Choosing the best software development technique is a crucial choice that can have a big impact on a project’s success. Agile and Waterfall, two widely used paradigms, provide different approaches to software development. This blog will examine the fundamental distinctions between Agile and Waterfall, outlining their advantages and disadvantages as well as the selection criteria that should be used.

Waterfall

A conventional and sequential approach to software development is waterfall. Before going on to the next phase, each one must be finished in a sequential and planned manner. The gathering of requirements, system design, implementation, testing, deployment and maintenance are the major stages of the waterfall model.

Strengths 

• Clarity: The inherent clarity of the Waterfall technique is one of its main advantages. It provides a clear project roadmap with well-defined and organized milestones. Projects with clearly stated needs will benefit most from this clarity. Stakeholders can readily follow the project’s development and know what to anticipate at each stage.
• Stability : Waterfall’s rigidity might be viewed as a strength in some situations. It gets harder to make significant modifications once a phase is finished. Although it could appear to be a disadvantage, this might offer stability while the project is being developed. When working on projects that demand tight adherence to initial specifications, such those in regulated areas like healthcare or banking, this steadiness is advantageous.
• Documentation: Waterfall places a lot of importance on documentation. At every stage, extensive documentation is produced, including test plans, design specifications, requirements documents and more. This comprehensive paperwork is a useful asset for future maintenance and  compliance. It guarantees that a thorough history of the project is preserved, making it simpler for upcoming teams to comprehend and maintain the software.
• Predictability: Waterfall is quite predictable because of its linear structure. The completion date and the delivery date of  each phase and the  finished product can be clearly understood by project managers and stakeholders. This predictability is essential for planning and budgeting, particularly in settings where sticking to deadlines and spending limits is of the utmost importance.
• Quality Control: After the development phase, the waterfall process involves certain testing phases. This makes it possible for thorough testing, which may result in a higher degree of quality assurance. The systematic method minimizes the possibility of important issues sliding through the cracks by ensuring that each phase is properly finished before moving on to the next.

Weaknesses

• Rigidity: When dealing with shifting or evolving needs, waterfall’s inflexible structure might be problematic. Since each step must be finished before going on to the next, it might be difficult to accommodate new information or priorities that change. This rigidity can lead to inefficiencies because changes frequently necessitate going back and re-doing earlier stages, which could cause project delays and higher costs.
• Late input: In the Waterfall approach, stakeholders usually offer input after the development phase, toward the end of the project. This delayed feedback might be problematic since it reduces the chance to change directions or incorporate important information sooner in the process. It could cause miscommunication or expectations among stakeholders to diverge from project outcomes.
• Long Delivery Time: Because waterfall projects are sequential, the final product is only supplied when all project phases have been completed. This prolonged development cycle may be a drawback, particularly in industries with high market opportunity tempo. Delivery delays could lead to missed market opportunities or more competition, which could have an effect on how well a product does.

The Waterfall methodology offers strengths in terms of clarity, stability, documentation, predictability, and quality control. These attributes make it suitable for projects with well-defined requirements and where adherence to initial plans and regulatory compliance are paramount. However, it’s essential to consider its weaknesses, such as rigidity and limited adaptability to changing requirements, and weigh these factors against the specific needs of the project before deciding to adopt the Waterfall approach.

Agile

Software development using the agile methodology emphasizes teamwork, client feedback and ongoing improvement. Agile projects are broken up into smaller sections known as sprints or iterations, allowing for regular reevaluation and modification.

Strengths 

•  Flexibility: Agile’s capacity for adaptation is one of its greatest assets. Agile embraces change as a basic premise, in contrast to conventional Waterfall techniques. Teams can react quickly to changing requirements, market circumstances, or new information thanks to this flexibility. Agile teams can modify a project’s priorities and features in response to changing business requirements, making sure that the finished product still meets the stated goals.
• Customer-Centric: The importance of customer collaboration and feedback is emphasized by agile. Involving clients or users early on in the development process is a priority. By placing the needs and expectations of the consumer first, a product that meets those needs and expectations is provided. Teams can iteratively improve the product through frequent feedback loops, demos and user testing sessions, leading to a solution that better serves its target market.
• Early Deliveries: Agile encourages the gradual delivery of functional prototypes or features. Agile teams give stakeholders early glimpses of the functionality of the product before the project is fully finished. Early in the development phase, these incremental deliverables give stakeholders measurable value. It enables speedy confirmation of hypotheses, aids in the early detection of potential problems and can even hasten the project’s return on investment (ROI).
• Continuous improvement: A culture of continuous improvement is promoted through agile approaches. Agile is known for its frequent retrospectives, where teams evaluate their performance and pinpoint areas for improvement. The team is continually looking for ways to operate more productively, communicate better and produce items of higher quality thanks to this approach. Additionally, it encourages the development of better practices and guarantees that the team will continue to be flexible and responsive to change.
• Enhanced Risk Management: Agile’s incremental and iterative approach has built-in advantages for risk reduction. The project is divided into smaller, more manageable chunks (typically called sprints or iterations), which allows for the early identification and mitigation of hazards. Early risk management reduces the likelihood of  facing significant obstacles or project failure later on. Agile is a proactive approach to risk management because of how transparent and collaborative it is, which enables teams to identify hazards quickly and take appropriate action.

