React Native App Development: Key Factors that Minimize the Development Costs!

It is interesting to know that the well-known JavaScript framework- React Native, was discovered by Facebook’s team as a side-project, while they were working on developing React.js. The team wanted to find a comprehensive framework to create cross-platform apps with native-like functionalities and came up with React Native. Who knew that a side-project would gain such huge popularity one day?

Today, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and business ventures all across the globe highly prefer this framework. Besides, a plethora of React Native development services have surfaced in the last few years and are still emerging to cater to the ever-growing demand for React Native apps. Owing to the crucial benefits of React Native, like cost-efficiency and high-performance, this demand has surged exponentially.

This article is especially meant for all those willing to utilize this high-end framework for their upcoming mobile app development project. Here, we will talk about how your project can become budget-friendly. So, we have outlined the top factors that reduce the cost of developing React Native apps. We will also take a quick look at what factors spike the cost of the project. So let’s begin.

Key Factors that Lessen the React Native App Development Cost

A Single Team for App Development

This factor is one of the biggest cost-saviors in the app development process. Rather than hiring two separate teams for both platforms- iOS and Android, a single team of React Native app developers can work on the project.

Shared Codes

React Native mobile app developers can reuse the codebases across all the platforms and this saves the additional efforts as compared to Native development that requires separate coding for every platform.

Ready-to-use Libraries and Solutions

React Native comes with numerous ready-made libraries and solutions available for free. These solutions simplify the development process and help the developers write bug-free code. Several libraries like Xamarin, Teaset, Lottie, etc. help to deploy the apps in comparatively lesser time.

Availability of Third-party Plugins and Components

Like every other framework, React Native framework, too, has some downsides. It lacks some plugins and components that are essential to make the apps impactful and top-class. But there are a plethora of third-party plugins available in React Native to add the desirable functionalities in both the platforms- Android and iOS. React Native app developers can easily utilize them or integrate them with the react-native module for quick, seamless, and feature-rich mobile apps.

Have a look at the Best UI Libraries and Components of React Native here.

Reduced Maintenance Costs

In React Native apps, maintenance includes factors like bug-fixing, design changes, app updating, and many more services. Since one code is utilized for apps on different platforms, just a single app needs to be maintained. This eases out the maintenance efforts to a great extent and also reduces the maintenance costs.

Usage of Existing Frameworks

Using the app development frameworks of React Native, the developers can make use of the existing skeleton framework for creating the apps and speed up the development process to a great extent.

Notable Factors that Increase the React Native App Development Cost

Performance Optimization: It is a tough job to ensure that React Native apps meet the standards like those of Native apps. So, optimizing performance to the level of Native apps requires the investment of additional costs.

UI Enhancements: Using the React Native framework, it is possible to utilize the same codebase for both- Android and iOS platforms. This lowers the cost of development but can negatively affect the app’s performance. Also, the apps look similar on different platforms. So, to enhance its appearance and performance, additional UI enhancements need to be done; that adds to the budget.

Security Concerns: The security offered by Native apps is much robust. Comparatively, React Native apps are less secure and can be prone to hacking or similar security breaches. As a result, they need extra costs to get top-grade security. 

Team and Learning Curve: React Native comes with a steep learning curve. So, in case you have a team of Native developers, you will need extra time to train them in React Native; which in turn will lead to more costs.

Concluding Words:

The cost of developing a React Native app depends on a host of factors as seen in this article. If you do not take into consideration these factors that reduce the developmental costs, mobile app development can cost you a fortune. But you also need to remember that in the desire to cut down the cost, you should not compromise on the quality of the React Native application. If the quality gets hampered, then your project may fail.

If you want further assistance on how you can bring down the cost of your project, get in touch with Biz4Solutions, an acclaimed React Native application development company in the USA.

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A Brief Guide to Making your Healthcare App HIPAA Compliant!

In the year 2016, an Illinois-based healthcare network had failed to take proper preventive measures and had not conducted the risk analysis thoroughly. Their 4-5 unencrypted employee laptops were stolen from different places and the hospital system had failed to have their physical, administrative, and technical safeguards in place. It was estimated that this incidence had affected about 4 million people and the healthcare network had to pay an amount of $5.5 million as a HIPAA settlement. Huge! Isn’t it!

Such data violations and breaches can easily occur in this digital era. The data can be easily vulnerable to cybercrimes and can be misused in several ways. So, it is essential for all kinds of healthcare organizations to keep HIPAA privacy and security rules in mind while developing any medical apps or telehealth solutions. If you want to get deeper insights into the significance of HIPPA compliance, do read our blog here.

In this blog, we have outlined the vital considerations and steps to be taken to make a telehealth app HIPAA compliant. So, without further delay, let’s get started.

