Mobileprogramming

mobileprogramming

We are building an exciting startup that aims to revolutionize mobile app development with our new AI-powered platform. Usually, creating mobile apps requires extensive coding skills and resources; with Swiftspeed, anyone can build fully functional apps simply by answering a few questions. app builder The key to our offering is the newly released groundbreaking AI technology. Our platform can take basic inputs and preferences from users and then automatically generate complete mobile apps. This has the potential to open up app development to a whole new segment of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individuals with ideas for useful apps but without the means to code them. While website builders like WordPress and no-code platforms already exist, Swiftspeed is the first comprehensive app development solution of its kind. Our early reviews have cited Swiftspeed's app development tool's ease of use, flexible features, and speed as major advantages to competitors. The AI builder allows error-free app development in days or weeks rather than the months of work typically required. This gives Swiftspeed the potential to truly democratize app development. With mobile apps becoming integral for businesses and brands of all sizes, we aim to make app development accessible for organizations that have previously struggled with the costs and complexities involved. We will represent a breakthrough in enabling any idea to become a fully functional app quickly, affordably, and intelligently. The Problem With Traditional App Development Traditional app development can be an extremely time-consuming and expensive process. Developers must manually code apps from scratch, which requires substantial technical expertise and resources. Here are some of the key challenges with traditional app development: It is a lengthy process, often taking months or even years to build an app with a traditional approach. Developers must code each feature and function, integrate APIs, build the user interface, and test extensively. This makes launching a new app slow and difficult. The costs are very high, with the average mobile app costing $250,000 to $500,000 or more to develop. Complex enterprise apps can cost millions of dollars. These high costs put app development out of reach for many organizations. Significant technical expertise is required, so companies must build large development teams with skills across multiple platforms and coding languages. This level of talent is expensive and in short supply. Iterating and adding features is time-consuming, as developers must manually update code each time. This makes it hard to adapt apps quickly to changing user needs. Human error can cause bugs, crashes, and security vulnerabilities. Extensive testing is required to ensure quality and reliability. Designing a polished, intuitive user interface requires a specialized skill set. This further increases costs and project timelines. Summarily, while traditional coding yields extensive customization options, it comes with steep price tags, long timelines, scarce developer talent, and significant risks. There is an urgent need for faster, more affordable app development. How Swiftspeed's AI App Builder Works Swiftspeed's AI allows anyone to create custom mobile apps without coding. The proprietary technology was developed over 5 years by a team of engineers and AI experts. app creator At the core of the platform is a powerful AI agent that transforms app requirements into full-fledged apps. Users simply describe what they want their app to do through a conversational interface. The AI asks clarifying questions and suggests relevant features to build a comprehensive app specification. Once the specification is complete, the AI generates optimized code and assets on the fly to build a production-ready cross-platform mobile app. The system handles all the complexities of mobile programming, from database setup to UI design, to deliver a polished app tailored to the user's needs. Our sophisticated mobile app features and templates also allow for manual customizations, enabling app developers to fine-tune the app to their branding taste. Swiftspeed combines rule-based reasoning, statistical machine learning, and neural networks to "learn" app development. Our knowledge base comes pre-trained with thousands of app examples across every app category imaginable. The platform converts basic app descriptions into sophisticated software. The AI handles everything from wireframing and prototyping to writing, testing, and compiling code. It integrates with popular and services to enable advanced functionality. APIs The end result is a unique custom app that matches the user's vision without requiring any specialized skills. Key Benefits and Advantages Here are the several key benefits of using our AI tool compared to traditional app development methods: Faster App Development Swiftspeed develops mobile apps in a fraction of the time required for traditional coding. Whereas manual coding can take months or years for complex apps, our tool can generate full apps in minutes and deploy them across Google Play and the App Stores in Minutes. This accelerated timeframe is possible because the AI handles much of the grunt work involved in coding, freeing up developers to focus on higher-level design and customization. Lower Costs By automating parts of the development process, we drastically reduce the manhours required for coding. This directly translates into lower costs compared to outsourced or in-house development teams. Swiftspeed offers fixed-price app development with full transparency into pricing. There are no hidden fees or surprise overages. Higher Quality Apps AI-generated code often has fewer defects than human-written code. Our AI app creator also integrates best practices and avoids common coding pitfalls, resulting in more stable, higher-quality apps with fewer bugs and security vulnerabilities. The AI can also ensure apps meet the latest standards and app store regulations. Examples and Case Studies - Apps Built With Swiftspeed Swiftspeed app builder has already been used to develop some impressive apps across a variety of industries and use cases. Here are just a few examples: Educational App An education technology company , has launched an e-learning app tailored for students and educators, offering features like interactive course material, real-time progress tracking, virtual classrooms, and a collaborative forum for discussions. aptLearn The app enables enhanced interaction and learning continuity between students and educators, regardless of their location. Role-based access control is implemented to maintain a secure learning environment for all users. Moreover, this app's backend is fortified with advanced integrations to ensure. Ride-Hailing App A budding rideshare startup utilized Swiftspeed's design capabilities and ride-hailing templates to effortlessly create a custom app emulating popular services like Uber. This app interfaces with GPS tracker systems to monitor user trips and integrates with third-party payment gateways for seamless transactions. Users can access various ride options, estimate costs, track their rides in real-time, and share their experiences on social media. An E-Commerce App An e-commerce business launched a sophisticated app designed to optimize the online shopping experience. The app encompasses features such as real-time inventory updates, order tracking, customer support, streamlined shipping schedules, and hassle-free returns processing. This innovative app fosters improved communication and operational fluency between e-commerce operations and fulfillment warehouses. Role-based access control guarantees secure and specified functionality across the company, while the app's backend, powered by robust integrations, ensures top-tier data security and consistent availability for users. Custom Community App A local community organization used Swiftspeed to build a custom app to connect members. Features include event listings, discussion forums, member directories, shared files and photos, push notifications, and volunteer signup management. The easy-to-use app improves community engagement and organizers manage it themselves thanks to Swiftspeed's intuitive interface. Swiftspeed allows users to quickly build fully featured custom apps for any industry or need with minimal technical expertise. These examples showcase the power of Swiftspeed's AI app builder in creating tailored mobile experiences. Conclusion Swiftspeed's AI App Builder is revolutionizing mobile app development. With its innovative technology, We are dramatically changing the landscape of app development and disrupting the status quo. Whereas traditional app development is slow, expensive, and requires extensive coding skills, our platform allows anyone to create a custom app in minutes. We handle all the coding in the background, helping users focus on what matters most: their business. By democratizing app development and making it accessible to more people, we have the potential to release a wave of app innovation. Our technology could also enable new apps to be created for niches and audiences not previously served, such as specialized apps for local communities, small businesses, hobby groups, and more. As AI capabilities continue to advance, we are positioned at the vanguard to enhance automated app development further. The technology holds great promise for making app development faster, easier, and more powerful. About Swiftspeed Swiftspeed was founded in 2018 with the mission to make mobile app development faster, easier, and more accessible. Based in Bell Yard, London, and led by CEO , Swiftspeed aims to democratize app development so anyone can bring their ideas to life. Akinola Abdulakeem Our humble beginnings trace back to a simple question - why should building an app require months of development and six-figure budgets? Our founder saw an opportunity to leverage AI and machine learning to simplify and automate much of the app-building process. After initial research and prototyping, We released the first version of our App Builder in 2018 and . This new innovation allows users with no coding skills to create custom mobile apps by simply describing their needs and design preferences. announced AI Integration in January 2024 The AI generates full native app source code optimized for iOS and Android and makes it accessible to customers. Within our first year, over 200,000 apps were created with the platform. Today, Our App Builder is used by small businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and Fortune 500 companies alike. Our company aspires to become the global leader in no-code mobile app development, empowering ideas and enabling digital transformation. With the pace of Swiftspeed's growth, this vision may soon become a reality.

Swiftspeed: Revolutionalizing App Development With Their New AI App Builder: How It Works

সুইফ্টস্পিড: তাদের নতুন এআই অ্যাপ নির্মাতার সাথে অ্যাপ ডেভেলপমেন্টকে বিপ্লবী করা: এটি কীভাবে কাজ করে

Swiftspeed: Revolutionierung der App-Entwicklung mit ihrem neuen AI App Builder: So funktioniert es

Swiftspeed: revolucionando el desarrollo de aplicaciones con su nuevo creador de aplicaciones de IA: cómo funciona

Swiftspeed : révolutionner le développement d'applications avec leur nouveau générateur d'applications AI : comment cela fonctionne

स्विफ्टस्पीड: अपने नए एआई ऐप बिल्डर के साथ ऐप डेवलपमेंट में क्रांतिकारी बदलाव: यह कैसे काम करता है

Swiftspeed: 新しい AI アプリ ビルダーでアプリ開発に革命を起こす: その仕組み

Swiftspeed: 새로운 AI App Builder를 통한 앱 개발 혁신: 작동 방식

Swiftspeed: revolucionando o desenvolvimento de aplicativos com seu novo AI App Builder: como funciona

Swiftspeed: революция в разработке приложений с помощью нового конструктора приложений с искусственным интеллектом: как это работает

Swiftspeed: Yeni Yapay Zeka Uygulama Oluşturucusu ile Uygulama Geliştirmede Devrim Yaratıyor: Nasıl Çalışır?

Swiftspeed: Cách mạng hóa việc phát triển ứng dụng với Trình tạo ứng dụng AI mới của họ: Cách thức hoạt động

