PHP has a large footprint in the web development community. With over 80% of all existing websites running on PHP code, we can confidently say that PHP has become a ubiquitous phenomenon in web development. A major reason for many developers choosing PHP is its wide range of developmental frameworks. PHP frameworks enable you to build websites and apps of all sizes and complexity levels without having to start from scratch. So, the massive growth of PHP-based web development can be rightly attributed to these excellent frameworks. But, then again, the real question is which PHP framework is best suited for your needs. While choosing the best framework can be subjective and based on your particular needs, there are few qualities that make a framework the best choice in many cases. Yii and Zend are two frameworks with such amazing features and capabilities. So, here is a brief overview of both these frameworks to help you decide which is the best one for your MVC development project. Yii Yii has been a popular choice among developers to develop large-scale and secured applications. It was launched in 2008 and is one of the oldest PHP frameworks still going strong. Yii 2.0 is the latest version available. This framework is suitable for developing secure applications with complex workflows. It is also great for developing CRM and CMS applications. Yii is a high-performance, component-based PHP framework that is designed to make your MVC development fast and easy. It is flexible and includes a variety of features, including: Integration with jQuery, Gii module – a built-in code generator, and Active record – the ability to access...
Turning your mobile website into an app for a greater reach to users is not an easy task. However, before you take the leap, you have to thoroughly weigh its benefits and consciously choose to migrate your website to a mobile app. Previously, mobile websites were more predominant when browsers dominated the launch of many new eCommerce start-ups. Browsers made the websites seamlessly fit in all kinds of handheld devices and users found it exciting to buy stuff on the internet using their mobile devices. The availability of the internet and the evolution of HTML to support rich media also enabled this transition. So, many ventures have started to launch mobile websites to attract their consumers and thereby increase revenues. With the present era of mobile devices being dominated by the app ecosystems, the prevalent question becomes whether or not mobile websites are indeed mobile and meeting its purpose. Apps have been making inroads on many users’ lifestyles and its adoption for business is seen as a positive trend. There are many benefits for businesses to migrate from the traditional browser-based mobile commerce sites to the mobile app ecosystem. A few of these benefits are listed below to aid you in making a conscious decision to follow the trend. Faster Access Mobile apps are written on the handheld devices’ native operating systems, while the websites run on a browser and always depend on an internet connection to work. So, apps are much faster than the mobile sites. This plays a critical role if you do not want to lose your customers due to a slow connection while waiting for...
The difference in the syntax and structure of programming languages is no longer the talk of the town. With every app enclosing thousands of lines of code, all that developers now talk about is their choice of app development frameworks, application program interfaces (APIs) and the cross compilation they provide. App frameworks have become the norm and people cannot call themselves programmers if they are not well-versed in at least one particular development framework. They offer a lot of benefits over the previous and newly outdated development approaches. These frameworks have reduced the learning curve so much that even absolute beginners can start developing apps with little training. Adding complex functionality is no longer a genius’s work, but an effective way of writing API calls and developing apps for various platforms does not require you to be an expert in all platforms. So, everyone with a great idea can now easily, quickly and effectively implement it with the help of app frameworks. Therefore, you too can easily create your own mobile apps which might have seemed a difficult task a few years ago. Here is an overview of the cross-platform mobile app development frameworks to get you started. Mobile App Development Frameworks The mobile app development has become a million dollar industry with hundreds of mobile apps hitting the market daily. The growing demand and the need for high-performance apps have pushed the app development industry to a new level and frameworks help developers scale to the growing demands. But, before we can delve into mobile frameworks, we first need to understand the difference between native apps and cross-platform...
