Web Application Development:
A Detailed Guide for 2022

Web Application is the first line of contact between your customers and business.

What is a Web Application?

A decade ago, web pages were mostly static, with a few images and videos scattered around. In 2005, thanks to Ajax, it made it possible to create better, faster, and more interactive web applications.

A web application, also known as a web app, is nothing but a computer program that uses a web browser to perform a specific function. A web application is a client-server program that comprises a client-side and a server-side. The user enters data through the client-side (front-end), while the server-side (back-end) of the application stores and processes the information. For example, shopping carts, content management systems, and online forms are typical web applications.

Both enterprises and individuals develop web applications to fulfill different purposes. Web apps help integrate the tailored experience of native apps with easy access on a website browser from any device. For example, LinkedIn, Basecamp, MailChimp, or even Facebook, have web apps that provide immersive and tailored experiences like the native apps directly from the browser. Hence, web application development is gaining a lot of popularity in almost all industries, including banking, eCommerce, education, healthcare, and more.

How does a Web Application Work?

Web applications are accessed over a network and need not be downloaded. Instead, users can access web applications through browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or Safari.
A web application is built around three components- a Web Server, an Application Server, and a Database. The web server manages requests from the client, the application server processes requests, and the database stores the information.

A typical web application workflow looks like this:

Web apps are generally coded using JavaScript, HTML5, or Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for the client-side programming (front-end). ASP.NET, PHP, Java, and Ruby are commonly used for server-side programming.

What is Web Application Development?

Web application development refers to the process of using client-side and server-side programming to develop an application that is accessible over the web browser.
The web application development process begins by; first, the developer trying to find a solution to a specific problem, then designing the web app by choosing the appropriate development framework. Next, the developer tests the solution and finally deploys the web app.

Types of Web Applications

Now that we’ve covered the various aspects of web applications let’s deep dive into the different categories of web applications. Web apps are classified based on their functionalities, tools, and technologies.

Web App vs. Websites

Web applications are indeed websites. Users can access both via web browsers, and both require access to the internet. It may seem that there’s no difference between them. However, the lines between a website and a web app are blurred. Web application development differs substantially from website development. Here’s a simplified rundown on the differences between a website and a web application.

Web Application

  • A web application is dynamic and is designed for user engagement.
  • A web application is interactive and responds to user input.
  • Web applications mostly require authentication.
  • The functions in a web application are quite higher and more complex.
  • The web application needs precompilation before deployment.
  • Integration with other software for web applications is complex.

Website

  • A website basically contains static content.
  • A website is a one-way informational feed and does not allow user interaction.
  • Authentication is not obligatory for informational websites.
  • The functions of a website are relatively simple.
  • A website does not need not be pre-compiled.
  • Integration is hassle-free for websites.

Web Apps vs. Mobile Apps

While web apps and mobile apps are similar in many ways, both are different in many ways. Mobile apps are made exclusively for mobile gadgets and are suitable for Android, iOS, and cross-platform operating systems. Usually, mobile apps are mobile-first, meaning they work effectively on smartphones, tablets, or other handheld mobile devices. Most mobile apps work offline too. Examples include Google Maps, Amazon Kindle, Uber, etc.
On the other hand, web apps function only with internet connectivity. A web app functions in real-time in a web browser with CPU resources. With adequate internal storage, mobile apps can be downloaded from the app store or play store.

Benefits of Web Application Development

Web application comes along with an array of benefits for businesses and users.

Speed and cost

Web application development is faster and more economical than building native apps. Therefore, if the primary goal is to accelerate time-to-market, web application development is the best choice for businesses.

Cross-platform capabilities

Web applications are programmed to run on any operating system. Due to their cross-platform capabilities, web applications can adapt well to Android, iOS, Mac OS, and Windows phones. In addition, the device responsiveness of web applications helps to get rid of OS dependencies.

Browser compatibility

A web application runs on the device’s browser using an accessible URL. Modern web applications are compatible with all browsers, such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Bing. Hence, software compatibility challenges are never roadblocks.

Reduced operating costs

Web application development is a great way to cut down operating costs. It drives to eliminate unnecessary expenses such as hardware purchases, frequent device updates, and maintenance of numerous systems.

Easy to update

Updating web applications is easy, as only the server(s) would require upgrades.

Customization

Custom web application development offers several benefits, such as tailored features for the users. These applications are easily accessible via browsers with a stable internet connection. Custom web apps help cut unnecessary expenses and save time as only required features need to be developed. A custom web app can significantly improve your business traction brand awareness, communicate your brand ideology and help you gain a competitive edge in the chosen target market.

Expanded Security

Web applications are typically deployed on dedicated servers, constantly monitored, and managed by experienced server administrators. This is more effective than monitoring hundreds or even thousands of client computers, as with desktop applications. In addition, it ensures tighter security and identifies any potential breaches that could slip off.

Zero downloads

Web apps don’t need to be downloaded from app stores such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play. This helps save money since having a direct link through a web app is free.

Technology Stack for Web Application Development

The following web development technologies enable the creation of high-performing, fast, and advanced web applications.

Web Application Development Process

Whether you decide to develop your web application in-house team or outsource to a company like Fingent, your project will be more successful if you understand the process involved in web application development in advance.

The number of steps in the web application development process can vary.

Conceptualize

The first step is to define the problem you want to solve with a web application and collect all the relevant information needed for app development. A well-defined problem will give an excellent head-start to the project and help you identify the best solution. Next, clarify the purpose and the end goals of the application.

During the planning phase, the developers will take a run to answer the following questions.

  • What app do you want to build?
  • What features and functions should it include?
  • What is the audience of your product?
Prototype & Development

The development phase involves creating a wireframe or prototype to communicate the solution to target users.

First, the developers will lay out the design elements to provide a delightful user experience to the target audience. The wireframe is then presented to potential users, considers their feedback, and iterates until they're satisfied.

Post-design, the next step is to build the application. The following steps will happen in this phase.

  • To create a database for storage, the developers need to determine what data and data types are required for the application to perform well.
  • Based on the elements approved by the users during the wireframing process, developers will create the front-end application. The developers need to identify the best frameworks for front-end development.
  • Developers will create interaction between the user and the server.
  • Developers either code from scratch or use front-end and back-end frameworks to develop the web app.
  • Based on the application type, that is, client-side/ server-side/ single-page, programming is done.
Test and Implement

Whether an automated or manual web application, testing for the web application is an ongoing process throughout the software development lifecycle. Testing is an inevitable part of the software development process.

The Testing (QA) team will test the app for usability, compatibility, functionality, security, and performance to eliminate bugs and ensure that the application works without any glitches.Testing also helps identify any possible improvements and upgrades to make in the future.Once the testing is complete, you can finally implement the application in your company or your customer's side.

When using it for your company, you will have to train your employees to use the app productively (if the app requires training). In addition, you will have to create a communication strategy for customers and decide on the appropriate timing to launch the application in the market.

At Fingent, we help you perform all the mandatory software and usability testing to ensure that your web app functions seamlessly. We also provide training and support to use the apps effectively.

Hosting and Maintenance

You must buy a domain and choose a hosting provider to create a server location for the app. We help you choose shared hosting, dedicated hosting, or cloud hosting based on your requirements. Be it a simple website or complex web application, and every digital product needs routine checks and enhancements. Maintenance of the application or website includes:

  • Ongoing QA testing
  • Bug fixes and improvements
  • Addressing changes and adding features based on user feedback
  • Providing regular updates and technical support

Web Application Development Validation And Deployment

Once your web app is developed and ready to be launched, it is critical to perform testing to ensure that the application functions correctly before its deployment. Bug fixing alone is not sufficient. Therefore, testing is vital to web application development.
A standard web application undergoes the following testing,
After completing the quality assurance process, your web app is ready for launch. You can use GitHub, Beanstalk App, and Bitbucket App to deploy the web app to your servers. Any new features, changes, and improvements to the deployed application are implemented according to the user’s feedback.

Web Development Trends for 2022

Web development has progressed over the years and is progressing with the emergence of newer technologies. A website is the face of a business rather than mere codes. More than one-third of visitors prefer to hold on to websites with attractive content and a clean layout. In 2022, companies are more than ready to apply the latest web development trends to improve conversions and develop engaging websites without having to code. If you want to stay ahead, it is vital to focus on the latest trends, updates, techniques, and web development approaches. Why developers should bring out more innovative web development approaches- the fact is it boosts business growth rather exponentially and globally.

Apps For Multiple Domains With .NET Core

.NET Core gives you consistency across all architectures by running your code with the same behavior. Be it gaming, IoT, mobile, or AI – we can help you develop high-performing, secure, cost-effective, and flexible applications in any domain with .NET Core. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Building Exceptional Apps With C#

C# is a highly versatile programming language commonly used for developing websites, Windows applications, and games. With its foundation deep-rooted in the Microsoft platform, C# is one of the most-cherished and reliable languages to build robust applications. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Enterprise Web Applications With ASP.NET

ASP.NET is a framework for building web apps and services with .NET and C#. ASP.NET allows you to build large and complex applications by reducing the amount of code required. This, in turn, reduces the application development time and costs involved. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Microsoft Azure Cloud Services

Take advantage of the cloud through hybrid cloud-based solutions with Microsoft Azure. We can help you migrate your solution to the cloud, enabling you with on-demand and secure resources of Azure. Scale according to your needs and improve your business agility. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Enhance Collaboration With SharePoint Development

Fingent’s Microsoft team can help you develop robust SharePoint solutions that empower your organization with efficient collaboration and communication. We can help you build intuitive interfaces and simple navigation features for effective document management. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Streamline Processes With PowerApps

Microsoft Power Apps enables you to build low-code, professional-grade apps that can modernize your business processes and drive innovation across your organization. Infuse your enterprise apps with AI and automation, powered by PowerApps. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Business Analytics Service Using Power BI

