What is near-shore software development?

Organizations today are trying their best to reduce average cost of production and increase their profit margin or in some case give price relief to their customers. With the increase in competition levels around the world firms are looking left and right to increase their productivity levels and generate more revenues. However this may sound easy but in truth it takes a lot of thinking and managerial input. One method adopted by organizations to reduce their budding cost levels is the concept of outsourcing software development. Outsourcing software development has three different layers; Onshore, Offshore and Near-shore.

The term near-shore was first introduced back in 1998 when an American software development company decided to set up business in the Caribbean island of Barbados. Near-shore software outsourcing is an easier alternative to offshoring since it enables the organization to take advantage of lower costs (but potentially not as low as offshore) but with a close physical location, easy communication and the same time zone. The use of near-shore software development method can help negate certain drawbacks of outsourcing. One of the potential drawbacks of outsourcing was the lack of communication between the firm and the hired client. To eradicate or minimize this risk, the methodology of near-shoring was adopted. This would allow the firm to employee a contractor that is in a relatively close proximity to the parent firm and operates in similar time zones. Therefore, by adopting the method of near-shoring the firm can build a better communication network and incorporate relevant and appropriate feedbacks.

However the issue with using the method of offshore outsourcing is that the firm can face language barrier problems, and due to the long distance the quality of communication gets hampered. With the increase in geographical distance, the time zone varies further handicapping the quality of communication between the firm and their outsourcing partner. In this regard, most of the companies adopting near-shore outsourcing methods try and work around the possible communication barrier by making changes to their organizational culture are adopting a more flexible organizational hierarchy where the outsourcing partner is incorporated. Hence, they try and look for new market segments or development source that is in closer proximity and allows for ease of access.

Near-shoring allows an organization to operate in an environment which they are completely familiar with. It is essential that an organization is aware of the macro and micro environment workings of the country where the organization is planning to near-shore. With similar time zones, language, work ethics and labor laws, the organization can ensure a smooth working environment.

Countries and companies that view themselves as near-shore position themselves as offering some of the benefits of offshoring (namely cost reduction), while mitigating other difficulties—especially those imposed by distance. Most firms today are using the concept of near-shoring to promote cultural integrity and to position themselves as a global firm operating in more than one country.

With the threat of intellectual theft becoming ever present as technology advances, organizations are trying to bring operational activities closer and making a more compact organizational culture. Therefore, near-shore software development and activities have gained wide, spread acclaim. Not only are organizations trying to reduce the threat of cybercrime, but by adopting near-shore outsourcing practices the parent organization is in close proximity to the clients and their customers. Therefore this increases the applicability of the customer responsiveness and decreasing the turnaround time. Thus this allows the firm to make necessary changes to the product based on the relevant feedback given by the consumer.

Mindfire Solutions has been providing expert offshore software development services since the last 16 years. Our clients have praised our software development services and customer centric behavior through their testimonials that can be found at Mindfire Solutions dot com. If that convinces you enough to test our strengths in software development please drop in your requirements to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com.

Should developers be encouraged to participate in Seminars and conferences?

"Everything comes with some advantages and few disadvantages! Nothing is perfect in the world neither our concern about Seminars and Conferences. Should a developer attend them? It is really a complicated debate. There are lots of benefits and few demerits of Seminars or Conference. The thing is what is our priority? Is the seminar relevant for the developer or not? So, it all depends upon the situation and the topic and if it is really related to a developer then, the 2-3 days period will change the life of developer else the same will happen but in a negative manner!”

Let’s come straight to the point, we often need expertly guidance or suggestions for steady progress no matter what industry our business is in. And likewise, developers who constantly search for improvements in their products or intend to incorporate creative blends into their projects would feel a dearth of an industry conference or seminar (at times, if not every day). Here, we are listing out some of the main reasons why developers should actually take some time off their schedule and attend seminars and conferences –

Learn Something New: It’s of paramount significance for any developer to expand their horizon of knowledge. Seminars and conferences play a huge role in helping people learn something new about their specific area of interest. They are empowered with an opportunity to learn a whole lot more from interacting and grasping the ideas of professionals. Seminars where experts are sharing their experiences and growth modules will help developers hone their skills. The new knowledge on their domain will definitely keep them ahead of others. In fact, it builds a confidence within them and this is really vital for any professional especially if he belongs to technical field. In the competitive and ever changing environment it becomes essential to remain up to date and confident enough so that you can advocate with your client for their benefit which in turn give prosperity to you and your company.

