Free Web Hosting Services for React and Angular Apps: Noteworthy Offerings!

You’ve created an outstanding web app or website? Sounds great! However, your job is not over yet, unless you are able to pick a suitable web hosting service for deploying your app/website. Your targeted audience will be able to view your website or application only if it is hosted on the World Wide Web.

A web hosting service deploys a website or an app on a computer network so that an internet user or a web browser client can access it. A web host or a web server refers to a computer system that deploys a web app. Web hosts permit customers to embed multimedia files or documents like web pages or HTML pages into a specialized computer called the web server. The web server offers continuous support and a high-speed connection. Internet users can view your website by typing website or domain address.

Web hosting services are a necessity! However, it’s difficult to find a suitable web hosting platform that offers free services. This post explores the free web hosting services for deploying React apps and Angular apps. I have chosen React and Angular as these are the most preferred frameworks for developing responsive websites or apps speedily and cost-effectively. 

Free Web Hosting Services for React and Angular Apps & their Offerings 

Heroku

Heroku is one of the viable option for hosting Angular apps and React apps. This popular Cloud service platform supports a wide range of frameworks and its free plan is sufficient for most projects. The free plan provides 550 dyno hours. The limit gets expended to 1000 dyno hours if users verify themselves by furnishing their credit card particulars. This step is just for user verification, no amount is charged. Users can work on five projects for free.

Heroku: Key Features

Heroku is a container-based setup and is easy to use. It offers a simple solution for web application development & web page hosting. The platform even allows you to add customized domains and offers various tools that allow you to scale your app as per business requirements. You can deploy the custom domains with the help of Docker and Git. Another noteworthy feature of Heroku is its CLI which makes it possible to deploy projects straightaway from the code editor. Moreover, the services offered by Heroku are synchronized and secure, providing a rich user experience altogether.

Heroku: Limitations and Resolutions 

One limitation of Heroku’s free plan is that the servers go into sleep mode if no activity is detected for 30 minutes. In other words, the app “sleeps” if there aren’t any visitors for 30 minutes at a stretch. But, what happens when the app gets visitors after going off to “sleep mode?” Well, then Heroku runs the application again employing commands such as ‘npm build.’ Yet, there’s another bottleneck you’ll face. Your app will take longer to load and you are likely to lose any app instance that you have stored. The app instance can be any kind of data that has been stored in the form of a variable. Nevertheless, there is a solution to this problem as well. You can prevent your Heroku app from going into “sleep mode” by using “cron-jobs.” This command will carry out the task of automatically pinging the app every thirty minutes.

Heroku: Usage Guidance

Check out how to go about the process of app deployment using Heroku. After developing the app, users have to create a new GitHub repository and or sync it to their existing repository. Then they need to add the code to it. After users create their account and connect it to Heroku, the platform pulls the code. Users then deploy the website/web app by clicking the option “Deploy Branch” available under the category of “Manual Deploy.” Heroku deploys the app after the build process finishes and delivers the completed project to the users immediately.

Google’s Firebase

Google-developed Firebase is a managed hosting service that caters to static content, dynamic content, and microservices. This hosting service includes Cloud Build and provides ready-made solutions designed for DevOps that automate your project’s workflow and facilitate continuous deployment.

The free hosting service of Firebase, known as the ‘Spark Billing Plan’, offers 10GB storage; but, users can transfer only 360MB of data in a day. Firebase offerings include SSL certification, the support for custom domains, and the allowance for hosting several sites for each project. 

If your Firebase project avails of the ‘Spark Billing Plan,’ and you connect the project with a Cloud billing account, Firebase automatically upgrades your project to the billing model called “Blaze.” “Blaze” refers to the pay-as-you-go model.

Firebase: Key Features

The key features include hosting, analytics, Cloud Firestore, phone authentication, Cloud in-app messaging, dynamic links, global CDN, SSD storage, the availability of a real-time database, etc.

Firebase: Limitations and Resolutions 

Firebase allows users unrestricted access to Google’s services and benefits React and Angular app developers to a great extent. But, if your project requires the involvement of any third-party service like MongoDB endpoints, you have to go for the paid services. 

Firebase: Usage Guidance

First of all, you need to install the Firebase CLI globally and log in with either your Firebase or Google account. Then go to the root directory of the project and run the command firebase init. Reply yes when asked for confirmation to proceed. After setting up the project, you will have to host the project. Hosting involves steps like uploading hosting assets using Firebase deploy. Finally, you’ll have to run the command of firebase deploy.

GitHub Pages

This popular hosting service is an excellent option for newbies as it enables speedy website deployment. It’s a great option for hosting static websites. You can also deploy a multi file website using this platform.

GitHub Pages: Key Features

GitHub Pages comes with benefits like easy maintenance and features such as automated deployments, CI/CD configuration, etc.

GitHub Pages: Usage Guidance

This platform directly transfers JavaScript, CSS, and HTML files from a GitHub repository. The files are then optionally run using a build process and the website or web app gets published. Here’s how to go about the process. 

Create a free GitHub account and upload the code into a public repository over there. Then, rename the README.md file for indexing the index.html file and inserting relevant HTML content. Now, scroll down and execute the new modifications. GitHub Pages host your website at once; it takes around one to ten minutes. Your website gets live under your specific username and domain name.

Vercel

Vercel is a transformative serverless web hosting service that caters to several JavaScript-based apps including React and Angular apps. This platform allows one to effortlessly import projects from Bitbucket and GitLab.

Vercel: Key Features

Vercel comes with the “fast refresh” feature that enables live editing for the UI components. Its “flexible data fetching” functionality works for every dev environment, once you connect your pages to an API, or a data source, or a headless CMS.

Vercel: Usage Guidance

For deploying Vercel, you need to create a new account and login using OAuth. Once the login process is a success, you can view a dashboard. This dashboard or the Vercel CLI can be used for project deployment. 

Here’s an example of how to deploy a React app using the Vercel CLI and dashboard.

