Wednesday, 7 June 2023

8 Ways to Reduce App Size during Mobile App Development Cycle. what are the steps

 

Excessive app size can negatively impact the user experience of your mobile app, leading to slow download times, storage issues and higher data costs. However, there are many strategies you can implement during the mobile app development process to minimize your app's final size without compromising features or functionality.



In this blog post, we will discuss 8 effective ways to cut down on app bloat and ship a lean, optimized app. These include removing unused code, minifying JavaScript, avoiding native libraries where possible and more. Following these best practices during development can make a big difference in creating an app that installs quickly and runs smoothly.

Optimize images and assets

Images and multimedia assets often account for the largest portion of an app's overall size. By optimizing these assets, you can significantly reduce your app size. Techniques include using image compression tools to shrink JPG, PNG and other image file sizes. Resize images to the optimal resolutions required for the target device screens. Where possible, replace PNGs with lower-sized JPEGs that still maintain acceptable visual quality. Remove unused images and assets that are no longer needed. Check images regularly throughout development in case any can be further optimized. Going the extra mile with image optimization can make a big impact on your final APK size.

Remove unused code

During Mobile App Development, developers often leave unused code in the app that does not actually get executed at runtime. This redundant code includes unused imports, functions and dead code. Removing this unused code can help shrink your app size. Scan your codebase to identify unused imports and remove them.

Audit functions to determine if any are unused and can be deleted. Eliminating unused code that the app does not actually need at runtime is a straightforward way to declutter your codebase and reduce app bloat. Make it a practice to regularly review your code for unused elements as you develop to minimize unused code from the beginning.

Use vector drawables

Using vector drawables instead of PNGs for images can help minimize app size. Vector assets are resolution-independent and scale seamlessly to different device sizes and densities without losing visual quality. Because they are defined by mathematical expressions rather than a fixed pixel map, vector drawables result in significantly smaller file sizes compared to PNGs. They can reduce the number of images required across different resolutions, since a single vector drawable can adapt to multiple screens. When designing and including images in your app, prefer vector formats over PNGs to benefit from the reduced app size. Using vector drawables where possible is an effective technique during mobile app development to optimize your app's size.

Minify JavaScript and CSS files

Minifying JavaScript and CSS files is a simple yet effective way to significantly reduce your mobile app's size. Minification removes unnecessary characters like whitespace, line breaks and comments from your code files, as well as shortens variable names. This results in compressed files with the same functionality but much smaller sizes.

Minifying JavaScript can reduce file sizes by 50-70%, while minifying CSS files typically yields 20-50% smaller sizes. As part of your app build process during development, enable JavaScript and CSS minification to automatically minify all your code files before they are bundled into the final APK.

Use resource compression

Compressing resources like strings, XML files and other assets can yield significant gains in reducing app size. Compression encodes data to use fewer bits, storing the information in a smaller amount of space. Strings make up a large portion of an Android app's resources, so compressing strings can noticeably shrink the APK. XML files defining layouts, menus and other UI elements can also be compressed.

Enabling resource compression in your build configuration will automatically compress all applicable resources before packaging the APK. Using compression techniques during the mobile app development process, especially for text-heavy apps, can help optimize your app's final size without impacting functionality.

Bundle assets properly

How assets like images are bundled also impacts the final app size. Images should be placed in the correct density folders corresponding to the target device screens. Folder names like ldpi, mdpi, hdpi, xhdpi and xxhdpi indicate the image density and resolution. The system will automatically select the images from the relevant density folder depending on the device's screen density.

This means a single image in the appropriate density folder can cover multiple devices. Bundling assets properly in this way during development optimizes the image resources required and helps reduce overall app size. Proper asset bundling, done the right way from the beginning, is an easy but important technique for minimizing mobile app sizes.

Avoid native libraries if possible

Native libraries, which are written in C or C++, can significantly increase the size of mobile apps. During the development process, avoiding the use of unnecessary native libraries when possible helps minimize app size. For each functionality, developers should evaluate if it can be implemented using native code, native libraries or Android/iOS APIs. In most cases, using the built-in APIs will yield a smaller footprint than including a native library. Only include native libraries that are absolutely needed to provide critical functionality that cannot be achieved otherwise.