Swiftspeed：通过新的 AI App Builder 彻底改变应用程序开发：它是如何工作的

React Native vs. Native App Development is a dilemma many developers and businesses face when they're ready to build an app. The struggle is real, folks. On the one side, there is , with its cross-platform abilities and faster dev time. On the other hand, there's promising optimal performance and access to all device features. React Native development native app development This choice can feel like standing at a fork in the road without a map. But here's some truth for you - understanding each approach deeply guide your decision-making process effectively. can Overview of React Native and Native App Development In native mobile app development, two significant players dominate the space- native app development and React Native. Comprehending these technologies is essential when designing a web or mobile app. Main Differences Between React Native and Native App Development The core difference between native technologies and these approaches is their interaction with device hardware. In essence, native apps are built separately for iOS devices using , while Android requires . This approach ensures direct access to all native functionalities on each platform. Swift or Objective-C Java or Kotlin On the other hand, , powered by JavaScript and JSX (JavaScript XML), allows developers to create cross-platform applications compatible across multiple platforms simultaneously. This 'write once run anywhere' philosophy has been at the heart of what makes react-native popular among top mobile app development companies today. React-Native Determining Factors: Performance vs Flexibility A key consideration when comparing react-native versus traditional methods revolves around performance versus flexibility. Suppose your project demands high-speed responses from complex animations. Going down the route of native programming languages might be more beneficial due to its superior interaction capabilities with underlying system resources like APIs and native modules, unique only within their respective ecosystems. If, however, rapid deployment over different platforms coupled with easier maintenance because frequent updates are critical towards achieving success- leveraging react-native's ability could prove advantageous given it uses one common codebase, making things simpler, especially during developmental stages. The Role of Budget & Time Constraints Budget constraints can also play a pivotal role; natively developing individual apps can be costlier than utilizing one common codebase through since it requires a specialized skill set per platform, potentially doubling developmental efforts time-wise. React-Native However, if budget isn't a constraint- investing in custom-built solutions via typical ways may provide better long-term returns thanks largely to their superior user experiences stemming seamless integration within respective ecosystems. This makes them particularly suitable when targeting audiences emphasizing aesthetics and functionality, such as those within premium market segments. Hence, while upfront costs may seem steep initially, potential ROI gains could make this a worthwhile investment, especially considering ever-evolving consumer expectations regarding digital interfaces today. Benefits of React Native App Development The world of is vast, with a plethora of options to choose from. One such option that has been gaining traction in recent years is React Native. But what makes it stand out? app development Cross-Platform Compatibility: The Universal Code Advantage Envision a scenario where you could craft code only once and then deploy it across multiple platforms - a programmer's fantasy. That's exactly what React Native brings to the table. This cross-platform compatibility not only slashes development time but also cuts down on costs significantly. It ensures uniformity across different versions of your application providing users with an identical experience regardless of their device type. A Streamlined Process: Efficiency at Its Best The efficiency offered by React Native extends beyond just reusing codes. Thanks to its component-based structure, the native components can be reused within projects, accelerating the entire process. In addition, it is based on , which many web developers are already familiar with. It opens up opportunities for collaboration among mobile development team members who may lack specific expertise in mobile programming languages yet have proficiency in JavaScript. JavaScript's language Rapid Iteration Cycle: Time Is Money After All If you're all about productivity, then you'll love this feature. With capability, changes made during coding can be previewed in real-time without requiring full reloads, resulting in efficient iteration cycles throughout the development phase. hot reloading No more waiting through lengthy build times associated with traditional native developments; you may see how modifications affect performance or design instantly. Broad Community Support: You're Never Alone In This Journey You might think that using something as advanced as React Native, developed by Facebook, would leave you isolated if issues arise during the development process. Still, nothing could be further from the truth. Its is globally dedicated solely to improving proficiency within this framework. Robust community support Got stuck somewhere? Chances are someone else has encountered similar problems before, making solutions readily accessible online and reducing troubleshooting time considerably. So, why wait when there's so much potential awaiting exploration? Dive into the world Of React Native today. Benefits of Native App Development In the ongoing , it's crucial to understand both sides. Let's begin by exploring the advantages of choosing native app development. React Native battle Superior Performance developed using tend to outperform their React Native counterparts' speed and performance. This is because they can directly access device hardware without additional layers or bridges, resulting in a faster response time. Native apps native programming languages and APIs Access to a Full Range of Device Features The advantage of is that developers have unrestricted access to all the features offered by iOS devices or Android platforms, such as the camera, microphone, accelerometer, etc., thus enabling them to create more feature-rich applications. native mobile app development Better User Experience (UX) Natively-developed apps offer an unmatched user experience since they adhere strictly to specific UI standards for each platform - be it – making them intuitive and easy to use for users familiar with these platforms. Android or iOS Detailed Customization Options: A significant benefit that makes React Native fall short compared to native technologies is the customization options available in the latter, from design elements like fonts & icons to intricate animations that can be customized according to your brand’s identity while developing a native application. The above indicates why top mobile app development companies prefer creating robust applications using the original tools provided natively on each operating system. While there are certainly some drawbacks when comparing React Native vs. traditional methods – like longer development time due to its complexity & cost-effectiveness issues - yet overall benefits outweigh the negatives, making this choice worthwhile, especially if you’re looking forward to delivering a superior quality product to end-users. Drawbacks of React Native App Development In the world of mobile app development, choosing between React Native and native app development can be a tough call. While React Native offers several advantages, such as code reuse and quicker time to market, it isn't without drawbacks. Limited Access to Some Native APIs and Features The first major drawback is that React Native may not have full access to all the native device features or functionalities offered by iOS devices or Android phones. This could limit your application's ability to deliver certain user experiences possible with native apps. Performance Issues in Complex Applications Secondly, while React Native applications perform well for most general use cases, they might face performance issues when dealing with complex animations or large datasets. This is because React Native operates over a JavaScript bridge that communicates with native modules, causing delays compared to direct manipulation through . native code Differences in UI Components across Platforms A third challenge comes from differences in UI components across platforms. Even though the aim of using React Native is to build cross-platform apps using one set of codes, some platform-specific discrepancies still exist, especially when considering design elements like shadows or gradients. Lack Of Custom Modules Last but not least, since many custom modules are written by developers within the open-source community rather than professional companies who maintain these libraries regularly, you may find yourself stuck if you need something very specific for your project which does not yet exist within the available pool of resources provided by the React Native community. Drawbacks of Native App Development In mobile app development, the native code approach is often praised for its performance and seamless integration with device features. Despite its advantages, native app development is not without drawbacks. While you may gain advantages in terms of speed or aesthetics when choosing native app development languages like Swift for iOS devices or Java/Kotlin for Android, there are also downsides to consider. Different Codebases For Different Platforms An additional challenge comes into play when considering different platforms - namely iOS vs. Android operating systems, each with unique programming language requirements (Swift/Objective-C & Kotlin/Java, respectively). Maintaining separate codebases can increase complexity over time as updates must be made separately for each platform. Limited shared code between IOS and Android makes react-native technology appealing due to its cross-platform capabilities. You will likely need two teams working simultaneously if you plan to launch your mobile applications across both platforms simultaneously. The Cost Implication Of Going The Native Route If we're talking about budgeting concerns, then yes, indeed. It tends to cost significantly more to build natively since it essentially builds twice the same product but is written in completely different languages catered toward specific OS ecosystems. In contrast to native languages, React-Native allows developers to write single-piece that runs seamlessly regardless of whether users are running Apple or Samsung phones, thanks to universal compatibility offered through employed by the Facebook-developed framework. Javascript the JS bridge mechanism Limited Cross-Platform Compatibility In mobile application development, where time-to-market can make or break success, one significant drawback with native apps is their limited cross-platform compatibility. These applications are designed specifically for one platform - iOS or Android - meaning separate codebases must be maintained for Android, increasing and costs. development time This constraint may lead businesses to reconsider whether investing in individual native apps aligns with their strategic goals and resource availability. Prolonged Time-To-Market The process involved in building two distinct sets of codes (or more depending upon how many OS you want to target) naturally extends the overall timeline compared single shared codebase offered by solutions such React Native framework. Longer times mean delayed product launches and possible missed opportunities, particularly in the fast-paced tech world where trends evolve rapidly and customer expectations rise exponentially daily. With all that said, though, there is no denying the power potential inherent within traditional routes despite the hurdles mentioned above; ultimately, the decision will boil factors including project scope, budget user experience priorities, among others. Maintenance Challenges Maintaining a high-quality user interface and experience within apps built using traditional methods often proves more demanding due to their reliance upon individual updates required by distinct OS providers such as Apple's iOS or Google's Android, necessitating regular codebase updates tailored according to specific system requirements - adding further layers of complication along the way. Demanding Skill Set Requirement Last but not least comes talent acquisition: finding developers proficient in languages used in native programming languages (like Swift or Java) may prove more difficult than sourcing those familiar with JavaScript-based ones, including React Native framework, thus potentially complicating the recruitment process while simultaneously driving up personnel-related expenditures even further. discusses the challenges faced when hiring Javascript developers vs. others. This HackerNoon post FAQs- React Native Vs. Native App Development: Which is better, React Native or native application development? The choice between and native app development depends on your project's needs. For cross-platform compatibility, choose React Native. For platform-specific features, go with native. React Native apps Why is native development better than React Native? Native apps offer superior performance, access to all device APIs, and the best user experience due to their direct interaction with the operating system. What are the benefits of developing an app using React Native over native development? React Native allows for code reuse across platforms, reducing time and cost. It also supports hot reloading, which enhances developer productivity. Besides cost-effectiveness through code reusability, the React Native community offers that can expedite problem-solving during app development. a large community support base Conclusion Choosing between React Native and Native App Development is crucial for your app project. React Native offers benefits like cost-effectiveness, cross-platform compatibility, and faster development time. However, it also has drawbacks, such as potential performance issues and limitations in accessing native features of the device. On the other hand, native app development shines with high-performance mobile apps that can fully leverage device-specific features. Yet, it may demand more resources due to separate coding requirements for different platforms. In conclusion, there's no one-size-fits-all answer when choosing between Native App Development vs. React Native. Making the right choice depends on your needs and constraints.

React Native vs. Native App Development: Making the Right Choice

The Easiest and Hardest Programming Languages to Learn

Programming languages have always been an integral part of automation testing, automation testers, frameworks and even job descriptions. If a legacy project is already tested using Java, the company finds people with expertise in Java for that project. Similarly, if it is a new project and you have to start testing from scratch, the first thing you take a vote on is the most common language known to your team. If nobody knows Python, you probably wouldn’t waste your time training them in it. This process is followed again when choosing a framework for testing. If the decided language is Java, you need a test automation framework supporting Java. Also, vice-versa is true for a legacy project. This list can get as long as it needs to while the conclusion remains the same that the tester becomes a bit restricted in this approach. Practically, a good tester may or may not be good at coding, but he should be perfect in observing functionalities and the application behavior. In short, he should be good at “testing”. We are . rolling into a code free era Codeless tools, as you can guess from the name, follow a similar approach. If you are good at testing software, don’t worry about syntaxes and libraries too much. In the same direction, in this post, we try to explore all the tools that work on two awesome philosophies - being codeless and being open source because software should be for everyone and by everyone. Why use codeless open source testing tools? Being a programmer myself I understand that if you are good at programming, you probably could get an urge to skip this section or maybe the entire post. But the fact is that even if we do love programming, not everybody does and especially in the test automation sector. In a survey done by Katalon with KMS technology on test automation challenges, lack of qualified resources ranked second overall. Source Not only this, . This is a huge problem and codeless tools seem to solve this. only 56% of people think that they themselves or their team has enough technical skills to automate and maintain tests Codeless tools do not require programming for writing test cases. Each tool uses a unique approach like using the English language for test cases, drag and drop UI elements or directly record-and-replay. Open-source tools work in a different domain. It is not concerned about the usage of the framework but rather the development of one. Open-source tools’ development is open to everyone. You and I both can just approach the contribution page and start contributing in whatever way we feel comfortable (given that they are currently accepting contributions). With these briefs, we can proceed towards exploring the tools that work on this combo technology of codeless and open-source. Codeless open-source testing tools The following tools offer a codeless approach with open-source methodology. Please note that the order of appearance of these tools does not resemble any type of priority. Testsigma Testsigma is a cloud-based automation testing tool that allows accelerated test development than conventional ones. With Testsigma you can directly sign-up on the cloud with no setup, or deploy locally using docker image as well as create test scripts in simple English or record user actions, auto-converted to editable steps. You can also run tests directly on the cloud on various browsers and devices. So rather than writing Webdriver driver ; String URL = “https://testsigma.com” driver .get(URL); You can just write Navigate to https://www.testsigma.com The latter one is easier to understand and remember. The platform has built-in visual testing, parametrized or data-driven testing, 2FA testing, and more advanced features for easy test automation. For mobile testing, Testsigma uses real devices and has an innovative mobile test recorder in place to save time. The recorder can convert a user’s actions into tests (in English) and vice-versa. These actions can then be saved or further edited. The tool also uses artificial intelligence for maintenance and can be run locally or on the cloud. Giving the cloud option helps Testsigma provide smooth collaboration between teams and share reports anywhere in the world with a couple of clicks. Furthermore, you can extend the platform using built-in addons and use Testsigma’s SDK to create your own custom addons. You can access Testsigma’s official to know more about it. GitHub repository Selenium IDE Selenium IDE is a codeless and open-source tool for web testing. The tool requires the user to install the extension on the browser you will be testing the web application on. Selenium IDE uses the “record and playback” philosophy in the codeless world. This philosophy asks the user to interact with the application and all these actions are then recorded by the IDE. Later, the same actions can be used on other versions or different test suites. Selenium IDE can also be used with the command line control with a few additional installations: For extending the functionality of Selenium IDE, the tester can also opt for additional plugins. They can introduce you to additional commands or extend support for third-party apps. You can access Selenium IDE’s official to know more about it. GitHub repository SikuliX The official website of SikuliX states that “SikuliX automates anything you see on the screen of your desktop computer running Windows, Mac or some Linux/Unix.” which is a powerful statement in itself. SikuliX works in a codeless way by identifying various GUI elements through image recognition technology powered by OpenCV. It does not require checking out the source code of the application making it easier to operate. SikuliX can also imitate mouse and keyboard interactions. You can access SikuliX’s official to know more about it. GitHub repository Rapise Rapise is a codeless and open-source test automation tool for web testing, mobile app testing and desktop app testing. In short, Rapise can test anything a tester wants. The tool uses record-and-playback functionality in codeless architecture and extends it to another level by providing editing capabilities. With Rapise, the tester can playback the tests in any browser with live validations during recording. It provides a spreadsheet-based editor for editing the recorded tests which look as follows: Rapise also comes with artificial intelligence-based testing technologies that self-heal the objects on change. You can also integrate data-driven tests and keyword-driven tests at the same place. As Rapise says, “You can expand your tests to multiple technologies.” You can access Rapise’s official to know more about it. GitHub repository Testproject Testproject is free-to-use but not truly open source (promoted as scriptless) automation testing tool for web, mobile testing as well as API testing. The tool works on all the major platforms (Windows, macOS and Linux) and can be used to test any browser, version or mobile device (thanks to cross-browser testing collaborations). The cloud-based infrastructure helps testers and teams work together collaboratively from anywhere. Offers add-on support for tool enhancement and integrations from various companies to collaborate and use their features from within the tool. Testproject works with the recorder and can be combined with Selenium and Appium for people who like scripting. Which codeless technique do you like the most? Codeless automation tools bring testers closer to the software without worrying about the programming language he is an expert in or the legacy testing language. Codeless testing lets the tester focus more on the observational part to find the bugs and save time, which in turn leads to faster delivery. But still, tool developers need to assign common criteria through which people would be able to test the software, if not programming. This makes every codeless tool unique. Not to mention how open-source nature brings developers together and enhances even more by contributing in every way possible. I hope after reading this post your heart must have fallen on one of the codeless testing strategies like these. If you have another codeless open-source tool on which you work, drop them in the comments. Happy codeless testing!

