10 eCommerce Automation Ideas to implement on the Website in 2024

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June 13, 2024

eCommerce automation simply means switching manual tasks into automated ones through software. With the advancement of technologies, shopping can be done in Just Walk Out Technology, the checkout-free shopping experience is introduced. Just Walk Out Technology detects products taken from or returned in the cart automatically and when you leave the store it charges you automatically on the card that you sign up for. So, to keep up with enhancement and competitors, we need to automate the workflow of your eCommerce as much as possible. Tasks like billing, email checking, notifications, and other similar tasks are easily carried out through automation.

Automating your online store may not cause any harm to your employers but saves their precious time. It boosts customer interaction, creativity corners, and big-picture thinking. All these things have really important roles in the line of your business.

Here are some of the best lists of eCommerce automation ideas that will prove themselves fruitful for your eCommerce.

Online Try-Ons with 3D visualization, VR and AR

With the introduction of cutting-edge innovative technologies like computer vision, VR, AR, sensor fusion, and deep learning, now it is possible to implement the online virtual Try-Ons so the customers can experience the 3D look and try it online and accurately sizing. AR technology will help with 3D visualization so the customers can try as many clothes as they want and keep on trying until they are fully satisfied. Having these kinds of technologies implemented, there will be an increase in conversions, reduced returns, personalization, safe, and security.

Read about: How e-Commerce will be affected by Web 3.0 and blockchain?

Recommender system with machine learning algorithms

The recommender system is part of machine learning and all big companies like eBay, Amazon, Walmart, google shopping, etc everyone use some sort of recommender system. As you see “Recommended Products”, “Sponsored Products” and many other sections of the page show different products for everyone, so it is recommending similar products as per your search, order history, geographic, demographic, etc. It keeps on learning what are your preferences, ideas and predict what products you like and recommend similarly, with which the conversions can increase. The recommendation can be content-based, collaborative filtering, item-based, user-based, scoring each item, ranking, and re-ranking, analysis of criteria or constraints with machine learning and provide relevant things that are expected as a recommendation, so in this evolving using recommender system in eCommerce website and we highly recommend to use it as it can help on increasing the conversions.

Extensive use of API and Web Services

APIs are easy to use by third parties, such as providing helpful documentation, monitoring API performance, and even monetizing API usage. With APIs, you can connect data, apps, devices—all the “things” you need to speed innovation with APIs and microservices. A web service for automating shopping over the Internet from a portable mobile device accessed by a user. First, shopping automation is considered a hardware system like an embedded device product. They are connected to the network through protocols. At the same time, portable mobile devices also use the WAP protocol to connect to the network. So, to automate development and innovate easily and maximize the investment, extensive use of API and web services are important.

Image and video interactivity and quality

Image interactivity technology enables the creation and manipulation of product images on websites, affects experiential value and instrumental value. So having quality and interactive images and video can help a lot. Like a 360° view of the products, like for example if selling cars, exterior 360°view and interior 360° view and multiple quality images may help get the assurance of the customers. Factors dependent upon Web site interactivity have been embraced by online marketers to entice the consumer to visit the site, purchase online, and be satisfied enough to get a repeat visitor/customer

Addresses Automation – use google map API to automate the Shipping Address and Payment Address

The Place Address Autocomplete form gets selected addresses from the Google Places database and uses them to fill out the address form automatically. Automatic address form filler is important and useful when you are using a shipping address for an online order, a credit card billing address, a ridesharing booking form, etc. You can easily integrate the google map API to your checkout form with something like the below:

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/places-autocomplete-addressform

Google map at the opencart store — how to show the shop on the google map

Cognitive behavioral analysis of the Customer

You can boost your eCommerce up to 95 percent only by paying attention to your customers by just 5 percent. Google will display the results in different ways, depending on what is most useful for the type of information you are looking for with analysis of components of cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, browser cookies, browser history, etc. Once you search in one platform for example google.com then it will show the ads and similar products or content on Youtube, Google maps, etc. So, cognitive-behavioral analysis of the customers is very important to understand your customers and improve as per it. Like

Collect feedback after every sale

Honest reviews matter in the line of your eCommerce business. They can make or break your online store. To have honest and good reviews, you need to gather your customers’ reviews on every sale. You can encourage reviews by sending follow-up emails to your customers. Simply, you can provide the link where your customers can share their reviews.

Trace negative feedbacks

If you ever receive any bad reviews on your sales products, make sure that you are responding to them. Find out the case and cause behind it. Never let anyone joke about your market products as it has a catastrophic effect on your eCommerce.

Dropshipping is beneficial

Many of the eCommerce businesses automate order fulfillment so businesses do not need to think about logistics like shipping, payment, etc and this is possible by dropshipping. Dropshipping means simply adding products to your store and shipping them directly to the customers. Dropshipping lowers the risk of harming your eCommerce business as there is no inventory problem. You should be cautious in selecting the market products for your eCommerce store for dropshipping. But automating your eCommerce businesses just to handle websites can help you lower the risk and higher the profit.

Automate your inventory for low-stock items, Printing and sending shipping labels

It is so frustrating for the customers if they find any item out of stock. So, to handle such a hazardous situation you can automate your inventory list. Setting up a notification system, you can notify on time when you are nearly going out of stock. And thus you can lessen your customers’ frustration. Likewise, you can automate printing and sending shipping labels and also send the tracking numbers in just one click.

Email Automation: Sending reminders to your customers for re-orders

If your eCommerce business is related to products like health stuff, food, make-up stuff, then you should be sending reminders to your customers every week. They will need the items once they are out of it. Note the time of the product you sell to them and fix automated mailing on a specific date as a reminder. You can use the most outstanding eCommerce automation tools to sync the accounts of your daily eCommerce customers. So it may be easy for you to send your newsletter and emails to your customers. One example is like:

Send abandoned cart emails to your customers

Almost 80 percent of the cart emails are abandoned automatically. Abandoned cart emails help you get back all your old customers. You can integrate your eCommerce software with any native mailing provider.

Another simple workflow example of how to create subscribers from the website to Mailchimp and then log the activity to the Pardot marketing automation tool.

Read about: How to integrate Pardot on the website easily?

Social Media on Autopilot, Schedule social media posts for your eCommerce

To promote your eCommerce, you need to know about marketing tactics on social media but you don’t need to consume your energy on it, you can automate the posting of products, content automatically on social media platforms. These tools automatically post your schedule plans on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. You can boost your eCommerce with just a single click in today’s world. That is the reason we should opt for automation regarding our eCommerce projects.

In this way, you can implement multiple automation in your eCommerce website. Please let us know if need support to create any automation we have created automation for reporting, stock monitoring, batch processing, API analytics, and many more, as well as please post your questions or comments, or any other automation that you guys are using. In our upcoming posts, we will write about tools that we use for automation as well. You can follow us at our Twitter account @rupaknpl Facebook page @Webocreation. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for Opencart tutorials, and click to see other eCommerce tips and tricks.

Code flow, Request & response, and MVCL pattern in OpenCart -Video

By

Rupak Nepali

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June 12, 2024

Hi everyone, me Rupak Nepali. In our fifth video, we describe OpenCart objects and a list of methods. Today, in our sixth video we are going to describe OpenCart framework code flow and how requests and responses are handled by OpenCart. Describe how MVCL works in OpenCart which will create a good foundation to start programming in OpenCart.

“OpenCart theme and Module development” book say “OpenCart is an e-commerce shopping cart application built with its own in-house framework which uses MVCL (Model, view, controller, and language)pattern. Thus, each module in OpenCart also follows the MVCL pattern. The controller creates logic and gathers data from the model and it passes data to display in the view.”

OpenCart is based on this MVCL pattern. Let’s see what is MVCL pattern:

The user request to the controller through URL,
The controller loads the language and set the variable for any text used in the data.
If data is needed from the database controller loads the model, ask for results and model send back results, then controller set results to data.
All these data are sent to View which renders and shows the output.

In the catalog and admin directories, you can see a tree structure of MVCL so whenever we create modules or pages we follow these directories structure:

Controller – The controller loads the language and set the variable for any text used in the data. If data is needed from the database controller loads the model, ask for results and model send back results, then controller set results to data.
Model – Database layer – All calls to the database are done. It is to structure DB calls so that all other files have access to the same DB queries.
View – Presentation/Template/display layer – This is where the HTML and designing are done in the respective tpl files.
Language – Localization/Language – This is layer is to make the translation easy, variables and text are assigned and these folder files are translated to the respective language with the same variables name.

OpenCart handles each request with a simple pattern for every incoming request are interpreted by the routing URL “route=” and passed to controller class matching the URL route part which returns Response objects. The controller is the only file in the MVC-L framework to be accessed by URL in OpenCart. The controller is where all logic goes: it’s where you interpret the request and create a response.

It’s that easy! Yes!

Each request executes a front controller file
The routing system determines which Controller class index method will be executed based on information from the request and routing URL you’ve passed.
Returns the appropriate Response object.

Let’s see some example
http://webocreation.loc/index.php?route=account/login
Here “route=account/login”, it means that the controller to find in Opencart is catalog/controller/account/login.php as there is no third one so by default the method is index().

http://webocreation.loc/index.php?route=account/return/add
Here “route=account/return/add”, it means that the controller to find in Opencart is catalog/controller/account/return.php and method is add().

The controller name must be like Controller + directory path+ filename
If your file name contains (_) underscore then no need to add in controller name.
The controller class must extend the parent class i.e.Controller

Let’s check the code. Let say the user request the same URL http://webocreation.loc/index.php?route=account/login
With route=account/login, the controller to process is ControllerAccountLoginclass and index method.

Request and response flow in Opencart — MVCL Opencart 3 defined

So, by defining MVCL we completed our fifth video, we hope you liked it. As always please don’t forget to post your questions or comments so that I can add extra topics or things that I need to develop which will help to develop the quality of videos series. You can follow at my twitter account rupaknpl and subscribe to our youtube channel opencart tutorials. Similarly, keep on visiting my personal blog https://webocreation.com where you will find lots of free modules.

In the next video, the real fun program begins the “Hello World” Opencart module. So, see you in the next video and happy learning and thanks for watching videos.
See you.

Opencart 4 OCMOD tutorial – develop extension with OCMOD

By

Rupak Nepali

-

June 11, 2024

In this Opencart tutorial, we are covering OpenCart 4 OCMOD and show how to start coding in OCMOD to change the files and extend the functionalities of Opencart. We hope this helps to learn step-by-step instructions to master OCMOD elevate your e-commerce store to new heights and develop multiple Opencart extensions with OCMOD.

OCMOD is a system that allows store owners to be able to modify their store by uploading a compressed file that contains XML, SQL, and PHP files. OCMOD helps to modify OpenCart stores without changing any of the core files. This means that we did not need to restore or fix Opencart files when we removed modifications.

Here we will show the flows that happened when someone uploads the ***.ocmod.zip file, then create a test.ocmod.xml file to show the module link in the left column and give you details of Ocmod documentation in Opencart 4.

Opencart 3 OCMOD tutorial

Files and folder structure OCMOD extension

All the ocmod xml should be inside the ocmod folder. Here in the example we are creating the webocreation_admin_menu extension folder inside it are the install.json and ocmod folders. In the ocmod folder, we add the XML file, the XML file name should be the same as the code. Here the file name is webocreation_admin_menu.ocmod.xml and in the XML the code is <code>webocreation_admin_menu</code>

Flow of OCMOD

Upload of extension with OCMOD

As per the core code when you upload the ***.ocmod.zip folder from Extensions >> Installer, the following things will happen:

Check if the user has permission. You will get an error like:
“Warning: You do not have permission to modify modifications!”
Check if there is an install temporary folder zip already there. If it found the file and the file created time is less than 5 seconds then it tries to unlink or remove the file, if it cannot remove the file then it throws an error saying:
“Extension installation taking place please wait a few seconds before trying to install!”
It checks whether the filename is between 3 and 128 characters or not. If not it will show an error like this:
‘Filename must be between 3 and 128 characters!’;
It checks whether the uploaded zip file ends with .ocmod.zip
It checks if there are any other file uploading errors, UPLOAD_ERR_OK: Value: 0; There is no error, and the file uploaded with success. If there is any error it will show errors like:
“File could not be uploaded!”
If everything is good then it creates a .tmp file and performs the function move_uploaded_file.
Then it checks if the module file already exists or module code is already in the database or not. If exists throws the following error:
‘Extension already installed!’
If all the above are good then it validates if the file can be opened and there is install.json that can be read. If it cannot find the install.json, then it throws the following error:
‘Warning: Could not find install.json!’
If there is an issue with unzipping of ocmod.zip file then it throws the following error:
‘Zip file could not be opened!’

Database Operation

If everything is fine then it gets all the info from the install.json. It gets the name, description, code, version, author, and link
Then finally it adds the extension details to the database table oc_extension_install. The query ran is below:
$this->db->query(“INSERT INTO `” . DB_PREFIX . “extension_install` SET `extension_id` = ‘” . (int)$data[‘extension_id’] . “‘, `extension_download_id` = ‘” . (int)$data[‘extension_download_id’] . “‘, `name` = ‘” . $this->db->escape($data[‘name’]) . “‘, `description` = ‘” . $this->db->escape($data[‘description’]) . “‘, `code` = ‘” . $this->db->escape($data[‘code’]) . “‘, `version` = ‘” . $this->db->escape($data[‘version’]) . “‘, `author` = ‘” . $this->db->escape($data[‘author’]) . “‘, `link` = ‘” . $this->db->escape($data[‘link’]) . “‘, `status` = ‘0’, `date_added` = NOW()”);
As you see the status is still 0. The file upload is complete and extension info is added to the database.
The upload is complete.

Installation of OCMOD extension

You will see extensions listed at Extensions >> Installer. You will see something like below:

Now, we are showing the flows that happened when you click the Install button for the Opencart OCMOD Example extension.

Check if the user has permission. You will get an error like:
“Warning: You do not have permission to modify modifications!”
Then it gets the details of the extension from oc_extension_install database table
It makes sure the file exists in the storage folder >> Marketplace. If the file is not found then it shows an error like this:
‘Install file %s could not be found!’;
If there are no errors, then it starts unzipping the ***.ocmod.zip and if it cannot unzip the ocmod.zip file then it shows an error like:
“Zip file could not be opened!”
After unzipping it checks if any of the files already exist. It only extracts the contents of the upload folder. If there are images, it copies the images, then it stores the path differently for vendor folders.
It checks if the path is not a directory and checks if there is no existing file, then it puts the file and adds the path in the oc_extension_path database table.
It enables the module by updating the status of the module at oc_extension_install database table
It adds the XML code in the oc_modification table
Finally, it gives the success message.
Go to Extensions and Modifications and Install the extension by clicking the green install button
Click the Clear icon and you will see the applied OCMOD

OCMOD developer tips

The extension folder needs ocmod folder
File name except ocmod.zip and <code> value should be same.
While zipping the folder zip the install.json and ocmod/ folder, not the folder.
Testing is hard for OCMOD changes if you have to change in XML, zip, upload from the installer, and clear in modifications. So the tip for developers is they can upload the extension and enable it, then make changes in the extension code from the extension folder and you don’t need to zip and upload again and again, you can just clear the cache in modifications and you can check the changes, and once you are satisfied you can copy and make the extension and upload it.
oc_modification, oc_extension_install, and oc_extension_path are the three database tables that are touched after the ocmod extension is uploaded and installed.

Example OCMOD code

In the install.xml it should be something like where the ******* is your custom thing.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<modification>
    <name>*******</name>
    <version>*******</version>
    <author>*******</author>
    <link>*******</link>
    <code>*******</code>
    <description>*******</description>
    <file path="*******">
        <operation>
            <search><![CDATA[ ******* ]]></search>
            <add position="*******"><![CDATA[*******]]></add>
        </operation>
    </file>
</modification>

Don’t forget <code>, although it is not mentioned in the Modification system documentation https://github.com/opencart/opencart/wiki/Modification-System. You can use multiple file operations. There are two operations search and add. With the add operation, you can replace, add before, or add after by adding in the position.

<file path="">
    <operation>
        <search><![CDATA[]]></search>
        <add position=""><![CDATA[]]></add>
    </operation>
</file>

Controller OCMOD code example

<file path="admin/controller/catalog/attribute.php">
        <operation>
            <search>
                <![CDATA[Opencart\Admin\Controller\Catalog;]]>
            </search>
            <add position="replace">
                <![CDATA[Opencart\Admin\Controller\Extension\Ocmod\Catalog;]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[$this->load->language('catalog/attribute');]]>
            </search>
            <add position="before">
                <![CDATA[echo 'BEFORE WORKS</br>';]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[$this->load->language('catalog/attribute');]]>
            </search>
            <add position="after">
                <![CDATA[echo 'AFTER WORKS</br>';]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[controller_catalog_attribute]]>
            </search>
            <add position="replace">
                <![CDATA[controller_extension_ocmod_catalog_attribute]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[$this->load->language('catalog/attribute');]]>
            </search>
            <add position="replace">
                <![CDATA[$this->load->language('catalog/attribute');
                echo 'REPLACE WORKS</br>';
                ]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
    </file>

Model OCMOD code example

<file path="admin/model/catalog/attribute.php">
        <operation>
            <search>
                <![CDATA[Opencart\Admin\Model\Catalog;]]>
            </search>
            <add position="replace">
                <![CDATA[Opencart\Admin\Model\Extension\Ocmod\Catalog;]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[public function addAttribute(array $data): int {]]>
            </search>
            <add position="before">
                <![CDATA[echo 'MODEL BEFORE WORKS</br>';]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[public function addAttribute(array $data): int {]]>
            </search>
            <add position="after">
                <![CDATA[echo 'AFTER WORKS</br>';]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
    </file>

View OCMOD example code

<file path="admin/view/template/catalog/attribute.twig">
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[<div class="float-end">]]>
            </search>
            <add position="before">
                <![CDATA[        // BEFORE WORKS]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[<div class="float-end">]]>
            </search>
            <add position="after">
                <![CDATA[        // AFTER WORKS]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
    </file>

Library OCMOD code example

<file path="system/library/template/template.php">
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[include]]>
            </search>
            <add position="after">
                <![CDATA[        // AFTER WORKS]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
    </file>

Admin Extension OCMOD code example

<file path="extension/opencart/admin/controller/report/customer_order.php">
        <operation>
            <search>
                <![CDATA[Opencart\Admin\Controller\Extension\Opencart\Report;]]>
            </search>
            <add position="replace">
                <![CDATA[Opencart\Admin\Controller\Extension\Ocmod\Extension\Opencart\Report;]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[$this->load->language('extension/opencart/report/customer_order');]]>
            </search>
            <add position="after">
                <![CDATA[echo 'WORKS!';]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
    </file>

Admin Module menu addition with OCMOD extension

We created a free module with OCMOD to show the Module link in the left menu of the admin section so that we can directly go to the Module section and don’t need to keep on using the Extension filter. Here is the output.

