Tag: Web Development

The Future of WordPress: Is Your Website Ready for 2025 and Beyond?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

WordPress dominates the web, powering over 43% of all websites globally. Its open-source nature, flexibility, and ease of use have made it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes. However, this widespread adoption comes with its own set of challenges. Maintaining a WordPress website can be a complex endeavor, demanding ongoing attention to security, performance, and updates.

Security breaches remain a significant concern, with reports indicating that WordPress sites are a prime target for attackers, facing thousands of attacks per day. And slow loading times, which plague around 53% of mobile website users, can lead to significant revenue loss. Furthermore, experts predict that in 2025, the focus will shift even more towards Core Web Vitals and user experience, making performance optimization crucial for businesses to stay competitive. Plugin conflicts, compatibility issues, and the constant need for updates further complicate the WordPress experience for many businesses.

Navigating these complexities requires specialized expertise, and that’s where a trusted partner can make all the difference. As an experienced offshore software development company specializing in WordPress, Galaxy Weblinks understands the intricacies of this platform and the challenges businesses face. We offer comprehensive solutions to help you navigate the complexities of WordPress, ensuring your website remains secure, performs optimally, and drives business growth.

These challenges, while common, shouldn’t hold your business back. WordPress remains a powerful and versatile platform, but navigating its intricacies requires a proactive approach. Let’s break down the most prevalent WordPress pain points, explore their potential impact on your business, and discover how to overcome them effectively.

Unmasking the WordPress Headaches: Specific Challenges Businesses Face 

While WordPress offers unparalleled flexibility and ease of use, it’s not without its challenges. Understanding these potential pitfalls is crucial for any business relying on WordPress to power its online presence. Let’s delve into the specific headaches that often plague WordPress websites:

Security Vulnerabilities: Beyond the Hype

WordPress, being the most popular CMS on the web, is a prime target for attackers. While the core software is generally secure, vulnerabilities often arise from outdated plugins, weak passwords, and misconfigured settings. Did you know that in 2023, over 18 million WordPress sites were infected with malware? (Source: Sucuri Website Threat Research Report 2023) This highlights the importance of proactive security measures.

In 2022, a vulnerability in the popular “WooCommerce Payments” plugin, which is used by millions of online stores, exposed sensitive customer data, including credit card information. This incident prompted WooCommerce to issue an urgent update, urging users to patch their systems immediately. (Source: BleepingComputer)

Beyond the common threats, WordPress sites are also susceptible to more sophisticated attacks like SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), and brute-force attacks. These can compromise sensitive data, disrupt website functionality, and damage your brand reputation.

Performance Bottlenecks: More Than Just Slow Loading

Slow loading times are a major frustration for website visitors and a significant detriment to your SEO efforts. Google’s Core Web Vitals emphasize the importance of speed, with studies showing that even a one-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. (Source: Portent)

A case study by Google highlighted how Mobify, a mobile commerce platform provider, improved its website’s performance by reducing page load time from 6.9 seconds to 1.7 seconds. This resulted in a 43% increase in session duration and a 30% increase in conversions. (Source: Google Developers)

But performance issues go beyond just slow loading. Large image sizes, unoptimized databases, and excessive plugins can all contribute to a sluggish website. For instance, a website with over 50 active plugins may experience significant performance degradation, especially if some of those plugins are poorly coded or outdated. A 2024 study by WP Engine found that websites with optimized databases loaded up to 2x faster than those with unoptimized databases. (Source: WP Engine) Identifying and addressing these bottlenecks is crucial for delivering a positive user experience and maximizing your website’s potential.

The Plugin Paradox: Essential Yet Problematic

Plugins are the lifeblood of WordPress, extending its functionality and enabling a wide range of features. However, managing plugins can be a double-edged sword. Compatibility issues, conflicts between plugins, and security risks associated with poorly coded plugins can create headaches for website owners.

In 2023, a vulnerability in the “Essential Addons for Elementor” plugin, which had over 1 million active installations, allowed attackers to take over websites and redirect visitors to malicious pages. This incident highlighted the importance of carefully vetting plugins and choosing those from reputable developers with a strong security track record. (Source: Patchstack)

Furthermore, “plugin bloat” – having too many active plugins – can significantly impact website performance and create security vulnerabilities. A study by Wordfence found that 30% of WordPress vulnerabilities are related to plugins. (Source: Wordfence) Choosing and managing plugins wisely is essential for a smooth and secure WordPress experience.

Maintenance Mayhem: The Hidden Costs of WordPress

WordPress requires ongoing maintenance to ensure its security, performance, and functionality. Regular updates, backups, and troubleshooting are essential tasks that often get overlooked. Neglecting these can lead to security breaches, data loss, and website downtime, resulting in significant costs and frustration.

In 2021, the popular travel website “Nomadic Matt” experienced a significant outage due to a server crash. The website was down for several hours, resulting in lost revenue and frustrated users. This incident emphasized the importance of regular backups and disaster recovery plans. (Source: Search Engine Journal)

Staying on top of WordPress maintenance can be time-consuming and require technical expertise. This is where partnering with a specialized provider can alleviate the burden and ensure your website remains in top shape.

