HTML5 - How is it beneficial for iOS apps?

The gradual boom of HTML5 has led several giants such as YouTube, Flickr as well as Facebook to use it. Although it was popular for web development at one point of time now it is finding more takers for mobile app development since it provides the perfect foundation to build sophisticated, responsive apps which can be directly run within a browser, providing a great experience. There are several benefits associated with it which has led to its increasing popularity amongst iOS, Windows, Android as well as Blackberry developers. One of the major shares of the market is being dominated by Apple’s iOS; so here’s taking a look at how HTML5 has benefitted iOS apps.

Time as well as cost saving- One of the most universal reasons for its unique popularity amongst developers is that the app need not be associated with any development platform. This allows a huge amount of time to be saved for project development work; the overall deployment cost decreases as well. In fact, the iOS app can be easily deployed on other platforms as well as put up in other app markets too.

Constant improvements- There was a time when HTML5 was not really multifunctional but with time the scenario has certainly changed. The fast evolving ecosystem is lending new functionalities with each passing day. It is supported by all mobile as well as modern desktop browsers.

Automatic updates- Apple is known for its comprehensive services; with HTML 5 developed apps, it can take its service to a different level. With such apps there is no need for manual updates; users do not have to do anything and the updates take place automatically. In fact, whoever visits or uses the application will see the latest version only. It not only provides the best benefit to the user in terms of service but the developer is benefitted as well since support for the app’s multiple versions need not be provided by them.

Full stack web technology- This is a benefit that is aimed solely for the developers since it helps make the app building process a whole lot easier one. Platforms such as Node.js make it easy to use full stacked web technologies from both clients as well as server. If the iPad version of a product has been developed and you need to develop the iPhone version then the same code as well as the technologies can be reused which makes the development a piece of cake. Even in server side the same thing can be repeated since several algorithms as well as data structures may be reused which leads to speedy development cycles, increased maintainability and low possibility of bugs and mistakes.

Huge developer community- Those who are still in the learning process find app development easy in HTML5 due to the support of its huge developer community. The back-end as well as front-end developers are provided with support and new tools.

Geolocation API- GPS hardware is fitted in Apple devices which helps find out the geographical locations. The geolocation technology in this development platform gives the developed apps a unique edge. The experience can be customized as well as tailored according to the location of the user.

Canvas drawing- This widely implemented feature supported by the platform gives the app the ability to mark off some space in a page so that interactive pictures, graphs, charts as well as 2D game components can be drawn without the need for downloading additional plugins.

There are several other reasons that iOS app developers find HTML5 beneficial for their usage. There are a multitude of features on offer which can make the apps richer making the overall user experience a more fulfilling one. It helps Apple uphold its status as a company with exceptional standards. For developers, mobile app development with the framework means that a lot can be achieved with a lot less work. Ultimately it creates a win-win situation for both users and developers of iPhone apps. You can get in touch with a custom HTML5 development company who can help you build html5 web apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide HTML5 web development services. If you would like to hire HTML5 developers for your 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.

What Do You Get When You Hire A Certified Engineer For Your Project?

It is highly imperative that the engineers you hire for your projects have proper certification under their belts. The primary objective of hiring certified engineers is optimization of customer satisfaction, reduction of the network downtime, and pushing the service level to a higher extent. Besides, hiring certified professionals for your projects ensures that you are hiring the ones with the best skills and the most extensive experience in the market that is needed to deal with the latest technologies and to bring out the best solutions.

Such has been the popularity of these professionals that managements all over the world rate these certifications as extremely high and really adore their capacity of validating skills as well as expertise. Moreover, the fact that certifications help confirmation of knowledge as well as skill is another reason why professionals who are certified are believed to have more intense knowledge as well as expertise. Most of the modern managements are of the opinion that these certifications help a lot to confirm the subject matter knowledge as well as the required expertise.

It is also assumed by the managements that the proper certifications are a high or at the most medium priority when it comes to evaluation of the caliber of these professionals during talent acquisition hunt. Truly, certification is the most important eligibility that is considered, besides training as well as experience, when it comes to selection of a candidate for a particular profile.

When seen from a nontechnical perspective, certification is not a parameter that has to be implemented for any social benefit. The very term, ‘certification’ denotes an array of fresh as well as talented professionals, vying to give their best in the professional world.

A licensed engineer will have the capacity as well as a proper knowledge to prepare, seal, sign, as well as submit plans or projects for an approval by the higher authority. Hence, with each and every passing day, companies, government agencies, private or public institutions, educational institutions and the likes are hiring professional certified engineers and the trend is likely to continue in the days to come.