Leveraging Microsoft Power BI, we enable businesses to develop interactive visualizations and business intelligence capabilities through simple and intuitive interfaces. Enrich your business as well as end-users with custom reports and dashboards powered by insightful data. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

By leveraging UWP API, we help you create universal apps that run on Windows 10 compatible devices without the need to be re-written for each. As the name suggests, the Universal Windows Platform allows you to create apps that run on multiple types of devices. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

Using WPF, we incorporate visually stunning user experiences into your Windows desktop applications that include features like rich user interface, media, complex business models, animation, effects, styles, templates, controls, data binding, and so on. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Business Intelligence With SQL Server

Our expertise with Microsoft data platforms can empower you with real-time data for improved decision-making. Our Microsoft capabilities can help in uniting several disparate information sources and create reports from across varied systems and databases. Let’s Discuss Your Project

Highly Responsive Applications With Cosmos DB

We help you develop highly responsive and highly available applications on Cosmos DB using the popular open source software APIs. Experience low latency, high throughput, real-time responses, and tunable consistency with this multi-model, NoSQL database service. Let’s Discuss Your Project

The Future of Web Application Development

The web development industry is in flux and is constantly evolving. Therefore, it is paramount for us always to look ahead and learn about what's coming up or any risk being left in the web development dust. Web development is defined through the upcoming trends and changes in the digital world. Businesses around the globe are in a quest to build outstanding websites to up their online presence with all-new frameworks, tools, and advancements. If you want your business to stay ahead of the race, the smartest thing u can do is to try out innovative and experimental things like Augmented Reality (AR) or Artificial Intelligence. Here's a quick glance at some of the exciting developments likely to happen in the near future.

Smarter Apps with Data Science

Data Science is impacting web development positively. Data science helps extract significant user information on a large scale using statistics, analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Using the extraction of meaningful information, web development is now guided into a more fruitful system to impact the business's bottom line. With data science and machine learning, you can target the right customers with personalized content at the right time within your application.

Augmented Reality

Product visualization is the most sought-after requirement among today's customers. Augmented reality has the potential to change the shopping game. Most online shoppers prefer shopping sites to integrate some form of augmented reality for a personalized experience. AR experiences in different ways are the key for customers to become more engaged in various platforms and the digital world overall. The future is not too far, where AR experiences will move into the mainstream and cease to be viewed as a niche technology.

Pageless Websites

Pageless website is a new-age concept that takes an alternative choice on web design. The entire contents of a website are displayed on a single page with an endless scroll instead of having multiple pages. With responsive elements, guided narrative, and intuitive scrolling, users can surf the entire contents of the website with ease.

Metaverse

The Metaverse is the new kid on the block that seeks to bring together many different technologies to offer users a new web experience. Today, users view content on the web. But on the Metaverse, users will be immersed in the content. Thanks to technologies like Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Machine Learning, and other forms of Artificial Intelligence. Metaverse is the next iteration of the internet where users can navigate through a virtual space instead of the current two-dimensional screen.

Cost of Web Application Development

The cost of a complicated and custom web application development process would again differ from pre-defined, packaged, and general-purpose applications. For example, suppose the app requires developing APIs and plugins or complex technical stacks, separate UX/UI elements, brand identity development, etc. In that case, the pricing will go up as the advantages are humongous.

Numerous factors influences the cost of web application development. As no two apps are the same, the price will vary, based on:
  • Features and functionality of the web application
  • Complexity of the application
  • Phase-wise development plan
  • Development team size
  • Platforms selected to develop the app
  • Technology stacks selected
  • Estimated project timelines
Features
Functionality
Team Size
Technology
Level of complexity
Time

Top 5 Web Apps that Revolutionized the World

A polished web app is almost a mandate for successful digital businesses today. Many apps have changed the public's perception of what they can expect and what is possible. It includes everything a typical user might look for in an app regarding design, usability, reliability, and security. Here's a rundown on five apps that has made a difference to the world.

Facebook

Facebook is a free social networking website that allows people to connect with others online. It lets users share photographs, post comments, post links to interesting content on the web, live chat, and watch videos. Facebook's success is attributed to its ability to appeal to both people and businesses and its ability to interact with websites around the web by providing a single login that works across multiple sites.

Whatsapp

WhatsApp is a free, multi-platform messaging app that lets users make video and voice calls, send text messages, share their status, and make payments, all with just an internet connection. The most appealing feature of this app is that it works on various phones and computer operating systems, which bestows uninterrupted conversations anytime, anywhere. WhatsApp serves more than 2 billion people in over 180 countries, with over a billion daily active users.

Uber

Uber is a transportation company that has developed an app to allow passengers to hail a ride, and drivers get paid. The app integrates with Google maps for tracking locations, routes and directing people to their destination. Uber uses smartphone app technology to connect passengers and drivers via a car-for-hire method. Most people love the simplicity of opening the app, telling where they want to go, and then seeing an Uber driver show up in a matter of minutes.

Instagram

Instagram is a free, popular photo-sharing app that Facebook acquired in 2012. It allows users to edit and upload photos and short videos through a mobile app. Like other social networking platforms, Instagram users can like, comment, share and bookmark others' posts. It also includes a feature of private chats and video conferencing with friends.

Tiktok

TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to create and share short videos. A young crowd commonly uses the app as an outlet to express themselves through singing, dancing, comics, and lip-syncing, making fun videos and sharing them across a community. In addition, users can follow other users, like, and comment on other users' videos. TikTok app quickly soared to popularity and amassed over 500 million monthly active users, the US being the most popular country where it is downloaded over 80 million times.

What Can A Web Application Do for Your Business?

With the internet being commonplace for most modern-day businesses, web applications are a quintessential tool for better growth in their market share. If you need to bring your company or business before the right users, the secret is to be found online with a creative and engaging web application. Web applications are of paramount importance than official websites when it comes to winning business goals and generating profits. Let’s explain the different areas a web application can help your business.
First Point of Engagement

A web application is the first point of access to your business and brand for your customers. Your app is the place that reflects what you do, your services, products, and your reputation. You can stand out from your competitors by having a web application that looks interesting and clearly communicates quality information to your customers. Therefore, hiring a professional web application development company is judicious to understand your vision and shape the application accordingly.

A company or business without a web app or website may question the legitimacy of the business. So, having an app is an opportunity to build a great first impression and give people assurance that you’re a genuine business.

Boost Online Brand Visibility

Web applications play a crucial role in the branding process of a business. Showcasing your brand to your prospective customers is the key to positioning your business in the market. A web application is an underlying framework for branding your products or services because branding acts as the bridge to maintain a proper communication channel between potential customers and your business.

Clearly conveying to the customers who you are, what you provide, and what your brand represents raises your business popularity coupled with building a customer base. A web application is your brand's voice that reaches out to the world through multiple social media platforms.

Improve Customer Loyalty

Your app is one of the most powerful assets for helping business owners improve customer relationships and increase efficiency. In addition to showcasing your offering or describing who you are, your application is one of the key tools for connecting with your existing customers and keeping them engaged. In order to create customer loyalty, you need to give your customers a reason to return.

Web applications come in handy with a lot of scopes to build customer loyalty programs to win customers’ hearts. Even simple changes to your app can go a long way toward building your brand and encouraging more customers to use your app frequently. Your application can be the key to increasing customer loyalty, a critical piece of the puzzle.

Easily Customizable and Scalable

As your business expands, your web applications need upgrades. Off-the-shelf applications are neither flexible nor scalable, limiting their capabilities. Custom web applications are developed specifically to suit your business requirements. It is completely scalable and flexible, harmonizing with your business growth and demands. Custom applications grow with your business without any hassles of switching to new applications or extra license purchases. Moreover, the advent of cloud-native apps further enhances the flexibility and scalability of applications by adding more value to the business.

Enhanced Customer Support

The prompt and user-friendly customer support offered by web applications becomes more approachable and less intimidating for customers. So, the users of the app feel more comfortable with the company and are likely to stick on for a long time.

Web apps help to create an engaging space for customers to interact with brands and provide a dedicated space to track and manage all the customer support queries. The beauty of web applications is that they can be accessed at any time from any location. Hence, providing any customer assistance is never an obstacle.

Why develop your Web Application with Fingent?

Web application development is a mandate for your organization to lead the digital space and reach out to more customers in the future. Fingent provides a wide array of software development services from software customization to building Web, Mobile, Enterprise, and Cloud applications across various industries.

Fingent is a high-end custom software development company that has been helping businesses -small and large- across the globe with innovative solutions. We help build your brand, increase your brand identity, promote your products and services to help you gain a competitive advantage.

Explore our range of services.

Our web application development services are specifically designed to help you meet your goals, considering your business infrastructure and key facets of your industry.

18+

Years of Experience

8

Centers of Excellence (CoE)

800+

Completed Projects

Transparent Project Management

500+

Qualified Professionals

Dedicated QA Practices

Most Common Q&As on Web Development

What is better: Multi-page Website or Single-page Website?

While both are good at their place, most people prefer the single-page website. This is because a single-page website offers ease of interaction and access compared to a Multi-page website.

If your business has a lot to do with queries and solutions or customer interactions, it is recommended you get a chat window.

For quality web application development, you should include both to help you avail more benefits. A combination of frameworks and pure codes will work as it will take less time and ensure quality development.

Some of the renowned web app development technologies are:

  • Models:
      HTML, XSL, XML
  • Animation:   AJAX, Flash, jQuery UI, ActionScript, JavaScript
  • Databases:   MS SQL, MySQL, Microsoft Access, SQLite, Oracle, PostgreSQL
  • CMS:   WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Kentico, Sitecore, Sitefinity, Sanity
  • Programming:   C#, PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, ASP.NET+MVC, Python, Ruby, Django, Go
  • Payment Systems:   PayPal, Assist, MoneyBookers, SMS, OSMP

The choice to outsource or hire in-house solely depends on your specific business situation.

Hiring an in-house developer will ensure that you have complete control over the entire development process, which is definitely great for some businesses. But it also calls for long preparation time and extra expenses. On the contrary, outsourcing cuts down costs and avoids hiring new employees altogether – which can be very useful if you are short of time or money.