Remove device logs and debugging code before release

 

Logging and debugging statements added to the code for testing purposes increase the overall app size. Before releasing the final app, logs and debugging code need to be removed to optimize the app size. This includes removing log statements like Log.d, Log.e and Log.i, as well as any conditional debugging code. Removing these statements decreases the amount of code that gets bundled into the APK, contributing to a smaller app size. Make it part of your build process before releasing to production to strip out all logging and debugging code.

Conclusion

Applying the techniques discussed from image optimization to code minimization will help ensure your mobile app downloads as quickly as possible. Every KB saved during development counts towards a faster, smoother experience for users. So aim for a smaller app size starting on day one - the optimized app your users deserve begins with you.

 

Application support maintaince: An Ideal Approach To Shoot Up Your Business in 2023

 

Application support and maintenance is crucial for ensuring software applications run efficiently and remain effective for businesses over time. Unfortunately, many organizations overlook the importance of proper application support, leading to reduced performance, bugs, security vulnerabilities and lost productivity. This blog post will discuss what application support maintenance entails, the key benefits it provides businesses, and tips for choosing the right application support maintenance provider.


As businesses look to optimize their operations and digital tools in 2023, a well-executed application support maintenance strategy will be integral for maximizing the value of existing software investments. So, whether you have in-house developers or rely on external support, prioritizing Application Support and Maintenance should be at the top of your technology agenda.

What is Application support maintenance?

Application support and maintenance refers to the ongoing management and upkeep of software applications to keep them running smoothly, securely and effectively. It includes monitoring application performance, troubleshooting and fixing software issues and bugs, applying security patches, updating applications to work with other systems and platforms, and performing planned upgrades. The goal of application support and maintenance is to maximize the stability, usability and reliability of applications so they can continue serving their intended business purposes over time.

Without proper support and maintenance, applications become prone to crash, expose security vulnerabilities, lose functionality and fail to adapt to changing business needs. Application support and maintenance is typically performed either in-house by developers or via external support contracts with software vendors or IT service providers.

Benefits of Application Support Maintenance

The main benefits of application support and maintenance are:

                 Improved performance and reliability - Regular maintenance helps fix bugs, optimize performance     and improve the stability of applications. This results in more reliable and consistent performance.
        Security updates - Applying security patches and upgrades on a regular basis helps fix vulnerabilities and minimize security risks. This keeps applications and data secure.
        Compliance - Maintaining applications can help ensure they comply with relevant regulations, industry standards and internal policies.
        Extended lifecycle - Proper maintenance and timely upgrades extend the useful life of applications and delay the need for costly replacements.
   Enhanced usability - Support and maintenance activities can improve the user interface, user     experience and functionality of applications over time.
   Ability to adapt - Maintaining applications allows them to be adjusted and modified to work with     new technologies, integrate with other systems and adapt to changing business needs.
   Lower long-term costs - While support contracts may have an initial cost, they help reduce expensive     downtime, data loss incidents and replacement costs in the long run.
  Improved productivity - Well-maintained applications that work as intended with few issues help         boost employee productivity and satisfaction.

Choosing the Right Application Support Maintenance Provider

When outsourcing application support and maintenance, it is important to choose a provider that understands your specific software and business needs. Look for a company that has experience supporting the applications you use and a proven track record of success with similar clients. Ask for references and case studies to evaluate their work. A good provider will listen carefully to your requirements, present a feasible support plan and budget, and customize their services to meet your goals. They should have an efficient issue resolution procedure, strong security protocols and a clear communication process.

Conclusion

Application support and maintenance is vital for maximizing the value of software investments and supporting business goals. With a well-chosen provider and properly executed support strategy, organizations can reap many benefits from more reliable performance to lower costs to peace of mind. Prioritizing application support should be at the top of business technology agendas.

Tuesday, 16 May 2023

Top 10 Reasons Why Using Robotic Process Automation For Data Entry Is The Right Choice For Your Business in 2023

 For businesses seeking ways to make data entry faster, more accurate and cost-effective, robotic process automation may be the right choice moving into 2023 and beyond. RPA uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate repetitive, rule-based data tasks previously done by humans. This article covers the top 10 reasons why adopting RPA for at least some of your data entry processes could help optimize operations, unlock efficiencies and reduce costs for your business. We'll explain what RPA is and how it works, then dive into benefits. Automating the right processes has the potential to transform how your business captures, manages and utilizes data for improved decision-making and competitiveness.