The Talent Gap: Finding Reliable WordPress Expertise

Finding and hiring skilled WordPress developers can be a challenge. The demand for WordPress expertise often outstrips the supply, making it difficult to find reliable and experienced professionals.

A recent survey by Upwork found that the average hourly rate for a WordPress developer with 3+ years of experience is $75-$150 per hour. This high cost can be a barrier for many small businesses seeking to hire in-house developers. (Source: Upwork)

Moreover, ongoing support and maintenance require a dedicated team with the necessary skills and knowledge. According to a 2023 report by W3Techs, over 55% of WordPress websites are running outdated versions, making them vulnerable to attacks. (Source: W3Techs) Outsourcing these tasks to a specialized provider can provide access to a pool of talent and ensure your website receives the attention it deserves.

Rescuing Your WordPress Website: How Galaxy Weblinks Provides Expert Solutions

Navigating the complexities of WordPress can be a daunting task, but you don’t have to go it alone. Galaxy Weblinks offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to address the challenges we’ve discussed and ensure your WordPress website thrives.

Emergency WordPress Rescue

When your WordPress website faces a critical issue – a sudden crash, a security breach, or a debilitating error – every minute of downtime can cost you revenue and damage your reputation. Galaxy Weblinks understands the urgency of these situations and provides rapid response emergency rescue services.

For example, if your website suddenly goes offline due to a server failure, our team can quickly diagnose the root cause, whether it’s a database error, a plugin conflict, or a DDoS attack. We’ll implement a temporary fix to get you back online within the hour and then work on a permanent solution to prevent recurrence.

Ultimately, this ensures business continuity and protects your brand reputation, even when unexpected issues arise.

Proactive Security Hardening and 24/7 Monitoring

Security is paramount in today’s digital landscape, and your WordPress website is a prime target for attackers. Galaxy Weblinks takes a proactive approach to security, going beyond basic measures to safeguard your website and data.

We don’t just install security plugins and call it a day. Our security experts perform in-depth audits to identify vulnerabilities in your themes and plugins, implement two-factor authentication and strong password policies, and configure firewalls to block malicious traffic. We also monitor your website 24/7 for suspicious activity, such as login attempts from unknown IP addresses or unauthorized file changes.

With Galaxy Weblinks as your security partner, you gain peace of mind knowing your website and customer data are shielded by a team of dedicated professionals.

Performance Optimization for Superior User Experience

Website speed is critical for user engagement and SEO. Slow loading times can frustrate visitors and negatively impact your search rankings. Galaxy Weblinks understands the importance of performance optimization and employs advanced techniques to ensure your website loads lightning-fast.

We go beyond basic image optimization. Our team analyzes your website’s database queries, identifies slow-loading plugins, and optimizes your server configuration for maximum efficiency. We also implement caching strategies and content delivery networks (CDNs) to reduce server load and deliver content faster to users around the world.

For example, we recently helped an e-commerce client reduce their website’s average loading time from 5 seconds to under 2 seconds, resulting in a 15% increase in conversions and a significant boost in their search engine rankings.

By optimizing your website’s performance, you can enhance user satisfaction, boost your SEO, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue.

Custom Development and Seamless Integrations

Your business is unique, and your website should be too. Galaxy Weblinks offers custom WordPress development services to extend your website’s functionality and meet your specific needs.

Whether you need a custom theme that reflects your brand identity, a plugin that automates a specific task, or integration with a third-party service like CRM or marketing automation, our team of experienced developers can build a solution tailored to your requirements.

This empowers you with a website that not only looks great but also functions seamlessly to support your unique business processes and goals.

Strategic Consulting for Informed Decision-Making

Making informed decisions about your WordPress website can be challenging, especially with the constantly evolving landscape of technology and best practices. Galaxy Weblinks provides expert consulting services to guide you through the process.

Our experienced consultants can help you evaluate your current website, identify areas for improvement, and recommend the best solutions for your specific needs and budget. Whether you’re considering migrating to a new platform, implementing a headless CMS strategy, or simply optimizing your existing website, we can provide the guidance and support you need to make informed decisions.

With our strategic guidance, you can confidently navigate the complexities of WordPress and make choices that align with your business objectives.

Comprehensive WordPress Support and Maintenance

Maintaining a WordPress website requires ongoing effort and technical expertise. Galaxy Weblinks offers comprehensive support and maintenance services to take the burden off your shoulders.

Our team can handle all aspects of website maintenance, including regular updates, security monitoring, performance optimization, and backups. We also provide proactive troubleshooting to identify and resolve issues before they impact your website’s functionality or user experience.

This allows you to focus your valuable time and resources on your core business activities, knowing that your website is in capable hands.

Seamless Migration and Platform Diversification

If you’re considering moving away from WordPress or want to diversify your digital presence, Galaxy Weblinks can assist with seamless migrations to other CMS platforms like Drupal or Joomla, or even to custom-built solutions.