Weaknesses

• Complexity : Agile’s emphasis on teamwork and open communication can be vulnerable in some situations. Agile may make it difficult for large or dispersed teams to sustain the degree of active collaboration required. Decision-making might become complex and take longer due to coordination across time zones or cultural barriers. Additionally, coordinating a large team’s contributions and making sure everyone is on board with the project’s objectives can be difficult, which can cause communication bottlenecks and potential productivity problems.
• Scope Creep: If not adequately managed, scope creep can occur in agile initiatives. Agile’s adaptability, which encourages modifications and adjustments, can occasionally result in a project’s scope being increased beyond what was originally anticipated. Timelines and budgets for projects may be impacted since new work may need more time and resources. Agile relies heavily on effective scope management to avoid scope creep, including explicit requirements and change control procedures. 
• Lack of documentation: Agile might have less thorough documentation than more established approaches like Waterfall. Agile promotes working software over thorough documentation, which can cause problems in some situations. Without adequate documentation, regulatory compliance or knowledge transfer to future teams may be hampered. It’s crucial to strike a balance between agility and the requirements for documentation.

Choosing the Right Method: 

• Project Type: Waterfall is appropriate for clearly defined projects with consistent needs, including software for regulatory compliance. Agile is preferable for projects like web development or the construction of mobile apps that have changing or ambiguous requirements.
• Client involvement: Consider the level of the client’s or end-users’ involvement during development. While Waterfall frequently delays client involvement until the very end, Agile encourages ongoing client feedback and participation.
• Project Size: Agile’s quick iterations are beneficial for smaller projects, whereas Waterfall’s structure and predictability may be necessary for larger, more complicated projects.
• Timeline: Evaluate the timeline for your project. While Agile offers flexibility in altering timeframes, Waterfall may be better suited for projects with strict deadlines.
• Team Experience: Take your development team’s experience into account. Agile’s collaborative nature may call for more seasoned team members.
• Regulatory Requirements: Waterfall’s thorough documentation and control may be required for projects that must adhere to tight regulatory norms.

There is no one size fits all answer to the Agile vs. Waterfall argument. Your project’s specific details, such as its scale, customer engagement, timeframe, budget and regulatory constraints, will determine your best course of action. Agile gives flexibility and adaptability whereas Waterfall offers stability and predictability. Many businesses use hybrid techniques, which combine the finest aspects of both cultures. In the end, choosing the appropriate methodology is an important choice that should be in line with the unique requirements and objectives of your project to ensure a successful software development journey.

GoodWorkLabs is a leading global software development company specializing in custom software product development for clients in the USA, Europe, and India. We assist startups and Fortune 500 companies on their digital transformation journey by creating top-notch applications tailored to their specific needs. With expertise in various technologies like Java Microservices, PHP, Ruby on Rails, and more, we follow agile methodologies to continuously deliver scalable software solutions for various platforms. Our services include cloud-based and SaaS products, responsive web development, progressive web apps, and enterprise solutions, all aimed at providing tailored, innovative digital solutions to businesses. 

At GoodWorkLabs we excel in open-source software development for clients seeking quick, cost-effective solutions. To know more, schedule a call with ‘GoodWorkLabs experts’.

Software development is a dynamic and ever-evolving process that involves designing, coding, testing, and maintaining computer programs to meet specific requirements. Designing, creating, testing, and maintaining computer programs that meet specific requirements constitute the dynamic and constantly changing process known as software development. In recent years, data has become increasingly important to software development , significantly influencing the software industry. The development, deployment, and optimization of software has been completely transformed by the adoption of data-driven approaches. This blog delves into the various aspects of data’s complex function in software development, including data-driven decision-making, machine learning, analytics, and big data use.

• Data Driven Decision Making 

In software development, data-driven decision-making entails using data to support and direct the decision-making process. Decisions in the past were frequently made using intuition and subjective judgment, which can lead to less-than-ideal results. With data analytics, software developers can now rely on actual facts to guide their decisions throughout the whole software development life cycle. The quality and performance of software products are eventually enhanced by this data-driven approach to decision-making.

