is delivering the best product to customers. Testing internally helps companies ensure that their software works as intended. With internal testing, companies will be able to receive a more accurate assessment of how the software is performing and reach out to people who may need to use the software in the future. This gives them a competitive edge over other companies who do not test their products before releasing them. With software testing, users are able to gauge how well the software works and if it's an improvement over other products currently available in the market.
2. To meet client expectations
Software testing can help tech startups ensure that their product meets client expectations so they can attract more prospective clients and investors. Companies will already have an idea of what their customer wants and how they experience their product. Software testing helps tech startups understand what their clients want so they can deliver quality products. Moreover, outsourced software testing services can sometimes be used to test products on the actual devices that your customers use, ensuring that their product works as intended and creating a better product for their customers.
3. Boosts customer retention
Software testing will prevent tech startups from losing clients because their product does not function as expected. A faulty product will cause a client to shift to a competitor that is able to meet their demands. Testing will help tech startups improve the quality of their products so they can retain more customers.
4. Attracts investors
Companies that are able to make software work properly will be able to attract more investors because investors want to see that the company is profitable and delivering products with quality. Companies will be able to show prospective investors that their products are safe and meet both customer demands and investor expectations.
5. Creates value
With a functioning software product, a business will be able to create more value for both customers and investors. A product that works well is more likely to retain customers than one that does not work well. With software testing, companies can ensure that their products are functional before selling them to their customers.
6. Protect your income
With software testing, tech startups will be able to protect their income. If a company releases a faulty product and falls out of favour with customers, it may lose the project that helped them gain momentum in the first place. A faulty product will cause tech startups to lose the support of their client and if the product is not up to par, they'll lose more clients instead of gaining them.
7. Increases probability of market entry
Software testing can help tech startups understand the software platforms that are used for a specific product. If a company releases a faulty software product, it will be hard for them to figure out what needs to be fixed because they will not understand their own product. With software testing, companies can fix problems and move forward with the next project on time and also help to test different operating systems. So, tech startups need to understand how the software they're releasing will perform with other technology platforms and operating systems, as well as if it's compatible with the company's existing technologies. This will help in determining the performance of the software and how it will work with various operating systems and will also consequently increase the investments made by the company and provide more investors.
8. Will give your company a competitive edge
Software testing will help companies differentiate themselves from their competitors because their products will be better than other companies. With software testing, companies can make sure that their products are up to par with customer expectations and offer quality products. The value of software testing is tremendous as it saves time and money.
Software testing is one of the key factors that tech startups need to consider in order to ensure that the venture is running on efficient and reliable technology. Not only does software testing help to ensure that the technology is functioning as intended and customer experience is maximized, but it will also open up more opportunities for prospective investors. Software testing can be beneficial for any tech startup.
What is Enterprise App Development and How It Can Empower Your Business
Enterprise App Development is the process of establishing and maintaining connections with prospective and existing clients. It is a marketing tool used by firms to generate interest in their goods or services among potential customers.
Marketing is a broad phrase that includes branding, public relations, advertising, direct response, promotions via many channels, customer loyalty, demand development, and other related activities. It is the approach used to pique the interest of prospective customers in your goods and services.
Your consumers learn about the value of your goods or services and how they might be of use to them as a result of your marketing efforts. Effective publicizing techniques for small businesses have the potential to completely transform your company. If you're starting a new company or expanding an existing one, having a solid brand marketing plan in place is critical to your success.
In order to function efficiently and execute complicated business operations, every firm or specialist depends significantly on technology to some degree or another. However, not all of the criteria can be met by the pre-fabricated products available on the market. This is why several companies or businesspersons opt to invest in a custom-built enterprise application that may assist them in achieving their goals.
The Advantages of Using an Enterprise Software System
The focused advantages for the company provided by each enterprise software solution are, without a doubt, unique to the solution. Every alternative, on the other hand, has a number of benefits that are shared by everyone. In the following section, we will highlight the advantages that you may have by adopting any of the business software solutions listed above:
Increase in Productivity
Increased productivity results from the implementation or use of corporate software solutions. It is not the production of a single individual that is important, but the overall productivity of the company.