Noteworthy Considerations for Creating a HIPAA Complaint Telehealth App

For architecting HIPAA compliant apps, the following primary rules should be adhered to:

1. Privacy
2. Security
3. Breach
4. Enforcement

While all the four rules are important, privacy and security rules hold the utmost importance, and most healthcare app development companies primarily focus on these while developing medical app solutions. These rules consist of technical and physical safeguards majorly, and they are explained below:

Technical safeguards

Technical safeguards majorly focus on encrypting the medical data i.e. ePHI (electronic protected health information) completely which is stored or transferred on different devices and servers. Some notable practices for technical safeguard include the following:

• Automatic logoff
• Unique user identification
• Emergency access process

Physical safeguards

Physical safeguards are related to securing facilities and devices that store health data. These include protection of the network used for data transfer, the backend, as well as the devices on iOS and Android from unauthorized intrusion, environmental and natural hazards, etc. These safeguards ensure that these entities are not lost, compromised, or stolen. For securing the medical applications, it is necessary to enforce authentication (probably through a multi-factor authentication system) and make sure that it’s impossible to access those applications without authentication.

Besides these, one more significant way is to follow the minimum necessity requirements i.e. not to gather more data than required and nor even store the vital data longer than actually needed. Also, it is a better option to avoid transmitting the PHI data through push notifications or leak the data in backups and logs. 

If you want to gain knowledge on what health data falls under HIPAA compliances and what entities are covered under this Act, have a glimpse at our blog here.

Key Steps to Ensure HIPAA Compliance for a Telehealth App!

Controlling Access to PHI

As per the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rule, the access to patient data should be based on the requirement and the clearance level. The rule safeguards data by limiting access, and this can be done by assigning unique identities and similar privileges to users. Here are some ways to control and limit access to PHI:

• Assigning a specific ID to every user will help in tracking and identifying the activities of the users.
• Enlisting the privileges like ‘Create New Record’, ‘Edit Record’, ‘View Record’, ‘Delete Record’, etc.
• Assigning such privileges to various groups of users as per the role/position in the hospital, for instance- doctors, admin, lab technicians, etc.

Authentication

After assigning the privileges, make sure that the app or the medical system has the ability to verify that if someone is trying to access PHI, that person is actually the one he/she claims to be. This safeguard can be achieved in the following ways:

• Physical means of identification like a token or a key
• Password
• Biometrics i.e. a face ID, a voice ID, or a fingerprint
• PIN- Personal Identification Number

Time-out Automatically

It must be ensured that any session or a particular activity is closed i.e. timed-out automatically after a certain period of inactivity. If the user wants to continue working on that activity in the account, he/she will have to log in again. As a result, in case the device is lost or the application is left unattended, important data will remain secured and chances of its mishandling will be reduced to a great extent.

Audit Controls and Activity Tracking

If the audit control standards are not followed, it can lead to bigger mishaps and bigger fines. So, PHI must be audited using some procedure or using software or hardware. Here are some important considerations:

• Keeping a watch on where and how the PHI is stored in the system.
• Monitoring and tracking login and logout of the users.
• Recording and keeping knowledge of who, when, and where is accessing the data, modifying it, updating, or deleting it.

Securing Hardware

Accessing the medical data remotely using a smartphone or a laptop may sound convenient but at the same time, it is risky too. So it is a must that all the devices from which medical data will be accessed should be encrypted. The systems must be possibly safeguarded with firewalls, VPNs, Antivirus, SSL Certificates, etc. Also, here are some strategies to achieve hardware security:

• Ask the employees to delete data from their devices when they exit the organization.
• Place the PCs and servers in a safe room or location.
• Doors and workstations in the organization must be locked to guard against any sort of theft.
• About workstations, restrict access to only the ones who are authorized.
• Make sure that your medical organization is under Video Surveillance.
• Make sure that sensitive data is not shared through push notifications since it can be visible to anyone.

Few Other Measures to Ensure HIPAA Security:

Disposing of PHI Carefully: Once the use of PHI is completed, it must be permanently destroyed from all hidden places like memory cards, USBs, portable devices, etc.

Backup and Storage of Data: This data is highly valuable and hence it is important to have storage strategies in place so that backup can be retrieved whenever required. Developing business continuity plans and disaster recovery are wise options in this case.

Testing and Maintenance of the Apps: To ensure efficiency and stability of the apps or platforms, test them thoroughly from time to time and update them periodically.

Final Views:

Threats related to social engineering, phishing, security breaches, hacking of health data, etc. are on the rise in the healthcare industry and they can be only prevented to a great extent if HIPAA Compliance is followed diligently. It will assure the auditors that you have taken enough efforts to protect sensitive and confidential medical data i.e. PHI. So, every healthcare app development company must abide by HIPAA rules and regulations.