What Is Robotic Process Automation?

Robotic process automation services india, also known as RPA, refers to the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate repetitive tasks that are typically performed by humans. RPA software, sometimes called a "software robot" or "bot," mimics the actions of a human interacting within digital systems to execute a particular task. With RPA, a software bot is configured to interpret, trigger responses, and communicate with the systems an organization already has in place. 

A Robotic Process Automation bot can be trained by a human to complete tasks by recording a person's actions and replicating them automatically, at a much larger scale and with higher accuracy. Some common examples of tasks automated with RPA include data entry, invoice processing, form filling, report generation, email response and more. 

How does RPA work?

RPA works by automating the actions that a human would take to complete a task. An RPA bot completes these steps:

  • It identifies and interprets the data needed from various systems like databases, Excel sheets, web pages, etc.

  • It then processes that data and determines what actions are required based on predefined rules created by a human.

  • Next, it accesses the relevant applications - ERP systems, CRM tools, HR tools, etc. - through their APIs or user interfaces.

  • It enters the necessary data, selects options, and triggers actions within those applications based on the programmed workflows and rules.

  • Finally, it provides the output - such as generated reports, emails, or updated records - to the appropriate systems or users.

All of this is done at a speed and scale that humans can't match. An RPA bot can work 24/7, process thousands of records per hour, and complete tasks with a high level of accuracy following the predefined rules. 


Reasons Why Using Robotic Process Automation For Data Entry

More Accurate Data Entry

One of the biggest benefits of using “ rpa services india for data entry is the increased accuracy of the captured data. Robotic Process Automation bots can scan data at high speeds with flawless precision, picking up on even the smallest details and formatting requirements. They don't get distracted, tired or bored like humans performing repetitive data entry tasks. This results in data with fewer errors, typos, omitted fields and formatting issues.

Highly accurate data is critical for effective analytics, reporting and decision-making. Inaccurate or incomplete data from manual data entry can impact things like:

  • Financial reporting

  • Customer service levels

  • Inventory management

  • Compliance requirements

  • Business Insights from analytics

  • Regulatory reporting

Robotic Process Automation bots ensure data is captured exactly as required, following all predefined rules and checks. This significantly reduces the time and effort required to correct errors in the data after manual entry. 

No Training Time

Unlike human employees, RPA bots require no training time - they are ready to work productively as soon as they are configured and deployed. This means that:

  • There are no costs or lost productivity associated with onboarding and training new bots.

  • Bots can start providing benefits like increased accuracy and faster processing immediately.

In contrast, when organizations rely on employees for repetitive data entry and processing tasks, significant time and costs go into training and bringing new hires up to speed. This training period often ranges from days to even months before new employees reach maximum productivity.

Repatriate Jobs

Robotic Process Automation bots can take over many routine data entry and processing tasks. They also create opportunities for human employees to be redeployed to more engaging and higher-value work. By automating mundane, repetitive jobs, organizations can "repatriate" those roles and assign people to activities that better utilize their problem-solving, creative and interpersonal skills.

Tighter Security

One of the risks of manual data entry is potential security breaches caused by human error. Employees may accidentally expose sensitive data by:

  • Saving information to unsecured devices or locations

  • Sharing data with unauthorized individuals

  • Falling for phishing scams that steal credentials

When configured properly, Robotic Process Automation can enhance data security through different features. These features are two-factor authentication to access systems, encryption of data in transit and at rest, activity logging to detect anomalies and sandboxing of processes to limit exposures. 


Minimal IT Resources

Unlike traditional IT development projects, implementing and maintaining RPA solutions requires minimal IT resources. This is because Robotic Process Automation bots leverage your existing systems and applications instead of building new ones from scratch. Some key ways RPA minimizes the burden on IT teams include:

  • Little to no additional coding - RPA bots are configured through recording and scripting tools, not extensive custom development.