If your outsourcing partner is a reputable and experienced agency, you can rest assured that they will care for all your web development needs without sacrificing quality.

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    About the Author

    ...
    Vedavyas Shenoy

    Talk To Our Experts

      Every small business requires an array of software to run its operations smoothly and successfully. When starting a new business, it may seem like your off-the-shelf software would suffice all your needs. As your business grows, your business management software should scale to meet your team’s evolving needs, boost the efficiency of your workflows, and be flexible to support new use cases. Custom software or a software application tailor-made to address your specific business requirements helps improve your market competency and realize ROI at a faster pace. 

      How will you determine if custom software is the right fit for your small business?

      Read on this post to learn more about custom software for small businesses. 

      Read more: 5 Reasons Why Custom Software is Important for Your Business

      Custom software

      Top Signs Indicating Why Your Small Business Needs Custom Software          

      The classic “build vs. buy” decision is a pertinent question that every small business faces when addressing their software needs. Considering the cost, time, energy, and resources dedicated to custom software development, many SMEs adopt packaged software in a haste. Look out for these warning signs before deciding whether to build or buy. 

      1. Employee Discontent

      Find out if your employees are satisfied with your existing off-the-shelf software. Do they still stick to old-school tricks or find manual methods faster and more convenient? Are your employees forced to discover alternative workarounds to use the software? Do they still rely on spreadsheets and how-to guides for using the software? All these signs indicate that your off-the-shelf software lacks employee approval and can fail your business eventually.

      2. Existing Tech Isn’t User-friendly

      Rolling out enterprise-wide canned software that commands an advanced level of technical expertise will inflict more harm. It will complicate the processes for your employees and incur heavy training costs. Complex shelf software will fail the very purpose of technological innovation, that is, to simplify human efforts. If only less than 20% of your employees find the software workable, it’s better to build a customized solution.

      View Infographic: Custom Software vs. Commercial Off-the-shelf Solutions

      custom software

      3. Wasting Time on Mundane Tasks

      Is your software forcing your employees to spend their valuable time on routine activities that don’t require human thought and creativity? If your software isn’t allowing you to leverage the potential of automation, it can minimize your employees’ productivity and workplace efficiency. Automation of mundane tasks with minimal or adequate supervision is a must for small business growth and success.

      4. Software Spend Drains Your Wallet     

      Adapting a rigid off-the-shelf solution for your small business needs requires you to subscribe to third-party apps and pay multiple licensing fees. Most biz owners end up paying full price for unwanted features. Some companies would want to integrate estranged business applications to increase the usability of their shelf software. All these challenges lead to increased software spending.

      5. Unable to Make Data-backed Decisions  

      Your business data comes from multiple sources such as your website, emails, social profiles, chat, and conversation histories, helpdesk, and so on. How far is your canned software allowing you to make use of this data? Are your decisions driven by live data? If your dashboards aren’t getting updated in real-time and reports throw only past information, it’s time to consider custom software. Integrating multiple business systems and exporting all the useful data insights onto a centralized, user-friendly platform in real-time will empower small businesses to make rightful decisions.    

      Watch Video: Why Your Business Requires Custom Software

      How Can Your Small Business Benefit from Custom Software?

      Small business competition has intensified in recent years. Thanks to the increasing democratization of digital innovation! Access to technological advancements is no longer limited to large enterprises. With a custom-built software, your small business can stay relevant and competitive.

      1. Own Purpose-built Software 

      Custom software development guarantees 100% alignment with specific business needs. You can rest assured that no crucial operations are left unsupported and there aren’t any wasted features. Share your unique requirements with a trusted custom software development company like Fingent and get exactly the features you would require on a long-term.

      2. Uncompromised Security

      Ready-to-use software is highly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to the widespread availability of code and proliferation of users. Owning custom code places your small business under lock and key and keeps your sensitive information hack-proof. Customized solutions offer built-in security with a specialized approach to development. Better compliance and data governance improves your organization’s reputation and trust. 

      3. Improve Workflows and Efficiency

      Attaining profitability amid stiff competition needs your employees to put in their best performance. Experienced custom software companies like Fingent can help you identify the workflows or business functions that can be improved with the right technology. This makes your business more efficient and maximizes the productivity of your employees.

      4. Keep Costs Under Control 

      Improved business efficiency transforms to lower operational costs. Technologies like automation enable your employees to complete more tasks in less time, without feeling monotonous. Custom software actually costs lesser than off-the-shelf solutions, considering the extra dollars you would spend on subscriptions, licenses, third-party integrations, software upgrades and maintenance, and other overheads required to make the shelf software workable.

      Read more: Know What’s Driving Custom Software Development Costs in 2022

      5. Round-the-clock Support 

      Modern business might come to a standstill if technology stops working. A typical readymade software provider puts you into a long wait with back-to-back support tickets and repeated calls, whereas a dedicated custom software development partner offers access to a direct line of technical support to resolve your issues immediately.     

      Read more: The Dos and Don’ts of Custom Software Development 

      Tips to Choose the Right Software Development Partner

      Hiring the services of an experienced custom software development agency will help you focus on developing a sustainable business model. How can you identify the right software development partner for your small business? Here’re a few tips we recommend:

      • Identify your needs. Decide what you expect the software to do. List out your objectives. Use an application specification template to fill out your needs. This improves your communication with the software development vendor. It helps the vendor understand your expectations clearly. This can go a long way in finalizing the project’s scope. 
      • Check the partner’s technical skills, expertise, and experience. Have they handled projects related to your domain? Read up their case studies and analyze their portfolios. Arrange catch-up sessions to learn more about their software development approaches and project management methodologies.  
      • Ask for references. It helps you understand their reputation and trustworthiness. Use top B2B review platforms like Clutch and GoodFirms to evaluate their performance. Connect with the company’s past clients for more candid reviews. 
      • Cost is as important as the experience and reputation of the software development partner. Bestow your project only if you’re confident of guaranteed ROI. 
      • Is your development vendor passionate about your project? Figure it out over the initial meetings before the formal kick-off. Do they come up with unique ideas that improve your application’s value in the future? Make sure that their ideas are backed with convincing use cases or POCs.  
      • Choosing a software development partner also depends on the quality of after-sales service and technical support. Do they provide cloud-based updates, software upgrades and maintenance, and other troubleshooting services when you need them? 

      Selecting the right custom software development partner is a meticulous job. Check out our earlier post covering these and more crucial tips in detail. 

      Also read: How to Choose the Right Custom Software Development Firm

      Why Choose Fingent as Your Custom Software Development Partner?

      Over the past two decades, Fingent has been serving as a reliable and capable tech partner for many leading global brands, including Fortune 500 companies. With an impeccable track record as a successful custom software development partner, we’ve helped improve cash flow and business efficiency for many clients. If hiring in-house developers is costing you a fortune, extend your development team with our dedicated talent pool at reasonable rates. 

      Read more: Top Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development Services

       

      We’re in track of the latest tech development trends and help our clients explore new and emerging tech such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Internet of Things (IoT), 3D Web Configurator, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and so on. If you’re an aspiring small biz owner trying to make the most of technology without burning a deep hole in your pocket, connect with our team and get started. Let’s help you build scalable and robust small business software.     

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        About the Author

        ...
        Tony Joseph

        Tony believes in building technology around processes, rather than building processes around technology. He specializes in custom software development, especially in analyzing processes, refining it and then building technology around it.He works with clients on a daily basis to understand and analyze their operational structure, discover (and not invent) key improvement areas and come up with technology solutions to deliver an efficient process.

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          Healthcare is a vast customer service industry that is trying to improve patient health and healthcare processes. This patient-centric approach has evolved, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual consultations and telemedicine practices have increased rapidly in the last two years. A report by PwC on global healthcare trends reports, 91% of consumers who used virtual clinical care in the past would do so in the future. Additionally, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows an increase of 154% in the use of telehealth in March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
          As patients are demanding much more streamlined and seamless access to healthcare, most organizations are trying to get rid of old conventional systems that limit performance. Today, patients seek personalized treatment. That’s where custom-made software comes into the picture.
          Read more: Is Augmented Reality the future of HealthCare?
          Augmented Reality in healthcare
          Custom software is built to cater to the specific needs of the users. They intend to solve unique challenges. Emerging technologies have proved an immense benefit to the healthcare sector. When these technologies are integrated together they bring various benefits to doctors, patients, medical organizations, and the entire healthcare industry.
          A few commonly known custom software solutions for healthcare are:

          • Electronic Health Record (EHR)
          • Hospital Management Systems
          • Telemedicine
          • Electronic Prescriptions System
          • Appointment Scheduling
          • Medical Equipment Management
          • Medical Research

          In this blog, we will further dig into how custom-made software provides superior customer service in the healthcare industry.

          How is custom-made software boosting patient care?

          1. Improved personalized patient services

          Data-driven patient services are adding value to patient care. Data that is recorded, transmitted, and easily available is helping improve doctor-patient interactions. This allows healthcare organizations to personalize their patient services. Additionally, they can manage their interactions with thousands of patients without the need for administrative overhead.

          2. Improved communication and organization

          With custom-made software, different departments can communicate easily and improve the organizational culture of hospitals. Departments can share information without the need for manual entries and documentation. Also, patients can visit any department without carrying any document along as the information is already available electronically with the hospital.

          3. Improved growth

          Custom software digitally transforms the traditional medical record maintenance system and makes it paper-free. The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) can store data of thousands of patients securely host on the cloud. This decreases operating costs and eventually increases the ROI. Thus, custom software plays a pivotal role in improving business growth.

          4. Integrated system

          Custom-made software integrates different workflows that your organization requires daily. Custom software can synchronize several simple and complex processes such as finance, OPD, human resources, etc., in a single place. This helps reduce workplace stress and allows healthcare providers to invest more time in patient care.
          Read more: Choosing Prescriptive Analytics over Predictive Analytics in Healthcare!