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Best React Native Developer Tools for designing Exceptional Apps in 2021!

Software firms across the globe have the privilege to choose from hundreds of libraries, tools and frameworks; while executing the process of mobile application development. However, despite the availability of innumerable options, React Native by far has become one of the most preferred choices of corporate enterprises and mobile app development companies. The reason behind its popularity is the extensive benefits offered by React Native development! Right from a simple learning curve, code re-usability, cross-platform development, high-speed development, support from a vibrant community, to the creation of native-like applications; this framework has a lot to offer. And, when we talk about its technical offerings, React Native developer tools just can’t be ignored. These tools are some of the most vital elements of React Native App Development Services.

So, this blog is all about the top-notch React Native tools available in the market. These are widely used by almost every React Native app development company out there. So let’s have a glimpse at a few of them.

8 Popular React Native Developer Tools to Know and Use in 2021

1. Visual Studio Code

Released in 2015 by the software giant Microsoft, Visual Studio Code is lightweight; yet a robust source-code editor. It is open-source, free to use. and is written in JavaScript, CSS, and TypeScript. It works well with platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.

Visual Studio Code comes with in-built support for technologies like Node.js, TypeScript, and JavaScript. Besides, it has a huge ecosystem of extensions to support languages like C#, C++, Python, PHP, Java, Go, etc. It also supports runtimes like Unity and .NET.

2. Android Studio

As the name suggests, this tool enables React Native development for Android. Android Studio 4.1 was the major release. The recent version of Android Studio comes with features like Kotlin DSL support in Android Gradle plugin, newer database inspector, allows running of android emulator inside Android Studio, visual layout editor, faster emulator, APK analyzer, flexible build system, smart code editor, real-time profilers, and much more.

3. Xcode

Xcode is Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) that contains several software development tools for building apps in iOS, MacOs, etc. This is a perfect pick for creating powerful React Native apps for iOS. It is also a great tool for debugging and installation of iOS packages. Recently, Xcode 12 was released by Apple which comes with all the more fascinating features like customizable font sizes for the navigator, new document tabs, redesigned organizer, improved code completion, enhanced auto-indentation, etc.

4. Redux

Written in JavaScript, Redux was developed by Andrew Clark and Dan Abramov and released in the year 2015. It is an open-source tool commonly used with libraries like React, Angular, etc, for developing user interfaces. It is a very small tool whose file size accounts for hardly 2kB including dependencies. It helps in the creation of apps that run in different environments like native platforms, front-end, back-end, etc, and are quite easy to test. Also, it offers features like a time-traveling debugger and live code editing. As a result, it is highly recommended that React Native development services should use this tool for their projects.

5. React Native Debugger

This tool is like a standalone desktop app that goes well with Windows, macOS, Linux, etc. It is probably the best debugger tool for React Native developers when they are already using Redux. It comes with default React’s Developer Tools and Redux DevTools embedded in it. Also, it is possible to edit the UI and inspect React Native elements using this tool.

6. React Navigation

React Navigation is written in JavaScript and is quite popular amongst the developer community as it enables them to establish the navigation and routes in the native apps with the help of navigators like Drawer, Tab, Stack, etc. It is an easy-to-use tool that is highly customizable and also provides Extensible Platforms. It is used for developing alluring components for both platforms- Android and iOS.

7. React Native CLI

Being the official CLI for the React Native framework, React Native CLI is an MIT licensed tool. This tool provides an original method for bootstrapping for creating a React Native app using the command line. This method is required if the React Native developer needs to access the native layer of the app. It is extensively used for the automation of tasks such as starting the packager, linking, creating the apps, etc. It is used as a debugging tool as well sometimes. It supports custom configurations. For instance, it can be used for the installation of React Native project pre-configured with a particular package such as TypeScript or even complete boilerplates.

8. React Native Tools

It is also a free tool developed by Microsoft but kind of an extension of the Visual Studio Code. This tool provides a supportive environment for developing as well as debugging the React Native projects. It allows debugging styles in React Native and also enables debugging for React components, making it one of the best debugging tools. Besides, it runs the react-native command with the use of a “command palette.”