  • No need for complex system integration - RPA bots interact with applications in the same way employees do through APIs and user interfaces.

  • Minimal change management - Since existing systems are unmodified, there is less risk of unplanned consequences or disruptions.

  • Streamlined testing - Automated test cases can be created to quickly validate RPA workflows.

  • Self-healing capabilities - Some RPA solutions can detect and fix issues with automation on their own.

Conclusion

The benefits of automating repetitive data entry tasks with robotic process automation make a compelling case for RPA as the right choice for businesses in 2023 and beyond. From increased accuracy and productivity to reduced costs and risks, RPA solves many of the challenges that plague traditional data entry methods.

RPA bots can transform inefficient, error-prone data processing into an accurate, cost-effective operation that scales to meet your business needs. The bots automate mundane tasks so your human employees can focus on more meaningful work that leverages their creativity, judgment and interpersonal skills.


10 best open-source video analytics and data tools

 10 best open-source video analytics and data tools

Open-source video and data analytics tools provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive proprietary software for businesses. This blog discusses 10 of the best open-source options available, covering both video analytics and data tools.

We'll first define what open-source video and data analytics tools are and the benefits they offer businesses. Then we'll cover the top 5 open-source video analytics tools, including IBM Video Streaming, KiwiVision and Glimpse. These tools can help with tasks like video processing, object detection, face recognition and behavioural analysis.

Next, we'll look at the top 5 open-source data analytics tools like Apache Spark, RapidMiner and Tableau. These tools support data ingestion, cleansing, model training and visualization. They offer advanced capabilities for extracting insights from massive datasets.

By adopting open-source tools, businesses can gain powerful analytics functionalities with more flexibility, scalability and customizability compared to expensive closed-source options. The top tools highlighted in this blog provide a blend of reliability, ease of use and advanced capabilities to support a range of video and data analytics needs.


What are open-source video analytics tools?

Open-source video analytics tools are free software. Anyone can change the code and share it with others. Code is openly available to change and improve tools. Tools analyze video footage to find useful info. They detect objects, track people, recognize faces and understand behaviour. Companies use tools for security, retail, traffic, marketing and production. Compared to closed tools, open tools cost less. They are easier to change and improve fast as a community. 

There are several reputable video analytics companies in India offering advanced solutions for analyzing and extracting insights from video data.

Open tools work with existing company systems too. But open tools may lack support, ease of use and testing. The main benefits are lower costs, flexibility and quick progress thanks to the community. With enough resources, open video analytics tools can solve most needs. Closed tools may offer more polish and enterprise support.

 

Need for open-source video analytics tools in business 

Here are the key business needs that open-source video analytics tools address:

  • Security - Tools can detect risky behaviors, and identify threats faster based on video footage. This improves safety, response times and security operations.

  • Retail - Tools can track shopper behaviour, measure queue lengths and detect out-of-stock products. This provides insights to improve the customer experience, operations and sales.

  • Manufacturing - Tools can monitor production lines to find issues, spot defects and measure output. This helps improve production efficiency, quality and throughput.

  • Supply chain – They can analyze videos from warehouses, and distribution centres to optimize processes, detect anomalies and improve inventory management.

  • Marketing – These tools can gather audience insights from video content to optimize ad campaigns, measure engagement and improve customer targeting.

  • Smart city operations – They can analyze traffic and crowd videos to improve traffic light timing, detect congestion and expedite emergency responses.


Top 5 open-source video analytics tools

  • IBM Video Streaming - Focuses on real-time video analytics for security and surveillance. Features object detection, people counting, facial recognition and behaviour analysis.

  • KiwiVision - Provides video content understanding capabilities. It can detect objects, people, and activities and it can be integrated with other tools.

  • Mintrics – it is centred around retail use cases. Performs people counting, queue length analysis, product identification and visitor behaviour analysis.

  • Glimpse - Specializes in video data analytics for manufacturing. Detects defects measure product dimensions and monitor production line efficiency.

  • Digifort - Built for security and enterprise applications. Offers features like facial recognition, people tracking, activity analysis and anomaly detection in data centres.

What are open-source data analytics tools?