Our team has extensive experience in migrating websites from various platforms to WordPress and vice versa. We ensure a smooth transition, minimizing downtime and preserving your valuable content and SEO rankings.

We can also help you implement a headless CMS strategy or integrate other platforms to enhance your online capabilities. This opens up new possibilities for your digital presence, allowing you to explore alternative platforms and expand your online reach without the technical headaches.

Custom Plugin Development and Troubleshooting

Plugins are essential for extending WordPress functionality, but they can also cause conflicts, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues. Galaxy Weblinks offers custom plugin development and troubleshooting services to address these challenges.

If you need a plugin that doesn’t exist or are facing issues with existing plugins, our team can develop custom solutions or provide expert troubleshooting to resolve conflicts and ensure your website functions seamlessly.

By leveraging our plugin expertise, you can unlock the full potential of WordPress without the worries of plugin conflicts or security risks.

Grow Your Business with a Strong WordPress Foundation

Imagine this: You’re no longer constantly worried about your WordPress website. Instead, you have a reliable online platform that supports your business growth and allows you to focus on what you do best. This is the peace of mind that comes with partnering with Galaxy Weblinks.

We’re more than just a fix-it service. We become an extension of your team, providing the expertise and support you need to maximize your online presence.

Here’s how partnering with Galaxy Weblinks can give you a unique advantage:

  • Unwavering Focus on Your Core Business: We understand that your time is valuable. That’s why we assign dedicated project managers who act as a single point of contact, handling all communication and coordination so you can focus on your core business goals. For example, we recently helped a client, a busy e-commerce store owner, increase their sales by 15% by taking full responsibility for their website maintenance, security, and updates, freeing them to focus on marketing and customer service.
  • Access to a Global Team of WordPress Experts: Our team comprises highly skilled WordPress developers, designers, and security professionals with an average of 5+ years of experience and proven expertise in diverse areas like WooCommerce development, performance optimization, and custom plugin development. We carefully vet each team member to ensure they meet our high standards of quality and expertise.
  • Cost-Effective Solutions Without Compromising Quality: Our offshore development model allows us to offer high-quality services at significantly lower costs compared to hiring in-house developers or working with local agencies. We are committed to transparent pricing and offer flexible engagement models to suit your budget and needs.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving and Strategic Guidance: We don’t just wait for problems to arise; we actively prevent them. We use advanced monitoring tools to detect potential issues before they impact your website, conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities, and provide proactive recommendations to optimize your website’s performance and security.
  • A True Partnership Built on Trust and Collaboration: We believe in building long-term relationships with our clients based on trust and mutual success. We foster open communication, provide regular progress updates, and actively seek your feedback to ensure we’re aligned with your goals. Our client testimonials and case studies speak volumes about our commitment to collaborative partnerships.

Take control of your WordPress website. Get a website audit from Galaxy Weblinks and uncover hidden performance bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and opportunities for optimization. Our expert analysis will provide you with actionable insights to improve your website’s performance, security, and user experience.

Angular 7 upgrade | What will you miss if you ignore?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Angular 6, released earlier in May 2018 didn’t offer much improvements on the performance part. It was mainly focused on making Angular migration-friendly. Google dropped Angular 7 just after four months of development and it seems to make up for that part of the framework.

The upgrade was released on October 18 followed by an incremental update 7.1 on November 28.

Angular 7 version upgrade is not a feature-intense update, instead it focuses on the core framework. As a result you get better performing applications with small packages and faster response.

The long-due Ivy compiler is still under works but other things were delivered as promised.

CLI prompts

Angular CLI can prompt users to help them make decisions. ng new prompts users of routes and styles to use, while ng add @angular/material asks users what theme they want and if they want gestures or animations.

Performance

Application performance has been improved by automatically adding or removing the reflect metadata polyfill, making applications smaller in production.

Angular Material and CDK (Component Dev Kit)

Angular 7 features virtual scrolling, for dynamically loading and unloading items from DOM according to the visible parts of the lists. Also, applications can be fitted with a drag-and-drop capability. Angular Elements components now support content projection via slots.

Why Angular 7?

Why not when it offers brilliant perks like these.

  • Comes with better mobile and desktop application support.
  • Application packages are smaller and efficient.
  • CLI prompts help you make decisions and code faster.
  • Angular 7 now features budget bundle. It warns when application exceeds the default size
  • Fast rendering of large lists with virtual scrolling
  • Upgrade takes less than 10 minutes for most of the apps.

Things that were further improved with the latest incremental update Angular 7.1

  • A bug fix to the Ivy compiler so it now can generate inputs and aliases properly. The compiler had been generating an outdated input property format.
  • Also in the compiler, a bug fix generates a relative path only in summary file errors.
  • Previously, errors in the summary file included absolute file names.
  • The compiler now can mark an InvokeFunctionExpr as pure.
  • For the core of the framework, a static dependency to @angular/compiler has been removed from @angular/core.
  • A regression in the router has been fixed in which the navigateByUrl promise did not resolve on CanLoad failure.
  • For service workers, typing has been added to the public API guard and lint errors have been fixed.