8 Additional React Native Tools explained in Brief:

1. Nuclide:Nuclide is a free and open-source tool that is highly customizable and helps React Native developers to make improvements in the code. Its top features include - context view, working sets, remote development, a task runner, quick open, health statistics, a debugger, code diagnostics, etc.
2. Bit:This tool is quite useful for the creation of advanced React Native component libraries. It resolves issues related to collaborating and sharing UI components across different repositories.
3. Expo:This is an open-source tool-chain that has its own CLI and offers easy-to-use components and APIs. It also provides several services like accelerometers, real-time updates, fine documentation, powerful community support, etc.
4. React devtools:Though this tool is more concerned with React and Reactjs, it is also useful for debugging the React Native code. Also, its latest version provides support for inspecting React native styles, live editing, etc.
5. Vim Editor:This tool comes with a highly configurable text editor and provides a complete set of features for designing React Native apps. It is easy to work with and helps in effectively changing any kind of text.
6. Sublime Text:This is another amazing text editor that has numerous plugins and functionalities for app development. It also has features like “Goto Anything” for faster navigation to files, lines, symbols, etc. Other goodies that Sublime Text offers are “Command Palette” and support to multiple programming languages and markup languages.
7. Jest:Developed by Facebook, it is actually a testing framework for JavaScript but also works well with React Native, especially for functions like unit testing. Its features like Built-in code coverage, zero-configuration, and snapshot testing make it a rich tool.
8. Reduxsauce:This tool is helpful to the developers when they work on Redux codebases and need to create Reducers and Actions in Redux.

Final Words:

The React Native developer tools that we have mentioned in this blog play a significant role in not only building captivating apps but also in accelerating the development process to a great extent. These are some of the finest tools and React Native Developers need to have the fundamental knowledge of at least the ones noted here.

Along with these tools, the knowledge of React Native component libraries is an add-on. For detailed insights on these, please have a look here.

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Ground-breaking IoT Trends that will Rule the Market in 2021

The rampant adoption of IoT has been setting new records in the technology world since its inception. IoT’s prominence will continue to flourish for the years to come and in the year 2021, this technology will serve many industries with more data-intensive solutions.

Let’s look at some statistics put forth by International Data Corporation (IDC), as per a post on Business Wire.

• The worldwide spending on IoT will return high growth rates by the year 2021 and attain a CAGR of 11.3%.
• The worldwide expenditure on IoT in the year 2022 will cross the $1 trillion mark.

These estimates by IDC experts make it evident that the IoT sector will witness heavy growth in the upcoming years. This sector will also set some ground-breaking trends that will revolutionize the market altogether.

So, in this post, we are going to peek into such pioneering IoT market trends which may prove game-changers for several industrial sectors. We will take a look at how these trends will enhance the IoT app solutions and reshape several businesses.

Top IoT Market Trends that will Disrupt the Tech World in 2021!

IoT, Wearable Technology and Healthcare Sector

‘IoT in healthcare’ isn’t a new concept but with the advent of Covid-19, wearable devices and related IoT app solutions are being used more persuasively. Since the year 2020, remote healthcare solutions are being encouraged for regular check-ups, remote patient monitoring, etc. Virtual care is being provided using smart connected devices. Richer data-driven health services will also be delivered in 2021 and in upcoming years.

Hyper-Automation with RPA and Advanced Algorithms

A set of advanced technologies like RPA, advanced algorithms, process mining, smart analytics, etc. with IoT can be used for hyper-automation in organizations. It may sound similar to automation but isn’t the same. Hyper-automation is based on traditional automation processes and allows organizations to automate numerous processes more effectively, intelligently, and proactively.

IoT and Cyber Security

Security threats like cybercrimes, cyber-physical attacks, IoT attacks, ransomware, crypto-jacking, government-sponsored attacks, etc. are on the rise, especially since people have started working remotely.

Vital organization data like personal sensitive information of employees, and clients, banking details, details of citizens on government records, etc. is constantly at risk of being stolen by hackers and cyber-criminals for selling it to black markets. Owing to this, the IoT app developers and security specialists are working on developing robust IoT-enabled security strategies and also on upgrading the IoT apps to reinforce the security firewall.

IoT Combined with AI and ML Capabilities

AI and ML have provided great value to businesses by facilitating automation of mundane tasks, simplification of work, and collecting accurate data. Furthermore, in tough times of the pandemic, these technologies have ensured uninterrupted delivery, supported critical processes for companies and governments, helped in social distancing, and understanding the Covid-19 virus, etc.

In the year 2021, MI and AL, together with IoT will shape the future of human-machine interactions using data-driven insights. They will change the dynamics of the business landscape innovatively.

IoT and Blockchain

IoT security has long been a matter of concern and Blockchain seems to be a potential solution for this. Blockchain consists of strong protections against data tampering. It locks accessibility to IoT devices, and thus, allows compromised devices present in an IoT network to shut down when required.

So in the future, a myriad number of financial enterprises, governmental institutions, small and large businesses, and even the consumers will be decentralized and self-governing. They will leverage Blockchain to secure their IoT products and services.

Recently, Hyundai has extended its support to a Blockchain-based start-up designed specifically for the security of IoT devices and IoT-powered software solutions. 

