Top 7 HTML5 APIs worth looking into

Many reports have highlighted that HTML5 will dominate the web application and mobile application development scene in 2014. As the applications written in HTML5 can run across all types of devices, web browsers and operating systems, it becomes easier for developers to build robust apps within a shorter span of time. Further, they do not have to put any extra effort to build different versions of the application for specific platforms. The growing popularity of HTML has further encouraged many developers to add innovative features to APIs to overcome the lack of browser support. Each developer can use these HTML5 APIs to deliver richer user experience without writing any additional code.

Seven HTML5 APIs Developers Must Look Into

1) High Resolution Time API

The interface allows you to get the current time in sub-millisecond resolution. Also, the time provided by the interface is free from system clock adjustments. Despite being simple, the API will help developers in measuring the performance of their software accurately. The accurate and precise timestamp enables them to test their code in an exact and flawless way. However, the programmers have to evaluate the function in a manner similar to JavaScript Date.now() function.

2) Navigation Timing API

An application’s page load time has a huge impact on user experience. So developers have to identify and troubleshoot the slow-loading pages to deliver richer user experience. The Navigation Timing API enables developers to get detailed timing information when a page is being loaded. At the same time, the interface further allows them to get additional information like TCP connection establishment, DDNS lookup, page redirects and time spent to build the DOM.

3) Network Information API

The user experience of a web application can be optimized by customizing the pages based on the user’s internet connection. The Network Information APIs makes it easier for developers to estimate the bandwidth and type of internet connection the use has. So the information provided by the interface helps them in optimizing the behavior of a web page. For instance, based on the type of connection, images, videos and fonts can be loaded in a conditional way.

4) Battery Status API

Often developers avoid mobile applications that require additional resources when the battery is low. The interface makes it easier for programmers to check the status of the battery of a mobile device. They have option to use four different properties of the interface to check if the battery is in charge, the current level of the battery, and the seconds remaining till the battery is fully recharged or discharged. Thus, they can optimize the page according to the state of the battery by disabling non-critical JavaScript and CSS animations, and Ajax requests.

5) Page Visibility API

As the name indicates, the interface enables programmers to check the current visibility status of a page. The information provided by the API will help developers in optimizing their web applications according to the available CPU and bandwidth. Also, they can disable or slow down a process that requires additional bandwidth or CPU, but not being accessed by the user currently. Thus, the interface will enable programmers to improve user experience by building CPU and bandwidth efficient web applications.

6) Fullscreen API

The interface is designed to receive and execute full screen display requests from the user. Also, it exits from the full screen mode when the user wants to. Based on its functionality, the API exposes the requestFullscreen() and exitFullscreen() methods. The former method executes the fullscreen request for an element, whereas the latter exits the fullscreen mode. The developers can use the interface to check if the fullscreen mode is enables or disabled.

7) WebSocket API

The performance of a web application also depends on the socket connection between the browser and server. With the interface, the developers can enables Web pages to establish a two-way communication with the remote host through the WebSocket protocol. The persistent communication between browser and server will result in smooth and uninterrupted exchange of data. However, the developers must create and instantiate a WebSocket object to establish a connection through the interface.

Each developer has option to choose from a variety of HTML5 APIs from the W3Schools website. The website further categorizes the APIs under different headings to make it easier for programmers to choose the APIs according to specific needs of a project. You can get in touch with a custom HTML5 Development company who can help you build HTML5 app within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide HTML5 UI design and prototyping services. If you would like to hire HTML5 programmers for your web development needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Smart ways to customize WordPress themes

Those who are new to WordPress think that code tinkering in this platform is a tough as well as daunting task. However, the reality is that the feel and look of the site along with themes in WordPress may be customized by incorporating some truly simple changes. But these changes should not be introduced in the themes directly. First of all, child themes should be created, and this should be followed by dealing with the offline files so that the changes can be seamlessly introduced. When working in this way, it can ensured that while tweaking the code, if any issue crops up inadvertently, the original files can always be accessed. They can then be re-uploaded quickly so that the changes can be overwritten.

Creating child theme- Themes inheriting another theme's functionality as well as style are known as child themes while the themes they inherit are called parent themes. You do not need to alter the parent theme files when you add new style changes and functionality through child themes. While parent themes are being updated, child themes should never be touched. Child theme creation is quite simple- just create one file along with one folder on the local computer. Name the folder with the child theme's name. A unique identifier can also be added to the name. Now create another file within that folder, adding .css suffix to it. Specific information should be inserted as well through a code. Mostly generic information is contained by the code; the child theme should also have styling information. After incorporating all the changes as well as saving them, the child theme should be added to the WordPress installation by connecting the web host with FTP program. Browse to the required folder to upload the child theme folder that contains the new file. Activate the theme to edit it. This is the most commonly accepted method.