Open-source data analytics tools have free code. Anyone can change code and share tools with others. Tools help find useful info in large data sets. They clean data, test models and visualize info in graphs and charts. Companies use tools to discover new insights from data to improve decisions and performance. 

Compared to closed tools, open tools cost less. They are easier to change and improve fast as a community. Open tools work with existing company systems too. The main benefits are lower costs, flexibility and quick progress thanks to the community. With enough resources, open data tools can solve most needs. Closed tools may offer more polish and enterprise support.

Video analytics software India refers to software solutions developed and used in India for analyzing video data to extract useful insights, including identifying patterns, detecting events, and tracking objects or people.

Need for open-source data analytics tools in business 

Here are the key business needs that open-source data analytics tools address:

  • Insights - Businesses need insights from their data to make smarter decisions, optimize processes and improve performance. Analytics tools help uncover these hidden patterns and correlations.

  • Efficiency - Tools help businesses identify areas of inefficiency, wasted resources and unnecessary costs based on data analysis. They point the way to more efficient operations.

  • Risk assessment – They allow businesses to proactively identify risks, detect fraud and ensure compliance through data monitoring and flagging of anomalies.

  • Customer understanding – They provide a deeper understanding of customers, their preferences and likely actions through analysis of customer data. This helps improve targeting, products and experiences.

  • Predictive capabilities – They are built on predictive models based on historical data to forecast future outcomes, customer behaviour and market trends. This allows businesses to prepare and act proactively.

  • Data management - Tools help businesses organize, clean, join and transform data from disparate sources into a unified form that can be effectively analyzed.

  • Innovation - Tools enable data-driven experimentation, A/B testing and rapid prototyping to drive new product and service innovations based on data and customer insights.


Top 5 open-source data analytics tools

  • Apache Spark - A big data processing framework. Used for large-scale data engineering, machine learning and real-time stream processing.

  • KNIME - An intuitive visual environment for data integration, preprocessing, machine learning and reporting. Ideal for R&D and academic use cases.

  • RapidMiner - An end-to-end platform for data preparation, machine learning, deep learning and AI. Focused on usability for technical and non-technical users.

  • Tableau Software - A data visualization tool for creating interactive dashboards, graphs and reports. Great for exploring and communicating data insights.

  • MongoDB - A general-purpose, document-based database. Used as a platform for developing data analytics applications and solutions.


Conclusion

Open-source video and data analytics tools provide cost-effective and flexible solutions for businesses to derive insights from visual and digital data. The tools highlighted in this blog cover a wide range of capabilities from video processing and object detection to machine learning, data visualization and management. For both video and data analytics use cases, open-source tools offer key benefits like lower licensing costs, more customizability, faster innovation and compatibility with existing systems.


The Benefits of Outsourcing Your iOS App Development Services

 In today's digital age, businesses are constantly looking for innovative ways to reach their customers and stay ahead of the competition. Developing a robust and user-friendly mobile app is one such way, and iOS app development has become increasingly popular due to the widespread use of Apple devices. However, the iOS app development process can be daunting, requiring significant investment in resources, time, and expertise. It is where outsourcing comes into play, allowing businesses to leverage the skills and expertise of external service providers. This blog will discuss the benefits of outsourcing your iOS app development services. We will explore how outsourcing can help businesses save costs, access skilled talent, achieve faster time-to-market, scale their operations, and focus on core business activities. We will also discuss some of the challenges in outsourcing iOS app development services and provide tips on overcoming them. 



Mobile app development India is a rapidly growing industry, with a vast pool of talented developers and cost-effective solutions attracting clients from around the world.

What is iOS app development

iOS app development refers to designing, developing and publishing applications (apps) for Apple's iOS platform like iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Some key aspects of iOS app development include:

  • Designing the app user experience and interface: Deciding on the navigation flow, screens, user journeys and visual design that will make the app intuitive and engaging to use. It includes wireframes, prototypes, graphics, icons, etc.

  • Coding the app: Using Xcode, the integrated development environment provided by Apple, and the Swift or Objective-C programming languages to code the iOS app. It involves developing the app logic, functionality, data storage and workflows.

  • Integrating with Apple services: Leveraging Apple services like Sign in with Apple, Game Center, In-App Purchases, News, Maps, etc., enriches the user experience. Ensuring the app meets the requirements to publish on the App Store.