          Why is Customer Service a priority in Healthcare?

          Health issues can be stressful emotionally as well as financially. When engaging with healthcare organizations, most patients expect personal care in addition to the treatment. Thus, the more personalized the care, treatment, and engagement with patients, the more likely it is to have happy customers.

          How can custom-made software improve customer service?

          1. Scheduling appointments

          Using custom-made software, healthcare organizations can improve the scheduling experience by reducing wait times and the time taken to capture patient data. It can also help provide appointment confirmations and reminders via text message or email prior to the appointment.
          Booking appointments is the most elementary feature in most healthcare apps.

          2. Service delivery experience

          Custom-made software can provide healthcare practitioners with complete access to patient records health history along with diagnostic tools and systems. In addition, healthcare practitioners can use digital tools to record treatment notes, patient recommendations, queries, and diagnosis notes while interacting with the patient. This helps provide patients with tailor-made experiences and improve customer service in general.

          3. Post-appointment follow-up

          Healthcare practitioners can use auto-trigger feedback forms that allow patients to rate their experience, which will enable them to measure patient satisfaction. Doing so will improve customer engagement and foster a long-term relationship with patients.
          Read more: Custom Healthcare Software Development: Why Is It Better To Outsource It?
          Custom healthcare software development

          How Fingent can help your healthcare organization improve patient care?

          Whether your healthcare business is small or big, a custom healthcare solution is the only way to move ahead in the game and ensure quality and effective patient care services. Fingent is a trusted partner and has been proving efficiency in custom-made healthcare solutions for years. Here are some of Fingent’s success stories in enabling healthcare organizations to drive unique and streamlined customer experiences.

          #1 A Custom Solution To Simplify Patient Care

          Miscommunication between doctors, patients, and healthcare providers can turn life-threatening. That’s why it’s highly imperative that communications are streamlined. Although this itself could be a challenge!
          That’s why Fingent helped develop a simplified patient-care solution, Encourage, that promotes effective communications amongst the various players in the healthcare ecosystem. A doctor can keep track of patients’ progress, assign tasks, and set reminders and care plans, as part of the patients’ profile. Patients can also get involved and also add selected caretakers to the care plan. The solution not just helps streamline communication, but also helps improve patient engagement and allows to better educate patients and families on various treatments.
          Know more on how Encourage turned an apt custom software solution for simplified patient care!

          #2 Healthcare Service Platform

          Providing the right healthcare guidance, knowledge, or tools to the patients or their families can be time-consuming. Plus, it’s also imperative that the information shared is confidential and extremely accurate.
          To streamline and solve such challenges in patient engagement and collaboration, Fingent helped develop an online platform, NovitaCare, that helps engage patients, providers, researchers, and NGOs to collaborate online and facilitate quality care. The solution equips many early-stage healthcare start-ups to streamline their workflow, improve patient-caregiver and caregiver-patient interactions, eliminate wastage, improve accountability and raise patient care quality.
          Learn more on how NovitaCare turned into a top-notch solution for healthcare patient management.

          #3 Improving Visibility on Hospital Performances with Data Visualization

          It is vital for patients to choose the best hospitals and healthcare centers based on their performances. NHS wanted to create a platform that streamlined this search with metrics that compared hospital performances to showcase the best and those with good success rates.
          Fingent designed an application that utilized data inputs from NHS to create interactive visuals and graphs to compare hospital performances. The solution drills down the minute of details to analyze hospitals across various parameters to deliver financial, clinical, and geographical insights, highlighting key performance issues and indicators.
          Read more on how NHS used Fingent’s data visualization capabilities to identify the best-performing healthcare centers.

          #4 Cutting-edge Web Application for Health Insurance Decision-makers

          In partnership with Casenet’s ASG, Fingent helped simplify TruCare Insights, a nimble PHM platform that aids healthcare payer organizations.
          Casenet’s Advanced solution group wanted to create an application that provides action-oriented dashboards and management ease to healthcare payer organizations. The platform, TrueCare did not provide integrated reporting options, and maintaining reports and reconciling them required excessive manual labor. Thus, Fingent helped the team build a highly scalable web application, with best-in-class UI/UX design, to seamlessly integrate the complex workflows of TrueCare, and manage 10 mn+ data records using custom filters.
          Know more on how helping Casenet simplify their platform TrueCare streamlined their workflow and management!
          Using our proven strategies, Fingent has helped many healthcare organizations and non-profit healthcare sectors boost performance and bring innovative ideas to life. Our experts help provide external perspective, agility, and understanding needed for real innovations. With us, you can get access to skilled software development professionals and all the ancillary roles to develop technology solutions that are apt and unique to your challenges. Additionally, we provide the best-in-class support during and after custom software development.
          To know more about how we can help you deploy the top technologies for improved healthcare services, connect with us today!

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            About the Author

            ...
            Vinod Saratchandran

            Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

            Talk To Our Experts

              Low code/No code is becoming a fierce upcoming contender in today’s digital landscape. For one, its unique capabilities enable collaboration between business stakeholders and IT teams. And it allows for an unprecedented speed of innovation.

              Before the pandemic, companies looked to a Low code/No code platform for its unique benefits. Today though, the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the importance of low code in remote development.

              This article will explain what is Low code/No code development with SAP BTP, and will also discuss how it is changing the future of enterprise resilience.

              Read more: Rise with SAP – How Fingent Can Help Explore Business Transformation as a Service (BTaaS)

              BTaaS

              What is Low Code/No Code Development with SAP BTP

              Studies confirm the that market landscape for  Low code/No code development technologies will remain on a strong trajectory into the future. We can be confident that more organizations will turn to low code platforms to support innovation and digital transformation.

              Low code/No code is a software development approach. It enables the delivery of applications faster with little or no coding. Low code/No code platforms are a collection of tools. They enable the visual development of applications via modeling and graphical interface instead of extensive coding languages.

              The term “Low code/No code” is a modern alternative for RAD tools (Rapid Application Development). Today, Low code/No code is especially advantageous for enterprises that are looking for ways to streamline all organizational operations such as procurement, production scheduling, customer data, and order processing without the complication of hand-coding.

              These tools empower developers to speed up the process of getting an application to production. All without hand coding! These platforms are a fast and easy alternative to traditional software development. Both professional and non-professional developers (citizen developers) can use Low code/No code platforms to develop apps of varying complexities.

              Low code/No code development with SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) empowers non-IT professionals to develop and launch apps with little or no input from IT. This reduces the IT talent gap. It enables transformation in the development and expansion of organizational capabilities.

              Low code/No code platforms are built on Platform-as-a-Service cloud environments. This means it employs visual programming interfaces to solve business problems faster. The best part of it is that it does not require deep technical knowledge as it has a simple drag and drop interface.

              However, Low code/No code is not just about the user interface. SAP considered this fact while shaping a part of the SAP BTP strategy. Developers and business experts are no longer limited as they are now empowered with integrated Low code/No code automation tools such as SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation SAP Business Application studio and more. These tools enable developers to build Intelligent Enterprises.

              Read more: A Complete Guide On Software Product Development Stages And Life Cycle

              How Low Code/No Code Is Turning The Future Of Enterprise Resilience

              The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the adoption of digital technologies. The goal of these technologies is to allocate human resources wisely to empower the end-user. Low code/No code is faster and more efficient. It frees up professional developers’ or citizen developers’ time for more complex activities.

              Most importantly, Low code/No code builds systemic resiliency and responsiveness into the daily functioning of an enterprise. As enterprises aim to become more future-proof, they see Low code/No code as an immediate and effective opportunity.

              According to Gartner’s prediction, by the end of 2025, half of all new Low code clients will come from business buyers that are outside IT organizations. Commenting on pricing, Mr. Biscotti said, “Low code capabilities that support remote work function, such as digital forms and workflow automation, will be offered with more elastic pricing since they will be required to keep the lights running.” Given the benefits and the affordability, the Low code/No code market will see commensurate growth.

              How does SAP’s Low code development become the future of enterprise resilience? Please consider the following:

              1. SAP offers the necessary sophistication to address complex business processes

              SAP users often manage processes that involve a large number of applications linked to a single business process. Plus, a business may need an app that can handle complex tasks such as creating work orders offline for field crews. Low code/No code with SAP gives developers the ability to extend their functionality and solve any business problems.

              2. Helps in streamlining work and allow employees to work more efficiently

              Low code/No code development with SAP is much easier. Hence, it allows developers to manage repetitive tasks and focus on complex activities. Also, it enables them to focus on best practices across their organization to optimize processes and innovate. Thus, it streamlines work, allowing employees to work more efficiently regardless of their location.

              3. SAP Low code reduces technical debt

              Most organizations that are adopting digital transformation are discovering that they have large amounts of technical debt. This stands in the way of modernization and optimal user experience. Unfortunately, in some cases, the cost of legacy code exceeds its value-creating a debt.

              On the other hand, Low code/No code platforms are designed to avoid technical debt. SAP Low code platform enables your team to discover customizations, estimate the cost of modernizing them and then transform them into custom objects on the Low code/No code platform. Furthermore, the right Low code/No code platform will make it simpler to maintain and simplify future upgrades and migrations.

              Read more: Answering the Critical Questions Asked by Business Leaders Today on Digital Transformation!

              Digital transformation

              4. SAP Low code can help your business scale

              One of the most important aspects of resilience is the ability to scale as needed. While it is true that hand-coding development will lock in and not allow your business to scale, it isn’t so with SAP Low code.

              Because Low code/No code development solutions use open-source standards, they allow you to export your raw source code and adapt it as required. Additionally, cloud-based platforms provide virtually unlimited scalability.

              Look To A Resilient Future With Low Code/No Code

              SAP BTP is in a unique position to assist many organizations to implement digital transformation. It can help businesses achieve significant productivity gains and improve forecast planning. Looking to the future, the digital landscape is changing.