Technology, viable procedures, and simplified procedures are the driving forces behind this trend. When these qualities are ingrained in a company's culture, productivity immediately increases, making work simpler and more successful for everyone on the team and in the workplace.
Customer Retention
You've put in a lot of time, effort, and, more than likely, money into earning your consumers' confidence. Enterprise App Development Company Businesses put out considerable effort to acquire clients using a combination of marketing, social media, and brand initiatives, among other methods. It's only natural that you'd want to keep them close to your thoughts.
Generally speaking, keeping your present clients satisfied is more cost-effective than gaining new ones. The cost of retaining existing consumers is often lower than the cost of recruiting new ones.
Reliability
Whether you're working with an in-house development team or a third-party service provider, you'll have the opportunity to successfully plan the whole development process. This allows you to concentrate on the most critical functions while leaving the more complicated aspects of the program for later use. The fact that you are breaking up the development process into pieces will also offer you more time to receive input, which will allow you to fine-tune the method in the following updates.
It is possible to pick what features to exclude or add in the App throughout the development process depending on the unique business goals that you want to satisfy with it. Custom Enterprise App Development increases the overall efficiency and productivity of an organization.
Effective Communication
Various businesses continue to depend on email and other desk-based modes of communication for their operations. While these tactics seem to be successful, when staff is not at their desks or out in the field, they operate as a barrier to contact, resulting in separation and disagreements.
Assuming the above scenario is true, enterprise business solutions are stored on their phones and give them a chat function that is quicker, simpler, and more effective than sending an email.
Bottom Line
There are a variety of reasons why you would want to create an app for your company. Possibly, you'd want to present your clients with a more memorable experience when they interact with your company's brand. Perhaps there are duties that your corporation's many workers might complete more efficiently if they had access to a mobile application.
Regardless of your unique objectives, you must engage skilled business Enterprise App Development company professionals to guarantee that the final result meets your expectations.
The Ultimate Guide to Developing Digital Marketing Software (with Infogrpahic)
Digital marketing is an integral part of every business that wants to grow. Innovations keep coming to fill the existing gaps and keep up with the digital marketing trends. And one of the few innovations being utilized today is the use of software for digital marketing efforts.
So, how do you develop digital market software? The following piece covers the nitty-gritty details to help you create digital marketing software.
Read on for the eye-opening details.
What Is Digital Marketing Software?
With the world leaning towards digitalization, businesses continue using different tools to help them embrace it.
Digital marketing software is a tool that helps you with different promotional marketing techniques online. Examples include creating landing pages, targeting the right audience, and creating analytics and reports.
Before digital marketing software can be used, there are many steps to follow. One way to achieve a fully-functional and efficient tool is through thorough testing. This can be done through manual methods or using an automation testing platform. This platform tests its capabilities by repetitively using the features and observing if they are working just how it is intended to.
This software, among others, can only be used once it has passed all capability testing.
However, there is more than meets the eye. Creating digital marketing software is not a walk in the park as it requires detailed planning and intricate processes. Below let us look into the more detailed processes involved in creating one.
Steps to Follow When Developing Digital Marketing Software
- Set Goals
Before anything else, you need to set your goals right. What do you want to achieve with your software? Right it down. Examples of things you’ll want your software to perform are:
- Targeting the right audience
- Create landing pages
- Generating reports and analytics
Goals give you a sense of direction.
- Analyze the Market
Conduct market and product research to determine how useful your product would be in the market. Do this in two stages, namely :
- Primary and secondary market research
- Competitive research
Primary and Secondary Market Research
Primary marketing research allows you to understand which products consumers want. You also understand the product that they are already using.
You can conduct personal interviews, focus groups, and group surveys with potential clients. Prepare questions on the demands or what they lack on the current products.
The secondary research entails using the existing data. Look for the information on online sources, journals, and statistical databases.
How big is your digital marketing future audience? How many people are inclined to try new solutions and can afford them? All this information will determine if the product you are creating fits the market.