Vercel CLI: Install Vercel globally and run the command Vercellogin. Then you’ll get an option asking you to enter the email that is registered with Vercel. After successful submission, you’ll receive a login verification email from Vercel. Now, go to the root directory of your project and run the command vercel. Then you’ll be asked questions related to aspects like specifying the project path, project deployment scope, project’s name, the location of the directory that contains the code, etc. Once these questions are answered, the project will be ready to deploy. 

Vercel Dashboard: The first step of app deployment using the dashboard involves integrating Bitbucket, GitLab, or GitHub to the place the React app is stored. Then click on the option Import Project available on your panel. Thereafter, you need to import your project. Vercel auto-detects and picks a well-suited configuration for your project. Then click on deploy and your job is done.

Netlify

This highly productive web development tool helps developers to architect, test, and deploy websites and web apps including Angular & React Apps. The free web hosting services offer multiple serverless solutions and instant rollback plans to users. It offers three plans that cater to individual hosting, team plans, and business hosting requirements.

Netlify: Key Features

Owing to the various plugins offered by Netlify like form plugins, authentication plugins, etc.; one doesn’t need to manage any database for maintaining the users’ data on the server. With “Netlify Functions”, one can write as well as run Lambda functions. 

Netlify: Limitations and Resolutions 

Netlify is designed for static sites and so, doesn’t cater to Node.js applications. So, if you have written the app code in Node.js, you’ll have to rewrite the code in React or Angular.

Netlify: Usage Guidance

Once users create an account with Netlify, the projects can be directly integrated with the users’ git account.

Amazon EC2

Amazon EC2 is another service that is suitable for deploying a React/Angular website or app. Amazon EC2 is not entirely free service. The web hosting services are offered for free for a twelve-month period. However, if utilized properly, one can make the most out of these 12 months.

Amazon EC2: Key Features

Amazon EC2 users can access several Amazon services like Amazon Dynamo DB, a real-time database (250 GB), etc.

Amazon EC2: Limitations and Resolutions 

The usage of web hosting services is limited to 750 hours for each user.

Amazon EC2: Usage Guidance

You need to select AWS EC2; then you can choose the processor RAM. You have the flexibility to choose processors from options like T2 micro, T2 small, and T2 mini.
Microsoft’s Azure

Microsoft’s Azure web hosting services support multiple platforms including Linux and Windows. 

Azure: Key Features

You get a high-end virtual private server for your React app or Angular app. The pay-as-you-go model is also available.

Azure: Limitations 

Azure provides a free trial period that lasts for 12 months with limited amount of services each month. Besides the quantity of services available in a month expires at the end of the month. 

End Note:

I hope the aforesaid details about the novel offerings and limitations of the free web hosting services available for deploying React apps and Angular apps have proved beneficial for you. 

If you are a newcomer and require professional assistance with web app development, deployment, or maintenance, I would suggest you to partner with an experienced software development service provider. Experienced Angular App development companies and React Native development services can help you to create and deploy an app following the best practices and intelligent strategies. This will help your business create its digital footprints globally.

 

How can app development empower the healthcare industry in the coming future?

The WHO defines health as not just a condition with no diseases. It is about the overall well-being, including mental, physical and social aspects. Nowadays, people are becoming health-conscious, and technology is supporting these people in various ways. We all live in this era of smartphones and tablets, where apps are used for almost everything.

The majority of industries have launched their mobile apps for their customers. The Healthcare industry is no exception, and several health-related apps are present today. If you look at the Healthcare app development in the USA, they are making life easier for patients and doctors. Let's see how this mobile app development supports the healthcare industry.

Mobile Apps for Healthcare Industry

With the revolution in the mobile industry, the healthcare sector has received huge benefits. Hospitals and Clinics that are leveraging the digital technology in their operations are able to provide enhanced experience to their patients.

Role of Mobile Apps for Doctors

The medical staff and doctors consider these mobile apps a boon. Updating patients' health conditions is an essential task of doctors, which is made easy by these apps. The majority of doctors are using these healthcare apps for patient care. Most of these healthcare professionals believe that this technology can help improve patient health.

Some mobile apps for doctors are professional networking apps for medical consultation, fixing appointments, and tracking health. The prescriptions and test reports can be shared through these apps quickly. Doctors can treat their patients with a customized approach through these mobile apps.

Role of Mobile Apps for Patients

Healthcare mobile apps provide several benefits for patients. These apps play a vital role in empowering patients. They allow patients to find specialist doctors, fix an appointment with them, and purchase prescribed medicines. Patients can also view their lab test reports and share them with doctors through these apps. Many apps provide the facility of having a video chat with healthcare experts to discuss health problems.

Some mobile apps for patients are dieting apps, useful lifestyle apps, apps for monitoring health, and healthcare education apps. Patients can communicate the dosage and timings of medicines with doctors through these apps. Patients can also be in touch with dieticians and nutritionists through these apps to maintain a healthy diet.

Challenges in the Development of Healthcare Apps

There are a few challenges that the healthcare app developers face –

• Keeping Data Confidential

Whenever you download and install any application on your mobile, it starts collecting some data from your phone. And when it comes to a healthcare application, the collected data is always more sensitive than other applications. These apps manage the information related to the diagnosis, your health readings, and further details monitored through the app. Such apps must keep your data confidential and safe.

• Management of Big Data

Improving the quality of life and predicting epidemics are possible with big data. You can also introduce some medicines for treating diseases. Currently, there are some great applications for managing big data in the healthcare sector. These applications use artificial intelligence (AI) for sorting big data and providing specific treatments. Even though artificial intelligence successfully manages Big Data, there are some limitations. Artificial intelligence's reliability and accuracy cannot match that of human intelligence.

• Fluctuating Market Trends

Every year, we can see emerging trends that are fluctuating in the healthcare industry. The reason behind this volatility is the variation in people's living habits. Another reason for these fluctuations can be technological interference in healthcare. Building an app to suit the current trend is quite challenging for investors because of the changes in the healthcare industry. Even though the investors try to adopt the trends, not many companies can accurately integrate these technologies.