Popular Codeless Open Source Testing Tools

As a back-end programming language, Python is considered to be a good choice by many. On the other hand, mobile interfaces will struggle with it. Let’s explore how mobile development in Python works, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of doing so, and why it can be a good option for entrepreneurs. Many programmers are drawn to Python because of its general-purpose nature, clear and neat code, easier programming process, as well as a large number of useful libraries. Python is currently the most popular language. Python is ranked fourth among the most popular technologies, third among the languages most beloved by developers, and first, among the programming languages, developers express interest in, according to the Stack Overflow survey. Python appears to be gaining popularity as a programming language. When it comes to data analysis and web development, machine learning, and other process automation, Python is the most commonly utilized language. However, what about using Python to create mobile apps? There are just 1% of Python developers who only use the programming language for mobile app development. Even if Python isn’t as popular in mobile programming, it doesn’t mean you should ignore it if you’re doing any work with mobile apps. To help you decide if Python is the right choice for your project, we’ll go over the features that make it so popular. Features of Python Increased efficiency as well as greater adaptability in the development process. Easy to understand and understandable syntax if you plan to control development or design your own application or website. It is easy to integrate with other languages such as Java, PHP, and the .NET framework. Due to the open-source nature of the platform, the ecosystem is always growing and evolving. All kinds of data manipulation libraries can be found. What to expect when using Python in mobile app development is discussed here. Also, be familiar with the capabilities of Python for mobile applications development. Python as a Backend Python is a popular choice for server-side programming. For their complex back-end processes, IT behemoths like Instagram, Dropbox, Reddit, Pinterest, Mozilla, and Spotify use this simple language. Django is a Python framework used by Instagram engineers to build their backend applications. The following are some of the reasons: Speed to market is now more crucial than performance speed in today’s competitive market. Allowing the development team to focus on user-facing features, it’s easier to get up to speed and push out the product. As a result, it is easier to hire new employees; Python is a favorite among engineers. Despite the fact that Python is most commonly associated with web programming, it may also be used for server-side development for Android and iOS. The functionality of everything will be the same. Team members typically select between Django and Flask when discussing Python frameworks or Python mobile app frameworks that they use. To construct basic and easy-to-learn python applications is indeed the best option. Django is a Python-based open-source web framework. When it comes to backend apps, the major goal of Django is to make them as fast as possible to develop. It is a technological advancement that is extremely reputable. This framework has been used by numerous large corporations to produce their products, and development and support for it are not expected to stop any time soon. Microframework Flask doesn’t need any specific tools or libraries to work. Python developers that want lightweight frameworks can benefit from Flask, which lacks features such as database abstraction and form validation. The fact that Flask is lightweight and the chance of discovering Flask security issues is low may be an advantage of utilizing this framework. Benefits of Python for Backend The development process is substantially accelerated by the use of simple syntax. There are no concerns with variable types or casting that you would have to deal with in other languages. In web development, Python provides the graphical user interfaces that are needed. The syntactical structure of Python makes it easier to read. In other languages, such as C or Java, it may be difficult to grasp the code because of the different coding patterns. As a team developer, Python is a good choice for enhancing both understanding and productivity. If you don’t want to use an external library or package, Django is a ‘Batteries-included’ package. Everything you’ll require is included. Do you wish to keep track of your activities? There’s a solution for that. Logs? Simply insert this line. What is cache management? You’re good to go now that you’ve added this one. Python integration libraries like Cython and Jython make it easy to cross-platform with other languages like C/C++ and Java. Drawbacks as a Backend Python is an interpretive programming language. Consequently, when it comes to developing applications that require massive layers of sophisticated calculations, it has a somewhat poor performance. For scalable projects in general, Python is not the ideal choice. Because Python has a Global Interpreter Lock (GIL), which prevents it from running many threads at the same time, large projects frequently require multiple tasks to be completed simultaneously. Python uses dynamic typing. For large projects with growing development teams, dynamically typed languages are not appropriate. Growing in complexity and difficulty to maintain over time, the system gradually becomes unmanageable as it expands. When Should You Use Python? The only requirement for developing an app in Python is the speed of development or a small budget, which may be met by using the Python programming language. Because of the many frameworks that are available, the succinct code, and the fact that it is dynamically typed, development expenses can be reduced and applications can be produced more quickly. Calculators might help you better understand how much you’re spending on apps. Data analysis for a mobile app that requires speech and facial recognition systems, picture processing software and neural networks, and machine learning systems. For enterprise software applications, Python is one of the most popular languages due to the fact that it can be easily integrated into the existing Java, PHP and.NET frameworks. Python as a Frontend Both Android and iOS do not officially recognize Python as a language for mobile development since it lacks native mobile interface features. A number of Python frameworks can be used for this purpose, though. Among the most popular are Kivy and Beeware, respectively. Kivi is a Python framework that runs on a variety of operating systems and platforms. Native controls and widgets are not attempted by Kivy. There are no pre-made widgets in this app. All Kivy programs will now look the same regardless of the operating system they are running. This implies that your app’s look and feel will be different from your user’s native apps, but that’s fine. Depending on your audience, this may be a gain or a drawback for you. You don’t have to recompile your code every time you make a change to your code when you’re building apps in python. However, the BeeWare framework provides native interfaces for iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Web, and tvOS platforms. Disadvantages as a Frontend The fact that Python is an interpreted language (as previously stated) means that its processing speed is slow. As a result of the use of dynamic structures in Python, it consumes more memory space than other programming languages do. When working on a project with memory constraints, it’s not the best tool to utilize. This area of Python development has a weak developer community. Thus, finding tutorials answers to your problems, and code solutions on the Internet has become more complex. The graphical capabilities of Python are limited. In comparison to native mobile languages like Java, Kotlin, and Swift, the Kivy framework lacks numerous functions and platform-specific features. Python for Mobile QA Testing In mobile testing, Python is utilized. Python for mobile apps provides the required infrastructure for better testing processes, ranging from manual testing to automated solutions. Core Python tools from the open-source framework can be used for both unit and integration testing. Python, for example, can be used to test mobile applications for geolocation by using geolocation testing. The integration testing tools offered to coders allow them to verify only coding errors or the complete codebase. To begin with, Python has a low barrier to entry, making it a popular choice among QA automation specialists. It also has a vibrant developer community, has an intuitive syntax, and is easy to read. Uses in Mobile Development The finest Python use cases for mobile back-ends have already been discussed in detail. The following are some general mobile front-end and back-end usage examples. Apps that don’t require a lot of resources and don’t require a lot of performance. Prototyping with Python is a great way to get started. You can get feedback and iterate much more quickly with Python than with other programming languages because it takes less time to build a project with Python. In reality, developing desktop applications using python is simple. Minimum viable product development (MVP). There are more chances to get into the market early because of the pace of Python mobile app development. Having the ability to run your software on any of the most popular operating systems is also a benefit. Conclusion We hope that we have been able to answer your question on how to create an app in Python. Mobile app development with this is rare, but it can be quite beneficial in specific situations. According to the project’s goal, it varies. Startups benefit from using this language. You can locate developers even if you have a limited budget because the language is simple to learn and widely used. Juniors and interns are good examples. It’s also a great way to try out your app ideas by constructing an app. In data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, Python is the finest choice of programming language. AI and ML bots built-in Python, for example, can be incorporated into a Java project. Because Python is not designed for this type of application, using Python for mobile apps is rarely a smart choice for a mobile app front-end. Kivy and Beeware, on the other hand, are promising initiatives. Perhaps a Python mobile app framework for Android or iOS development will be developed sometime. It’s nearly hard to anticipate what will happen in the future because of the rapid pace of technological change. Also published here Stay Connected!

Should anyone build a Mobile App in Python?