Get Inspired: A break-point from the one above! Yet, conferences go a long way in instilling new ideologies and concepts into the minds of creative developers. They not just help add something valuable to one’s business, but also help change the way one works. The concepts when get executed by the developer, he gets awesome output that will definitely bring reputation of your company in the industry. In fact, up to date concepts and futuristic methodologies are way better than that of traditional system. So it is always welcomed by the industry and attending seminars and conferences can inspire developers to get better and design more creative concepts, helping them achieve greater success in their respective fields.

Stay Connected With Industry Trends: One of the most important reasons why any developer should attend a conference is to know the latest news and trends that hit the market. A field that is highly competitive demands constant knows– hence, seminars help developers stay updated with trends in their industry and stay cutthroat. Industry throws out those outdated stuffs in no time; you can guess it by considering how fast a technology gets depreciated. Every passing day, the industry is gifted with numerous outstanding and brilliant ideas that makes the older concepts outdated. So in order to sustain in the ever changing industry it is necessary to remain updated with new and latest trends and technologies.

Add Value to the Product: Seminars are more like an investment – where a developer could go, learn the tricks, expand his possibilities as a developer, hatch onto some new ideas, and build a better product. Conferences render the skills and knowledge one would need to make his product or venture valuable. Knowledge never get exhausted rather gets transferred to different versions and in different forms. So, from the knowledge that you gained from Seminars and Conferences you can build more productive products for the industry. In fact, the process of development becomes more efficient and the quality of the end products stands out from others. Hence it really helps in adding values to the products or services directly or indirectly.

Networking Opportunities: Usually developers are encouraged to be connected with likeminded professionals through social media networks like LinkedIn. There they discuss with others, shares their thoughts, points and gains knowledge. There are many web platforms like forums that also help in networking with others and gaining knowledge from each other. But, they all are virtual and can never be compared to that of practical like Seminars and Conferences. Nothing better than being introduced to industry professionals in practical! Seminars provide developers with an ideal opportunity to connect and interact with like-minded people. Networking with right people could turn resourceful for developers – where they could meet another professional with the same or better vision, have someone interview their product, or get insights into their developmental plan.

Change the Strategies: A lot of times, seminars or conferences are a way to review the progress or retreat in life. If there is anything that looks off-the-track, seminars could help provide an insight into it and help change the strategies to get back on the right track. They also enable one to be reflective, tweak the turns (if needed), and evaluate their progress. Many times, some mediocre minds came to seminar with their outrageous products or concepts and ask the participants for their opinion. In the process, the participant will not only gains knowledge on a new concept but also gets an opportunity to interact with a concept that may be way ahead of their scope. But, it will definitely bring some excellent knowledge on the new concept; even they can give better opinion to the person to make the concept more effective and efficient.

Have Fun: Last but not the least; developers should attend seminars because they are seriously fun. Being in business should never be a dull chore and hence, industry seminars can bring excitement and enjoyment to dealing with a career choice. It’s more like an ideal amalgamation of educational learning, professional creativity, and fun! So it will rejuvenate the developer and makes him enthusiast enough to focus on his work with more energy and confidence after the seminar is over.

Mindfire Solutions takes all the initiatives that are necessary to include a knowledge based culture at the work place. Employees across the three centers hold seminars on various software development topics. It also encourages employees to attend seminars outside the organization that help a great deal in enhancing the overall knowledge of its employees apart from giving them the required exposure. Are you then sufficiently interested in the culture of knowledge at Mindfire Solutions?