Folder creation of OCMOD extension

Create a folder and name it anything like for example webocreation_admin_menu
Inside that folder create install.json file
Inside webocreation_admin_menu folder, create ocmod folder
Inside the ocmod folder, create an XML file named webocreation_admin_menu.ocmod.xml

Code of install.json file

{
  "name": "Webocreation Admin Menu",
  "version": "1.0",
  "author": "Webocreation",
  "link": "https://www.webocreation.com"
}

Code of webocreation_admin_menu.ocmod.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<modification>
    <name>Webocreation Admin Menu</name>
    <description>Add a Module link in top menu item in the Admin section.</description>
    <code>webocreation_admin_menu</code>
    <version>1.0</version>
    <author>Webocreation</author>
    <link>https://webocreation.com</link>
    <file path="admin/controller/common/column_left.php">
        <operation>
            <search regex="false">
                <![CDATA[if ($marketplace) {]]>
            </search>
            <add position="before">
                <![CDATA[
                if ($marketplace) {
                    $data['menus'][] = [
                        'id'       => 'menu-extension',
                        'icon'     => 'fas fa-puzzle-piece',
                        'name'     => 'Module',
                        'href'     => $this->url->link('marketplace/extension', 'user_token=' . $this->session->data['user_token'].'&type=module'),
                        'children' => []
                    ];
                }
                ]]>
            </add>
        </operation>
    </file>
</modification>

OCMOD error log

You can see the OCMOD error log at the Extensions >> Modifications >> Log tab.

Some of the error codes:

It shows an error like the one below in the Ocmod log when the search code is not found

MOD: 
FILE: admin/controller/common/column_left.php
CODE: if ($this->user('access', 'marketplace/modification')) {
NOT FOUND - OPERATIONS ABORTED!

In this way, you can develop an Opencart 4 extension with OCMOD. We hope this helps to learn step-by-step instructions to master OCMOD and elevate your e-commerce store to new heights. Please let us know if you have any kind of projects, you can email us at webocreation.com@gmail.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get more Opencart free extensions and tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

12+ Artificial Intelligence ideas that you can use for your eCommerce website

By

Suhail Ahmad

-

June 11, 2024

You already know that artificial intelligence can boost your eCommerce website sales. At the same time, you should understand that lacking proper use of artificial intelligence can be a giant threat to websites. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has become essential in today’s world. Billions of market competitors compete in eCommerce on a daily basis. This is the reason you should know tips that can provide you with better opportunities in boosting your e-commerce up. Following are 12 proven AI tips that are regularly used by successful eCommerce websites:

Enhance full-proof Cybersecurity for your website

Always make no compromise with the security of your eCommerce. Hacking has been one of the heinous crimes in today’s growing world of online business. To lower the risk of hacking, you should select the most authentic spyware. Spywares are the most successful tools to counter any systematic harm to your eCommerce website.

Retargeting customers with AI

It is not unheard of that AI plays a key role in retargeting your customers. What that means is that you analyze your customer’s purchase history, likes, dislikes, and behavior. Based on this analysis, you can “retarget” your customers with relevant products.

For example, if a customer has a history of purchasing men’s fashion products like wristwatches, men’s wallets, sunglasses, etc, you can show them relevant products. These products can be caps, T-shirts, and bags just to name a few.

Let your Artificial Intelligence tools dictate that, and see how your customers sustain a series of purchasing histories with you.

Automation of your website with AI

Artificial Intelligence has the best use in finding algorithms. It provides market retailers with all the information about what exactly they demand.

Automation keeps traffic to your eCommerce site. The task of producing customers can be done more effectively by AI. A recent survey from eMarketer shows that 65% of eCommerce businesses outperform their competitors that have their websites automated. The survey suggests that these eCommerce sites drive more traffic and repeat sales.

That is why it is inevitable to have your website automated. Consequently, this will bring you, loyal customers, in the long run.

Show Related Products to Customers Via Recommendations

Recommendations for the customers can be done through app developers. If you are unaware of the high-tech apps, then developers will help you out.

Basically, recommendations let your customers know about your brands. It collects all the data from the browsing history of customers.

Add ChatBots to your website

ChatBots allow and help your customers in the following ways:

Letting your customer know what they want
Answering the queries of your
Customers
Act as a bridge between you and your customers 24/7

That is why it is pertinent for you to add chatbots to your website. Without chatbots, you are missing out on a massive opportunity for conversions and sales.

Add voice search & voice assistant to your eCommerce website

Artificial Intelligence has developed so vastly. There are voice assistants to buy things online. It is time-saving and customer-friendly.

In this regard, Google’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are the best AI voice assistants. You can easily add voice search functionalities supported by modern browsers by changing simple HTML code. You can: How to add voice search for input form?

Quora creative stats show that 60% of searches will take place through voice. OC&C research also shows that smart speaker searches will increase by 55% in 2022. So, make adequate use of voices searches and get the most out of them.

Forecast your sales

Forecasting your sales means letting your customers know about your daily, weekly, or monthly sales. This will benefit you in the following ways:

It will create a better bond with your customers
Builds trust in your customers
Increase sale reliability rate.

That is why it is mandatory for you to have an estimated projection of your weekly, monthly, and yearly sales. And none can project your expected sales than Artificial Intelligence Software. HubSpot, Trello, Pipe Drive, and Gong.io are some of the best AI tools for sales projections.

Filter Fake Reviews

Fake reviews cause huge damage to your e-commerce. They also damage the reputation market brand.

That is why you should be using artificial intelligence to clean up the harm. There are multiple software and AI tools for this purpose. So, make use of it as much as you.

Set up Google reCaptcha or Basic Captcha

AI-based Smart Searches

Your brand should have a smart search engine. It conveys the following positive gesture to your customers:

Gives a professional look to your eCommerce website
Makes your eCommerce website interesting
Makes your eCommerce website smarter
Gives sufficient proof of your website to be the best one.

That is why it is necessary for your website to have smart searches.

Personalizing your eCommerce website

According to recent research conducted by Consultancy, 74% of eCommerce brands increase their sales through personalization.

You should personalize your website activity through the following ways:

Keep updating fresh market products
Engage yourself with customers all the time
Update your market content
Decrease transaction time.

These ways will help you personalize your website and will keep your customers engaged. As a result, you will notice an immense conversion rate and increase in your Year over Year (YoY) revenue.

Learn more: 5 phases in products selling life cycle of eCommerce in 2022 for startup business

Create Visual Search for your eCommerce website

It is very annoying for customers when they do not find the exact items on your e-commerce website. To avoid this, you should use NLP (natural language process).

Actually, NLP lets your customers search through pictures to match their market product. Thus, customers love shopping with you online.

Adding a visual search option to your e-commerce can boost up repeat sales and thus you can also get regular customers easily.

Add sale game options to your website

In order to attract potential sales and buyers should be the goal of your e-commerce website. Potential buyers are those buyers which are seriously interested in purchasing things from you.

Games like face recognition can help you in understanding the interest of your customers. Gaming also engages your customer to stay longer with your market brand.

Ways to increase eCommerce sales

Some additional AI ideas for your website

Better Customer Experience Via a 24/7 Customer Service

Real-Time Data Analysis

Active Engagement With Your Audience Via AI-based Automation

Self Designing & Building Functional Website Via AI Tools Like Take Maker

Artificial Intelligence Design (AID)

Better Solutions for Website Developers & Gamers Through AI

Proper Alignment of Sales & Marketing Team

Summing up

eCommerce websites need very careful precautions. If you want to get your eCommerce web boosted, you should be knowing basic tips. Simultaneously, you must have a hands-on understanding of Artificial Intelligence, since it plays a pivotal role in deciding the future of your eCommerce business.

That is why we have shared some of the most effective and useful artificial intelligence ideas that you can use for your eCommerce website. We are hopeful that these Artificial Intelligence ideas will help you in increasing the conversion rate and the Year over Year (YoY) revenue. Let us know if you have any other ways ideas of AI that you have used in eCommerce websites or have any questions or suggestions, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and read more about eCommerce, Web 3.0, blockchain, NFT, and the metaverse. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

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By

Rupak Nepali

-

June 10, 2024

Once we upgrade the PHP to the 8+ version we keep seeing the error like Warning: imagecreatefrompng(): gd-png: libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile in /system/library/image.php on line 45.

The fix that we implemented is by suppressing using @. Open system/library/image.php and find imagecreatefrompng($file); and add @ before it.

$this->image = @imagecreatefrompng($file);

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality: Which Technology Will Dominate Software Development?

By

Infowind Tech

-

June 8, 2024

These days, being in a virtual environment is not unusual. Today, several people are using several gadgets to access virtual worlds. Games, apps, retail apps, instructional resources, and other stuff are all on the list! Augmented reality and virtual reality are the 2 major technologies ruling the internet today.

Both technologies have numerous, widely-used applications that have been proven. For instance, players adore augmented reality games. However, virtual reality offers a lot of advantages in the field of education. One application of virtual reality that has been extended is metaverses.

This article will help you understand the importance, the difference, and the future of AR and VR. You will also read about the main differences between the two technologies. The site also contains some fascinating facts about AR and VR.

Augmented Reality Or AR: An Overview

Augmented reality is a more interactive representation of the actual world. It includes digital sights, music, and other sensory elements. Augmented reality encompasses three different elements: exact 3D identification of virtual and real-world objects, real-time interactions between digital and physical worlds, and both.

Overlaying digital content on top of real-world work situations using augmented reality provides an improved method for designing, selecting, and delivering consumable instructions. When a company understands augmented reality (AR), everyone can work together efficiently from a distance.

VR Or Virtual Reality: An Overview

Virtual reality enables the simulation of human experiences. This technology helps users perceive and comprehend complex subjects. The experience is immersive and captivating. As evidenced by the Metaverse, it can even be utilized to link entire worlds together.

Experiences in virtual reality (VR) are widely employed in many different industries. These include business, healthcare, and entertainment. VR is starting to positively influence society in many ways. To appreciate its importance, we need to understand why VR is so successful. While earlier iterations of the VR headset required it to be connected to a device, most recent models support cordless or stand-alone operation.

Impact on Software Development

Design and Prototyping

Web design services’ prototyping and design phases are changing as a result of AR and VR technologies. The designer may see and work with their works in a more natural and engaging way by building virtual worlds or projecting digital prototypes onto real-world surroundings. This quickens the design process and makes it possible for early user testing and input, which results in finished products that are better.

Instruction and Modeling

Many different sectors use AR and VR for training and simulation. These sectors include aviation, healthcare, and manufacturing. Software developers use these technologies to create realistic training environments. These environments simulate real-world situations accurately. They can safely rehearse operations without any real-world risks. This immersive training method lowers training expenses, increases learning results, and lessens the hazards connected with in-person instruction.

User Experience and User Interface

AR and VR present new opportunities for creating user experiences and interfaces that are simple to use and captivating. In order to provide a more natural and immersive interaction paradigm, developers might design immersive interfaces that react to user gestures and movements. The way consumers engage with software programs could be revolutionized by AR and VR interfaces, whether it’s through virtual menu navigation or 3D object manipulation in space.

Joint Development

Web application development requires teamwork, and AR and VR technologies are making distant collaboration easier than ever. Regardless of where they are physically located, developers may work together on projects in real time, exchange ideas, and review code by using virtual meeting rooms. This distributed development methodology encourages innovation, expedites decision-making, and facilitates effective teamwork across regional borders.

Improved Information Analysis and Visualization

Developers may see complex data sets and analytics in new ways with the help of AR and VR. AR and VR offer strong tools for data visualization and analysis, whether it’s for investigating volumetric data in healthcare, displaying 3D models of architectural designs, or evaluating spatial data in urban planning. Deeper insights and better decision-making can be obtained by developers by submerging people in settings rich with data.

The Future of AR in Software Development

The top augmented reality (AR) trends for 2024 are varied and cutting edge, indicating big developments in technology and their widespread applications. They are employed in numerous industries because they give users a new quality by bridging the physical and digital worlds.

Discover some of the major trends of Augmented Reality in Software Development:

1. Solutions for Generative AI and Multisensory Technology

The development of digital environments, artwork, and lifelike characters is anticipated to improve with the integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) with AR. In order to produce more immersive experiences, multi-sensory technology is also being emphasized. Examples of this include haptic gloves and gadgets that arouse senses like smell.

2. Developments in Augmented Reality Hardware

Notable advancements in motion capture and people occlusion have been made by Apple, and LiDAR scanning has great promise for producing precise floor layouts and (AR) augmented reality measurement instruments. With more sophisticated hardware and software, Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore are still vying with one another to enhance augmented reality experiences.

3. Cross-Platform AR and WebAR

Not requiring any further software downloads, WebAR provides necessary but approachable augmented reality experiences. Contrarily, cross-platform augmented reality strikes a compromise between accessibility and performance, working with a wider variety of devices but having certain drawbacks as compared to native apps.

The Future of VR in Software Development

The following are some key forecasts for VR in 2024:

1. VR Headsets Will Get Lighter And Smaller

Users of VR headsets can immerse themselves in the virtual world and feel its presence, immersing themselves completely. Virtual reality headsets are getting lighter and smaller than they used to be.

VR headsets now come equipped with widely used technologies like eye tracking and hand detection. Users no longer need controllers to enjoy the virtual world thanks to hand detection technology. In addition, eye tracking technology lets the user concentrate solely on the portion of the image they choose to pay closer attention to.

2. The User Experience Will Be Improved With XR Accessories.

XR accessories are now being developed to improve user experience. One excellent illustration of this would be robotic footwear. The Ekto One Boot was launched by the tech business “Ekto VR,” which allowed users to move and walk around their playspace. The roller skates on these boots maintain motion by adjusting to the direction of the wearer. As a result, users can explore the virtual world by utilizing the device’s boot skills to move naturally.

3. Virtual reality avatars

Although virtual reality (VR) technology was previously fascinating, the addition of VR avatars to virtual concerts and events creates immersive virtual experiences. Envision avatars attending virtual meetings, acting human and imitating human expressions, and answering queries quickly. These virtual delegates possess all the abilities of a typical human being.

4. Virtual reality for remote help

Since virtual reality creates an environment where users and support agents can easily cooperate and solve difficulties, remote assistance has become more engaging. VR integration across sectors is a Blessing. However, it offers a number of advantages when it comes to IT support and upkeep. Even if the IT specialist is not physically present in the company, he may nevertheless use virtual reality technology to diagnose and fix equipment malfunctions.

Comparative Analysis: AR vs. VR in Software Development

Despite the fact that both technologies aim to immerse the user in an artificial, surreal environment, they are the opposite of one another. When interacting with virtual things, AR users stay in the real environment, whereas VR separates and transports the user to another realm. In summary, the latter provides greater freedom and delivers virtual features as an overlay to the real world, whilst the former is more immersive and offers a digital recreation of a real-life setup. Let’s go through Augmented Reality vs Virtual Reality.

Objective

Virtual reality (VR) aims to construct a digital world entirely through computer simulation, bypassing the need for physical setup. AR, on the other hand, overlays real items with virtual elements like graphics and images.

Delivery Mode

With a head-mounted display or a handheld controller, users may navigate and engage with the virtual environment. Conversely, users can access augmented reality (AR) by downloading and using a mobile application. The moment your device is over an object, it transforms into a 3D image that would not otherwise be seen.

Experience

VR needs a lot of devices, such headsets and headphones, which may not be sufficiently comfortable. However, it is extremely engaging and captivating because the user of a VR headset is unaware of what is happening in the actual world.

On the other hand, AR is extremely comfortable because it is often lightweight and doesn’t require you to wear bulky gear. However, AR might only provide a little view, suggesting that it’s not as immersive as VR.

Conclusion

Software development is changing as a result of AR and VR, which provide new tools and approaches for creating digital solutions. Developers may produce software experiences that are more impactful, logical, and engaging by utilizing the potential of these immersive technologies. Software development will undoubtedly have an interesting and engaging future as we continue to explore the possibilities of AR and VR.

The Most Important Tools and Technologies for Web 3.0 Development

By

Jaya Suriyan

-

June 7, 2024

Web 3.0 is the next step in the development of the Internet. In contrast to Web 1.0, which consisted primarily of static web pages, and Web 2.0, which brought greater dynamics and technological improvements to the World Wide Web, Web 3.0 is based on decentralized networks built on blockchain.