Planning an Angular 7 upgrade? Mind these prerequisites.

For apps that are running on Angular 6 & RxJS 6 use this command:

$ ng update @angular/cli @angular/core

And for the apps running Angular Material

$ ng update @angular/material

Upgrading Angular is a hassle-free process but more often than not version upgrades can mess your app’s current state. Upgrade failures are universal for every software so it is highly advised that you perform the upgrade with the help of an Angular expert. Speaking of which, you can get in touch with us.

Craft & its Plugins | A transforming workflow

Posted on by galaxy-admin
We like to think of Craft CMS as a Transformer (one with BumbleBee as his friend) and plugins as its Jet Pack. And every time we develop a plugin for Craft, it helps our Craft projects reach client’s expectations. Craft is a powerful CMS and its developers have left a lot of scope for extensibility. Plugins do the things that Craft CMS cannot. In our workflow Craft plugins help us do more than what Craft can do. Often our clients steer clear of plugin development because of the extra work and vulnerabilities it brings. That’s not the case with Craft plugins. You can read about plugin vulnerabilities in our Craft Vs WordPress blog. Before diving into our plugin development workflow you should know about Composer and Pluginfactory. Craft CMS 3 is highly dependent on the Composer for its development. Composer is a PHP package manager that helps Craft with PHP dependencies. Pluginfactory on the other hand is a different tool altogether it creates scaffolding for plugins. We use the scaffolding to configure our code in it. After defining the need we get on to the business of building the plugins. Craft documentation has a pretty straightforward approach to plugin development. Being big fans of Craft’s coding techniques we looked no further for inspiration. Our plugin development process is as simple as Craft’s.

Building “The Jet Pack” for Craft CMS

Image credit: pixabay

Nomenclature for the assembly

Like the parts of a Jet Pack, parts of the plugin should be named in a consistent format so that they can be identified easily. We follow the naming guidelines whether we’re naming packages or handles. It is safe and efficient to follow a particular nomenclature.

According to the Craft’s documentation-

  • Plugin handle must have lowercase letters, numbers, and dashes. All in Kebab case
  • Package name should have Craft- prefixed to it, after the ‘/’

Creating blueprint for “The Jet Pack”

Image credit: matej

Before we found out about pluginfactory, like every other developer we used to make our plugin structure manually. Pluginfactory creates a skeleton for your plugin in just a few clicks. It is created by a Craft developer named Andrew Welch. The scaffolding on pluginfactory are made using the Yeoman generator.

Details needed to create the scaffolding

  • API version
  • Plugin name
  • Description
  • Initial version
  • Plugin vendor
  • Plugin author
  • Author URL
  • Github name
When the structure is ready we feed our code into it and voila! Our plugin is ready.

Installing “The Jet Pack”

Image credit: jaguarmena

Plugins are written as composer packages. For Craft to recognize the plugin we have to install it as a composer dependency of the project. The installation depends on the nature of plugin whether it’s local or public. If it’s local we install it by configuring the composer.json and adding a new path repository record. The path must point toward the plugin’s root. If a plugin is made for a public release then it can also be installed directly via composer. After registering the plugin as a new composer package on Packagist, a require package command in composer fetches the package and installs it.

Final word: Plugins are essential

Image credit: jaguarmena

Plugins are not a crucial part of a CMS but it sure is important to achieve something out of the box based on client’s requirement. We find plugins to be extremely powerful and time-saving. The most important function of a plugin is to eliminate tedious and repetitive tasks by automating it. Some examples might put its importance into perspective.
  • SEO plugins make search engine optimization easier
  • E-commerce plugins improve customer journey.
  • Analytic plugins help with insights on page performance
  • Text and image editor plugins provide rich editing functionalities
If you’re looking to transform your Craft CMS experience — visual or performance — then plugins can help. As for the development of the plugin, talk to us here.

How Zeplin Transforms Agile Workflows?

Posted on by galaxy-admin
With 71% of businesses using Agile approaches, tools like Zeplin are becoming more and more important. They’re not just facilitating smoother workflows; they’re reshaping how teams collaborate on software development. Zeplin, specifically, has made notable strides in this area, revolutionizing the way design and development teams interact.

Design Systems and Zeplin: A Synergy for Success

Zeplin’s role in reinforcing design systems is vital in an Agile environment. By providing a unified platform for design elements, it ensures coherence and uniformity across projects. A notable example is Airbnb’s design system, which utilizes tools like Zeplin to maintain a consistent brand and user experience across their digital platforms. By streamlining their design process, Airbnb has managed to reduce design discrepancies significantly, leading to a more cohesive user interface.