The Importance of Non-Disclosure Agreements in Outsourcing Software Development

A Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is a term which describes a pact between two or more parties. It is used to limit the original members from telling the information to someone else or to someone who is not part of the initial agreement. Such an agreement is usually done to make sure that important information is not leaked or is made public. Such an agreement is necessary to use when trade secrets are discussed and is used when a new and previously not known technology is used. Usually, this type of agreement is signed when organizations are in practice of using the concept of outsourcing.

Outsourcing is somewhat of a new procedure where organizations are looking for cheaper way to get their work done. Outsourcing can be either Near-shore or Off-shore. The major difference between the two methods is based on geography. In near-shore outsourcing practices, an organisation looks for closer partners to work with. Partners with which the outsourcing firm shares the same time zone, language and work standards are preferable. In contrast, when offshore outsourcing is used, firms work with partners who are in a completely new region which follows a different time zone and has different working standards. Firms when using the concept of outsourcing for software development need to share important information with their partners and trust them that the information will not be leaked or made available to a third person. In such case, outsourcing firms usually ask their outsourced partners to sign an NDA. The importance of following such a practice is high because companies, while outsourcing, allow outside employees to go through private details of the firm like information about the company’s shareholders and the type of technology and working methods they use. If such information is made public, competitors and rival firms can significantly benefit from it.

Companies using outsourcing partners to develop software for any purpose are more careful and usually ask their offshore software development partners to sign a NDA form. Obviously there are threats in offshore software development and these firms must be careful of virus attacks or being a victim of counterfeiting. In some cases, firms ask their outsourcing partners to develop certain software to operate machinery or equipment which is new and not many people are aware of it. This technology may be part of the firm’s strategy and the organization does not want that information be disclosed. In this case, having a NDA with the outsourced partners is critical as they are aware of what information they cannot disclose to an external source. Furthermore, the benefit of using a NDA is that it makes sure that there are no communication gaps between the two partners. Everyone is aware of their roles and they know what is right and what is wrong. This allows the entire work procedure to run smoothly without any unnecessary stoppages.

Lastly, for those businesses that are using outsourcing to develop their company software must be aware about the use of NDA. Through an NDA, they can limit the use of their outsourcing partner and restrict them only towards the actual job they are hired to do. The outsourcing organization can always be in control when using NDA. If something goes wrong through the use of NDA, the firm can control the damages. Also the outsourced partner is aware of the legal cost if they break the pact. Therefore, it is good that firms who use outsourcing partners make a NDA and get it approved by their partners. Businesses that are in the information and technology industry are now adopting the use of NDA as outsourcing has become a common practice.

Mindfire Solutions has already carved a niche for itself as one of the premier vendors offering offshore software development services to its SMB clientele and help them excel in their core business. If you are interested to hire the expert software services of this 16 year old organization then do send in a mail with your requirements to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com and we will get back to you in 72 hours.

ASP.Net and JavaScript can make great engaging web applications

"ASP .Net the flagship and most ambitious product from Microsoft to serve the web industry in an amazing way have been ruling the industry since its inception. The only technology that can directly compete with the all-time industry leader Java is none other than ASP .Net. Being a web domain specific technology, it has all the features and components that a web developer may need during the development process. As a framework it really helps ASP .Net developer lot in terms of lessening the development effort and time. Altogether, ASP .Net is an awesome package i.e. fully loaded with features and functionalities along with in-built libraries enabling web developers creating highly efficient web solution. When it combines with JavaScript, the web developer will undoubtedly get the best result out there. Let's see how? "

ASP .Net controls are simply boon for web developers: Controls of ASP .Net is treated as the success key for the product; because they really give life to the platform with their unmatched quality of service and power to empower any web application with utmost care. Different controls of ASP .Net perform different tasks for the application with perfection that is the most important part. Controls like Menu control, grid view, graphs and charts etc will definitely improve the quality of web application without much hassle. Along with that AJAX and Editor control will help web developers in creating asynchronous web applications on the fly that make the application not only light but engaging enough to stick the audience with the browser.