Web 3.0 developers are in high demand because there are still few experts in this field. So, if you are an experienced Web 2.0 engineer looking to enter this new field, you may be wondering where to start. What fundamental tools, concepts, and technologies need to be mastered?

In this article, you will get acquainted with Web 3.0, learn about its important features and differences from Web 2.0, as well as what technical solutions you need to be able to operate to enter this area of development.

Web 3.0

Before moving on to the technologies used in Web 3.0 applications, we will look at this concept and its main value.

Web 3.0 has five key features:

decentralization
blockchain
safety
scalability
Confidentiality

In the decentralized world of Web 3.0, blockchain technology and other protocols are fundamentally changing the way data is stored, distributed, and used while providing a native transaction layer. Popular use cases for this paradigm include decentralization of financial flows (DeFi and cryptocurrencies), voting through a decentralized organization known as a DAO, and non-functional tokens (NFTs) serving as proof of ownership.

It may sound cynical, but the main motivation for the development of the Web 3.0 concept is due to the gradual loss of mutual trust between users, companies, and governments.

In a decentralized financial system, users store their savings in private wallets and make transactions without any connection to a centralized structure or relying on fiat government currency.

If we talk about a voting application, its creation based on blockchain can ensure complete transparency of the information provided by voters and the ability to verify it by anyone. This is what defines the concept of Web 3.0 as “removing the element of trust,” since this technology is transparent and cryptographically secure, which means there is no need for blind faith in government and commercial structures.

In turn, NFTs can be used to prove ownership of any digital asset such as music and works of art. At the same time, with the help of such tokens, it is also possible to more directly support the creator of this or that content.

All of these examples involve some basic activities for which there is no longer a need to rely on central government agencies or intermediate authorities.

It is important to note here that Web 3.0 is not a replacement for Web 2.0, just as Web 2.0 did not replace Web 1.0. There is still a place on the Internet for the static websites that characterized the early days of Web 1.0. Even with the growing popularity and prevalence of Web 3.0, there will still be a place for Web 2.0 on the Internet.

Decentralized applications (Dapps)

Now you have a basic understanding of what Web 3.0 is and why decentralization is important. But what exactly do Web 3.0 applications look like?

Well, they look just like Web 2.0 apps. Decentralized applications, also called “dApps” and “dApps,” consist of a front-end (UI) that interacts with a “smart contract” (a small program) deployed on the blockchain. This front end can also interact with the user’s wallet when conducting transactions or writing data to the blockchain.

The key difference from Web 2.0 applications is that the smart contract and blockchain replace the typical server and database owned by a single person or company that maintains it.

Technologies at the heart of working with Web 3.0

How is a decentralized application created? The good news is that you can start here by building on your existing programming skills. We already understood that the dApp is front-end, which means you will need to know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Unless you are planning to write applications in vanilla JS, then you will probably also need to master frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue. All this, of course, is great for front-end developers who are familiar with these things. But that’s not all.

Below we will look at some of the languages, tools, and frameworks that you will need to learn specifically for Web 3.0.

Solidity is a language used to write smart contracts that run on the Ethereum blockchain. It resembles a mixture of C++, Python, and JavaScript. If you have already mastered several programming languages, then you know that each new one comes easier. Since most smart contracts involve some financial exchange, it will be very important to follow certain standards and best security practices.

On the website, the developers describe it as “a development environment, testing framework, and blockchain asset processing pipeline using the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).” Similar to how React helps you write JS applications, Truffle helps you with smart contracts.

You don’t have to use it, but the framework will help a lot by abstracting away some of the complex implementation details. For those who use VS Code, the Truffle extension for VS Code will make life even easier.

Ganache is a personal blockchain for local smart contract development and testing. It allows programmers to create a local instance of the Ethereum blockchain with just a few simple commands. Similar to how you develop a Web 2.0 application on localhost or in a test environment rather than in production, Ganache allows you to do the same when designing for Web 3.0.

Web3.js is a JS library used to interact with Ethereum. It is used in the front-end application to perform actions such as connecting to the user’s wallet, providing access to the smart contract, and calling functions on this smart contract. Smart contracts can be accessed through the command line or the UI, and web3.js allows you to do this through the UI.

MetaMask is a Web 3.0 wallet that can be used through its browser extension or mobile app. Wallets were already mentioned above, but no specific description was given. A blockchain wallet provides an interface for accessing your digital financial assets. You protect its contents with a private key that is known only to you. For users, MetaMask provides a secure way to connect to and interact with blockchain application development from wallets. For developers, wallets are needed to deploy smart contracts and work with them. Typically this requires adding private keys to your code, but Truffle Dashboard allows you to connect your MetaMask wallet to your project without exposing the keys.

Infura is an infrastructure provider for connecting to Ethereum and other blockchains, as well as decentralized storage networks such as IPFS. Without going into details, any interaction with the blockchain requires access to the node via JSON-RPC or Websocket. Infura provides the infrastructure for this, eliminating the need for you to create your own node on your machine. This service can also act as a safety net in case you do decide to run your own node. In addition, Infura provides a suite of development tools and other capabilities for creating applications. This is an additional abstraction on top of some of the technologies already discussed that will make Web 3.0 development even easier.

Can’t wait to dive deeper into learning the tools described? Now that you’re familiar with the general features of each, you’re ready to start writing your first Web 3.0 application. There are many lessons on this topic on the Internet, and they all rely on most of these technologies in one way or another. To help beginners, the ConsenSys team offers dozens of “ Truffle Boxes,” which are templates you can use to start your first project. If you are fluent in English and are looking for an organized way to join the ranks of Web 3.0 developers, then I recommend the ConsenSys Academy website.

Conclusion

Web 3.0 is the next stage in the development of the Internet, which supports the latest generation of software. Blockchain is the most transparent technology, which has already become mainstream not only among ordinary consumers but also among serious social and business structures.

Understanding and mastering this development technology will give you a clear advantage in entering this labor market.

Those of you who already have knowledge and experience working with Web 2.0 will feel more confident at the initial stage. Take the time to master the technologies listed, and you will be ready faster than you ever imagined.

Blockchain smart contracts: uses, examples and benefits

By

Ragunath T

-

June 4, 2024

Blockchain is the technology that has solved the problem of generating reliable transactions through its distributed database.

The application of AI systems in businesses could revolutionize how people relate by promoting open data policies among them.

Smart contracts, for their part, are not digitized commercial contracts, they are the flow diagrams of lifelong operational processes, programmed, automated, and executed without human intervention. In this way, they are responsible for managing the link between two or several parties in a secure, efficient, and scalable way. They work through executable code on the blockchain to facilitate, effectuate, and enforce an agreement.

This technology will bring great benefits with the power to turn traditional agreements and relationships into effective, secure, and digital automation.

But what exactly is a smart contract?

A smart contract is a computer program that digitally facilitates the verification, control, and execution of a predetermined agreement of a blockchain development company platform when these agreements are concluded and all transactions are processed without intermediaries.

Like traditional contracts, smart contracts define rules and sanctions around an agreement and automatically enforce these parameters.

It must be said that, although the blockchain has emerged closely linked to the world of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, in my opinion, the power of the use of smart contracts is seen more in the environment of industrial and logistical processes, especially in management. of supply chains.

Benefits of smart contracts in business environments

The business applications for smart contracts are endless. This is a method for increasing transparency and enhancing security while eliminating error and reducing red tape. Here you can find some specific general benefits of using smart contracts as part of the process of generating agreements using blockchain technology:

Autonomy: Being a technology of a decentralized nature, smart contracts do not need any external party or human intervention in the process.
Trust and Transparency: The nature of smart contracts is that they are self-executing and a source of unbreakable trust. In this aspect, trust is based on a source of data and infrastructure that guarantees the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data throughout the life cycle of the contract. Transactional and contractual data are stored, which are reliable and transparent for all participants. This can be a distributed ledger, a blockchain, or a traditional on-premises or cloud database.
Security: Through blockchain technology, unalterable ledgers are created that provide reliable and definitive proof of transactions. These books ensure that transactions are set in stone and that they are unalterable. Thanks to distributed node blockchain technology, smart contracts duplicate all transactions so that all parties have a record. The probability that all those involved will suffer data storage failures is non-existent.
Effectiveness and profitability: Thanks to the fact that intermediaries are not needed, the execution of bureaucratic procedures and procedures can be effective, fast, and precise. Smart contracts are paperless and swift, unlike their conventional counterparts in which they mostly occur. Human beings are subject to errors but the aforementioned automated agreements are not. In order to convert AI-like text to human-like text you have to as well lower perplexity while maintaining higher burstiness even while keeping the element HTML at the same level. The best thing is that while errors are avoided, management costs are significantly reduced.

Examples of smart contract applications

Smart Contracts for product development

An interesting use of smart contract development is the ease of keeping records during the stages of product development. When two parties sign the contract, activate it, and track it throughout the project, any other relevant information is recorded in the contract.

For example, if the parties agree to payments at certain milestones, when the agreed phase is reached the contract releases the transfer. Without a doubt, an alternative for companies of all sizes, whether selling products or professional services.

Another interesting aspect is the ability to keep information secure and prove its origin. This has an impact on intellectual property issues. When a company has invested large amounts of resources in the development of an idea or project, it needs to be protected. This type of security can be completed through a Smart Contracts solution complemented by identity verification technologies.

Smart contracts for financial management

This technology holds multiple ways to transform traditional financial services. One of these is the incorporation of critical accounting tools and the elimination of the possibility of manipulation of accounting records.

They can also facilitate the participation of stakeholders in decision-making transparently and horizontally. Additionally, they assist in trade commission processes, where funds are transferred once settlement amounts are calculated or sales computation is performed.

Ease of peer-to-peer transactions

Smart contracts can be used for a wide range of peer-to-peer transactions. This reasoning is what led to the creation of the Ethereum Project and other similar companies. Anyone with interest and the internet can find use for platforms like these which they can develop and reach agreements on smart contracts whereas these contracts are always functioning until several conditions agreed are met. Typically, these are money transfers, but this is not always the case.

Until now, smart contracts have been used for everything from launching ICOs—a type of cryptocurrency financing—to selling products on the Internet. Businesses are using smart contracts to insure against unmet expectations, such as missing deadlines or failing to deliver.

Business Process Automation

By integrating workflows and mechanisms through a data model, smart contract applications can automate processes and increase data exchanges between different systems and participants.

Build a resilient supply chain

Supply chain solutions can use smart contracts to streamline the flow of goods by automatically triggering the next steps when conditions are met, such as shipping, delivery, and data on conditions during handling.

Traditionally, supply chains are very inefficient due to paper-based systems and bureaucratic processes, where forms go through multiple channels to obtain approvals. All this paperwork is necessary due to a problem of lack of trust between the parties involved in the supply chain. Supply chain management is made up of multiple links generally distributed throughout the world. As each link does not trust the other, a large amount of paperwork and delays are generated, making the global chain very inefficient in time and costs.

Blockchain technology can nullify such drawbacks by delivering an accessible and secure digital version to the parties involved in the chain in real-time. Smart contracts and blockchain technology can be used for merchandise authentication, inventory management, chain traceability, automation of payments and tasks, etc. In short, they allow us to create an efficient, paperless, transparent, and traceable supply chain in real-time. In this sense, the joint application of IoT, AI, and blockchain opens up an immense world of opportunities for the innovative and efficient management of supply chains.

Smart abstracts and, in general, the solutions proposed by blockchain technology can mark a before and after for business development and serve as flow drivers in process management. They open the opportunity to address a unique way of solving problems, developing businesses with transparency, and generating savings in time, money, and effort.

The decentralization, self-execution capability, and verifiability features of smart contracts allow parameters to be executed on a peer-to-peer network, where each node has the same hierarchical level, so no one possesses special authority. This generates horizontal relationships focused on trust and an agreement where mutual benefit is visualized during each step of the process.

How can low code reduce the cost of software maintenance?

By

Yokesh Shankar

-

June 4, 2024

Software development and maintenance is where multiple companies spend a lot of resources to fulfill their objectives. Discover how low-code platforms can reduce this expense and optimize your resources.

Low-code is a tool that allows you to create applications and software in a simplified way through a visual platform, where the user can simply drag and drop components to create their interfaces which does not require a lot of specialized knowledge: programming or design.

This new modality of application generation will be largely responsible for changing the paradigm of development teams, where it is expected that 80% of professionals in areas assigned to custom enterprise software development will be able to create products for this segment by 2024.

It is now clear that these types of platforms will be major protagonists in the generation of new solutions which, in turn, pose new challenges. For example, what should you do and how much does it take to maintain low-code software?

The answer to this question will be explained in detail in the following lines. However, we have to start with the basics to decipher cover-by-cover this very interesting concept.

Brief low-code concept

Low-code development is a programming methodology that uses a visual and drag-and-drop platform to create software applications quickly and easily, with a minimum of manual coding.

The idea is to allow developers to create applications more quickly and with less effort, which in turn can increase productivity and reduce the time it takes to market applications. Furthermore, low-code development can also allow people without programming experience to create basic applications.

Benefits of low-code platforms for software development

As it’s easy to imagine, low-code development platforms provide a multitude of competitive advantages to companies, brands, and people who want to start having a presence within the world of applications and software.

However, we can mention the main ones:

Reduction of time for development

This is because a large amount of work is ready beforehand, which allows developers to focus on personalization and system integration.

Less need for technical knowledge

This type of tool allows users to create applications without the need for deep technical knowledge, which makes it easier for businesses and other non-developers to actively participate in the application development process.

Productivity

Low-code platforms allow developers to create applications faster, which in turn increases productivity and reduces development costs.

Agility

Low-code development allows developers to quickly respond to business needs and make rapid changes to existing applications.

Without a doubt, it is a factor that enables companies to adapt more quickly to changes in the market and the demands of their customers.

Scalability

In turn, they allow companies to develop scalable applications that can handle large amounts of users and data, which means that applications can grow and evolve alongside the business.

Flexibility and customization

Low-code platforms allow developers to customize and adapt applications to satisfy specific business needs. This means that applications can be highly customized and adjusted to work together with other existing systems.

Lower development cost

Lastly and of utmost importance, low-code platforms allow companies to reduce software development costs and, in some cases, eliminate the need to hire highly skilled developers.

A solution that makes it easier for companies to obtain high-quality applications at a much lower cost.

On this point, we will continue to develop this post, as many managers and IT managers, despite knowing the benefits that low-code development can bring to their business, may want to better understand the costs associated with software maintenance and how to do it correctly.

If you want to learn it, keep reading!

How much does software maintenance cost?

As expected, software maintenance is an area that depends on several variables and results in different techniques, tools, and applications for each case.

However, in general terms, it is estimated that the cost of software maintenance can range between 20% and 50% of the total cost of developing the software.

Furthermore, the cost of maintenance can be recurring over time, as updates, error corrections, improvements, and adaptations must be carried out as requirements and software development services change.

Factors that affect maintenance costs

Several factors can affect the costs of maintaining software. Some of them are explained:

Complexity may depend on several factors, such as the size of the code, the number of functionalities, and the level of integration with other systems, among others.
A larger team could require more resources and coordination, which would increase costs.
If the code is of low quality, it is likely that more time and effort will be required to make changes and corrections.
If the technology is out of date or has compatibility problems with other tools, it may be more expensive to maintain the software.
If third-party software is used, the level of support offered by the provider may affect maintenance costs. If the provider does not offer good support, internal developers may need to dedicate more time to solving problems.
If the software requires frequent changes and updates, maintenance can be more expensive.
Automation of maintenance processes can reduce costs. If automation tools are used for routine maintenance tasks, costs are likely to be lower.

These are just some factors that can influence the costs of maintaining software, and their impact can vary depending on the specific case.

How much does it cost to maintain low-code software?

The cost of maintaining low-code software may vary according to the same factors that affect other types of development.

However, in general, the maintenance cost is expected to be significantly lower than that of traditional applications, as the use of low-code platforms allows for greater automation and less dependence on personalized programming.

Furthermore, low-code software maintenance can often be carried out in a continuous development life cycle, which means that changes and improvements can be implemented quickly and more efficiently.

How does low-code lower maintenance costs?

Now, looking in more detail at the factors that make it possible for software maintenance costs to drop significantly for low-code development, it is necessary to mention aspects such as:

Less need for preventative maintenance

The use of low-code platforms implies the reduction of custom code, which reduces the complexity of the software and minimizes the need for preventative maintenance.

Ease of making changes

The visual naturalness of low-code platforms allows developers to make changes more easily. Furthermore, changes propagate automatically through the application, which reduces the risk of errors.

Code documentation

Most low-code platforms automatically generate code documentation, which makes it easier for developers to follow and understand the software and reduces the time they dedicate to documentation.

Independence of developers

Low-code platforms allow less experienced developers to create applications with ease. This means that experienced developers are not necessary at all stages of the maintenance process, which reduces costs.

Simplified test execution

The visual and modular nature of low-code platforms means that the tests are simpler and less resource-intensive. Developers can execute regression tests in an easier and faster way, which reduces the time dedicated to manual tests and reduces associated costs.

Learn to control software maintenance costs

As it couldn’t be otherwise, next, we’ll give you some valuable advice to reduce maintenance costs in your business through low-code:

This way, changes, and updates can be carried out quickly without requiring great effort and costs.
Documentation can be used to carry out preventive maintenance and avoid errors and misunderstandings that could lead to more costly problems in the future.
Ensure that users and maintenance personnel are trained in using the low-code platform and in software maintenance.
Low-code platforms have integrated tools to simplify the testing process and reduce associated costs.
Use a version control system to ensure that changes in the software are implemented in a controlled and traceable manner.

