Category: DevOps

Hear from Our Clients About Their Experience of Working with Us

We started our journey in the digital space back in 2012. Our aim was to make a difference — in the lives of our clients, employees, and partners. We do it through our future-focused solutions and reliable services. Every day, we outgrow ourselves by doing things that are difficult and can put our potential to test.

As a team, we love to challenge the status quo if that means helping our clients achieve their goals. We relentlessly pursue growth and love pushing the boundaries of innovation to create something we can be proud of.

At iView Labs, we take customer service very seriously. We go above and beyond to fulfill our client’s vision; be it about creating the next Amazon or executing on a fresh idea that has the potential to beat Amazon.

We say we do everything it takes to make our clients happy. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Here are a few testimonials right from our clients:

“I appreciate their commitment and understanding of the project.”

– Mario Sipek (Project Manager, MachineDesk)

“They were easy to work with, very forthcoming, and demonstrated great skills on this project.”

– Jimmy Nordh (CEO & CTO, Jinoteco AB)

“This company is very professional and they made themselves available working even beyond work.”

– Giuseppe Carullo

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For us, our client’s satisfaction is the greatest reward. Seeing them succeed is all we want. And thus, to ensure they remain on top of their competition, we train ourselves from time to time and stay updated with the latest trends in the industry.

Everyone including the developers to team leads periodically goes through rigorous training to remain ahead of the curve. Our commitment to our clients is well beyond the time we spend on a project — we make it our duty to ensure our clients have an edge over their competitors.

If you have an amazing idea or a project you need help with, let’s collaborate. With our years of experience and industry expertise, we can deliver bespoke software applications that are robust, reliable, and visually engaging. Our clients range from emerging start-ups to giant enterprises and medium-sized businesses. 

Share with us your requirements and we will be happy to help.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

How can agile leadership smoothen Digital transformation?

Introduction

Nowadays more and more businesses are embracing digital transformation (DX) to keep up with the competition. It is projected that spending on digital transformation will reach 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022 alone. And by 2025, global digital transformation spending is forecast to reach 2.8 trillion U.S. dollars. Spending heavily on digital transformation will take you nowhere if you don’t have the right leadership at the core.

In this blog, we will share five common challenges your teams may face while embracing Digital Transformation and how agile leadership can smoothen the transition. Let’s start with Agile Leadership.

Agile Leadership: A Buzzword or Life Saver?

Every business needs “agile” leaders to thrive in today’s rapidly disrupting economy. While the word agile is borrowed from the world of software development, an agile leader should be flexible, quick to adapt, and fast in decision making.

Agile Leaders:

  • Move quickly
  • Are resilient and creative
  • Don’t hesitate to challenge the status quo
  • Embrace change by driving value
  • Listen, learn, and adapt
  • Are open to change
  • Collaborate
  • Learn continuously
  • Are curious
  • Are flexible

5 Common Digital Transformation Challenges (& How Agile Leadership Can Help)

Employee Pushback

The Challenge:

One of the biggest challenges to digital transformation that almost every company faces is employee adoption. As humans, we love having routines and would do almost everything we can to stay in our comfort zone. Thus, when a company introduces new technologies, employees may feel insecure and hesitant to switch due to the skill gap and fear of change.

Agile Leadership Advantage:

Agile leaders can make the transition seamless by clearly communicating each employee’s roles and responsibilities and how they fit in the bigger picture of digital transformation. It’s also important to address the threat of replaceability your employees may be facing. Assure them that they will be provided with enough training and ample opportunities to learn, grow, and prosper with digital adoption. 

Lack of a Well-defined Strategy

The Challenge:

Most companies fail as they lack clarity and often have a misinformed transformation strategy. This leaves employees clueless as to what needs to be achieved and how to go about it. In order to succeed, you must understand the purpose behind the transformation and have a clear roadmap.

Agile Leadership Advantage:

Agile leaders can save you from haphazard decisions taken without analyzing customer needs, and technology trends. They will first define the problem and work their way backwards. This means defining the end goal and splitting the transformation process into phases — each having measurable targets.

Swapping Old Legacy Business Models & Systems

The Challenge:

Change is difficult. Businesses may find it hard to replace the systems and processes they were relying on to date. For one, it’s a lot of work, and switching to new systems can bring a lot of uncertainty. Adding more to that, the cost of transformation is huge – and can discourage small to medium-sized businesses even before they get started.

Agile Leadership Advantage:

Agile leaders are flexible with their approach and can envision the big picture. In comparison, they are more likely to adapt to new changes than people who have a fixed mindset. Good leaders can inspire their employees to take on innovative projects that can challenge the status quo and contribute to the company’s growth. 

Cybersecurity Risk

The Challenge:

Data breaches and security threats can put off companies from taking up digital transformation. The fear of cybercrime is real as it can cost a company thousands of dollars. They may even lose their user’s trust, which is hard to regain, and the damage caused to the brand can be irreparable.

Agile Leadership Advantage:

Strong and agile leadership will allow you to be proactive and take the necessary precautions to prevent any potential cyberattacks. You can start by training your employees and making them aware of potential security risks. Carry out regular risk assessments and ensure you have a sound risk management strategy to mitigate any attacks.

Adapting to Ever-evolving Customer Needs

The Challenge:

We’re in an experience-driven economy. Users care about their experience more than anything else. And to provide a delightful user experience, you need to understand your users, their needs and then work your way backward in transforming their journey.

With competition getting fiercer, customers have started expecting more personalized experiences. And thus, as a company, if you’re seeking to evolve, you will have to adapt to your customer needs. Most companies fail at digital transformation because they think of it as a one-time project. However, it is an ongoing process that evolves with the user’s expectations.

Agile Leadership Advantage:

Agile leaders can help you stay ahead by constantly seeking feedback from customers and employees. They will ensure you’re heading in the right direction by aligning your strategy and goals with your customers’ expectations. Adapting to your customers may mean focusing only on the communication channels that matter or embracing an omnichannel approach towards communication.