ASP .Net with JavaScript for interactive and dynamic web development: Dynamic web page is at its peak and so should be. Considering the fact, that web applications are getting mass traffic from smart devices like smart phones and tablets; it is supposed to the developer to design smart apps that can well behave in different smart devices without compromising on the quality of the application. With Dynamic web content, it makes a lot sense in improving the overall user experience to a next level. Again, when ASP .Net comes together with JavaScript the things get much refined than before. JavaScript can be used in a much refined manner in creating interactive and attractive web application on the fly. Flood your web application with events to make it interactive and user friendly- JavaScript will takes care everything seamlessly.

ASP .Net with BootstrapJS can add fragrances to the application: JavaScript is super-fast faster than any other programming language on the earth and hence the terrific demand of the same. ASP .Net does not make any mistake by integrating twitter bootstrap with the framework in the latest edition. Now, the ASP .Net developer can directly get benefit of the library from the platform in designing responsive and event driven application. Moreover, with bootstrap the content rendering over the web page on various screen resolution will be seamless. Again, with media query, web developer will end up with amazing web app development on ASP .Net framework.

Are you worried about web app development- It's possible with ASP & JS combo: Counting the number of smart devices! It’s growing man at a much faster pace than our imagination. So, you must accommodate with the situation by creating amazingly exceptional web apps for those smart phone and tablets. From ASP .Net framework develop smart apps for any platform like android or iOS or windows with the power from JavaScript making the entire process funnier. You app will render perfectly fine in all devices and platforms now. Again since JavaScript-AJAX development is super-fast; it will make the app powered with lots of speed in-built in the application.

Engaging and attractive web app with HTML5 and CSS3 along with ASP .Net: Thinking of modern web app development; and we are missing out HTML5 and CSS3 there. It's not fair. Now, make your web application powered by ASP and JavaScript along with HTML5 and CSS3 in creating overwhelming and attractive web pages on the fly. HTML5 canvas and SVG are there to make the multimedia file render and run smoothly on the web page whereas CSS3 transition and other effects are simply awesome. HTML5 local storage i.e. improved and bigger cookie will definitely help your application to run while offline; it’s a virtual concept though. Engage your visitors with engaging HTML5 games and visual graphics in a hassle free manner and all within very less memory or light weight. Again, make your multimedia video files render over the page without any flash but with same user experience or even better with HTML5 video!! With these technologies as a part of your web application development, the application will touch the heart of your user and definitely be a grand success.

Create cross platform apps from within ASP .Net: The latest ASP .Net platform supports cross platform web app or native app development. Those who used say Microsoft does only monopoly; are now silent because, with latest version Microsoft enables web developers in creating awesome apps for Android, iOS and Windows etc. In fact, ASP .Net has in-built simulator kind of stuff that will enable the web developer in visualizing how their stuff will render in practical device from within the platform itself. This will definitely change the app development work and improve their quality to a large extend. On the other hand, it will eliminate unnecessary works for the tester since many are done by the developer by visualizing the exact look and feel of the web app through the in-built simulator and hence creating marvellous piece of smart apps with ASP .Net.

Forget about engaging web application; think ahead for smart site and smart app with ASP .Net powered by JS: No more websites! Now it’s time for smart sites; the sites that are highly intelligent and powered by artificial intelligence. Apps can now render themselves in a beautiful and smarter manner knowing where they are i.e. their platform! If they are within iOS they will behave in certain way other than that of Android and same case happens with the device screen size as well. And, everything is possible with ASP .Net powered by JavaScript!! So, the future lies here only.

Mindfire Solutions has been a leading software services provider since the last 16 years. Apart from dedicated ASP.NET developers it has extensive experience in handling JavaScript programming as well. Check out our plethora of services and send in your query to sales at Mindfire Solutions dot com and we will help you with your web application development needs.