Recent Trends in Healthcare App Development

Here are some trends that will completely transform the healthcare app development industry –

1. Telehealth & Telemedicine Apps

These apps are experiencing an increasing demand due to the COVID pandemic. Earlier, the industry was not focused on patients, but the pandemic has highlighted the necessity for patient-centred healthcare. The telemedicine segment is rapidly growing and is expected to grow further at a rate of 120%. The healthcare organizations serving patients who cannot visit the hospital regularly require Telehealth solutions.

2. Apps for Booking Ambulance

The patients that require emergency medical services fail to receive them because of the unavailability of ambulances. The well-equipped ambulances can save patients in need of emergency medical services. In many countries, booking an ambulance in an emergency is still difficult. At this point, the need arises for an app for booking an ambulance. This kind of app will be beneficial for both the patients and hospitals.

3. Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)

Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) refers to the Medical Devices connected to support proactive healthcare for patients at home. The body vitals such as pulse, glucose, and temperature can be easily monitored with the IoMT wearables. A report says the IoT business will gross $6.2 trillion by 2025.

4. Smart Chatbot: AI-Enabled Solution

Most healthcare facilities are trying to integrate chatbot technology to make their work easier. This AI-enabled chatbot can check patients' symptoms and diagnose their health conditions. It also offers options for treatment and fixes an appointment with a doctor through video or voice calls.

5. Blockchain Technology for Healthcare

The healthcare industry is facing an issue of partial and improper medical records. Manually entering the data of each patient in the system is difficult for hospital staff. Blockchain technology can transform this industry with complete safety and privacy of medical data. Some recent statistics say that Blockchain technology for healthcare will reach $890.5 million by 2023.

If you want to opt for healthcare application development services, keep in mind the ongoing trends.

Conclusion

Being advantageous for doctors and patients, mobile apps are the future of the healthcare industry. You can develop these apps by considering the current trends in the industry.

Reasons to Choose React Native for building Social Media/Networking Apps!

The React Native architecture proves highly advantageous for mobile app development! Before the coinage of the React Native framework, mobile app development encountered certain bottlenecks. One such roadblock was creating a unified codebase for mobile and web apps. Business brands that lacked adequate resources and funds to engage native development teams for crafting applications for Android as well as iOS; were left with one single option – employing web viewers such as Cordova or Ionic. And so, app creators had to settle down for mobile web apps or HTML 5 apps. Unfortunately, these web view apps were ported over version of the app’s website and failed to deliver a good UX – the user experience seemed fake and clunky.  

The launch of React Native in 2015, by Facebook as an open-source project, came as a breather for app owners - React Native development resolved multiple stumbling blocks that were posing challenges in mobile app development.

Have you ever wondered why a major chunk of the social media applications like Facebook, Skype, Pinterest, etc. are built in React Native? Let’s explore the reasons!

Advantages of using React Native for Social Media App Development

Cross-platform App Development

React Native allows businesses to build a software app solution that will function across the Android, iOS, and web; using the same programming language – JavaScript. For instance, before the advent of the React Native framework, developers had to use Java for Android-based apps and Objective-C or Swift for iOS-based apps.

Native Abilities 

React Native simplifies the methodology of building social media/networking apps with newsfeeds and timelines. Using React Native, social media app creators need not create a hybrid app, mobile web app, or HTML5 app. React Native development leads to the creation of real mobile apps that are way different from applications developed in Java or Objective-C. This is because React Native employs the fundamental UI building blocks that are used in native Android and iOS apps; developers just need to combine these building blocks employing React and JavaScript. Hence, React Native apps look and feel like native apps and possess similar capabilities.

Furthermore, with React Native, one can leverage the mobile hardware components like cameras, accelerometer, Face ID, Touch ID, etc.

A Rich Customer Experience Guaranteed

Modern users are least likely to use an app if it takes a long time to load and so, a social media app must be performant to provide a great UX. React Native apps load faster as the framework employs UI elements that compile into one native application. These apps are competitive and guarantee a high UX to consumers.

Speedy Development

React helps you to develop scalable and reactive apps. And, React Native enables the front-end web developers to write the code for native cross-platform applications without the need to jump through hoops for learning a new language. Moreover, since React Native involves only JavaScript, one can use any of the JavaScript libraries starting from Loadash to the most obscure of packages for app development projects. These goodies further speed up the development process.

Moreover, the availability of several ready-to-use free tools and libraries allow React Native developers to speedily craft social media app features like social sharing. Furthermore, due to the presence of a huge, dynamic, and helpful dev community, changes can be executed quickly without any hassles. 

Improved Search Indexing

A social media app must make its presence felt on popular search engines like Bing and Google. But search engine crawlers are unable to render JavaScript and return a blank page and as such, Google does not index the page altogether. The lack of search engine optimization adversely affects server-side rendering. However, React supports server-side rendering of JavaScript which results in a pre-rendered HTML page that is ready-for-display on the browser. And, the crawlers are able to crawl HTML without any glitches and the app appears on user searches. 

Cost Savings

• The framework empowers React Native developers to entirely optimize the user interface and make it uniform such that it functions perfectly with all devices. This results in the creation of an improved UI in a cost-effective way.

• The code and components of the React Native environment are highly reusable and this helps in saving costs as well as development time. Approximately, 90-99% of the code can be shared between multiple operating systems without facing any technical issues or glitches.

• The framework makes it possible to integrate loads of customer-centric features by means of native plugins or third-party modules. And, this integration is easy to implement and involves minimal costs.

• While purely native apps need periodic updates separately for every device/OS; cross-platform apps are far more flexible as they avoid versioning. With React Native’s single coding approach, the overall maintenance including bug fixing becomes easy and hassle-free. Hence, React Native apps involve low maintenance costs.

How does React Native cater to Specific Requirements of Social Media App Development?

• The components in the activity feed in React Native enable the creation of a dynamic news feed and also enhance the user engagement, retention, and conversion rate of social media apps.

• React Native social media apps enable users to like a photo and react to it with an emoji. Also, single-page apps facilitate the actions of liking or reacting to a post/photo. And, all of us are aware of how beneficial React is for creating SPAs.

• Photos can be easily and quickly uploaded.