Final Words

Digital Transformation is all about enriching your customers’ journey at every possible touchpoint. The transition may be challenging, but having an agile leadership by your side will make the shift almost seamless. 

If you’re seeking to embrace digital transformation but are not sure how to go about it, let us help. Whether you’re seeking to boost your company’s productivity or enhance customer experience, our experts can steer your journey in the right direction. With our time-tested methodologies and proven processes, we will ensure you succeed with your digital transformation goals.

Share with us your vision of digital transformation, and our consultants will be happy to help.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

Low Code Platforms and its Pros & Cons

Introduction

Low-code platforms like Bubble have empowered millions of businesses to create production-ready web applications in no time. Using such platforms, even individuals with zero coding skills can create amazing web applications that are future-focused and scalable.

Even giant enterprises and web professionals have started reaping the rewards of low-code platforms to automate and expedite the development process. In this blog, we will understand what low-code platforms are, their pros and cons, and how you can use them to speed up your development process.

Let’s get going.

What Are Low-code Platforms?

To put it simply, low-code platforms enable users to build interactive web applications without writing a single line of code. How, you ask? Low-code platforms like Bubble come with a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to visually build applications without getting into the intricacies of coding.

You can build and deploy applications that can be scaled easily as and when needed. Low-code platforms are cloud-based — that means you don’t have to worry about setting up the back-end, and you will be able to access them from anywhere.

Marketshare

Low code is fast becoming the preferred method of software development in IT, according to the Gartner’s 2020 Magic Quadrant for Low Code Application Platforms: “By 2024, 75% of large enterprises will be using at least four low-code development tools for both IT application development and citizen development initiatives.”

That’s not all. The low code market is expected to increase from its $10.3 billion market value back in 2019 to $187 billion by 2030 as more companies see the benefits of adopting the platform for their business needs. That’s a CAGR of 31.1%.

Having said that, it is safe to say that low-code development is here to stay for a long time and holds great potential.

Pros & Cons of Low-code Platforms

Benefits of low-code platforms are immense. However, they also have a few limitations. Let’s look at both pros and cons of low-code platforms.

Pros:

Shallow Learning Curve, Lower Cost & Deployment Time:

Learning low-code development is fairly easy and self-explanatory. Anyone with little technical knowledge can learn it in limited time and with minimal effort. What’s more, low-code development is cheaper and will cost you less number of development hours as compared to traditional development.

Lower Maintenance

Low-code development platforms are usually monitored and managed by the service provider itself. This means, you won’t have to spend anything on maintenance of the platform. That’s not all. The app you build with low-code platforms will also require little to no maintenance as most of the components used in developing it will be standardized and ready-made.

Increased Productivity

Because low-code development enables organizations to develop more apps in less time, what used to take months can now be developed in just a few weeks…even days. This fosters innovation and boosts productivity.

Improved Agility

Apps developed by using low-code platforms make organizations more agile in the long run. That’s not all, visual design can accelerate the speed of development. This means less coding and automated testing.

Cons

Limited Customization Options

With the modular components of low-code platforms, you can only go so far in customizing your app. Thus, you may have to change your business processes to keep up with the low-code platform.

Lack of 3rd-party Integrations

With low-code, you won’t be able to integrate your other business tools to your application. Thus, scaling up wouldn’t be that easy. You will have to compromise some of the integrations if you’re seeking to develop a low-code application.

You Get Stuck with One Platform

Most of the low-code development platforms will tie with their cloud-based offerings. Thus, you won’t be able to switch platforms frequently. Moreover, hiring software engineers working with that platform can be tricky.

API Development

With low-code development, you won’t be able to develop a proper API. This means if you are seeking to develop an enterprise-class application with intricate features, you must consider other development methods instead of low-code development.

Top 3 low-code Platforms

While there are a lot of low-code development platforms, here are top 3 platforms that stand out from the crowd for their capabilities.

#1 – Bubble

With a thriving community of over 1.3 million users, Bubble is a powerful low-code platform that can help you build production-ready web applications. You can create everything from interactive, multi-user applications for both desktop and mobile browsers. The apps you build can be hosted on Bubble itself – this means you won’t have to worry about managing server and paying recurring hosting charges. Last but not the least, Bubble has a huge ecosystem of extensions that can help you extend the platform as per your needs.

#2 – OutSystems

OutSystems is one of the most promising low-code platforms that can help you create amazing apps swiftly and without much technical know-how. It comes with amazing features like a WYSIWYG editor, drag-and-drop features to build your apps visually, process and workflow mapping, an app marketplace to choose pre-built apps and templates from, and more. While it may take you some time to get accustomed with the system – but once you know how it works, building apps with it can be super fun.

#3 – Appian

Certainly one of the leading low-code development platforms, Appian comes with all the features you’d expect – coupled with a few useful ones. It offers a drag-and-drop visual interface, seamless third-party app integrations and many more. You can also use pre-built apps for creating your own app with minimal changes.

Final Words

Low-code platforms are leading the digital front by bringing in amazing features, unparalleled time-to-value, agility, and scalability. Furthermore, you don’t need to have any technical skills to build applications on low-code platforms.

In case you need help in deciding which low-code platform will be ideal for you, or want us to develop applications for you, let us know. We have been working with low-code development platforms and can help you turn your amazing idea into a clickable reality with minimal time and efforts.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

Low Code No Code Applications for Digital Transformations

Introduction:

Nowadays, a lot of businesses have started leveraging digital transformation to simplify their workflows and get more done with limited resources. Low-code and no-code development will play a significant role in helping businesses achieve their goals. In fact, low-code development platforms are expected to exceed $187 billion in revenue by 2030.

“The future of coding is no coding at all.”

– Chris Wanstrath, CEO at GitHub.

If you, too, are seeking to transform your business digitally through low-code development, keep reading. In this blog, we will be sharing how you can achieve digital transformation via low-code platforms. Before we get started, let’s look at a few low-code platform use cases.