Competitive research
Primary and secondary market research geared towards potential customers. However, competitive research analyses similar products in the industry. You look for your competitors to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your product.
Take advantage of Google, LinkedIn, and other social networks. Alternatively, you can use ready market research and look into sources like Wood Mackenzie, IRI, YouGov, and the NPD Group.
Make a list of your competitor products and group them into three categories. These are primary, secondary, and tertiary competitors.
- Primary competitors have a similar product and audience like you or both.
- Secondary competitors are those who have identical products but sell them to a different audience.
- Tertiary competitors sell the tools or products that will expand your existing product.
With comprehensive research, you’ll understand if there’s a market for your product. Also, you’ll understand how to stand out from the markets that offer the same product as you do.
- Define Your Target Audience
Image source: pixabay
Your target audience is the people who’ll benefit from your product. When promoting your product, know who will use it and why they will buy it. Since you are developing digital marketing software, chances are your audience are organizations that want to stand out from their competitors.
However, because you target more than one particular audience, create buyer personas. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of how you picture your audience.
Create landing pages of the different persona and fill them in with the customers’ demands and expectations. You can also use online tools like Persona creator and MakemyPersona to define your buyer.
Also, you‘ll need to conduct thorough research as the effectiveness of your digital marketing software depends on accurately defining your ideal customer.
Here are some of the key aspects to consider when defining the target audience:
- Demographics (age, gender, and location)
- Business segmentation(business size, nature, and structure)
- Behavior purchasing patterns ( brand loyalty and the purchase behavior)
- Psychographics- (personality, values, interests, and attitude towards the product).
Depending on your target audience, develop the right tactics to help drive more traffic into the funnel.
- Develop Positioning and Messaging
Once you know your audience, the market, and the competitors, it’s time to come up with a statement document that defines the future of your product, including sending the right message to your customer. Ask yourself whom the product belongs to, what it does, and why it’s different.
How valuable is your digital marketing software? You should clearly articulate the solution you are bringing to your audience. You can use the message in promotional campaigns to different channels.
What are the outstanding features of your product?
- Launch the Product
To finally enter the market, you need to develop a launch plan. Include all internal and external activities in your launch plan. These include sales team training, product launch, and promotion campaign timeline.
Have a rough idea of the dates you want to do all this, even if you aren’t ready to commit to particular dates.
Here are some elements you need to ensure are in order before launching your digital marketing software:
- The positioning and the product message fit the product’s vision.
- Product and feature- it’s necessary for the sales team to understand how the product works, its unique features, and what it does best.
- Pricing options- if the product has different pricing tiers, you should explain to customers which of the existing options fits them best.
- Track the Product Success
Check on the progress of your digital marketing software after the launch. How is it performing in the market? What’s working and what doesn’t
Use customer feedback to analyze the success of the product. You can get customer feedback through emails, surveys, social media, and the customer support team.
You can also measure the success of your product through KPIs and key product metrics. Examples are Net Promoter Score penetration rate and return on investment (R0I).
Before you go
Here's a visual recap of this blog post from our friends in Digital Marketing Software Development.
Wrapping Up
Digital marketing software is necessary for the digital world. Businesses will continue using these tools to boost their sales. There are a ton of them that exist already. However, when creating yours, strive to be unique.
The tips above will guide you in the right direction. Lastly, don’t forget to test the software before releasing it to the market.
Things to look for in a Software Development Partner
Nowadays, organizations of every size and vertical have to follow a series of processes like designing, developing, testing, and product marketing when they want to create and market a product. And with the constant change in the software development trends, the market keeps changing and brings new techniques. Therefore, it becomes difficult for any organization to remain agile and responsive while developing innovative products that can satisfy the customer’s requirements. So, to get the product developed on time, with a pre-decided budget, and as per the client’s needs, both startups and enterprises prefer to hire the right software development partner.
In this blog, we will learn who is a software development partner and what things any company must consider before hiring a partner.
All you need to do is make sure that the hired software development partner has a full understanding of your business and project as this will help in having a successful software product. This post highlights how outsourcing SaaS development differs from hiring an in-house team, which may provide some additional information on what is best for you.