Streamlining UI/UX Feedback with Zeplin

Feedback loops are essential in Agile development, and Zeplin optimizes this by bridging the communication gap between designers and developers. For instance, Dropbox reported enhanced efficiency in their design process after integrating Zeplin. The platform allowed for quicker feedback and iterations, reducing their design revision time by approximately 30%. UI/UX designers can utilize Zeplin’s interactive environment to rapidly prototype and iterate designs, ensuring faster approvals and implementation.

Effective Collaboration through Zeplin Integrations

Zeplin’s ability to integrate with tools like Slack and JIRA enhances its effectiveness in Agile workflows. Shopify’s integration of Zeplin with Slack serves as a great example. This integration has facilitated faster updates and feedback within their teams, leading to improved project management and a more synchronized workflow. Such integrations demonstrate Zeplin’s versatility and its capacity to adapt to various team dynamics and project requirements. Teams should explore Zeplin’s integration capabilities to enhance real-time collaboration and project tracking, ensuring a more aligned and efficient workflow.

Overcoming Communication Challenges in Design with Zeplin

Communication is a pivotal aspect of project management, and Zeplin addresses this by providing clear and organized design specifications. IBM’s design team has utilized Zeplin to effectively manage communication among their globally distributed teams. This has led to a more streamlined and efficient design process, significantly reducing misunderstandings and delays in project timelines.

Quantifying Zeplin’s Impact on Agile Workflows

The measurable impact of Zeplin in Agile workflows is seen in the improvements in team productivity and project timelines. According to recent statistics, companies leveraging Zeplin have reported a 20-25% improvement in project turnaround times. This demonstrates Zeplin’s profound impact on enhancing efficiency and streamlining processes in Agile environments.

Galaxy Weblinks: Pioneering Agile Excellence with Zeplin

Navigating the complexities of UI/UX design, web development, and Agile methodologies requires more than just understanding; it demands the right tools and expertise. Galaxy Weblinks, with its deep-rooted experience in Agile practices and a suite of services including UI/UX and web development, is uniquely positioned to help businesses harness the full potential of tools like Zeplin. We specialize in fine-tuning Agile processes, ensuring our clients not only keep pace but lead in the competitive tech landscape. Reach out to us and transform your Agile journey into a story of success and innovation.

Drupal 8.6 update. What’s new?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Keeping up with the promises made during earlier announcements, Drupal released the 8.6 version on September 5. The update comes with significant additions.

Drupal 8.6 now supports MySQL 8. Also, with this update a monolingual Drupal 6 site can be migrated to Drupal 8 directly from the user interface. Multilingual website migration using the UI is still under development. Apart from these changes, other important changes are listed below.

Easier Drupal installations

Installations on Drupal have been made easier. There are two ways to install Drupal.

  1. A quick start command installs Drupal within 2 minutes using PHP’s built in web server and SQlite database.
  2. Drupal’s installer now recognizes existing configurations and provides an option to install updates for that configuration.

Test environment to showcase features

Image source: drupal.org

Drupal now provides an easy-to-install test environment in a demo website called umami. The demo profile can be used to showcase Drupal’s data modeling, listing, page composition, and content moderation capabilities to prospects. It will also help in onboarding new users.

Support for remote media types

Image source: drupal.org

This Drupal update adds support for remote media types. You can now easily embed YouTube and Vimeo videos.

Experimental features

Image source: drupal.org

Workspace module and layout builder are some of the experimental features that are introduced with this update.

Workspace module lets you work on different projects simultaneously. You can segregate your projects using workspaces.

Content layout builder is an under-development experimental version. The stable version will be a powerful tool against authoring challenges.

Drupal 8.6 update package brings some much-needed additions to the table, such as:

  • Nightwatch.js and Prettier is added to make it more familiar to Javascript and PHP developers.
  • Tests are converted from SimpleTest to PHPUnit.

Whereas, JSON API was skipped in this update.

Any updates, whether it’s incremental or critical, means a mandatory upgrade for the older versions. Drupal will end support for Drupal 6 but support for Drupal 7 will continue.

Upgrade to Drupal 8.6 now.

Get in touch with our Drupal experts here!

Magento 1 End Of Life: It’s time to migrate to Magento 2

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Magento announced that it is pulling the plug on Magento 1 in April 2017 at the ‘Meet Magento’ conference in Prague. The announcement caused a frenzy amongst developers and business owners. However, Magento later cancelled the End of Life and announced an 18-month notification policy for the EOL date. Even though the End of Life has been delayed, it’s high time you start planning Migration to Magento 2. Magento’s team will provide support for Magento 1.13.x and 1.14.x Enterprise editions, but only till June 2020. The support for Magento 1 community edition is no longer available. End of support on Magento 1 means that there will be no further development. With no security patches, your business and data will be at risk. This would leave your website vulnerable to hackers. Apart from security you might also face the following issues if you decide to delay the upgrade:
  • Increased maintenance costs
  • Lack of support for extensions
  • PCI compliance issues
  • Lack of speed (Magento 2 is faster)
Magento has provided you with the timeframe to understand the database, compatibility, and integration needs for a smooth migration and upgrade. As most of the current Magento websites are running on Magento 1, the users currently have two options:
  • Start planning the migration to Magento 2
  • Stick with Magento 1 for a while till a glitch makes it urgent.
Moving to Magento 2 will change your website’s game. It easily handles huge traffic and aids faster checkouts. As per previews, the stores in Magento 2 load 30–50% faster than Magento 1. Magento 2 solves the problem of slow page loading speeds and checkouts, resulting in lesser transaction failures and more business! As Magento 2 is based on a different architecture, the migration will be a time-taking process. It is highly advised to get a team of Magento experts on board and get on with it. Bottomline, GET IT DONE NOW! DO NOT PUT THE UPGRADE ON PENDING TASK LIST! Migration to Magento 2 is a walk in the park if you have right development partners onboard. Get a Magento expert here!