              Enterprises must continue to evolve on their mission for greater speed and agility. SAP Low code/No code platform creates a unified, business-centric, open platform for an Intelligent Enterprise. You can count on SAP for future-proofed resilience. As an SAP Silver partner, Fingent is uniquely positioned to open up all the benefits of its features in a way that is tailored for your business. Give us a call and let’s get talking.

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                About the Author

                ...
                Ashok Kumar

                Ashok leads Fingent’s SAP Consulting practice for ANZ, SE Asia, The Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and other global clients. More specifically, he helps companies improve operational efficiency by enhancing their digital cores and improving their application integration. Ashok has amassed over 20 years of leadership and consulting experience having worked with Global giants like SAP, IBM Consulting, Capgemini, & Oracle in his previous assignments. Connect with Ashok via LinkedIn and learn how your business can excel with recent SAP trends.

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                  DevOps is a fusion of development and operations that come together to form a technology that spreads rapidly throughout the technical community. The main objective of DevOps is to decrease the amount of time the company takes to deploy a program.

                  Before DevOps, most companies leveraged Agile methodology. However, it did not take care of the operations aspects and so gave rise to DevOps. In combination with Agile methodology, DevOps gave importance to communication between the development and operations team during all stages of the development cycle while developing software. This blog will take you briefly through why you need to consider DevOps and what are the upcoming trends in this technology.

                  Objectives of DevOps

                  The main goal of DevOps is to improve the collaboration between teams to;

                  • Improve the frequency of deployment
                  • Reduce time to market (TTM)
                  • Minimize the failure rate of new releases or productions
                  • Reduce the lead time between fixes
                  • Improve mean time to recovery

                  Read more: Test Automation In DevOps For Expediting Software Development

                  Statistics and Market Changes That Prove the Effectiveness of DevOps

                  DevOps includes different cross-functional teams such as business analysts, developers, QA practitioners, operations personnel, security specialists, suppliers, and partners. It not only helps seize the market opportunities quickly but also reduces time to include customer feedback. It also helps change and advances the relationship by improving the communication and collaboration between different business units. Here’s a look at a few statistics on how enterprises are driving efficiency using DevOps.

                  • 2x as likely as lower performers to achieve the goals across financial and non-financial measures.
                  • 46x more software deployments than their competitors
                  • 96x quicker recovery from failures
                  • 440x faster lead time for changes
                  • 96x faster recovery from failures
                  • Better customer satisfaction and operational efficiency
                  • DevOps teams spend about 21% less time resolving issues compared to traditional IT ops teams
                  • DevOps teams spend 33% more time improving infrastructure than traditional teams
                  • DevOps teams require 60% fewer teams per week to manage support cases than traditional teams

                  From shopping to banking to entertainment, every organization and industry is shifting towards accurate, practical software deployment and involves low maintenance costs. Additionally, emerging trends of AI and MI are steadily gaining momentum. Both technologies can process a large amount of data and perform menial tasks, help the IT staff do more targeted work, and help learn patterns, anticipate problems, and develop solutions.

                  Further, the adoption of agile frameworks and cloud technologies and the digitization of enterprises are some of the factors driving the market’s growth across the globe.

                  That said, with the penetration of IoT, DevOps is more in demand owing to the co-dependence of the hardware and the embedded software that runs on it. Moreover, Global Market Insights reports the DevOps Market size exceeded $4 billion in 2019 and expects to grow at over 20% CAGR between 2020 and 2026. So, if you don’t upgrade to DevOps, you are more likely to lose out on several opportunities that can help drive business growth.

                  Read more: DevOps: Building A New Culture Of Software Development And Delivery

                  DevOps

                  DevOps Market Trends

                  1. Automation

                  The Puppet 2021 State of DevOps report revealed that highly evolved firms are more likely to have implemented extensive automation. The report also stated that 90% of respondents with highly developed DevOps practices reported that their teams had automated most repetitive tasks.

                  These initiatives will only continue to have more urgency in their adoption for enterprises that are yet to evolve fully. To make these initiatives work, teams will have to integrate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning alongside automation of the entire process. Incorporating machine learning into the delivery lifecycle helps enterprises to understand problems such as blockages or capacity issues. This information can be used to mitigate problems whenever they arise. In addition, the AI-based predictive analysis enables the DevOps pipeline to anticipate problems and provide potential solutions.

                  2. Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Software

                  APM software is essential as it helps provide rapid feedback to developers during deployments. It includes:

                  • Front-end monitoring- This helps observe the behavior and performance of user interactions.
                  • Application discovery, tracing, and diagnostics(ADTD) – This analyses the relation between the web and application servers, infrastructure, and microservices.
                  • AIOps-enabled analytics- This helps detect patterns, anomalies, and causality across the lifecycle.

                  APM plays a key role in minimizing the Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and improving the user experience. APM capabilities help DevOps teams to understand the business processes better, provide insights into business operations, help with problem isolation and prioritization.

                  3. DevOps Security

                  Security is one of the most overlooked aspects of any organization. According to Gene Kim, DevOps researcher, for every 100 developers, there is only one security engineer.

                  However, with the pandemic changing many things and people working from home, more services are being run in the cloud, leading to more attacks. So, the way a developer writes the software and deploys it to its destination must be secure.

                  To get serious about prioritizing security for DevOps, you need to;

                  • Understand security goals
                  • Have proper cloud vulnerability scanners
                  • Secure the code with standard tests

                  4. Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) and DevOps

                  As per reports from Google Cloud’s 2021 Accelerate State of DevOps, SRE and DevOps will complement each other in years to come. SRE techniques such as service-level indicators will enhance the objectives of the DevOps team.

                  The report also indicates that teams who excel at modern practices are 1.4 times more likely to experience greater software delivery and operational performance than those who are less mature with operational practices. Such teams are also 1.8 times more likely to have better business outcomes.

                  5. The Rise of DevSecOps

                  As organizations embrace Kubernetes, serverless, and other cloud-based technologies, cloud-native security will become more critical. As a result, teams will need new tools and processes to protect assets making DevSecOps indispensable.

                  DevSecOps is a fusion of security and compliance testing into the development pipeline. It should:

                  • Integrate into the life cycle seamlessly
                  • Provide transparent results to the stakeholders
                  • Improve the agility of developers
                  • Help the teams to stay within their development environment
                  • Offer security protection at runtime

                  Read more: A Complete Guide On Software Product Development Stages And Life Cycle

                  Why Choose Fingent as Your DevOps Service Provider?

                  With robust DevOps services, Fingent ensures rapid on-boarding of applications by automating the end-to-end delivery pipeline and facilitating continuous development and integration across leading cloud platforms. It provides faster time to market, increased efficiency, and reduced costs. Our DevOps solutions will help align your organization’s goals rapidly and reliably to ensure high-quality software-based products and services.

                  So, if you’re looking forward to deploying DevOps to improve your organization’s speed, agility, and gain a competitive advantage, then connect with our experts today!

                  Stay up to date on what's new

                    About the Author

                    ...
                    Sreejith

                    I have been programming since 2000, and professionally since 2007. I currently lead the Open Source team at Fingent as we work on different technology stacks, ranging from the "boring"(read tried and trusted) to the bleeding edge. I like building, tinkering with and breaking things, not necessarily in that order.

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                      The pandemic has derailed the global economy, impacting businesses across the world. If organizations wish to keep up with the lightning pace of app and platform improvements while staying cyber secure, they must rely on DevOps. DevOps is crucial to business success more than ever.

                      But before you start your journey with DevOps let’s take a look at what DevOps is. What are the advantages of DevOps? How can you maximize its potential for your business? Read on to find out.

                      What Is DevOps?

                      DevOps is a term derived from combining “development” and “operations.” According to Gartner, “DevOps represents a change in IT culture, focusing on rapid IT service delivery through the adoption of agile, lean practices in the context of a system-oriented approach.”

                      In simple terms, it is a coordination of best practices that automate and integrate the processes between software development and the IT teams. This cross-disciplinary practice enables enterprises to create and improve products faster than traditional software development methods.

                      Implementing DevOps allows enterprises to have a competitive edge in value and value management. It allows teams to adapt to the changing market and address their customers’ needs effectively.

                      Read more: DevOps: The Catalyst to Efficient Project Development and Delivery

                      Tangible Benefits of DevOps

                      1. Maximizes efficiency

                      DevOps ensures the quality of application updates. Armed with the logging and monitoring mechanism of DevOps, developers can now oversee the real-time performance of the products.

                      This will help them make any necessary changes or improvements ensuring the efficiency of the software. Continuous testing enhances the software quality. Plus, it will be more reliable to function consistently and seamlessly.

                      2. Better communication and cooperation

                      A DevOps software development culture contributes to happier and more productive teams as its primary focus is on performance. This team spirit helps in building trust that leads to unitedly working to innovate more effectively.

                      When teams work together with DevOps, they do not wait for a different team to solve problems. Instead, they work toward a common goal focusing on bringing the product to market or production.

                      3. Faster Innovation

                      The success of an enterprise depends on its ability to innovate faster than its competitors. Since DevOps collaborates both development and operation efforts, the development cycle is shorter and the applications are ready faster.

                      4. Reduced implementation failure

                      Implementation failure can occur due to programming defects. Since DevOps promotes frequent code versions it is easy to detect defects early. This reduces the number of implementation failures. Additionally, recovery is much faster as the teams share ideas and together tackle the challenges of both teams.

                      5. Cost-effective

                      Automated testing and CI/CD aid in efficient bug-free codes. Hence, it eliminates the need to combat network downtime and avoid spending additional costs on other related issues.

                      DevOps automation accelerates the software release pipeline and cuts down on manual interventions. Thus, it minimizes software release costs. Moreover, early detection of defects saves consequent financial damages. Subsequently, DevOps increases profitability while reducing both direct and indirect costs.

                      Read more: Test Automation In DevOps For Expediting Software Development

                      6. Customer satisfaction

                      Customer satisfaction is crucial for businesses to thrive and profit. The constant flow of feedback mechanism of DevOps allows customers to rate the product and its updates. Their feedback will help developers to improve the product.