Is it possible to write programs on a mobile phone without experiencing pain, hatred, and powerlessness? When we created CodeGym, a practice-oriented online course for learning Java programming, we doubted it. However, times are changing, and technologies are changing. In this article, we are going to talk about how we created the mobile version of CodeGym and what it led us to. Lack of Mobility was a Problem We constantly received feedback from users. They were satisfied with the course, but somewhere in the 4–5 years of CodeGym’s existence, users started to request for the mobile application. There were not so many such requests, but enough to start the research. According to it, a lot of CodeGym students read lectures on their way to work or to study. Later at night, they log into the system from a computer, most often for coding tasks. It was our first hint but we doubted that it’s possible to code from a mobile phone with convenience. So we postponed this idea for a couple of years. However, microlearning has become more and more part of our lives. Thus, the MarketsandMarket agency that by 2024 the global microlearning market will increase by 13.2%, which will amount to $ 2.7 billion. assumes Microlearning is a format for presenting course information, where the course program is divided into modules according to the formula “1 module — 1 thought — 1 skill”. Each lesson is a concentrate of useful information, calculated on average for 10–15 minutes of a student’s time. By the way, when CodeGym lectures were first created, they were quite suitable for the microlearning format and were considered brief. Now, to be honest with you, micro-lectures is understood as an even more concentrated format. By trying to be part of the trend, we also released a few brief videos that covered some Java topics, but that was not enough. The requests for the mobile application continued, and after a while, we began to slowly explore this market. What’s on the Market for Mobile Programming Courses? We knew that it’s easy to read lectures from a mobile phone on the web, so developing an application just for lectures wasn't worth it. The main question was: is it possible to create a really convenient mobile development environment for learning programming? One that would help not waste time, and use your free 5–10 minutes on the road to learn to write code in a convenient way, so that a student wouldn’t want to smash the cellphone into the wall out of disappointment. IDE or Integrated Development Environment is an application that includes a set of tools programmers need for their work. It is used to write code, compile or interpret it, run it, debug it, and automate the build. In the case of the educational mobile IDE, we were interested in writing and compiling code, launching a program, and issuing validator comments To begin with, we explored the solutions that other programming courses had. Basically, at that time, there were multiple-choice tests. Since we are a course about practice, we considered such tests to be purely optional. However, we found some decent mobile IDE, such as Grasshopper and several others. There were exciting ideas for ​​hints in this app: you don’t write letter-by-letter code, but have some pieces of puzzles with pieces of code in them, and they have to be assembled in the correct order. The idea is really interesting, since it allows you to code with one finger, but we were embarrassed that there were only suitable pieces for a specific task. This approach doesn’t help to learn programming well enough: it’s a puzzle, but not a real program creation. You know, programming is still a process of creation that demonstrates not only knowledge but also creativity and ingenuity. Mobile IDE: What should it be? So if we come up with a mobile IDE and it will be convenient from the UX point of view, it makes sense to develop the whole CodeGym application. It will be much easier to adapt to the rest of the course, such as lectures and tasks, and we’ve got how to do this. We considered that code typing from the virtual keyboard letter by letter is still needed. It just shouldn’t be the main mode but complement the puzzles mode. However, the pure puzzles we described above didn’t suit our course, and we figured out how to improve this approach. First, parts of the code were split into groups (punctuation marks, operators, methods, and so on). Secondly, not all “puzzles” were suitable for the solution. Of course, if you load all possible code elements according to this principle, it will be inconvenient to search for the desired element. Hence, the set that the student sees on the mobile screen differs from task to task. The important thing is that not all the options were correct, there were more pieces of code than needed to solve a specific task, so the student needed to scratch the back of their head a little. Also, if a student learned some new way of solving a coding task before reading about it in lectures, and the shown code elements did not cover this new way, they can always switch to the usual letter-by-letter input mode. So, switching from one mode to another gives a user both flexibility and convenience. Thus, theoretically, students could, in 10 minutes during a trip or in a queue to the dentist, reflect on the problem and solve it using one finger. Prototype Development and Testing This approach seemed promising and we developed a clickable prototype for testing. This prototype had no design, just clickable cards with explanations of what was going to be located where. We selected a group of CodeGym students from different levels and prepared a questionnaire for them. For example “you need to open a task in the application, what will you do?”. After collecting their answers, we corrected the prototype and began to create a UI based on it, and also tested it for a month and a half. I’ll go back a bit and say that we expected the application to be just part of the ecosystem of the course, and it will be used by people who are already familiar with the web version of CodeGym. So, we created the first UI keeping this in mind. Choice of Technologies: Android When development started, we still considered the mobile application to be purely an add-on, so we couldn’t afford to allocate many people to develop it. Moreover, we were in no hurry and still working on improving the idea for our mobile IDE. So we decided to develop only an Android application, and later, if successful, tackle iOS. Why Android? It’s simple. First, we already have a ready-made team of Java developers who also know Kotlin and Android well. Secondly, according to and many other analytical companies, as of 2018, when we started developing the app, the market share of Android mobile phones exceeded 80%. Thirdly, a testing ground for the app was the Eastern European Russian language version and the percentage of Android users in this version was even higher. So we hired another Android developer, brought in a UX/UE designer, and got down to work. Statista Development and Testing of the First Version It took a little less than a year to develop an app from the rendered layouts to the launch of the test version on Google Play. The first mobile CodeGym contained neither lectures nor other sections of the website. There was only access to the coding tasks and a mobile IDE. For closed testing, we selected about 2,000 CodeGym students, created a special group on our website, and posted a list of questions about UX, UI, convenience, etc. They actively used the application and answered questions, communicated with each other and the developers. Two weeks later we collected all the questionnaires, aggregated them into a table, and talked with the most active participants in person. We also collected crash data across devices using Firebase Crashlytics, a lightweight crash reporter from Google. In addition, we tracked the percentage of people who opened a task, solved it, and sent the solution for review. According to our internal metrics, this number turned out to be higher than we expected, and this process took place quickly enough, which is undoubtedly a good indicator. We had a fear that using a mobile application would be too tedious and significantly slow down future programmers in achieving their goals. Fortunately, we were wrong. After collecting all this data, including comments on UI, UX, and bugs, we categorized and prioritized them, and started working on improvements and bug fixes. After that, we launched an official release of CodeGym Mobile. Other Aspects of the Mobile App The second most important task after Mobile IDE was the adaptation of the Help section. We needed to make it convenient for the user to ask a question from the phone in one click. That is, just like on the CodeGym website, if users can’t solve a task, they could click on the Help button. This action leads to the creation of a topic with their code and task condition attached. So the user should only write a heading question and press the Send button. After solving this task, we gradually transferred the entire course to a mobile format. Our Mistakes In fact, there weren't many serious mistakes at the strategy level, since we acted deliberately and were in no hurry. We did not have a task to quickly release the application, to occupy some niche or something like that. However, at first, we were clearly too clever with statistics. In order to understand whether the interface is effective, we did a number of UX tests, but since we had a very small sample, we decided to use analytical tools for all possible user scenarios, literally for every click on a button, every scroll. We sent everything into the database and stored it there. The mistake was that we made all this data very complicated, collected a bunch of statistics, and didn’t quite understand how to use it. We didn’t think beforehand about how to summarize the information received. Of course, there were a lot of technical bugs. It would be weird if they were not there :). Well, a pleasant mistake was that we somewhat underestimated the capabilities of the mobile application: it turned out that not only those who already know our website but also new users who find it through Google Play are trying to use it. Recent Improvements We thought that an app without a website had no value in its own right, that it was an add-on to an ecosystem. However, it turned out that there are users who liked our approach and they learn ONLY in the application. Since the interface was tailored for people who know CodeGym, we began to research what might be incomprehensible to newcomers. There were quite a few people who figured out everything and used CodeGym for free (for a long time in the application it was possible to study for free). As it turned out, some users didn’t even know that there was such a website. Nevertheless, we slightly changed the interface and developed an onboarding tour: a user enters the application, a pop-up window appears with explanations of locations and how the course should be taken, and tested different versions of it. In a word, we tried to improve the product itself to make it easier for a person at the very beginning. One of the most recent and most ambitious changes is the introduction of a user-responsive course. This feature appeared on the “big” CodeGym a little bit earlier. When users enter the application for the first time, they are asked what language they want to study in, what is the goal of the learning (to become an android developer, Java developer, etc.). Now, the user is proposed to take a small theory test, which can be skipped if they have never studied Java before. After this procedure, the user clicks on the “Get a course” button and a conditionally personal version of the course is generated. Also, we recently introduced an “app-only” subscription that costs less than a website subscription (website subscription, of course, includes access to a mobile app). As it turned out, many students are ready to study in mobile format only. Results and Plans for the Future The trends in mobile learning and microlearning are inextricably linked. Mobile learning is the fastest growing trend in EdTech (growing 23% annually), so we made the right choice when we listened to our users and started developing the CodeGym app. We managed to develop a really convenient mobile application for learning Java by doing. Considering that programming is a sea of ​​code, we think this is a great result. Mobile CodeGym has really accelerated students' learning and increased product satisfaction. It is very important that the mobile application has led to the fact that there are fewer long (at least two weeks) breaks in learning. As we’ve researched, long breaks are one of the biggest enemies of online learning and the root cause of most potential programmers’ failure. We constantly support the Android application, listen to users, fix bugs, and think about improvements. We are currently developing a version of CodeGym for iOS which is now at the prototyping stage. Perhaps in the future, we will develop a short video format and think about organizing effective voice input in the IDE. First published here

How We Created a Mobile Tool For Learning Code

Without a doubt, assuming you have such expert gear for shooting as a drone, you have a ton of extraordinary shots in stock that simply should be made impeccable. They are diamonds in the rough waiting to be discovered after editing and completing a hypnotizing video. Before you begin distributing your recordings, either for your blog or for your undertaking, you would want to commit yourself to the video-altering process. After that, you can devote your time to video optimisation . In this article we'll share the best video editing programming choices. Various programs have a particular arrangement of tools and capacities available to you. That is why we will inform you about the best solutions that can be utilised  by novices and experienced clients. Best video editing software for drone footage For newbies iMovie Assuming you have a PC on Mac OS, this program is ideally suited for fledgling clients. You don't need to focus to sort out a complex practical set. Supposing you have a film in stock that you might want to improve, this is a perfect choice. This program is great for start-level editing as it has explicit clues to assist you with exploring the editing apparatuses. You are going to crop your video and name titles, add music and apply effects. The program is the right choice for high resolution videos. Surprisingly fast, you will be able to feel like an expert who will master the ability to change settings, adjust transitions, slow down, or speed up shots. Windows Movie Maker It is an extraordinary program for the Windows OS that is not difficult to utilize. Here you can eliminate undesirable backgrounds, add music tracks, tweak titles and make excellent transitions in your file. Unfortunately, newer versions of the operating system no longer have this program in the standard set, but you have the opportunity to download it on the Internet. GoPro Studio This free video-altering programming has been delivered to make flawless video files with many highlights. GoPro Studio can be utilized on two OS: Windows and Mac. There is an adequate clear interface and you don't have to possess a GoPro camera to edit your videos. This program has a standard altering suite to help novices ace editing. Resize videos, add awesome effects, and use a variety of formats to upgrade your files. What's more, you can change tones and control immersion with a wide scope of cutting-edge choices. Shotcut It is free software that offers a starter base of tools for hobbyists. In Shotcut, you can handle a wide variety of video formats, which sometimes even professional programs do not have. The program is compatible with operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. The interface is rather complicated, but each user gets the opportunity to customize it to suit his needs. Thus, you will remove all unnecessary and leave only those tools that you will use. This program works great even on older devices. For middle-level users WeVideo This product will assist you with drawing nearer to the high-level use in a brief time frame. Here you can change the background for your videos using the green screen. You can alter different video designs and not sit around idly hanging tight for downloads. Clients will want to try an immense setting base of free editing components. It can be used on any gadget. With cloud storage, you don't have to stress over extra space for enormous video documents. The program provides service packages for different types of users. A standard package of services for creating half-hour clips in 720p HD resolution costs $10. More advanced service packages can be purchased for $16 and $40 per year. You can also purchase a commercial video production package for business organizations where up to 3 users can simultaneously edit for $70 per year. DaVinci Resolve Another option for advanced users, which is widespread in the film industry. Compared to Adobe's product, DaVinci Resolve can handle fewer formats. It also lags a little behind in that you cannot adjust titles here. However, its powerful advantage lies in the fact that here you can work professionally with color solutions. By purchasing this software, you will be able to support certain plugins that allow you to work with video files in 3D. You will also have the opportunity to work with several users at the same time. Lightworks Perhaps the most remarkable editor upheld the 3 most used OS. This editorial manager has been created to make superb Hollywood blockbusters. Prior to buying the program, you can test the free demo and find out the arrangement of settings and apparatuses. The program upholds video altering with SD, HD, 2K, 4K resolution. You are offered to overlay music tracks, add enhanced visualizations, stunning effects, and titles. Benefits incorporate the capacity to synchronize pictures and sound, add multi-facet enhancements, and modify the toolbar. The full set-up of instruments can be bought for $240 each year and get two free months. For experts Movavi Video Editor Movavi Video Editor is the best programming tool to exploit various expert devices to make dazzling video files. In this drone video editing programming you can pick enhancements, find ready-made video intros, and change the background. The easy-to-understand interface contains all modern settings and capacities. You just need a couple of moments to comprehend the recommended settings and begin making proficient movies. Additionally, it is possible to make videos even if you are out of town without access to the Internet. Adobe Premiere This product offers a huge load of settings for expert use. That's a great choice if you are going to tune in to the workflow and embody your most creative and non-standard ideas. This program permits you to deal with video documents of any arrangement, even 8K video. By buying this product, you will want to use an application that permits you to alter files on your mobile device. You can improve your videos with shading settings, change the balance of tones and tints, apply or eliminate shadows, and appropriate the addition of special visualizations. Proficient bundles start at $21. You can pick a plan for your use and business associations and partake in the process without limitations. Final Cut Pro It is an advanced software for experts. An enormous number of well-known movies have been altered in this program. The program permits you to work with HDR video. Furthermore, it offers brilliant solutions for working with shading adjustment and sound altering. The fundamental benefit of the is its performance. The program utilizes multi-core processing, which guarantees no halting when working or previewing. Final Cut Pro Conclusion With countless drone shots in stock, you can make extraordinary motion pictures on account of an assortment of video editing programming. Beginners will want to roll out every one of the improvements of iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, GoPro Studio, and FilmoraPro. Clients who comprehend essential instruments will want to upgrade their videos with software like Wevideo, Wondershare Filmora, and Lightworks. Experts will profit from a large group of inventive apparatuses in the Movavi Video Editor, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut Pro.