Edge Computing

The data of IoT devices were being stored in cloud storage for a long time, but now, the IoT app solution providers, manufacturers, development services, etc. are thinking about the utility of calculating, storing, and analyzing data to the limit. That means, before sending the complete data from IoT devices to the cloud, it will be transmitted first to a local storage device near the IoT device i.e. on the network’s edge.

Later, this local storage device analyses the data, filters it, sorts it, and calculates it to send it either completely or partially to the cloud, ultimately decreasing the traffic on the network and thus, refraining from any bottleneck conditions. This approach is called “edge computing.”

Edge computing is growing exponentially and may overtake cloud computing in the year 2021, owing to the remote work approach. This approach helps in the proper management of large chunks of data sent by every device. It decreases the overall dependency on cloud storage, due to which apps perform faster with reduced latency. It also leads to lower security costs. Today, giants like Dell, HPE, IBM, etc. are working on creating such solutions for edges having cloud-like features.

IoT and SaaS

While addressing the IoT Trends, we can’t ignore SaaS or Sustainable-as-a-Service. Owing to its low-cost entry, the SaaS model is rapidly becoming popular for designing outputs that will make the lives of people better.

Also, it is estimated by some technology enthusiasts that the Internet of Things is aimed to bridge the gap in connecting individuals and organizations to service-based solutions.

IoT-powered Smart Home Devices and Smart Cities

The discovery of IoT-based smart home devices was initially being mocked by many. However today, their popularity is soaring as these devices have become more innovative and intuitive and not only ensures home automation but also enhances home security. Besides, they help energy conservation and save on electricity bills due to the usage of intelligent thermostats, smart lights, etc.

IoT and modernization have led to another noteworthy accomplishment- smart cities. IoT tools and superfast data transfer of 5G will together lead to improved public transportation, smart parking lots, automatic traffic control, higher security, smart infrastructure, better water management, smart waste management, etc. in the future. Thus, IoT will power the building of sustainable cities and probably a greener future. 

IoT for Energy and Resource Management

For energy and resource management, it is important to gain vital insights into how resources are being consumed. Smart app solutions play a vital role in collecting such data. Some applications like in-house temperature management, sprinkler control, etc. help in managing power consumption.

Besides, IoT devices and applications can help in lowering energy spending, optimizing asset management, integrating green energy, identify malfunctions in advance for preventing them, minimizing carbon emissions, effectively combat accidents, outages, blackouts, etc.

Wrap-up:

In the year 2021, IoT trends will enhance drastically, owing to the shift in overall work culture and the current economic changes due to the Covid- 19 pandemic. But challenging times always come with some great opportunities too. This is a great opportunity for every IoT app development company to architect best-in-class solutions that benefit different sectors. 

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Do you have any other trends in the IoT world to share with us? If yes, do share in the comment below.

Also, let us know if this blog was insightful and connect with us for any details on IoT technologies.

What is Server-side Rendering? How to Render Your React App on the Server-side to improve app performance?

Most ReactJS app developers make use of React CLI, also known as create-react-app (CRA), for initiating React apps, because it is one of the powerful toolchains that offers several advantages. But this approach also comes with a few drawbacks. For instance, when one tries to view the source of any webpage from the web application initialized using CRA, an empty page with a heading and no body section will appear. This happens because CRA renders the applications on the client-side where the page starts loading after built.js file is downloaded to the browser of the user; which hikes the initial load time.

At this time, server-side rendering (SSR) comes into the picture. This blog talks about the server-side rendering in React, its advantages, disadvantages, the frameworks used for the process, and lastly, the basic steps used for rendering the React Apps on the server-side. So, let’s commence.

What is Server-side Rendering?

Server-side rendering i.e. SSR is a well-known technique used for rendering the web pages on a server, rather than rendering them on the browser using JavaScript. In this process, client-side single-page applications are rendered on the server and then the fully rendered pages are sent to the client. The JavaScript bundle of the client takes over and allows the SPA framework to work. This process enables the dynamic components to be served as static HTML markup.

In simple words, when an app is server-side rendered, the content on the app, which is to be displayed to the end-users, is accessed from the server and then passed to the browser for the final displaying.

Initial server-side rendering using PHP, Wordpress, etc meant every page rendered and loaded from the server. However using server-side React, only the initial page is rendered from the server and the subsequent pages are loaded from the client itself. So in this case react app gets performance improvement because of the initial content rendered from the server and the consecutive speedy loads from client-side that is requesting the content that is only needed for upcoming requests.