Phygital: Blending the Physical and Digital for a Seamless Shopping Experience

By

Rupak Nepali

-

May 31, 2024

In the ever-evolving world of retail, the lines between physical and digital shopping experiences are becoming increasingly blurred. Enter the era of “phygital” retail—a term that encapsulates the seamless integration of physical and digital elements to create a unified, immersive, and customer-centric shopping experience. As consumers demand more convenience, personalization, and engagement, modern stores are embracing phygital strategies to stay relevant and competitive in today’s fast-paced market.

What is Phygital Retail?

Phygital retail is not just a buzzword; it’s a transformative approach that bridges the gap between online and offline shopping. It leverages technology to enhance the in-store experience while maintaining the tactile and sensory appeal of physical retail. From augmented reality (AR) fitting rooms to interactive kiosks and mobile app integrations, phygital retail is redefining how consumers interact with brands.

Why Phygital Matters in Modern Retail

Enhanced Customer Experience: Today’s consumers expect more than just a transaction—they want an experience. Phygital retail allows brands to create memorable, interactive, and personalized experiences that resonate with shoppers. For example, a customer can use their smartphone to scan a product in-store, access detailed information, read reviews, and even see how it looks on them using AR.
Seamless Omnichannel Integration: Phygital retail ensures that the customer journey is consistent across all touchpoints. Whether a shopper is browsing online, visiting a physical store, or engaging with a brand on social media, the experience is cohesive. This integration fosters brand loyalty and encourages repeat purchases.
Data-Driven Personalization: By combining physical and digital data, retailers can gain deeper insights into customer behavior and preferences. This enables them to offer personalized recommendations, targeted promotions, and tailored shopping experiences that drive satisfaction and sales.
Increased Operational Efficiency: Phygital solutions, such as self-checkout kiosks and inventory management systems, streamline operations and reduce costs. Retailers can optimize stock levels, minimize wait times, and improve overall efficiency, all while enhancing the customer experience.

Examples of Phygital Retail in Action

Augmented Reality (AR) Fitting Rooms: Brands like Gucci and Zara have introduced AR fitting rooms that allow customers to virtually try on clothes without stepping into a physical changing room. This not only saves time but also adds an element of fun and interactivity to the shopping process.
Interactive In-Store Displays: Retailers like Nike and Sephora use interactive screens and mirrors to provide product information, tutorials, and personalized recommendations. These displays engage customers and help them make informed purchasing decisions.
Mobile App Integrations: Many retailers now offer mobile apps that enhance the in-store experience. For instance, Walmart’s app allows customers to scan items as they shop, check prices, and even pay directly from their phone, eliminating the need for traditional checkout lines.
Click-and-Collect Services: Phygital retail also includes services like click-and-collect, where customers can order online and pick up their purchases in-store. This hybrid approach combines the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of physical retail.

The Numbers Behind Phygital Retail

The adoption of phygital retail is not just a trend; it’s backed by compelling data and consumer behavior insights:

Consumer Demand for Omnichannel Experiences: According to a report by Salesforce, 73% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations, and 62% of consumers say they are likely to switch brands if they don’t receive a personalized experience. Phygital retail meets these demands by offering seamless transitions between online and offline channels.

73% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations

Rise of AR in Retail: A study by Threekit found that 71% of consumers would shop more often if they could use AR to visualize products. Additionally, Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of retailers will use AR to enhance the shopping experience, up from just 1% in 2020.

71% of consumers would shop more often if they could use AR to visualize products.

Mobile Shopping Integration: According to eMarketer, mobile commerce sales in the U.S. are expected to reach $510 billion by 2024, accounting for over 40% of total e-commerce sales. Retailers leveraging mobile apps for in-store experiences are tapping into this growing trend.

mobile commerce sales in the U.S. are expected to reach $510 billion by 2024

Click-and-Collect Growth: The global click-and-collect market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.6% from 2021 to 2028, reaching $703 billion by 2028, according to Grand View Research. This highlights the increasing preference for hybrid shopping models.

global click-and-collect market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.6% from 2021 to 2028

Data-Driven Personalization: A McKinsey report reveals that companies leveraging customer behavior insights to personalize experiences can achieve a 10-15% increase in revenue. Phygital retail’s ability to combine online and offline data makes it a powerful tool for personalization.

personalize experiences can achieve a 10-15% increase in revenue

The Future of Phygital Retail

As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for phygital retail are virtually limitless. Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and virtual reality (VR) are poised to take phygital experiences to the next level. Imagine walking into a store where AI-powered assistants greet you by name, IoT-enabled shelves automatically restock themselves, and VR stations allow you to explore products in a fully immersive environment.

Moreover, sustainability is becoming a key focus in phygital retail. Brands are using digital tools to reduce waste, optimize supply chains, and promote eco-friendly practices. For example, digital receipts and virtual try-ons can significantly cut down on paper and product waste.

Conclusion

The modern store is no longer confined to physical walls or digital screens—it’s a dynamic, interconnected space where the physical and digital worlds coexist harmoniously. By embracing phygital retail, brands can create richer, more engaging experiences that meet the evolving needs of today’s consumers. As we move forward, the retailers who successfully integrate phygital strategies will be the ones who thrive in this new era of shopping.

So, whether you’re a consumer enjoying the convenience of a phygital experience or a retailer looking to innovate, one thing is clear: the future of retail is here, and it’s phygital. With compelling data and real-world examples proving its effectiveness, phygital retail is not just a trend—it’s the blueprint for the future of shopping.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses – The Complete Guide

By

Jatin Savaliya

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May 28, 2024

Cybersecurity should not be perceived as an issue that concerns only large companies, but every business, including small ones. Lacking adequate capital, and in many cases, less security protocols in place, small businesses are now considered to be at the forefront for hackers.

However, protecting sensitive data and maintaining customer trust is not always very challenging. This blog offers a detailed analysis of cybersecurity tips and practices that are useful for small companies, highlighting the need for strong protection measures.

Understanding the Risk

One common mistake that small businesses make is to think that they are not vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This misconception stems from a belief that large organizations, given their size and volume of data, would be more valuable targets. But actually, the situation is quite the opposite. Cybercriminals are attracted to small businesses for a number of reasons:

Lack of Resources: Unlike giant companies that have dedicated IT teams and sufficient funds to allocate to cybersecurity, small companies are often restricted. This often translates into weaker security measures which in turn makes them easy targets for hackers and other cyber criminals.

Less Awareness: SME owners and their staff are generally less informed about current threats and protective measures in cyberspace. This lack of awareness increases the vulnerability of these users to phishing scams, malware, and other forms of cyber attacks.

Valuable Data: Even smaller businesses can process important information such as customers’ personal data, their payments, or business data belonging to a firm. If such data is breached, the consequences are dire, including legal repercussions and loss of customers’ trust. Moreover, a data breach will cost $4.45 million.

Supply chain vulnerabilities: SMEs are usually involved in the supply chain networks, where they act as subcontractors. Often, cybercriminals use the less protected systems of small businesses as a backdoor to infiltrate the more secure networks of partnering businesses.

Key Cybersecurity Strategies for Small Businesses

For small businesses to effectively protect themselves from cyber threats, it is essential to implement multi-faceted cybersecurity measures. Here is a brief description of each strategy:

#1) Employee Training and Awareness

A key requirement for comprehensive cybersecurity is ensuring that the employees are continually trained about cybersecurity risks. Seminars that involve updates on the latest cybersecurity tips and practices are important to be conducted often.

These sessions should include how to recognize a phishing attack; reasons for the usage of strong and complex passwords; and ways that one can protect sensitive information. Creating awareness in business organizations can go a long way in enhancing the first line of defense against cyber threats.

#2) Regular Software Updates

Maintaining updated software is important in preventing vulnerabilities through which cybercriminals would gain access to a system. Thus, it is necessary to automate software updates so that security patches can be applied as soon as they become available. This strategy minimizes potential security threats that attack outdated software and is one of the most basic yet effective security measures that every small business should adopt.

#3) Advanced Threat Protection

Small businesses should incorporate high-end threat protection solutions including firewalls, antivirus, and anti-malware. It is essential to work with a reliable cybersecurity solutions provider as this allows for signing up for professional cybersecurity tools that can help meet a company’s requirements. This not only increases the level of protection a business needs but also guarantees that they have access to the most advanced defensive tools.

#4) Secure Your Wi-Fi Networks

Cyber attackers often use Wi-Fi networks as their point of entry into a given network. To secure these networks, you must encrypt the network, do not broadcast the network name or SSID, and use strong passwords that are difficult to guess. Moreover, businesses should also use different networks for business operations and for visitors to avoid unauthorized access to crucial business information.

#5) Data Backup and Recovery

Regular and dependable data copies are imperative for every company to bounce back from data loss incidents such as ransomware attacks or hardware breakdowns. Backups should be made from time to time, and the stored copies should be both local and offsite. Another aspect of this strategy is testing these backups to ensure that you can easily retrieve your data by restoring them, in the event that you need them.

#6) Vulnerability Assessments

Periodic vulnerability scans can be used to detect security threats before they can be taken advantage of. Outsourcing these assessments to cybersecurity services companies may help small businesses acquire the necessary knowledge to assess and strengthen their protection. This proactive approach is also useful in strengthening security and designing future security plans based on experts’ suggestions.

Implementing Effective Cybersecurity Measures

Securing an organization against cyber threats must be done systematically. Below are some ways to improve your business’s cybersecurity:

#1) Data Encryption

It is important to ensure that sensitive information is encrypted to reduce its vulnerability to unauthorized access. Encryption technology helps small businesses to ensure that in the event of an attack, customer data and financial information, as well as other sensitive information, will remain protected. This method is used to ensure that confidentiality and integrity of data is maintained.

#2) Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA increases security by using more than one form of identification proof when authorizing a user. This usually involves the use of what the user knows such as the password, what the user has such as the security token, or what the user is such as biometric verification. MFA is very efficient in preventing unauthorized access, especially when an attacker gets hold of a person’s credentials.

#3) Develop a Response Plan

Having a cybersecurity incident response plan is important to every business. This plan should show how possible cyber attacks can be managed, how the breach can be contained, how the stakeholders can be informed about the breach, and how any losses can be prevented. The plan must be periodically revised and adjusted to emerging threats in the cybersecurity field.

#4) Regular Security Audits

It is useful to conduct security audits to discover potential risks within a business’s network and applications. These audits should be performed on a periodic basis to check the effectiveness of all security measures implemented. It is advisable to engage with cybersecurity services in India for such audits to gain additional professional insight and identify underlying risks.

#5) Secure Configuration of Devices and Software

It is important to ensure that all the devices and software if used are properly secured. The default settings are frequently optimized for convenience as opposed to security, which can lead to potential risks. Companies should adjust the configurations to maximize security; turn off the unrequired services and implement proper access controls.

#6) Employee Access Control

Increase the security of the business information by having strict measures on who gains access to the information. This is the principle of “least privilege” where the employees should only have access to data that is relevant to their duties. It is crucial to review such access permissions periodically and modify them where necessary, especially because employees may change their positions or leave the company.

Conclusion

Security is an important component of any modern organization. It is especially relevant for small businesses since they are easy targets for hackers capable of inflicting significant damage.
Small business owners can protect themselves effectively by comprehending the risks they face, collaborating with professional cybersecurity services companies, and implementing specific security solutions. Of course, cybersecurity is about protecting against threats, but it is also about helping your business to safely and securely embrace the digital world.

AI Applied To UX/UI Design

By

Raj Preetham

-

May 28, 2024

Artificial intelligence is becoming a topic of increasing conversation. But how real is what we are hearing? Does it affect us as UX/UI designers? Are you going to supplant us in our work? The Slash design team has immersed itself in researching this, and Malena Guevgeozian, the UX/UI Designer, clears up our doubts and analyzes how AI is applied to UI UX design services.

It is nothing new that AI is revolutionizing our lives. Like any new technology that emerges, it brings advantages and disadvantages. But exercise caution—not everything that shines is gold.

AI applied to UX/UI design, is all that glitters gold?

The first thing to keep in mind is that although we have the feeling that today everyone is using AI, this is not entirely real. Just as when we do our research we avoid bias, we must also have an objective vision on this topic. Be clear that what applies to us does not have to apply to the rest. We’re not all early adopters. Perhaps in the design and technology environment in which we operate, many are taking their first steps with AI. However, globally, there are many others who have no idea what this is about. Some, like large companies, do have an idea but have such long and slow processes that they are at a great disadvantage in their implementation compared to startups and freelancers. We must also keep in mind that this is not something that was invented yesterday. We have been consuming products that have AI for a long time, although perhaps we are not so aware of it. Or how do you think Netflix and Spotify will be able to recommend series and music to you?

Let’s go to our specific case. AI applied to UX/UI design is still in its infancy, according to several experts. There is still a long way to go to become a reliable tool. Some designers say that the results achieved with AI are still not at the level of what has been achieved by humans. At the same time, they are a little distrustful of how objective the information obtained can be in the case of using AI for research. After all, how do we know the source of the information? How do we ensure that it is representative of the entire population and not just a certain group? I don’t want to go into paranoid mode and conspiracy theories, but who is behind the AI training and the information it relies on to give us results?

How to apply AI to UX/UI design?

Beyond its possible disadvantages, we must also admit that applied AI and UX/UI design can help us a lot by automating some tasks. Especially those that are repetitive and that we designers love to avoid. For example, documentation. It could also help researchers with interview transcription, information summary, and benchmarking. Furthermore, it can be useful to us in specific phases of the projects. An example would be in the ideation phase, where the quantity and diversity of ideas are worth more than their quality. And as I mentioned before with the example of Netflix, it could be helpful to improve the user experience through personalization and even accessibility, for example with voice commands or gestures.

Artificial intelligence has led to the creation of several tools that also help in UI design. An example is Khroma to create color palettes based on your preferences automatically. Or Fontjoy to select fonts that work well with each other or Wizard that transforms your sketches into digital components.

This may be a bit alarming and makes us wonder if AI will replace the role of the designer. But do not spread panic! From my point of view, the main advantage of AI is undoubtedly the saving of time and the support for repetitive tasks that we would all like to delegate. But there are two human factors that artificial intelligence cannot replace, or at least for now: empathy and creativity.

AI: empathy and creativity

When we get into the world of UX we hear thousands of times that you cannot design without having empathy with users. Empathy allows us to put ourselves in the other’s shoes. Understand their problems and needs without judging and be able to think of solutions. Many times not even the user himself is aware of what he needs or what his problem is. That is why when conducting interviews you must always know how to read between the lines and not always take everything the user says completely literally. For this, you need a human.

Due to the very nature of artificial intelligence of returning results based on what it has learned, I don’t think it can be too creative either. Because? Well, because all the results will be based on already existing things. Furthermore, human error, although it can sometimes put us in trouble, has also led to great inventions throughout history. So why avoid it? I remember a university professor who always told us that we had to know the rules of design to be able to break them. And this seems to me to be an exclusively human capacity. AI will probably give us perfect results. But is a perfect result always the best solution?

AI and designers: the perfect match

Without a doubt, it is a tool that is changing things. As designers, we must learn to use and take advantage of all its advantages. But, from my point of view, that’s all it is: just another tool that cannot replace designers. If you don’t believe me, you can believe Jakob Nielsen, a great reference in the world of UI UX design agency who says that we should not assume that because it is artificial intelligence we will not need a designer, quite the opposite. We’re going to need it more. It is increasingly necessary to have more in-depth information about users and their problems before artificial intelligence can be applied. Furthermore, he thinks that with the help of AI, we can be more productive and efficient. And that increase in productivity could even lead to an increase in our salaries. Interesting, right?

Let us see AI as an ally, not a replacement. As a tool that helps us do our work better. Being able to automate repetitive processes to focus on the most essential aspects and develop increasingly better and more relevant products for our users.

While researching this topic I heard this phrase: “You are not going to be replaced by AI, but you will be replaced by people who use it.” I think it will, so let’s start using it! But, as they say in Spiderman, “with great power comes great responsibility.” So go ahead! Explore this tool without fear. To take all the good that it brings us. But also to use it critically and responsibly. Questioning everything that generates doubts and distrust in us. We are aware that the products we design will always be for real users with real needs, and it is with them that we are committed as designers.

How much does it cost to develop a mobile App?

By

rupak

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May 24, 2024

The investment cost should be critical for a business devoted to mobility to know how much it costs to create a mobile app. However, quoting for this type of investment has so many variables to consider that estimating a standard and/or adjusted pricing is quite challenging.

Hence, online budget request forms for apps are becoming more explicit day by day, and discussions prior to app development are more important than ever. On the other hand, based on client needs, a bespoke project may be necessary, as may more standardized innovations that are the result of already packaged goods that generate applications and compete in the mobile market.

Many people or companies think they have a brilliant idea but are not essentially clear regarding the goals and objectives that are to be met, along with the work involved in mobile development. This perception that everything seems \”easy\” has been tainted by free Apps, which from the outset impacted our communication and information consultation habits, such as WhatsApp, the use of all Google services, and social networking applications.

To be in a position to establish how much a developed App costs, it is necessary to define as much as possible the project including the platforms that it is going to be developed for if it is going to be native or hybrid development based on the needs of the client, data management, functionalities, content, and design. It is essential to understand which mobile application development services we will use to design our mobile app.

Estimate how much a mobile app would cost.

The answer we give to this question is usually always the same: a mobile application can range in price from $1,000 to $120,000 or more! It depends on the specifications of the app.