• Gathering user Insights and Recruitments 

Data is essential in software development for gathering requirements and gaining important insights into user behavior and demands. Developers can better understand consumer preferences, problems, and expectations by analyzing user data. With this information, developers may precisely adapt software solutions to meet user needs, leading to improved user experiences and higher levels of user satisfaction. Developers can design products that are more relevant and appealing to their target audience by making the software fit with customer expectations. This will ultimately boost user engagement and long-term success.

• Testing and Quality Assurance 

By utilizing actual test results, data-driven testing and quality assurance have completely changed software development. With this method, software performance, dependability, and durability are assessed using data from real-world circumstances, giving a more accurate picture of how the software will behave. Additionally, by drawing on past data and making predictions about potential problems, machine learning approaches automate the testing process, improving test efficiency and coverage. By integrating data-driven testing and machine learning, developers may proactively identify and address software faults, resulting in superior software quality and a better user experience .This data-centric strategy greatly lowers the possibility of serious issues, resulting in more dependable and durable software solutions.

• Performance Optimization 

Data is essential for performance optimization,  a crucial area of focus for developers. Developers can identify performance bottlenecks and opportunities for development by collecting and evaluating performance-related data, such as response times, resource use, and error rates. They can make well-informed decisions to improve software stability and efficiency thanks to this data-driven approach.  By fixing recognized problems and optimizing crucial components, developers can produce software that runs quicker and more effectively, resulting in a better user experience and higher overall performance. 

• Predictive Maintenance and Bug Fixing 

Developers can predict when maintenance is necessary and ensure that preventive actions are done in a timely manner by reviewing historical performance data and looking for patterns. This proactive strategy reduces system downtime, improves software dependability and averts the development of serious problems. Predictive maintenance enables programmers to fix possible issues before they worsen, improving software performance and enhancing user experience. This data-driven approach delivers greater software stability and customer happiness in the end.

• Machine Learning 

Software can examine huge datasets, spot patterns, and make informed decisions due to machine learning. Machine learning has made it possible to build intelligent and adaptable software applications in a number of fields, including natural language processing, picture identification and predictive analytics. From chatbots offering personalized responses to anticipating user behavior and optimizing performance, machine learning enables developers to create sophisticated and dynamic solutions that continuously evolve and adapt to suit user needs and expectations. 

• Image and Video Analysis 

By enabling software to identify and analyze patterns and objects in visual data, machine learning has completely changed the way that image and video analysis is done. Machine learning algorithms can identify and verify people from photos or video frames in sectors like facial recognition, improving security and user experiences. Machine learning is used by object detection algorithms to recognize and track things in real-time, which is essential in applications like robotics and surveillance.. With the help of this technology, computer vision applications have become more intelligent and perceptive, providing new avenues for growth.

• Big Data in Software Development 

Due to its sheer size and complexity, traditional data processing methods frequently find it difficult to handle large data. In order to handle massive datasets effectively, developers have embraced distributed databases, NoSQL databases, and cloud storage options. Developers may analyze and process data in real-time while creating dynamic and responsive apps thanks to real-time data processing tools like Apache Kafka and Apache Spark. Furthermore, big data has made it possible to make data-driven decisions, predictive analytics and visualize data, giving developers the tools they need to make ground-breaking, data-centric software.

• Data Security and Privacy

Data security and privacy are becoming top priorities in software development as big data keeps expanding. To protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, data breaches, and cyber-attacks, developers must put in place comprehensive security measures. To safeguard data integrity and confidentiality, access controls, and secure authentication techniques are crucial. Additionally, it is essential to follow data protection laws like the GDPR or CCPA to guarantee that user data is treated lawfully and morally. Developers can increase user confidence, reduce risks, and preserve the reputation of their software products in a society that is becoming more and more data-driven by prioritizing data security and privacy.

In conclusion, data now serves as the foundation for software development. The world of software development has changed as a result of the use of big data, machine learning, analytics, and data-driven decision-making. Data is essential at every stage of the software development life cycle, from gathering requirements to testing, performance optimization and creating predictive models. The importance of data will probably increase as technology develops, opening up new potential for innovation in the software industry. For developers and companies looking to succeed in the digital age, adopting data-driven processes and being on the cutting edge of data-related technology is extremely important. 

