The reasons why Ionic is the perfect pick for developing PWAs?

Posted by Parija Rangnekar On Filed under Ionic, Web App 1 Comment
The reasons why Ionic is the perfect pick for developing PWAs?
ionic app development services
A progressive Web Application (PWA) is a disruptive innovation that has redefined the basic tenets of the web experience in smartphones. It is an ingenious blend of the best of both worlds – responsive websites and native mobile applications. Needless to say, PWAs are gaining momentum and are predicted to be the next big thing in the realm of mobile app development. Switching to PWAs turned out to be highly profitable for several biggies as users started to spend more time on PWAs. Take a look at some of the success stories of PWA adoption.
Flipkart experienced an increase of 40% in the re-engagement rate and 70% in the conversion rate!
Twitter succeeded in getting down the bounce rate by 20% and increasing the pages per session by 65%!
The click rate in “trivago” shot up by 97% and there was a 50% hike in user engagement!
Hence, the rate of PWA adoption is rising and it has been observed that most businesses prefer to hire Ionic app development services for executing their Progressive Web App development project. Business enterprises like Facebook, Tinder, BookMyShow, Starbucks, Forbes, Pinterest, and Uber have successfully expanded their customer base with the help of Ionic PWAs.
In this blog, I have penned down the reasons why Ionic has gained a lot of traction amongst the software community for being one of the best frameworks for progressive web app development. But before we dive deeper, let me enlighten you about Ionic and PWAs.

Ionic in nutshell

Ionic is an open-sourced SDK for creating Hybrid applications. It is built in JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 and has AngularJS as its base. It not only possesses TypeScript extensions and Cordova plugins but also offers numerous native device features like Fingerprint Authorization, HealthKit, Bluetooth, etc. This enables the Ionic app developers to architect futuristic apps with ease. No wonder, Ionic mobile app development has gained immense popularity these days.

Insights on PWA

A PWA is an application software that is delivered via the web and works like native apps. Introduced by Google in 2015, it has been built using JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, and designed to work for platforms using standard-compliant browsers. PWAs are easily accessible and discoverable like web apps, are convenient like mobile apps, are easy to install, affordable, and display unparalleled performance. A PWA installed in your device, utilizes the cached data from earlier interactions to function in an offline mode and thereby addresses problems like connectivity issues and lack of a stable connection.

The X Factor in Ionic that facilitates PWA development

ionic mobile app development
Take a look at the top reasons to leverage Ionic development services for developing PWAs.
Angular Support
Ionic enjoys the support of Angular, which is known for its ability to develop exceedingly interactive mobile and web applications. Angular’s component API forms the foundation of the Ionic framework and AngularJS provides the sentence structure extensions of HTML to Ionic. These goodies help Ionic developers add amazing and user-friendly functionalities to the app.
A Free and Open-Source Framework
As Ionic is open-sourced, managing the code structure becomes super-easy, resulting in a faster, and budget-friendly development. Moreover, Ionic is authorized under the MIT license and is merged with mobile-optimized codes of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 components.
Cross-platform Compatibility
Ionic, being platform-independent leads to the creation of apps that run seamlessly on the major operating systems- Windows, iOS, and Android. When these applications are deployed via Apache Cordova with a single codebase, they automatically adapt themselves to the platform or device they are functioning in.
A Captivating UI
Ionic’s re-adaptable and reusable UI elements help to create visually attractive interfaces. Furthermore, Ionic adds pre-defined CSS classes to modify and customize the major components like buttons, caches, navigation, form inputs, sliding menu, and pop-ups.
A Strong CLI
Ionic’s Strong CLI (Command Line Interface) enables creating, building, testing, debugging, and deploying applications with ease. The CLI also ensures faster installation due to reduced dependencies thereby enhancing performance as well.
Cordova Plugins
Ionic is an HTML5 framework and so requires a native wrapper to function like native apps. Cordova, a bunch of command-line tools, and the plugin bridge acts as a native wrapper and also enable easy access to native-like device features such as GPS, camera, etc.
Remote updating
Earlier, the developers followed the traditional approach of posting updates on the App Store and then left it to the client’s discretion whether they are going to update the app or not. However, things changed with the advent of Ionic empowered Hybrid apps. Since Hybrid apps function within a web view, developers can now remotely update the app at the web layer outside the app store, using smart tools such as PhoneGap ContentSync, Ionic Deploy, etc.
Community Support
The Ionic community comprises more than 5 million developers around the globe. Community Forum, World Wide Slack, Stack Overflow, and GitHub are some of the forums that answer developer queries and provide them with the necessary guidance.