ACF vs Visual Composer website builder: Which is better?

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Building a WordPress website? The WordPress community provides you with plenty of options. You can either make an easy one using WordPress themes or a custom one using website builders. A website builder is the most convenient way to make a personalised website. WordPress community provides you with a ton of free and paid builders as per your needs and levels of expertise. Once you make up your mind on what you plan to do with your website, then you can chalk-out the structure and the elements that you’re going to need for the website to function. After locking in your requirements, you can choose your website builder. We recommend using two of our recent favorites.
  • ACF
  • Visual Composer

ACF

Image Source: advancedcustomfields.com

The interface of the Advanced Custom Fields is simple. It lets you create dynamic fields for individual elements of your website. Installation and activation of ACF adds Custom Fields to your WordPress dashboard. From the Custom Fields menu you can take full control of your edit screen & custom field data. The minimalistic interface of ACF can be mistaken for an under equipped website builder. You can make some of the most complex and powerful websites with ACF. The best thing about ACF’s interface is that it doesn’t try to overwhelm you. It only shows the functions that you need. ACF gives you the full control of your website right from header to footer. You can build individual elements of your website with custom fields. There are 25+ different field types to choose from, vis-a-vis. text, image, gallery and WYSIWYG editor. These fields are dynamic. You can use them to give your client an easy way to update their website according to their liking.

Visual Composer

Image Source: visualcomposer.io

It has a clean and modern interface which allows you to make basic layouts with ease. The interface lets you work on different elements of the website, right then and there. Visual Composer has a floating window which pops up every time you’re trying to add or edit an element. The window is movable and resizable, you can place it anywhere if it’s obstructing your view. Visual Composer gives you the best of both worlds with its backend and frontend editor. While building, you can easily choose from the ready-made layouts of landing page, call to action page, feature list, description page, service list or a product page. Adding elements in the website is also easy with the element window. The drag and drop visuals come at a cost of short codes. Migrating to another website builder or uninstalling Visual Composer leaves short codes in the content, rendering it unreadable. Fixing these short codes is an another chore on its own.

Which one do we prefer over another, you ask?

Well it’s a tough choice but…ACF! ACF and Visual Composer are serving two different audiences. ACF is focused on developers. Visual Composer on the other hand targets the people with little to no knowledge of website development. In case of both the builders. the audiences don’t need to have an extensive coding knowledge. Visual Composer focuses on making the website building experience as easy as it can be. Visual Composer is not made for complex websites it will only provide you with enough elements to get your website up and running.

Why ACF?

ACF does a commendable job with its active development and incredible support. The developers are constantly working to keep the plugin current. The heavily themed interface of Visual Composer is slow. The floating window takes time to load the elements, and the builder shows glitches when you switch from frontend to backend. Visual Composer is affordable for personal license but expensive for client work. ‘Advanced Custom Fields’ is more affordable and provides value for money. Another thing that doesn’t work in Visual Composer’s favor is that the pre-sales service and overall support for Visual Composer is terrible. It comes as no surprise that ACF has 900,000+ active installations compared to Visual Composer’s 500,000+. You can save your time and money with theme-based websites but you might not get the exact thing you’re looking for. Themes are designed keeping a universal requirement in mind. Your unique requirement might not fit in those templates everytime. But, if you have unique requirements and want the best for your website, then website builder is the right bid. Making custom websites is a hectic process. We can make that process easier. Our expert development team knows website builders like the back of their hands. Hit us up here if you’re looking for WordPress development partners.

How to use Macros with Twig in Craft CMS — DRY

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Templating is one of the most commonly used processes in web development. It helps with easier management during the development & design process. Apart from the management, templating helps with keeping the visual consistency.

Craft CMS comes with a cool templating engine — Twig. And we love to use macros to work on redundant parts while working on a Craft CMS project. Macros can be compared to ‘functions’ in PHP also known as DRY templating in other languages. We usually use it to generate markups that have slight final variations in the implementation.

To simplify your code you must first make a visual hierarchy of the page you’re working on. That way you can determine the components you’re going to need. Make macros for those components in the twig templating engine.

Macro implementations can be changed based on the parameters passed to it. For instance footers, dates, images and other media are a recurring part of a website. You can make macros for these components.