Theme customization API- The admin screen of WordPress Theme Customization can be customized by developers by allowing the site admins to change settings of the themes to see preview of the changes in real time. The theme can have more interactive as well as powerful options for customization through this. Your very own options can be added with the use of two hooks - wp_head which allows your output of custom-generated CSS and customize_register which allows defining new customizer controls, sections as well as settings.

Using custom code instead of plugins- The wonderful aspect of plugin allows the transformation of websites, enabling you to do almost anything that you want. Plugins often need a lot of code; they are also accompanied by management issues since they have to be updated and potential security issues handled. Adding too many plugins can make a website bloated and slow the loading time. So custom codes are the best option. You will just have to add some code lines to the proper file. Taht will reduce the load on the website and keep everything tidy.

Addition of new functions to theme with PHP codes- Another good way of adding changes is using PHP codes. If you want to improve functions of a theme, the location of the function can easily be found through the use of custom-functions.php. Through this you can easily change layouts, add new functions, integrate with plugins, etc. Just find out the correct file and the section or part that has to be remove, replaced, changed or duplicated so that the customizing can be done. The codes have to be checked carefully so that those available in the template can be used to change the layout.

Although using child theme code is the commonly accepted method, there are other methods which may be used as well for this end. In fact, if your requirements are small and include some minor coding, then you can use custom CSS by adding CSS editor to the backend. Just install custom CSS editor to edit it and you will be done with your job. You can get in touch with a Wordpress website development company who can help you customize WordPress themes and build websites within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide WordPress development services. If you would like to hire expert WordPress developers for your web development needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

How Javascript Is Remaking The Web?

Javascript can be defined as a language that facilitates client-side programming, the processing engine of which comes up with a string of browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Netscape, and so on. This helps the processing search engine in reading and interpreting the pages that contain the relevant javascript code while browsing.

Perhaps it would be an understatement to say that Javascript has revolutionized the world of web. Such has been the impact of Javacript on the web, it has become an absolutely indispensable part of the internet world. Even this last statement, perhaps falls short of expressing the importance of Javasctipt in the world of internet. So, let us see how Javascript is remaking the web, for that will itself act as a testament which will underline its importance!

Javascript can be termed as the most handy as well as pertinent solution that can be implemented, when it comes to validating various input forms on the client's end. This technically implies, that in case a user forgets to enter his or her name in any form, a function of Javascript validation will be able to pop up a text, warning the individual about the mistake. This is, naturally a much superior solution than the conventional validation on the server side, that routinely handles the error, just because the server does not have to carry out any extra processing activities.

ASP as well a PHP routine can be scripted to have the same task done. However, the advantage with Javascript is that it would not allow the user to submit the form unless the individual completely fills it up without any mistake(s) whatsoever. This can well be termed as quite a robust solution, that has in one way revolutionized the web world as it helps in creating a number of dynamic image effects!

Now let us look at some other ways in which Javascipt has revolutionized the web. The scripting language has incorporated a number of page effects that has changed the web altogether. The effects that the language allows, include displaying the time for which the user stays on the page, Collapsing texts, option to print page and elements, Toggle Buttons, Image Transitions, Popups along with tooltips, Scrolling Banners, Flying Texts, Image Transitions, color changes and color fades, embedded audio, page timeout, automated popups, font sizing and fades, news scrollers, ultimate fader and so on.

The special effects that are incorporated on the web pages with the help of Javascript make the pages more interactive, thereby increasing their efficacy by many folds.

Apart from imparting special effects, Javascript also incorporates seamless integration with the end user plug ins. Moreover, apart from providing access to the HTML objects, the language also provides access to the objects that are browser as well as platform-specific such as the browser plugins like Adobe Acrobat, Media Player, etc. It also helps in initial validation of the clients for checking certain simple errors like a missing information, alphabetic characters mistakenly placed in a field that is designated for numeric characters and so on.

Javasript also helps by allowing access to the system information and makes a website exceedingly attractive by adding some amount of interactivity along with dynamics to the HTML pages. After all, no one would like to visit a web page, that contains only one page and that too, jammed with too much of texts. The web page should look attractive, trendy, as well as pertinent to the business it markets, and Javasript helps in that in a great way!

So in a nutshell, Javascript has revolutionized websites by incorporating various value added features that include seamless calculations, form validation, effortless user interaction, manipulation of the elements of the pages, providing catchy visual effects to the sites, and helping in performing dynamic functions. You can build apps within allocated budgets and time schedules through companies having JavaScript Ajax development expertise.

We provide JavaScript application development services. If you would like to hire javaScript developers for your web development projects, please contact us Mindfire Solutions.