Month: March 2021

9 UX trends that are here to stay in 2021

Posted on by galaxy-admin

New trends are emerging in every industry vertical, UX included. To keep business thriving, you have to be quick to recognize, analyze and implement trends on priority. Furthermore, any enhancement in the visual aspects of your product would lead to a higher recall from the users. 

Our experts can not stop themselves from trying new trends. We have listed the ones that will make ripples in 2021.

3D Elements 

There has been a huge surge in three-dimensional designs across the web and mobile interfaces. This not only gives an edge to your flat design but also helps draw users’ attention to the primary features and aspects of your website and app. 

These elements hold user’s attention for a longer period and encourage them to interact with your product. However, all these 3D animations and illustrations need to be optimized so that they don’t increase the page/app’s loading time.  

Engaging Motion Effects 

Animated user stories, parallax scrolling, micro-interactions, etc all are liked by users across demographics. Motions bring life to your design elements like illustrations, animations, etc.

Parallax scrolling is another emerging effect to entice users for further engagement. When users notice the difference in scrolling your webpage, out of curiosity, they will spend a few seconds more. The right mix of effects will make transitions much more delightful for all your users. However, overdoing the same will push back users, thus a few effects on the most vital features and pages should suffice. 

Neumorphism

The mix of flat design and skeuomorphism is Neumorphism. It uses shadows and highlights to give an almost 3D look to the design elements. It layers the elements in a subtle and minimalist way. Designers use similar color pallets, standard shapes, and icons, etc here. This ensures that users don’t get any sudden or unwelcome surprises.  

Asymmetry Arrangements 

The classic layouts have lost their charm among users. Any generic design presented to the users is getting lost in the virtual crowded space. Hence asymmetry and creative approaches are taking the center stage. You will need to brainstorm a lot before you come up with the ‘perfectly asymmetric yet balanced’ structure. Brainstorming is necessary so that you are not compromising on the usability and accessibility aspects of your product at any point. 

Dark Mode 

Dark mode has been implemented successfully by many organizations, but many are yet to follow. Therefore, dark mode makes this list. The benefits of dark mode are now well recognized by users too. It helps in decreasing screen fatigue (something this pandemic brought to light), saves user’s devices batteries, and is worth exploring for your product offering.  

Designers can highlight elements more easily here and use high contrast elements for focusing on the primary functionalities. A win-win situation for all!

Improved Onboarding 

A swift onboarding process will hook users for a longer duration. We saw complex remote collaboration tools and video conferencing options being disliked by users because they were complicated to use and the onboarding process shown was not very helpful. 

A smooth onboarding process with a mix of subtle hints, micro-interactions, and the option to returning to certain learning aspects play a part in creating a lasting impression on users. Storytelling is also being implemented so that a connection with a certain character/avatar can be made by users. 

Color Palettes For Playful Backgrounds 

When the talk is all about standing out from the crowd, bright, neon colors do this for you easily. Designers are willing to play with bold colors like never before. Unconventional color mix, using popping colors on your website, or just highlight the main features are the craze now. 

All this is done so that users are seeing a different and experimental side of your organization. Mixing darker shades with bold colors, following a bold theme throughout your website and app is a great way to stay in your user’s mind. But again ensure that the colors don’t distract users from the primary features and are not bringing on any accessibility issues. 

Typography  

In line with playful color backgrounds, typography is also something that UI/UX designers are testing out lately. Font style, bold text, creative text display are all being played with. And add small animations to your text here and there, users will keep interacting with your app and website. 

Bold text, especially on the hero page screams attention like nothing else (in a good way of course). On one hand, web typography is getting bigger and bold, the apps are leveraging ALL CAPS and creative fonts to fit in varying screen sizes.

Uniqueness Trumps Perfection 

What differentiates you from your competitors? What unique design will create a long-lasting impression on your users? Designers are no longer going after being ‘perfect’ in their design across platforms. In 2021, you will see more creative experiments with design layouts, elements, animations to have a higher recall value. 

Color play, different typography, playing with layouts, and all that we have covered in this blog will all contribute to delivering a unique user experience. These trends have gained a lot of popularity within the designers’ community and will continue to do so until users express some other preferences. 
To know more about our UX services, contact us here. 

Choosing the best Software Architecture for your Enterprise App

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Planning on starting a greenfield software project? Or ever wondered how large enterprise systems are designed? Before major software development starts, we have to choose the right architecture that will offer us the desired functionality and quality attributes. 

Choosing the latest or most popular technology in the market will not always mean that it would bring the best results. However, this does not imply that you opt for legacy technologies.

For example, if there is a project that involves building a regular data capturing form (with less than 15 fields) for a survey, which will be used only once by less than 100 users, then it will be an utter disaster if you will be using highly complex architecture patterns like Microservices. 