                      Besides, customers can keep tabs on the progress of the application with the help of loop feedback. This contributes to customer satisfaction as they now can see the agility in the software development process. As a result, your business can and will gain a competitive advantage in your sector.

                      Key Features Of DevOps

                      • Code: Everything in DevOps is version-controlled as code along with data.
                      • Continuous: Emphasis is on continuity of integration, deployment, and testing.
                      • Collaboration: Strong collaboration between the operations, development, and security teams is at the heart of DevOps.
                      • Fail fast: Robust automation, tooling, and processes in DevOps help in identifying problems faster preventing delays in the rollout of new features.
                      • Automated environment provisioning: This enables consistency across deployment ensuring reliable release.
                      • Security: This involves all security measures ranging from static security code analysis to vulnerability management.

                      DevOps Lifecycle

                      DevOps consists of multiple phases that collectively become the DevOps lifecycle. These phases ensure DevOps optimizes all development processes. Here is a phase-wise break-down of the DevOps lifecycle:

                      1. Continuous development

                      This is the first phase where planning and software coding takes place. The planning involves understanding the project and developers begin developing the code for the application. Though planning does not require any tools, maintaining code requires a number of tools.

                      2. Continuous integration

                      In the phase of continuous integration, new codes are built and integrated into the existing code. The source code is modified several times on a weekly or daily basis. The continuous integration of new code helps reflect the changes that the customers experience with the updated code.

                      3. Continuous testing

                      At this stage, the developed software is continuously tested for bugs with the help of automated tools. This phase can be repositioned around the continuous integration phase as well.

                      Testing helps developers save effort and time that is usually lost in manual testing. Plus, reports generated help them improve the test evaluation process. This ensures flawless functionality and inter-networking of the application.

                      4. Continuous feedback

                      Continuous feedback allows for further analysis of the improvements. The feedback from customers is assessed promptly enabling the developer to release new versions of the software application.

                      5. Continuous monitoring

                      This phase is of key importance for application developers as it sustains the availability of services in the application. Continuous monitoring helps determine the root causes of recurring system errors and helps resolve security issues and other problems.

                      6. Continuous deployment

                      Although continuous deployment takes place before continuous monitoring, developers ensure that this phase remains active throughout the DevOps lifecycle. Containerization tools are used to achieve continuous deployment. This nullifies all sorts of production failures and system errors.

                      7. Continuous operations

                      This is the shortest of all phases. The continuous operation allows developers to automate the process and accelerate the time-to-market for the application.

                      Use of DevOps in Different Industries

                      Manufacturing industries: The use of DevOps in car manufacturing can help manufacturers identify errors early on in the production process.

                      Online financial trading companies: DevOps reduces the overall process time and increases the customer base. DevOps contributes to a drastic reduction in regression testing time which in turn reduced the funding period.

                      Read more: Prepare for the Future of Digital Innovation with these 10 Services From Fingent

                      digital innovation

                      Get Faster, Bigger, and Better with DevOps

                      It is clear that the DevOps strategy benefits enterprise software development in many ways. DevOps take the legwork out of the software development process and has emerged to be a crucial component for the growth of a business. DevOps provides a wide range of benefits that are measurable and real in implementation.

                      DevOps can create an astounding long-term impact for internet-based businesses. All businesses need DevOps for faster testing and implementations.

                      If you are not adopting DevOps practices in your technology projects, then you are increasing the risk of delay on your technology projects and increasing technical debt. The longer you wait, the more effort is required to implement DevOps into your workflow. So, if you are considering implementing DevOps, act quickly! Call us today.

                      Stay up to date on what's new

                        About the Author

                        ...
                        Vinod Saratchandran

                        Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

                        Talk To Our Experts

                          A comprehensive guide to web application development in 2021

                           

                           

                          Introduction

                          A decade ago, web pages were mostly static, with a few images and videos thrown in here and there. In 2005, however, thanks to Ajax, it made it possible to create better, faster, and more interactive web applications.

                          In 2021, though web application development has reached its peak of fame, web apps have become so common that they often go unnoticed. With a reputed web application development partner like Fingent, you can develop intuitive and custom web applications that simplify your day-to-day operations.

                          Read more: Fingent Ranked as India’s Top Software Developer for 2021  

                          top software developer

                          Web apps help integrate the tailored experience of native apps with easy access on a website browser from any device. LinkedIn, Basecamp, MailChimp, or even Facebook, all have web apps that provide immersive and tailored experiences like the native apps directly from the browser. That is why web application development is gaining a lot of popularity in almost all industries, including banking, eCommerce, education, healthcare, and more.

                          What is a Web Application?

                          Also known as a web app, a web application is nothing but a computer program that uses a web browser to perform a specific function. Contact forms, for example, are web apps present on many websites.

                          As a web application is a client-server program, it has a client-side and a server-side. Here, the client refers to the program the individual uses to run the application. It is a part of the client-server environment where many computers share data. A typical example of a web application is the database. Here, the user enters data through the client-side (front-end), while the server-side (back-end) of the application stores and processes the information.

                          Both enterprises and individuals develop web applications to fulfill different purposes.

                           

                          Case Study: How we built Ambit AI, a light-touch AI-powered web application for processing workers’ compensation claims. Download Now!

                           

                          What is Web Application Development?

                          Web application development refers to the process of using client-side and server-side programming to develop an application that is made accessible over the web browser.

                          In the initial phase of the web application development process, the developer tries to find a solution to a specific problem and then designs the web app by choosing the appropriate development framework. Later, the developer tests and deploys the web app.

                          Read more: The 101 Guide to Web Application Development 

                          Web Apps vs. Mobile Apps

                          While web apps and mobile apps are similar in many ways, both are different in many ways.

                          Mobile apps are made exclusively for mobile gadgets and are suitable for Android, iOS, and Cross-platform operating systems. Usually, mobile apps are mobile-first, meaning they work effectively on smartphones, tablets, or other handheld mobile devices. Most mobile apps work offline too. Examples include Google Maps, Amazon Kindle, Uber, etc. On the other hand, web apps function only when you have internet connectivity. A web app functions in real-time in a web browser with CPU resources. As long as you have adequate internal storage, you can download a mobile app from an app store or play store.

                          Read more: How are Mobile Apps Different from Websites  

                          web app Blog cover

                          Types of Web Applications

                          Typically, web applications are classified into three categories based on the tools and technologies it uses.

                          1. Client-side web application

                          Client-side refers to everything the user sees at the end-user side, such as text, images, videos, forms, and the other UI. Client-side web applications are written using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and they work in a web browser. Angular js, Vue js, Ember js, Backbone js, Node js, etc., are some of the popular JavaScript libraries used for front-end development.

                          You can consider client-side web app building when you don’t need to preserve the user information for more than one session. It is perfect for easy games or image editors. Google Earth is a leading example of a client-side web application.

                          2. Server-side web application

                          These are web apps that can be coded in several programming languages such as Python, C+, Ruby, PHP, etc. If you develop an app with just the server-side, then the outcome of any changes in the form submission, sections, and data updates will create a new HTML file and cause the web page to reload.

                          Server-side programming is beneficial if you want your web application to deliver information tailored for individual users. For instance, e-commerce applications like Amazon use server-side programming to create product search results, offer product suggestions based on past buying habits, enhance user experience, and simplify the purchasing process.

                          3. Single-page web application

                          Single-page applications are designed to work in a browser and do not require reloading while in use. Most of our daily apps, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Drive, Gmail, etc., are single-page apps. Single-page web applications offer an unmatched user experience as the user doesn’t have to wait for page reloads. Single-page applications are highly responsive to user queries as they do not depend heavily on client-server communication.

                          Read more: A Detailed Guide to Types of Software Applications  

                          types of software

                          Technology Stacks for Web Application Development

                          The following web development technologies enable you to create a high-performing, fast, and advanced web application.

                          1. Database technologies

                          Due to its simplicity and multifunctionality, MySQL is one of the most preferred databases utilized for web application development. Other popular database technologies include Oracle Database, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Access, MongoDB, and RavenDB.

                          2. Front-end technologies

                          To develop the client-side of an app that the users interact with, you can choose highly efficient front-end JavaScript frameworks such as:

                          • React JS: This is a robust and most widely used JS framework for developing large-scale and complex dynamic web apps.
                          • Angular JS: A popular front-end framework by Google, Angular JS is suitable for building dynamic web apps, using HTML for static web pages.
                          • Vue JS: Fairly new, this JS framework does wonders for applications. Vue JS provides an ecosystem of assisting libraries and an accessible primary library for applying huge complex page apps.
                          • Backbone JS: This lightweight JS library has a RESTful JSON interface that follows the MVC (Model-View-Controller) application design standard. Backbone JS helps develop and structure the client-side applications that run in a web browser.
                          • Node JS: It is a cross-platform, open-source JS runtime that runs on the V8 engine and is designed to build scalable network applications.
                          • Ember JS: It is an open-source JS framework ideal for developing single-page applications.

                          The above list features only some of the leading JavaScript frameworks used for client-side programming.

                          3. Backend Technology

                          Frameworks such as Go, Ruby, Java, Django & Python are some of the most powerful back-end development technologies.

                          • Ruby: Ruby is an open-source, general-purpose, object-oriented programming language used to build highly secure and fast web applications.
                          • Java: A multi-purpose programming language, Java is leveraged for Android app development, desktop apps, and web app development. Java offers excellent security and stability.
                          • Django & Python – Python is flexible, advanced, and has a low learning curve. This programming language covers back-end web development. Python, along with its framework Django, can meet back-end development tasks efficiently.
                          • Go: Designed by Google’s developers, Go is an open-source programming language that is fast and statistically compiled. It helps build simple, reliable, and concurrent web applications.