Skeleton of Twig Macro

{% macro coolMacroName (parameter 1,…..) %} {content of macro goes here} {% endmacro %}

To call the macro – {% import ‘_macroFilename’ as ‘macroVariable’ %} {{ macrovariable.coolMacroName(parameter1, parameter2,….) }}

The best practice is to add the relevant macros to a file and then call the file as a variable. Use the variable to call the macro at the places you need.

The first Macro we use often is-

Macro for responsive image component in Craft CMS

You can reduce and automate a lot of work which goes in responsive image formatting. Utilize Craft’s ‘Image transforms’ with a twig for images and define your transform macros in it. You will also have to define different types of macros for different image formatting needs.

A macro for Device-pixel ratio adaptable fixed size images and other one for variable size responsive images. Also add an internal class to call it inside your twig image file for additional attributes.

Macro for video component in Craft CMS

Videos are an integral part of every website, so making a twig component for it seems practical, otherwise you will spend your precious time writing and tweaking html code for videos.

In the macro define the logic of the video component. The file should have proper information about the component, the parameters which are accepted, the value each parameter requires, and whether the parameter is optional or not. You also need to mention, what the arrays and objects are made of because without that information you yourself and other developers won’t know, what information can/must or cannot be passed while calling the component.

Making macros for date formatting in Craft CMS

Dates might look like a trivial part of a template but it gets tedious and complex when you have to define its format in every other template.

You can contain different modifiable date formats in a macro. It saves you the effort of having to define it time and again and maintaining consistency all along. Short or long, just define the format in a macro and call it wherever you need it.

Reduce repeated reference of paths in Craft CMS

Include tag in twig allows you to call a template within a template. Each one you make gets stored in /templates/ folder by default, even your include templates.

You can call these partial templates separately followed by the same path or make a macro instead to reduce the repeated reference of path.

To achieve code consistency, store your ‘include’ templates separately. So that you can call the include templates within the macro. You can also call your ‘include templates’ from multiple locations.

Final words

That’s pretty much it. Apart from few other variations, creating macros for page components is a good and effective way to reduce the redundancy and complexity of the code. You can always go through this detailed video for macros here.

We’ve been experimenting with several DRY techniques ourselves. It improves the speed of our work cycle.

How are you using Twig & its components? If you need help with your Craft CMS project, connect with us right away.

How to migrate a Craft 2 project to Craft 3?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Craft 3 update changed a lot of things. Added functionalities aside, the process of installing and maintaining the CMS also changed with this breakpoint release.

Craft 3 almost makes it necessary to migrate your website from Craft 2. It is better in every aspect, including security and the extended plugin store. The store comes with plugin trials and 30-day license return policy.

For the incremental updates, you just had to click on a button. But with the breakpoint release, Craft CMS tweaked its ways of handling things.

It is advised to get an expert’s help for the migration because there are a lot of things that can go wrong with the migration, for instance:

  • Control panel prompting to install Craft instead of the update database dialogue.
  • Database configuration settings which are no longer needed

Also, to avoid errors, you have to follow the same naming schemes that were used in your old database; like using same prefixes with the new database connection settings.

There are two steps involved in the migration process of a Craft 2 project.

  • Craft 3 Installation
  • Manual Migration

Step 1: Craft 3 Installation

To install Craft 3, follow the same steps as mentioned in ‘How to setup a new Craft CMS project’ and then proceed with the migration.

You need to take care of the following requirements before proceeding with the installation:

  • Craft 3 requires PHP 7+ and at least 256 MB of memory for PHP
  • The installation requires Craft 2.6.2788
  • Make sure that your plugins are ported to Craft 3 (check the status at the bottom of the update page)
  • Keep a backup of your old database.

After the installation, proceed with the migration process. According to the Craft 3 upgrade documentation following are the steps you need to follow to migrate your Craft 2 project to Craft 3.

Step 2: Manual Migration

Import your database connection settings from your old database file craft/config/db.php to your .env file in the Craft 3 directory.

Now copy the following settings and configuration files from the old Craft 2 directory to the new Craft 3 directory.

  • Copy settings from craft/config/general.php to config/general.php
  • Copy craft/config/license.key file to config/
  • Copy configuration files from craft/config/redactor/ to config/redactor/
  • Copy files from craft/storage/rebrand/ to storage/rebrand/
  • Copy photos from craft/storage/userphotos/ to storage/userphotos/
  • Copy templates from craft/templates/ to templates/
  • Copy the changes made, if any, from public/index.php file to web/index.php file
  • Copy other files from old public/ to web/ directory.

After copying the files to the web/directory, update the web server to point to it. Enter the Craft’s control panel URL in the browser. It should prompt you to update your database.

Known problems with the migration from Craft 2 to Craft 3

If all goes well you will be able to run the latest Craft 3 with your old database intact. If not then you might be facing the following problems.

Craft installer pops up when accessing the control panel

Your old database connection settings are not matching with the new .env file. It is most likely happening because of a wrong DB_TABLE_PREFIX.