What is a Software Development Partner?
A software development partner is either a group of IT professionals or a company. They help businesses have their software development projects ready without any issues. They can help in delivering your software project successfully.
Basically, software development partners are the agencies that work at IT companies and offer their services to different types of clients. The software development partners are generally the outsourcing developers. They are reasonably priced and they have their own tools to work on and expertise to create your app or software product with a proper understanding of your business and its requirements.
All you need to do is make sure that the hired software development partner has a full understanding of your business and project as this will help in having a successful software product.
Why Do Businesses Want Software Development Partners?
Here are some of the major reasons that showcase why companies look for a software development partner -
- If the organization does not have enough resources to augment the staff members.
- Hiring a software development partner comes with a guarantee of results on a pre-decided budget and time.
- The organization’s in-house team may or may not have software engineers with sufficient experience in the technology or tools required to complete the project.
- The project for which the software development partner is being hired is short-term and the company wouldn’t want to hire full-time software developers for it or involve the in-house team in it.
All the above-stated reasons signify that outsourcing the right software development partner might be the best solution for your firm.
Top Things to Look for in a Software Development Partner
Let’s go through the things that are must when you look for a software development partner -
- Past Experiences and Accomplishments
One of the most important things to look for in a software development partner is its past experience and achievements. Whether you hire an individual or an outsourcing software development company, verify their certifications. There are many companies in the market like Microsoft and Oracle that offer certifications to their business partners.
So rather than falling for marketing techniques and advertisements, organizations must request their partners to prove that they are working on projects for clients with similar niches and they must also show you the outcome results. In addition to this, if they have certifications then it shows their technical abilities and expertise.
- Resource Availability
When it comes to product development, there are a lot of processes involved, and for that companies require expertise across various fields like system design, software engineering, or marketing. And this is why companies must ensure that the development partner they choose to hire must have the right resources like teams with expertise and tools to develop their product.
- Communication
For any software development process, communication plays a very important role. An organization’s main goal is to find a development partner that communicates well. And for this nowadays organizations have involved all the important people like managers, stakeholders, and tech experts to communicate with the company and development experts by sharing valid and important information.
- Flexibility
In the world of software development, the trends keep on changing and the end-user requirements keep on increasing. And because of these ongoing changes, organizations prefer to hire a development partner who works closely with the companies to improve their products for a longer run. In addition to this, companies also make sure that the partner they hire has the expertise and experience to offer necessary services even after the software solution has been deployed.
- Collaboration
Collaboration is one such important thing that is a must when it comes to working with outsourcing software development partners. Therefore, startups and enterprises always look for an offshore development firm that can input its thoughts and points into the software development process and also work closely with the in-house software teams of the hiring company. This is a thing that companies of all types are looking for because the collaboration between in-house teams and software development partners can increase profitability by 21%.
Conclusion
As seen in this blog, companies must consider some points while they are hiring a software development partner. Apart from the above-mentioned things, some points that any organization must keep into consideration are the overall terms of the contract, levels of agility, the price for the services, levels of agility, and more. Any firm must perfectly analyze and then select the right development partner as this choice can help you get the finest product at low cost and by saving a lot of development time.
What is the definition of code obfuscation?
The process of changing an executable so that it is no longer valuable to a hacker while remaining fully functional is known as code obfuscation. While the procedure may change method instructions or metadata, it has no effect on the program's output. To be clear, practically any code can be reverse-engineered given enough time and effort. On various platforms, such as Java, Android, iOS, or.NET (e.g. Xamarin, C#, VB.NET, F#), free decompilers can quickly and painlessly reverse-engineer source code from an executable or library. Reverse-engineering a program is complex and expensive due to automated code obfuscation.
What is the purpose of a Code Obfuscator?
You can safeguard against trade secret (intellectual property) theft, unauthorized access, evading licensing or other limitations, and vulnerability discovery by making an application considerably more difficult to reverse-engineer.
What is the Process of Obfuscation?