In today’s competitive world, businesses want to be careful when deciding whether a large software development project should be done in-house or done by outsourcing the work. Some companies have an in-house software development setup (captive centre subsidiary), but they are so flexible that they outsource work to reliable vendor partners. Other organisations no longer outsource major software development work, because of their captive centre setup which has long-term goals. You can select the best one that suits your business’s purpose in the short-term and in the long-term, by comparing the two setups. So let’s take a look at a comparison of the key drivers and challenges for a captive centre set up with those for a vendor partner set up. Key Drivers for the Captive Centre Setup Does your business have a captive centre in a low-cost area? Do you want to benefit from the cost-savings of offshore resources? Then this model is the one for you. You can choose to set up your own captive centre to make the most out of its large-scale offshore plans. Does your business deal with sensitive information? Do you want to prevent the potential risk of data leaks to third parties? Then you may prefer this model. For example, if your business is based on banking, insurance or the stock market, you deal with a lot of monetary transactions and sensitive customer data. Do you want complete control over your sensitive operational activities, like product costing and new product launches? Then this setup is suitable for you. Does your business handle a complex software development project? Then the knowledge gained by...
Application maintenance outsourcing (AMO) is an important part of application outsourcing. With AMO, you can outsource all the maintenance activities, such as enhancements, corrections and patch developments. Image credit: Flickr You can get the resources that you need for the maintenance phase of your project on a contract basis. These resources include the manpower with the required technical skills, technology and other required resources. Application development and maintenance form about 80% of the total work that is outsourced. The number of outsourcing companies is also increasing due to the huge demand. Thus, let’s take a look at the several pros and cons it comes with. Pros of AMO AMO is a cost-effective solution and improves your operations and technology well. Here are some benefits of AMO: Cost and time saving It lets you have more time to develop the app and for other operations. It lets you concentrate on the core business. It makes use of external expertise. Gives you access to industry experts without paying a big compensation as you would for a normal employee. Allows your work to be flexible. Gives you access to talented IT professionals, better tools, equipment, and technology. Improves the performance, productivity, and customer satisfaction. It allows work to be continued in different time zones. Enables you to go without a payroll system. Nullifies the worry about losing key employees. Cons of...
“I have an idea for a brilliant app, but how to get started?” This is a common question people who plan to launch a mobile app ask us. Thousands of people think that they have a great app idea. If you’re one of them, then pull up your socks, because you got a great competition ahead. “It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen.” – Scott Belsky, Founder, Behance. But, don’t worry. Read on, if you need help fleshing out your idea to actually build a business around it. Here we will walk you through the step-by-step instructions to make your dream project a reality. So, by not wasting any time, and words, here we go. Validate Your Idea This is the first and most important step for every idea and not specific to any technology. It’s good that you have a killer idea, but it’s not about what you think. Instead, you have to figure out what your ideal users or customers think about your app. You need to find out: What pain points your app is going to solve? Is the problem which your app will solve indeed a problem? Do you have a competitor? If yes, why would your users prefer your app? You also need to ensure that your app idea is unique or fills a gap which no other app is doing. The best way to start validating your idea is to ask your friends and family. Ask people you can trust to give you valuable and eye-opener inputs. This will not only help you conclude if your idea is worth something, but it will also show you...
Have you been keeping track of the leading eCommerce platforms that have emerged in recent years for businesses? If yes, then Magento is sure to figure in that list of popular eCommerce solutions that have made lives easier for businesses to go online with their products or services. Magento has been known to help businesses seamlessly build an online store across any category, customise it as per their changing needs, attract more customers and generate better sales. This open source Content Management System (CMS) has been constantly evolving with new solutions and tools, due to which it has been trusted and utilised by more than 240,000 businesses across the globe. This number is estimated to rise by leaps and bounds in the coming years as the demand for eCommerce increases. So let’s check out the advantages offered by Magento, especially for small businesses, and compare it to other eCommerce platforms or CMSs. 1. A Customisable Open Source Solution Magento (Community Edition) is open source and can be downloaded for free. Once installed, you are not restricted to the standard templates, but you can customise it as per the dynamic requirements of your business. Image credit: Flickr You can boost your eCommerce store with several new features and functionalities by installing Magento extensions that are available at the Magento Connect marketplace. For small businesses, this customising option is pretty handy since the eCommerce needs of these businesses may be pretty specific. 2. Strong Community Support To enjoy a smooth experience with any new tool or CMS, like Magento, that you haven’t used before, you will always feel the need to have...