• With React Native, one can build real-time chat apps with two parts- server-side library and client-side library - that instantly connect users with friends and acquaintances.

• A login functionality with several sign-in options can be created employing Firebase’s authentication

• The usage of firestore database for integrating push notifications into the app. A social media app must necessarily have the feature of real-time notifications for receiving messages and collaborating with posts of friends.

• Firebase’s real-time database helps users to change posts in real-time 

• D3.js can be used for creating the timeline that graphically represents posts in the map

• The integration of the localization feature for providing multiple language support

Success Stories of some Popular Media Apps built in React Native 

Facebook 

The fundamental objective of this framework was to utilize the advantages of web development – quick iterations and engaging one single team for executing the entire project – while architecting mobile applications for the iOS and Android operating systems.

Facebook Ads Manager

This is the first full-fledged cross-platform app built in React Native by the Facebook team. The platform is leveraged by entrepreneurs as well as individuals for promoting their products and managing ads for the same.

How React Native development was helpful?

• The app possesses a clean UI, effortless navigation, and an intuitive UX.

• The framework appeared to be a perfect pick for handling several instances of complex business logic including the management of date/ad formats, time-zone differences, etc.

• Both the Android as well as the iOS versions of the app was built deploying a single app development team.

Instagram

This popular social networking app switched to React Native in 2016. They implemented the Push Notifications view as the web view. A navigation infrastructure was not required because of the simple user interface. The React Native eco-system sped up the process of integrating features to Android and iOS apps and increased the developer velocity by approximately 85-99%.

Pinterest

Pinterest creators used React Native so that codebase can be shared across Android and iOS. It took only ten days to implement on the iOS platform. Thereafter, Android implementation was completed in just two days as developers were able to share 100% of the UI code for the Android platform as well. This way the firm saved over a week as compared to the usual implementation time.

Skype

In 2017, Skype’s owner Microsoft redesigned the platform using React Native for their mobile version as well as the desktop version.

Discord

This popular React Native app is used by millions of individuals for connecting with friends/family/communities via voice, text, and video communication. React Native development has made it possible to share 98% of the code across the Android and iOS platforms. The team was able to effortlessly able to make their comprehensive iOS app run on the Android platform in just two days.

Conclusion:

Above examples indicate that the React Native framework can create innovative, highly performant social/networking apps that are rich in trending features.

Would you too like to harness the potential of React Native for tailoring feature-rich social media/networking apps? Reach out to Biz4Solutions, a distinguished mobile app development agency offering high-end React Native development services to global clientele for 11+ years. Tell us your social media app requirements and objectives; our proficient team will help you to fulfill your goal.

 

8 Best Mental Health Apps For Daily Use

Technology has allowed us to explore mental health in new paradigms using science and data collection technologies. Remote devices such as mobile phones and tablets are now effectively used in attaining better mental health. Extremely sophisticated mental well-being apps have made their way into the market. These apps detect behavior changes, draw patterns and highlight any crisis in mental well-being. The self-management of mental health has increased the demand for these mental health apps. In these apps, many techniques based on CBT and mindfulness are applied to develop sessions, courses, and activities to promote positive thinking. Many apps have partnered with mental health professionals to make their services more authentic. 

Today, there are thousands of apps for managing mental health. Healthcare app development services have made app development very easy. Companies are even hiring individual healthcare app developers to create healthcare apps. With growing awareness regarding mental health and easy healthcare application development, the market is only expected to flood with mental health apps. Choosing one app can be difficult since every app is going to offer a plethora of options. Decision-making is important in this case.

Criteria to Select Mental Health Apps

Mapping every mental health app on some selection criteria can be a productive way of evaluating all the apps in consideration. Here are some of the criteria that can be used for evaluation:

1. Effectiveness: The apps should have some scientific basis to prove their effectiveness.

2. Target audience: You should ensure that you are amongst the target audience. For instance, if you have no idea about mental well-being and meditation then you can choose an app that has some light sessions and activities for beginners.

3. Privacy: Mental health apps:  get access to your sensitive personal information. The app should be legitimate with a strict policy for the privacy of information.

4. Personalized approach: The apps should have a personalized approach to fit into your lifestyle. You should be able to take up the sessions and activities even in your busy work schedule.

5. Good review: Always head out for the reviews before subscribing to any mental health app. Any good app will have several reviews online on different sites.

Top 8 Mental Health Apps available in iOS and Android

1. Calm

This app has been developed to promote mindfulness, calmness, and better sleep. The application comes with various options for sleep, work, and meditation. A series of audio recordings help the users relax and meditate. There are breathing programs, relaxing sounds, and music. The app is great for every age and comes with separate recordings for beginners. Sleep stories and lullabies act as an advantage for users as they can introduce their kids to mental health with relaxation.

Free Trial: 7 days

Subscription: Starts at $69.99 per year

2. Talkspace

Talkspace is a unique mental health app that can directly connect you with a mental health professional. You can have a mental health checkup and stress check report. The app allows you to undergo an assessment to assess your mental health, diagnose the issues, and connect with the right professional. There are different options for individuals, couples, and teens. Talkspace will not only help you let go of the stress but also help you clinically. You can find 24X7 support using chats and live videos. There is a con to this app which is its high cost but it is worth considering owing to its benefits.

Subscription: Starts at $69 per week

3. MindDoc

MindDoc helps diagnose mental health issues and provide treatment for it. It offers a personalized experience with daily questions and 70-plus courses and exercises for improving mental health. The application identifies your feelings, detects patterns to get an insight into your mental health, and then helps you set goals to take care of your mental health. The users get access to strategies to deal with phobias, depression, insomnia, burnout, and eating disorder.

Free trial: 7 days

Subscription: $7 per month

4. Headspace

Headspace app provides breathing exercises and meditation sessions to improve calmness, self-worth, and sleep. There are specific meditation techniques for beginners. Then there are sessions for deep meditation. The app has exercises and yoga that help in strengthening mental as well as physical health. It is one app that equally stresses on meditation and mindfulness to change stressful lifestyles and habits. This is a great option to relax and unwind with relaxing sound and music.