Low-code Platform Usecases:

While there are many use-cases of low-code platforms, some of the most popular ones include:

Customer Engagement Apps: To deliver better customer service and allow your prospects to book appointments or interact with your business.

Business Apps: To streamline operations, supply chain management, and company-wide processes.

Collaboration Apps: That enables your employees to seamlessly manage their tasks, resources, etc.

Why Digital Transformation?

IDC reports, Digitally transformed organizations are projected to contribute to more than half of the global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2023, accounting for $53.3 trillion. Today, if your business isn’t digitally transformed, it won’t be able to stand against ever-changing times and fierce competition. Moreover, scaling up can be extremely challenging if your business isn’t equipped with the latest technologies out there.

Digital Transformation will enable you to:

  • Improve Productivity
  • Foster Innovation
  • Elevate Customer Experience
  • Increase Business Agility
  • Optimize Processes
  • Minimize Costs
  • Increase Speed to Market

Now that you know why you must transform your business digitally let’s see how to achieve it without spending a huge sum of resources.

Practical Usecases of Low Code Applications for Digital Transformation

Low-code platforms can help you solve some of your most intricate business challenges. Let’s look at some practical use cases of low-code platforms and how they can help you embrace Digital Transformation.

Web-based Customer Portal

Delivering a better customer experience is one of the many reasons companies embrace Digital Transformation. This involves developing apps that enhance their interactions across every touchpoint. Enterprises can easily achieve that with low-code platforms via customer engagement apps.

By using low-code platforms, users can develop and deploy apps with little to no coding. These apps can be scaled as and when required. Companies can monitor their performance and optimize them along the way. Thus, low-code development fosters innovation and allows organizations to move quickly.

Learn how SUEZ developed a web-based customer portal and improved their customer experience by allowing their users to perform routine tasks like paying invoices, calculating quotes, etc.

IoT-enabled Smart App

With the help of low-code platforms, your employees can create IoT-enabled smart apps that can be deployed without relying on your IT department. Not only can they make changes in real-time but also retract them easily. Ultimately, this provides more freedom to your employees — to innovate, be creative, and challenge the status quo.

Low-code platforms can enable your employees to get more done in less time — thereby boosting their productivity and improving performance. A recent survey by PTC reveals that 40% of businesses claim to have implemented Digital Transformation to improve their operational efficiency.

Learn how Hortilux — a leading manufacturer, and supplier of grow light solutions — revolutionized the greenhouse industry with an IoT-enabled smart app built with a low-code platform.

B2C Mobile Application

You can create fully functional mobile applications with low-code platforms. These platforms have ready-made templates and features that you can add to your app while developing it. By using low-code platforms, businesses can build custom apps much faster than the traditional approach.

Because many businesses employ digital transformation simply to speed up app development, low-code platforms can come in handy. They can radically decrease the amount of time it takes to launch a product while keeping its quality in check.

Learn how VGZ Cooperative — a leading healthcare insurance provider in the Netherlands — developed a custom mobile app in less time and by spending a fraction of the cost of traditional app development.

Apart from the above-mentioned ones, there are a lot of use-cases of low-code development. For instance, it can be used to develop SaaS apps, core systems, web portals, etc. You can use it for various purposes depending on your requirements.

Is Low-code Better Than Traditional App Development?

Yes. There are so many reasons you should consider low-code over traditional app development. Here are the top 3 reasons:

Improved Agility: Apps developed using low-code platforms make organizations more agile and resilient in the long run.

Cut Development Time: Low-code development can transform months-long projects into weeks-long — thereby enabling faster development.

Effective Risk Management: Unlike traditional development, Low-code platforms allow you to quickly adapt to market norms as and when needed.

Final Words

We hope we could provide you with a few ideas on the implications of low-code platforms on Digital Transformation. The possibilities can be endless. With a perfect blend of DX and low-code development, you can make your business stand out from the crowd.

As of now, well over 89% of businesses have already adopted or are planning to adopt a digital business strategy. With every passing day, the competition is going to get fiercer. Thus, now is the right time to take the leap and transform your business digitally.

If you need our help, let us know. We have helped businesses of every size and scale transform digitally by embracing the latest and cutting-edge tech and resources. Give us a shout, and our team will help you dominate your competition.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

An A to Z Guide on Creating Your Own NFT Marketplace

Introduction

It’s high time for NFTs. They are on the verge of being ubiquitous. The sales of NFTs crossed $2.4B in the first 6 months of 2021. That’s not all. The trading volume of NFTs has been soaring across the internet. A popular NFT marketplace — OpenSea reported an 800% increase in trading volume.

With more people joining the club every day, these numbers are bound to increase over time. This means, if you’re seeking to create your own NFT marketplace, there couldn’t be any better time than now. In this blog, we will share everything you need to know to start your own marketplace.

What is a non-fungible token (NFT)?

A non-fungible token (NFT) is like a digital asset representing art, music, videos, game items, etc. They can be traded via cryptocurrency and are built with the same software as other cryptos. What makes an NFT stand out is its uniqueness. Each NFT is unique and irreplaceable. However, you can still trade/sell them on various NFT marketplaces.

Here are a few properties of NFTs:

  • They are indivisible. You cannot divide an NFT or sell a part of it.
  • While it is possible to view an image or artwork for free, there can be only one individual owner at any given point in time. The ownership of any NFT can be easily verified and there’s no way anyone can modify/copy/paste ownership records.
  • NFTs can be scarce as they are launched in limited quantities and cannot be owned by multiple users simultaneously.

Now that you have a brief idea about NFTs, let’s understand more about their marketplaces and how they work.

How does an NFT Marketplace work?

NFT marketplaces work similarly to any other marketplace. Creators can upload their art on the blockchain, and collectors can view and trade it via cryptocurrency. You can create a marketplace for a very specific niche or for multiple industries catering to diversified audiences. 