In other words, there is no single price to develop an application.

To give an explanation for such a wide range in pricing, we might compare an app with a car. We know that prices vary greatly depending on a number of factors, such as quality, model, options, or size. Just to give you an example, the cost of making an app on Android, for instance, is usually lower compared to an iOS app.

So, it would only seem logical that an SUV model with GPS tracking and voice control would be more expensive compared to a standard Dacia.

In the case of mobile applications, the principle is the same or almost. Instead of paying for the material, you invest in the time needed to develop the app. While some applications can be developed in 50 hours, others may require 500.

To gain benefit from the development of the app, it is very crucial to have a good team of mobile app development services, those who know how to make it and define the project in detail. Knowing which path you want to follow is of great importance before you start.

Any professional dealing with mobile applications, whether from a digital agency or an independent application developer, will seek this information before preparing a quote, that is, they will need to know what the client is looking for.

One more important thing is: that in case you want to know how much it costs to design an app, don’t be afraid to get a quote from a few app developers. You will be surprised to see how much the price can vary for the same mobile application.

What determines the cost of developing a mobile application?

From the above, there are tons of factors that determine the development of a mobile app cost. They are the most significant.

1. Features

Some application functionality requires a certain amount of development time. Some may be easy to configure, thus saving the app developer time. However, if you want to know how much an app costs, bear in mind that other components will require more effort and, hence be more expensive. A contact form can be added to the app quickly, but a geographic tracking system will take more time and effort.

2. User Interface and App Design

The UI/UX is critical to its success. Here, it is essential that the client and developer agree on the objectives to be achieved. Share your thoughts with the application developer so that they can focus their efforts on what you believe is most important.

3. Platforms

To find out how much it costs to create an app, it is also necessary to know which platforms it will be available on. Do you want to make an app for iOS or for Android? It’s a crucial subject because there are variations between Android and iOS when developing mobile apps.

Another issue to consider is whether you want a native, hybrid, or online application. Native apps will always be more expensive than online or hybrid apps.

But a native app must be the best option. Certain types of projects benefit more from hybrid and web technology. If you want to design an app for several platforms at once, the cost will be higher.

4. Extra costs

When calculating the cost of developing an app, don’t forget to add marketing charges and the cost of uploading the software to different app stores.

How much does it cost to have an app in the Play Store?

Registration as a developer is $25, and it is a one-time charge. For each app uploaded, it will cost another $25, a new one-time payment.

How much does it cost to publish an app on the Apple Store?

The cost of registration as a developer is $99, with an annual renewal. This license can upload applications to the App store charges for data storage should be part of the financial estimate plan. Last but not least, do not exclude maintenance data, like updates and bug patches.

How much does it cost to build an app based on the type of application and solution provider?

Before an app developer can give you an exact price for the cost of developing an app, you have to describe the functional requirements. The below parameters can give a general budget estimate for developing a new application.

Marketplace App

A Marketplace app costs from $12,000 to $20,000. The price of this mobile application depends on the number of users and roles, functionality- chat, payments, etc., and buyer interactions during the sale process.

E-Commerce Apps

E-commerce apps cost from $15,000 to $25,000. The number of referrals sold via the application, management software needed, discount systems, affiliate networks, and payment options determine the price.

Game app: The cost of developing a mobile application in this case is between $30,000 to $50,000. In some cases, design increases the price. The elements connected to the dynamics of the game have an impact, whether it is single-player or multiplayer.

Marketing Applications: The cost of marketing applications can range between $2,000 and $5,000. This application can, for instance, be used for the purpose of advertising events, and it’s only at certain times put into use.

The cost will also vary when you are choosing the right mobile application development solutions.

By technology and operating system.

How much does it cost to make an Android app? And create an app for iOS? Not the same, is the answer! The study also collects data on the cost per hour of work depending on the technology and operating system for which the application was developed.

To come to these conclusions, the opinions of freelance professionals and companies specializing in the operating system in question were taken into account.

The highest-paid professionals are those iOS developers. They charge an average of $44 per hour because it is a technology that oftentimes tends to deal with people who have higher purchasing power and demand more depth and quality in their application.

The cost of an Android app is lower if the developer works freelance–$27.50 per hour.

The cheapest developers are freelancers who use hybrid technology, costing a mean of $25 per hour.

You can achieve those goals by choosing the right mobile app development solutions. Just like it was said, our team will be glad to answer any questions you may have on that. After that, we will be happy to help you find the best app developer for your needs, and also offer you support and guidance in the process of development.

Impact of Edge Computing on IoT

By

Yokesh Shankar

-

May 23, 2024

Edge Computing redefines the IoT, improving efficiency, security, and scalability through local data processing, addressing latency and bandwidth challenges.

The current software development solutions landscape is witnessing a significant transformation driven by two of the most disruptive trends: the Internet of Things (IoT) and Edge Computing. This synergy is redefining network architectures, data management, and business operations, setting the stage for a new era of efficiency, agility, and connectivity. As companies seek to unlock the potential of this combination, it is crucial to understand the impact of edge computing on the IoT and how it can be leveraged to drive innovation and competitive advantage in an increasingly digitized market.

The IoT has seen exponential growth, connecting billions of devices around the world, from industrial sensors to consumer devices. This vast network of devices generates a huge amount of data that needs to be processed, analyzed, and, in many cases, acted upon in real time. This is where Edge Computing comes into play, offering a solution to process data close to the source, reducing latency, optimizing bandwidth, and improving data security.

Transformation of Data Processing and Latency

Edge computing transforms the traditional data processing paradigm by bringing computing capacity closer to the edge of the network, that is, close to where the data is generated. This approach solves one of the most significant challenges of the IoT: latency. In critical applications, such as autonomous vehicles or real-time health monitoring systems, reduced latency is crucial for performance and safety. By processing data locally, Edge Computing enables near-instant decisions, eliminating delays that could compromise system functionality or user security.

Bandwidth and Cost Optimization

Another significant benefit of edge computing is its ability to optimize bandwidth usage, which is especially relevant given the growing number of IoT devices and the volume of data they generate. By processing and analyzing data locally, only the relevant information needs to be sent to the cloud or data center, significantly reducing network traffic and therefore the costs associated with data transmission. This optimization by software development consulting firms not only improves efficiency but can also result in significant savings for businesses, especially those operating large IoT deployments.

Improving Data Security and Privacy

Data security and privacy are primary concerns in the software development services sector such as the IoT ecosystem, given the sensitive nature of the data collected and the potential for security breaches. Edge computing offers an additional layer of security by allowing data to be processed locally, minimizing the amount of information that needs to be sent over the network. This approach not only reduces the attack surface but also allows for the implementation of more robust security protocols on the device or edge node, strengthening data protection.

Enabling New Applications and Services

The combination of IoT and Edge Computing is enabling a new wave of applications and services that were previously unviable due to latency and bandwidth limitations. From smart cities to industrial automation, edge processing is enabling smarter, more reactive solutions. For example, in the context of smart cities, edge computing can facilitate real-time analysis of traffic to optimize vehicle flows, or in manufacturing, it can enable real-time fault detection systems that minimize downtime. and maximize production.

Challenges and Considerations in Integrating Edge Computing into IoT

The integration of Edge Computing into IoT systems presents a number of technical challenges and strategic considerations. One of the main challenges is managing the vast amount of data generated by IoT devices. Unlike centralized models, where data is transmitted to the cloud for processing and analysis, Edge Computing proposes a decentralized approach. This means that data is processed locally on or near the device, reducing latency and bandwidth consumption but, in turn, posing challenges in terms of data storage, processing, and security at the edge. of the network.

Another significant challenge is the heterogeneity of IoT devices, which vary greatly in their computing, storage, and power capabilities. Designing Edge Computing solutions that are flexible and adaptable to a wide range of devices is essential for successful integration. This requires a modular approach and open standards that facilitate interoperability between different Edge Computing devices and platforms.

Security is a critical consideration in any IoT system, and edge computing introduces additional complexities in this area. Processing data locally expands the attack surface, requiring robust security measures at each edge node. This includes device authentication and authorization, encryption of data in place and in transit, and implementation of consistent security policies across the entire IoT architecture.

Advances Driven by Edge Computing in IoT

Despite these challenges, edge computing is enabling significant advances in the world of IoT, offering innovative solutions that address issues of latency, bandwidth, and energy efficiency. For example, in the manufacturing sector, Edge Computing enables real-time processing of sensor data on the production line, facilitating early detection of failures and optimization of manufacturing processes. This not only improves operational efficiency but also reduces maintenance costs and increases the life of the machinery.

In the field of smart cities, Edge Computing plays a crucial role in traffic management and public transportation systems. By processing traffic data in real-time close to its origin, it is possible to optimize traffic lights and transport routes, significantly improving urban mobility and reducing congestion. Additionally, the ability to process and analyze data locally makes it easier to implement privacy-friendly smart surveillance systems, as sensitive data can be processed and filtered at the edge without needing to be sent to the cloud.

The adoption of Edge Computing in the healthcare sector offers the potential to revolutionize healthcare, enabling remote patient monitoring and telehealth. IoT devices equipped with Edge Computing capabilities can monitor vital signs in real time, alerting healthcare professionals to any anomalies without delay. This improves the quality of care and allows for early intervention before health problems become critical.

Edge computing is ushering in a new era in IoT development, effectively addressing latency, bandwidth, and data processing challenges. Through its ability to process data locally, it offers significant improvements in terms of efficiency, security, and scalability. However, successfully integrating Edge Computing into IoT requires careful consideration of technical and strategic challenges, including data management, device interoperability, and security. As we move forward, the software development solutions community must collaborate on the development of open standards and modular solutions that facilitate the widespread adoption of Edge Computing, unlocking its full potential to transform the IoT and, by extension, our society and our environment.

The benefits of adding a UX Designer to your teams

By

Raj Preetham

-

May 21, 2024

Hiring a UX Designer can be a great contribution to our team, however, few of us really know how much it can impact our company.

It is necessary to review this position that unites the companies’ offers with the needs of users to optimize the use of their products in the most useful and pleasant way possible to know a little more, we interviewed Lalo Gonzalez, UI UX Design services Director of Laboratoria, with 10 years of experience working on digital products.

Summary

Don’t have time to read the webinar transcript? Here we summarize it in the most important points:

The UX Designer is in charge of designing user experiences with the product by understanding them through constant investigation of their problems and testing the solutions we offer.

Its role is important because it brings you closer to the success of creating better products, aimed at real needs, reducing investment in economic resources and unnecessary time. This will impact customer loyalty and increase the value of the company.

They handle various research methodologies, observation, data analysis, benchmarks, wireframes, prototypes, and knowledge of usability, accessibility, business, and technology. They use many tools, from simple tools like Post-Its to software like Sketch, Figma, and Framer.

The profile of the UX Designer you choose will depend on your existing team: if you are still just starting out, you will have to hire someone who can grow with you and handle many skills; If you already have people on the team who are working on these issues, aim to find a specialized UX Designer.

What is UX experience and what is the role of a UX designer?

Lalo: With the explosion of the internet, many digital products began to appear, many websites, and 7 or 8 years ago, many mobile applications, which were completely focused on the CEO, developer, and product manager, who we still interact with. In Latin America it is clear, that ticket sales platforms are products that have remained stagnant for 10 years. You walk in and you’re totally frustrated, if you could you wouldn’t come back. Finally, the user experience is very bad.

What is user experience?

Lalo: The experience that any user lives when interacting with any product. It doesn’t have to be digital: it happens when using the PC, accessing a website, using a chair.

What are the activities carried out by the UX designer?

Lalo: UX design is a discipline where we work to design experiences so that products are more useful, accessible, and even more desirable for users. The tasks it performs are constant research on the user (interview, information, empathizing, going with them), but it is also a lot of data. One benefit that digital products bring us is that we can know what is happening in real-time to see how our products are working and be able to adapt them to improve the user experience. We are also constantly testing ideas. It constantly happens that in organizations there are many ideas in the air and the UX Designer can make them tangible in a prototype and test them to know if time and resources should be invested in them. She collaborates all the time with the team and is the person in charge of evangelizing everyone in creating user-centered products.

So why is the role of a UX Designer important?

Lalo: First of all, because it helps you get closer to who determines your success: the user. By creating products that solve their problems, you will become more successful because the user comes, they are going to get hooked, and they recommend you. In the long run, you will improve your income and that on a large scale is seen in the market capitalization of the companies. Many technology companies that are more valued (Google, Amazon) have a lot of design. The experience they have created has made their company worth more because users are more loyal.

What is the role of the UX Designer in an innovation/technology team and how does it interact with other profiles?

Lalo: The role is always the same: to be the voice of the user. These teams were born with the purpose of better understanding users: innovating to get closer, to create better products for them. But it is also their role to make others understand, facilitate the exchange of ideas, and work as a team to generate ideas to solve users’ problems. You must be in charge of maintaining this experience optimally throughout the users’ journeys through the product. It happens a lot that the designer’s role ends when she shows a design (usually on screens) and gives it to the developer. That’s where products end up that have a bad experience, they don’t improve, they don’t evolve, and they don’t have constant updates based on the data that the user gives us once we launch the product on the market.

I am a company. How do I know if I need a UX Designer on my team?

Lalo: If you feel that your product is distant from the user or you see metrics where they are falling or if their satisfaction is not good. You need someone to take care of them and understand what’s going on to know how to improve your product. Another additional thing is also to see the market and the competition, see how they are evolving, if they are better than you, what they have done. Many times it has to do with the fact that they put the user at the center of development. A theme of the UX Designer is that he not only knows the user because perhaps we end up with many unprofitable products, but he understands the needs of the business, its technological strengths, and its limitations. We balance the user’s problems and how we match that problem with the business objectives and the technical capabilities of the company.

Should people who work in the product area have this UX Designer profile?

Lalo: What is needed is someone who takes care of the user. Many times it starts with the same product manager taking care of it, but over time he ends up getting lost, working on other things, and losing sight of the user. We need someone on the team to take care of him, constantly test, and be close to him.

What can you expect from Laboratoria’s UX talent?

Lalo: The profile of a UI UX Design agency has a little of everything that I have mentioned, design, knowing the business, knowing how to balance business objectives, and also a technology base. They work with front-end developers, they learn a little about the basics of development. In addition, they are very empathetic people with a great desire to learn. I could cite the companies that have already hired, that is what they highlight, that they are the ones that bring this modern thinking of how to work: work lean, how to have good hypotheses, how to test them, and how to get to the market faster. Another component that always differentiates them is soft skills, their ability to organize, to speak in front of the public, to have empathy, to give feedback, to receive feedback.

What are the hard skills of a UX Designer?

Lalo: The hard skills, the knowledge of these methodologies that are used: research, interview, observation, data review, benchmark, creating wireframes, prototypes, knowledge of usability, accessibility, business, and technology.

Should a UX have a notion of programming and why?

Lalo: Anyone working in the digital world now should know the basics. Increasingly this is becoming more of a must have instead of a nice to have. In the specific case of UX Designers, since we work with developers, knowing how things work allows us to communicate better and have more empathy with the developer. It may be that something seems like putting enter and it works, but many times it takes 20 changes and changing the entire logic of the product. Knowing this makes the UXD propose things that are neither far-fetched nor complicated. It gives you a lot of autonomy in several areas (digital marketing, product), being able to enter a code from Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and Hotjar, all these tools allow you to monitor your product. It’s super easy, but because we don’t know two programming concepts we don’t do it. That autonomy serves everyone well. UX Designers, if they know programming, can look at a web product or a release that a developer has given, navigate through the code, make changes to see how it would appear, and then explain the changes. That autonomy is very valuable. In the future it will be a must-have, we take it as it is from the beginning that they should know and not lose throughout their work.

Could you exemplify how a UX profile can help solve a company and how this profile can accelerate these solutions?

Lalo: There is an analogy of a User Researcher, which is the branch that does research in UX Design, like a doctor. If you go to the doctor, the biggest waste of time for both of you is for the patient to come and tell you what he has and ask you to give him a pill and the doctor does it. What a good doctor should do is when you arrive, tell him what you feel and he will investigate. This is what a UX Designer does in analogy. He has a problem, he is going to investigate, talking to users, the business, and the developers. He will go looking for where the problem or pain is, and then solve it. Pains within companies can be: having products that no one uses, or products that misuse company resources. I have a developer who invests hours in a product to launch it and realizes that the user does not want it. The product returns and must be changed. Just by incorporating a UX Designer into your team, you reduce rework by 50%, through different techniques (prototyping, wireframing, testing), he will ensure that the conceptualization that reaches the developer is tested and has certainty that it is something that the user wants. There you reduce time. There are other studies that affirm that for every dollar invested in UX Design, the return on that investment is 100 dollars, because they generate greater engagement, greater efficiency in development, etc.

There are many companies that launch apps and perhaps they do not have a UX Designer who can help them research. Could this type of problem be somewhat related to the question? Why do they create an app that maybe they don’t know if it will work or that no one uses it anymore or that it is not friendly?

Lalo: The ideal is that before generating it, at least if you are an entrepreneur and you do not want or cannot yet hire a UX Designer, you should be one yourself. A UX Designer will help you because they already know these methodologies. It is also likely that he will tell you that you have created a product that has no future, that is of no use to anyone, but he will help you with that.

What are the main technological tools that UX Designers use to carry out their tasks?

Lalo: It depends on the phase you are in. To do research, normally on one, that is what is most used: interviews, observation, cameras, testing, optimal workshops, and whiteboards. In the most technological part, software like Balsamiq or Sketch. There are many softwares in the industry that are changing. The use of these tools depends on the designer’s specialization. Other basic tools are pencil and paper, the cheapest way to make mistakes, or post-its, a quick and easy way to release ideas and get rid of them, according to Tom Kelley.