Free trial: 14 days

Subscription: $18 per year

5. Thrive

Thrive is a mental wellbeing app recommended by NHS. It helps you manage anxiety and stress with 24X7 mental health support. It provides you with screening tools to detect mental health conditions and work on them. The mindfulness techniques equip you with the tools to deal with anxiety and stress. The powerful reporting insights keep you updated on your progress. The great part is that the Thrive app can be integrated with your well-being services. You get in touch with verified therapists who create engagement strategies according to your work schedule. Thrive is a wonderful app for receiving mental health therapies.

Free trial: Book a free demo

6. Sanvello

Sanvello is going to help you in four different ways. You will get self-care, peer support, coaching, and therapy. All of these options have different costs. It has partnered with many professionals such as authors and gymnasts to offer the best support and guidance. The best part is that you can avail a lot of features free of cost. From finding tools to assessing issues, getting community support to explore solutions, to getting therapy from experts, Sanvello offers you everything for mental health support.

Subscription: $3.99 per month (charges based on options chosen)

7. Happify

Happify has been developed to help you counter negative thoughts, stress, and life’s challenges by breaking old patterns and forming new habits. You get access to tools and processes that help you overcome sadness, stress, or anxiousness. The app allows you to control your emotions using engaging games and activities. You keep a happiness score to self-assess your improvement with the activities. Happify is a fun app that empowers you to develop positive psychology using science-based activities that reduce stress and promote positivity. CBT, mindfulness, and positive psychology are going to be the tools that you are going to deal with.

Subscription: $14.99 per month

8. MoodKit

MoodKit comes with effective strategies to identify and change unhealthy thinking. The app provides you with a mood chart time-to-time to promote well-being. The app is principally built on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Science-based MoodKit activities guide you towards steps and activities which can improve your mood. You get a variety of things including a mood tracker, Thought checker, and mood journal to self-assess your improvement and work on it.

Subscription cost: $6.99

Conclusion

Self-management is the primary advantage offered by these mental health apps built for mental health. The busy lifestyle and taboo around visiting a psychologist have pushed us towards these apps. All of the listed apps are great for managing stress and developing positive psychology. However, these apps may not be capable of replacing a certified healthcare professional completely. If the mental health issues persist then visit a medical healthcare professional in person.

Disruptive Social Media Trends dominating the Mobile App Market!

Social media apps have always been the most loved and popular networking mediums to stay connected with family, friends, & like-minded people. With time, these apps have evolved beyond the confines of social networking. Today, social media apps have become a highly effective tool for businesses to make their digital presence felt and maximize customer outreach. 

As per a research report published by the online platform “Datareportal” in July 2022; 

“Social Media boasts of 4.7 Billion active users across the globe. This accounts for 59% of the world’s total population and 93.6% of the total number of internet users.”

The leading social media platforms are Facebook (2,936 users), YouTube (2,476 users), WhatsApp (2,000 users), Instagram (1,440 users), WeChat (1,288 users), TikTok (1,023 users), Facebook Messenger (1,000 users), Telegram (700 users), & Snapchat (617 users).

The aforesaid statistics indicate the sky-high demand for social media apps! Needless to say, social media mobile app development has become one of the most lucrative investment options for entrepreneurs. However, for crafting a bestselling social media app, one must integrate the most sought-after features and follow the prevalent trends. This post explores the key social media trends that are gaining traction amongst app users. 

Social Media Trends to Consider for Mobile App Development

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies into social media apps has become one of the most popular social media trends. AI/ML algorithms enable social media platforms to comprehend the context of user-generated data and manage operational activities more effectively. AI also allows you to integrate revolutionary app features like facial recognition and chatbots.

Facebook employs the AI-empowered tool called the “Deep Text.” This tool understands the context of using certain words, abbreviations, slang, etc. This way, “Deep Text” monitors user-generated data fed on posts, comments, etc. Facebook’s AI-infused translation system automatically translates the posts into the users’ preferred language. Users can now view translated posts in their news feed. Also, the implementation of AI-powered algorithms enables facial recognition. This is how Facebook can recommend whom to tag in your photos.

Utilizing AI, LinkedIn can predict the best-suited candidates for a specific job role. Moreover, AI highlights the LinkedIn users who are on the lookout for a new job. It can also predict which users are most likely to give a response. The renowned platform Pinterest leverages the power of neural networking to obtain amazing results. Pinterest displays personalized content to every user based on their areas of interest. This enables users to make purchase decisions quite easily and quickly.

Twitter makes use of AI for face detection, the formation of complete images, and thumbnail creation. Employing neural networks, the platform can identify those specific sections of an image that users are more likely to adore. With the help of AI algorithms, Twitter suggests to users the aptest replies or comments for Tweets.

Take a look at how the popular AI-powered functionality of facial recognition functions!

Deep Learning, a subset of AI is used to make the facial recognition feature work. Here, Deep Learning algorithms are employed to generate filters that convert facial images into numerical expressions. This data gets processed using artificial neural networks to deliver the desired outcome.

Click here to get insights on some incredible mobile app development ideas using AI/ML!

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality

AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) have been one of the most revolutionary social media trends. The advent of AR and VR into the social media landscape has transformed the user experience altogether. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok are leveraging the goodies of AR and VR by offering amazing filters, effects, lenses, etc.

TikTok & Snapchat have used tools like ARCore & ML Kit to provide users with a wide range of face filters and unique effects; right from bunny’s ears to beauty masks. One can apply these AR-powered filters & effects to their videos and photos to achieve unimaginable outcomes. No wonder this trend has garnered immense popularity amongst users.

Snapchat too has leveraged the potential of the AR space by introducing quirky filters & multimedia messaging. Snapchat also offers the facility of scanning labels and barcodes for providing more information & context to users.

YouTube & Facebook has introduced the concept of 360-degree videos. Now, users can share their personal experiences with friends in the form of an interactive VR experience. This feature creates a virtual 3D environment where people interact with each other just like video chat experiences. Facebook’s novel VR-based app “Spaces” offers VR experiences to users with the help of the Oculus VR headsets.