Front end Vs. back-end development

What is Frontend development? Front end web development is something that the end user can view, feel and experience! Though it’s an intangible thing still the user can well feel it through his eyes and mind. Whatever a user sees on the browser is none other than the front end part. The design, the interaction, the attraction and the visual effects are the parts of Front end development. In tech world, we can say front end is the combination of HTML and CSS being tightly coupled with JavaScript for generating enterprise standard user interface for any web solution. In fact, today’s industry is highly influenced by the look and feel of any application besides the core functionalities. Hence industry is inclining more towards Front end development considering its future potential.

What is backend development? If front end is our skin or complexion or beauty then Back end is our Heart and Mind!! Though it is absolutely hidden from the rest of the world but, we can never express our feelings without our mind and heart. The back end part keeps the secret of the application i.e. the core logic. Whatever the user sees on the browser is the result of the instruction from the back end part. All types of interactions that make the user feel delight is in fact controlled by the back end codes. Though, JavaScript plays an important role in rendering user focused data on the browser; but, at the end of day it’s the backend that enables the hidden data to come in front of the user. The whole database and the core logic are well written in the back end section with lots of codes in a programming language like JSP, ASP, PHP or Python etc.

Components that make a lot different: If the two major ends of a web application have different contribution; then obviously their components must be different enough from each other. Let’s see what the major components of front end development are!

1. HTML & CSS: As we discussed above HTML and CSS are the most important part of front end development. It’s like the skin of the web application. HTML is the content that we see on the browser while CSS is the style or look and feel that is being imposed to the HTML contents. In other words, HTML contents are designed with the help of CSS for better look and feel of the application. HTML is written in the form of tags whereas CSS gives styles to the contents inside the tags. They are well coupled with each other in creating a splendid web application.
2. JavaScript is a must: Though the look and feel is crafted by HTML or CSS but what about the user interaction? JavaScript is there for the purpose. JavaScript enables the web solution to work in parallel with the HTML and CSS contents in a magical manner. The user is given more power to customize the web page through different triggers i.e. events. Events are like a triggering function that enables any web page to behave in a systematic manner as per the demand of the user. The user on the other hand, feels more privileged with those powers given by the JavaScript events.
3. Frontend web frameworks: Frameworks are nothing but powerful tools to make the life of any web developer easy. For front end design, there are lots of tremendous frameworks available in the industry with which the developer can design highly scalable yet efficient enough web applications without more effort and time. Mostly, frameworks are developed in JavaScript or CSS; because they play the important role in crafting interactive and attractive web applications. JS tools like Google’s AngularJS, KnockOutJS, BackboneJS and NodeJS etc are in high demand in the industry due to their unmatched quality and reliability in different scenarios.

Back end components in web application development: Just like Front End development, Backend is also supported by many components that enable the application to run smoothly behind the screen. It is essential to know those components from the developer’s point of view especially when we are considering Web application development process.

1. Programming Skill: This is the most important part of back end programming; just like HTML and CSS here the Programming language plays an important role in back end application development. There are many back end programming languages in the industry like C#, Java, PHP or Python etc. These programming languages are use in creating the logic section of the application i.e. how the application will behave under different circumstances. It deals with different types of data type, methods, classes and many object oriented approach to make the web application a successful one.
2. Logical analysis: Without proper logic or analysis a web application is like a scrap!! If all the functionalities of the application are not well defined by the back end programmer then the application will never be a reliable one. For the same, back end web developers analyses a lot before starting coding. They take the requirements from the client and analyses what should be the functionalities of different modules followed by how the code should be written for better performance. Why better performance? Functionalities can be written in different manner and it varies from developer to developer; but the code that is highly stable and optimized is given priority; because this affects the overall user experience of the application. An un-optimized code will load slowly and it will even stretch the loading time under bandwidth constraints like mobile networks; resulting with a bad user experience.
3. Server communication: This is yet another important component of back end application development. The data is stored in the database and being retrieved by the user as per requirement but by an intermediate stage i.e. the server communication. Usually in data driven web solutions, servers like Apache Tomcat is used for efficient server side communication., They implements threading concept into the application but with time, it is now performed by JavaScript (nodeJS); but will discuss it in a different chapter.