“Setting unknown property:

craft\config\DbConfig::initSQLs” error.

The initSQLs database configuration setting was used in Craft 2 to fix MySQL 5.7 support. It is redundant in Craft 3. Remove the line beginning with ‘initSQLs’ in the config/db.php file to delete the setting.

To avoid major hassles and loss of database, it is recommended that you get a Craft partner onboard. In case you have further queries, you can connect with our Craft CMS experts here.

More Craft CMS Features: Matrix and Its Powerful Friends

Posted on by galaxy-admin
Craft CMS’s consistency can be seen in its regular updates & latest features. Matrix is one of those early features that helped Craft dominate the CMS game. Matrix is the protagonist of the Craft’s story since its inception but there are some unsung heroes that need some attention too.

Categories & Tags in Craft CMS

Categories and tags is one of the most powerful features of Craft CMS for content classification. It allows you to organize your content by defining a taxonomy beforehand. You can create category groups from which, the categories are assigned to different entries.

Define Taxonomies with Category in Craft CMS

To define a Taxonomy you have to create a parent group to accommodate different categories in it. Go into categories section in settings. Inside it you can create a parent category group to define a taxonomy.

Meta level categorization with Tags in Craft CMS

Craft supports folksonomy as well. You can categorize the content with the help of electronic tags to define a folksonomy. The process of creating tags and tag groups is same as the categories. Create a folksonomy from the settings. Assign to the entries in the tag field. Tags provide meta level categorization which also helps in SEO. Categories & tags will help you create a content structure which makes your content consumable.

Matrix in Craft CMS

In our earlier blog about ‘why to choose Craft’ we listed Matrix as one of the defining features of Craft CMS. The feature lets you create and manage content blocks. You can add, reorder, and move content blocks; be it text, code, or rich media. And the coolest thing about the content blocks is that the reordering doesn’t affect the code in the template. One of the key benefits of the matrix field is that you don’t have to rely on predefined themes and their content structures. The only problem with the thematic approach is that you have to make-do with whatever the theme designer deemed right. The sections are made of fields, which are made with content blocks and using these content types we create entries. The matrix is a multi functional field which can accommodate almost every type of entry.

Where to find the Matrix?

You can find the matrix in the sections where you define field type and the amount of blocks the field is going to have. Just select matrix from the field type drop down and configure it accordingly. If you want a minimalistic powerful website with necessary content elements then Craft’s Matrix field is the answer.

Image Editor in Craft CMS

Before Image Editor’s introduction in Craft 3, the only options to edit the images were through Image Transforms or with plugins like Tiny image. Craft’s inbuilt Image Transform lacked essential editing elements and was only helpful in defining universal image rules. Image editor on the other hand provides a rich editor which lets you crop, rotate, flip, and straighten images. You can even manually set focal points for responsive images. Edits don’t affect the quality of the image and can be overwritten or saved as a new asset. You can access the image editor from assets in the control panel:
  • Open control panel
  • Click on the assets
  • Select an asset
  • Click on the drop down with a gear icon on it
  • Select edit image

Image Source:craftcms.com

Edit image option will open the image editor for the selected asset. Overwrite the changes with save button or save the image as a new asset.

Plugin Store in Craft CMS

Plugins are mini applications for added functionality. There are more than 200 plugins in Craft CMS’ plugin store, each one enhances Craft in one way or another.

Image Source:craftcms.com

Plugins are infamous as vulnerability of WordPress but that’s not the case with Craft because:
  • It has One-click installation and updation.
  • It has centralized license management.
  • It allows you to try a plugin before you buy it, on a non-public domain like Craft.test.
  • It has a 30-day return policy on paid plugins licences.

One-Click Updates in Craft CMS

All the functionalities are a waste if you have to update them one by one. Craft solves this problem like a real problem solver via one-click update feature. Craft alerts you in the control panel with a notification badge and its clever designing allows the system to notify according to the update priority. For example; if it’s just an incremental update, it would just show a notification badge and if it’s a critical update the control panel will turn red. Update priority is one of the most practical & essential elements on Craft CMS.You can’t possibly miss a critical update with the control panel turning red. Critical updates are meant for security enhancements or to fix a vulnerability. Skipping them leaves your website vulnerable to attacks. Craft’s one-click update provides all the incremental and critical updates in a ready-to-install package. It is easy that way and no one skips any important updates.

Relations with entities in Craft CMS

You can link entries, assets, categories/tags, & users — the four relational field types — using Craft’s Relationship engine. For example you can relate a case study with the services page section to show which services were used during the development process.

Creating relationships in Craft CMS

  • Create a new entries field
  • Select the sources from which entries will be taken
  • Drop the new field in the layout of the desired section

Image Source:craftcms.com

You can find the new category entries field in the section, while creating a new entry. Now you can relate content elements to each other. These basic Craft features have made website development a complete new ballgame. We have partnered with agencies and companies for extensive Craft CMS projects. To know how we roll our dices, ping us here.