As far as the revenue goes, most marketplaces collect a commission from all the trades happening there. However, there are many other ways you can generate revenue via a marketplace. For instance, you can levy a subscription fee to sellers/creators or have a fixed cost for registering. You can also consider allocating space for ads either to sellers or advertisers.

Now that we have a brief idea about how marketplaces work and how you can generate revenue from it, let’s look through essential features every NFT marketplace must-have.

Necessary Features of an NFT Marketplace Website

1. Storefront

While this goes without saying, there couldn’t be a marketplace without a storefront. That’s where you can display the products, categories, and feature popular creators on the marketplace.

You should prioritize the information to be displayed on the storefront as it is one of the most important aspects of your NFT marketplace. It should be easy to navigate, intuitive, and must deliver a consistent user experience.

2. Advanced Search & Seamless Navigation

Search and navigation are critical components of your marketplace. You must ensure your marketplace is easy to navigate and the users can find what they are looking for in no more than 4-5 clicks.

To simplify navigation, you can consider adding a mega-menu with explicitly defined categories, sub-categories, and products. For search, you can consider adding advanced filters that allow users to search via product attributes.

3. Seller Profiles/Store

Creating a seller profile will greatly improve the overall shopping experience. Buyers who are looking to buy NFTs only from a specific seller can do so via visiting their profiles. And on the other hand, sellers also get to display their best work in an organized manner.

You can add the seller’s selling history, total NFTs, customer feedback to their profile page. This will also help buyers decide whether to trust a seller or not. For instance, if a seller has less than three stars from five, a buyer will be cautious while dealing with them.

4. Creating Listings

Creating NFT listings will be another basic feature every marketplace should have. This is where sellers can upload their work and list them for auction/sale. They can add descriptions, images, and other relevant details that are necessary.

NFT creators may or may not be tech-savvy. Thus, it is important to keep things as simple as possible here. You don’t want to confuse them with too many options. Keep what’s required and verify the information on each listing before it goes live.

5. Buying & Bidding

While some creators sell their artwork at a fixed price, others prefer to put their work at auction. So it is important that your marketplace offers both options to creators. Auctions should have an expiry date while other listings get automatically removed once the art is sold.

As far as the bidding goes, you must ensure the process is swift and smooth. The information about the latest bid should be updated in real-time so there are no conflicts whatsoever. Having a seamless buying cycle will ensure a good shopping experience for buyers.

6. Wallet

Both the parties, buyers and sellers must have their wallets on the marketplace. They can store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies in exchange for NFTs. Buyers can load crypto to their wallets and sellers can cash it out once received.

There are several wallet systems available in the market. Make sure the one you choose is safe and reliable. The last thing you want is failed transactions and unhappy users. If you can, test different wallet systems before fixating to one.

Conclusion

Apart from the above-mentioned ones, there are several other features an NFT marketplace should have. For instance, the ability to rate a trade post-completion, verify an NFT, and many more. While creating your own marketplace, think of the features that will be usable to your audience. A feature-rich marketplace is bound to thrive even amidst today’s rapidly disrupting economy.

If you’re seeking to develop your own NFT marketplace but don’t know where to start, let us help. We can help you create a high-performing marketplace that consistently delivers a good user experience. Give us a shout, and let our trained professionals help.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

NestJS VS. Fastify _ Which One to Use & When

Introduction

Today, Node.js is among the top 10 JavaScript frameworks, primarily because it’s light, scalable and open-source. With the ever-increasing popularity of Node.js, several other frameworks have emerged to help developers build high-performing, reliable, and scalable server-side apps quickly and easily. Two of the most prominent Node.js frameworks are NestJS and Fastify. 

While both frameworks are equally competitive, there are a few things that set them apart. In this blog, we will look at the key differences between the two so you can decide which one’s ideal for you. If that sounds exciting, let’s get going.

NestJS VS Fastify: Top 5 Differences

NestJS and Fastify are fundamentally Node.js frameworks designed to ease out the development process. Let’s look at the top 5 key differences between them.

Overview:

NestJS: 

NestJS was first released in 2017 by Kamil Myśliwiec, who is a Google Expert in Web Technologies and Angular. As a framework, NestJS is heavily inspired by AngularJS. As it is a platform-independent framework, you can create and reuse some of the core elements in different applications. Furthermore, there are no limits to what you can build with the framework. You can develop everything from a minimal web application to a highly intricate enterprise solution.

Fastify:

Fastify was developed by Matteo Collina and Tomas Della Vedova back in 2017. They introduced it at a Node.js Interactive held in Vancouver. Here’s a framework that’s primarily focused on speed and performance (more about that later). It is easy to learn and developer-friendly. In 2019, Fastify joined the OpenJS foundation as an incubating project, and since then, the framework has evolved in leaps and bounds.

Marketshare:

NestJS:

Since the day it launched, NestJS has been consistently growing in numbers. Today, it has over 41.1k GitHub stars and gets downloaded over 764,859 times every week. It is also widely popular among the developer community for it has a shallow learning curve and good performance benchmarks. On StackShare, a popular community-driven SaaS platform that ranks software tools and technologies, NestJS has more followers and votes than Fastify. Last but not least, if we talk about the web, again, NestJS beats Fastify in numbers – for total web traffic and global site rank.

Fastify: 

Fastify, despite being an equally competent Node.js framework, is less popular as compared to NestJS. With over 20.7k stars on GitHub and 234,034 downloads a week, it is known for its speed and performance. Fastify has got its own set of loyal followers on StackShare – which are quite less than NestJS. Keeping the numbers aside, Fastify delivers exceptional performance and can increase your throughput up to 100%.

Core Features:

NestJS:

  • Versatile: You can use NestJS to build any and every type of server-side application irrespective of its intricacy.
  • Highly Scalable: With NestJS, you can start small by building a simple application and scale your way up to an enterprise-class server-side app.
  • Well-documented: Getting started with NestJS becomes super-easy with the huge library of resources available for free on the official website of the framework.
  • TypeScript: Because NestJS uses the latest version of TypeScript, it can change to the JS whilst simplifying context switching.