Code obfuscation is made up of a variety of approaches that work together to form a layered defense. It works best with languages like Java or.NET languages like C#, VB.NET, Managed C++, F#, and others that generate intermediate level instructions. The following are some examples of obfuscation and application security techniques:
Obfuscation should be renamed.
The names of methods and variables are changed when they are renamed. It makes the decompiled source more difficult to understand for humans, but it has no effect on program execution. Different schemes, such as "a," "b," "c," or numbers, unprintable characters, or invisible characters, can be used in the new names. And, as long as the names have different scopes, they can be overloaded. Most.NET (C#, etc.), iOS, Java, and Android obfuscators use name obfuscation as a basic transform.
Encryption of Strings
All strings are discoverable and readable in a controlled executable. Strings can be used to discover essential code parts by checking for string references inside the binary, even if methods and variables are renamed. This includes messages that are displayed to the user (particularly error messages). String encryption hides strings in the executable and only restores their actual value when needed to offer an effective barrier against this type of assault. Decrypting strings at runtime usually results in a modest performance hit.
Obfuscation of Control Flow
Conditional, branching, and iterative components are synthesized in control flow obfuscation to provide acceptable executable logic but non-deterministic semantic consequences when decompiled. Simply put, it turns decompiled code into spaghetti logic, which is extremely difficult for a hacker to understand. These strategies may have an impact on a method's runtime performance.
Transformation of Instruction Patterns
Converts the compiler's common instructions to other, less evident constructions. These are totally legal machine instructions that may or may not transfer cleanly to high-level languages like Java or C#. Transient variable caching, for example, takes use of the stack-based structure of the Java and.NET runtimes.
Inserting a Dummy Code
Inserting code into an executable that has no effect on the program's logic but breaks decompilers or makes reverse-engineered code significantly more difficult to understand.
Metadata and unused code should be removed.
Debug information, non-essential metadata, and utilized code are removed from applications, making them smaller and limiting the amount of information available to an attacker. This approach may enhance runtime performance marginally.
Merging/Binary Linking
Multiple input executables/libraries are combined into one or more output binaries with this transform. Linking can help you reduce the size of your application, especially when combined with renaming and pruning. It can also make deployment circumstances easier and minimize the amount of information available to hackers.
opacity Predicate Insertion obfuscates by introducing conditional branches that always evaluate to known results—results that are difficult to predict using static analysis. This is a method of inserting potentially wrong code that will never be executed but will be perplexing to attackers attempting to decipher decompiled output.
Anti-tampering technology
An obfuscator can inject application self-protection into your code to ensure it hasn't been altered with. If tampering is discovered, the application can be shut down, its functionality limited, random crashes (to hide the cause of the crash), or any other specific action taken. It may also send a message to a service informing it of the detected tampering.
Debug-Prevention
When a hacker wants to pirate or counterfeit your app, steal your data, or change the behavior of a vital piece of infrastructure software, they'll almost definitely start by reverse engineering and debugging it. By injecting code to identify if your production application is running in a debugger, an obfuscator can layer in application self-protection. If a debugger is utilized, it can damage sensitive data (to prevent theft), cause random crashes (to hide the fact that the crash was caused by a debug check), or execute any other specific action. It may also send a message to a service in order to provide a warning signal.
Is it necessary for me to disguise my application?
If you distribute software that has intellectual property, allows access to sensitive information, or has gated functionality and operates in an untrusted environment, you should strongly consider using obfuscation and runtime app self-protection. Attackers will have a significantly harder time deciphering the code and analyzing the program if it is obfuscated.
It also makes debugging and tampering with your program more difficult for hackers. The ultimate goal is to provide a layer of security that makes it difficult to extract or find useful information from an application, such as trade secrets (IP), credentials, or security vulnerabilities. It should also make it more difficult to change the logic of a program or repackage it with harmful code.
Software Development Trends in 2021
As you might have already known, 2020 has been a year like no other. COVID 19 has in a way forced a lot of companies and organizations to review their digital strategies, and in the same time manage new technical challenges. This happened beyond the implications of the health crisis.