Ionic PWA development: Steps to get started

It’s time for some practical advice on getting started! Follow these steps.
  • Downloading Ionic and installing the dependencies that are necessary for it.
  • Downloading Node.js6 LTS and NPM 3+ installers and installing Ionic CLI globally.
  • Using Ionic start to begin a new project.
  • Running ionic serves and integrating Ionic with Cordova.
Now, the Ionic app is ready for use. The next step is to add Service Worker and Web Manifest to convert Ionic into a Progressive Web App. Service workers are nothing but the scripts that provide offline functionality, caching features, synchronization in the background, push notifications, etc. Web Manifest provides info in the JSON text file about the application.

Pieces of advice on Ionic PWA development

Would like some useful tips on Ionic progressive web app development? Well then, this is for you!
  • Gather more insights and go through the basic tutorials from the PWA Resource Page.
  • Whitepaper: The Architect’s Guide to PWAs provides practical guidance on project development and the projects best suited for PWA.
  • PWA Toolkit provides information about the best practices of Ionic PWA development.

The alternative frameworks for PWA development

Other than Ionic, Xamarin and React Native can also be good options to consider for progressive web app development. React Native development uses JavaScript and ReactJS, while C# and .Net are used for Xamarin.

Final Verdict:

This blog must have given you panoramic insights on Ionic progressive web app development and you must have realized why the big market players have opted for Ionic, despite the availability of other options. Ionic creates versatile PWAs with an outstanding UI and UX, using standard tools and a single codebase. Hence, Ionic PWAs enable enterprises to explore new horizons, cater to the demanding requirements of present-day customers, and at the same time ensure a cost-efficient development. Would like to architect Progressive Web Applications with the help of an Ionic Development Company? Reach us! We are a noteworthy outsourcing software development company with a rich experience of 10+years in developing Ionic web/mobile apps.
We hope this blog was enlightening! Please do share your thoughts in the comments section.

