Category: Product Engineering

In this blog, we will take a look at the various pros and cons for startups if they choose Flutter to build their mobile applications. 

Mobile apps are instrumental in driving the success of most startups. You must choose a reliable framework to build your mobile application. We will be sharing with you the various reasons why we recommend Google’s Flutter to develop efficient and profitable apps for startups.

The age-old question – Native or Cross-Platform? 

The first decision that you need to make while building a mobile application is – 

• Shall I go ahead with one application for all the platforms using Cross-platform technologies?
• Does it make more sense to develop native applications for Android and iOS?. 

Advantages of building a Cross-Platform app for Startups: 

Low development and maintenance costs

Cross-platform is a budget-friendly and faster-to-deploy way of building an app. This is good news for most startups. Native apps on the other hand are costlier to make and maintain as there are different codebases to look after, update, or fix. Cross-Platform with a single codebase in comparison, is easier to make and maintain.

Quicker-to-market

Cross-platform app code is reusable and allows you to make apps for both platforms with a single codebase. As a result, the time-to-market becomes shorter. With native development, you’ll be spending twice the time to provide the same set of functionalities for two separate audience bases.

Plug-ins for every need

As cross-platform development has become a common practice, the plugin marketplace is crowded with plugins to make your developer’s life easier. Plugin eliminates the grunt work, hence making your mobile app development more efficient and flawless. 

Quick and easy testing

When you have a single codebase, you don’t have to hire different engineers with different skill sets to test a single app performance on different operating systems. Checking and optimizing a single app takes only half the time it takes for two apps with different codebases.

Looking at all these advantages, you may wonder why cross-platform isn’t a default for mobile app development already. Here is the catch!

The user experience of cross-platform applications is not at par with that of native applications. The applications are run through a code interpreter since they are not compiled as Native ARM code. As a result, the native apps are more intuitive and efficient. 

Enhanced UX with Flutter – 

Flutter is also a cross-platform development kit. However, it does things a little differently to provide a more native-like feel to your apps. Flutter leverages native UI elements of both Android and iOS. 

Here are some pros of using Flutter for mobile app development for Startups:

1. Better design and customizations 

Design is pivotal for any early-age startup app, as it needs to grab the attention of investors and users alike. Flutter comes equipped with rich UI features and intuitive designs that grab attention like lucrative crypto investments. You will also find custom widgets for Android and iOS quite useful, as it completes the native look of an app with a seamless and crisp UX. Among the list of countless widgets, Flutter is also equipped with Material Design for Android and Cupertino/ iOS widgets for iOS applications. 

2. Dart hits the target

Developed by Google, Dart is Flutter’s programming language. It significantly reduces the launch time of the application. Additionally, Flutter does not need to name OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) widgets because it utilizes its own. As a result, apps built on Flutter don’t require a JavaScript bridge, because Flutter skips the JavaScript bridge to connect directly with the native platform. 

3. Firebase for backend is great for startups

Firebase is Google’s backend solution and comes equipped with Flutter. It makes for a great backend solution, especially for mobiles. With Firebase, Flutter offers out-of-the-box and stable assistance, hosting solutions, real-time databases, and protocols for user authentication as well.

With Firebase’s release automation tool, mobile app launches and maintenance become more straightforward and seamless. 

4. The hottest feature of Flutter | Hot Reload

Hot reload allows developers to apply and check changes to the code in real-time. The feature allows developers to quickly fix bugs and issues without risking functionality and redeployment of the code. With Hot Reload, developers can add new functionality, fix bugs, and experiment in real-time. This feature can increase your developer efficiency up to 5X.

5. Smart Libraries for a functional UI

No matter if you’re developing an app for iOS, Android, or Google Fuchsia, you can easily gain access to widgets for the respective platforms. When you’re using Flutter as a UI creation tool, you can use widgets to integrate all the platform-based functionalities like scrolling, navigation, icons, and fonts.  

For business applications built for internal communications, ticketing systems, geolocation, and so on, Flutter offers powerful functionality to generate structured and intuitive UIs. These UIs rely on geographic locations along with the ability to change the UI based on language, text, and target area’s layout. 

How Much Does it Cost To Build A Startup App with Flutter in 2021?

Like any other app, the pricing of apps built on Flutter is correlated to its complexity. The simpler ones like a fitness app with suggestions, plans, and profile should cost you around $26000 to $34800. Compare that to a highly complex app like Instagram, it will set you back around $41,500 to $55,000.

Factoring in the cost of making two separate native apps in the picture makes the Startup app development with Flutter an even juicier proposition.

Closing Thoughts

Owing to its convenient libraries, customization widgets, and native-like experience, developers are preferring 4-year old Flutter over many older counterparts. Therefore, its framework is evolving at a great pace. Flutter does have some flaws. They include architectural approach and lack of third party integrations. However, the cost of building an app and other benefits outweigh its flaws to make it a good choice for Startups. 

Google’s Angular is an open-source, dynamic, and feature-rich framework. Several enterprises use Angular to build powerful, stable, and large-scale applications. In an interview, Stephen Fluin, Developer Relations Lead at Google, discussed how many Fortune 500 companies have benefited from their Angular enterprise applications.