                          Read more: Top 6 Stacks That Reign Software Development in 2020  

                          Benefits of Web Application Development

                          • Speed and cost: Web application development is faster and more economical than building native apps. If your primary goal is to accelerate time-to-market, then web application development is the best choice.
                          • Cross-platform capabilities: Web applications can be programmed to run on any operating system. Due to their cross-platform capabilities, web applications can adapt well to Android, iOS, Mac OS, and Windows phones. Device responsiveness of web applications helps you get rid of OS dependencies.
                          • Browser compatibility: A web application runs on the device’s browser using an accessible URL. Modern web applications are compatible with all browsers, such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Bing. So, you don’t have to face software compatibility challenges.
                          • No downloads needed: Web apps don’t need to be downloaded from app stores such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play. This helps save money since having a direct link through a web app is free.
                          • Easy to update: Updating web applications is easy, as only the server(s) would require upgrades.
                          • Cut operating costs: Web application development is a great way to cut operating costs. You can eliminate unnecessary expenses such as hardware purchases, frequent device updates, and maintenance of numerous systems.
                          • Custom web applications: Custom web application development offers several benefits as you can tailor the features for the users. These applications are easily accessible via browsers with a stable internet connection. Custom web apps help cut unnecessary expenses and save time as you only need to develop the required features.

                          Read more: Custom Software Development is The Ideal Way to Build Business Apps in 2021  

                          Custom software

                          A custom web app can significantly improve your business traction, brand awareness, communicate your brand ideology and help you gain a competitive edge in the chosen target market.

                          Web Application Development Process

                          Here is an overview of the steps we follow at Fingent for developing web applications.

                          1. Conceptualize

                          The first step is to define the problem you want to solve with a web application and collect all the relevant information needed for app development. A well-defined problem will give an excellent head-start to the project and help you identify the best solution. Next, clarify the purpose as well as the end goals of the application.

                          Ask these questions during the planning phase:

                          • What app do you want to build?
                          • What features and functions should it include?
                          • What is the audience of your product?

                          2. Design and build

                          The designing phase involves creating a wireframe for communicating the solution to target users. Then, the developers can consider designing elements that will provide an enjoyable user experience to the target audience.

                          Post-design, the next step is to build (develop) the application. The following steps will happen in this phase.

                          • To create a database for storage, the developers need to determine what data and data types are required for the application to perform well.
                          • Based on the elements approved by the users during the wireframing process, developers will create the front-end application. For this, the developers need to identify the best frameworks for front-end development.
                          • Developers will create interaction between the user and the server.
                          • Developers can either code from scratch or use front-end and back-end frameworks to develop the web app.
                          • Based on the application type, that is, client-side/ server-side/ single-page, programming is done.

                          3. Test and implement

                          Whether it is an automated or manual web application, testing for the web application is an ongoing process throughout the software development lifecycle.

                          • The Testing (QA) team will have to test the app for usability, compatibility, functionality, security, and performance to eliminate bugs and ensure that the application works without any glitches.
                          • Testing also helps identify any possible improvements and upgrades to make in the future.
                          • Once the testing is completed, you can finally implement the application in your company or customers.
                          • When using it for your company, you will have to train your employees to use the app productively (if the app requires training).
                          • For customers, you will have to create a communication strategy and decide on the appropriate timing to launch the application in the market.

                          At Fingent, we help you perform all the mandatory software and usability testing to ensure that your web app functions seamlessly. We also provide training and support to use the apps effectively.

                          4. Hosting and Maintenance

                          You must buy a domain and choose a hosting provider to create a server location for the app. We help you choose shared hosting, dedicated hosting, or cloud hosting based on your requirements.

                          We also help you maintain the web application. Some of our application maintenance services include:

                          • Ongoing QA testing
                          • Bug fixes and improvements
                          • Addressing changes and adding features based on user feedback
                          • Providing regular updates and technical support

                          Read more: Cloud Service Models SaaS, PaaS, IaaS: Choose the Right One for Your Business  

                          Web Application Development Validation & Deployment

                          Once your web app is developed and ready to be launched, remember it must be tested to ensure that the app functions correctly before its deployment. Bug fixing alone is not sufficient. Testing is vital to web application development.

                          We perform standard web application testing, such as:

                          • Usability Testing
                          • Performance Testing
                          • Application Security Testing
                          • Quality Assurance Testing and Bug Fixing
                          • Browser Compatibility Testing
                          • Responsiveness Testing (Responsive Web Design)

                          After completing the quality assurance process, your web app is ready for launch. You can use GitHub, Beanstalk App, and Bitbucket App to deploy the web app to your servers. Any new features, changes, and improvements to the deployed application are implemented according to the user’s feedback.

                          With over a decade of experience in web application development, Fingent helps you cover all these processes.

                          Read more: Offshoring Software Development: Here’s All You Need to Know  

                          Offshoring software development

                          Stay up to date on what's new

                            About the Author

                            ...
                            Vinod Saratchandran

                            Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

                            Talk To Our Experts

                              Custom Accounting Software Development: Understand the Steps, Cost, and Benefits!

                              Small business accounting software is a system that helps maintain a count of business revenues, cash reserves, loan allocation, cash flow, and payment data. There are several pre-packaged commercial accounting software available to meet business requirements. However, custom development of accounting software helps address a business’s specific needs. 

                              View infographic: What are the advantages of custom software over commercial off-the-shelf solutions?  

                              Custom accounting software is developed keeping in mind the specific needs and goals of your company. Typically, a custom accounting software system helps businesses streamline business operations such as cash flow tracking, tax calculating, internal auditing, financial transactions, business analysis, and reporting.

                              Small business accounting software solutions help reduce human resource costs and increase overall productivity. Most start-ups adopt accounting programs to boost competitive advantages to develop into mid-size and large companies.

                              Read more: Custom Software Development is the Ideal Way to Build Business Apps in 2021

                              Custom software

                              Benefits of custom accounting software

                              1. Improves efficiency

                              There’s no denying that technology works faster than humans. All you need to do is input the data correctly and command it to perform the function. The software will perform all the tasks within the stipulated time frame. Simply put, custom accounting software does all the finance-related work while the business owner can concentrate on your business.

                              2. Reduces human errors

                              Regardless of your business’s size, you need an accounting system. Otherwise, managing all the accounts can be a daunting task. In the process, there will be some chances of human errors. A custom accounting software will perform all the functions with technical efficiency and helps in reducing human errors.

                              3. Saves time

                              Custom accounting software allows you to perform more tasks in less time and enables business growth. With small business accounting software, your resource hiring and maintenance costs will come down as the software allows you to handle more accounting jobs in less time.  

                              4. Better financial monitoring and reporting

                              When financial operations are handled manually, the financial reports are usually prepared at the end of the year. Organizations can reduce this mundane task with the help of custom accounting software. It can generate the report at any time and help you identify any problems beforehand.

                              5. Faster data processing

                              When it comes to accounting, you must have experienced and efficient people to register and process all the data before using it. Custom accounting software makes this process easier and faster.

                              Significance of small business accounting software

                              Business accounting includes a wide range of operations to capture the entire financial situation of an organization. Done manually, it is time-consuming and a daunting task. However, custom accounting software has helped automate all the processes, allowing business owners more time to concentrate on other vital business aspects.

                              Without accounting, it’s impossible to do business. The accounting team makes it possible to evaluate the progress of the organization. It gathers information, creates arrangements, and evaluates the financial data of the organization. Small business accounting software simplifies financial reporting and management of operations. 

                              Steps involved in custom accounting software development

                              Step 1. Define an idea

                              So, you got an excellent idea for your small business accounting software? That’s great! The idea itself is enough to kickstart the project. Next, you need to solidify it into an actionable strategy. Your team should take the initiative, perform analysis, identify the additional functions and features that will be feasible for the system.

                              Step 2. Design the UX/UI of your system

                              After assessing the project, the next step is to start on the prototypes and designs. The cost of software development tools is often based on the number of features the solution requires. As a business owner, you can ask the developer to design the app according to your business needs.

                              You will be able to decide what to add and delete during the initial phase. Once the software’s framework and future design are accepted, you can switch to determining the accounting software’s functionality.

                              Step 3. Decide the features and functionality

                              Some of the critical features you need to include in the software are:

                              • Account management
                              • Inventory management
                              • Invoice processing
                              • Multi-user support
                              • Budgeting
                              • VAT calculations
                              • Third-party app integration
                              • Sales order
                              • Payroll management
                              • Credit tracking
                              • Payment management
                              • Advanced analytics
                              • Billing management & record keeping
                              • Generate reports

                              Step 4. Develop the software

                              Designing accounting software is a complex and time-consuming process. However, using a questionnaire development approach can help develop appropriate accounting software.

                              Designers and QA engineers need to compose test cases before the actual development work. This will prevent any bugs in the future. At Fingent, our developers know the trending designs and develop applications using configuration management techniques to ensure proper software development methodology. Before that, we guarantee to address all the steps and innovations.

                              Step 5. Deploy and maintain

                              After the development of the software, the project is implemented and ready to use. The application may need tracking and improvements to stay relevant. Therefore, a support and maintenance team is a must for small business accounting software. The team must resolve issues and cope with problems in case of any crashes.

                              Cost of custom accounting software development 

                              The development cost depends on several factors, such as the software’s features and techniques. The more features and tools you require, the more money you may need to spend from your pocket.

                              Additionally, you will have to consider the production period- the longer it will take, the more expensive it will be. The cost would also rely on the developers you employ to create your software. 

                              Read more: Offshoring Software Development: Here’s All You Need to Know

                              Offshoring software development

                              Choosing the right partner for custom software development

                              Custom accounting software development may seem challenging, but it proves worthy in the long run as it allows your business to stay out of chaos. When businesses go for custom software development, they can build new capabilities on top of existing enterprise applications. Custom software solutions appeal to tech leaders and companies of all sectors globally. In today’s dipping economy, software development companies like Fingent help businesses restart or rebuild what they lagged with custom software solutions. 