Best Programming Languages to Start Freelancing 

Programming is one of the most relevant skills to learn if you want to stay up-to-date in the modern-day job market. , the demand for tech specialists is skyrocketing — by 2030, we will be over 85 million professionals short to cover the needs of the field. According to statistics If you decided to start a journey in software development, you might get turned off by hundreds of tutorials, courses, and resources. Java, for one, has so many learning materials to offer — yet, students often struggle to prioritize them and end up burning out because they took on too much too soon. In this post, I will take a look at my y courses for Java learners — you’ll find out how much time they take to complete, what are their advantages and drawbacks, and how to fit these into one systematic curriculum. Before We Begin: Why You Should Learn Java There’s an ongoing debate in the programming community as to which language a student should learn when he has the basic hang of and . From to and , developers suggest different starting points for programming students. HTML CSS C++ Python Golang Personally, I’ve always been a part of Java-as-the-first-language-gang, and here is why: . Placing second on the TIOBE Index and offering developers over 28,000 job openings (according to Indeed), this is the language you will definitely end up using once you learn it. Java development positions are well-paid as well — a median software engineer’s salary is . Java is popular over $79,000 per year . If you want to learn a language that would empower your own business, Java is the right fit. On its own, it’s capable of handling a wide range of tasks — web and mobile apps, big data projects, servers, GUI, and many others. Although JS, libraries, and frameworks, are a logical continuation of a Java developer’s journey, understanding the basic syntax of the language can get you pretty far. Java is universal . Being one of the poster cases for object-oriented languages and one of the earliest programming languages ever released, Java inspired the creators of multiple other technologies. C#, for one, has repurposed Java’s syntax — once you know one, it’ll be much easier to learn the other. Why is this important for Java learners? In a nutshell, after learning Java, you will have an easier time cracking other OOP languages — C, C++, and C#, , and others. Java is fundamental JavaScript . From IDEs to APIs and libraries, the language has plenty of room for added functionality. Learning the language gives you a lot of freedom in managing interfaces, not to mention the ability to copy code fragments from libraries, reducing development time. In my experience, Java’s toolset makes the language extremely convenient and efficient. Java has a rich toolset Top 5 Courses Every Java Learner Should Check Out Now that I covered the key benefits of learning Java and you are confident about committing to mastering the language, it’s time to talk about learning resources. Personally, I enjoy learning using online courses — I’ve found more than a handful of well-structured and interactive ones. Here are my favorite learning resources that both Java developers and advanced learners can learn a ton from. 1. Codegym : , Platforms supported desktop Android : Pros Based on practical coding tasks Covers beginner and advanced Java topics User-friendly mobile app for learning on the go Virtual mentor The active community of Java learners Well-structured curriculum : Cons No iOS app Does not support other languages than Java A limited number of lessons are available for free Codegym is a Java learning platform that offers an in-depth look at the programming language. Learning programming might seem boring — however, there’s no other way to process the concepts of the language other than by doing. If you are anything like me — juggling a full-time job and other commitments, setting time aside only to code sounds too good to be true. That’s why being able to code on a smartphone, with a built-in IDE comes in handy. Other than that, Codegym is gamified — all classes are grouped in levels. The desire to level up as fast as possible is a powerful motivation that keeps you going through the highs and the lows of Java learning. Main features: Access over 1200 engaging lectures Get task grades instantly Spend as much time studying as you can with small-size lectures Choose content depending on your skills — there’s a wide selection both for beginner and advanced Java learners Complete a basic Java syntax course for free. 2. Java Certification Training on Udemy : , , Platforms supported desktop iOS Android : Pros 10+ courses for developers with different proficiency levels Available for smartphones All programs are detailed : Cons No systematic approach to language learning Not all courses are on the same quality level Limited teacher-student connection As one of the largest online education platforms out there, Udemy has a broad selection of Java courses. Here are my favorite certification programs the platform hosts: . If you are considering to take the Oracle Certified Associate test, this is a go-to program to try out. Here, you will find dozens of quizzes and practice tests that cover basic Java syntax concepts, API handling, OOP, and other topics you might get questions on the exam. There are four practice quizzes, each of which has 70 questions. Completing these will definitely give you more awareness of your skill. OCA Exam simulation . This is a more generic program — and although it doesn’t give you an in-depth understanding of Java, it does a good job of laying out a curriculum for programming students. The course offers 20 modules — on average, each section has 6–8 lectures. Java Programming Step by Step . This program introduces programming students to Java testing — widely used tools, best practices, and different types of cases. The course covers both beginner and advanced programming concepts (such as parameterized, repeated tests, or assumptions). JUnit Test — Java Unit Tests for Beginners Main features: Wide range of courses Structured programs, published by Java experts The cost of learning materials ranges from $10 to $100 Available for mobile platforms 3. Java Fundamentals by Pluralsight : , , Platforms supported desktop iOS Android : Pros Grounded introduction to the concept of SOLID Practice-driven tasks Short number of lectures, easy to complete in a few days : Cons Doesn’t cover object-oriented design Isn’t informative for advanced learners For many students, understanding Java is limited to getting the hang of APIs and syntax. That’s why many miss out on an important concept of the language — understanding design patterns. I believe that mastering design patterns makes a huge difference in a developer’s day-to-day efficiency, reducing the amount of time needed to complete projects and keep them running after the release. That’s why I’ve been looking for a decent resource on design patterns for years and finally found this Pluralsight course. To start with, it will debunk your OOP and design misconceptions. If you didn’t know that the object with the most data should do the most work or that you shouldn’t request help from data in the first place, these are a couple of insights that already make a difference in the way you structure your work. There’s more but you might want to check them out on your own. Main features: Interactive videos and quizzes Short and concise course All concepts feature real-world examples Covers the syntax, as well as design patterns 4. Java Programming: Solving Problems With Software (on Coursera) : , , Platforms supported desktop Android iOS Pros: In-depth approach to teaching Java theory Certification for course completion Covers website management and CSV analysis, other than Java syntax basics : Cons Doesn’t offer a systemic curriculum All compiler examples feature BlueJ, not Eclipse or IntelliJIDEA Some quizzes are repetitive If you are to improve the way you are running your business and solve hands-on problems, check out this Coursera program. Other than teaching you the basics of the language, the course encourages programming students to think like developers. It features plenty of quizzes that require problem-solving and the ability to find the right tool to accomplish a set goal. learning Java Take a look at the main topics the program covers: Semantics and syntax of Java Handling strings Editing CSV files Completing a practical coding project from scratch : Main features The course is free Subtitled in different languages Students get a certificate after completing the program The course offers video lectures and quizzes for every module 5. Helsinki Java MOOC Covers Platforms supported: desktop : Pros Covers the basics of OOP and Java in a deeper detail that most programs Offers real-life applications to back up each concept Gives students a lot of analogous practice problems, improving knowledge retention : Cons 10+ modules take a while to complete Challenging for beginners Lectures are theory-based — it’s a heavy read Helsinki MOOC on Java is praised by thousands of developers all over the world. If you are a programming student, you will love this one since it follows the academic curriculum closely. Other than learning the theory of Java, you can test your skills by completing projects in a built-in IDE. Since the tasks are verified instantly, writing code and getting it graded feels like playing a game. I only wish that the course helped students use their problem-solving skills rather than just getting the “muscle memory” of Java — but, as for now, I have to accept MOOC what it is. : Main features 1000+ practical Java quizzes Grounded syntax explanation Divided into 14 parts, completing each of which takes 20 hours on average Conclusion Although the staggering number of courses and Java learning platforms you can find online can be a double-edged sword, at the end of the day, modern-day students are lucky to have so many resources to rely on. When choosing the right resources for learning, make sure the course matches your level of Java proficiency. Take your time to try out the platforms listed above and share your favorites in the comments.

Learn Java Programming Online with these 5 Top-Rated Courses

Localization means adapting your app’s translations to suite your customers’ specific country or region. Supporting multiple languages (including RTL) is a critical feature for any successful mobile app, since it opens up the user base to a much larger pool of people, and also improves the user experience tremendously. Localization in React Native could be a little tricky, which is why we are writing this tutorial. Let’s see how you can localize your elegantly. React Native apps Installation is an Expo library that is used to fetch information about the locale of the user and localize your app. It provides information about the user’s locale, timezone, region, and currency Code all of which can help you customize the user experience of your app. Let’s install this package by running: expo-localization expo expo-localization install works hand in hand with to achieve localization in React Native mobile & web apps. i18n-js expo-localization It’s a small library to provide the Rails I18n translations on the JavaScript. yarn add i18n-js is another library we will need to help us cache translations. Let’s install it as well: lodash.memoize yarn add lodash.memoize Create your translation config files Let’s assume we want to support 3 languages in our React Native app: French, English and Spanish. Let’s add a configuration json file for each of them, as follows: fr.json { : } "welcome" "Bienvenue dans le didacticiel de traduction" en.json { : ,
} //en.json "welcome" "Welcome to translation tutorial" es.json { : ,
} //es.json "welcome" "Bienvenida al tutorial de traducción" React Native Localization — The Code Magic Now that we have the config files ready and that we installed the required dependencies, let’s do the actual implementation for localizing our React Native app. Let’s create a file called and add the following code snippet. As you’ve probably guessed, at , we are using exactly the same mechanism to localize our React Native apps, which is where we got this code snippet from. Feel free to rename IMLocalized into your own original name, but we’re going with it for this tutorial (the IM prefix stands for ). IMLocalized.js Instamobile Instamobile memoize ; i18n ; * Localization ; { I18nManager } ; translationGetters = { : ( ), : ( ), : ( ),
}; IMLocalized = memoize( i18n.t(key, config).includes( ) ? key : i18n.t(key, config),
  (key, config) => (config ? key + .stringify(config) : key),
); init = { localeLanguageTag = Localization.locale; isRTL = Localization.isRTL;

  IMLocalized.cache.clear(); I18nManager.forceRTL(isRTL); i18n.translations = {
    [localeLanguageTag]: translationGetters[localeLanguageTag](),
  };
  i18n.locale = localeLanguageTag;
}; import from 'lodash.memoize' // Use for caching/memoize for better performance import from 'i18n-js' import as from 'expo-localization' import from 'react-native' export const 'es-US' => () require './es.json' 'en-US' => () require './en.json' 'fr-FR' => () require './fr.json' export const ( ) => key, config 'missing' JSON export const => () let let // update layout direction // set i18n-js config a breakdown on the functions: figures out the user’s locale and configures i18n accepts keys of string values stored in our config file and fetches their values and helps to cache the retrieved value (huge performance benefits) fetches the correct config files depending on the user’s localeCreate your views init() IMLocalized() lodash.memoize translationGetters() To test our app, let’s build a simple custom UI, in order to showcase the powerful localization component. React ; {IMLocalized, init} ; { View, StyleSheet, Text } ; {
    init(); ( <Text style={styles.welcomeText} >
                {IMLocalized('welcome')}
            </Text> )
} styles = StyleSheet.create({ : { : , : , : }, : { : ,
    }
}) import from 'react' import from './IMLocalized' import from 'react-native' export ( ) function WelcomeScreen params return < = > View style {styles.container} </ > View const container flex 1 justifyContent "center" alignItems "center" welcomeText fontSize 16 Notice the use of . Instead of providing a simple “Welcome” string to the Text component, we wrap it in an call. This is the key part of how we achieve React Native Localization for supporting multiple languages, including RTL. The app will magically display the “Welcome” string into the correct language (based on user’s device setting), rather than showing a hardcoded English string. IMLocalized IMLocalized Running your app should look like this: English Change your device’s settings to Spanish, and reopen the app. Notice how the string is now in Spanish: Spanish Change the device settings one more time, to French: French Conclusion Localizing your application is very important to reach a wider range of customers from various parts of the world. Localizing your application is not a gruesome process to undertake as we have seen above. By using our method, you can simply translate all the strings you have in our app, by wrapping them in an call. You can follow a similar pattern in all the other mobile programming languages, such as , or . IMLocalized IMLocalized Swift Flutter Kotlin Adding support for multiple languages (including RTL) is pretty straightforward once you set up the infrastructure groundwork. Simply wrapping the hardcoded strings into a translation method is enough.