Google, for example, uses hundreds of Angular applications for internal processes. These enterprise-scale Angular apps are tremendously empowering both their employees and their partners. In this article, you will know about the top Angular framework features that indicate that Angular is the best for enterprise application development.

1. Cohesive Component-Based Architecture

One of the primary reasons why Angular is the future of enterprise-scale applications is its component-based architecture. An Angular web app’s skeleton is made up of components. All Angular apps benefit from a clean API provided by these well-encapsulated components.

Maintainability: Angular’s components are loosely coupled. These components can be easily replaced with desired implementations whenever the app requires the addition of a new feature or changes to an existing feature. As a result, Angular simplifies the upkeep of your enterprise app.

Reusability: Once you’ve created a component with specific functionality, you simply reuse it in all parts that use that functionality. When it comes to developing enterprise applications, the Angular framework’s reusability is the most desired feature. In large applications, Angular’s component-based architecture saves time and ensures consistency.

Contact us to team up with enterprise applications development experts. We can help you build Angular-based modern and faster applications.

2. Use of Typescript

Developers and business owners alike can rest easy, thanks to Angular’s use of the TypeScript programming language, which places a greater emphasis on security. This makes it easier to detect and eliminate errors early in the code writing or maintenance process. It also enables easy debugging of Typescript code directly in the browser or editor. Navigate with ease as well, thanks in part to improved refactoring and autocompletion features.

3. Angular Universal for Enhanced Performance

Angular Universal is an Angular framework service that allows applications to be rendered on a server rather than a client browser. This server-side rendering in Angular can benefit your enterprise application in a variety of ways- 

• Increases the traffic to your web app
• Facilitates high search engine ranking. 
• Reduces the load time 
• Improves mobile performance 

Angular Universal provides an overall seamless experience to all users of your enterprise application.

4. An Ideal Solution For Businesses

Angular is the first choice for video streaming apps, travel apps, social apps, e-commerce and m-commerce apps, review apps, and weather apps. The framework has powerful features that can be leveraged by enterprises, startups, as well as, small and medium businesses. 

• Cross-platform – Progressive web apps, native mobile apps, and desktop apps are all examples of cross-platform applications.
• Performance and speed – code generation, serving app views on servers, and code splitting
• Productivity – Angular CLI, editor, and IDEs, as well as powerful template syntax.
• Full development – Save time with unit tests, animation timelines, and ARIA-enabled applications.

Using Angular has a significant benefit for businesses of all sizes.

5.  CLI to simplify the whole development process

One of the main reasons for Angular’s popularity is its effective command-line interface (CLI). The simple, quick commands of Angular CLI help to simplify the entire development process by automating critical processes such as app initialization and configuration. You can add features to your Angular enterprise application in minutes with the help of Angular CLI. It also allows you to run end-to-end testing on individual components as well as the entire software with just a few simple commands.

Conclusion

Because of the Angular framework’s slick tooling and efficient architecture, large companies have chosen it for building apps for internal processes as well as for external users. Angular has a robust ecosystem and strong Google support, making it a dependable framework with no breaking changes. Angular is an excellent framework for developing enterprise web applications, particularly front-end development, because of its stability. Angular is without a doubt the web application framework of the future.

Want to leverage Angular for your enterprise application? Get in touch with us for a free consultation.

About Galaxy Weblinks

We specialize in delivering end-to-end application design & development services and have hands-on experience with Angular, React, Vue, and other top development frameworks. Our back-end and front-end engineers also help in improving security, reliability, and features to make sure your business application is scalable and secure.

Businesses are ruled by customers. For online businesses, the user experience is one of the most crucial factors that determine the success of your company. It is important for your website to drive maximum traffic and have high lead conversions. A well-designed and high-performing website adds credibility to your offerings. Remember that it takes very little time for the user to form an opinion about your website! Research shows that over 80% of users are unlikely to return to a website after a bad experience. 

WordPress is the most popular CMS (Content Management System) that powers over 40% of the websites globally. Given its popularity, it is easy to get your website started. However, integrating your website with the right set of tools, plugins, and design is crucial to make it a high-performing differentiated offering versus competitors. 

In this article, we have highlighted key design considerations while building a WordPress website.

• Branding

Before even starting working on a WordPress site, you need to focus on branding elements such as logo, color palette, high-quality images, fonts, etc. Your brand represents your business, and good branding helps you stand out in a competitive online environment. 

• Navigation

Navigation helps the flow of your WordPress website and therefore, it is important to enhance the user experience by having simple but effective navigation. Since a lot of traffic these days comes from mobile devices, it is even more important to have good navigation of your website. It will also enable better SEO and result in higher traffic to your website.

The navigation should be designed keeping your users and these questions in mind – Why are they visiting your website? What actions do you want them to perform? We recommend avoiding unnecessary menu options and will focus on simplicity. You should also have CTAs (call to action) for your users. 

• Consistent design

Your WordPress website should have a consistent design and layout. In simple words, common user interface elements such as logo, site navigation, page content, images, etc. should appear in the same place throughout the website. This allows visitors to navigate through your website efficiently as they know where these common website elements are placed on every page. This also leads the users to spend time engaging with your content. 