Thorough planning must be done when selecting an architecture pattern and the following features must be taken into account:

  • Cost
  • Time to Market
  • Number of users (current and future)
  • Level of isolation (ie: integration with other platforms/systems)
  • Toleration time for system unavailability

What is a Software Architecture Pattern?

Software structures are composed of software elements that function as a blueprint, and design teams depend on these software architectural patterns to a great extent.

“An architectural pattern is a general, reusable approach to commonly appearing problems in software architecture. Whereas, software architecture is the process of converting software characteristics such as flexibility, scalability, etc. into a structured solution that meets the business and the technical expectations.”

For example, when a product owner says they are competing in a rapidly changing market, and they should adapt their business model quickly. The software should be scalable, modular, and maintainable if a business deals with urgent requests that need to be completed successfully in a matter of time. A software architect would then note that the performance and low fault tolerance, reliability, and scalability will be the key characteristics.

What happens with a system without any architecture pattern? 

Whenever you will change the behavior or structure of one class, a ripple effect would follow where multiple other classes would break. Is your software like this? The best way to find out is by using a software design reverse engineering tool like hex-ray that studies your class/component structures. On the other hand, if we are not using a pattern, then we will end up putting in the effort in solving the problems that can be easily solved with one of the patterns.

To help you, we will skim through the fundamentals of a few main software architectural patterns along with the pros and cons of each pattern. Besides, we will explain what architecture pattern would be the best fit for a given scenario.

1. Layered Architecture

One of the most efficient and common models deployed by enterprises is the Layered Architecture. The layers of this model are not interdependent, yet interconnected to each other. This is the conventional approach to designing most software.

For example, if you’d want to switch from an Oracle database to an SQL. This switch may cause you to excel in the database layer but will not have a domino effect on any other layer, hence avoiding any crashes.

What does it solve?


It allows the software to be segmented in such a way that the modules can be evolved and developed separately with little dependencies among the parts, supporting reuse, modifiability, and portability. The layered pattern divides the software into units called layers. Each layer is a grouping of modules that provides a cohesive set of services.

Benefits

  • This architecture helps those enterprises that don’t want to go overboard with experimenting and want to stick to the conventional software architecture design patterns. 
  • Testing components become relatively easier as inter-dependencies are negligible in this format of software development engineering.

Caveats:

  • Larger applications tend to be resource-intensive if based on this format, therefore for such projects, it’s advised to overlook the layered pattern. 
  • The entire version of the software is installed as a single unit irrespective of independent layers. So, you will have to re-install the entire device all over again, even if you update a single layer. 

Best for:

  • New applications that need to be built quickly.
  • General desktop applications.
  • Teams with less experienced developers who don’t understand other architectures yet.
  • Applications needing strict testability and maintainability standards.

2. Event-driven Architecture

The event-driven architecture helps in building a central unit that accepts all data and then assigns it to the separate modules that handle the particular type. This handoff is said to generate an “event,” and is assigned to the code delegated to that type.

Take an example of this pattern from a web page:

When a user clicks a button, the browser interprets the event and surfaces the programmed action, such as video playback, matching the input with the right output. Contrary to the layered architecture where the code must flow top-down and filter through all the layers, event-driven architectures implement modules that are activated only when there is a generation of an event connected to them.

What does it solve?


Sometimes it’s hard for many enterprises to build distributed systems that can service asynchronous arriving messages associated with an event, and that can scale from simple and small to complex and large. This architecture helps in building such systems as it is very adaptable to real-time changes and is suited to asynchronous systems that run on asymmetric data flow. 

Benefits

  • This architecture is suited to applications that tend to scale. It improves the response time of an application, eventually leading to better business outcomes. 
  • It plays a huge role in defining how IoT works. This architecture is widely applicable across networks and applications where devices are part of the IoT and requires exchanging information between even consumers and producers in real-time.

Caveats:

  • If the modules can affect each other then testing can be complex. While individual modules can be tested independently, the interactions between them can only be tested in a fully functioning system. 
  • Sometimes it is harder to understand the architecture due to its high complexity.

Best for:

  • Asynchronous systems with the asynchronous data flow.
  • Building applications with few modules to interact with the individual data blocks.
  • User interfaces.
  • IoT-based applications.

3. Microservices Architecture

Microservices are an independent and self-regulating codebase that can be written and maintained even by a small team of developers. Microservices architecture consists of independent services with each service responsible for the implementation of its related business logic. 

These independent services are separated from each other based on the nature of their domains and belong to a mini-microservice pool. Enterprise mobile app developers leverage the capabilities of this architecture, especially for complex applications. 

What does it solve?

Monolithic applications become too complex and large for efficient support and deployment for a distributed resource utilization such as in cloud environments.

Microservices help in building applications as suites of services. Each service is independently scalable and deployable and has its API layer. Different services can be developed by different teams, manage their database, and written in different programming languages.