Pros and Cons of Server-side Rendering in React Apps

Pros:

• Server-side rendering reduces initial load time that means, there isn’t the need for any spinners or loaders for the initial load; which is not the case in client-side rendering. This results in improved performance and better user experience.
• In scenarios where downloading a huge JavaScript bundle gets impaired by a weak network connection, SSR may be useful.
• Besides, when the ReactJS developers opt for SSR, they get a detailed featured image and snippet while sharing the content of a webpage through social media; which isn’t possible with the client-side rendering of the apps.
• SSR process beneficial for a website’s SEO because as per one of the recent updates of Google, its bots can now crawl all the pages of the web apps created with JavaScript i.e. SSR supports SEO practices.

Cons:

• Server-side rendering using React boosts the app performance, but only in the case of smaller apps. But with heavier apps, its performance gets deteriorated.
• It increases response size resulting in longer load times of the pages.
• It increases response time to some extent and if the server is busy, the response time worsens all the more.
• It makes the application a bit complex.

Frameworks to Consider for Server-side Rendering of React Apps

Razzle:

This framework is a project by Jared Palmer and has been extensively used for creating modern JavaScript apps. Razzle is quite easy to get started with and it works not only with React but also with Preact, Angular, Vue, Svelte, etc. Also, it makes use of React Router 4 by default. Some of the top properties of Razzle are:

• It comes with the "battery-pack included”
• It has a similar setup to create-react-app (CRA)
• It has the feature of ‘Universal Hot Module Replacement’ which allows the client and server to get updated automatically once the edits are made.
• Razzle also offers the goodies of ES6 JavaScript

Razzle extracts all complex configuration required for server-side rendering into a single dependency, thus, providing you a good experience of CRA i.e. create-react-app; but then it leaves the app’s architectural decisions about routing, frameworks, data-fetching, etc. to you.

Next.js

Next.js is one of the remarkable frameworks that help to resolve the most commonly faced issues during React.JS app development and helps you successfully design React apps. It comes with numerous built-in features like:

• Automatic code splitting for expedited page loading
• An intuitive page-based routing system
• Pre-rendering: supporting static generation (SSG) as well as server-side rendering (SSR)
• The development environment that offers active support to Hot Module Replacement
• Completely extendable
• TypeScript support

Besides, with Next.js framework, one doesn’t need to worry about minification, smart bundling, hot reloading, etc as all these features are available in the framework. Also, it comes with a robust community to support. Due to all such goodies, this framework is one of the favorite choices of a plethora of web apps and production-facing websites. This framework is being used by popular brands like Netflix, npm, Auth0, etc.

Other Alternatives

In case you and your app development team wants to use a Static Site Generator and not use React, here are a few alternatives to look for:

Gatsby:

This React-based Static Site Generator is quite popular, especially in the JavaScript community. This powerful framework provides an exceptional user experience as well as a great developer experience. It is also a Jamstack delivery platform used for creating lightning-fast, secure and feature-rich websites. It helps develop websites that are incredibly smooth, performance-based, support SEO, highly secure, and scalable.

Gatsby does not do server-side rendering at runtime, but it does SSR with Node.js during build time and while deploying the site, creates static HTML, CSS, and JS. This results in amazingly fast loading times. It also comes with optimizations like route-based code prefetching and splitting.

Nuxt.js:

This is a free and open-source SSR framework for Vue.js which makes web development simpler yet powerful. Based on a modular architecture, Nuxt.js helps to build performance-based apps. It is great for developers as it provides appealing solutions, detailed documentation, descriptive error messages, etc. So, if you want some alternatives for Razzle or Next.js in the Vue.js world, think of trying Nuxt.js.

Basic Steps to enable Server-side Rendering for a React Application

Before looking at the basic procedure of enabling SSR in a React App, there are some prerequisites to be considered. The development team will require to install Node.js locally and also create a development environment locally. Then, the team needs to follow the below-mentioned steps, apply the required code, and get the results.

1. Create the React App
2. Modify the Component of the App
3. Create an Express Server
4. Render the App Component
5. Lastly, configure webpack, npm, and Babel Scripts

This process will successfully render your app to the server-side.

Concluding Thoughts:

We have seen how SSR is advantageous in improving the performance of the apps, getting SEO benefits, and also social sharing. But to be precise, all the apps do not need server-side rendering, especially the apps having a dashboard and the apps that don’t require SEO or don’t need to be shared through social media. Besides, the SSR apps are a bit costly.

So, whether a React app development company should go with SSR for the React apps or not, depends on several factors like your end-goals, your budget, your development team, etc. 

Hope this article provided useful insights into Server Side rendering using React!

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The rising Popularity of Location-based Apps and their Business Benefits!