What book do you recommend, that is on Amazon, about UX Design? What is the market value in Peru of a UX Designer? How can you learn to be a UX by doing?

Lalo: There are a lot of books: The Elements of User Experience, Sprint, Don’t Make Me Think, which talks about usability, Essays on Sperientia by Víctor Gonzales from Mexico, AboutFace, by Alan Cooper, the father of UXD. For more advanced users: The best interface is no interface, from a former UX Designer at Google.

How can they be good in practice and be clearer about the work of UX?

Lalo: Being good is first a matter of practice and then having feedback from other people. You cannot give yourself feedback alone, you have to go with a user, even if it is fictitious, to give you feedback on what you have done and then know how well you are doing. Then compare yourself with the industry, with the standards that already exist.

Does a UX Designer go beyond doing graphic design?

Lalo: Yes, obviously. It is also something that has been asked, the difference between a UX and a UI. Exactly what has happened lately is that many believe that design is just screens. They think that design is just making a pretty screen using Photoshop and vectors and that’s it. In recent years, many companies are finally making products that are aesthetically beautiful, but that are useless. A UX Designer does a little of everything. They may not be the best at using graphic design tools, but a UX is also dedicated to user testing, to the entire experience with the product, not just the screen. As the book “The Best Interface is no Interface” says, in many cases they are trying to solve problems only with screens, applications, and websites, when many times the problem within the user experience is a poorly done process, a person poorly trained, which has nothing to do with making an app. That ability, which we also encourage at Laboratoria, is that not everything is going to be resolved with this and that we must have the character to say that to those who work with us and tell them “This doesn’t help us.”

How do I prepare my startup/company to have a UX on the team?

Lalo: Initially we must have the desire to improve, to focus on the user. In terms of forming their team, they do need someone with that vision: a product manager, and a CEO. Just by having that idea, the UX Designer will fit in to be able to work on improving the product for the user.

Does a UX create artificial intelligence like chatbots?

Lalo: There is more and more talk about UX work in AI. A few months ago in Santiago de Chile, the people from 2 Brains wrote some articles about it. Finally, a chatbot is a conversation, just like a product. An application is a user interacting with it and should understand everything easily. There is even talk about how to test chatbots as a conversation. For example, you write to me and I will respond to you; There we can test how well the responses we have set work. The same goes for speakers, products that talk to you like Siri, Alexa, and Google Home, many tests are being done. How is it done? You put someone on the phone, who is the designer, who will make the responses that you have programmed for the assistant and that’s how you test. There are things as simple as that where you can try chatbots or assistants like that.

Can you summarize for us what a UX is and what we can expect from Laboratoria’s talent?

Lalo: In summary, UXD is the person or role that is responsible for designing user experiences with the product through their understanding. UX is the experience you have with any product and the job of the UX Designer is to design this experience. This has to be constantly close to the user, researching them and the data. You must constantly prove that:

The user’s problem is real.

The solution really solves that problem.

What is the difference between UX Designer and UX Interaction and how do they complement each other?

Lalo: Interaction Design is also a role within UX Design about how to help the user solve their problem in a more optimal way, with more optimized forms, with fewer steps within the product, without asking them things that you might know (name, email, place where you are). Interaction Design works to optimize this flow for users. The UI Designer/User Interface Designer/Visual Designer is in charge of the screens, ensuring that these and the interface with which the user interacts follow the visual design, usability, accessibility, and brand guidelines. The latter, for example, if I have a brand that is all blue and green, and I put something that is all yellow, my brand does not match the product I am making. A UX Designer speaks in much more specialized teams where there is a person for each of these roles. It goes hand in hand with the UI Designer so that these screens follow all those visual design principles so that the flow then works and is optimal. All this so that the product is finally useful for the user and meets their needs and is even desirable, something that they use and that they enjoy using.

What are the elements or characteristics that you should look for as an employer when hiring a UX Designer, considering that they have different profiles in JavaScript?

Lalo: Initially you should know what the organization wants when incorporating a UXD into the company. What Jared Spool is saying is that you should sit down and think about the level of experience you want from this person: whether it’s someone who starts with you and grows with you or you want someone who has done this for many years. Many times we say, for example, “I want a developer” but you don’t know what you want him to do, whether logic or front end. The profiles that Laboratoria creates know a little about everything, research, interaction, business, technology, and visual design. In larger teams, more specialized profiles are sought: someone who only does research and visual design. It has to do with what the team is looking for and how it is made up. It’s no use bringing someone who only makes interfaces if you don’t have anyone to take care of the user if you don’t have a developer because you’re going to bring someone who creates interfaces based on nothing.

What are the phases of UX?

Lalo: We rely a lot on the phases of user-centered design:

Research: understanding the user.

Synthesized: finding the meaning of what is analyzed, obtaining insight.

Ideation: understanding the problem to start thinking and generating solutions for it.

Prototyping.

Testing: test the prototype as the user.

We want no one to consider this process as linear, because it very rarely is. It is an iterative process that changes. Many times you arrive at an existing product and the first thing you have to do is test what already exists to understand the user. However, that step is listed as the last within that process. What we are looking for is that you handle the components of that process and the tools so well, so that you know what to use and when. The process is going to change and it will be one day, another day and it has to adapt to the problem you are facing.

Is this ideation co-created with the user?

Lalo: In many cases yes, it depends on how accessible it is to create with them. Many times it is used as an element of research, because you tell the user to create something to solve the problem and within their solution, you become aware of their insights and elements that they have in mind but that they have not expressed to you. It is co-created not only with users, but with developers, and business people. The role of the UX Designer is very much about facilitation and involving the different roles to work on improving the product. He is not the one who has the ideas and that’s it, but he facilitates these ideation activities so that everyone’s ideas come out and that in that diversity of ideas, a good solution can be found for the user’s problems.

Conclusion

There are many benefits of adding a UI UX Design services: knowing your user in depth, having greater efficiency as a development team, causing this to generate more income for an organization, among others. The UX Designer will allow us to position ourselves closer to the user, to in turn get closer to their problems and allow us to solve them optimally.

The Best UI/UX Design Agency: The Complete 2024 List

By

Raj Preetham

-

May 20, 2024

Well-crafted user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design is recognized as absolutely crucial for success in the modern, rapidly evolving digital landscape of 2024.

To win potential business and top talent, every UI UX design agency has to be at the top of its game.

Whether you’re just now diving into the world of UX/UI design, a seasoned designer seeking the perfect place to unleash your creativity, or you work for an organization searching for an agency to enhance your digital experience, this article highlights the best agencies out there for your needs.

Here’s our carefully curated list of the 12 best UI/UX design agencies to work with, and for, in 2024:

Beyond
Clay
Code and Theory
Sleepy
Designit
Fantasy
Frog
Therefore
MetaLab
Ramotion
UX studio
Work & Co

UI/UX design agency best-of list

1. Beyond

Beyond is a renowned UX design agency that has established itself as a leader in the industry. With its headquarters in London, UK, and additional offices in New York, Texas, and California, Beyond boasts a global presence and a diverse team of talented designers, strategists, and technologists.

Beyond is not your typical UX design agency; they position itself as a “design and technology ideas company”.

Beyond specializes in creating exceptional digital experiences by combining design thinking with cutting-edge technology. A multidisciplinary approach means the agency can offer a wide range of services, including:

User Experience Design
User Interface Design
Product Design and Strategy
Digital transformation

Beyond has an impressive portfolio of clients from various industries. Collaborations with major brands and industry leaders include:

Google: Beyond partnered with Google on various projects, including creating Smart Home, building Grow, and working with YouTube to develop digital products for the Super Bowl and the Rio Carnival.
Brompton: Beyond worked with the legendary UK folding bike builders on a new central design theme and online buying experience, transforming its digital presence in just eight weeks.
Montblanc: Beyond teamed up with the luxury goods company to create a design system, including customizable watch faces and a suite of supporting apps for a new smartwatch.

Beyond has been recognized multiple times at The Webby Awards, an annual competition honoring excellence on the Internet, for exceptional design work.

2. Clay

Clay is a highly regarded UI UX design agency based in San Francisco, California. With a passion for developing exceptional digital products, Clay has garnered a strong reputation in the industry.

Here are some of Clay’s key areas of expertise:

UI/UX Design
Digital Product Design
Enterprise Software Design
User Research and Testing

Clay has had the privilege of collaborating with several notable clients from diverse industries. Its client roster includes:

Facebook: Clay worked closely with Facebook, the leading social media platform, on various design projects.
Coca-Cola: The agency partnered with Coca-Cola, a global beverage company, to create engaging digital experiences that align with the brand’s values and resonate with its target audience.
Oppo: Clay collaborated with Oppo, a prominent smartphone manufacturer,to design user-friendly and visually appealing interfaces for Oppo’s mobile devices.

Clay has received Awwwards recognition for their outstanding UI and UX design work, showcasing their expertise in creating visually appealing and user-friendly digital experiences.

3. Code and Theory

Code and Theory is a distinguished UX design agency that has established itself as a leader in the industry. With a wide range of UX and UI design services, a depth of expertise, and an impressive client portfolio, Code and Theory has earned a strong reputation for delivering exceptional user experiences.

Here are Code and Theory’s key areas of expertise:

UX/UI Design
Content Strategy
Digital Campaigns
Technology Solutions

Code and Theory has had the privilege of working with an impressive roster of clients, spanning various industries. Here are some of their notable clients:

NBC Sports: Code and Theory collaborated with major broadcasting network NBC to overhaul seven old apps into a sleek one-stop-shop digital product, offering videos, editorial, social engagement, and statistics to its audience.
The Venetian: The agency worked with the Vegas casino and resort The Venetian for years to build a brand new website that expresses the luxury brand’s unique story in the digital space while offering customers a best-in-class booking flow.
American Express: Code and Theory formed a strategic partnership with the credit card company, totally redesigning the templates at the core of its conversion process.

Code and Theory was honored at the prestigious Cannes Lions Festival for its innovative and creative digital campaigns and design work.

Interested in working with them? Their careers page is regularly updated.

4. Sleep

Codal is a UX design agency known for its expertise in creating exceptional user experiences.

Codal provides comprehensive UX and UI design services to create intuitive and visually appealing digital experiences. Its services include:

User Research
Information Architecture
Wireframing and Prototyping
Visual Design
Responsive Design
Usability Testing

Codal has worked with a range of notable clients across different industries. Notable clients include:

Pepsi: Codal collaborated with Pepsi to enhance their digital experiences and improve customer engagement.
Intuit: They partnered with Intuit, the software company behind TurboTax and QuickBooks, to create intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for Intuit’s financial software products.
United Airlines: Codal worked with United Airlines to improve its website and mobile app experiences, enhancing the booking process and overall user journey.

Codal was recognized by Clutch, a leading B2B ratings and reviews platform, as one of the top UX design agencies, highlighting their expertise and client satisfaction.

5. Designit

Designit is a global UX design agency with over 16 studios worldwide. Founded by industry veteran Alan Cooper, Designit works with renowned companies such as Google and Starbucks. They specialize in interaction design and service design, and actively contribute to design education through courses and training programs.

Designit offers a comprehensive range of UX and UI design services to help organizations create seamless and engaging digital experiences. Some of their services include:

User Research
Service Design
Interaction Design
Visual Design
Prototyping and Testing

Designit has had the opportunity to collaborate with numerous notable clients across industries. Some of their notable clients include:

Google: Designit partnered with Google to improve educational outcomes around the globe, helping Google become the market leader for educational technology.
Starbucks: They partnered with Starbucks to design digital solutions, including mobile apps and in-store digital experiences, improving customer engagement and loyalty.
Novo Nordisk: Designit collaborated with Novo Nordisk, a pharmaceutical company, to develop digital health solutions that empower patients and healthcare professionals.

6. Fantasy

Fantasy is a global UI/UX design agency with offices in the U.S. and London. They are known for beautiful UI and website design and have worked with well-known brands such as Porsche, USA Today, and Mitsubishi, to create immersive and visually stunning user experiences.

Fantasy offers a range of UX and UI design services that focus on creating captivating and intuitive digital experiences. Services include:

UX Design
UI Design
Micro-interactions
Animation
Prototyping and Testing

Fantasy has worked with a range of notable clients across different industries. Notable clients include:

Porsche: Fantasy collaborated with Porsche to create a visually striking and interactive website that reflects the luxury and performance of the brand.
USA Today: They partnered with USA Today to design a mobile app that delivers personalized news experiences and seamless content consumption for users.
Mitsubishi: Fantasy worked with Mitsubishi to design a digital showroom experience that showcases their vehicles and engages potential customers.

Fantasy has been featured in the Communication Arts Interactive Annual, a highly regarded design publication, for exceptional interactive design work.

7. Frog

Frog is one of the oldest industrial design firms, operating for over 50 years. They offer a wide range of services, including digital interfaces, hardware design, and branding. Frog operates from 10 offices worldwide and employs over 500 people.

Over the years, Frog has racked up an impressive portfolio of stellar clients. Including:

GE: Frog partnered with General Electric Company (GE)to reimagine and transform the user experience of GE’s digital products and services. They focused on enhancing the usability, efficiency, and overall satisfaction of GE’s industrial software and digital solutions.
AT&T: Frog collaborated with AT&T to design innovative user experiences for their telecommunications products and services. They worked on projects ranging from mobile apps to web interfaces, aiming to provide seamless and intuitive interactions for AT&T’s customers.
Disney: Frog worked with Disney on multiple projects, including the design of user experiences for Disney’s digital platforms and entertainment services. They focused on creating magical, immersive experiences that aligned with Disney’s brand identity.

Frog received the iF Design Award, one of the most prestigious design awards in the world. This award acknowledges Frog’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge and impactful UX design experiences.

8. Therefore

Ideo is a legendary innovation firm based in Palo Alto, California. Established in 1991, they are known for their industrial design expertise and influential role in popularizing design thinking. Ideo collaborates with diverse teams to provide innovative solutions for clients and has worked with major brands such as Apple.

Ideo collaborated with numerous high-profile clients across various industries. Here are some notable partners:

Apple: Ideo worked closely with Apple on various projects, contributing to the design and development of user-friendly and innovative products.
Coca-Cola: Ideo collaborated with Coca-Cola on projects related to product design, brand strategy, and user experience, helping create engaging and memorable experiences for consumers.
Ford: Ideo partnered with Ford to reimagine the future of mobility, exploring new concepts, and designing user-centered experiences for vehicles.

Ideo has received numerous awards and accolades for contributions to the field of UX design. These include multiple Red Dot Design Awards across various categories and several Industrial Designers Society of America Awards. Ideo has also consistently been recognized by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies globally, highlighting their groundbreaking work in UX design and beyond.

9. MetaLab

MetaLab is a Canadian interface design firm that offers product design, custom software development, and UX/UI design services. Metalab has worked with a range of notable clients across various industries. These include:

Slack: MetaLab partnered with Slack from day one of the collaboration platform’s journey. MetaLab built Slack’s famously intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for enhanced productivity and teamwork from the ground up.
Google: MetaLab worked with Google on multiple projects, contributing to the design and development of user interfaces for various Google products and services.
Apple: MetaLab collaborated with Apple on design projects, including the development of interfaces and user experiences for Apple’s software applications and digital platforms.

MetaLab received recognition from the Canadian Web Awards, which acknowledge excellence in web design and development. These awards showcase MetaLab’s contributions to the Canadian design community.

10. Ramotion

Ramotion is a digital product agency based in San Francisco, CA, U.S. They specialize in web and mobile development, as well as UI/UX design. With an impressive client portfolio, Ramotion has established itself as a leading player in the industry. Some of these partners include:

Salesforce: Ramotion partnered with the leading customer relationship management platform to design and develop user-friendly interfaces and enhance the overall user experience of their products.
Netflix: Ramotion worked with Netflix to create intuitive and visually appealing interfaces that facilitate seamless content consumption for millions of users worldwide.
Mozilla: Ramotion collaborated with Mozilla, the organization behind the Firefox web browser, to design and improve their digital products’ user experience, including the browser and related applications.

11. UX studio

UX studio is an award-winning European UI UX design agency known for its global presence and expertise in user experience research and digital product design. With a focus on delivering tailored solutions and leveraging agile methodologies, they work closely with their partners to ensure efficiency and impactful results.

UX studio offers a range of services that revolve around user experience design. Core areas of expertise include:

UX Research: UX studio conducts thorough research to understand users’ needs, behaviors, and preferences. This includes user interviews, usability testing, and competitive analysis to gather valuable insights.
UX Design: They specialize in creating intuitive and engaging user interfaces for digital products. This involves wireframing, prototyping, and interaction design to ensure seamless user experiences.
Product Design: UX studio takes a holistic approach to product design, considering both the user interface and overall product strategy. They focus on delivering cohesive and impactful digital experiences.

UX studio has had the privilege of working with renowned companies and organizations such as Google, HBO, Netflix, and The United Nations World Food Programme.

12. Work & Co

Work & Co is an experience design agency that specializes in creating digital products and services. They have offices in New York, Portland, and São Paulo. Work & Co follows a unique approach of putting senior designers and engineers on every project, ensuring a high level of expertise and attention to detail. They aim to create seamless and intuitive user experiences across various platforms.

Work & Co’s services and areas of expertise include:

User Experience Design: Work & Co focuses on understanding user needs and designing interfaces that are easy to use, visually appealing, and aligned with the brand’s goals.
User Interface Design: They create visually engaging and responsive interfaces that enhance the user experience and effectively communicate the brand’s message.
Product Strategy: Work & Co helps clients define their product vision, identify market opportunities, and develop strategies to achieve their business goals.