Benefits

  • This architecture design pattern makes the system highly fault-tolerant as the services are segmented into pools. In other words, the whole software won’t crash on its end even if some microservices stop functioning. 
  • It allows applications to scale. The independent services lead to scale individually rather than overloading the entire system with the need to expand. 
  • Services can be merged into any application depending upon the work scope. 

Caveats

  • Harder to understand due to its complex logic. Requires deep analysis in service decomposition.

Best For

  • Websites with small components.
  • Corporate data centers with well-defined boundaries.
  • Rapidly developing new businesses, e-commerce, and web applications.

Conclusion

While the above-enlisted architectures signify the most favored design choices for organizational software development, there are plenty of others, equally interesting and perhaps more befitting to your project.

It’s always important to understand the pattern clearly, as applying the wrong pattern can lead to a lot of problems like inappropriate designs and implementations. A development expert would have a sound judgment that would help you understand when a pattern is not appropriate in a particular business scenario. 

Contact us if you need a team of such developers, engineers, technical architects, and PMs who can understand the ramifications of software design and the future growth of the product.

About Galaxy Weblinks

We specialize in delivering end-to-end software design & development services and have hands-on experience with large, medium, and startup business development requirements. Our engineers also help in improving security, reliability, and features to make sure your business application scale and remain secure.

Google: Core Web Vitals For Search Engine Rankings

Posted on by galaxy-admin

The new and improved page experience ranking for Google search is set to roll out in May 2021. This blog covers what the buzz is about. 

Google has introduced a new set of parameters – the ‘Core Web Vitals’ that will measure users’ experience ‘with speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of a webpage.

  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This considers the loading time of the largest graphic element on the screen, i.e. Largest Contentful Paint. Such content can also be the main content of the website, so once the vital information is loaded, smaller elements follow. The ideal  LCP is set at 2.5 seconds 
  • First Input Delay: is the time taken by the page to become interactive, i.e. the response time of the page after the user initiates an action. The ideal FID is said to be less than 100ms. 
  • Cumulative Layout Shift: measures the visual stability of the website. It focuses on the time taken for all the elements of the website to become stable. The ideal CFS is less than 100ms. 

The Core Web Vitals will now be an intrinsic part of measuring the page performance, along with these factors-

  • Mobile responsiveness 
  • Safe browsing 
  • HTTPS security 
  • Intrusive interstitial guidelines

New labels for search results 

Google is contemplating adding labels in the search results, highlighting the pages that offer a better user experience. The current focus is on visual indicators that identify pages that met the predefined page experience criteria. 

However, this is still under the testing phase and the final call will be taken by Google in May 2021 based on the success of the tests. Google is staunchly recommending AMP to optimize the page experience signal.

Top stories courses for non-AMP content 

There was another announcement as well which said that non-AMP will soon be eligible for appearance in the Top Stories. 

The pages fulfilling the Google News content policies will have greater chances for Top stories carousel and greater user experience will be given priority in ranking.  

Our Recommendation

These updates will have an impact on your website’s traffic, therefore, we advise you to begin with the due diligence. You can check your Core Web Vitals stats here:

And in case you wish to talk more about the updates or need experts to handle the optimizations for your website, feel free to contact us here.

Saving Money on Product Development – Tips and Tricks

Posted on by galaxy-admin

When it comes to product development, it’s good to shoot for the stars and be ambitious. Ideas are immense fun on paper; execution, however, is another story altogether. The viability of ideas surfaces only when we try to build on them. Without proper expectations, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important and over-exhaust your budget. So, how to strike the right balance and build great products, within your budget without compromising quality? 

Planning is crucial

There’s a common mistake that people make while planning a product. They opt for outcome-based planning and not process-based. It doesn’t matter if you know everything at the outset, what matters is how you manage the risks.

Planning instead should be about:

  • Making assumptions about the reality of the product
  • How the production is going to work
  • What are the expected results?

What typical planning includes: 

  • Goals – Goals outline what you want your product to deliver. It could be increased sales, recognition, building a community, or providing a service. They help you determine your offerings – an app or a website, essential functionalities, and what channels will be the most suitable for the distribution of the product. They also assist in aligning the small tasks with the bigger picture.
  • Target group –  Identifying and understanding your customers is the most crucial thing to get right. You can start by filtering your customer base with age, place, lifestyle, and needs.  Focusing on a group will help you separate must-have features from the ones that are only for show.
     
  • Timeline – Developing and testing are just a part of the development cycle. You must also account for internal approvals and marketing activities early on while creating a timeline. The number of stakeholders involved and time taken for feedback can significantly affect the time to deploy. Setting an accurate and realistic schedule will have a direct impact on productivity. 
  • Budget – Needless to say, budget determines the direction and speed of product development. A well-defined budget will help you choose the right solutions and leverage the money at hand efficiently.
     
