Monday 29 September 2014

Mistakes that Developers Make while Using 3rd Party API

Software development services
Unlike a user interface, an application-programming interface (API) makes applications talk to each other without any user intervention. APIs are a set of programming instructions and standards that makes the user interface access other web tools and web-based software applications. Many companies, nowadays, make their APIs accessible to other businesses and users. So the software developers have option to use a wide range of third-party APIs to make their products powered by relevant services. But most developers forget some simple facts and commit common mistakes while designing software using third-party APIs.

Common Mistakes that Developers Make while Using 3rd Party APIs

Ignoring Client-Side Problems
While using 3rd party APIs, most developers forget the client-side problems. When a user requests a web page, the web page go to the API, the API in turn works from a remote source. Thus, the API takes some time to fetch the information from its originating source and deliver the web page to the user. Thus, an API can increase the web page request time. Many developers request for the API by making one-to-one ratio calls. The ways the calls are made can create problems at the client-side.

Inadequate Caching of Copies
Many developers even forget to create a cache for storing the API data for a shorter span of time. Normally, a business allows the public only to use their data through the API. But it does not permit users to capture any information. But the developers can always create a cache to store the information for a short time span. Despite having a shorter lifespan, the cache will make it easier for the developers to fetch the required information.

Not Checking Hang Time
When an application relies on a 3rd party API to fetch and deliver information to users, the developers must remember that the interaction will take some time. Both processing the request and fetching the required information will require time. There are also chances that the applicator will not give any response to users when it is waiting for the data. The developers can use any web tool to identify the difference time gap between the request made by the users and the information delivered to the user. The developers must manage the hang time effectively to keep the users engaged.

Opting for XML over JSON
It is a common practice among developers to access 3rd party APIs through XML. But they forget that JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is more efficient and effective than XML to gather results from the API. JSON further allows developers to push raw API results through their response. Thus, JSON can push data faster by making the data stored on the server talking directly to the JavaScript code on the web page. Further, JSON makes the arrays and objects more flexible.

Not Testing the Code
Most programmers forget to check their code after integrating a 3rd party API into their application. There are always chances that the use of an external API can have a huge impact on the functioning and performance of the web application. Further, some APIs need customization to work seamlessly with the software and deliver desired results. The 3rd party APIs can be used without writing any complex code. But the developers must test their code thoroughly to ensure that the API complements the software’s functioning by delivering the expected results.

While using 3rd party APIs, many developers even do not focus on legalities. When a company allows other developers to access its API, it requires them to adhere to the service agreement. So the developers must read the service agreement in detail while using or customizing the API. They must comply with the service agreement to optimize their software application’s performance without violating any rules. You can get in touch with a software development company India who can help you build web apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide software development services. If you would like to hire offshore developers for your web development needs. Please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Thursday 18 September 2014

Why do Businesses Prefer Certified Developers in a Web Development Company?


Offshore web development
A web development company has to concentrate on several factors to deliver rich internet applications on time and budget. Along with deciding the right web technologies and web application development frameworks, it also needs to hire the right web developers for its project. Many companies even hire offshore web programmers to keep project overheads under control. While hiring a web developer, each company must consider his training, skills, expertise and experience. A company can further reap several benefits by hiring certified developers. The professional certification reflects the developer’s in-depth knowledge on specific web technologies. Also, the company can consider hiring developer with certifications focusing on different aspects of web application development.

Why Many Businesses Prefer Hiring Certified Web Developers?

Several Web Development Certifications
As an employer, you have option to choose developers with different certifications. Some of these certifications are oriented towards beginners, whereas others require the programmers to have certain skills and experience. But each certification highlights the web programmer’s ability to design, code and implement websites and web applications. Normally, the beginners can obtain CIW Associate certification, CWD certification, HTML Developer Certificate from W3C, or other intermediate and advanced certifications. Some professionals even have certifications in widely used web technologies like Flash, Dreamweaver, ColdFusion, Java, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, Python and Microsoft .NET.

Proficiency in Specific Web Technologies
To obtain a web design and development certification, the programmer is required to pass one or more exams. For instance, Microsoft requires web developers to pass two exams. One test covers the .NET Framework foundational skills, whereas the other focuses on web-based client development. So each web developers have to invest both time and effort to obtain the professional certification. Also, a developer has to understand the technology in detail by reading books and online materials. So the professional certification indicated the programmer’s proficiency and in-depth understanding of specific web technologies.