GoodWorkLabs is a leading software development company that offers outsourced software product development services in the USA, Europe, Middle East and India. With expertise in DevOps, Java Microservices, PHP, Ruby on Rails, .NET, Java, and more, we help startups and Fortune 500 companies with their digital transformation journey. Data-driven approaches are a key component of the services we offer at GoodWorkLabs. We utilize data analytics to improve and enhance our solutions. Using a methodical approach, we collect, analyze and interpret data to find insights that help individuals make wise decisions. We improve user experiences, tailor content and optimize strategy by utilizing these insights. Our dedication to data-driven strategies gives us the freedom to constantly adapt and change, ensuring that our clients maintain an advantage in competitive markets. For more details please visit our website.

The importance of choosing the right technology stack

The use of the right technology stack is the essence of a successful digital product. But choosing the right blend of technology is always tricky. 

At GoodWorkLabs, we offer an expert tech consultation that is unique for every digital product in question. In this post, we have given a more generalized road to help you choose the right tech stack for your application. We are laying down all the possible options for your reference so that you can manifest the right blend for your brand.

Technology stack: Definition & Popular Technology

In layman’s language, web app development requires a database, a server, HTML+CSS, and programming language. All these layers put together, form a tech stack for web development.

Technically, a technology stack is a combination of components which satisfies all the layers of mobile or web application and can directly affect the app functionality. The anatomy here is very simple with two major layers:

• the client-side (frontend; the presentation, what the user sees)
• server-side (backend; the website’s functionality, processes)

Frontend frameworks and libraries:

1) Bootstrap:

• Customizable, saves time, easy to use with a bunch of other helpful components.
• Recommended when you are opting for a ‘mobile first’ application.

2) Angular:

• JS-based framework, good for projects with easy code integration
• New Angular 5 makes it easy to reduce the runtime with the built-in code optimizer
• It is recommended for developing single-page web applications, cross-platform mobile apps, landing pages, and common websites.
• Already used by Google, PayPal, and Upwork

3) Vue.js:

• JS framework which easily integrates with JS libraries
• It is recommended for large-scale and single-page projects.
• Already used by Alibaba, WizzAir, Grammarly

4) React:

• JS library for making user interfaces (UI)
• Active community with numerous ready-made components
• Quick development
• It is recommended for web applications or platforms which require a very responsive UI.
• Already used by Facebook, Reddit, Netflix

5) JQuery:

• JS library that is used for code optimization

Programming Languages:

• PHP:

PHP is particularly designed for web development and creating dynamic web pages. Though it had certain vulnerabilities, it is considered to be the most popular language. Also, as PHP based apps are easy to code, it means that you can cut greatly on expenses by saving time.

• JavaScript (JS):

JavaScript is a convenient, versatile and effective high-level programming language which can be used for both server-side and client-side code. It is recommended for dynamic, agile and modern websites.

• Java:

Java is well-documented and supports numerous libraries. It is used widely for both complex website and dynamic mobile apps. The popular frameworks are Hibernate, Grails, Spring, Dropwizard, and Apache Wicket.

• C#:

With the capability of processing heavy data flow and the flexibility to create all kinds of application, C# is a popular cross-platform technology among developers.

Backend frameworks:

1) Ruby on Rails:

• One of the popular tech stack among startups, ROR is perfect for all kinds of apps from basic web pages to high-traffic web portals. 
• For developers, ROR is very easy to learn and use
• It is fast and scalable
• It uses DRY (“don’t repeat yourself”) design pattern and MVC concept (“model-view-controller”)
• RoR is already used by Airbnb, Basecamp, Twitch, Shopify,  and Zendesk.

2) Django:

• Django is versatile and can be used for startups, medium-sized projects, and high-loaded websites. It is a clean, secure, fast, and scalable framework for rapid development. Along with being well-documented,  it comes with its own lightweight server.
• Already used by Discus, Mozilla, Instagram, and National Geographic.

3) .NET:

• .NET allows developing any type of web app faster and making it scalable. It is very easy to add APIs and live communication features. It has an active community and is extensively documented.
• Already used by Xbox.com, Microsoft, Stack Overflow

4) Node.js:

• Node.js allows optimizing code on complex, high-performance, and data-intensive real-time apps. It is simple, fast, and expressive. It is recommended for apps that involve real-time streaming, collaboration tools, and chatting.

5) Express.js:

• As the name suggests Express.js is a minimalist, flexible, and resource-efficient framework which uses templates and requires minimum efforts. It is recommended for APIs and simple web and mobile services.

6) Flask:

• Flask is another well-documented framework with a highly active community. It is recommended when the client requires to build a service on a resource-constrained system. Also, it is good for serious websites and RESTful APIs.

Databases

1) MongoDB:

• MongoDB is a NoSQL, document-based database which can be used for storing large volumes of unstructured data. It can also be used in a cloud-based environment.