Localizing Your React-Native App [A How-To Guide]

150 Top Rated Programming Courses To Kickoff 2019

According to a recent Capgemini survey, of QA teams admit to relying heavily on manual testing. While technology doesn’t yet allow us to stop manual testing altogether, it’s still an interesting statistic. Test automation exists to reduce the big-project testing process that can’t be possibly done by a human. It will notice details that humans can miss, especially on repeated tests. Yes, there are elements of software, especially its interface, that machines can’t yet properly evaluate, but when it comes to bug detection and results recording, automation holds all the aces. 48 percent Any long-term engineering entails using automated testing. When it comes to performance and repeated testing, you can’t do without automation. But then why do so many development companies still rely on manual testing? . If you’re not using open source tools, it’s hard to justify testing automation benefits. A lot of organizations simply lack the budget to acquire new software, train their employees or hire more staff, and update hardware for successful automation. It’s hard to measure ROI when you’re working on short-term goals. Cost . Using automated testing is basically writing code to test other code. Add to that the time spent setting up and maintaining the framework, developing new skills, and the road to automation has costly tolls. Sometimes it will result in having to write code more than to actually test. Time . A lot of smaller organizations don’t or think they don’t have enough expertise to unleash all possibilities of testing tools. And that’s without considering all those who don’t care about thorough testing overall and prefer focusing on releasing the product. Even if that’s the case, you will benefit from exploring solutions, specifically designed to help you test quickly and effortlessly for no cost. Lack of expertise For a full overview of both approaches and when to apply each of them, check out our article on . If you’ve considered all drawbacks and decided that you want to invest in automated testing tools to gain all the benefits, take a look at our quick comparison table before diving deeper into each framework. manual vs automated testing Manual testers work by going through a program just like a regular user, tediously exploring all screens, trying different inputs and actions to finally detect failures and record observations. While you still need humans to detect usability problems, a machine can replace a lot of long repetitive tasks with a click of a button. But first, developers must write test cases. While manual testers are not required to be skilled at coding, automated testing traditionally assumes that . This approach requires that testers know how to code to some extent. In an Agile environment, testers and developers are not separated in different departments and their skillsets are mingled. testing scripts are written by developers However, today is on the rise. Some of the tools on the market offer testing solutions with no coding required, which allow any member of the team to perform tests. This is made possible by a tool’s ability to translate written text into the programming language, hiding code under the layer of user-friendly UI. While this may be a great solution for an organization with a limited number of developers, it’s still a pretty restricted option. Without access to code, you lose on customization and detailed feedback that’s kept in the core. It’s each company’s own decision: to opt for simple and accessible solutions or enable their employees to learn the basics of some simple language like Python. codeless testing software As we’ve defined what automated testing is all about, let’s take a look at available solutions. Selenium WebDriver We won’t even try to be original and we’ll start with probably the most classic automation testing choice of all — . It’s open source (meaning free), supports multiple programming languages, including Java, Python, C#, PHP, JavaScript, Ruby, and Perl, and runs on all three main desktop platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux. It’s a robust testing tool that directly communicates with a browser to automate. The tool’s team also offers a limited but useful for prototyping plug-in — Selenium IDE, which records your actions and uses them to test accordingly in the future. Selenium WebDriver Why it’s good: the pros of Selenium WebDriver Since its creation in 2004, the tool has acquired massive support. The community is active, rich with numerous blogs, forums, and discussion boards to help find a solution to your problem. Large community. Selenium allows you to run tests on different browsers using different machines at the same time. So, you significantly reduce the testing time, which is especially valuable for big projects. Simultaneous tests. Using , an open-source tool with the same API as Selenium WebDriver, you can utilize your Selenium skills to test mobile web, hybrid, or native apps. Mobile support. Appium Where’s the catch: the cons of Selenium WebDriver Writing scripts on Selenium WebDriver requires a technically capable engineer meaning you can’t entrust automated testing to less skilled people in your team. Not beginner-friendly. There’s no possibility to check if images are displayed or loaded correctly. You’ll have to either use another library or do it manually. No image verification. When does Selenium succeed? Regardless of its numerous competitors on the market, Selenium is still considered a standard and a solid choice for any testing project. Plus, if you’re looking for a prototyping tool requiring minimum programming knowledge, you may make use of Selenium IDE. TestComplete is one of the code-less tools that we spoke about before. It’s a proprietary software that can automate testing for web, desktop, and mobile applications. TestComplete is used for data-driven, keyword, unit, functional testing, and many more, making it a comprehensive software for daily testing. It supports a wide range of languages and frameworks including VB, JavaScript, JScript, C++, C#, Delphi, Angular, Ruby on Rails, PHP, and others. TestComplete Depending on the desired modules (mobile, web, or desktop), you can customize your pricing by choosing only desktop or only mobile testing capabilities. The license is a one-time purchase, though you’ll have to pay for maintenance annually. It retails cheaper than many other tools but it can still be pricey for starting businesses. There’s a free 30-day trial if you want to try it before you buy it. You can also buy certification or online training. Why it’s good: the pros of TestComplete A built-in editor allows users of any programming knowledge to add and delete tests, modify parameters, and change test order. Ease of use. Besides using the visual interface, you are allowed to write or edit script manually if you find the editor tool insufficient. Customization. As this is a commercial product, you can expect a high level of maintenance, customer support, and of course, updates. The documentation is also complete and you won’t have to browse through forums looking for a tip or a solution. Timely updates. While Selenium can only execute tests in a browser (and mobile apps using Appium), TestComplete supports Windows applications. Support of desktop apps. Where’s the catch: the cons of TestComplete TestComplete doesn’t allow for Mac applications testing. If you want to test iOS apps on a Mac computer, prepare to acquire some virtualization software. Though you can still test both iOS and Android apps on Windows, which applies to all frameworks we’re describing today. No Mac support. When does TestComplete succeed? If the budget allows, TestComplete can become a great tool for a team of less skilled developers. By buying modules on demand, you can customize the pricing and leverage excellent technical support. You can purchase a single license for about $4,600 and concurrent licenses for $9,000. To customize your order, you can buy each module at $2,600 apiece. Tricentis Tosca by technology company Tricentis was created with Agile and DevOps in mind. It is well-known to be an exhaustive tool for all testing needs, but it’s still easy to use it together with any testing software the company is already using. Just like TestComplete, Tosca supports mobile, web, and desktop (only Windows; Mac and Linux with virtualization tools), doesn’t require writing script but manual code writing is still possible. Tosca The sales team will help you with custom pricing though the reviews say it’s on the high side. Considering the breadth of Tosca’s capabilities, the cost may be justifiable, but you can always start with a trial to be sure. Why it’s good: the pros of Tricentis Tosca . Tosca fits perfectly in the . This is a modern approach capable of dramatically decreasing development time and running numerous tests a day. Using scheduling tools, Tosca can run test cases directly from them and then transfer the results back as an xml file. Great for Continuous Integration Continuous Integration workflow As the tool was intentionally created to be used by non-developers, it’s easy to set up and learn, allowing you to start automation tests right away. Smooth learning curve. Where’s the catch: the cons of Tricentis Tosca You won’t find a lot of community support as Tricentis’ own and Forum are the only active places to leave your message. Although the documentation is easy to navigate, you may find yourself restricted after dealing with much more popular solutions like Selenium. Limited knowledge base. Knowledge Base When does Tosca succeed? Tosca is perfect for with integration of various CI technology available. It’s a comprehensive testing tool with a low entrance point used by Accenture, Capgemini, Deutsche Bank, and many others. Agile development Katalon Studio , built on Selenium WebDriver, is considered Selenium’s logical and improved follow-on. It provides templates and common actions for keyword-driven testing, can be integrated with multiple tools for Continuous Integration, and has a rich, analytics-filled dashboard. Katalon At first glance, Katalon Studio has everything other tools lack. It’s completely free, supports web and mobile testing, runs on both Windows and Mac OS, has an active community, and a beginner-friendly UI. Let’s unpack this much-loved software. Why it’s good: the pros of Katalon Katalon hides all the complexities behind its interface but still allows skilled programmers to reach the scripting mode. Good for both pros and non-techies. Setting up is pretty easy as you only have to download additional software if you test on mobile (Appium + XCode/Node.js). Unified bundle. Katalon has a well-organized library of tutorials with images and videos to help you out. Besides the official help, you will find lots of free courses and YouTube lessons from other testers online. Abundance of tutorials. Katalon automatically transforms your testing results in handy graphs to allow you to clearly see how execution goes. Visualized reports. Where’s the catch: the cons of Katalon For now, you can write scripts only in Java and Groovy to be used by Katalon. Poor language support. Even though its knowledge base is extensive, it can’t compete with Selenium in number of users. Which means you’ll have a hard time finding updated articles and reviews. Small (although growing) community. When does Katalon Studio succeed? Katalon is actively used by startups, small and medium teams with limited tech capabilities. Even expert testers can find the tool massively useful with its long list of features and an advanced scripting mode. However, if you’re not using its paid dedicated support, Katalon is not suitable for large companies. Big projects require better and stronger support along with a more mature community, which Katalon can’t yet provide. Unified Functional Testing (UFT) , originally called QuickTest Professional, is a commercial tool by MicroFocus that was acquired by Hewlett Packard in 2006. In its report, Gartner named it one of the leaders on the market, followed by Tricentis Tosca. This collaborative and easily integrated tool allows you to execute testing using both keywords and manual scripting. It supports CI tools, provides web, mobile, and API testing, and has a smart object recognition function. UFT Magic Quadrant for Software Test Automation 2017 Why it’s good: the pros of UFT UFT makes manual testing easier by allowing developers to record previously manual tests and export them as automated ones. With its Sprinter software, you can convert execution reports to automation test cases. Automated tests from manual. UFT has a shared repository where members of you team can store artifacts, functions, and spreadsheets. Collaboration capabilities. Where’s the catch: the cons of UFT UFT uses VBScript as its scripting language. However, having a reputation as one of the easiest languages to use and code with, it may not be such a big con, especially for pros. Only one language supported. The tool is one of the priciest on the list, considering it doesn’t allow for testing desktop apps like TestComplete does. Despite being less than reasonable, it can be a huge stepping stone for many developers. A year’s seat-based license will cost you $2,500 and a concurrent one — $3,500. UFT doesn’t offer any group discounts though they may provide one in their custom enterprise package. Price. Just like several other testing tools that we’ve featured, UFT can’t be used on a Mac without additional software. Only Windows support. When does UFT succeed? Big teams can leverage its collaboration and web/mobile/API testing features when working on a larger project. To benefit from UFT and justify its price, you need an established testing framework or must be ready to set one up. Watir Despite its open source and basic nature, (Web Application Testing in Ruby) is used by such huge companies as Slack, Yahoo!, and HomeAway. Watir is limited to web apps, works only on Windows, and is targeted to executing simple and easily maintainable tests. Watir Why it’s good: the pros of Watir Watir is one the few tools that allows writing scripts in Ruby programming language. Ruby is very popular for testing since it’s user-friendly, easy to learn, and fast to code with. That’s why it may be a big plus from Ruby developers. But if Ruby is not your language of choice, there’s also a way to use Watir. Script with Java or .NET and still leverage Watir’s simplicity with its sister-software: Watij and WatiN. Choice of languages. Where’s the catch: the cons of Watir Watir doesn’t try to be something more and it seems to be fine to those who swear by it. However, it can only be used in combination with other tools. May be too simple. There are not many complaints about the software online but there’s not enough written overall. Not only is it hard to find fellow developers, the documentation and contributed content is limited to what Watir lists on its website. Small community. When does Watir succeed? Ruby developers will find Watir very enjoyable to use (unless we’re talking about Watij or Watin). As you can see from , companies of any size can successfully implement it in their testing efforts. If you want flexibility and are building your testing toolkit, Watir may be worth a try. the list of its users Ranorex is one of the most expensive and most comprehensive tools we’re covering today. It supports web, desktop (Windows only), and mobile testing, a of technologies and languages to choose from, automation both for inexperienced users and advanced testers, and customization with third-party frameworks. Ranorex very long list Why it’s good: the pros of Ranorex You can make Selenium WebDriver in the Ranorex environment and leverage the capabilities of the biggest automated testing framework. Such close integration allows Ranorex to fix all pain points Selenium still has. Selenium WebDriver integration. To successfully use Ranorex in CI development, you can easily integrate it with Jira, Jenkins, Bamboo, or TeamCity, the most common continuous integration services. Seamless integration with CI tools. Visual interface testing is a complicated task usually delegated to manual testers. Ranorex automates it by using object recognition and following different user scenarios while freeing testing staff from repetitive tasks. Complex GUI testing. It’s a fairly inexpensive tool for the amount of functionality it offers. You can grab it’s one user license for $2,800 and add additional machines and users for an extra $850. Price. Where’s the catch: the cons of Ranorex Ranorex is yet another framework that doesn’t run on Mac OS and doesn’t allow for testing Mac apps. No Mac support. When does Ranorex succeed? Brands like Siemens, Lufthansa, Cisco, Dell, and IBM trust Ranorex to automate their testing. With this tool, you can have an all-in-one environment that can be easily expanded with more popular technology. It might not be the first choice for a small development team, but companies with large budgets can safely invest in Ranorex. Final Takeaway There’s a lot to consider when choosing a testing software since most of it is costly or requires additional learning. Use our guide to filter different options and find the ones your team would love to use. Make sure you request free trials of proprietary tools to allow your testers to ease into the workflow before the official testing begins. Let’s quickly recap the key points you and your team should consider when choosing an automation tool: As you can see, not all options offer a wide range of scripting languages to choose from, so it may be a quick no from you to the tools that don’t offer your preferred technology. The market is especially small for Mac users, so you may want to consider getting a virtualization program. Platforms and languages. . You definitely want some flexibility when it comes to your testing staff. Even if you’re not yet planning to invite less skilled testers to your team, the time may come when you want your expert developers to work on more demanding projects. Select a solution that provides this freedom. Coding skills CI is becoming a norm in the development and testing world so it’s better to focus on tools that were built to work smoothly in an Agile environment. See which of your preferred scheduling tools they support and what other capabilities your team can make use of. Continuous Integration. 👏Originally published at AltexSoft’s blog: Liked the story? Clap us so more people can find it! “ Comparing Automated Testing Tools: Selenium, TestComplete, Ranorex, and more ”