Video Streaming

Modern-era users prefer watching videos to reading social media posts; they hardly have the time or patience to read. Besides, the visually transmitted information is easier to grasp. Hence, the social media trends of live video streaming & sharing streamed video content has gained traction amongst users at a fast pace. Several popular social media platforms including Facebook have leveraged this feature to gain unprecedented success.

Short-duration Story Content

Self-destructive story content is one of those social media trends that has garnered immense popularity amongst users. The trendsetters of this practice are Instagram and Snapchat. The users of the aforementioned apps can set the duration after which their story will disappear automatically. This duration can be an hour, a day, a week, and so on. The short-duration content strategy works wonders to highlight the urgency or importance of the posted story content. It also adds an extra layer of privacy to users’ data.

Promoting User-generated Content

Promoting user-created content is one of the unique trends that has surfaced on the social media landscape. Certain brands are motivating users to create content for them and are utilizing user-generated content for their social media profiles. 

For instance, the Daniel Wellington brand encourages users to produce content and tag the brand. Users who do so will stand a chance to get featured on Daniel Wellington’s page. Brands like Dove and Olay motivate users to create content for being a part of their social media campaigns. And, there are brands like Airbnb that entirely depend on user-produced content for their social media posts. 

Utilizing user-generated content for branding on social media offers a plethora of benefits. Such content is free and enhances user engagement. Moreover, people consider user-created content to be way more authentic and reliable. This strategy is an easy & cost-effective way to gain trust amongst your target audience and boost your brand image.

Peer-to-peer Payments 

The practice of integrating P2P payments in a social media app might seem unnecessary and may surprise you! But actually, this feature adds to the convenience quotient of social media users and enhances the app’s usability. The P2P payment feature turned out to be a USP for popular social media platforms like Facebook Messenger and Snapchat.

Let’s take a sneak peek into how the peer-to-peer payment function works! App owners offer users a secure environment where users can connect their bank cards. This environment ensures safe transactions and adheres to the established regulations & mandates of the region where the app operates. Users can also choose any other preferred payment method supported by the app. The users’ payment method gets connected with the social media app. Now, users can effortlessly transfer money to the desired person/s. Users simply have to click on the button marked as “$” and then, enter the transaction amount for carrying out the P2P payment process. So, if you wish to make your social media app versatile, this feature will be a suitable option to pick.

Bottomline:

The prevalent social media trends, if implemented correctly, lead to the creation of disruptive social media apps. Emerging technologies like AI, ML, AR, & VR and innovative strategies like video streaming, P2Ppayments, self-destructive content, etc. are lucrative add-ons to consider for your social media app. Such advanced features will elevate the user experiences to the next level and help you to gain a competitive edge.

However, these functionalities are complex to integrate and require a good amount of technical expertise. Therefore, to architect an impeccable social media app with advanced functionalities, it’s important to partner with a proficient social app development company that has extensive domain-specific experience.

 

The Disruptive Offerings of React Native App Development!

As per the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2021, React Native bags the 6^th rank for the most popular application development frameworks. 

Biggies like Facebook, Skype, Instagram, Uber Eats, Bloomberg, Pinterest, Walmart, Wix, Discord, and Sound Cloud Pulse have leveraged the potential of the React Native framework to reap exceptional outcomes. 

Wondering why React Native is so popular? This post answers it all! Check out the unique offerings, disruptive advantages of React Native App development, and its relevance till the date.

High level architecture of React Native

Take a look at React Native’s basic architecture. 

Source: 

Here, the React code is created by the developer, from the code JavaScript is interpreted eventually. The series of elements are together called the bridge. We will learn more about this bridge later in this post. Then there’s the Native Side as well.

Let’s look at how the React Native application functions:

When the user clicks on the app’s icon, the native thread loads all the native modules and dependencies. Thereafter, the native thread starts the JS thread that loads the JS bundle. A serialized message is then sent by the JS thread using the bridge. This message contains instructions on how to render UI on the native side. The messages are received by the shadow thread and the UI tree is formed. Now, based on this UI tree, native components are generated by the Yoga layout manager. These generated native components contain the dimensions meant for a particular device or platform. These are then passed on to the Native Thread for rendering. Components are drawn on the screen by the Native Thread.

Reasons to Pick React Native over other Frameworks & Technologies

Hot Reloading & Live Reloading

The features Hot Reloading & Live Reloading are indeed lucrative functions that transform React Native app development. Hot Reloading allows developers to work on the code modifications in real-time while the application is still running. With Hot Reloading, only the portion of the app where the change was made gets reloaded instead of the entire app, while with Live Reloading, the app gets automatically reloaded after the changes are executed. Also, the changes made to the code are reflected instantly on another live preview window. This way, developers can carry out code modifications and view the outcome simultaneously. This real-time feedback while coding proves beneficial in the development as well as testing processes.

Developers can leverage these functionalities for testing new features and maintaining the application’s state at the same time. As developers can view the changes made while coding, the likelihood of errors reduces to a great extent, making way for bug-free code. 

Easy Learning Curve

React Native app development involves an easy learning curve. If a developer is well versed in JavaScript, there isn’t any need for learning other programming languages or coding syntaxes. The developers just need to understand which mobile app components match with which web app components. And, since JavaScript is a popular technology, it’s easy to find the required expertise.

Third-party Plugins and Tools

React Native supports numerous third-party plugins and APIs that make app development a breeze. Any necessary tool, plugin, or API that is not offered by the React Native framework can be integrated quite easily. With all essential components available, one can create an engaging & interactive user interface and compelling features. There are a wide range of React libraries that offer various app development elements such as animations, forms, etc. and features like Google Maps, Google Calendar, etc.

A Single Codebase for the iOS and Android Platforms

While architecting React Native mobile apps, developers create a single codebase that works for iOS as well as Android operating systems. Codebase gets compiled to the native codes in Swift and Java by creating a bridge between the UI components and their equivalent Swift/Java components.

As such, mobile app creators targeting both iOS and Android need not hire two separate teams with specific skillsets for developing separate applications. This strategy is not only budget-friendly but also reduces the time to market, thereby offering a competitive advantage to businesses investing in mobile app development. 