  • Solution – Deciding on the technologies is just as crucial as determining the budget. It’s always a good idea to consult specialists to choose the right set of technologies for your product. Utilize the discovery phase call with the specialists to pin down technologies best suited for your goals. Then use that information to build a detailed plan of product implementation.  

Simplicity over complexity

‘Keeping it simple’ is not only good for product transparency but it also aids in budget management. Unnecessary complexity is the foe for your product. 

Making the calls on essential features and cutting down on the ones you don’t need is the most effective money-saving advice in product development. While it’s easy to go down the path of excessive development for more features, it costs money. And not to forget, that today’s modular technologies allow us to easily add features in subsequent stages when the demand arises. Try taking the MVP route.

Bad choices are costly

Good products come at a price but cheaper alternatives cost more. A poor product leaves a bad taste on users, needs numerous refactors, and has serious vulnerabilities that require frequent patches. This eventually results in a far costlier, but inferior product. 

Go Agile 

By principle, Agile is doing the same amount of work but in short and iterative cycles that aids in tiny achievable goals with fewer delays and faster feedback implementation. Agile teams leverage instantaneous channels for communication to reduce the need for reworks because real-time communication facilitates active participation in the process and immediate reaction to potential errors. 

Outsource entirely

When you’re working on a complex project, outsourcing is one way to ensure that you have access to a large talent pool based on your project requirements. With outsourcing, you can choose between flexible engagement models and opt for the one which suits your budget and project requirements. You would know what to expect and ensure timely deliveries.

You can also hire resources in-house but this may not be the most cost-effective option. By outsourcing, you’re paying for the expertise that you need for a specific time. It is your instant and efficient access to the manpower that can often save significant time and money. 

Saving money on product development can be as easy as avoiding a few mistakes. We recommend that you use a sensible mixture of the above tips and save a substantial amount while maintaining the product quality. 

Swift 5.4 | New Features and Updates

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Swift is the preferred programming language for the Apple ecosystem. It’s a safe, fast, and interactive option that combines the best in Apple’s engineering culture and the contributions from its open-source community. 

With the Swift 5.4 update, there is a significant improvement in the compilation, result builders entry, better code completion in expressions, and so on. Let’s see all the major updates that this new release has in store for us. 

Result builders

Function builders were unofficially a part of Swift 5.1. With this update, they are now formally here named as result builders. 

New result builders can now be defined with the help of new structs via @resultBuilder. This attribute informs SwiftUI which type to be considered as a result builder. However, all result builders need to define at least one static function.  

Implicit member syntax extension

There is an improved way of using implicit member expressions. There is now support for chains of static functions as opposed to a single static member earlier. The compiler can comprehend multiple chained members and act accordingly. 

Multiple variadic parameters in functions

Before this update, you had just one variadic parameter. To elaborate, there is now the possibility to use multiple variadic parameters in functions, subscripts, initializers, and methods. The only condition here is that all these parameters should have labels.  

For example, now one can create a function that will store which team won a particular football match and followed by a second parameter that will store the names of the players that scored the maximum touchdowns. 

Changes in local functions

Local functions now have overloading support. Meaning, nested functions can be overloaded and Swift can select which one gets to run based upon the types that are in use. 

Support for property wrappers

Introduced in 5.1, property wrappers were implemented to attach extra functionality to properties easily. This is now extended to include support for local variables too. 
All the changes mentioned above are well-received in the developers’ community so far. Do let us know which upgrade are you liking the best and which updates/ features are missing in your opinion.

4 ways to reduce customer churn using analytics

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Customer churn rate is the percentage of your customers or subscribers who cancel or don’t renew their subscriptions during a given time.   

A higher percentage of customer churn could be attributed to bad customer service calls, slow response, or even no response. Even if you do have a great influx of new customers, customer churn is never good news. It is important to retain the existing customer base as they aid and abet sustained growth. 

How can you reduce customer churn? The answer lies in data-driven insights. Read on to know more. 

Laying out a roadmap and implementing it 

You can reduce your customer churn with the help of insights drawn from your raw database. To draw up actionable conclusions, start by defining your primary KPIs (not more than five, three being the ideal number). Take inputs from stakeholders in this discussion to ensure the right selection of KPIs.

Often data is collected and goes to different teams but no action is taken to derive actionable insights from that data or implement them. This can be due to – 

  • Communication gaps among the teams 
  • A miscalculation in the implementation timeline that leave teams frustrated
  • Drawn action plans are not being implemented due to a lack of resources

So you need experts who can pinpoint the right patterns and come up with practical conclusions. 

Mapping your customer journey

When you try to map your user journey and be with them as they go through your website/ app, you will be able to see exactly where they are dropping off. You can then work from there to see what is the obstacle that your users are facing that’s leading to a churn. 

You can retrace their steps, get a complete look at their journey. You can not always blame just one trigger for your long-term customers leaving you. Evaluating the final nail in the coffin is not what you should do, you need to go after the other issue and obstacle that can lead you to identify the problem area. 