In addition to a better user experience, there’s also a time/cost-saving benefit to you of having a consistent design. Having a consistent layout means that your website developer only needs to create a small number of reusable templates which effectively cuts down on the overall development time and costs.

• Responsive Design

This is a crucial design element of your WordPress website. Your website must be responsive and should adjust to your user’s devices and their screen/size. Search engines such as Google rewards websites that prioritize the mobile experience for visitors. WordPress has several tools (Elementor, Gutenberg, etc) that help develop high-performing responsive websites. 

• Selection of right tools & plugins 

The performance of any WordPress website is measured by the loading time. The speed of the website is a very important factor and can result in a bad user experience leading to a user abandoning your website within seconds. A few important considerations to improve your WordPress website’s performance is – 

• Plugins: You should focus on including only necessary plugins for your website’s features/functionalities. Unnecessary plugins can increase load time. 
• Image Optimization: Heavy Images can lead to an increase in the site load time hence using optimized and presentable images can help reduce the site load time.
• Enable Caching: Caching saves certain data which can be later accessed directly instead of being loaded again. This reduces the load on your WordPress hosting server and makes your website run faster.  
• Minimize HTTP Requests: The request that any visitor’s web browser sends to the WordPress hosting server is called an HTTP request. This request contains details of your website such as content and images. Having more files or having more pages on your website results in a longer response time from the server to respond, and hence poor website performance. This problem can be improved by carrying out activities such as combining your CSS files, removing redundant images, etc. 

Conclusion

No doubt WordPress is the most popular and quick way to get your website started. But, making your website a high-performing one requires paying attention to these little details. A well-made website would drive maximum traffic and result in achieving your business objectives. If you’ve any doubts related to WordPress website development and if you need assistance developing one, then feel free to talk to us here.

Your custom software development partner can help you build a high-performing software solution based on your needs and specifications. 

Choosing the right development partner is a critical decision and so is ensuring that they stick to budgets and timelines. But what is the tentative price of developing a custom web or mobile application? While engaging with several software vendors during the selection process, you will get different pricing from each of them. This makes your task of selecting the right software development company for your custom application very difficult. 

There is no formula to determine the right pricing as each software application is unique. Cheapest isn’t the best option and never pick a vendor purely based on their quote. We have listed a few important considerations that will help you estimate the right price based on your requirements and will also help you in the selection of the right development company. We have also compiled five important questions later in this article to help you in the decision-making. 

Scope and Complexity

The scope and complexity of the software application are the two most important driving factors in determining the cost. Project requirements are directly proportional to the development cost. Feature-rich and complex applications will have a higher development cost. Additional billable hours and costs go towards specialized software skills of the developers, development, testing, and deployment. 

More features and functionalities spell higher costs! These include efforts associated with design UX/UI, third-party integrations, data mapping complexities, etc. For example, if you are looking for social media sign-up functionality for new users instead of a traditional email/password sign-up, the complexity increases as a result of new screens as well as integrations with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Similarly, features such as payment gateway integrations, data security, real-time instant messaging, etc also add to the complexity and cost of the overall software development. 

Development Time 

Once you have identified features/functionalities needed for your software application, the next step is to determine the development efforts. Do you need to build from scratch or use third-party plugins/solutions that can be integrated? 

Building a custom solution for each feature/functionality will be expensive as it requires coding efforts as well as efforts for testing and bug-fixing. There might already be a ready solution that you can use in your software. The selection of a ready solution will depend on the number of expected users that will be using your application. For example, it will likely be cheaper to integrate an existing third-party live video feature for the learning and development needs of a small organization in comparison to building a custom video player from scratch. However, for an ed-tech company targeting millions of users, it might make more economical sense to develop its live video functionality. 

Separately, the total development cost will also be determined by the urgency of a turnaround. Depending on your deadline and how quickly you plan to develop the application, the total development cost will likely vary. The development vendor will likely need to add additional resources in a short space of time which would require additional planning and project management time. 

Pricing

Once you have narrowed down the complexity as well as time,  the next crucial step is selecting the right development vendor based on their approach as well as their hourly rates to arrive at their final pricing. One important point to remember is that the cheapest quote is not always the best option.

The vendor’s approach to arrive at the final pricing is an important factor to distinguish between several vendors. The best way is to review a few proposals and compare the project plans and time estimates for each phase. Understand the # of hours, resources each vendor is proposing, and then compare their total costs.

Also, never pick a vendor purely based on their hourly rates. These rates depend on the region of the development company. The typical hourly rates for development activities based on regions are – 

• Asia/Eastern Europe: $15-$30 / hour
• South America: $30-$45 / hour
• North America: $80+ / hour

Lastly, most vendors provide support/maintenance services, and their pricing can vary. Look at the monthly support hours each vendor is proposing and at what cost. 

Five questions to help you estimate the cost of software development

Based on the above considerations, here are five important questions for which you need clarity to estimate the software development costs. 

• How does the software vendor plan the project timelines and phasing? 

(Tip: It is important to be clear on the project scoping from the start. This way it is easier to evaluate and benchmark different vendors. The way any company approaches a project should be transparent, as it helps in defining timelines, resources, and costing.)