At the End of day, it’s all about user Experience (UX): For the success of any web application, the user experience remains at the top priority. Because if the user rejects an application then, no one can save it!! Isn’t it?

Mindfire Solutions has been developing practical, user-friendly software solutions for its clients ever since it started operations 16 years back. If you need any form of assistance be it in the form of an interactive front end or you need help in building a robust back end or both, just let us know at sales at MindfireSolutions dot com and we will be getting in touch with you in one business day.

Planning for a Web App 6 Things You Should Consider Before Getting Started

“Web apps are the next generation web applications to replace websites. Web apps can also be treated as smart sites i.e. websites for smart phones. In the era of smart phones, no industry can ignore the power of web apps for the benefit of its business. Every e-commerce site or other website owners want to create a web app form for their users. As a result, there is an overnight demand of web apps in the industry. But for a successful web app, you must follow some concrete methodologies before you fly into the development process- let’s find them out”!

Cost of development is the most important deciding factor: Money is the most important factor for any business or transaction. It determines which business you should start or at which level your business service should run. Similarly, when you want to build a web app, you must consider the amount that you are able to invest for the process otherwise, you may end up your money in the middle of the development process. Better to determine your budget for the web app before you kick start the development process. Again, you should also consider whether you want to gain profit from your web app; if so then in how much time and all.

Time constraint should be considered: Suppose you are already running a successful business and you want to expand it for the next level, then you should consider the time factor. You should consider how much time you would like to give for the development process. Yes, the deadline used to extend and you must aware of this before you decide to develop your web app for your business. Accordingly, you can make a planning for the development process so that; you can get your REFINED end product before your time limit. It is extremely difficult to build a good approach to meet your time line and quality altogether; still you have to try your best to consider every possible constraint that may delay your process.

Choose the right platform: This is yet another important factor to consider for your venture. There are basically 3 platforms i.e. Android, iOS and Windows. I think you should much bother about Windows until you have already web apps for both Android and iOS. Android has a better market presence in the globe whereas iOS maintains higher standard for its apps. If you want to get a good profit from your app, then you can opt for iOS; but make sure that, you are creating a quality web app otherwise; your app may not be considered for iOS app store. Again for an iOS app, you have to pay little extra as the development cost since iOS developers demand more in the industry. On the other hand, Android platform is having a larger community and you can reach at more number of users through Android. So if you want to reach at more number of users then you can consider Android platform for the development process. Again Android play store is open for everyone so you needn’t to bother about the permission to launch your web app on Android platform. Here the development cost will be less as compared to iOS. So you have to decide wisely which platform suite your business best considering the above points.

Market research and know your target audience: This is the most important consideration for any new business. You must research market properly and find out who are your target audience because it will help you in creating a better canvas for your business. Suppose your target audience is the youth section then you can design your web app accordingly to attract the youth. This becomes extremely vital for the success of your business and you should take this decision consciously with prior research and effort.

Know your competitors before you proceed: Every business is surrounded by a large number of competitors. May it be a small food stall or a big enterprise; there is competition everywhere. In order to sustain in the market you have to provide as better service as your competitors provide. Hence you must shortlist the top competitors of your business and you should go through their web apps if available for your reference. Then accordingly you can develop your assessments for a better web app with more features or improved features for your users. This is a must for every business to consider their competitor’s activities thoroughly so that they can able to modify their business strategy from time to time and hence the web app.

Design the first layout with extensive effort and time: After market research and competitors activities you can sit down and start sketching your business application with your consultants in order to make a better web app for your user. Never underestimate the power of user experience for any business. A bad user experience can ruin your all hard work in no time. So be careful before crafting your template for the business web app. The first layout that you have designed is never becomes the last one. In fact you have to go through multiple iterative processes to reach at a better design. For the same, you need to put all your effort, expertise and you also have to consider the suggestions from your consultants and business associates for an improved user interface. This stage is the most important stage of your entire lifecycle and hence you should take as much time and effort as you can for the success of your business application in future. You can also consider hiring some experienced professionals for this purpose so that they can help you in designing a better pattern for your web app.