You need to quantify the major dropout points and work out ways to undo the harm done. This way you can also predict your user’s next possible actions. And if there is something you can do to win them back, you would know the right interaction point as well. Your ‘moments of truth’ will decide whether your customer trusts you or not. 

When mapping your customer journey, find answers to questions like:

  • Emphasize heavily on the ‘why’ at varying stages – why will the customer need two CTAs here, why will they click on the link that you want them to, why will they be motivated to come back to you or why not, etc. the derived answers will give you insight into your customer’s behavior. 
  • What will keep them engaged with your product or service, and when will different interaction points become a hindrance in their journey? You can go back to previous stages where your customers visited before they dropped off. 
  • Which way is the easiest for your customers to reach their ultimate goal, can that goal be achieved in three steps or ten steps? And what can you do to ensure that users don’t leave in between the process? 
  • How are you different from your competitors? Again ‘why’ will they choose you over others?  

As you try to put a number or a measurement scale at various steps, you will be able to understand what is working in your favor and what is not. 

Focussing on user segmentation

Your resources are limited, be it in terms of time, manpower, or customer incentives. You will have to focus on high-quality leads. You can use customer journey mapping data to predict who is more likely to stay like how well they interacted with offers, did they drop off very early or stayed till last, did they leave any feedback, etc. 

You can also use your buyer personas to match with potential buyers for predicting the right fit for your product and divert your efforts accordingly. You can develop and implement algorithms based on buyer personas, deep dive into their characteristics for an accurate prediction model, and anticipating who is more likely to stay. 

You will have multiple user segments depending on your product/ service offering. But do ensure that your assumptions are precise and use your existing data as well for future models. 

Using predictive analytics and text analysis

At any given point in time, you have access to tons of data. To manually curate it or even factor in different variables is overwhelming. Therefore you will need machine learning and AI for developing predictive and text analytics. 

Your text feedback is a gold mine for you to understand what your customers feel, and what improvements are they expecting. You can combine these insights with your customer churn prediction models to anticipate possible churn and take actions accordingly. 

Also with your user segmentation, you can see which users can be let go and which have a higher lifetime value to your business. Your algorithm once developed, will continually evolve as per customer inputs and their possible future actions. Thus you will be able to prevent the churn from happening, especially for your most valued customers saving you the cost of acquiring new customers. 

All this said and done, the data volume will keep on accumulating each day, it’s highly advised to use it to your advantage and get an edge over your competitors. 
The more personalized you make your users’ experiences, the higher the recall value you get. Furthermore, data-driven insights give you precisely that. If you are still not convinced or are looking for insights to be interpreted for you, get in touch with us here to discuss what we can do for you.

Why are external code audits important?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

It’s a common industry practice for applications to utilize and reuse codes written by other programmers. Although it’s an efficient way of building applications, you might not be fully aware of the vulnerabilities in the code, since it’s not yours, to begin with. That’s where External Code Audits come into the picture. It takes that unknown out of the equation. 

Apart from spotting errors and improving your code external audits will also help you understand the underlying composition, licensing, and obligations. In this blog, we’ll uncover why it’s important to conduct external code audits.We have also covered Code Review best practices in our earlier blog. Read it here.

Improved programming quality

Source code reviews are as important as QA. It not only ensures the highest code quality but also makes it easier for developers to improve overall software performance and add new features for expansion. Improved quality of code and optimized performance means, no need to allocate critical time and resources to solve technical issues and errors.   

External code audits may also help surface any code debt which came as a result of using code created by other developers. 

It saves you money

The time taken for bug detection is related to the fixing costs. Therefore, the longer it takes to detect the bugs, the costlier it gets. You can significantly reduce the cost of development by simply detecting bugs as early as possible. External code audits bring in extra hands to multiply audit efforts and cut the time by a significant margin, providing a direct cost advantage. 

External developers can easily detect mistakes made by other developers, as it’s fresh for them and they have no other obligation other than shipping the best possible version of that code.

Streamlines development

When an engineer (not just developers) does one thing a million times, it gets harder to see subtle mistakes and efficient alternatives. That’s why QA engineers, editors, and supervisors are there. External code audits can help surface inefficiencies in the code and mistakes that go undetected. If given a pass, these mistakes can cause critical development issues and undermine the project management. 

Helps upskill new coders

If you have new and less experienced developers in your team, external code audits can be eye-opening. It can help them improve their skill and learn about different modules, workarounds, and coding practices. Through this practice, the newcomers can come out as experienced coders after learning from their mistakes pointed out during the reviews. 

Improves Project estimation accuracy

Reviewers performing code audits are people who are very familiar with the codebase you’re dealing with. There is a great chance that they already know the underlying common issues with the codebase and can recommend solutions based on the complexity of your project.  Knowing about the issues and possible workarounds beforehand will give you an edge and help you make more precise project estimates, in terms of cost, time, and resources.