2) PostgreSQL:

• PostgreSQL has multi-version control and supports custom data types. Basically, it is an object-relational database with NoSQL features and is used for storing a gigantic volume of data (up to 32 TB per table).

3) MySql:

• The plus points of this most popular relational database are that MySql is highly scalable, easy to set up, cloud-reafy and is platform independent.

Popular technology stacks

You can also pick from already designed popular web stack. They have a solid foundation and you can easily customize them as per your requirements. The major tech stacks that have been used are LAMP(Linux-Apache-MySql-PHP), MEAN (MongoDB-Express.js-Angular-Node.js) and .NET.

LAMP alternatives:

• WAMP: Windows, Apache, MySql, PHP
• LAPP: Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, PHP
• WISA: Windows, IIS, SQL, ASP.NET
• XAMPP: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, Apache, MySql, PHP, Perl
• MAMP: Mac OS X, Apache, MySql, PHP

MEAN alternative:

• MEEN: MongoDB, Ember.js, Express.js, Node.js

Conclusions

The success of your project majorly depends on the tech stack that you choose in the beginning. With so many fishes in the pond, it is difficult to say which one will work best for you. But GoodWorkLabs can help!

Let’s discuss your requirements and compile the perfect tech stack for your next project. Drop us a quick message with your requirements and we will have our tech expert get in touch with you soon

Why Ruby On Rails Is Preferred For Web Development?

Ruby On Rails has been constantly showcased as the best language for web development from the past few years. The framework has been much appreciated by developers from all over the globe and it has been in the spotlight now for too long. Let us try to understand what makes RoR a web worthy framework.

To begin with, let us understand that Rails follows a convention over configuration philosophy and has a strong focus on web application development. This means that once you have got to grips with the framework, it is generally much quicker to develop a web application than other languages. Many of the problems you are likely to face are solved elegantly by the framework.

There is a vibrant community of extremely talented people all solving problems you are likely to have and publishing gems that you can use in your application. So say for example you want to include authentication in your application there are three or four ready made solutions available for you. Furthermore because Rails is open source you can do whatever you like with it.

Do you know that the source code of Twitter, Basecamp, AirBnB, Shopify, and Dribble are made up of Ruby? Technically, Ruby on Rails is a software development framework mainly supporting Ruby programming language.Ruby follows Object-oriented Programming paradigms and uses  dynamic programming paradigms. The powerful framework Rails in ROR is becoming a powerful combination for modern programmers.

There are numerous qualities that render ROR as an emerging web development language.

Productive

Technically, Rail is a self-documenting framework. Therefore, developers from other programming platforms can pick up any project based on ROR and know what has been done to it.

Moreover, readability of code is awesome and highly comprehensive. It makes team collaboration far easier and quick. The project re-assignment is another feature in productivity improvements.

In short, Ruby on Rails helps developers to launch web apps within a short schedule and time frame. The evidence of the power of ROR is web giants including GitHub, Slideshare, and Goodreads.

Express

ROR framework can significantly boost the speed of web development because:

• ROR gives a cleaner code base with less redundant code
• It allows reuse of existing code and components so developers can avoid reinventing wheel again-and-again by developing the same from the scratch
• ROR prefers convention over configurations and saves developers to configuring files for set up
• It makes things easy when developers go from one project to another because ROR web developers can utilize the same code, architecture, structure, and programming practices
• It also makes changing developers on a project easy or more developers can join in the midst of the project if it required
• Developers need not decide on the defaults that already present, just think of tweaking them as per need
• Ruby is OOP language and open source so ROR developers can use extensive collection of source code templates available in the community ROR framework can absorb changes easily, so it is ideal for rapid application development project

Economically Viable

Writing code in Ruby means, writing in English. It increases the speed of coding and cut timeline of the ROR development project considerably. Moreover, it is open source and comes with free of charge licenses.

These attributes make ROR web development cost-effective. Rails is a powerful web development framework for SMB to enterprise level projects. It has all tools to automate tons of tasks and cut significant sections of the entire project.

Ruby on Rails helps web designers and web developers to focus on specific problems and their solutions, instead of messing into the framework itself. Thus, it speeds up development greatly.

Easily Available

It is open source project, and we know the ultimate benefits of open source. Free licensing and free to download source code are immediate attractions of ROR open source project.

It works on any operating system and browser, so compatibility is not an issue with Ruby on Rails web development project. Moreover, it has huge developer community ready to help others to resolve issues immediately.

Enough documents, forums, and blogs are learning resources besides exchanging thoughts and experiences on ROR designing and ROR programming topics.

Flexible

Ruby on Rails framework has enough tools to make modification on the existing web app. The additions of new features, changes in data models, and tweaking the project code is easy in ROR web project.