Fastify:

  • Performance: Being one of the fastest web frameworks, Fastify can serve up to 30,000 requests/second.
  • Extensible: You can seamlessly use Fastify via its hooks, decorators, and plugins. This makes the development process hassle-free.
  • Easy to Learn: Fastify is easy to learn and implement. It is expressive in nature. This means if you know Node.js, you can easily get your hands on Fastify.
  • Giant Ecosystem: Fastify has a huge ecosystem of core and community plugins that are freely accessible and can be used per your needs.

Community & Support:

NestJS:

With hundreds of contributors and thousands of users globally, you can be assured that you will get enough help and support in case you run into any troubles. That’s not all. NestJS also has a thriving community on various other developer forums like Spectrum, npm, Dev.to, and Discord. Additionally, you can also network with other NestJS nerds at various conferences held by community members from across the globe.

Fastify:

Fastify is also backed up by a huge pool of people who maintain and manage the framework. They roll out frequent updates to add new features to the framework and safeguard it from potential vulnerabilities. You can find Fastify forums on Dev.to, GitHub, and Stackoverflow. In case you’re looking for professional help, you can also hire a Fastify developer via platforms like arc or upstack. In case you’re looking for a reliable agency – give us a line, and we will be happy to help.

Popular Usecases:

NestJS: 

NestJS is used by some of the most popular companies like Adidas, Decathlon, Capgemini, Autodesk, etc. You can use it to build robust and reliable server-side applications that are both high-performing and secure.

Fastify:

Several popular companies, including Hotstar, Genesys, Habit, Radity, Microsoft, and NearForm use Fastify for different purposes. It is fast, reliable, and can efficiently handle intricate processes. With a giant ecosystem of 45 core and 155 community plugins, you simply cannot go wrong with Fastify.

Conclusion:

Both NestJS and Fastify are reliable and high-performing Node.js frameworks. Picking one over the other can be really intimidating. Rather than asking which one’s more popular – it’s better to go with the one that’s most optimized for the job. You may consider looking through their documentation and the source code before making a decision. 

If you’re still unsure which one would be right for you, let us help. Having worked with Node.js and similar frameworks for quite a while now, we can not only help you pick the right framework but also develop a robust and reliable application that stands true to the time. To get started, simply give us a line, and our team will be happy to help.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

How to Secure your Products with DevSecOps and Beyond in 2021?

IT Security was always a significant concern in the tech environment. Security breaches during the pandemic have brought securing tech products to the top of the priority list.

What are the top trends defining Software Product Security?

  • Building Security into the Development Ecosystem from the Beginning

This ensures that during the entire development process, security remains a core concern. Integration of data protection mechanisms from the initial stages is made mandatory by the Data Protection Regulation in Europe. Experts are considering similar measures for Asia and North America as well.

  • DevOps is now DevSecOps.

DevSecOps is the term given to the attitude, processes, technology, and operations during the development of an app, tool, or software. It aims at building security into the development from the very beginning. So the Development, Security, and Operations teams work in tandem all through the product development cycle. 

What’s the DevSecOps Workflow?

  • The code written by one developer is checked for possible security-related weaknesses and issues by another coder.
  • The application is brought into play with Infrastructure-as-Code tools.
  • Security configurations are activated into the Control Management System.
  • The application is tested through the Testing Automation. This includes all aspects such as UI, Back-end, separate security tests, API, and overall integration.
  • If the application clears all the testing procedures, it is progressed to the production stage.
  • Intense monitoring comes into play to check operational security risks.

Tools for DevSecOps 

The top tools for managing DevSecOps during the CI/CD are the following:

  • Static Application Security Testing Tools
    These tools check the code for problems that may lead to security risks in the future. They are used up to the development phase.

Examples: GitLab, HCL AppScan, Coverity, CodeScan, etc.

  • Software Composition Analysis Tools

They are employed for finding weaknesses in the third-party and open-source components. Covering the license risks as well for timely identification and solution is essential for them. Accelerating the DevSecOps process is their concern.

Examples: WhiteSource, FlexNet Code Insight, Black Duck, JFrog Xray, etc.

  • Interactive Application Security Testing Tools

They are deployed to monitor and analyze the behavior of the application during the run-time. By identifying the run-time level susceptibilities, it allows the developers to find the flaws in the code. The coders can then address the issues in the code to strengthen the security.

Examples: Parasoft, Veracode, Checkmarx, SonarQube, etc.

  • Dynamic Application Security Testing Tools

They are designed to carry out simulation exercises to protect the product from hackers. They work through the network and do not require code access.

Examples: Appknox, Netsparker, GitLab, HCL AppScan, etc.

  • Security Reassessment at each Stage

The strong beginning requires sustenance. At each stage of development, the risks are weighed for the necessary immediate steps. Each stage of development is often broken into smaller stages for denser, more in-depth, and detailed checks.

  • Innovation and Improvements in the Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL)

The SDL is now emphasizing on:

  • Continuous upgrading of the skills of coders with the protection of code in the center.
  • Ensuring that all teams and each member are at the same level of security training and awareness.
  • Regulatory requirements are no more considered frictional to development but as a firm foundation for smoother progress.

What are the crucial Product Security Practices for 2021? 

  1. Segmentation

Segmentation has to do with data, storage, and capabilities. By clearly segmenting, the team can ensure that the data is managed appropriately. In case of unwanted access, it would be easier to carry out security checks and measures. For storage, determining the right choices between physical or cloud storage is essential. Finally, segmentation in capabilities ensures a faster development pace and easier optimization. Overall, it’s about the better organization of the most fundamental aspects.

  1. Automation

Automation can tackle many of the expected threats. So can the various probable ones. Automation can be attached to the auto-remedy tasks. It requires analysis of firewalls and security configurations. It saves the experts’ energy and time, which they can devote to novel security threats and strategic measures.