Consistent code across the software

When you’re working on complex projects, consistency becomes a challenge. Code audits help maintain consistency in your code throughout the software development project. External developers will keep a watchful eye on the coding style and any other element that needs to be consistent for better understanding and easier transitions in the future. 

Conclusion

Software development, like any other process, is collaborative and when things exchange hands, it creates room for flaws. External code audits eliminate those possibilities while optimizing and speeding up development in the process.

About Galaxy Weblinks

We specialize in delivering end-to-end software design & development services and have hands-on experience with large, medium, and startup business development requirements. Our engineers also help in improving security, reliability, and features to make sure your business application scale and remains secure.

Unveiling Android 12 | Updates and Enhancements

Posted on by galaxy-admin

The developer preview of Android 12 is now available and Google has placed heavy emphasis on app compatibility, privacy, and accessibility of all users. As always, Pixel phones will be the first to receive the update probably around September 2021, followed by billions of other android phones.

In this preview, the UI receives some tweaks and features enhancements in Android 12 (Code-named Snowcone). Let’s see what they are-

Change in Accent Color

The white background color in the drop-down menu and settings menu is now being changed with a pale light-blue tint. It can be seen in both light and dark themes.

Nearby Share for Wi-Fi passwords

Connecting to a new Wi-Fi is now easier with the help of ‘Nearby Share’ for sharing Wi-Fi passwords. The QR code scanner option is present; if you scroll down, you will spot this new option which will look for devices near you for sharing the details.

Changes in Notifications

There are changes seen in the layout of text and visuals along with tweaks in transparency and background. The overlay is lighter in shade and the background is more translucent.

Also, the new notifications snooze now comes with three different time-durations – 30 mins, 1 hour, or 2 hours. Although this option is disabled by default, you can enable it from settings by going on the ‘allow notification snoozing’ under the notification head.

Editing Screenshots 

One can add text in varying fonts and colors on the screenshots. The markup menu will also feature emojis just in case your screenshots need extra flair.

Along with edits for screenshots, you can edit any outgoing image file via a share sheet. When you share an image file, there will be an ‘Edit’ option that enables you to make edits to your selected file.

Media Player Interface 

In the drop-down menu, you will notice a change in the media player. The widget now occupies more space, expanding till the screen edges and takes more space on the lock screen as well when in use.

You can select which apps are shown in the media control and which are restricted. This can be done via Settings > Sound and vibration > Media.

Changes in Accessibility Settings   

Accessibility settings are also reorganized. Font size, display size are grouped under ‘Text and Display’. There was a horizontal line that used to divide different menu options which are now removed.

Privacy Settings

Privacy toggles can be used to block the usage of the camera and microphone. Users will be notified when an app uses either of these functions. In the Privacy Settings, the preview also features an option to disable the phone camera and mute the microphone completely.

Some rumored changes are also creating buzz, like:

  • OS updates could be done directly from Play Store. If this is implemented, it will lead to more frequent updates.
  • Audio-coupled haptic feedback/effects could be seen in Pixel phones. As of now, only the Pixel 4 is believed to have the hardware to implement this feature. This signifies that there can be vibrations in the haptic motors to match the rhythms of the music played.
  • Double-tap gesture for Pixel phones on the back of the phone. This can be done by activating Google Assistant. It can be used for other options as well like taking a screenshot or pausing/ playing media, etc
  • ‘One-handed’ mode is believed to have a feature called, ‘Silky Home’ which will push features further down, making them more accessible. Apart from this, one expects more blank space to be left on the top of the display.

We are eager to see how this update pans out and what effects it will have on app design and development. If all goes well, it will give a lot more control to users’ hands.

About us We, at Galaxy Weblinks, are all for new ideas and experiments. We believe that being up-to-date in this fast-paced world gives us adequate time to explore and implement new changes. Our analytics team is proficient in building apps that are well aligned to our client’s and platform requirements. Contact us for a free consultation!

Streamlining Software Design with Effective Diagrams in 2024

Posted on by galaxy-admin

In 2024, the complexity of software development projects continues to escalate, driven by advancing technology and market demands for faster, more reliable applications. Within this landscape, the clarity and efficiency of the software design process have never been more critical. Effective diagramming techniques stand out as indispensable tools for architects, developers, and project managers aiming to navigate this complexity, transforming abstract ideas into tangible, actionable design plans.

The Importance of Software Design Diagrams:

Software design diagrams are fundamental tools that go beyond mere illustration to play a pivotal role in guiding the software development process. They help us “talk” about complex software architecture, design choices, and how different parts of a system work together, making it easier for everyone involved—from the tech wizards to those who might not speak “tech” as fluently—to stay on the same page. As we dive deeper into 2024, with projects needing more teamwork and different departments working closely together, the importance of using diagrams to keep everyone aligned has grown significantly.