Custom UI/UX Design with Android App Builders

By

Raj Preetham

-

May 17, 2024

When diving into mobile apps, especially those for the Android platform, the importance of UI (user interface) and UX (user experience) design cannot be overlooked. These two elements are the backbone of a successful app and determine how attractive it looks and how effectively it works and interacts with users.

In UI UX design services for Android apps, the focus is on the visual aspects: the layout, color schemes, typography, iconography, and all those elements that users interact with for the first time. A well-thought-out user interface design captures the user’s attention and makes a strong first impression. The Android design system offers a variety of components and guidelines, such as Material Design, that help designers create functional and visually appealing interfaces consistent with platform standards.

On the contrary, UX design delves into the psychological aspect of interacting with the application. It’s about the feeling of the experience. Is the app intuitive or confusing? Fluid or clumsy? UX design answers these questions by analyzing user behavior and preferences. It involves optimizing the navigation flow, ensuring that the application responds to user input in a logical and beneficial way, and ensuring that processes such as logging in, searching for information, or making purchases are streamlined and hassle-free. The synergy of both creates an environment where users enjoy a beautiful application and navigate it with ease and efficiency.

For Android, this means adhering to specific guidelines set by Google but also considering the wide variety of devices and screen sizes that run the Android operating system. The goal is to offer consistency and accessibility, ensuring that users can have a positive and consistent experience regardless of device.

Enter Android app builders, especially ones that require no code, like AppMaster. These platforms have dramatically changed the development game, democratizing the process and allowing people with little to no technical experience to create custom UI/UX designs. They feature a wide range of pre-built templates that adhere to Android UI/UX principles, feature a simplified drag-and-drop design approach, and allow for detailed customization to fit each unique business requirement. This makes the path to creating an easy-to-use, professional-looking Android app more accessible than ever.

No-codes have gained significant momentum in recent years and the Android ecosystem is no exception. The appeal of app creators-code lies in its promise to democratize the app development process. Traditional app development requires a deep understanding of programming languages such as Java or Kotlin for Android and a firm grasp of complex development environments. These barriers can make app creation inaccessible to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individuals with innovative ideas but limited technical expertise or resources.

Android’s significant market share makes it a priority platform for companies looking to interact with a broad user base through mobile applications. Android app creatorsNo-code have entered this space, allowing users to create applications through graphical user interfaces with editor drag-and-drop and pre-designed components. These tools offer a layer of coding abstraction, allowing users to focus on the design and functionality of their applications without the complexities of code.

The growing demand for mobile applications in various industries partly drives the growth of the platform’s no-code. As businesses look to provide value through digital solutions, rapid application deployment becomes crucial. Android app creatorsNo-codeThey accelerate the development process, allowing companies to launch functional applications in a fraction of the time it would take using traditional methods.

Platforms likeAppMasterThey simplify application development and ensure that the result is professional and enterprise-grade. These platforms allow for custom UI/UX design, which is often a differentiator in the crowded app market. With these advantages, the creatorsno-code. They are leveling the playing field, allowing smaller players to compete with larger organizations in terms of digital innovation.

Additionally, the rise of app creators-code has been driven by the proliferation of digital transformation initiatives. As organizations adapt to a more technology-centric mode of operation, they need fast and agile solutions that platforms no-code. They are uniquely positioned to provide. The cost savings associated with development no-code, both in terms of time and financial resources, increase their attractiveness, making them a strategic option for companies seeking to optimize their development efforts.

As the Android operating system continues to evolve and integrate new features, app creators no-code. They are also evolving, continually integrating new functionality that pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved without writing a line of code. As this trend continues, we can expect to see an even greater variety of sophisticated apps developed using creators. no-code, reflecting the potential of these platforms to transform the application development sphere.

Benefits of using No-Code platforms for custom UI/UX designs

In an era where user experience can make or break an app, platforms no-code present a compelling solution for businesses and individuals looking to create custom UI/UX designs without delving into the complexities of traditional coding. Here’s why these platforms, likeAppMaster, there are more and more reference tools for the development of Android applications:

Democratization of application development: platformsNo-codeThey break down barriers to entry, allowing people with little or no programming knowledge to participate in creating applications. This opens up a world of possibilities for entrepreneurs and creators who can now independently bring their ideas to life.
Fast time to market – with pre-designed templates and features drag-and-drop, the platforms no-codeThey significantly speed up the development process. This rapid deployment capability means companies can iterate quickly and capitalize on market opportunities in real time.
Cost reduction – Hiring a development team can be expensive, especially for startups and small businesses. The platformsNo-codeThey reduce or even eliminate the need for large equipment, resulting in significant cost savings.
Focus on design and user experience: Without worrying about backend complexities, creators can dedicate their energy and resources to perfecting the UI/UX of the app, ensuring the final product is intuitive, engaging, and retains users.
High customization: contrary to the myth that no code there is no flexibility, platforms like AppMaster. They offer a high degree of customization, allowing developers to tailor every aspect of the app’s design and functionality to meet specific needs.
Seamless integrations: the platformsNo-codeThey come equipped with several integration options, meaning apps can easily connect with third-party services, tools, and APIs to expand their capabilities and improve the user experience.
Collaborative development: These platforms typically have collaborative tools that allow teams to work together in real-time, streamlining the design process and improving communication between stakeholders.
Ease of update: Updating a traditional application can be cumbersome, but platforms do not code. They simplify the process. Changes can be made visually and propagated throughout the application with a few clicks, ensuring that the application stays up to date with the user’s needs and preferences.
Risk mitigation: since the development code requires less investment and can be achieved more quickly, the risk associated with application development is substantially reduced. If an app concept doesn’t work, less time and resources are wasted, and the feedback loop is much tighter, encouraging continuous improvement.
Long-term sustainability: platformsNo-codeasAppMasterThey keep applications up to date with the latest technologies and practices. They automatically handle updates and patches to the underlying code, ensuring the longevity and security of your application.

The platforms No-code They offer a unique combination of simplicity, speed, and sophistication, making them the perfect choice for those looking to create outstanding Android apps that not only work well but also provide an extraordinary user experience.

As development tools no-code continue to transform the technology industry, select the Android app builder no-code. Appropriate design is crucial to creating apps with a personalized, engaging user interface (UI) and intuitive user experience (UX). A platform a-code Feature-rich ensures your Android app is functional and offers an attractive, easy-to-use interface that aligns with your business needs. Here are some of the key features to look for in Android app builders with no code that adapts to custom UI/UX design:

Intuitive drag-and-drop interface

The core of application development code is the user interface of the app builder itself. A simple and responsive interface drag-and-drop simplifies the design process, making it accessible even to those with minimal technical knowledge. It should allow you to effortlessly place and configure widgets, such as buttons, text fields, and images, in real-time, providing immediate visual feedback.

Diverse Template Library

A library of customizable templates serves as a springboard for your design, allowing you to choose from a variety of pre-designed user interface elements that you can adapt to your brand identity and the needs of your users. Whether you’re building an eCommerce platform or a task management tool, starting with a template can save time and ensure consistency across multiple screens.

Flexible UI Customization

The platform should offer a high degree of customization, allowing you to modify everything from font sizes and color schemes to the layout of interface elements. This flexibility is essential to creating a unique, branded user interface that stands out in the crowded app market.

Animation and interactivity options

Interactive elements like animations, transitions, and micro-interactions can significantly improve UX. Look for a builder that supports these features, which are critical to maintaining user engagement and providing fluid, dynamic interactions.

Responsive design capabilities

With a wide range of Android devices on the market, it is paramount to ensure that your app looks and works well on different screen sizes and orientations. a creator no-code should enable responsive design, automatically adjusting the user interface to various devices and screen resolutions.

Integration with design tools

Many app builders now integrate with popular design tools like Adobe X, Deither, and Sketch. This allows designers to import their work directly into the app builder, streamlining the design process and ensuring design fidelity.

Advanced functionality support

While basic applications can be easy to create, truly valuable applications often require more sophisticated functionality. Best app builders no-code. They provide advanced features such as API support, databases, and other backend services, taking your Android app to a professional level.

User Feedback Implementations

Gathering and implementing user feedback is vital to perfecting UI/UX. a creator no-codeIdeally, it should allow you to quickly adapt and push updates to your app based on user interactions and feedback, keeping user experience at the forefront of development.

Test and preview modes

A good app builder no-codeIt should offer easy-to-use testing and preview tools that help you evaluate how your app performs on different Android devices before publishing it. This helps you detect and fix any UI/UX issues early in the development process.

Scalability and performance

The platform no-code you need to address the early stages of your app’s life and scale with your growing user base. Look for performance optimization features that ensure your application handles increased traffic and data smoothly.

The emergence of platforms such asAppMasterin the space-codeIt has meant a paradigm shift in the custom application design process. With features like visual BP Designers for mobile apps and the ability to generate, compile, and deploy code, these platforms offer unprecedented speed and efficiency for app development. These features allow users to create custom UI/UX for Android apps without being bogged down by the traditional complexities of software development.

How AppMaster powers custom Android UI/UX design

The appeal of custom UI/UX design in the world of Android app development is undeniable: a well-designed app looks attractive and provides a smooth and intuitive experience for users. In this effort to create the perfect application, AppMaster has emerged as a pioneering platform no-code which offers extensive capabilities to create custom Android apps, focusing on custom UI/UX design.

The approach ofAppMasterto train developers and non-developers in creating custom Android UI/UX designs is multifaceted and emphasizes ease of use, flexibility, and efficiency. The platform eradicates the complexities traditionally associated with the application development cycle by leveraging a comprehensive set of tools within an integrated development environment.

Intuitive drag-and-drop interface

In the heart of AppMaster, you will find an intuitive interface drag-and-drop that democratizes design and development. This visual editor establishes a foundation upon which users can build sophisticated user interface components, regardless of their technical prowess. The functionality of drag-and-drop ensures that elements can be placed precisely, fostering an environment where creativity is only limited by the imagination.

Mobile Business Process Designer

As a complement to the visual design of the user interface, AppMaster incorporates a mobile business process (BP) designer that provides users with the ability to define complex business logic uniquely for each user interface component. This ensures that behind every visually appealing element lies meticulous consideration of user interactions and operational efficiency.

Customizable templates and components

To accelerate development, AppMaster offers a variety of pre-designed templates that serve as a reliable starting point for custom designs. Developers can modify these templates to reflect brand identity and user needs. This flexibility is also seen in customizable components that can be adapted or expanded to push the limits of conventional application design.

Scalable architecture

AppMasterIt is not only concerned with the immediate results of the design, but also with the future scalability of Android applications. The backbone of every application created withAppMasterIt is prepared for high-load use cases, ensuring that as customer bases grow, the application can scale proportionally without problems.

Source code generation and implementation

Once the UI/UX design is satisfactory, AppMaster extends its functionality beyond the design phase. The platform generates source code for the designed application, compiles it, and prepares it for deployment. This code generation process is iterative and adapts to continuous changes and revisions without accumulating technical debt.

User experience testing

Ensuring a polished end-user experience requires rigorous testing and AppMastermakes it easy through its built-in testing tools. Designers and developers can evaluate how their UI/UX options hold up to real-world use, ensuring any adjustments can be made quickly within the interface. no code before final implementation.

Best Practices for Designing UI/UX with No-Code Android App Builders

The attractiveness of platforms no-code is undeniable when it comes to designing UI/UX for Android apps. They democratize app development, allowing people who lack coding experience to participate in creating functional and visually appealing apps. However, navigating these platforms requires a strategic approach to ensure the end product looks great and provides a user experience. Below are practical best practices to guide you through the design process using Android app builders’ no-code:

Start with a clear understanding of your users: Before you dive into design, define your target audience. It’s sometimes overlooked in the rush to build, but it’s vital to understand who will be using your app and what they need from it. User personas and use case scenarios can help tailor the design to your audience’s preferences and behaviors, ensuring the app is intuitive and effective.
Use Pre-Built Templates Wisely – Platforms No-code. They usually offer a variety of templates to start the design process. Use these templates not as end products but as a foundation to create a more personalized experience. Tailor them to your brand aesthetic and user journey to avoid a generic look.
Aim for intuitive navigation: Your app navigation should be self-explanatory. It’s not just about beauty; functionality is key. Make sure menus, buttons, and links are located where users expect to find them.
Adhere to Android Design Guidelines: Google’s Material Design Guidelines provide a framework for creating consistent UI/UX across all Android devices. Following these guidelines can help ensure that your application feels familiar to users and takes advantage of native components and behaviors.
Prioritize responsiveness and compatibility: Android devices come in many screen sizes and resolutions. Make sure your design is responsive and looks good on multiple devices, whichever platforms no-code they should facilitate through responsive design features.
Keep it simple: The best app designs are often the simplest. Clutter can overwhelm users, so look for a minimalist approach focused on key functionality. This doesn’t mean that your design should be boring, but rather that each element should have a purpose.
Test rigorously on different devices: Consistent testing on different devices and use case scenarios can help identify UX issues that may not have been evident initially. Extensively use the platform’s preview and testing functions no-code to refine the design of your application.
Incorporate feedback loops: Integrating mechanisms for user feedback within the application allows you to collect information directly from the source. Be prepared to iterate your design based on feedback to continually improve the UX.
Optimize performance – Even the best-designed application can suffer if it is slow or unresponsive. The platformsNo-codeasAppMasterThey generally offer optimization tools to ensure that your application is not overloaded with unnecessary elements that can degrade performance.
Stay up to date with trends and platform capabilities: Last but not least, UI/UX design is an ever-evolving field, and staying on top of the latest trends and platform updates is crucial. Regularly explore new features and updates offered by the platform no-code to improve the design capabilities of your application. A logical flow from one screen to the next will minimize frustration and abandonment.

By implementing these best practices, you will be on the right path to creating a user-centric Android app with attractive and efficient UI UX design services. Remember that with platforms likeAppMaster, you’re not alone on this journey – use their resources, support, and community to guide you through any challenges and further leverage the platform’s potential for your unique design needs.

Common Challenges and Solutions in No-Code UI/UX Design

Creating a custom user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) using platforms no-code is generally a simpler process than traditional coding. However, designers and developers may still encounter certain obstacles along the way. Let’s dive into some of the most common challenges faced during UI/UX design no-code and let’s explore practical solutions to these problems.

Limited customization options

A challenge often encountered is that the tools have no code. They may have customization limits. While they offer a wide selection of pre-designed elements, there may not be enough options for those looking to implement unique or highly specialized designs.

Solution: To solve this problem, you can explore platforms known for their highly customizable widgets and interactive elements.AppMaster, for example, allows users to define custom logic for each design component, ensuring that the UI/UX meets specific requirements.

Difficulty maintaining design consistency

Maintaining a consistent design across your entire app can be challenging, especially across different screens and features.

Solution: Use the platform’s theme management tools, if available, to ensure consistency in color schemes, typography, and other design elements. Periodically review the application’s UI/UX to identify inconsistencies and apply global styles wherever possible.

Integration of advanced features and functionalities

It is possible that the platformsNo-codes may not always support advanced features or custom functionality out of the box.

Solution: Search platforms with no code that offers extensibility through APIs or custom code blocks. This allows you to add complex functionality without leaving the environment no-code. Additionally, some platforms may have a marketplace of plugins or extensions that can add these features with minimal effort.

Performance overhead

Applications created with tools no-code. They can sometimes suffer from performance issues due to the additional overhead of the platform runtime.

Solution: Go Platform No-code that compiles applications to native code, which can significantly improve performance. Be sure to optimize the design by avoiding unnecessary elements and optimizing image size and resolution for mobile devices.

Inadequate testing environments

Testing UI/UX effectively is vital to the success of any application. Some platforms may not provide complete testing environments, which can lead to a poor end-user experience.

Solution: Choose platforms that offer built-in testing modules that allow you to simulate user interactions and perform usability testing. Also, use beta testers to get real-world feedback before finalizing the UI/UX.

Ensure accessibility

Providing an inclusive experience is essential, but solutions may no-code. Don’t always emphasize accessibility features.

Solution: Prioritize tools no-code that comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and other accessibility standards. Include accessibility features like screen reader support, text scaling, and high contrast modes in your design process.

Keeping up with UI/UX trends

The UI/UX environment is continually evolving and what is trendy and easy to use today may not be trendy and easy to use tomorrow. The tools No-code can lag behind when it comes to offering the latest design trends.

Solution: Stay informed on the latest UI/UX trends and research platforms no-code that frequently update their feature set. Interact with the platform community to share ideas and knowledge on upcoming trends and how to implement them within the constraints of the environment no-code.

Industry Insights: Custom UI/UX Android App Success Stories

In the application development sector no-code, success stories abound where companies have translated ideas into fully functional and aesthetically pleasing Android apps without writing a single line of code. Here, we delve into some illustrative examples of companies that have harnessed the power of tools do-code as AppMaster to create custom UI/UX designs that delight users, solidify brand identity, and pave the way to market success.

Empowering Small Businesses: The Boutique Retail App Transformation

A notable case is that of a clothing retail boutique that sought to expand its presence from a physical store to an e-commerce platform optimized for Android users. With no prior programming knowledge, the retailer used app builders’ no-code and leveraged customizable design templates, aligning the look and feel of the app with the sophisticated brand aesthetic they maintained in-store. The result was an intuitive, cutting-edge app that allowed customers to browse collections, purchase items, and even interact with a virtual fitting room feature, thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence tools available through the platform’s ecosystem. no-code.