It eases updates and maintenance of ROR web app project with adequate speed and flexibility. Thus, the flexibility of ROR platform saves time and money for investors and web developers a lot.

Uncomplicated

Ruby has simple English-like syntax. It is very native and logical, so any level of software developer can grasp its fundamental and start coding. It has great readability that makes ROR almost self-documenting.

It helps developers to avoid writing separate comments or help texts. Moreover, ROR prefers conventions over configuration, so it saves developers to remember the details regarding configuration files and code.

Powerful

ROR is a powerful framework because it provides the best ways to do web design and programming. Rails follow Representational State Transfer (REST), so it helps developers to organize application around the resources and standard HTTP verbs. ROR follows responsible development practices. Thus, developers can start with a manageable chunk of code, share ownership, deal with vertical slices, and focus on three “Cs”-Compact, Clean, and Comprehensive coding practices.

Excellent Framework

ROR is emphasizing DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) programming practices and prevent ROR developers to reinventing the wheel again-and-again.

For instance, ROR encouraging automated testing over manual testing, which is repetitive in nature. Thus, it saves time, resources, and money spends on ROR project.

Extended Community

The supports on a proprietary programming language is a costly affair while on open source, it is totally free of charge experience. ROR has a large developer community to support willingly and through a variety of ways.

ROR community helps you through email, forums, blogs, live chats, social media, and on instant messengers.

Ruby On Rails is comprehensive and allows web developers to be more agile and expressive. Apart from being speedy, it allows robust web development which is facilitated by the constant support across the community. Being an open source platform, it provides an opportunity for everyone, every single time.

Why Ruby On Rails Is Still Preferred?

The same reasons why it was a worthy framework in 2004. The more things change, the more they stay the same. While we’ve seen a lot a progress in the JavaScript world, we’ve also seen a regression to the complexity-laden world that Rails offered refuge from in the early days.

The core premise of Rails remains in many ways as controversial today as it was when it premiered. That by formalizing conventions, eliminating valueless choices, and offering a full-stack framework that provides great defaults for anyone who wants to create a complete application, we can make dramatic strides of productivity.

Rails has an incredibly ambitious mission. In the full-stack goal lies a pursuit to deal with just about every piece of code needed to connect databases and no-sql stores to a business domain model written in Ruby to a set of controllers that expose that model via REST and then, yes, finally to HTML. But that last step is a small minority of the code and focus of Rails.

So if you think that client-side depends on  MVC, React, Angular, or whatever is The Future, then you’re still squarely in the target audience for using Rails. Because the bits you use to design your HTML/JavaScript-based UI still needs to connect to a back-end domain model that saves stuff to the databases, computes things, enqueues jobs for later processing, sends out emails, triggers push notifications, and all the other stuff that real apps need to do.

What makes Rails still a force to reckon with:

Stability & Consistency

Rails has been around for over a decade, and while it sees commit activity on a daily basis, most updates are incremental and non-breaking. This means Rails developers have the security of knowing their knowledge will remain applicable and their apps will not suddenly be running on abandoned dependencies. For new developers, it’s a safe bet, which is more than can be said for many web frameworks.

Knowledgeable Community

WordPress is undisputed in its position as the most-used “framework” for building a new website. One of the pitfalls of immense popularity and ease of use is the tendency to attract inexperienced developers. While there are plenty of poorly developed Rails apps and gems, there’s a higher-than-average quality-level across Ruby-based tools.

When you need help, the expertise of the community is important, too. Take a look through questions tagged Ruby or Ruby on Rails on Stack Overflow, and you’ll quickly get a sense of the depth of knowledge there.

Enjoyment

Rails follows in the footsteps of Ruby by valuing the enjoyment of the developer. It shows in features that go out of their way to behave the way that you would intuitively expect, even when it violates soft rule of programming.

The cherry is that you get to use Ruby, which, even in a world that has rediscovered the benefits of functional programming and immutability, remains the most extraordinarily beautiful and luxurious language you will ever encounter. Just look at some code. 

We dare you not to fall in love.

Top Websites built on Ruby on Rails Technology

Ruby is an active, object-oriented programming language. Rails is a web application for framework development and Ruby is the language written in it. Now that we are clearly informed about the basics, let’s take a look at some of the amazing projects developed on it, shall we?

1.     Airbnb

Shocked? Me too. If you are an avid traveler, you will be familiar with this company. Airbnb is a platform for people to easily find accommodation in a location they are visiting. Now, these aren’t hotels but rather houses and apartments offered by the owners or agencies. Airbnb was founded 9 years ago when three guys went from renting mattresses to owning a $10 billion company.