Because of the situation we’re in, software development services are now more important for a company than they’ve ever been. Now companies more than ever rely on the expertises of software developers to help them improve their customer experiences and performances.
This being said, as 2020 comes to an end (thank god), the year 2021, promises new innovations and trends, making it more competitive and starting a new era. In this article I will try to walk you through some of those trends which I believe will sent influence to the software development
Native Apps will dominate the market
As it is now, Native Application development is unparalleled, but going forward, people can expect this trend to dominate the software development services.
These services are meant to run only on devices that are specific, for example only on smartphones. Native apps usually provide a powerful performance and better user experience compared to hybrid apps, given the fact that they are designed only for specific devices.
It doesn’t look like the native app will go down any time soon, definitely not in 2021 or in the near future, given the fact that the popularity of iOS and Android operating systems is growing each day.
Cloud technology is here to stay
The cloud services industry only in 2020 generated more than 40$ billion in revenue.
Did you know that in 2020, the cloud services industry generated almost $40 billion in revenue, Now cloud service’s market value is 266.5 billion, which is a 17% growth from 2019, crazy growth in one year.
In the software development industry, it is a well established fact that the big money is in cloud service. In 2021, cloud vendors such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft will continue to invest big money in cloud technology.
The reason behind this is simple. The number of companies using cloud services is quite enormous, and the number of companies that will start using the cloud services is even bigger.
It doesn’t matter the size of the organization, big, medium or small, they all at some point will be moving to cloud services.
The reason behind cloud technology’s success so far is that it offers flexibility, scalability and security that will prevent the threat of ever present hackers that could lead to your organization’s security breach.
5G Technology will be unparalleled
In the beginning of 2020, 5G technology made a lot of waves, undeservedly when it was accused as the cause of the coronavirus outbreak. This rumour was disapproved by worlds biggest scientists and has been left behind in 2020. Software developers can expect that the 5G tech to return as a trend, but now for all the right reasons. 5G technology is roughly 100 times faster than 4G networks. The tech experts predict that in 1.4 billion devices it will lead data transmissions.
Virtual reality, augmented reality and other 4k video streaming are the reasons why 5G tech was specifically designed. Software developers will find this technology useful, especially if they are interested in creating designs and features that for a business will enhance their performance.
Investment in Artificial Intelligence will increase
We cannot deny the impact of Artificial Intelligence in the software development service, it will offer so many more options. Artificial Intelligence based analytics are already being used by the tech giants like Google, Facebook and Apple. Now the AI is progressing at a very fast pace and in 2021 it will be better in decision making, delivering relevant user experience details etc.
Final thoughts
Software Development will be dominating the tech industry in 2021 and beyond, that is for sure. And businesses that pay attention more to trends will be moving towards this industry or incorporate this industry in their business somehow.
Author Bio
Frank Holman is a Full Stack Developer with 8+ years of well-rounded experience in development, object-oriented, and user-centered design. Adept at studying system flows and data usage to develop and maintain the software according to production and quality standards. He built products for desktop and mobile app users meeting the highest web & mobile design standards, user experience, best practices, and speed
8 Benefits of Using Kanban for Your SEO Business
Search engine optimization may be one of the biggest demands in the marketing industry right now. With more than 3 billion internet users in the world, online marketing is the perfect avenue for brands to reach out to more potential customers. And with the growing number of businesses looking for SEO specialists, it’s high time that you streamline and calibrate your methods to be able to keep up with your clients’ demands. This is where the Kanban methodology can come in very handy.
What is Kanban?
Kanban is a workflow management method that is designed to help users visualize work, maximize efficiency and reduce idle time in a production process. From the Japanese words, "Kan" meaning "visual" and "ban" meaning "card," Kanban literally translates to visual cards. This method makes use of a Kanban board wherein task cards are added to represent work items which are then moved along columns to represent each stage of your production process, such as “backlog,” “to-do,” “doing,” and “done.”