Revolutionizing hospitality: the journey of a hotel booking app

The success also illuminated the path for a regional hotel chain, which sought to simplify reservations and improve the guest experience. When choosing an Android app builder with no code Focused on UX/UI customization options, the hotel developed an app that offered a seamless booking process combined with virtual tours of rooms and facilities. This innovative approach to hospitality, combining convenience and immersive experiences, led to an increase in direct bookings and reduced reliance on third-party booking platforms.

On-Demand Healthcare: A Breakthrough in Telemedicine Application

Another inspiring example is the healthcare industry, where a telemedicine startup revolutionized the market with a no-code app builder. The startup focused on offering a user-friendly interface that older patients could easily navigate, a crucial need in healthcare technology, by tracing the patient path and using functions drag-and-drop. To create a clear and accessible user interface, the app provided an empathetic user experience that facilitated doctor-patient communication and appointment scheduling, securing the startup’s place as a leader in digital healthcare solutions.

Education Promotion: Personalized Learning Experiences

Within the education sector, one notable story involves a language learning platform that has no code to offer personalized and engaging experiences. The platform app featured a sophisticated algorithm that adapted to individual learning rates, requiring a dynamic UI/UX compatible with multiple Android devices. Thanks to the versatility of app creators’ no-code, the platform achieved a responsive and interactive design that responded to student input, making education accessible and technologically advanced.

Nonprofit Innovation: Community Service Made Accessible

A non-profit organization represents another success story and demonstrates that solutions-code. They serve more than just commercial interests. To increase community engagement, the organization developed an Android app that featured volunteer opportunities, donation platforms, and event calendars with real-time updates. The custom UI UX design agency allowed users to effortlessly engage with the cause, increasing engagement and awareness of the organization’s goals.

Angular Component Libraries to Use in 2024

By

Bhavika Chauhan

-

May 4, 2024

Google is the company that developed and maintains the front-end framework Angular. It is renowned for its strong features, scalability, and flexibility. The vast library and tool ecosystem of Angular is a major factor in its success. Angular component libraries, in particular, are essential for speeding up development because they offer ready-made, modifiable user interface components.

Component libraries are a great way when you hire Angular developers. They will improve their Angular projects without going over budget. The top 6 free Angular component libraries that can speed up development and provide a polished user experience are examined in this post.

Angular: A Synopsis

A community of experienced developers and the Google Angular Team oversee the open-source, Typescript-based Angular web framework. With TypeScript, AngularJS has been completely rewritten, eliminating any reliance on Javascript. Thousands of users can be supported by sophisticated desktop and web apps made with Angular.

What is a Component Library?

A component library is an assemblage of pre-coded software components or pre-designed webpage components. Instead of having to write all the code from scratch, designers can just add the component to their application.

When done correctly, it becomes incredibly time-efficient and aids in the consistency of designers’ work. Customizable functionalities are also offered by a lot of UI component packages. As a result, developers are free to exercise their creativity and modify or create entirely new components.

The team’s ability to collaborate will also benefit from the component library with angular development services. Using a component library can simplify version control and maintain consistency across the entire application, especially for large projects involving multiple team members.

What Are Angular Component Libraries?

An Angular component library is a set of ready-to-use UI components packaged together for creating inventive, dynamic, and consistent web solutions. These libraries add to Angular’s core functionality. The same broad issues, such as providing a consistent user interface, presenting data, and permitting data entry, must be resolved by numerous programs. For specific domains, developers can provide generic solutions that can be modified for usage in various applications.

These libraries’ components are usually made to be extremely reusable and configurable, so you can easily modify buttons, forms, navigation menus, and other elements to fit your project requirements, app logic, and unique demands.

Top Angular Component Libraries

Angular is an extensive framework with a plethora of features and tools. Its numerous built-in libraries facilitate the job of developers. The Angular-CLI project has pre-installed core libraries like RxJS. It also contains a large number of frontend and API-specific libraries.

However, an excessive number of integrated libraries may prevent it from becoming unduly hefty. Working slowly and laboriously can result from having an excessive number of integrated web components that developers hardly ever use.

But if developers have to write new code for every tiny function, using Angular becomes difficult for them as well. Giving a user room for creativity and customization is also important. As a result, Angular developed Angular Material to give users access to external components. In addition, you have access to a plethora of UI component libraries, like Vaadin Components, NG Zorro, NG Lightening, and Onsen UI.

Companies can reduce development time and costs by using external Angular component libraries. The top libraries for Angular UI components are listed here for your use in Angular projects.

1. Angular Material

Angular Material is the official components library created by the Angular team; it was formerly known as Material2. It was created using TypeScript and complies with every rule and recommendation found in Google Material Design.

A vast array of components are available for designing layouts, toolbars and menus, navigation menus, pop-up windows, building blocks, and tables for presenting data. Moreover, the command line templates let you swiftly include new functionality. For development organizations who need to create bespoke tools and widgets, it is of great help.

2. NG-Bootstrap

2015 saw the creation of the well-known Angular Bootstrap component library, ng-bootstrap. Using Bootstrap 4 CSS, NG Bootstrap offers Angular widgets that are constructed from the ground up. Except for knowing how to use Angular and Bootstrap, these widgets are easily accessible and user-friendly. This Angular library is supported by a robust development team.

Access to Bootstrap components such as a date picker, popover, modal, carousel, and typeahead is provided. But because updates are often delayed, its use has been declining over time.

3. NGX-Bootstrap

Combining Angular functionalities with Bootstrap features is made possible by the NGX-Bootstrap module. All of the essential Bootstrap elements are included and adapted for Angular functionality. This library has a great deal of performative flexibility.

It functions well with desktop and mobile applications built with Angular. Development teams can utilize NGXbootstrap to create scalable Angular applications if they are familiar with Bootstrap and have access to thorough documentation. Angular developers may choose it over NGbootstrap due to its integrated animation support, sortable components, and frequent updates.

4. Onsen UI

An open-source set of UI elements for creating HTML5 hybrid mobile apps is called Onsen UI. It offers a wide range of Angular components that you may use to build online applications that run on several platforms.

It provides access to ready-to-use UI elements including toolbars, forms, side menus, and dialog for a more native appearance, and it supports both Android and iOS development. It is quite simple to set up and get the hang of.

5. Prime NG

The most potent library of Angular UI components is thought to be Prime NG. Prime NG provides native Angular CLI application templates that are extremely customizable along with a selection of themes. Every widget is freely downloadable from GitHub and is open source.

Numerous UI elements are available in Prime NG for buttons, file uploads, message notifications, and personalized graphing tools. It offers a file-uploading feature as well. It is ideal for creating mobile applications that respond to touch.

6. Vaadin Components

Vaadin is a collection of elegant Java Web App UI elements. The Web Components standards serve as the foundation for Vaadin’s components. They function flawlessly with any framework and provide browser-native performance.

To construct sophisticated web and mobile apps, Angular UI components are combined with the unique capabilities of polymer elements. Vaadin facilitates effective code sharing, making it a great tool for working with large teams.

Summing Up

The greatest Angular component library for 2024 is what we have given you. Every library on the list is the greatest of the best; it offers every functionality that might be needed to create stunning Angular apps.

Among the best Angular libraries are Vaadin, ngxBootstrap, and Angular Material. It is impossible to declare one person superior to another in every way. But there’s just one that’s ideal for you, based on how you use it and your project team. For all your development needs, including locating your UI components library, our team of knowledgeable Angular engineers is here to help.

Google Sitemap Opencart 4 Module or extension for free

By

Rupak Nepali

-

April 21, 2024

Google Sitemap module used to be by default added on Opencart 3 but in Opencart 4 we need to add it manually and we did not find it in Opencart marketplace so we created the module. Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role in driving organic traffic to your online store. One of the essential tools in your SEO arsenal is a well-structured sitemap.

Download Google Sitemap Opencart 4

Click the above button to download the Google Base feed module, the file downloaded is webocreationgooglesitemap.ocmod.zip. Now go to the Opencart admin >> Extensions >> Installer >> Then upload the file webocreationgooglesitemap.ocmod.zip

Once it is uploaded and installed. Go to Extensions >> Extensions and filter out to feed.

Click the install button and then click the edit button.

Now, select Enabled and click Save.

Now go to the URL below:

http://YOURURL/opencart/index.php?route=extension/webocreationgooglesitemap/feed/google_sitemap

You will see XML like below:

The Importance of Sitemaps in SEO

Before we delve into the module, let’s first grasp the fundamental role of sitemaps in SEO:

1. Enhanced Indexing:

Sitemaps provide search engines like Google with a roadmap of your website’s structure. This helps search engine bots crawl and index your web pages more efficiently. As a result, your site’s content is more likely to appear in search engine results pages (SERPs).

2. Faster Discovery of New Content:

When you add new pages or products to your online store, a sitemap can alert search engines to these changes promptly. This ensures that your latest content is included in search results sooner rather than later.

3. Improved SEO Performance:

By facilitating better indexing and ensuring that all your web pages are accessible to search engines, sitemaps contribute to improved SEO performance. This can lead to higher rankings, increased organic traffic, and ultimately, more conversions.

Introducing the Google Sitemap Opencart Module

Now that we understand the significance of sitemaps, let’s explore the Google Sitemap Opencart module and how it can elevate your SEO efforts:

1. Automated Sitemap Generation:

This module automates the process of creating and updating your website’s sitemap. You no longer need to manually generate and submit sitemaps to search engines. It handles everything seamlessly.

2. Dynamic Content Inclusion:

The Google Sitemap Opencart module is designed to include all the essential content on your site, such as product pages, categories, information pages, and even manufacturer listings. This comprehensive coverage ensures that search engines index all your relevant content.

3. Priority and Frequency Settings:

You have the flexibility to set priority and update frequency for different types of content. For instance, you can prioritize product pages over informational pages, indicating to search engines the relative importance of each.

4. Multilingual and Multistore Support:

For OpenCart users with multilingual websites or multiple stores, this module offers seamless support. It generates sitemaps for each language or store, making it incredibly versatile.

5. Efficient XML Sitemap Creation:

The module generates XML sitemaps, which are the preferred format for search engines. These XML sitemaps are well-structured and adhere to industry standards, ensuring compatibility with various search engines.

6. Improved SEO Performance:

By consistently providing search engines with up-to-date and well-organized sitemaps, you’re enhancing your website’s SEO performance. This can lead to higher search engine rankings and increased visibility among your target audience.

Conclusion

The Google Sitemap Opencart module is a valuable addition to your SEO toolkit, streamlining the management of sitemaps and improving your website’s search engine visibility. By automating sitemap generation and ensuring that search engines are well-informed about your site’s content, you’re giving your online store a significant advantage in the competitive world of e-commerce.

Investing in SEO tools like the Google Sitemap Opencart module not only enhances your site’s performance but also positions your business for sustained growth and success in the digital marketplace. So, take the initiative, install the module, and watch your online store climb the ranks in search engine results.

In this way, you can install and set up the Google Sitemap feed module for Opencart 4. Please let us know if you have any kind of projects, you can email us at webocreation.com@gmail.com. Hope you liked this free opencart module, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel and get more Opencart free extensions. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

How to develop an Opencart 4 custom theme? OpenCart 4 theme development tutorial

By

Rupak Nepali

-

April 20, 2024

As part of the Opencart 4 theme development tutorial, We already showed you how to install Opencart 4 theme and to create Opencart 4 custom theme admin section, in today’s tutorial, we are showing you how to develop the frontend section of the Opencart 4 custom theme. You can download the custom Opencart 4 theme here.

Download Opencart 4.0.1.1 custom theme

The final files and folders structure of the Opencart 4 custom theme looks like below:

When we developed the backend code, we have added the Startup code like below:

Taking that into consideration, you need to create the following file at extension >> webocreation4 >> catalog >> controller >> startup >> theme_standard.php, once you create the file, you can use the following lines of code.

<?php
namespace Opencart\Catalog\Controller\Extension\webocreation4\Startup;

class ThemeStandard extends \Opencart\System\Engine\Controller
{
    public function index(): void
    {
        if ($this->config->get('theme_theme_standard_status')) {
            $this->event->register('view/*/before', new \Opencart\System\Engine\Action('extension/webocreation4/startup/theme_standard|event'));
        }
    }

    public function event(string &$route, array &$args, mixed &$output): void
    {
        $override = [
            'common/header',
        ];

        if (in_array($route, $override)) {
            $route = 'extension/webocreation4/' . $route;
        }
    }
}

This overrides the header of the code, now, let’s create the header.twig at the extension folder, extension >> webocreation4 >> catalog >> view >> template >> common >> header.twig. Add the following lines of code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html dir="{{ direction }}" lang="{{ lang }}">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8"/>
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
  <title>We are Here{{ title }}</title>
  <base href="{{ base }}"/>
  {% if description %}
    <meta name="description" content="{{ description }}"/>
  {% endif %}
  {% if keywords %}
    <meta name="keywords" content="{{ keywords }}"/>
  {% endif %}
  <script src="{{ jquery }}" type="text/javascript"></script>
  <link href="{{ bootstrap }}" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" media="screen"/>
  <link href="{{ icons }}" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/>
  <link href="{{ stylesheet }}" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/>
  <link href="extension/webocreation4/catalog/view/stylesheet/stylesheet.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/>
  {% for style in styles %}
    <link href="{{ style.href }}" type="text/css" rel="{{ style.rel }}" media="{{ style.media }}"/>
  {% endfor %}
  {% for script in scripts %}
    <script src="{{ script }}" type="text/javascript"></script>
  {% endfor %}
  <script src="catalog/view/javascript/common.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
  {% for link in links %}
    <link href="{{ link.href }}" rel="{{ link.rel }}"/>
  {% endfor %}
  {% for analytic in analytics %}
    {{ analytic }}
  {% endfor %}
</head>
<body>
<nav id="top">
  <div id="alert" class="position-fixed top-0 end-0 p-3" style="z-index: 9999;"></div>
  <div class="container">
    <div class="nav float-start">
      <ul class="list-inline">
        <li class="list-inline-item">{{ currency }}</li>
        <li class="list-inline-item">{{ language }}</li>
      </ul>
    </div>
    <div class="nav float-end">
      <ul class="list-inline">
        <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="{{ contact }}"><i class="fas fa-phone"></i></a> <span class="d-none d-md-inline">{{ telephone }}</span></li>
        <li class="list-inline-item">
          <div class="dropdown">
            <a href="{{ account }}" class="dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown"><i class="fas fa-user"></i> <span class="d-none d-md-inline">{{ text_account }}</span> <i class="fas fa-caret-down"></i></a>
            <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-right">
              {% if not logged %}
                <li><a href="{{ register }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_register }}</a></li>
                <li><a href="{{ login }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_login }}</a></li>
              {% else %}
                <li><a href="{{ account }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_account }}</a></li>
                <li><a href="{{ order }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_order }}</a></li>
                <li><a href="{{ transaction }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_transaction }}</a></li>
                <li><a href="{{ download }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_download }}</a></li>
                <li><a href="{{ logout }}" class="dropdown-item">{{ text_logout }}</a></li>
              {% endif %}
            </ul>
          </div>
        </li>
        <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="{{ wishlist }}" id="wishlist-total" title="{{ text_wishlist }}"><i class="fas fa-heart"></i> <span class="d-none d-md-inline">{{ text_wishlist }}</span></a></li>
        <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="{{ shopping_cart }}" title="{{ text_shopping_cart }}"><i class="fas fa-shopping-cart"></i> <span class="d-none d-md-inline">{{ text_shopping_cart }}</span></a></li>
        <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="{{ checkout }}" title="{{ text_checkout }}"><i class="fas fa-share"></i> <span class="d-none d-md-inline">{{ text_checkout }}</span></a></li>
      </ul>
    </div>
  </div>
</nav>
<header>
  <div class="container">
    <div class="row">
      <div class="col-md-3 col-lg-4">
        <div id="logo">
          {% if logo %}
            <a href="{{ home }}"><img src="{{ logo }}" title="{{ name }}" alt="{{ name }}" class="img-fluid"/></a>
          {% else %}
            <h1><a href="{{ home }}">{{ name }}</a></h1>
          {% endif %}
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="col-md-5">{{ search }}</div>
      <div id="header-cart" class="col-md-4 col-lg-3">{{ cart }}</div>
    </div>
  </div>
</header>
<main>
  {{ menu }}

The above code is similar to the default header code of the core Opencart code, one change is we add the custom stylesheet like below:

  <link href="extension/webocreation4/catalog/view/stylesheet/stylesheet.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/>

There are events to change the stylesheet but for now, we directly add the code like above. Now let’s create the stylesheet.css, extension >> webocreation4 >> catalog >> view >> stylesheet >>stylesheet.css. Paste the following code:

a {
  color: #f45511;
}
#menu {
  background-color: #f45511;
  background-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, #f45511, #f45511);
  background-repeat: repeat-x;
  border: 1px solid #f45511;
  border-color: #f45511;
  min-height: 40px;
  border-radius: 4px;
}

.btn-primary {
  color: #ffffff;
  text-shadow: none;
  background-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, #f45511, #f45511);
  background-repeat: repeat-x;
  border-color: #f45511;
}

With these codes, your custom Opencart 4 theme is ready, now you can add your CSS as per your requirement and make the website unique. Once it is active, it looks like the below, you can see the demo of the Opencart 4 custom theme

In this way, we complete a simple OpenCart 4 theme development tutorial, you can develop a new custom Opencart 4 theme and change the style, and show it on the front of Opencart 4. Hope you liked this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Opencart video tutorials. You can also find us on Webocreation Twitter and Webocreation Facebook. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.