  1. Ensuring Security from Design and Architecture Perspective 

Threat modeling at the initial stage of designing will save a lot of time and effort in the later stages. It will alert the team to attacks. When they know about such threats in the back of their minds, the alertness will improve. Design documents will draw the boundaries for development level updates to avoid errors mid-way on the development course. Third-party component tracking is crucial in figuring out weaker components and fixing them promptly.

  1. Sustained Patching 

Continuous patching ensures that your product does not suffer because of old software. With about 80% of the components being open-source, security and licensing risks increase. Maintaining elaborate version details and not missing the latest patches enhances product security.

  1. Least Privilege Principle 

This means granting only the necessary and minimum privileges to systems and users. Conscious or inadvertent compromises to security are thwarted by ensuring the least privilege. Timely canceling the accesses no longer needed and changing the access level according to the duty change is essential.

  1. Mapping the Data Processing

Data processing map helps in determining the types of data the product will deal with. It also outlines the use of each type of data and the processes it will involve into. When an elaborate data plan is created in advance, the security team can prepare security controls in advance. It also helps allocate data to appropriate systems, define privileges, and control and process sensitive and personal data.

  1. Greater Encryption

Well, there’s a lot of talk about the end of encryption with the coming of Quantum Computing. However, the Tech giants investing billions into Quantum Computing have already ensured that its uses will be constructive. So there’s no reason for losing interest in encryption. No point in taking FIPS 140-2 lightly. It would be better to take the Application-level encryption a notch higher. 

  1. Securing All Storage Systems

Keep all the bases covered. There’s no point in believing that if strong security measures are implemented for the internal storage, then networks and OS can be ignored. Strengthening critical storage is the key to securing the product.

  1. Dynamic Testing

Dynamic testing does not just have to do with continuous and variegated testing to check risks. It’s also about constructing scenarios and conducting simulation exercises. Companies have hired expert hackers to help their teams with the process. They can find ever ingenious ways of causing trouble and breaching the security of the product. This is an innovative way of testing the team’s imagination and intelligence. Mature teams can rely upon the updates of latest forms and modes of threats and test the product more often and from different angles.

  1. Quicker Incident Response Planning

Incident response is rooted in threat modeling. However, it has to look beyond that too. It cannot be caught in a frozen mold. Prompt action against potential breaches can be laid out in steps. What’s more important is the right anticipation of the threat that’s not been planned for or remains unseen. 

Swift planning and execution at the moment of attack is the challenge that tech product security experts will have to take up. These are the ten effective practices that will remain central to securing products in their development and performance phases. However, securing products is not just about putting the right systems, procedures, and practices in place. Do you have any more questions? Leave them in the comments below. We will get back to you with the answers soon.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com. Download the latest portfolio to see our work.

How Cloud Applications Can Help Bring Mobility and Agility

“Cloud hosting” is no more a buzzword or a passing trend. It’s truly come of age, with Gartner predicting the public cloud market to grow by 6.3% in 2020. But why this sudden craze for cloud hosting, have you wondered?

It’s quite understandable. Cloud hosting provides agility and mobility to businesses. It enables companies to adapt and respond faster to evolving market conditions and customer behaviors. By harnessing cloud-power, businesses can gain a competitive advantage, which is so essential today.

Apart from that, here are the main advantages of being an “agile” business:

  • Revenue grows faster
  • Business costs reduce
  • Reputation management becomes effective

In this post, we will discuss why businesses need to be “agile” and how the cloud helps them to ace this area.

Top Ways How Cloud Applications Make Businesses Agile?

Take a look at the main benefits of cloud applications to businesses.

  1. They Facilitate Easy Scale-Up and Down

There are times when your business may need to scale operations and resources on-demand. By hosting your software on the cloud, you ensure that you are paying only for the resources that you are actually utilizing. In this way, cloud apps minimize wastage and overheads in a big way.

On the other hand, if you maintain huge infrastructures on-premise, there arises a problem of redundancy when you have to scale down operations. You not only lock a lot of capital in procuring extra resources that are no more productive but also incur maintenance costs to keep them running.

  1. They Make Business Data Available Anywhere, Any Time

With the cloud housing all your business data, your teams can work remotely from any location. Internal and external collaboration on projects is possible when data is decentralized as with cloud applications.

Your time-sensitive work can go on uninterrupted since all related information is available in the cloud. Inter-departmental projects can run seamlessly if project managers configure data-access permissions correctly.

Compare this with in-house data hosting. A lot of additional work and time gets wasted in getting access to siloed data. Plus, changes and updates done to data do not get reflected instantly and universally, which can be a problem, especially for projects spread across different departments or time zones.

  1. They Ease Testing and Updation

Updating systems becomes easier with cloud applications. This is especially true for managed cloud services. When a cloud service provider looks after the updation part of your business, your teams are free to invest their time and expertise in productive tasks. This improves the overall productivity of your business.

Testing is also a breeze when it comes to cloud applications. First, you can reduce capital expenditure (CAPEX) since you don’t have to buy or maintain costly testing equipment. Second, tested solutions can be quickly deployed since the cloud manages them. Last, your entire testing environment becomes more responsive and cost-efficient.

  1. They Reduce Complexity of Business

In a survey of business executives, 66% of respondents said that cloud applications reduce business complexity. But how does that exactly happen? Cloud makes your business processes simple, improves the distribution of resources, facilitates collaboration between teams, speeds up rollouts of complex business processes, and boosts the ability to access and share business data.

  1. They Optimize IT Budgets

Since cloud applications run on the pay-per-resource model, they are more economical for budgeted organizations. You can control capital expenditures on resources and limit usage to stay within your set budget.

Plus, you can easily allocate budget for resource expenditures and do financial planning more efficiently. In this way, you can keep a margin for unexpected expenditures and avoid cash crunch.