Comparing Automated Testing Tools: Selenium, TestComplete, Ranorex, and more

9 Mobile App Development Trends To Watch In 2017

As Developers, we’re often met with many different technologies, all new and foreign to us, and with someone telling us it’s the next big thing and we must learn it. I’ve listened to those people for years now and I’ve found some patterns for a suitable abstraction of what types of technologies should be in your toolbox. So here there are… Firstly, I believe in the full stack dev mentality. I genuinely believe any developer should be able to do any task. That’s not to say there isn’t room for specialists, or full time certain-technology-only-developers, but I believe the best developers are the ones who mix and mingle with other technologies, bringing the patterns back to their “home” language, keep their learning skills sharp and who keep their mind open. With that said, I believe that developers should know a bit of everything, and here are the bases I’ve covered in my career. So what should be in a minimal toolbox for every good developer? A Web Framework This could be , , , , , etc, it doesn’t really matter. The point here is the idea of what a web framework should do — it create, reads, updates and deletes (CRUD) data from a database in response to a given HTTP request, and provides a suitable response. It might also kick off background tasks or add data to a queue/stream to be processed later. Ruby on Rails Node.js PHP Phoenix Perfect A Task Runner/Scheduler As mentioned above, a task runner is good for task that need to be run at some point in the future, or on a schedule. This could be Cron, , , even windows task scheduler. The idea here is to learn that some tasks need to be happen relative to time itself or relative to a request, but can be performed at a later time. As an example, processing a file upload; the response is ‘we got your file, thanks!’ but the background task could be the actual processing of the file and perhaps sending an email when the processing has finished. sidekiq Verk Queue Software This could be or or . The idea here is that some software on the backend are named “producers” and they put data on the queue to be consumed by “consumers”. This lets you start or stop more consumers based on load on your server. RabbitMQ Amazon SQS Azure Queue Storage/Message Bus Stream Software Similar to queuing, where items entering the queue are removed by the consumers, streaming software lets blobs of data flow past like a river and many consumers can react to what they see go past. This could be , etc. The difference between a queue and a stream is also important, but this isn’t the time to cover that. Kafka Amazon Kinesis A Frontend Framework This could be , , , , even ! The idea of knowing a front end framework is to learn such interesting lessons as browser quirks, trans/compilation of languages, web debugging/inspecting, responsive design, de/serialization of data and UI/automated testing. EmberJS Angular React+Redux Vue.js jQuery A Mobile App Framework While not essential, I think it’d be useful to learn at least one mobile platform, such as iOS, Android or Windows 10 Phone. It could also include , , or even . Mobile programming teaches a lot about programming with tech constraints and weighing up a lot of user experience trade offs such as small screen size, battery life and privacy. The IDE support also makes for a pleasant environment to work in. Cordova React Native Unity A Scripting Language There are times where you need something quick and dirty for a bit of scripting. This may be AppleScript, Bash, Powershell, Python or Ruby. Just something to automate a task for a one off or to run every now and again with Cron or similar. Every good dev should know when and where to write something quick and hacky, and having knowledge of how to do so is great. A Relational Database This could me , , or anything similar. The idea here to learn about how relational databases work and how records are stored and searched for. It would be good if you learned the benefits of stored procedures vs in code procedures and what kind of optimisations can be made at storing and retrieval time. MySQL PostgreSQL MS SQL Server A Non-relational database There are more and more of these, and each are optimised to do a certain task, such as for search or for time-based data. This could also include more general purpose NoSQL databases such as or . You should try to understand the difference between NoSQL databases and SQL databases (non-relational vs relational) ElasticSearch Druid MongoDB DynamoDB And that’s your toolbox! With these you could probably build anything you wanted, or contribute you almost any software business. Of course, you don’t have to learn all of them in a week, it’ll take a few years. You also don’t need to be passionate about all of them, you can pick and choose — it’s your career. There’s probably some other technologies worth mentioning that I have forgotten, so gently calmly mention them to me! Good luck :) This is the 12th post in my Junior Developer Diaries blog series. I’m writing more every week, and you can sign up to hear more and read previous posts on my website.

What Should be in a Coder’s Toolbox?

Our company has several offices. The main development center is located in regional city of Russia, Saransk. As many studios, from time to time we need new people to join our team. Today I want to share a story of how we solved the recruitment hunger with non-standard IT approach. In our main expertise is development of mobile apps. Frankly speaking, it’s something around 90% of products we develop. Historically, the main part of our development is located in Saransk city, which is not that wide actually. It’s logical, that we faced a problem with finding new employees. Heads and Hands The simplest solution is to search for new people with x2 salary offers, but surprisingly this approach didn’t work. The vast majority of people have their safe working places and don’t want to change anything or already have moved to another cities. The only solution we were left with is to train new specialists ourselves. There are some pros of course, including relatively low cost of the new employees and high loyalty to the company; but there are also cons such as no experience with working on real projects. Curriculum Our first step towards implementation of our idea laid in creation of curriculum. It may seem too bureaucratic and not necessary in the beginning, but later practice showed us that it was a great decision. For teacher and his students it’s much easier and more convenient to look at the curriculum and see what they will have on the next class or what this student has missed previously. The creation started with general list of questions that everybody who wants to develop mobile apps needs to know. For example, for iOS development the beginning of the curriculum looked like this: Development basics. iOS, XCode, HelloWorld. Objective-C. Basic information. Operators. Types of data. Variables. Arrays. Objective-C. Classes, fields, methods, properties. As you can see, this plan orients on complete novices in programming, but on this stage we also managed to get higher level students to involve and become interested in the course. Later we added more details to this plan and decided to have practical part on each lesson. Right now we write every lesson down in details. Probably, sometime this curriculum will expand to the whole professional study book. Arrangements What did it cost us to establish a school? Well, our whole investments ended on buying two 13-inch MacBook Air and time to teach lessons. Of course, the time is more valuable. For a classroom we used our lounge zone in the office. It’s way more informal than regular classrooms, that is why such studying place became a great motivation for learning (for those, who dislike boring lectures and academic style, of course). Admission Developers school logo After some preparations the time for the most important thing came — we placed an announcement about opening a school. We even had some design inspiration in process and created a logo for our school that gave our announcement more credits and interest. We had little requirements for those who wanted to study basic mobile programming. So, our student was a last year student in university that still has desire to dive deep into the profession. We had two types of announcements. One offline on tech faculties premises in universities, and another one online in our social networks where we asked to share the news among our friends and fellow groups (universities groups, groups of young developers, etc.) In the end we covered a nice audience: we had several hundreds of displays each day which is actually a big number for a regional IT-group. Interviews In the end we got dozens of emails for every platform from people who wanted to study. When we sorted it we faced the need to find the ones we want to give the admissions to. We never wanted to form big groups because such approach will be less qualified in the end. That is why we stopped on the groups for 4–5 people. In such case teacher will be able to control every student’ progress individually and all students can estimate the proper attention for everyone. In the end, we had a goal to choose ones who will be more suitable for our company. Interview was based on short personal story and programming experience together with questions why this person wanted to study mobile development. As we found out it wasn’t a problem, because we had the right number of people with basic skills applied to a study. For others we suggested to start with basics (to learn what are variables and methods are, to write ‘Hello, world!’ and come to us again in the ). programming future Lessons We had two groups of students ready (iOS and Android ones) and continued with actual lessons. As I mentioned before, we held classed in our lounge zone. We thought that 2 evening lessons per week with 1 or 2 hours will be enough, but practice taught us that there are some complex subjects you cannot fit into 2 hours lesson. That is why we rewrote our study plan in process and divided several lessons themes into two or even more lessons. The lesson itself consists of two parts: theoretical one where the teacher explains the theme on real examples, and practical one where students are divided into pair to perform a complex task for the current subject or one we taught on the previous lesson. Results In the beginning of the last year we had our first graduation. At that time our team got several new developers that are still working in our company. Some of them even have surpassed their teachers in some aspects of work. This year we are also looking for new blood joining our team and don’t want to stop on this matter. We start to plan new teaching format called IT-laboratory of web projects. If it will be interesting, we could also write about this experience later. Final In the end I want to mention that we are not the only one who started their own development school. There are various courses from other companies that are taught inside or on the base of local universities. Some time ago, even the well-known Mail.ru group established their own development school in our city. Well, we wish them luck and hope that such approach will enrich the recruitment process in our city and our company.

