Field Notes From Cyfrania
Chronicles of software developers: sweet successes, bitter failures, and everyday routines shared to inspire, spark thoughts, offer hints, or just for a pleasant read.
Is It Easier to Build a Website or an App?
When entrepreneurs have an idea of launching a product or service, they are usually impatient to bring it to life as soon as possible. But what is the best way to realize this idea? Is it in the form of a website or an app? Entrepreneurs need to find answers to these questions by considering price, speed of development, advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches. If we don't go into detail, a website is easier to develop. But! Websites and applications can come in various types, each serving different purposes and…
Developers Portfolio: Guide for Entrepreneurs
When called upon as a developer expert to assist in selecting talents for app projects, I frequently observe entrepreneurs struggling with how to make a portfolio assessment for developer candidates. Lacking tech knowledge, they find it tough to judge developers' skills. In this article, I will address the challenges and pitfalls that might arise. Additionally, I will outline my approach on how to assess a portfolio to aid you in making a reasoned decision. In developers portfolios, you'll probably stumble upon a bunch of tech…
Question of Trust: Funds Gone, or Chance Left?
There is a special category of entrepreneurs among those who approach our development company. These are clients who come with unfinished projects, having undergone highly negative experiences with their previous developers. Having participated in the rescue of numerous such projects, I have some advice to share. In this article, I will outline the typical scenario that plays out in such instances, using a particular project as an example. Furthermore, **I will showcase how the startup's co-founders could have avoided a significant portion of the adversities…
Making Money With a Mobile App: Monetization Strategy
Consider a mobile app that is being actively developed. We are talking about a "live" app, one that has a team of software engineers continuously working on new features and regularly releasing app updates. For example, it could be an app with educational games for kids. Or it could be an app that helps people to find a team for a friendly soccer game at a nearby field. Or maybe it's an app that helps people track their sugar level and insulin injections. The company building the app needs to eventually make some profit, so they…
Specific Features of IT Market in Saudi Arabia
In my career as a developer, I have attended several IT exhibitions and conferences to gain insights into the latest trends and technologies and make useful business connections. "Seamless Saudi Arabia 2023" is the event that stands out from the rest. First, it was held in a country that opened its doors to foreigners and became liberal in issuing tourist visas only in 2019. Second, it was a very large-scale event with 24,102 attendees, 521 exhibitors and 378 speakers. The focus was on fintech,…
What Does a Front-End Developer Do?
Before describing my work, let me explain what a front-end is. The front-end is the visible part of a website or application, everything that the user sees and interacts with. All those buttons, all those blocks, all that beautiful animation. All the things that catch your eye when you go to a website and think, "Wow! What beautiful slides! What cool pictures pop up!" That's all done by a front-end developer. My main task is to create a user-friendly, understandable and functional website so that it would please both the user and the owner. So what does a front-end developer's job look…
World Where All the Programmers Have Gone Away
Imagine waking up to an ordinary morning. People brew their coffee and turn on the television, only to be greeted by a worried news presenter. An hour ago, mysterious incidents unfolded globally. Countless individuals vanished; security forces of nations are on high alert. The world is in confusion. The only certainty is that everyone with programming skills or a technical mindset has gone away. Most people switched the channel to morning shows. Some were sorrowful about the absence of their relatives or friends, and there were those…
What Does a Back-End Developer Do?
The work of a back-end developer isn't visible to the user, but it's essential for the success of a web application. I can easily prove it with the example of an ordinary car. Figuratively speaking, everything the user sees and uses: the settings of the on-board systems, 2-3 pedals, the steering wheel, the beautiful interior - that's the front-end developer's work. Meanwhile, the back-end is all the components of the car that are invisible to the user: fuel and cooling systems, engine, transmission, ventilation and air…
Explaining App Idea to Software Engineers
How do you explain your idea to another person? It is natural to share your thoughts, plans and ideas with close friends, but talking to strangers may feel awkward. If your friend does not quite understand your idea, it is no big deal. But if the experts you hired to implement your idea misunderstand your requirements, you are at loss. When someone wants to build an app, they need to explain their idea clearly to the engineering team. Communicating requirements is not easy. It takes effort to come to a shared understanding, as everyone sees…
What Are QA Engineers and Why They Are So Important?
While negative reviews can be helpful to users, they are highly disliked by app owners. Unfortunately, the latter cannot avoid this situation when there is a need to fix some issues that arise. The thing is to do it before users find at least critical ones and give them a bad review or a low rating that can cause serious damage. It's no secret that people are more hesitant to deal with a business or service with negative reviews. So what should the app owners do to avoid it? Before launching an app, it should be thoroughly tested. Luckily, there are superheroes known as Quality Assurance…