Imagine a scenario when individuals are on a road trip to some remote place, and they encounter sudden adversities like an accident or a blown tire. Next, they call for assistance; but have a hard time communicating their present location and providing route directions as the place is unknown to them; resulting in delayed help. In such situations, location-based applications come to the rescue as these track down the exact location of the smartphone user, without the need for giving directions, enabling the help services to reach quickly.

How about a situation when one visits a foreign city and faces difficulty in finding a grocery store or a food joint? Well, location-based intelligence helps in speedily locating the desired store!

This distinct capability of location-based services (LBS) - finding out the location of the user and provide services accordingly - helps consumers to overcome myriad roadblocks encountered in their daily lives. As these apps continue to rise in popularity, businesses across diverse sectors are focussing on Location-based App development. As per a report published by “RESEARCH AND MARKET”, the LBS market was valued at 44.47 Billion USD in 2020, and is predicted to reach 155.13 Billion USD by 2026; as it’s expected to expand at a CAGR of 23.4% between 2021 and 2026.”

Let’s dig into some crucial insights on the rise of location tracking apps and peek through the reasons to incorporate a location-based app for your business.

Functioning of Location-based Services

Location-based Services utilize the smartphone’s GPS technology for tracking its users’ location if that particular user has allowed the GPS service on his phone. Once smartphone users opt for this service; LBS will identify their location, even the street address they are in, without users having to enter any data manually. LBS establishes two-way communication between the service provider and app users. After receiving the necessary data concerning the users’ location, their requirements, and preferences; customized information is provided to them.

Location-based apps like Instagram (Social Networking), Uber (Transportation), Pokemon Go (Gaming), etc. have radically transformed their respective sectors. Take a look!

Top Industrial Domains Leveraging Location-based Services

Retail

LBS-driven retail apps help consumers to find a nearby store or select a favourable pick-up location. Physical retail stores employ this technology to enhance the in-store experience of customers by:

• Providing the indoor navigation feature in the apps employing Beacons
• Sending personalized notifications to would-be customers the moment they enter the vicinity of the store.

Biggies like Target and Walmart have successfully implemented this approach.

Automobile

Geo-location apps have simplified things for customers as well as the owners of logistics, public transportation, cab services, and travel firms in the following ways.

• Effortless fleet management
• Updates to passengers about the real-time status and delays in vehicles.
• Tracking the real-time location of customers using gps services available in cab service application.

On-demand delivery

On-demand delivery apps owe their whopping success to LBS as orders and couriers can be tracked in real-time. Moreover, users can effortlessly find the providers for the services they are looking for. On-demand Salon app, On-demand home services app, etc. are some examples.

Gaming

Gaming apps like Scavify and Pokemon Go have successfully integrated smart technologies like VR and AR with LBS to offer a realistic experience to gamers.

Travel and Tourism

The tourism apps leverage LBS to notify tourists with real-time updates, and also help them to find hotels near specific sights or landmarks. Airbnb, hotel chain apps like Marriott, etc. are noteworthy examples.

Business Benefits of Location-based Apps

Converting Customer Impulses into Sales

The location-based technology helps businesses to approach the consumers at a time when they are most likely in the vicinity of the store or buying a product online from a specific location. Therefore, when customers are in proximity to your store, it is possible to convince them to purchase from your store. How? For example, it’s raining outside and a passerby has an impulse to buy an umbrella. At this moment your location-based message of offering umbrellas at discounted rates pops up on his/her smartphone!

Attracting new Customers

LBS strategies can effectively convert online traffic as well as foot traffic; by persuading visitors to try your products/services for the first time. This can be done by offering special offers for first-time check-ins or purchases. Once a customer gets converted, engage them by offering top-quality services.

Rewarding Loyal Customers

LBS enables you to track the check-ins and thus identify loyal customers. Then, you can easily retain them by offering free coupons or attractive offers. For instance, when a customer downloads a taxi app and books a cab, his/her details are registered with the business. This allows the business to send SMS to the customer regarding special offers.

Providing personalized services  to Customers

Modern customers prefer personalized deals. So, business brands employ location-based marketing platforms to recognize the personal preferences of customers, through detailed tracking of their movements, shopping activities, etc. The current location and behavioral data of users allow brands to deliver personalized messages to the right set of audiences at the apt time and place. For instance, hotels can elevate customer experiences by sending welcome messages and providing offers in the form of coupons, room up-gradation, spa offers, etc.

Applying profitable strategies

Geo-location-powered apps allow businesses to try unique strategies for boosting sales. For example, a restaurant usually suffers very low sales after lunch hours and the owner wants to offer discounted prices for snacks and light refreshments during that period. The smartest way to implement this strategy is by sending discounted rate notifications to persons passing by that restaurant at that time.

Key Takeaways

Its high time businesses should harness the potential of location-based apps to attract customers and expedite sales.