Faster Coding
Each company, nowadays, want to develop a robust internet application within a stipulated period of time. So many businesses look for the right web developers to curtail the overall development time and effort. To obtain any web development certification, the programmer has to learn the web technologies in depth. So he knows how to express a concept or accomplish complex tasks without writing longer lines of code. A certified web developer is also familiar with web development best practices. So a company can hire certified developers to complete the web application development project on predetermined time and budget.

High Quality
Along with developing and deploying the internet application quickly, it is also important for the business to explore ways to make the app popular. When the app delivers impressive user experience, it becomes much easier for the business to make it popular. So structured and high quality coding is essential for launching a popular internet application within a shorter span of time. A certified professional clearly understand the nuisances of the specific web technology. For instance, if you are using ColdFusion for web application development, the holder of ColdFusion MX Developer certification can effectuate the development and implementation process. To obtain the certification, a programmer needs to have in-depth knowledge and one-year year of working experience in ColdFusion. So the certified programmers can reduce the required for writing large and complex projects, while delivering high quality products.

However, a business must remember that the professional certification can never substitute a web developer’s experience and expertise. So it must focus on the programmer’s background, training and experience along with the professional certification. The employer must ask several questions to the certified web developers to ensure that he is hiring the best professional for the job.You can get in touch with a Offshore web development company who can help you build web apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

If you would like to hire offshore developers from web application development India companies for your web development needs. Please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Wednesday 17 September 2014

Some Great CSS Learning Tools and Resources

Offshore web development
From the technical point of view, Cascading Style Sheets works in sync with HTML. While HTML is mainly designed to sort out as well as streamline the structure of the page, CSS helps it to augment its looks, as well as add various subtle interaction levels. This is particularly important, as even if someone is technically not that sound, and has hardly any idea of coding, it will not stop the individual from designing a page. For that, there are a number of learning tools as well as resources that can be availed.


Let us discuss some of these tools.

CSS Diner
This is virtually an excellent game that is impeccably designed to help users learn the script. It is a multilevel game that will ask the users to enter the correct selector in order to complete a level and move on to the next. However, the users can also skip a particular level and jump from one level to another. There is a hamburger icon at the right of the screen that needs to be clicked to open the menu so as to perform this skip.

CSS Selectors
This tool offers a simple visualization of the selectors. The user needs to opt for a selector from the menu to the left of the screen and once that is done, all the properly selected items will come up at the right along with a brief description under the main menu.

Magic of CSS
This is a 6-chapter long tutorial that will teach the users the fundamentals as well as upcoming versions of the tutorial are expected to come up with additional chapters with some more in-depth discussions about the technicalities of the script.

Enjoy CSS
This is actually a playground to learn the fundamentals of Cascading Style Sheets that has a striking resemblance to CodePen. This particular learning tool puts major emphasis on CSS. It also and come along with a Menu, that comes in handy while choosing a particular feature and using a GUI for editing that feature in question.

CSS Guidelines
While previously Guidelines tool was a mere GitHub repo, at present it has updated itself to improve as well as expand to become a full scale Cascading Style Sheets learning tool.

CSS Triggers
This is another Learning Tool that provides lesson along with a quick reference of the property changes in CSS.

Code Guide by @mdo
This is another unique learning tool that combines the style guides of CSS and HTML with a lot of inputs as well as tips that include order of properties, attributes of HTML, comments, selectors and a number of other things.

Flexplorer
This is, again, a simple app that helps to deal with various features of flexbox and have a look at the live or real time results, as they appear. The most important part about the tool is that there is an option with the help of which the users are able to edit text from within the box that the pages come up with. This allows them to have a look at the effects that the changes have on the content amount.

CSS Selectors
This is a relatively new tool that comes up with more than twenty videos that would introduce various ways of selecting different elements of the script.

When it comes to get started with the topic or if anyone is looking forward to improve skills, these tools and many more are found extremely handy. Hence it is highly imperative that they are checked out thoroughly. All these tools are designed as well as developed in the most perfect and seamless way so as to help the users out in learning things about the script. Hence, they are extremely organized, helpful, as well as detailed. You can get in touch with a Offshore web development company who can help you build web apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

If you would like to hire offshore developers from web application development India companies for your web development needs. Please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.