Airbnb has been relying on Rails since 2008 (when it first started). Last year they improved their large-scale payment systems and as a result managed to have systems that have strong transactional integrity, a robust audit trail and very predictable failure behavior.

2.     Hulu

Hulu is a successful online platform showcasing movies and TV shows legally and for free- well initially at least. Some like to call it Netflix’s slightly less popular sister but what makes Hulu different from its huge competitor Netflix, is that Hulu receives its content much faster. The trade-off here is that Netflix has a wider range of content but for those who wish to keep up with the latest shows and movies, Hulu is the perfect choice.

At a recent conference, Hulu’s ex development manager explained how Rails greatly benefitted their company- “The ideals of Rails – convention over configuration, Don’t Repeat Yourself (whenever possible, reuse as much code as possible rather than duplicating similar code in multiple places), test first, and agile – are quickly becoming pervasive throughout software development” he said.

It’s Rails that provides Hulu with a large and enticing library full of content along with easy navigation on various platforms.

3.     SoundCloud

SoundCloud is the world’s leading platform for users to create and share their music everywhere with everyone. This makes it easy for anyone to record and self-promote their music on various social networks and blogs.

With $60 million in recent funding, SoundCloud is all set to become a key competitor against paid platforms such as iTunes and Google Play.

4.     Groupon
 
Groupon, now a global pioneer of offering great discount deals in the local commerce business, initially founded in 2008, has shown tremendous growth.

With RoR, the developers got the site up and running with the advantage of easily adding new features. The company’s front-end began to thrive with this implementation.

5.     GitHub

If you are a programmer or a developer then you are bound to know about this amazing platform. The social networking hub for software developers allows them to store previous versions of their projects (lines of codes and all) to allow them to revisit the entire code and make changes to release new versions and updates. With GitHub, developers can work together to make the changes and upload the latest version of their projects in the most efficient manner. And networking with likeminded people is of course, a plus!

Built entirely on RoR, GitHub allows programmers to create a brand-new project based off pre-existing projects by forking, make changes to existing projects so they can be recognized by the original developers and lastly, access changelogs so everyone is informed in the loop.
Ending Remarks

These projects demonstrate tremendous caliber and creativity on varying levels. It is evident how Ruby on Rails has allowed them to kick start their venture and support it in becoming a popular resource used by millions. And who knows, perhaps you will build the next Airbnb or Hulu of our generation.

If you are looking for professional Ruby on Rails developers for your websites, then just leave us a quick message with your requirements below

The job market is HOT and scanning the crowd for experienced, proficient developers and it is not too late for you to join in. With numerous programming languages floating around it can be hard to decipher which ones are best suited for beginners looking to dip their feet into the pool of coding.

Below is a list of some of the easiest languages gathered through extensive research along with their pros and cons to help you decide which is the right one for you to begin your coding journey with.

1. JavaScript

Not to be confused with Java, this is majorly a front-end development scripting language. Java is a programming language. This language is especially popular with beginners since it has a wide applicability and is dynamically-typed. More than that, it sets you up for learning more complicated languages like C++ in the future.

Used for: Web Development

Used by: Accenture, Google, Warby Parker, Canon and Fitbit

Pros

• Cross-platform compatible
• No compiler
• Gateway to other languages (e.g C, C++)

Cons

• Not a class-based object-oriented language
• Dynamically-typed (untyped)
• Difficult to debug

2. Python

This is a great example of an easy programming language for beginners. Python supports object-oriented, procedural and functional programming. There is huge chunk of the community dedicated to teaching it, making it easily accessible for anyone.

Used for: Web and Desktop Application development

Used by: YouTube, Dropbox, Yahoo, NASA and Mozilla

Pros

• Can be used for both Desktop and Web apps
• Open-source
• Easy to read

Cons

• Requires one to maintain a set naming convention
• Weak in mobile computing
• Has design restrictions- since it is dynamically typed, it requires more testing and has errors that only show up at runtime

3. Ruby on Rails

While Ruby on Rails refers to a framework, Ruby is the programming language that is used under this belt. This is easy to read and a recommended for anyone with sans-programming experience. Ruby is essentially a collection of shortcuts, but is perfect for beginners as many Startups are hiring RoR developers, so even with entry-level experience one can land a position.

Used for: Web App development

Used by: Airbnb, SoundCloud, Groupon, Bloomberg and Hulu

Pros

• Heavily used
• High demand in the job market
• Development takes less time

Cons

• Not as fast as apps written on Java or C languages
• Difficult for scaling
• Consumes more system resources

4. Java

This is one of the oldest programming languages remaining. It is immensely popular and flexible in terms of developing cross-platform. Widely used, Java is object-oriented and a class based language. It is however, slightly more challenging in comparison to beginner level languages. It derives its language from C and C++ which is why many courses start with these languages before moving to Java.