• Do they have expertise across the technology spectrum and do they have experience with similar projects? 

(Tip: Ask about the projects completed across the technologies you are planning for your software application. Also, ask for a few sample projects. Check clutch.co or have a Zoom/Skype call with the references. This will help you evaluate the company’s capabilities and reduce the elements of overruns in terms of time and cost.)

• In the case of outsourcing, have they worked with clients from your location?

(Tip: Ask them about a few clients that they worked with, in your timezone so that you become comfortable with issues such as time difference, cultural and linguistic barriers.)

• What will be the pricing model?

(Tip: You should be aware of the various pricing models that the developer can work with – fixed pricing, time & material (T&M), or hybrid. Each pricing model has pros & cons, and selecting the right model will depend on your clarity on planning, scoping, and budgeting. If your project scope is not well defined and subject to change, T&M contracts provide more flexibility and are typically the right choice.)

• What overhead costs are likely to be incurred as part of the development?

(Tip: Ask them about overhead costs such as third-party licensing and subscription costs, technical support/maintenance, server costs, etc.)

We know how important it is for you to get things right when it comes to custom software development as your business is in question. If you’ve any doubts related to software development and if you need assistance developing one, then feel free to talk to us here.

Node.JS is increasingly getting popular amongst developers, so much so that 4 out of 5 developers rate Node.JS as their go-to choice for backend development. 

In this blog, we will take a look at some of the best Node.JS frameworks. These frameworks are rated based on their popularity and unique toolsets for cost and time-efficient development.

CTOs choose a framework that helps them minimize resource consumption and reduce the time to market. Our list of the top 5 Node.js frameworks will also help you choose the best Node.JS framework for your software solution. 

Express.js

Launched in 2010, Express.js is a minimalistic and straightforward framework. It’s beginner-friendly as it has a low learning curve. It just requires a basic understanding of the Node.js environment and programming skills. 

Express.js is fast, robust, and asynchronous. It can easily handle high-speed I/O operations. It provides a robust Application User Interface (API), making client-to-server requests and visible user interactions more streamlined.

Companies like Twitter, Uber, Accenture, and IBM deploy applications built with Express. 

Features:

• MVC Architectural pattern
• Asynchronous programming for independent multiple operations
• HTTP helpers
• Better content negotiation

When to use Express.js

Express.js offers robust routing, templating, security, and error handling, making it suitable for building enterprise-grade or browser-based applications. Using Express.js you can develop apps faster as it’s already equipped with all the things needed to build APIs and more.

Koa.js

Dubbed as the next-generation Node.js framework, Koa.js is among the best in the lot. Koa takes a stack-like approach to deal with HTTP middleware,  making it a great option for easily building APIs. 

Koa is quite similar to Express.js, so switching from either is fairly easy. While it provides the same flexibility and features, Koa further tones down the complexities faced while writing code.  

Features:

• Multiple levels of customizations
• Referred to as a lightweight version of Express.js 
• Comes with cascading middleware (Personalizing user experience)
• Normalizes node inconsistencies 
• Cleans cache supports proxy and content negotiation

When to use Koa.js

Use Koa.js when performance is the top priority for your web application. In certain scenarios, Koa outperforms Express.js, so you can pick it up for large-scale projects. 

One thing to note here is that it is less popular than Express and is backed by a smaller community. So if you have a beginner team, please research carefully before you opt for Koa.js as answers and solutions to problems (usually populated by the community) may be scarce.

Meteor.js

Launched in 2012, Meteor is best for teams that like to speak in one language, that is Javascript. Meteor is an open-source, isomorphic, Javascript framework. It comes equipped with comprehensive libraries and testing features to ensure seamless client-server communication. It can be used to develop apps for Android, iOS, and desktop all wrapped in one language, Javascript.

Meteor is perfect for contemporary real-time applications as it facilitates the instantaneous transfer of data between client and server.

Features:

• Cross-platform framework
• Rapid  prototypes with CLI
• Open-source, backed by a great community
• Full-stack solution 
• Easily integrates with other frameworks

When to use Meteor.js

Meteor is a great choice for teams that are familiar with and prefer Javascript. It is beginner-friendly as it has a low learning curve. It’s also great when you’re looking to develop apps for both web and mobile. Meteor is also ideal for apps that require a lot of updates to be pushed even in live environments.

Socket.io

Socket.IO is a Javascript library best suited for real-time web applications. Socket is used when efficient real-time and bi-directional communication between web clients and servers is required.

You must have seen this in real-time chat apps that you use like Skype or Whatsapp, it continuously looks and refreshes background processes for updates or messages. 

The Socket library consists of two parts: a client-side that runs in the browser, and a server-side library for Node.js. Both have similar APIs. 

Companies like Bepro, Barogo, and Patreon, use Socket.io.

Features:

• Binary support 
• Multiplexing support
• Reliability
• Auto-reconnection support
• Error detection & auto-correction

When to use Socket.io

As mentioned earlier, Socket.io feels at home building real-time applications like chat rooms, video conferencing, and multiplayer games, where servers are required to send data before it’s even requested from the client-side. 