Benefits of Using Kanban
Kanban has become a very popular tool for various organizational functions in businesses from different industries. Nowadays, it has become an integral tool in enabling companies to manage teams and tasks more efficiently. By using a Kanban board for your SEO business, you can reap a variety of benefits when it comes to accomplishing your SEO tasks, measuring your team’s efficiency and maintaining productivity. Here are some of the benefits you can expect when you decide to scale your business using a Kanban board.
- Improved Flexibility
The concept of Kanban is universally applicable, making it an ideal project management tool for different businesses in various industries. Because of its versatility, it can be used by different departments within an organization. This makes it easy for team members to move projects from one step to another, even across departments or functions. For your SEO business, you can easily work with researchers, SEO professionals and online writers, making sure that your projects are smoothly moving across each function, from research to application.
- Better Visibility
With better visibility of tasks between team members and departments, you can easily empower your SEO team to be self-organizing. This way, you won’t have to keep asking for updates on tasks and be able to focus on other key functions in your business. This makes it possible for small businesses to operate more efficiently, without the need of hiring an additional team member to take on the project management role.
- Increased Efficiency
With better visibility of pending tasks, teams can experience better efficiency while performing work. With the proper use of a Kanban board, tasks can flow better and production will run continuously. A Kanban board makes for a more transparent workflow, making it easier for your team members to engage and communicate with one another to accomplish their assigned tasks.
- Boosted Productivity
By improving your team’s work visibility and efficiency, your online business will experience an enhanced productivity. The Kanban methodology encourages teams to set limits on the amount of work that they currently have in progress. This concept, known as work-in-progress (WIP) Limits, helps you complete a specific task faster so that it will move towards the end of the production line, thus helping your team progress and improve its productivity. Implementing WIP limits help reduce distractions that can be brought about by trying to accomplish multiple tasks at once.
- Reduced Waste
Through the Kanban methodology, you can efficiently streamline the use of your resources for your online business. Kanban can help you have better control of the flow of materials within your business as it makes it easy for you or for anyone in your team to keep track of projects and their progress. Keeping track of your processes can help you improve your workflow. One of the overall goals of Kanban is a continuous improvement or “kaizen”, and this is always associated with “muda”, which is the Japanese word for waste. With Kanban, you can aim for continuous improvement in your business processes, thus helping you reduce wasted resources in your business.
- Enhanced Focus
As a lean thinking method, Kanban is designed to improve work management, discipline and focus in your business. With proper implementation, Kanban can help boost your team members’ focus through visuals. With better clarity and transparency of expectations and tasks, your team members can eliminate distractions and maintain focus towards accomplishing their task.
- Continuous delivery
Another much-needed benefit that online businesses can reap from using a Kanban board is the ease of delivering outputs continuously. With the help of Kanban, your team can improve the way you handle multiple tasks from creation to completion. Since tasks are visible and easily monitored by everyone in the team, it’s easy to make sure that each task is accomplished on time and tasks are completed continuously based on priority.
- Minimized errors
We can’t always guarantee an error-free process, but with a visual project management board such as Kanban, you can easily eliminate errors. Since the Kanban method highlights agile responsiveness and Kaizen, team members are encouraged to complete their tasks with minimal to no errors. This project management method can help improve quality control efforts in your business and help your business produce more accurate results.
Final Thoughts
Every business owner knows and understands the difficulties of having to scale a business. And if you want to rise above your competitors, it is a challenge that you should welcome with open arms. The good thing is, with the right business tools and strategies, you can overcome the many obstacles you might have to face to grow your business. Among other methods available for an online entrepreneur, the growing popularity of virtual Kanban boards is proof that this project management tool can greatly impact your team’s efficiency and enable you to achieve greater heights as an online business owner. With proper use and implementation, the Kanban methodology can dramatically increase your business’ overall productivity and help you achieve the success that you have always wanted to achieve.
Author bio:
Christine Joy Leal is an experienced freelance writer and content manager, wife and mother-of-two. She loves keeping things in order and enjoys using the Kanban and Agile methodologies to manage all her writing projects, daily tasks, and other personal matters that require efficient organization. Apart from managing her busy content writing career, she also enjoys books, movies, TV series, online games, music, and crocheting. She also writes blogs for Kanban Zone and for her personal website.