  1. They Help in Long-Term Strategizing

IT teams are not burdened with maintaining resources and infrastructure. They have the bandwidth to devote energy to customer communications and business planning. In this way, you can meet organizational goals more efficiently.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the cloud boosts business agility and mobility in many ways. That’s why many businesses are moving their operations from on-premise to in-cloud. By doing this, they gain a competitive edge, reduce capital investment, allow teams to collaborate better, facilitate proactive decision making, and plan business processes with ease.

Are you thinking about migrating to the cloud as well? If you need assistance or guidance for the big move, feel free to reach out through the comments section. We are always happy to help our readers. Rest, watch this space for more ground-breaking posts on cloud computing and other IT aspects.

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com.

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Top 8 Best Practices to Architect a serverless web application

Serverless computing has been gaining momentum ever since it came into limelight in 2015. It’s a native architecture of the cloud which enables users to create, deploy and run an application without thinking of its server. Serverless, in fact, allows users and developers to shift more the operational capacity, increase agility and innovation. 

In short, you get limitless computational power with no infrastructure management tasks such as zero maintenance, cluster provisioning, capacity provisioning, etc. 

Why Serverless

Serverless is the need of time. As technology advances, you need to come up with more enhanced web applications with more power and agility which may not be possible traditionally. And, even if it is possible, you need to spend a lot of effort such as building perfect infrastructure, human resources, time and cost. Serverless helps you remain focused on your core products while leaving all other responsibilities upon the serverless provider. All you need a serverless web application and you pay no heed towards its maintenance, scaling up, agility or anything else. You have immense benefits from having a serverless application. 

So, in this article, we shall be discussing the best practices of a serverless web application that every Serverless Architect should know. 

Even though there are plenty of tech giants offering serverless services including AWS Lambda, Microsoft Azure, and Alphabet’s Google Cloud Platform, but we have taken the example of AWS to make it more comprehensive. So, here we go;

  1. The Serverless Function Requires VPC-Enable for Better Security

We have taken an example of Lambda as most of us use AWS Lambdas as an event-driven, serverless computing platform. So, it is important to have VPC-enable functions of Lambda operate from VPC which is owned by AWS. Enabling this, you get complete ability to have your function make a network request to any address. 

Lambda is not directly accessible to the public, but with the support of AWS APIs Getaway, we can make accessible for the public. So, be it accessing AWS APIs or interacting with AWS DyanamoDB APIs, you can easily do it after enabling the function for VPC access. So, having have your function VPC-enabled, the Subnet will manage all your traffic using its routing rules. 

  1. Creating Event-Driven Architectures

When it comes to creating event-driven architectures, it is important to know the mechanisms and how to enable asynchronous messaging pattern. It applies in both creating a simple queuing and message buffering and choreography pattern that is more intricate even-based. To enable this, you need to use queues or streams.

Queuing is also used for intrapersonal communication. That means when you want to initiate communication between one Lambda function another, then Queuing can be the best for you. 

  1. How to Implement and Orchestrate in a Distributed, Microservices Environment

You need to implement coordinated transactions using coordinated sequenced invocations across services in distributed architectures. The implementation also allows rollback and retry mechanisms put in place. That is quite different from the traditional database-based ACID transactions. 

When you need significant orchestration logic and looking to utilize more of the orchestrator pattern, not the choreography pattern, then the serverless technology lie AWS Step Functions enables you to create highly qualified and complex workflows with its various AWS services that also includes AWS Lambda. 

  1. Understanding AWS Lambda Computing Environment

It is important to understand AWS Lambda and programming model. You need to learn how to utilize Lambda in terms of performance and cost optimization. You learn this using the tutorial provided for AWS Lambda as “Lambda Under the Hood”, “Lambda Layers, the Runtime API, and Nested Applications” and “Optimizing Serverless Applications”. 

  1. Serverless Deployment Automation

When it comes to a larger number of microservices and smaller components, integrating automation and code management into your application is critical. Given the fact that early integration will efficiently create, deploy and implement the serverless architectures. Importantly, when you use AWS, you get a wide range of first-party deployment tools and frameworks to properly architect your serverless web application. The tools and frameworks you can utilize from AWS include the AWS Serverless Application Model (SAM), the AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK), AWS Amplify, and AWS Chalice.

Besides, there are various third-party tools and frameworks available to make the deployment of serverless web application easy, they include, Serverless Framework, Claudia.js, Sparta, or Zappa. You are free to create your custom-built framework, though you need to ensure that things such as automation strategy works as per use case, team and workflows. 

  1. Identity Management, Authentication, and Authorization 

When it comes to creating a serverless web application, a developer requires planning things such as integrating identity management, building enhanced authorization and authentication functionalities in advance. The utilization of Amazon Cognito enables a developer to deploy these things directly into the serverless web applications. At the same time, when using Amazon API Gateway, the developers can manage things like authorization logic and permit requests straightforwardly. That means you manage the authorization logic at the gateway layer which protects your native authorization being exposed. 

  1. Learning End-to-End Security Techniques 

Apart from knowing identity management, authorization and authentication, there are some more important security measures you can learn to create a highly secure serverless web application. Here are some of the top list of things you can consider;

  • Concerns regarding regulatory compliance
  • Ways to validate input and request
  • Metering & Throttling Access to tracking bandwidth and accessing use control based on rules
  • Securing storage and retrieving data as needed
  • IAM execution roles and implementing invocation policies 
  • And, others

You can learn all these things from the AWS tutorial page while creating the application. 

  1. Considering Packages Size and Dependencies 

You must take care of package size as having a larger deployment package will slow down the function of the application. Therefore, you are advised to remove all the unnecessary items including documentation and libraries. You can use AWS SDK which enables Java function users to bundle the modules which needed from the SDK. 