Nest.js

This object-oriented and functional reactive programming(FRP) based Node.js framework comes equipped with extensive libraries that makes it a great choice for building dynamic and scalable enterprise-grade applications. Nest.js is known for preserving compatibility with a subset of Javascript(built with Typescript). It also goes even further to provide painless integration with frameworks like Fastify and Express.

Features:

• Modern CLI 
• FRP
• Numerous easy-to-use external libraries
• Direct compatibility with Angular is a plus

When to use Nest.js

When you’re looking to build efficient and scalable web applications for large projects. It comes with a clean and modular architecture pattern which helps developers build scalable and maintainable applications with ease. 

Conclusion

The listed Node.js frameworks are only the tip of the iceberg of contemporary app development, but they will help you narrow down the best you can use for your specific development needs. These frameworks not only make the development effortless but also equips your apps with the modern tools needed to succeed. 

Technology would change and new frameworks will emerge, but a close assessment of your business requirements and resource availability will facilitate your decision to choose the right framework for your projects.

About Galaxy

We specialize in delivering end-to-end web application design & development services and have hands-on experience with popular back-end languages and frameworks like Node.js, Python, etc. We have expertise in customizing websites for multiple business or web application development requirements. Contact us for your project discussion today.

Building an Ecommerce store is important for your business to stay ahead of the competition. It also builds a connection between your users and your brand. Your company’s growth and success will be determined by your Ecommerce website. However, the crucial question that everyone faces before building an Ecommerce store is how much it would cost to build one? 

There is no formula and an exact answer to determine the right cost as numerous factors come into play, and each of them has a direct impact on the overall costing. We have listed a few important considerations that will help you estimate the right cost based on your business needs and will also help you in the selection of the right development company. 

Having clarity on these considerations as well as having a clear action plan will not only help you estimate the right cost for developing and running an Ecommerce store but will also ensure that you do not overshoot your budget. 

1. Ecommerce software

Ecommerce websites’ costs can vary based on design, out-of-the-box features, chosen software, and services provided. There are several platforms (Shopify, Magento, WordPress, WooCommerce, etc) to choose from based on your requirements. There are many pros and cons of each of these platforms, and the selection based on your business needs will greatly affect the cost of your Ecommerce website. 

The cost of developing an Ecommerce website based on basic features on these platforms can vary between $5,000 and $15,000. However, customizing advanced features will require a bigger budget depending on the features/functionalities. 

2. Domain name and hosting 

Your company’s domain name is one of the smaller cost components in your Ecommerce website. Typically purchasing a domain name via GoDaddy, Hostinger, Bluehost, etc, costs between $5 and $20 per year. Prices vary depending on the uniqueness of your choice as well as the extensions (.com, .shop, etc). 

After you have registered a domain name, you will have to find a web host. BigCommerce and Shopify, for example, are cloud-based solutions that include web hosting as part of the subscription. This implies that you won’t need to opt for third-party hosting or the myriad challenges involved in website management. A typical website hosting plan can range from $40-$200 per year. Securing your Ecommerce website is important given the personal data of your customers and an SSL certificate can cost between $70 and $300 per year. 

3. Website design

Business’ success largely depends on the User Experience you would provide. Creating a unique user experience involves building store themes and using add-ons, plugins, and extensions. Some standard costs are associated with the design. This includes – 

• Store theme and design costs: In Ecommerce platforms, some themes may not cost anything more than what you already paid to use the platform. However, there are paid themes that cost between $60 to $200 per theme.
• Add-on, plugin, and extension costs: Depending on your business needs, you would require add-ons, plugins, and extensions to your selected platform. These could be integrated with CRM, email marketing solutions, inventory management, chatbots, etc, and come at a cost that varies based on the platform. For example, Magento add-ons typically require expensive custom development. Magento’s marketplace has thousands of extensions that vary in price and can go up to $15,000. On the other hand, Shopify merchants have access to hundreds of free and premium apps with varying prices.

4. Payment Gateway

There are payment processing fees that are paid to payment gateways (such as PayPal, Stripe, etc) as users make payments online on your Ecommerce website. These prices depend on the volume of transactions, geography, total amount, etc. 

5. Marketing and SEO

Product marketing, SEO, and analytics help create brand awareness and drive traffic to your online store. These costs will depend on your business objectives but should be factored in while creating an Ecommerce store. 

6. Maintenance

Running an Ecommerce website required timely attention and maintenance. These could be technical maintenance (version upgrades, bug fixing, feature enhancements, etc) as well as store maintenance. Maintenance costs depend on the size of the Ecommerce store. A typical small to medium-sized business requires maintenance spend between $500 to $1,500 per year. For bigger businesses with high customizations, a higher maintenance budget is required. 

Conclusion

Your business needs to have a feature-rich and robust Ecommerce website. If you’ve any doubts related to Ecommerce platforms and if you need assistance developing one, then feel free to talk to us here.

About Galaxy

We, at Galaxy Weblinks, specialize in developing the best online experiences for your users. We have expertise in customizing websites using multiple platforms, be it Shopify, Woocommerce, Magento. Contact us for your Ecommerce project today.

WordPress is the most popular CMS (Content Management System) that powers over 40% of the websites globally. More than 500 websites are built using WordPress daily! 