CMS Security for Safe Website

Posted by Parija Rangnekar On Filed under Web App No Comments
CMS Security for Safe Website
Web App Development Company
With the unprecedented increase in the count of websites online, security threats have also increased over the years.
While building a website has become simple, maintaining its suitable security levels is not easy. A Content Management System is an unmissable part of a website that aids in its growth with time.
Hence, following appropriate CMS security tips is vital to safeguard it from hackers.
Amidst the rising number of cyber threats, it is essential to enjoy a proactive approach in your company to avoid being a victim.
A common CMS benefit is allowing the members to update the website through an intuitive interface rather than using a designated code for the job.
Hence, safeguarding the CMS for a safe website is necessary. However, first, you should know the security threats that commonly attack your website’s CMS:
  • Modifying the settings or parameters
    • Cybercriminals add malicious SQL: codes in the entry field, thereby changing the parameters. Using malicious SQL statements in the entry field changes the settings causing great losses.
  • Compromised user data
    • User data is a company’s major priority, and hackers are well-aware of it. Third-party untrusted applications are used to transfer the harmful code to compromise user data.
  • Injection of code
    • Injection of code has a devastating effect as the full server can be taken down or corrupted, making the company face severe data loss.
However, here are some measures to keep the CMS safe and sound and protect your website and its assets in every possible way.
Web App Developers
  • Always use the updated software versions.
    • Website safety is dicey. It needs consistent monitoring and updates to add to the website’s health. It has been seen that websites that aren’t updated frequently often fall victim to cyber attackers.
    Hence, all companies should have a system that immediately mentions software and plug-in update requests.
    In addition, the website should be monitored for all updates because outdated software is susceptible to attackers and bots. By scanning the website periodically, this chaos can be avoided.
  • Employ HTTPS protocol by installing SSL Certificate
    • A safe website connection enhances website security. It is seen that visitors share their information with websites with HTTPS rather than HTTP.
    In simple words, HTTPS means HTTP with SSL. An SSL Certificate is a security protocol that ensures a secure interface to share confidential data between the browser and client-server.
    The main aim of installing an SSL certificate is to secure your website connection and CMS. Choosing the perfect SSL type from the most reliable CAs can seem tough.
    We have made the task simpler for you; you can choose from a host of CAs such as Comodo, RapidSSL, AlphaSSL, etc.
    If you seek a recommendation on the best and cheapest cert option for a single domain then, there are RapidSSL certificate, GlobalSign single domain, Comodo Essential SSL, etc.
    For e.g., Comodo Essential is available at affordable rates and legally used by millions of companies to safeguard their website and CMS. Comodo Essential SSL offers high-quality encryption features to secure ecommerce transactions and protect customer-sensitive data. With the Comodo Essential SSL certificate, the website will have high security with the padlock, keeping the website’s connection and customer data secure.
  • Use strong passwords
    • The number of hacked websites is rising every day, thereby adding to the importance of stronger passwords. It is suggested to use unique and strong passwords.
    Make sure the password isn’t the same for any other platform. Always use alphanumeric and special characters together to form a password. A password manager can be used to choose a strong password to keep the website’s CMS safe.
  • Create a backup
    • To make your website safe, it is essential to have a good backup solution. In times of emergency, every company should have a strong backup that serves as a helping hand during mishaps.
    It prevents the company from taking all measures to recover the damaged files. Always keep a backup online and offline. Cloud backup is a great option to store data easily and access it anywhere. Automatic backups are also useful for efficient and trustworthy recovery.
  • Safe web hosting
    • The host must offer safety amenities to safeguard the website data. Hence, the host should be chosen with great thought and research. Make sure all the security features all well-understood. Also, check out the secure file transfer protocol and the backup services offered by the web host.
    Once the website owner checks the security features, the web hosting services can be finalized. Also, discuss the security upgrades provided consistently.
  • Altering the default CMS settings
    • Cybercriminals implement automated attacks to harm websites. Once the CMS has been selected, it is essential to alter the default settings. The amendments completely affect the attack rate. Factors such as user visibility, granting access, and control in the comments are involved in this process.
    Thus, there is a requirement to modify the users and grant access. It is noticed that the companies that don’t work on the CMS default settings fall victim to hacker attacks at some phase.
  • Security plug-ins installation
    • Regardless of the safety and the CMS, an extra security layer works as the backbone. For example, aligning the servers offers an exclusive safety layer, but high skills are needed to safeguard the servers safely.
    Therefore, it is more convenient to go for an extension or plug-in to confirm the server configuration and add that additional safety layer to the CMS.
    However, the plug-in feature should be used cautiously as it can pose a later security threat. Also, the plug-ins should be updated regularly to remove all security-related threats.
  • Firewall configuration for enhanced safety
    • To avoid hackers from getting access to your system, the goal should be to stop them at the starting only, where they fail to cross the CMS boundary. After that, one must maintain a check on the connections.
    When discussing the security guide for CMS, the firewall offers several benefits as it keeps the malicious activities at bay and doesn’t allow the hackers and bots to go past the system. It also provides a specific pace to your workflow by allowing filtration as and when needed.

Conclusion

Most companies know how hackers try to get into their systems. Hence, following the above-given steps for their CMS security is important. Furthermore, as a business owner, you must put regular effort into your website.
Leaving the website as it is may create security issues and distrust within the customers. Hence, one should proactively provide complete security to their website and customer data.
If you are looking for technical assistance for developing an impeccable website and maintaining it, contact Biz4Solutions, a distinguished Web App development company. We have an extensive experience of 10+ years in tailoring secure and responsive websites for global clients, based on their business objectives.