Let’s take a look at the example of how using Java Function with AWS SDK create an excellent package;

<dependency>

    <groupId>software.amazon.awssdk</groupId>

    <artifactId>dynamodb</artifactId>

    <version>2.6.0</version>

</dependency>

Here, only the required modules have been used

In case, you are not using Java Function with AWS SDK, you end up creating a larger package with the entire SDK with lots of unnecessary modules. Here’s how it happens;

<!– https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/software.amazon.awssdk/aws-sdk-java –>

<dependency>

    <groupId>software.amazon.awssdk</groupId>

    <artifactId>aws-sdk-java</artifactId>

    <version>2.6.0</version>

</dependency>

Final Thoughts

When it comes to creating a serverless web application, you have plenty of things to learn. Serverless technology is the need of time as people need more services, support and assistance from technology at the minimum costs. Serverless is the way to cut costs significantly and reward the business with limitless scaling options. Stay tuned for more such information. 

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on info@iviewlabs.com and sales@iviewlabs.com.

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How to Select the Right Serverless Architecture: A Quick Comparison?

Businesses are benefiting from serverless architecture. They pay only for the services they use and get greater agility in return. Operational costs get lowered and developers can code uninhibitedly without worrying about hardware resource allocation. 

The biggest factor that works in favor of serverless architecture is the freedom to scale up and down as desired.  All these pros make a strong business case for companies that are planning to shift their selected workloads to the serverless model.

If you have already migrated to this disruptive technology or are planning on doing so shortly, these battle-tested tips and hacks can help you greatly. Using these suggestions, you can find the right serverless architecture provider for your business and then chalk out a working model that gives you the best returns.

Right Serverless Architecture

Which is the Best Serverless Provider for Me?

Your serverless provider will have long-term implications on your operations. The wrong selection can result in unimaginable loss in data, privacy, functionalities, and productivity.

There are many cloud computing providers who can help you set up your serverless architecture. But three platforms are undisputed leaders in the Function-as-a-service (FaaS) application model. They are:

  1. AWS
  2. Microsoft Azure
  3. Google Cloud

Let us compare their salient features so that you can make an informed decision for your business.

Features to select serverless architecture

Parameter #1:  Language Support & Deployment Options

AWS Lambda being the pioneer in serverless architecture finds widespread language support and deployment options. JavaScript, Node.js, Python, Java and C# give native support to AWS. It has a wide variety of runtime environments and is a versatile option for developers. Its API comes in a deployment package as a ZIP file which can be uploaded and edited directly in the console.

Azure AWS supports languages like C#, F#, Python, Java, Node.js, Python & PHP. It offers multiple deployment options, such as GitHub, DropBox, and OneDrive. You can also integrate it with Visual Studio and Zip Deployment.

Late entrant, Google Cloud, is supported by fewer languages, including Node.js 6, Node.js 7 and Python 3.7. More languages are expected to be appended in the list. For deployment, you have many options, such as Cloud Storage,  Zip Upload, CLI, and inline web editor.

Parameter #2: Management of Dependency

In AWS Lambda, you have to organize and align your dependencies with your code in a specific way. In this way, you create a deployment package. For doing this, you can use plugins such as Jenkins and Maven.

Azure Functions has the package.json built into your function directory. You can run npm install using the Console or Kudu in the Azure portal. This process is used universally, regardless of your choice of runtime language.

Google Cloud Functions allows you to manage dependencies via npm and lets you create a metadata file called package.json. Unlike AWS, Google install all dependencies on the user’s behalf. 

Parameter #3: Long-term Storage

The beauty of serverless architecture is that it is stateless. The functions written in this framework are not dependent on the underlying infrastructure and variables. AWS Lambda requires no use of variables while composing functions. But you can store variables in persistent locations like DynamoDB and cloud storage.

For Azure Functions, you may use Azure Blob Storage or Table Storage for storing persistent data across instances. In Google Cloud Functions, services such as Cloud Firestore, SQL, Storage, or Datastore should be used by your function is you want to share state.

Parameter #4: Access Management and Identity

Identity and Access Management (IAM) lets you control access to your functions by creating an authorization layer. Using this, you can decide what kind of resources you want (write-only or read-only) and what areas should these resources access (entire project or a single function only).

In AWS Lambda, you can create custom IAM policies and append to them your functions. Then, you can control users, roles, API actions, resources, and groups.

Azure Functions lets you create Resource Based Access Control for modulating function policies. Presently, you can grant read only/write only/ both rights.

Google Cloud Functions gives you more control as you can decide access permissions for each role. 

Parameter #5: Types and Triggers

Triggers are custom events or sources that invoke functions. AWS Lambda allows HTTPS-invoked events using REST API. There is also an endpoint which uses API Gateway. You can also use the wide variety of built-in AWS services. Functions can also be set off via AWS SDKs if you have the requisite permissions.

In Azure Functions, you can use services such as Queue Storage, Table Storage, or CosmosDB to create triggers. One add-on is that you can use external HTTP as well as WebHooks for invocation. 

Cloud Functions too supports HTTP triggers. You can also use Cloud Storage and Cloud Sub/Pub as triggers. New options are expected to be included in its Beta version.

Parameter #6: Orchestration

AWS has Step Functions that help to orchestrate serverless functions in a stateless architecture. Each function’s state is logged into a Step Function and used for subsequent functions.

In Azure Functions, Azure Logic Apps and Durable Functions accomplish the task of orchestration. Using connectors, you can integrate cloud services as well as on-site services. Google Cloud Functions suffers from a lack of orchestration capability.

Conclusion

The latest CNCF study reveals that AWS is the frontrunner among serverless architecture providers by claiming a market share of 70% deployments on Lambda. Its early advent and new updates are mostly responsible for its lead among competitors. But Google and Azure are fast catching up with their superb features and performance.

For newbies in serverless, our best advice is to give each provider a fair shot before making a final choice. You can evaluate each platform for compatibility with your custom software services, and choose the one which is best-aligned.

Get on a call with our expert to understand whether adopting serverless architecture for your web application is the right choice or not. 

To know more about iView Labs, kindly log on to our website www.iviewlabs.com and to get in touch with us with your queries and needs just write us an email on  and .

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