The reason is that it offers versatility, thereby allowing users (even non-developers) to create feature-rich ecommerce websites, forums, and corporate websites. WordPress websites are highly customizable, can be easily optimized for mobile, and are SEO friendly. WordPress is open-source; is completely free, redistributable, and offers unlimited validity.

However, creating a good WordPress site requires a lot of skill. You need to be well-versed with programming languages (JavaScript, PHP), HTML/CSS, databases, SEO, responsive design, etc. This makes selecting the right WordPress developer or a company crucial in achieving your end objective. 

In this article, we have highlighted a few important considerations that will help you make the right choice. We have also compiled five important questions later in this article to help you in making the right decision. 

1. Objective alignment

Once you have identified the overall goal as well the key features and functionalities of your website, finding the right WordPress developer is the next step towards achieving your goal. The developer should be aligned with your needs and should have the relevant skillset. Based on your end objective, be it a new website or a redesign, you should hire your developer. 

For a website consisting of a traditional site structure (such as a home page, about page, contact page, blog, et all), the right developer would be someone with good front-end design experience. However, if your website needs a lot of features and functionalities, a developer with more back-end technical expertise would be the right candidate. There are various marketplaces where you can find WordPress freelancers for simple websites. However, for developing a website with a lot of features and functionalities, going with a bigger company is more suited given their access to multiple resources with diverse experience. 

2. Technical skills 

A good WordPress developer should be able to understand your site’s needs and design a website that stands out. The developer should have advanced website development skills such as design understanding, page customization, plugins, site speed optimization, etc. Given that over half of the website traffic globally is via mobile devices, the developer should design a website that is compatible and responsive with all mobile devices. 

A good way to evaluate expertise is to ask about their WordPress portfolio and check out some of the websites they have developed. A few evaluation criteria could be design, compatibility across different devices, ease of navigation, etc.

3. Pricing

Pricing remains one of the important considerations in the selection process. Once you have evaluated a few developers/companies on their project understanding as well as their capabilities, understand the # of hours and project plans each is proposing. Then compare their total costs and timelines in selecting the right choice. 

Five questions to help you decide the right WordPress development partner

Based on the above considerations, here are five important questions for which you need clarity to select the right WordPress developer/company. 

1. What expertise do they have in WordPress? Can they provide some work examples?

(Tip: Ask about a few sample projects completed. Have a Zoom/Skype call with the WordPress developer to know his experience/communication skills.) 

2. What will be their approach towards building the website? 

(Tip: Ask them about their approach around using existing/custom themes, mobile responsiveness, SEO, security, work best practices, etc.)

3. In the case of outsourcing, have they worked with clients from your location?

(Tip: Ask them about a few clients that they worked with as per your timezone so that you become comfortable with issues such as time difference, cultural and linguistic barriers.)

4. How much will the website development cost?

(Tip: Ask them about their pricing including the number of hours they estimate for the work. Note that website development costs vary depending on factors such as the complexity of the features/functionalities, themes, integrations, etc.)

5. Will there be continued support after the website is developed?

(Tip: Ask them about their support and maintenance after the website is developed. These may include plugin updates, feature enhancements, etc.)

Conclusion

We know how important it is for you to get things right as your business is in question. If you’ve any doubts related to website development and if you need assistance developing one then feel free to talk to us here.

About Galaxy Weblinks 

Galaxy Weblinks is your one-stop solution for WordPress solutions. We offer a complete range of IT services including WordPress development and WordPress optimization. Contact us now for complete WordPress solutions.

From September 20th onwards, iPhone users has been able to update to iOS 15. Apple first unveiled iOS 15 in June 2021 at its Worldwide Developers Conference. Since June, the iOS community is elated about the new features offered in the latest iOS 15. Now is the time for iOS 15 to get into the limelight.

In this article, Galaxy Weblinks shows you what the new OS is capable of, how to use it, and everything related.  

A Rundown on Apple iOS 15

The new Focus mode is the biggest change coming with iOS 15. It accompanies the “Do Not Disturb” feature and does not replace it. Users can configure various modes. Like choosing apps and people to get notifications from. They can change focus depending on what they are doing or where they are. For instance, creating a work mode, a sleep mode, a workout mode, and so on.

The new weather app, updated maps, an improved version of FaceTime, and more. These are some of the many new features launched. Safari also gets a brand-new appearance. Responding to the feedback, Apple has improved its new take on Safari.

With the Live Text feature of iOS 15, users can scan photos for text. And, highlight, copy and paste text in photos. This can also turn into a great accessibility feature as well. These features are handled on-device directly.

iOS 15 is available as a free download for iPhone 6s and the following models. All models of iPhone SE and the most recent iPod touch model can also upgrade to iOS 15. 

New iOS 15 Features At A Glance

• Redesigned notifications experience.
• With ‘Focus’ reduce distractions.
• Spatial Audio and SharePlay in FaceTime calls.
• Live Text using on-device intelligence.
• Redesigned Safari (new browsing experience).
• Advanced privacy features.
• ID cards in the Wallet app.
• Restyled Weather and Notes app.

Opinion!