  • Providing a great user experience: Carefully crafting the UX to make the app seamless, fast, responsive and frictionless. Avoiding confusion, frustration and clunky workflows. Ensuring a consistent, polished experience across the app.

  • Securing regulatory compliance: Adding features like privacy policy, terms of service, third-party library integrations, collection and usage of customer data, encryption, etc., to meet Apple's Review Guidelines and regulations.

  • Testing and optimizing: Conduct unit testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing and A/B testing to identify issues, bugs, performance bottlenecks, and usability problems and make the app robust, scalable and high-performing.

  • Publishing on the App Store: Submitting the app for review on the Apple App Review site, addressing any issues flagged by app reviewers and eventually publishing the app on the App Store to reach iOS users worldwide.

Benefits of outsourcing iOS app development services

Here are the key benefits of outsourcing iOS app development services:

  • Cost Savings: Hiring an external development partner costs significantly less than an in-house team, especially using resources in low-cost geographies. It can translate to 30-50% lower costs or more. The outsourcing company also achieves economies of scale through multiple client projects.

  • Access to Skilled Resources: It is easier and more affordable to access a broader range of skills and expertise through outsourcing. From niche skills to a pool of highly experienced developers, external partners can complement in-house talent.

  • Faster Time-to-Market: Outsourcing partners focus on development and can mobilize resources quickly to accelerate speed-to-market. They have optimized processes and workflows for efficient, high-volume app development. It can save precious time and keep you competitive.

  • Scalability: If volumes increase suddenly due to growth or new initiatives, outsourcing provides more flexibility to scale up team sizes and work allocations quickly without long-term commitments or overhead costs. Conversely, scaling down is also seamless.

  • Improved Focus: With the burden of development work handled by a partner, internal teams can focus on high-priority strategic projects, business development, product management and other initiatives that drive crucial goals. It can lead to optimized performance and impac

  • t.

  • Latest Tools and Technologies: Outsourcing partners invest in and adopt the latest development tools, techniques, frameworks and platforms to build high-quality, robust mobile apps efficiently. They keep up with changing technologies, tools, languages, and standards for optimized solutions.

Challenges in Outsourcing Your iOS App Development Services

Here are some key challenges to consider in outsourcing iOS app development services:

Communication

When working with remote teams across geographies, clear and frequent communication is essential to ensure proper understanding and alignment on goals, work progress, issues, and other essential topics. Lapses in communication can lead to delays, rework, and disengagement.

Loss of Control

Although outsourcing reduces responsibility for development work, some loss of control over work decisions, priorities, quality, costs, scope, IP, and more is inevitable when partnering with another company. Trust in the partnership and SLAs is important to manage control.

Dependencies

Although outsourcing reduces some dependencies but creates new dependencies on external development partners and service providers. The reliability and responsiveness of partners become crucial dependencies for progress and timelines.

Difficulty Retaining IP

When external teams handle development work, there are more challenges in ensuring sensitive IP. It also includes trade secrets and other critical information that remains confidential within the organization. Proper safeguards and NDAs are must-haves but do not eliminate risks.

Hidden Costs

Additional expenses are incurred for management, monitoring, knowledge sharing, collaboration, communication overheads and IP protection. These hidden costs can offset cost savings if not optimized.

Conclusion

Outsourcing your iOS app development services can be a wise decision for businesses looking to develop a high-quality app without breaking the bank. By leveraging the skills and expertise of external service providers, businesses can save costs, access skilled talent, achieve faster time-to-market, scale their operations, and focus on core business activities. However, outsourcing comes with challenges, including language and cultural barriers, communication issues, and a lack of control over the development process. 


Hybrid and cross platform development India has gained popularity as a cost-effective solution for businesses looking to reach a wider audience across multiple platforms.


To overcome these challenges, businesses must choose the right service provider, establish clear communication channels, and maintain a level of involvement in the development process. By doing so, businesses can ensure the successful development of an iOS app that meets their specific needs and requirements. Ultimately, outsourcing iOS app development services is a viable option for businesses looking to stay ahead of the competition in today's ever-evolving digital landscape.


 
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