If needed, you should outsource your development work to an offshore software development firm. There are many third party software companies or offshore software development firms having a tremendous expertise in your required domain. For safety, you can outsource your web app project to a reliable offshore software development company for better result. You can consider the most trusted offshore software development destination of the world i.e., India for the development process of your web app. You can definitely get an amazing experience with the software developers of an Indian firm for outstanding result that too at less cost.

At Mindfire Solutions, we have been handling custom web application development requirements of our clients since 15 years now. We have dedicated teams for ColdFusion, PHP, PHP Frameworks, Python, ASP.Net and Java to name a few. We also have senior developers in various popular CMS like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. If you need any assistance in creating engaging web applications for your target customers, please feel free to write to us. As a limited period offer, you can also avail our Risk-Free Trial offer. 

Mistakes that Developers Make while Using 3rd Party API

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 3^rd Party APIs

Ignoring Client-Side Problems

While using 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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 3^rd 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.

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

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.

How to Overcome Challenges Faced in Offshore Web Development?

Offshore web development has become a more or less standard practice of the majority of business organizations these days. Experts are of the view that offshore web development is the best way to cut costs. However, in order to ensure successful offshore web development, a company needs to successfully initiate as well as manage it. The entire process is easier said than done. This is because outsourced development is often plagued by a string of issues. Hence, there is an ardent need to address these issues effectively to overcome these challenges. Before discussing the ways to overcome them, let us mention what the issues are.

The principal problems that plague this phenomenon are lack of a feasible window for client participation, cultural difference, difference in cultural obligations, time difference, or difficulty in communication.

Appointment of onshore technical team lead

Often the companies assume that appointing someone for managing outsourced web development is enough. The person concerned will be able to take care of the development in their ‘spare times’ even after managing their regular responsibilities. This is, to say the least an absolutely disastrous decision. The best way is to appoint a professional on a full time basis who will be able to take care of the offshore developers. The core responsibilities should include explaining business priorities, giving various technical inputs, help in troubleshooting, and solve technical challenges. Providing training as well as mentorship to the remotely located developers also falls under his or her jurisdiction.

Corresponding with the offshore technical team

This is another important factor that needs to be taken into account. The onshore developers and technicians need to work in close coordination with their offshore counterparts. Besides, it should have the right to take technical as well as administrative decisions whenever needed. This prevents the technical bottleneck from forming.

Daily correspondence with the offshore team

It is absolutely imperative for the onshore developers to maintain a regular correspondence with those handling the outsourced work, via video conferencing. There should be a regular as well as constant correspondence between the two teams on a regular basis to chalk out strategies jointly and work in close liaison with each other. It is necessary for the two teams to know each other so as to eliminate any confusion or misunderstanding.

Besides, the onshore team needs to have a close interaction with the developers who are taking care of the outsourced works. The entire team needs to interact with the other team frequently. This practice helps the two teams to get used to each other. This also helps in understanding each other’s language, culture, work ethics, as well as other issues properly. In this way, the working environment can be improved by many folds, which impacts the end product in a great way.

Small Offshore team

The offshore team needs to be small. A small but highly efficient team is more effective than a large team comprising of some mediocre developers when it comes to handling outsourced projects. In case there is a large team that needs to be split into groups and trained in a proper way so as to improve the productivity.

The offshore team needs to participate in every facet of development as well as architecture. It also needs to take part in the design related discussions, though the responsibility of implementing the same should be on the onshore developers. This imparts a sense of agility into the developers, which in turn affects the productivity as well as its quality at the end of the day.

The web developers like to take up challenges thrown at them. Hence, when it comes to outsourcing, things are no different. In fact, a stiff challenge has in most of the times helped them to bring the best out of them. Hence, it is best to put up challenges in front of the offshore developers. This will help improve their performance and come up with some out-of-this world web solutions.