Truly, from the perspective of the engineers irrespective of the extent of experience the professional has, it is imperative that he/she has a professional certification to his/her credit to be truly successful as an engineer.

Certification leads to dual benefits – while on one hand it helps the professionals, on the other hand it also helps organizations they are working for. Many of the certification courses come up with multiple curriculums, each of which is designed to increase the level of leadership and expertise of the individuals, accomplishments, as well as experience.

These certifications are extremely vital for the engineers, including the software developers. Companies tend to hire these professionals as they always look to vouch for the ones with strong technical background, and a valid certification proves that the concerned professionals have all these abilities. This, in fact, turns out to be beneficial for the companies, especially when it comes to designing or developing software systems on multiple platforms. 

So, companies would always vie for engineers who are certified, even if it costs them more. This is to ensure that they get the best professionals who are capable of delivering what is expected of them. With the competition getting more and more cutthroat with every passing day, the key to success of the business players is to come out with the best deliverables as well as solutions in terms of quality along with customer satisfaction. Here is where hiring the certified engineers makes all the difference. In response to this high demand, engineers are also vying for various types of certifications that help in their employment and career in a big way.  You can get in touch with a custom software development India companies who can help you develop software applications that are stable, scalable and secure.

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

Offshore Web Development - Benefits and Challenges

The practice of outsourcing development or maintenance of various projects has become quite a common trend nowadays. This is mainly done so as to cut the cost of development as well as maintenance, as it is seen that offshore technicians or developers charge much lesser than their local counterparts in web development. However, when we speak of offshore development, the practice has its own advantages as well as disadvantages that need to be addressed at length.

Let us at first deal with the advantages of offshore web development.

Fast development backed by expertise

In majority of occasions, web development is outsourced to those vendors who are specialized in this field. These vendors are not only pretty experienced, but are properly equipped with specific equipment and are rich with high level technical expertise that at times surpass the one that is available to the outsourcing business. This results in faster as well as hassle free development with a much better output.

This helps to concentrate on the core processes instead of the supporting and ancillary processes

Once the supporting or ancillary processes are outsourced, there is no need to deal with them anymore. Thus, it becomes possible to deal with the core processes and strengthen the process to a considerable extent.

Sharing of Risk

One of the most vital factors that determine the outcome or the end result of a particular campaign is analysis of risk. Outsourcing certain ancillary components of a projects helps businesses to transfer some of the responsibilities to the offshore vendor(s). As these vendors are generally specialized and have a lot of experience under their belt, they are in a better position so far as risk management is concerned.

Reduced Operational as well as Recruitment Cost

Once businesses start outsourcing projects, they are in no need to hire professionals for in-house operations. Naturally, this drastically reduces the operational as well as recruitment cost to a large extent. This is in fact one of the most important advantages of offshore outsourcing.

Let us now discuss with some of the challenges or shortcomings that are associated with outsourcing.

Lack of appropriate skills

Offshore centers of development are generally mass production centers, which take up projects from various sources from all over the world simultaneously. Thus, the presence of too many projects results in mass production and this may at times turn the production sloppy and lackluster. Also, on certain occasions the developers lack the appropriate skills to develop projects with the required finesse, thus hampering the quality of the end products to a considerable extent.

Details of the projects

At times it may so happen that the offshore development companies look forward to just complete the projects by hook or by crook without even looking into the details of the technicalities properly. Thus, they often have the tendency of underestimating the time that is needed to complete the projects, which in the long run not only increases the cost of production by overshooting deadlines, but also hampers the quality to a great extent.

Lack of legal power

As on most of the occasions the offshore vendors are located in different countries, the outsourcing companies do not have any control on what is being sold, against what were purposed or proposed. Besides, if there is any instance of breach of contract or if the vendor companies fiddle with sensitive and confidential information, there is hardly anything that the outsourcing companies can do from the legal point of view. Also, due to distance and other issues, it does not make any sense of carrying any legal battle with the vendors.

Cultural and language issues

This is one of the most significant challenges in outsourcing web development projects. The vendor companies to which the projects are outsourced are generally located in non English speaking countries. As such, the projects are often plagued by misinterpretation of briefing due to language problem resulting in altered results along with not-up-to-the-mark quality. Moreover, the cultural differences at times lead to misinterpretation of certain terms and terminology that affects the end product to a considerable extent. You can hire web developers from custom software development India companies, who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

We provide web development services. If you would like to hire offshore developers from web application development India service provider, please contact Mindfire Soltutions.

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.