Rich User Interface

React Native makes use of declarative syntax. So, while developers write the code, the execution process is taken care of by the RN framework itself. Besides, pre-built declarative components are used to design the frontend UI library that makes the UI simple as well as intuitive.

Stable, Performant, & Top Quality Apps

React Native is a stable framework and has turned out to be one of the best picks for crafting mobile apps. One can build mobile apps that have a slick, responsive, and smooth user interface and boast of faster load times. 

React Native development produces apps that offer native-like experiences. React Native mobile apps are speedy since the programming language has been optimized for mobile devices; GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is employed, instead of the CPU (Central Processing Unit). 

React Native apps involve two threads – the UI thread for interface creation tasks like drawing buttons on canvas and the JS thread for carrying out computations, handling events, etc. This leads to high performance if the development process is executed properly. Furthermore, unlike many other cross-platform frameworks, React Native uses native APIs in place of Webview for code rendering; resulting in improved performance.

Highly Flexible

React Native outshines most cross-platform frameworks in regard to flexibility. The reason is the React framework is based on a modular and component-based architecture. The code is broken down into smaller reusable fragments; these can be taken and embedded wherever needed. 

Therefore, for app creators using React Native, you are not bound to this framework only. You have the flexibility to switch to other app development frameworks without much ado. For instance, your app is in React Native and you wish to switch to purely native operating systems. In such cases, you need not reinvent the wheel. Developers need to export the app from React Native and move it to the Android platform using Android Studio and iOS platform using Xcode.

Also, you can create platform-specific codes by coding natively in Xcode with Swift alongside React Native app development. So a native iOS app can be compiled with the React Native ecosystem. You can program native features in iOS directly with Objective-C or Swift, if some desired app features are not available in the React Native environment. 

Cost-effective App Augmentation

React Native makes it possible to augment existing apps in a budget-friendly manner. This is because React Native UI components can be embedded into an application without the need for rewriting the app entirely. One can add a single view or user flow to already existing apps. Moreover, React Native-based functionalities, screens, views, etc. can be added quite easily.

Effortless App Updating

Earlier, updating an application with new add-ons was a complicated, cumbersome, and time-consuming process. Developers had to carry out a build process once again and this build process had to be conducted separately for each OS. 

The advent of React Native has streamlined the procedure of app updating and made it much simpler & faster as well. Now, apps for both operating systems can be updated at the same time. The app updates and enhancements are implemented by developers using the OTA (over-the-air) update methodology. This method enables updating the app while it is being run by users. The next time users open the app, the app is ready to run with the new enhancements. Besides, React Native supports “Code Push”, a Cloud service by Microsoft. With Code Push, developers can update an app directly without the need for updating it from the app store. Moreover, React Native involves an easy-going binding strategy for the codebase. So to modify, an object developers simply have to change the object’s state before implementing updates. 

Reduced Device Memory Usage

Reduced device memory usage is one of the most desired features amongst modern-day app users and React Native mobile apps perfectly suit this requirement. In React Native, the module can be effortlessly connected with the plugin using the native module; as WebView is not used. This phase is linked directly to the features related to app outcome and hence, the app responds quicker. Most codes are used during the run-time without the need for cross-bridge linking. So, React Native apps consume much lesser device space as compared to other applications.

Ability to build Advanced Apps with Complex Requirements

React Native enables one to handle complexity with ease. The framework functions with a component-based interface. Hence, one can plug-n-play the elements of the interface to create advanced apps. Things get further simplified as complex algorithms are broken down into easy-going formats. Besides, Facebook’s UI library simplifies the coding process and the Hot Reloading function eases implementing changes in the code.

A Highly Progressive Framework

Ever since its inception in 2015, the React Native framework is constantly being enhanced with novel add-ons by the massive React native community as well as by Facebook. Whenever the framework was unable to address the problem, the RN community and Facebook team were quick to offer an apt solution to the issue, sometimes in just a few months.

Even the tech giant Microsoft recognized the potential of React Native and has created their fork named “React Native for Windows.” This solution comes with distinct offerings that allow one to effortlessly develop applications for Windows 10 Mobile, Windows 10, and Xbox One.

Strong Community Support

React Native enjoys the support from a massive community. The community boasts of 8500+ stars on GitHub and 2000+ contributors from across the world. The developer community has created numerous libraries that extend help with React Native app development. Apart from the community, several leading companies including Microsoft, Facebook, Infinite Red, Callstack, and Software Mansion have come forward and taken initiatives to improve the framework as per the latest trends. Websites like Native Directory, JS.coach, etc. and platforms like Reddit, Codementor, Stack Overflow, etc., also offer assistance with React Native development. As such, React Native developers have loads of options to utilize if they are stuck with issues and need assistance.

 

 

Can React Native be used to develop 100% Native apps or just native-like apps?

React Native app development produces native-like apps, applications that look and feel like native apps. However, React Native apps are not 100% native and do not function exactly like true native apps. One of the key shortcomings of non-native apps is their inability to closely integrate with the system like purely native apps.

To cite an example, the native app Gmail offers exceptional functionalities. It involves a worker that check users’ inbox and the users’ Gmail accounts are synced with the app as well as the entire mobile system.

Here’s how you can achieve native app functionalities with React Native development. The major chunk of the app can be created using React Native. And, native technologies can be used for crafting the essential app components that are required for integrating the app into the native system completely. For this, your developers need to add Swift or Java code for the relevant features and specific cases.

Hence, with some additional efforts, you can leverage the lucrative offerings of React Native app development and at the same time, build an app that functions like a native app.

End Note:

The most impressive traits of React Native development are that it guarantees speedy project delivery and cost-effective investment. Moreover, this framework is suitable for developing any kind of app apart from gaming apps that require heavy graphics. However, it’s important to take care that the development process is carried out as per the standard best practices. So, partner with an experienced React Native app development company for obtaining the best results out of the React Native framework.

Blockchain has undeniable future in the grocery industry!