Experience: how we created a school for mobile developers

Over the past couple of years, I have tried to push my aging brain constantly, and one of the best ways I’ve found to do that is to try and learn a new programming language, framework or methodology every month or so, just to keep the skills sharp. I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with NoSQL databases, having cut my teeth for many decades on pure SQL systems, so I wanted to get my hands dirty with that. I’ve also struggled a little bit to get to grips with front end frameworks, and wanted to improve my skill sets in that area. Javascript So this past weekend, I decided to get ‘down and dirty’ with as well as . There is a lot of good natured banter amongst programmers about React vs Vue vs Angular etc. and I wanted to see for myself which one would suit my programming style better. I had already done a lot of work in Angular v1 with my mobile app development (using Cordova and ), and wanted to see if Angular v2 and the other frameworks I mentioned would be an easy transition. Vue.js RethinkDB Ionic Long story short, I had a bit of trouble getting my head around Angular v2, as well as React. At the end of the day, Vue.js just seemed more natural, and possibly closer to Angular v1 to me, and I found myself being able to understand concepts and start knocking together a basic app within short order. has also been in the news lately, with their , although the database itself looks like it will live on as open source. I’ve always liked the look of the RethinkDB management console, as well as the ease of installation on various platforms, so I decided to install it on my development Mac and give it a go. RethinkDB parent company shutting down The Project The big question is — what to build? I wanted to build something actually useful, instead of just another throwaway project. Then, one day last week while I was browsing around , it hit me. Hacker News Now, I love browsing Hacker News, and catching up with the latest tech articles, but one of the things that I found myself repeatedly doing was (a) refreshing the main ‘Top News’ screen every few minutes to see what people were talking about, and what had made its way to the Top 30, and (b) checking the messages that I had personally posted recently, to see if there were any replies to them, and © constantly checking my Karma balance on the top of the screen to see if there had been a mass of up or downvotes to anything I had posted. These three things seemed to be my primary activities on the site (apart from reading articles), so I decided to see if I could build a little side project to make it easier. So was born! TopHN What is TopHN in a nutshell? Well, it is basically a real time display of top news activity on your web screen. To be fair, there are already a LOT of other Hacker News real time feeds available out there, many which are far better than mine — but I wanted my solution to be very specific. Most of the others display comments and other details, but I wanted my solution to be just a ‘dashboard’ style view of the top, important stuff that was relevant to me (and hopefully most other users too). First things first, I decided to take a look at the . I was excited to see that this was based on Google’s . I had used Firebase in a couple of mobile programming jobs 2 years ago, and really loved the asynchronous ‘push’ system they used to publish changes. I debated whether to use the Firebase feed directly, but decided that No, because I was going to be doing some other manipulation and polling of data, that I didn’t want to clutter up the Firebase feed directly with more poll requests, but instead would try and replicate the HN data set in RethinkDB. HackerNews API Firebase So I went ahead and set up a dedicated RethinkDB server in the cloud. This was a piece of cake following their instructions. One the same server, I built a small Node.js app (only about 30 lines of code), whose sole purpose was to listen to the HN API feed from Firebase, and grab the current data and save a snapshot of them in my RethinkDB database. Hacker News actually publishes some really — every 30 seconds or so, a list of the top 500 articles are pushed out to the world as a JSON string. Also, they have a dedicated feed which pushes out a list of changes made every 20 to 30 seconds. This includes a list of article and comment ids that have been changed or entered in their system, as well as the user ids of any users who had changed their status (i.e. made profile changes, or had their karma increased/decreased by someone, or posted a comment etc.). cool feeds I decided to use these two feeds as the basis for building my replicated data set. Every time the ‘Top 500’ feed would be pushed out, I would grab the id’s of the articles, have a quick look in RethinkDB to see if they already existed, and if they didn’t, I would go and ask for the missing articles individually, and plop those in RethinkDB. After a few days of doing this, I ended up with tens of thousands of articles in my database. I would also sniff out the ‘changes’ feed, and scan the articles in there to see if I already had them, and copy them if not. Same with the users. Every time a user was mentioned in the ‘changes’ feed, I would grab their updated profile and save in RethinkDB. The screenshot above shows the RethinkDB management console, a really cool tool for checking server performance, as well as testing queries and managing data tables and shards. So far so good. The replicated database was filling up with data every few seconds. Now, the question was — What to do with it? I was excited to see that RethinkDB also had a ‘ ’ feature, which would publish data changes as they happened. But unlike the Firebase tools, these weren’t client side only tools, and needed some sort of server platform to engage the features. So what I decided on, was to use another Node.js app as the server back end, and use Vue.js as the front end for the interface elements. changes() I would also need to build a connection between the two using . I was a bit disappointed that there didn’t seem to be any native way to push/pull the changes from server to client without it, but hey — we are all about learning new things, and building a socket driven app was certainly something I hadn’t done before (at least not from scratch). socket.io So, end of the day, this second Node.js app would sit on a different server, and and wait for a user to visit the site. Now, users can do a couple of things. They can simply visit the top level URL of the site, and just see the Top 30 feed in real time. And I mean nearly real time. As new articles are published, or they move up and down the Top 30, the page view will bubble them up and down and show the latest scores and comment counters. If the user elected to enter in their HN username, the page would additionally also display the user’s Karma balance in real time, along with a notation for how much it has changed in the last couple of minutes. Nothing like vanity metrics to keep people excited! Also, if their username is entered, the page will show their last 10 or so comments and stories they published, so they can keep an eye on any responses to comments etc. The second Node.js server is essentially a push/pull server. It will silently push Top 30 list changes to all web browsers connected to it. AND it will also set up a custom push event handler for any browsers where the user has specified their username. As you can expect, this take a bit of management, and server resources, so I hope I never get to experience the HackerNews ‘hug of death’ where a bunch of people log on at the same time, because I am not really sure of how far this will scale before it comes to a screaming halt. The Vue.js components purely sit there and listen for JSON data packets from the server pushes, and then format them accordingly and display them on the web page without having to refresh. I haven’t gone into the nutty details of how I built this on here, but if there is any interest and I get lots of requests, then I am open to publishing some code snippets and going into deeper detail of how I built the various components. All in all, I am pretty happy with what amounted to around 4 or 5 days of part time coding. I think this is a useful tool, and as you can see from the header image, I tend to have a narrow Chrome window open off to the side so I can keep an eye on news happenings and watch them bubble up and down. The web page is also totally responsive, and should work on most mobile browsers for portability. Are you a Hacker News member? Why not check out and let me know what you think? https://tophn.info

TopHN — A fun side project built with Vue.js and RethinkDB

Create a Splash Screen as well as a Launch Icon for the app. Intro Hello and welcome to the first part of the Flutter App Development Tutorial Series. This is Nibesh From Khadka's Coding Lounge. If you haven't already please go to the to find every detail about this tutorial blog series. introduction page Getting Started Here's a user screen flow image of the first things a user goes through on app launch. We'll start in the order of user-screen flow. Hence, in this section, we'll set the launch icon as well as a splash screen for our application. Now let's get started by creating our application. On your terminal: # I am using the Desktop Directory
cd Desktop

# Create a Flutter project
flutter create astha 

# Go to the folder and open the folder on VS Code.
cd astha

code . Assets All the project images will be stored in the assets folder in the root directory and further into their relevant sub-directories. So, let's create a folder for images to store. # In your project root for instance /home/<user>/Desktop/astha
mkdir assets  assets/splash You can use the image of your choice or download the following images to use. I made them on . canva Splash Screen - Om Splash App Launch Icon - Om and Lotus Splash Image I resized these images at to achieve different sizes as mentioned in the . imageresizer native splash package Make sure to download them inside . After that to use these images, we'll need to add them to the pubspec file so. In pubsec.yaml file  you'll find the assets section commented just uncomment it or replace it with the following: assets/splash # To add assets to your application, add an assets section, like this:
# The outer **assets**  not folder name 
# but a variable that tells flutter SDK where to look for assets into
  assets:
     # Splash Screens
    - assets/splash/om_splash.png
    - assets/splash/om_lotus_splash.png
    - assets/splash/om_lotus_splash_1152x1152.png Remember any image sources you'll use from local storage needs to be registered in pubspec.yaml file as above. Packages For the launch icon, we'll use . flutter_launcher_icons For our splash screen we'll use . flutter_native_splash If you're gonna use the version I'm using then just paste it inside pubspec.yaml Installation # On dependencies section
dependencies:
  flutter:
    sdk: flutter
  flutter_native_splash: ^2.1.1

#On dev_dependencies section
dev_dependencies:
  flutter_test:
    sdk: flutter
  flutter_launcher_icons: ^0.9.2 **Do mind the indentation and also make sure to visit each package's page and follow the readme instructions for the setup if anything's changed. ** Please remember that the settings will only work up to Android 11 as intended. From Android 12+, the splash screen will only show up on launch from emulator icon tap but not on app run from VS Code(for some reason it hasn't worked in mine/is being overridden by launcher icon). Another thing to remember is that the splash screen will be clipped as a round image in the center. I tried to change the window background but failed nonetheless. Note: Set-Up Now that we've added the packages we're gonna need to provide a few additional settings. So, again in pubspec.yaml file: #Just add these towards the end
# Launch icon settings
flutter_icons:
  android: true
  ios: true
  image_path: "assets/splash/om_splash.png"
  adaptive_icon_background: "#FFD1A6"
  adaptive_icon_foreground: "assets/splash/om_splash.png"

# Splash Screen Settings
flutter_native_splash:
  #general
  color: "#ffffff"
  image: assets/splash/om_lotus_splash.png
  android_12:
    image: assets/splash/om_lotus_splash_1152x1152.png
    # icon_background_color: "#FFD1A6" Now save the file and go to the VS Code terminal and run these commands. # For splash screen
flutter pub run flutter_native_splash:create

# For launch icon
flutter pub run flutter_launcher_icons:main Possible Error While running the second command I encountered an error, it turns out to be an SDK version's incompatibility issue. Hence, on ,  find, and change Compiled, Minimum, and Target SDK versions. android>app>build.gradle # Only change these values don't delete anything else.
android {
.......
    compileSdkVersion 31
...

defaultConfig {
         applicationId "com.example.astha"
        minSdkVersion 21
        targetSdkVersion 30
....
} After this save the file and in your terminal run the following command again. # For launch icon
flutter pub run flutter_launcher_icons:main Home Page In upcoming blogs of the series, we'll create onboard and lock our app for only registered users. But for now, to test our launcher icon and splash screen let's create a simple home screen(though it's not necessary). On file: main.dart import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter/services.dart';

void main() async {
  //  concrete binding for applications based on the Widgets framewor
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();

  SystemChrome.setSystemUIOverlayStyle(
    SystemUiOverlayStyle.dark.copyWith(statusBarColor: Colors.black38),
  );

  // Firebase initalize
  runApp(const Home());
}

class Home extends StatefulWidget {
  const Home({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  State<Home> createState() => _HomeState();
}

class _HomeState extends State<Home> {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return const MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Center(child: Text("Home Page")),
      ),
    );
  }
} Check out this short clip on what we did so far. https://youtu.be/IJyYcTKksTU Summary Alright, with this the first part of the series is completed. Flutter App Development We implemented Launch Icon in android with the flutter_launcher_icons package. We also implemented a splash screen for our app with the  flutter_native_splash package. We are also working on some expected breakage for Android 12. Show Support In the upcoming blog, we'll first create an onboard experience for the user. If you want to know more about the series and expectations, check out the series . introduction page If you've any questions please feel free to comment. Please do like and share the article with your friends. Thank you for your time and please keep on supporting us. to be notified immediately after the upload. Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter This is Nibesh from Khadka's Coding Lounge, a freelancing agency that makes websites and mobile applications. Also Published Here

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