                              Read more: Points to Consider Before Choosing the Best Software Development Company

                              Being the top custom software development company, Fingent helps you identify the right tech stack and skills required to develop your software. Are you wondering how to boost your company’s growth and operating efficiency? Talk to our expert right away and get your questions answered.  

                              Stay up to date on what's new

                                About the Author

                                ...
                                Vinod Saratchandran

                                Vinod has conceptualized and delivered niche mobility products that cater to various domains including logistics, media & non-profits. He leads, mentors & coaches a team of Project Coordinators & Analysts at Fingent.

                                Talk To Our Experts

                                  Clutch Hails Fingent as India’s Top Software Developer for 2021

                                  We are thrilled to announce the news!!!

                                  Fingent is once again recognized by Clutch for its many innovations and robust industry solutions. And this time we are ranked as the Top Software Developer for 2021, in India!

                                  Why is Fingent recognized as India’s Top Custom Software Development Company?

                                  Our focus here at Fingent is to help emerging enterprises make a difference with improved business agility and efficiency that’s powered by cutting-edge web and mobile solutions. Our goal always lies in delivering next-generation enterprise applications that streamline business processes and promises unique user experiences.

                                  We make sure that our clients get what they expect and more. With our expertise in emerging technologies, we deliver custom, pre-packed, and hosted applications that support all operating systems and cloud platforms for improved business reach and growth.

                                  Moreover, we don’t just build software! We collaborate with businesses to understand their struggles in the market, and determine the perfect technologies that can enhance their capabilities and grant them a competitive advantage. We also make sure to bring these solutions promptly and cost-efficiently.

                                  Here’s looking back at the success stories of some of our Indian Clients!

                                  GST Implementation in SAP: With the changing regulations of GST policies in India, our client, HOCL, an enterprise owned by the Government of India to indigenize the manufacturing of vital organic chemicals, wanted to integrate GST into their SAP system and support the GST implementation. The enterprise, consisting of complex and critical workflows, required the implementation to be quick and fast adaptive to the existing environment.

                                  What we did was a 100% compliant GST implementation in the customer’s SAP system, while carefully addressing all taxable scenarios and specific requirements. Our strategized and timely implementation of GST changes into the customer’s SAP system, ensured zero deviation from the regulatory timeline, and zero effects on the business continuity.

                                  An E-commerce Platform to Streamline Medical Procurement: Analyzing the challenges of the healthcare industry in procuring quality medical supplies, Kogland required a streamlined platform to seamlessly connect top vendors and trusted brands with healthcare organizations. 

                                  Fingent helped the firm develop an e-commerce platform that delivered a hassle-free shopping experience for healthcare sectors, as well as a trusted selling platform for healthcare vendors. Capabilities around Magento were utilized to serve the front-end of the e-commerce functionalities, whereas advances in Odoo to structure the back-end operations of the company, including sales, purchases, inventory, and accounting.

                                  Based on these successful projects in India, in research conducted by Clutch in 2021, Fingent stood as one of the top software development companies in India

                                  Clutch is a popular B2B rating and review platform that crucially evaluates tech service and solution companies based on their client reviews and work qualities. We are thrilled and excited to have been awarded this title from Clutch, and we look forward to more successful client stories and achievements in the future.

                                  We are also truly thankful to our clients who constantly support us by posting their honest reviews and thoughtful feedback on the Clutch website.

                                  “We are recognized for our clients, and that’s why we make sure that their dreams and ideas come to life with the advances and expertise we have in technology today! We are truly thankful to Clutch for appreciating our efforts.”

                                                       – Varghese Samuel, CEO & Managing Director, Fingent.

                                  If you are looking for a technology partner to innovate your business ideas, then contact us now, and let’s talk about your project and goals.

                                  Stay up to date on what's new

                                    About the Author

                                    ...
                                    Ashmitha Chatterjee

                                    Ashmitha works with Fingent as a creative writer. She collaborates with the Digital Marketing team to deliver engaging, informative, and SEO friendly business collaterals. Being passionate about writing, Ashmitha frequently engages in blogging and creating fiction. Besides writing, Ashmitha indulges in exploring effective content marketing strategies.

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                                      Is custom software poised to fulfill business needs in 2021?

                                      From small firms to established companies, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses and leaders to embrace digital transformation. Businesses are spending more on custom software solutions to ensure smooth workflow as they switch their operations to virtual workspaces. Custom software development and mobile application development have become inevitable for business growth and success. As technology advances, intelligent interfaces and highly intuitive cognitive capabilities transform businesses in unimaginable ways.

                                      Custom software solutions appeal to tech leaders and companies of all sectors globally. In today’s dipping economy, software development companies like Fingent help businesses restart or rebuild what they lagged with custom software solutions. 

                                      Read more: 5 reasons why custom software development is important to your business 

                                      Custom Software Development

                                      What is a custom software solution?

                                      A custom software solution is the best response for both clients and customers to adapt to the new normal. Currently, many organizations are allowing their employees to work from home, thereby limiting physical interactions. Such organizations adopt customized software applications tailored for specific use by their employees. Remote working software tailored to meet specific workplace requirements and maintain privacy without affecting the workflow allows businesses to better serve their customers. 

                                      Simply put, custom software development involves designing, developing, implementing, and managing a particular software application used by a specific set of audience, functions, or organizations. 

                                      A software development company first analyzes the business and its product requirements to develop customized scalable, dynamic, and cost-effective software solutions. It helps meet the needs and preferences of the customers, clients, and the organization at large.

                                      The new normal is making it difficult for businesses to obtain a competitive edge, so they resort to custom software applications rather than off-the-shelf software development. Thanks to these tailor-made solutions, work is becoming easier and enabling businesses to take a step ahead.

                                      What is the difference between custom software and commercial software?

                                      Custom software solutions are designed and built to adapt to the changing market demands. Off-the-shelf software allows businesses to adjust to their expertise. Commercial off-the-shelf applications come pre-packaged and are purchased by enterprises to carry out their tasks. Custom software enables you to retain only the features you use and supports scalability in the future.   

                                      View infographic: What are the advantages of custom software over commercial off-the-shelf solutions? 

                                      custom software

                                      Why do businesses need custom software development services?

                                      Custom software solutions are one of the best ways for businesses to survive in today’s uncertain market. Moreover, custom software development assures that your data remains secure and confidential as there is a high amount of data security risk with off-the-shelf software. Custom software is the best option today, considering your business’s privacy, security, and accountability. As custom software is made exclusively for in-house use, the associated risks are low.

                                      What are the benefits of custom software solutions?

                                      1. Improves efficiency

                                      Custom software is designed to support the specific processes followed by a business entity and its users. Hence it improves the productivity and operational efficiency of the business and its employees. By automating mundane tasks and tweaking the workflow to eliminate unwanted elements, custom software implementation adds business value.  

                                      2. Reduces integration costs

                                      Most of the commercial off-the-shelf software fails to work with existing and legacy applications. If it does not comply, businesses will have to invest further to ensure that the prepackaged software operates with the existing infrastructure. On the other hand, custom software integrates well with the current environment and adapts to a business’s needs.

                                      3. Scalability

                                      Custom software can grow as the business expands or changes. Developers can assess future requirements and incorporate them into the application. It can save costs associated with purchasing additional licenses or subscriptions of commercial applications.

                                      4. Profitability

                                      Investing in custom software development increases the profitability of a business. Depending on the project’s terms and conditions, the organization that creates custom software can own it or license it or sell it to other organizations.

                                      5. Independence

                                      As you will be free of a commercial software vendor, you need not worry about price hikes for licensing and support or whether the vendor terminates a product or goes out of business. However, the business that develops and uses custom software should bear the cost of maintaining and supporting the software. So, every organization must carefully decide whether it’s better to buy or build.

                                      Read more: How to Choose the Right Custom Software Development Firm 

                                      Technologies and practices to consider in custom software development

                                      1. Open-source

                                      Open-source indicates that the software source code is open to the public and the development community to use. For example, Microsoft, Linux, and Google. Open source can significantly improve development productivity through software component reuse and improve interoperability by avoiding proprietary architecture.

                                      2. Artificial Intelligence (AI)

                                      Artificial Intelligence allows the software to replicate human decision making and learning. It can enhance the development process. For example, natural language processing (NLP) is used to analyze requirements from elaborate texts and recommends improvements based on best practices. AI technologies such as machine learning and modeling may also be incorporated into applications through application programming interfaces (API) and cloud services.

                                      3. Blockchain technology

                                      Developers are leveraging open- source hyper ledger technology and blockchain ledgers to build new types of secure transactional and financial applications that can boost business processes.

                                      4. Cloud-based development

                                      It brings the advantages of cloud computing by hosting development environments in the cloud. It supports design, coding, integration, and other development functions to build on-premises and cloud-native applications. These environments also promise cost control, speed, and on-demand convenience.

                                      5. Mobile application technology

                                      With the customers’ buying behavior shifting from products and services to experiences, mobile application technology is a must. So, developers have to connect mobile apps with data to improve and enrich the user experience. 

                                      6. Analytics technologies

                                      These technologies enable software applications and their users to understand data through dashboards, visualizations, and predictive capabilities. AI, cloud-based services, and automation make it easier to incorporate analytics into applications.

                                      The health crises and economic uncertainties brought in by the COVID-19 pandemic have compelled businesses to adopt solutions tailored for use by their employees and customers. So, opting for custom software solutions is a wise decision as they can be customized to suit your business needs.

                                      Read more: 5 Custom software development trends every business should know 

                                      Custom Software Development

                                      While the initial investments seem a bit high, custom apps will get you a higher ROI in the future. If you are looking for a custom software solution for your business, all you need to do is select a trusted and reputed company like Fingent. We first understand your requirements and help preserve your accountability in the market. To know more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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                                        About the Author

                                        ...
                                        Sreejith

                                        I have been programming since 2000, and professionally since 2007. I currently lead the Open Source team at Fingent as we work on different technology stacks, ranging from the "boring"(read tried and trusted) to the bleeding edge. I like building, tinkering with and breaking things, not necessarily in that order.

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