Used for: Web and App development

Used by: Intel, Uber, Spotify, eBay and Yelp

Pros

• Widely used and accepted
• Has numerous resources
• One of oldest programming languages

Cons

• Gets syntax from C/C++ so it could be better to learn those first
• Requires very analytical thinking
• Bigger projects can be hard to compile and build

5. C and C++

These are the best introductory languages to recommend to anyone. They form the basis for languages like Java or other more complicate ones. Learning C and C++ can perfectly position you to get going in the future. Learning and grasping the fundamentals from these languages can be invaluable. It can be challenging for first-timers but if you’re able to overcome this speedbump, the rewards are bountiful.

Used for: Application development

Used by: Google- Android OS Chrome server, Microsoft- Windows, Visual Studio, Facebook- Apache Hive, Apple- OS and largely universities.

Pros

• Gives you an exceptional computer science background
• Great for software and game development
• Good choice for low-level programming

Cons

• Time-consuming for development and maintenance
• Takes several years to master
• More lucrative but has fewer job openings

Here are some online resources to help you get started!

CodeAcademy

Udacity

Coursera

Every programming language has its pros and cons but it is up to you to decipher which one works best for you. These are also some of the most in-demand languages in the market today, so roll your sleeves up and get coding!

Ruby on Rails is the Ideal Answer for eCommerce Solutions

It is not an easy task to set up an e-commerce site that works as per its stated objectives. Apart from the complex business KRAs, one also has to take into account several other important factors like a great user experience, a powerful back end, secured payment gateway, a robust content management system, hosting, development and design.

Though many of you may be already aware of the web design and development process, a common question that often pops up is why should one choose Ruby on Rails  (RoR) to build their e-commerce sites?

Today, we will try to answer this crucial question.

Ruby on Rails has come a long way and the primary three reasons why eCommerce websites prefer it are:

1. Rapid development within budget
2. High compatibility
3. Strong ecosystem

Let us look ahead and expand these reasons and understand why RoR has become a trendsetter.

5 Reasons why Ruby on Rails makes perfect sense

1.    Active collaboration & Versatility

The development community for Ruby is tremendously responsive and active. Programmers are tirelessly developing new programs for communicating with other Application Programming Interfaces or APIs. So the Ruby developers have an added advantage of a versatile toolkit to depend on.

2.    Quick Turnaround Time

Ruby on Rails is a fast tool for application development that enables the developers to model out the features of an e-commerce site quite fast. The leap between modeling, estimating as well as the actual development phase is extremely fast. This feature is helpful for bigger projects that need the developers to find out the ease or difficulty level with which a fresh functionality or feature can be implemented.

3.    Adoption and demand in future

Today, websites are no longer static as they used to be earlier. In fact, they are much more interactive and dynamic. There are many web-based services running on Ruby on Rails, which have been recently launched. Ruby on Rails allows websites to be more dynamic and more flexible to changes in the future. It foresees the future demands and its solutions.

4.    Great cost savings

One interesting point to note here is that Ruby on Rails is available as a free toolkit, running on Linux, which is also a free OS or operating system software. Ruby on Rails can work with many databases as well as free web servers. If you remember, earlier, Microsoft’s ASP or Active Server Pages was a platform, which was popular. But the users had to pay for Microsoft Windows as well as  for the back-end SQL Server from Microsoft. The latter was also used as a data source. Since Ruby on Rails is free development platform, costs can be significantly lowered without compromising performance, security or speed.

5.    Easy to use

The web developers can understand the concept of this development tool quite easily. However, it may take some time to explain in case you are not accustomed with the process of creating a site earlier. The way this tool was created, it has a well-balanced synergy between methodology and the structure while writing the program. Since a developer’s programming style does not get into conflict with writing the program, the learning curve is much shorter when the code is passed down from one programmer to the next one. This feature is immensely useful when you will need multiple developers working on the same project.

Some of the top brands have trusted Ruby on Rails to build their website.

Read here for the list of top brands who have used RoR for their website.

A number of languages can be used for creating an e-commerce website, these include Cold Fusion, Python, Perl, ASP, PHP and Java among others. However, Ruby on Rails provides a specific set of advantages as discussed above to add true value to your e-commerce website development project.

Ruby’s syntax is loved because of its clarity and simplicity, beauty and readability. Most methods and classes are named very logically and could be read like a book. A well-written Ruby code gives opportunity to even beginners in the eCommerce field.

Try out Ruby on Rails and experience the difference yourself.

It will get your business rail back on track.