A study by Lucidchart shows that teams using diagrams and other visual tools work 43% more efficiently and cut down on having to redo work by 32%. In a world where teams might not share the same office or even the same time zone, and where project goals and needs can change quickly, diagrams have become key tools for several important reasons:

  • Better Communication: Diagrams act as a bridge, connecting different people on a project, from the ones who build the technology to those who make sure it meets the user’s needs. They turn tricky technical concepts into something everyone can grasp, making sure the whole team is moving in the same direction.
  • Spotting Issues Early: With a clear visual of the project’s structure, it’s easier to see problems or snags early on. Catching these before they turn into bigger headaches saves time and effort later.
  • Making Smarter Choices: Diagrams give a bird’s eye view of how everything fits together, highlighting how information moves, where things link up, and where there might be weak spots. This overview helps everyone make better, informed decisions as the project moves forward.
  • Speeding Up Development: By laying out design choices clearly and helping everyone understand them, diagrams cut down on confusion and backtracking. This means the team can move faster, turning great ideas into reality sooner.

Types of Software Design Diagrams and Their Applications:

  • Unified Modeling Language (UML) Diagrams: 

UML diagrams, including class diagrams, sequence diagrams, and use case diagrams, provide a standardized way to visualize system architecture and object interactions.

  • Entity-Relationship Diagrams (ERDs): 

Essential for database design, ERDs help in mapping out the data landscape of an application, highlighting the relationships between different data entities.

  • Architecture Diagrams: 

These diagrams offer a high-level view of software architecture, showcasing the system’s structure and the interaction between its components.

Streamlining Software Design with Diagrams:

Enhancing Communication: 

Diagrams act as a universal language, bridging gaps between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring everyone has a clear understanding of the project’s architectural vision.

Facilitating Problem-Solving: 

By visualizing complex systems, diagrams allow teams to identify potential issues early in the design phase, saving time and resources.

Improving Documentation: 

Well-crafted diagrams serve as valuable documentation, aiding new team members in coming up to speed and providing a reference point for future maintenance and scalability efforts.

Effective Diagramming Techniques:

  • Start Simple: Begin with high-level diagrams to outline the system architecture before delving into detailed component or class diagrams.
  • Iterate and Refine: Treat diagrams as living documents that evolve with the project, updating them to reflect design changes and decisions.
  • Choose the Right Tools: Leverage modern diagramming tools that support collaboration, version control, and integration with development environments.

Selecting Diagram Tools for Software Design:

The choice of diagramming tools can significantly impact the effectiveness of your software design process. In 2024, tools that offer intuitive interfaces, collaborative features, and compatibility with industry standards like UML are in high demand. Whether it’s cloud-based platforms enabling real-time collaboration or desktop applications with extensive customization capabilities, selecting a tool that fits your team’s workflow is crucial.

Choosing the Right Tools for the Job:

Navigating the software design landscape in 2024 means having the right tools in your toolkit, especially when it comes to diagramming. With the sheer variety of tools available, each boasting its own set of features, choosing the right one can significantly impact your project’s success. Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular diagramming tools out there:

  • Lucidchart: 

This cloud-based tool shines with its extensive template library, real-time collaboration capabilities, and seamless integrations with many development tools. It’s a go-to for teams looking for flexibility and ease of use.

  • Draw.io: 

Perfect for those on a tight budget or small teams, Draw.io is an open-source, web-based tool that’s straightforward yet effective for basic diagramming needs.

  • Microsoft Visio:

For projects that demand intricate diagrams, Visio is a powerhouse desktop application suited for complex, enterprise-level undertakings with its advanced features.

  • PlantUML:

If you prefer working with text to create UML diagrams, PlantUML is a standout choice. It’s praised for its simplicity and how well it works with version control systems, making it ideal for developers who like to keep things straightforward.

Choosing the best tool for your project isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision. It depends on various factors, including the size of your team, your budget, the specific needs of your diagramming project, and how you like to collaborate. Trying out different tools can lead you to the one that best fits your team’s workflow and project requirements. In the quest to streamline software design with effective diagrams in 2024, picking the right diagramming tool is a crucial step towards ensuring clear communication, early problem detection, and a smoother development process.

Best Practices for Creating Software Diagrams:

  • Maintain Consistency: Use consistent notation and symbols across all diagrams to avoid confusion.
  • Focus on Clarity: Avoid cluttering diagrams with excessive detail that could obscure the overall design intent.
  • Engage the Team: Encourage contributions from all team members, fostering a collaborative design process.

Visualizing Software Architecture in 2024:

As software systems become more complex, the ability to effectively visualize architecture is paramount. Architectural diagrams in 2024 serve not just as design aids but as strategic tools for decision-making, helping teams to choose between design patterns, frameworks, and technologies that best meet their project’s objectives.