We provide web development services. If you would like to hire offshore developers from a software development company India, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

10 ‘Must-Know’ Advantages of PHP

As an open source server side scripting language, Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) is widely used by web application developers across the globe. Many developers love using the scripting language to develop powerful, dynamic and interactive web applications within a short span of time. The huge popularity of the language can be estimated from its use in developing some of the renowned business and social networking websites. If you are planning to switch to the innovative and powerful language, it is time to understand some of its key advantages.

10 Features that Make PHP Score over Other Scripting Languages

• Easy to Learn and Use: Many novice web application developers find it easier to learn PHP without putting much effort. As the PHP syntax has similarities to the C and Java, the developers, who have prior experience in writing programs in these languages, can easily migrate to the powerful scripting language. At the same time, a developer without having any prior programming experience can also learn the language after knowing HTML. The clear and easy-to-understand nature of the language makes it popular among all types of developers.

• Easy to Embed in HTML: In comparison to conventional scripting languages, PHP can be embedded into HTML in an easier and hassle-free way. Many developers even prefer learning PHP after being familiar with HTML. The easy to embed feature also help developers to use the scripting language to convert the static websites into more dynamic and engaging websites without putting any extra effort.

• Open Source and Cross Platform: PHP is also popular as an open source and cross-platform scripting language. As it is open source, a developer can use the language without paying any fees. Further, a company can hire a developer having experience in writing C and Java program to start working on its PHP project. Also, as a cross-platform scripting language, PHP works perfectly on various operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux and UNIX.

• Superior Level of Freedom: As PHP is not operating system specific, the developers enjoy a huge amount of freedom to write code using any of the commonly used text editor. Based on your choice, you can write the code using just Notepad, or some other editors Emacs, jEdit, Bluefish and Notebook++. The no restriction on coding allows developers to develop applications at their own pace and convenience.

• Several Frameworks: Each programmer looks for options to build powerful application without writing longer lines of code. The PHP developers can develop robust application within a very short timeframe using a variety of frameworks like Symfony, Slim, Silex, Zend and Aiki. You can choose any PHP framework based on the requirements of your application. Also, each framework allows you to avail a set of benefits including code reuse, better session management, and database access libraries.

• Smooth Integration with Systems: PHP is used widely by programmers to develop a variety of web applications and websites. According to a number of reports, over 30% of the web is powered by this powerful scripting language. There are also several systems like Memcache, Pusher and MongoDB that are integrated seamlessly with PHP. So you can use the language to develop powerful and dynamic web application for clients belonging to different regions and industries.

• Instant Support: Most developers need help, answers, or tips while writing codes. As PHP is open source, a developer has option to avail the assistance of a large community of developers. You can simply initiate a web search to access the online documentation and resources for PHP. At the same time, you also have option to avail specific solutions through online forums, blogs, social media and PDF. The support makes it easier for you to get instant assistance whenever you are stuck.

• High Scalability: Along with being interactive and dynamic, most web applications also need to be scalable. After deploying a website, the organization has to enhance hosting, databases and coding to boost its performance. The flexible and easy to understand feature of PHP, makes it more scalable. You can use the scripting language to add more servers and feature to increase your cluster size.

• Convenient Access to Third-Party Tools: Most web applications try to improve user experience by using popular tools and applications developed by third-party vendors. For instance, some business applications use Google maps to help users in identifying a location. Similarly, most ecommerce websites use a variety of third-party application like shopping cart software and payment processing gateways. You can use PHP to easily access all types of third-party tools in a fast and hassle-free way.

• PHP Hosting Services: An organization can further avail several advantages by hosting a PHP application through PHP hosting. Along with being inexpensive, the PHP hosting service further effective in boosting the efficiency and performance of application developed using the scripting language.

These features help immensely in PHP application development. In addition to these features, PHP also scores over other scripting language due to its user-friendly nature. Also, the PHP community constantly works on projects to keep the language updated and dynamic enough to meet the latest trends in web application development.

If you would like to outsource php development and would like to hire a php programmer for your needs, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.