You might be wondering how blockchain in grocery is used. In a world that is becoming more and more automated, the use of blockchain is very rewarding for some industries. It is now very clear that there are some industries in which the use of blockchain technology can be applied seamlessly to improve how things work. One such industry is the grocery industry, which has seen a lot of changes recently.

You may be pondering, what is all the hype about when it comes to blockchain technology, especially if you shop at a grocery store that's still using paper receipts. Blockchain in grocery is revolutionary. Ever since the advent of blockchain, grocery is one of those industries that have shown a lot of interest in this new technology. In the past, food retailers were struggling with different sets of challenges. The industry has been hindered by a lack of transparency, inefficient supply chains and difficulties in access to financial services. This is where Blockchain comes in.

Grocery chains that has adopted Blockchain has been able to resolve these issues, resulting in increased transparency and improved customer satisfaction. In today's blog post we will be looking at how blockchain in grocery has been used by several retailers on a global scale, as well as talk about some of the companies experimenting with the technology in their stores.

• What is Blockchain?

Everyone is talking about the term blockchain these days. The use of blockchain in grocery is an epic way to turn the traditional industry into a modern one. The term “blockchain” is often associated with cryptocurrency, but the technology actually has a much wider range of potential applications. In fact, blockchain could revolutionize the grocery industry by providing a more secure and efficient way to track food items from farm to table.

Blockchain is a decentralised platform. It is a variation of distributive ledger technology. It brings transparency and certainty to the table irrespective of the niche or industry it is been used in.

• How does blockchain work?

At its most basic level, a blockchain is a digital ledger that can be used to record transactions. All such transactions carry a cryptographic signature. Hence it is digitally noted and no transactions are missed. These cryptographic signatures are called the hash. These transactions are then grouped into blocks. Each “block” in the chain has a timestamp and it carries a link to the previous block. This makes it difficult for anyone to tamper with the data in a blockchain, as any attempt to do so would be quickly detected.

• Why is blockchain well-suited for tracking food?

One of the main benefits of using blockchain in grocery is for tracking food as it would allow all players in the food supply chain–farmers, distributors, retailers, etc.–to have visibility into every step of the process. This would not only help to reduce food waste, but also make it easier to trace contaminated products back to their source and take action to prevent future outbreaks. In addition, because blockchain is an immutable record, it could provide a more reliable way to track expiration dates and ensure that food items are safe to consume.

• Why would the grocery industry use blockchain?

The grocery industry is a $5 trillion industry that is ripe for disruption. The grocery industry has been slow to adopt new technologies, but this is changing. The use of blockchain in the grocery industry is spreading with speed. Grocery stores are starting to adopt new technologies such as self-checkout, mobile apps, and now blockchain.

• Why is it advised to use blockchain in the grocery industry?

Blockchain has the potential to revolutionize the grocery industry. Blockchain can provide a single source of truth for all stakeholders in the supply chain. This would allow for more transparency and traceability of food products. Blockchain can also help reduce food waste by improving the visibility of food expiration dates.

The future of blockchain in the grocery industry is bright. Blockchain has the potential to streamline the supply chain, reduce food waste, and provide a better experience for customers. Check how blockchain is impacting various vendors in the grocery chain: 

• How is blockchain used in a grocery store?

Grocery stores are using blockchain to track food items throughout the supply chain. By tracking food items with blockchain, grocery stores can ensure that the food is fresh and safe to eat. Blockchain can also be used to track other products in the store, such as clothing or electronics. This allows store employees to quickly locate items that have been sold out and restock them.

Blockchain-powered grocery app development is a very effective solution. It will create a great user experience. All the items in the stores will be ordered from your devices. So it reduces time or travel spending and creates a virtual store at users' fingertips.

• How would blockchain affect the grocery industry?

There is no doubt that blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the grocery industry. By providing a secure and transparent way to track food items throughout the supply chain, blockchain could help to ensure food safety and authenticity, while also reducing costs. In addition, blockchain could also be used to create a digital marketplace for food producers and distributors, which would provide greater choice and flexibility for consumers.

Decentralized elements of blockchain are very rewarding to the grocery industry. It allows auditing of goods in a very effective manner. It is so advanced that grocers can track the shipment of specific items without scratching their heads or without any stress. This allows customers and producers to have good communication, create positive feedback and also helps to develop a positive relationship among themselves. 

Many big companies in the world are partnering with Blockchain app development companies to leverage Blockchain-related services. So in the near future Blockchain will revolutionize the supply chain, market delivery and shipments. Blockchain is a very sustainable solution. 

However, it remains to be seen how quickly and extensively blockchain will be adopted by the grocery industry. While there are many potential benefits, there are also some challenges that need to be addressed before blockchain can truly become mainstream. For example, blockchain technology is still in its early stages of development and it will take time for businesses to build the necessary infrastructure. In addition, there is a lack of standardization around blockchain technology, which makes it difficult for different companies to interoperate.

Nevertheless, the potential of blockchain in the grocery industry is undeniable. With further development and adoption, we could see a radical transformation in how food is produced, distributed, and consumed.

• What are some of the problems with using blockchain within a grocery store?

There are a few potential problems with using blockchain within a grocery store. First, the technology is still fairly new and unproven. There could be issues with the scalability of blockchain, as grocery stores typically have large amounts of data to process. Additionally, blockchain could potentially disrupt the current business model of grocery stores, as it would allow for direct relationships between manufacturers and consumers. 

Well, it seems like blockchain could change everything for people in the grocery industry - for better and for worse! Cryptocurrencies are at the heart of Blockchain technology, so it’s no surprise that this innovation is influencing an increasing range of industries. 

We at Biz4Solutions, know how to push buttons and get your business going. As a mobile app development company can help you create AI or blockchain-powered amazing applications for mobile devices. From Big Data and IoT to healthcare, we have created good success stories with our services to start-ups. Our pioneering mobile app developers can bring not just the conventional solution but also offer smart ways to upgrade your business and increase the productivity of your business. It’s your time to say YES! Help us help you with Digital transformation, robotic process automation, IoT, cloud solution, mobile apps and many more state-of-the-art services. Drop your email in the comment box and relax, our experts will get in touch with you shortly.