Looking for Location-based App Development Services? The adept professionals at Biz4Solutions, a prominent Location-based App Development Company, will guide you all through your journey.

To know more about our core technologies, refer to links below:

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Migration of Chat Application from Layer to Firebase

This blog post talks about how we migrated from Layer to Firebase in our existing chat application and what were the challenges we faced during this migration process. It will be quite helpful to mobile app developers while migrating the chat mobile apps or any existing apps with chat functionality. So, let’s look into the detailed process.

We had used Layer Android SDK for integrating chat functionality in one of our new-age messaging apps. This app has features like real-time 1 - 1 and group chatting, audio messages, recalling messages, Facebook messenger integration, payment gateway and military-grade security. The app is about 3-4 years old and is live on play store with a large number of paid users.

Layer provides SDK’s and API’s to implement real-time chat functionality in mobile applications.

It helps to implement real-time 1 - 1 chat and group-chat functionalities. Since, Layer had shut down on October 30th, 2019, we had to migrate our chat functionality on this messaging app to Firebase platform by migrating all old users’ data from Layer to Firebase.

Why we Migrated to Firebase?

The major reason behind migrating from Layer to Firebase is the shutdown of Layer Platform. To keep all the mobile apps with chat feature and chat apps that we developed running properly without any hassle, it was essential to migrate from Layer to another platform. So we chose one of the best platforms- Firebase.

Firebase provides two cloud-based database solutions that are client-accessible and support data syncing in real-time:

1) Cloud Firestore

2) Real-time Database

Cloud Firestore provides better scalability, and performance for web, mobile, and server development from the Firebase framework. It is a cloud-hosted NoSQL database. It can be directly accessed via native SDKs for iOS, Android, and web apps. It is also available in native Node.js, Python, Java, and Go SDKs, along with RPC-based and REST-based APIs.

Cloud Firestore can keep all your data in sync for different client apps with the use of real-time listeners. It can provide offline support for web and mobile for developing responsive apps that can work efficiently despite issues like internet connectivity or network latency.

Migration Steps we Followed:

1) Design Firestore Structure Model:

Cloud Firestore is a NoSQL database and it is document-oriented where the data can be stored in documents that are organized into collections. Each document contains a set of key-value pairs.

We designed the Firestore database structure as per our old data structure present on Layer.

2) Migrate Existing Data from Layer to Firebase:

To migrate chat data from Layer to Firebase, we created a script which helped to fetch data from Layer using Layer APIs and uploaded it to Firestore as per our data structure.

Layer provided data in JSON format and we converted that JSON format data to Collection and Document format.

3) Firebase SDK Integration and Development:

We integrated the Firebase Android SDK to work with Firestore. Then we implemented chat functionality for existing users and for new users as well.

List of Chat Functionalities we Implemented:

1) Basic Chatting Functionalities:

• Text
• Image
• Video
• Audio
• Image with Text
• Video with Text
• Audio with Text chatting

2) Offline Chat Support

3) Message Features:

• Search
• Filter and Sorting
• Clear All
• Mark/Unmark
• Delete

4) Message Settings:

• Do not view messages older than a certain number of days
• Automatically download photos and videos (Wifi only/Wifi and Mobile)
• Automatically save received photos and videos to photo gallery
• Set maximum video upload size

Challenges we Faced while Migrating from Layer to Firebase:

1) Designing a Proper Data Structure:

Designing a proper data structure in Firestore was a big challenge as we had to consider the smooth working of functionalities like search, sort, filter, unread message count and also ensure that data is stored in Collections and Documents.

2) Migrating Data from Layer to Firebase:

Converting JSON data retrieved from Layer to Firestore in Document and Collection format was one of the challenges we faced. Also, the size of Layer data was quite big which consisted of text, audios, images, and videos. We did this step-by-step by first migrating data of most active users and subsequently all other users.

3) Syncing data from Firestore to Android App Local Database:

Another challenge we faced was about syncing the migrated data from Firestore to the local Android app for both online and offline support, especially when the user opens the app for the first time after migration. Here in some cases where the size of users’ conversation was large, it took quite a bit of time to sync the data.

Hence to overcome this issue, we synced first just the conversation list and after opening actual conversation, synced messages within that conversation.

The Bottom Line:

Due to Layer shutdown, many applications had faced issues with their chat functionality and hence it was necessary to migrate their implementation from Layer to any other platform. As a prominent mobile app development company, Biz4Solutions has good experience not only in chat application development, but also in migrating the chat functionality of existing apps from Layer to a robust platform like Firebase.

So, do you also want to migrate any of your applications from Layer to Firebase? Reach out to us today! We have a team of highly skilled mobile app developers and technical experts trained for solving various critical software solutions.