Business leaders are often highly reliant on every single piece of their business information to make profitable business decisions and further refine corporate strategy. This is where business intelligence comes into the picture. Image credit: Flickr Designed to help people make better business decisions and turn the business into a profitable establishment, business intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process that involves the collection, integration, analysis, and presentation of business information through historical, current, and predictive views of business operations. While, there are many industries have started embracing BI, let’s see where does it stand in the healthcare industry. Business Intelligence and Healthcare As the amount of information being generated is increasing exponentially, big data revolution has left many industries with repositories of information that they earlier had limited or no access to. Industries are now looking into the prospects of moving to a data-driven establishment. The healthcare industry is also on the brink of transformation and according to a report by KLAS, over half of all health organisations are planning to buy a new and more advanced business intelligence system over the next three years. Gartner reported that one of nine deadly mistakes in business operations improvement (BOI) in healthcare is the lack of BI strategy. “Most vendors working in healthcare and other industries observe that healthcare has the most complex data of any industry (possibly excluding government intelligence efforts),” the report states. The report also cited that organisations are not yet fully handling their data the way it should be tackled. The total absence of a well-documented BI strategy, Gartner added, is the biggest folly of the healthcare industry. Forward thinking...
Are you looking for a CRM interface for your website? If yes, then it is possible to manage the CRM of your website with a simple open source relationship management system software like CiviCRM. The best part is that CiviCRM is available for installation as a standalone software or as a component along with content management systems like Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress. It may also be installed as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Let’s take a detailed look at the benefits offered by CiviCRM, its features and how it can work seamlessly with a Content Management System (CMS) like Drupal. Web-Based Synchronisation CiviCRM is a web-based application which is a great advantage, as it can be easily installed and utilised by you with the help of an internet-enabled computer system. It synchronises seamlessly with various CMSs for effective web-based relationship management, especially for school, church and other charitable or non-profit organisations. As CiviCRM is developed by the community Hive Mind, you may not get instant direct support for any related issues. However, there are plenty of help forums that provide solutions for various CiviCRM based problems. Key Features Online Fundraising and Donor Management It can manage and keep track of all the contributions or donations to your organisation from your constituents from a single screen within the application. You are empowered to create customised web pages quickly in order to accept online donations. You also get access to updated details of every donation and relevant contact with no chance of data entry errors. Online Membership Management With CiviCRM, you can easily manage the online sign ups, renewals and membership summaries for your organisation....
First launched in 2008, Magento is arguably one of the most popular and widely used eCommerce platforms that powers hundreds of thousands of online stores, and can be downloaded for free. Tailored according to your specific eCommerce needs, this open source platform offers maximum performance and scalability, with advanced out-of-the-box capabilities, packed in a bundle of multiple editions two of which are Magento Enterprise and Magento Community. Aside from the fact that one is free and the other is not, both Magento editions seem equally beneficial. Some businesses, however, prefer one to the other. So, what is the difference between the two, what features does one have, that the other doesn’t, and how they perform against each other on different parameters is what we’ll discuss in detail today. The purpose of this comparison is to ascertain which version is suitable for your organisation depending on what stage it is in, and future requirements. Size of the Business The first and perhaps the most important differentiator between the two Magento editions are the size and scale of the business. Consider the amount of sales you make every month, the size of the inventory, the number of SKUs, and the market growth your business is experiencing. With faster indexing process, speedy checkout feature, ability to handle large number of products, flexibility and better support for international business, Magento Enterprise is a real game changer in this scenario if you have lots of products or inventory. Modular Code Base On a core, technical level, though, those of you who are not afraid to get their hands dirty building and maintaining a website,...