Apple’s ecosystem continues to excel and impress 

The new iPhone 13 and the new operating system i.e. iOS 15 bridge the gaps with Android. It also continues to pull ahead of the competition. Visually, there are no drastic changes. Apple has integrated major innovations in a manner that one can’t even notice at first glance. At instances, users will think it’s always been like this. It’s good news as users will find it easy to jump from iOS 14 to iOS 15.

Innovations in FaceTime and iMessage seem to bridge the gap with its competitors. Google Meet, WhatsApp, or Telegram. In this regard, Apple certainly has some serious catching up to do. It is nice to see the necessary efforts coming from the giant tech company. Live Text, Notes, etc. features can become indispensable tools daily. Extracting text from images feature can be used regularly. AI processing happens on the smartphone itself. Information isn’t sent to Apple’s servers. It is a real plus point not only for data security and privacy but also about performance. 

Functions like Private Relay will put a stop to the data collection frenzy on the Web. It is about time other companies follow this suit and stay clear of collecting personal data.

Offering iOS 15 to all iPhones from the iPhone 6s onward shows how much Apple cares about sustainability. That said, older models lack the requisite hardware to take advantage of all the new features. 

Apple will gain even more ground on its competition with iOS 15 in conjunction with macOS and iPadOS.

Apple carefully orchestrates integration between operating systems and devices. It offers simplicity that is hard to find in other OS or platforms. Apple’s consistency in implementing privacy is a lesson for other companies.

How To Install iOS 15?

Updating your iPhone with the latest OS is pretty straightforward. Go to the Settings App. Click on General > Software Update. Then follow the instructions present on the screen.

Conclusion

iOS is the most advanced mobile operating system globally. iOS 15 is the latest update that allows building apps that connect people in new ways. Developing feature-rich iOS 15 powered mobile apps requires expertise and experience. Galaxy Weblinks is the best mobile app development company with expert iOS developers. We can build your mobile app as per your requirements.

About Galaxy Weblinks

We specialize in delivering end-to-end app design & development services and have hands-on experience with mobile app and site design in agile development environments. Our designers, engineers, and developers help improve security, reliability and features to make sure your business application and IT structure scale and remain secure.

So you’ve got a great mobile app idea and you’ve done your research to understand the competitive landscape. Now you are looking to transform your app idea into reality. However, you are now faced with a crucial question of “How to select the right Mobile app development company”.

With such an abundance of choice, choosing the right mobile app development company is difficult and confusing with several factors to consider such as experience, size, geography, costing, et al. 

We know how important it is for you to get things right as your business is in question. Here are a few important considerations that will help you make the right choice. We have also compiled seven important questions later in this article to help you in decision-making. 

Organizational alignment

A good app development company should act as an extension of your organization and be aligned with your business objectives. Not only should they guide you through the process of mobile app development, but they should also provide inputs based on their experience with similar apps and their understanding of what works and what doesn’t on the app store.

The mobile app development team involves several designers, programmers, and testers. Thus, organizational alignment becomes increasingly important while working with several individual freelancers across these roles. Freelancers can deliver flawlessly in the short run, but mobile app development is not a one-time activity and needs to evolve based on user feedback and requirements. As a result, a mobile app development company is more suited as a reliable partner in the long run given their access to multiple resources with diverse experience, dedicated focus, and aligned business priorities. 

Expertise 

Mobile app development is specific and requires skilled developers with the knowledge of required programming languages, software development kits (SDKs), and the ability to take advantage of unique features of various mobile devices (i.e., iOS or Android). The right company should be able to understand your project and overall objective. 

A good way to evaluate expertise is to ask about their project portfolio across different platforms and check out some of the apps they have developed. A few evaluation criteria could be the app’s interface, its ease of use, and reviews on the app store. A good development company will understand each platform’s guidelines and will ensure that they work within the right parameters to deliver the best for your business objectives. 

Pricing

Pricing is one of the crucial factors in the selection process. However, cheapest isn’t the best option while selecting a mobile app development vendor, so always look at the bigger picture in the long run. Never pick a company purely based on their rate. Rather look at the approach they came to the overall pricing. 

The best way is to review a few proposals with a detailed breakdown of work, and then compare the project plans and time estimates. Understand the # of hours and resources each company is proposing, and then compare their total costs. Making payments in line with delivery milestones ensures that you and the development company are aligned towards delivering the project on time and within budget. 

Best Practices

A gap in understanding of the requirements can cause the complete failure of your project. Hence, the app development company must follow best industry practices across communications, execution, documentation, budgeting, quality assurance, security, etc. Project management methods can vary greatly between companies and for a successful engagement with an app development company, it is crucial that they follow a process that is organized, consistent, and supports quality control. For offshore partners, good communication is a must to understand requirements correctly and efficiently coordinate for smooth and timely execution. 

7 questions to help you decide the right Mobile App development company

Based on the above considerations, here are seven important questions for which you need clarity to select the right mobile app developer. 

• Who are the key management personnel behind the company and how long have they been in business?

(Tip: Ask about the top management and their vision. Also, ask them how they differentiate themselves vs competition.)

• Do they have expertise across mobile app development – design UX/UI, SDKs, platforms, testing, security, et all? 