The Business Impact of Streamlined Software Design:

Streamlined software design, facilitated by effective diagramming, directly contributes to project success, reducing time-to-market, enhancing product quality, and increasing stakeholder satisfaction. In an era where digital transformation initiatives drive business strategy, the efficiency of the software design process becomes a competitive advantage.

Boosting Your Software Design Strategy with Galaxy Weblinks

In the rapidly evolving software development landscape of 2024, the strategic use of effective diagrams has emerged as a critical factor in streamlining software design. Galaxy Weblinks recognizes the power of visual tools in transforming complex system concepts into clear, actionable designs. Our team of experts specializes in employing advanced diagramming techniques and leveraging the latest tools to refine your software design process, ensuring your projects are not only successful but also aligned with the latest industry best practices.

Partner with Galaxy Weblinks to harness the full potential of effective diagramming in your software design projects. Together, we can build a foundation for clarity, efficiency, and innovation that propels your software solutions forward. Reach out to explore how we can help you to streamline your software design strategy, ensuring your projects lead the way in 2024 and beyond.

Code Review | Foolproof Your Software Quality

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Code reviews can be tedious and if the code is somebody else’s then some frustration is justified. However, code reviews do save a lot of time and keep breaking errors in check.

Based on the scale of your project you can either go with peer review or with group review. When you’re confident about your code and are in a time crunch, you can choose to get your colleague to review your code. This way, you get an error-free code that can be pushed for production. On the other hand, if the project scale and team size are larger, you can opt for a group review. Let’s explore both these options –

What is a Peer Code Review?

Simply put, when you ask one of your teammates to see if there are any mistakes or areas of improvement in your code.

The Process

Typically, when the code is complete and ready for review, the developer creates a request to get it reviewed and forward it for release once approved. The assigned reviewers then approve or reject the pull request depending on the quality of the code. If approved, it implies that the code is ready to be merged in the release branch. Just to an additional layer of assurance

To ensure the highest code quality and keep a check on code churn, practice heads like development lead and engineering head are also added default reviewers. They are notified via emails about the requests along with developers that are doing the review. These reviews are dynamic and are done as and when the pull requests are created.

What to Look for During the Review

Even though there are multiple sets of eyes involved, there’s a lot that can still go wrong with peer reviews, if not taken seriously. Blanket approvals will only set you back further. Different teammates might have different standards of code quality, in that case, a checklist can help people align.

Peer-review Checklist 

peer-review-code

This checklist can help the reviewers prioritize what matters and find out defects before the code goes for production.

What is a Team Code Review?

It’s like peer review but more people are brought in for this and review the code as a group. The motive here is to bring different sets of people with different expertise onboard to test the overall feasibility of the code. Think Developers, Testers, Architects, and Managers gathering weekly for code review.

The Process

Since a lot many people are involved in a group review, it calls for a slightly different approach than the one used in peer review.

  • The developer presents the user story to the entire team.
  • Review of the design as per the user story implementation.
  • Then the code is discussed and reviewed by the review group.
  • Test cases are compared with the business rules implemented in a user story.
  • Code walkthrough is done to get the logic across to every individual, sanitizing the code in the process
  • SQE group presents the test cases based on the user story.
  • Database dependencies like table schema, initial data scripts, data upgrade scripts are then reviewed by the DB team.
  • The Release Engineering team is then brought in to discuss and review the dependencies on the deployment scripts.
  • The performance team then gets inputs and benchmarks performance for the user story.

Who looks for what during these reviews?

Developers will use other stories as a basis and compare from a coding perspective to see if there are any dependencies.

Testers will look for business rules that are part of the test cases and try to circle out the ones that are not if implemented.

The architect ensures that everything is as planned and according to the initial blueprint. And if all the design principles and best practices are employed to ensure software quality.

Teams like Database, Release Engineering, and Performance Engineering will look for dependencies in their area of expertise.

Why Team Code Review

  • It helps break the practice and mentality of working in silos which prevents interaction across teams.
  • It’s easier to spot errors with multiple eyes on your code
  • Testers help identify functional gaps before it’s too late
  • The architect will keep shortcuts in check
  • The shared services team will get inputs for executing the corresponding steps in their area of expertise.

Code reviews can seem like a marginal change to your process but the results are quite significant. One of the most overseen benefits of these group code reviews is to bring teams together. And when they are working as a whole instead of domain-made silos, great products emerge. It also serves as a learning opportunity for a lot of people. People who come from different domains and junior resources are just starting.

And of course, this bi-directional learning process will help keep your code symmetrical across systems while keeping it maintainable, scalable, readable, and of the best quality.

About Galaxy Weblinks

We specialize in delivering end-to-end software design & development services and have hands-on experience with large, medium, and startup business development requirements. Our engineers also help in improving security, reliability, and features to make sure your business application scale and remains secure.