(Tip: Ask about a few sample projects completed. Have a call with a few technical leads to understand their backgrounds. Also, discuss the challenges faced during the execution of these projects.)

• Can they provide some references from their earlier clients as they can provide valuable inputs about the team, technical expertise as well as project handling capabilities?

(Tip: Check clutch.co or Have a Zoom/Skype call with the references.)

• In the case of outsourcing, have they worked with clients from your location?

(Tip: Ask them about a few clients that they worked with who were in the same timezone as you. It will help you understand issues such as time differences, cultural and linguistic barriers.)

• What industry best practices do they follow?

(Tip: Ask them about their best practices around the app development process, documentation, security, quality assurance, communications, execution, etc.)

• Do they provide code ownership of the app?

(Tip: Ask them about their policies around copyright. You must have ownership of the code.)

• Will there be continued support after the app is released?

(Tip: Ask them about their support and maintenance offerings after the app is live.)

Conclusion

A careful selection of the mobile app development company can transform your app idea into reality. We know how important it is for you to get things right as your business is in question. If you’ve any doubts related to mobile app development and if you need assistance developing one then feel free to talk to us here.

Setting up a shop online? Yes it is easier than setting one up made of bricks and mortar but comes with its own set of complications. 

Ecommerce isn’t easy. The insane level of competition aside, your problems begin even before you’ve begun to build your website. The first important decision that you need to make is selecting the best Ecommerce platform to build your website. The options are numerous and they all seem to offer some distinctive features that make this choice so difficult. 

We have listed a few key considerations to help you select the right Ecommerce platform.

How secure is the platform?

One of the first things that you should consider in your Ecommerce platform is the language it is based on. The platforms based on object-oriented programming language come with embedded security protocols and are, therefore, considered safer. Magento and Shopify pay extra attention to reduce the vulnerabilities of websites with two factor authentication. 

The platforms which do not have multi factor authentication to protect sensitive information, security plugins can provide that extra layer of safety.

A platform is safe when –

• An Ecommerce platform should conduct security audits for sustaining websites.
• It should safeguard sensitive data from breaches and attacks.
• To prevent any monetary frauds, an Ecommerce platform should be PCI and SSL certified.

Is it SEO friendly?

39% of Ecommerce traffic comes from direct searches. This makes it a good reason for you to take SEO considerations into account.

Popularity of a website depends on various factors with content playing a significant role in attracting the audience towards the site. To understand things better, ask questions like, does the Ecommerce platform allow you to write meta-information about the product or is there Google site map support? These questions are important as they have a direct impact on SEO rankings of the site.

Onveos is a perfect choice if you are considering SEO as a selection factor because it provides independent fields for SEO elements. Other than this you can also go for Magento, WooCommerce, and OpenCart as they play a significant role in inbound marketing initiatives.

Responsiveness 

A responsive web design is a must have for a great user-experience from a desktop to tablets and mobiles of various sizes and orientations.

Having a separate mobile and desktop site requires having different marketing campaigns, product information & banners, catalogues, etc. Platforms like Magento and WooCommerce have various responsive themes and templates to make websites vertically stacked.

Shopify even lets you edit HTML and CSS directly. You can change the colors, size, and positioning of any element on the page within the platform.

Does the platform provide multi-channel support?

Always prefer a platform that lets you sell products or services across different channels like Instagram, FB Messenger, Amazon, and others. It increases the revenue percentage on the whole. The best multi-channel Ecommerce platforms are Shopify, BigCommerce, PrestaShop, Magento, and WooCommerce. 

As soon as you choose a platform, your next step should be towards understanding the audience. It will help you analyse what your end users are looking for and how they buy things online.

Adding more channels will increase the task of managing and tracking inventory systems. Centralised management of the data creates diversified selling options in online marketplaces. Multi-channel selling increases the revenue of Ecommerce sites.

What are the key plugins and integrations?

Even though an Ecommerce platform has all the things to run an online business, it still needs integrations and plugins to add crucial functionalities like Payment gateways, Tax calculators, Inventory management, etc.

You’ll find a popular bunch of essential plugins and integrations that are common to all the platforms. But your platform of choice should be the one that has an active community and supports plugins and integrations relevant to your business.

How important is the pricing of the platform?

Price of an Ecommerce platform depends on multiple factors like design, setup configuration, custom development, maintenance, and so on.

The per month cost of Shopify platform starts from $9 and goes till $299 whereas Volusion starts from $15 and goes upto $299. Shopify is a perfect choice if you are looking for multiple features and add ons in your app. You can select Volusion for a more selling-focused experience.

BigCommerce has the highest starting price of $29.5 followed by 3dcart at $29. BigCommerce is one of the best platforms for SEO considerations. 3dCart is a feature rich platform that builds and manages online stores real well.

Conclusion

Before you zero in on any platform, match your website’s specific needs with the platform’s features and estimated cost. Ecommerce platforms can also utilize AI, VR, Chatbots, and Blockchain to help your online business stay relevant.We know how important it is for you to get things right as your business is in question. If you’ve any doubts related to Ecommerce platforms and if you need assistance developing one then feel free talk to us here.