HOW TO: DEVELOP AN APP LIKE SNAPCHAT

We all know of Snapchat, and late millennials and generation z, know it as almost their primary form of contact between friends. Snapchat has been a big topic of conversation since it began, and it has stayed one of the top social media apps since with all of its unique features and functions.

Snapchat has been infamously popular for the concept of sending a picture or a video and having it “disappear.” Today we will learn how to create an app like Snapchat and what features and technology are used.

Millennials and Generation Z like to use the phrase “It didn’t happen if you don’t post it,” this is because nowadays, millennials like to tell the world about what they’re doing first before they take the time to enjoy the moment. This is why developing an app like Snapchat is a great idea.

Have you ever wondered why people continue to use Snapchat?

Well, the Snapchat algorithm knows the mindset of consumers really well. Messages that disappear after being read unless screenshotted make the users feel secure.

The Snapchat team also trusts the saying, “What’s news today is history tomorrow,” and the overall motto for Snapchat is “Life’s more fun when you live in the moment.”

With Snapchat, you have the option to send a picture or word messages to friends that will disappear after they are opened. Still, you also have stories that create a sense of urgency and importance, especially since they expire after 24 hours. This limited validity and quick expiration make the overall experience exclusive for Snappers.

You also have the opportunity to maintain streaks, which, in a way, can feel like an achievement.

Ultimately, Snapchat is an easy way to stay in touch with friends you may not speak to all the time but would like to see what they’re up to once in a while.

Here are 5 features from Snapchat to include in an app in similar app designs:

1. Chat

2. Snapchat Filters

3. My story

4. Adding friends

5. Audio / video calls

With all of these features, you must be speculating how Snapchat makes a profit.

Here are the top 5 ways Snapchat makes money:

1. Advertising

2. Sponsored Lenses

3. Discover section

4. Branded Geofilters

5. Sports Partnerships  

But now, how can you incorporate these features into your app?

Well, to begin, it is not a simple task to develop an app like Snapchat. First and foremost, you need to know and understand the critical technical aspects required to begin.

1. DEVELOPMENT LANGUAGES

Snapchat relies on an extensive collection of languages that are used to code, especially for the filters. Commonly ‘Objective-C’ is used to build apps like Snapchat for iOS. Bootstrap and JavaScript are used for front-end development.

Other programming languages used by Snapchat are Python, Cocoa Touch, and PHP.

2. CLOUD HOSTING

Snapchat utilizes the Google Computing Engine to enhance the automatic extensibility that is based on the number of users to manage data temporarily. The Amazon web service is commonly used for hosting.

3. DATABASE

Since Snapchat is such a widely known app, it needs to have the ability to manage large volumes of structured data at a time. To do this in an adaptable manner for the app to maintain optimum performance, NoSQL, otherwise known as Not Only SQL, should be used as the primary database.

4. TECHNOLOGY

Modern technologies like machine learning, Face detection, and tracking, augmented reality, Geolocation, and face recognition are used to incorporate text on photo apps like Snapchat.

In summary, to develop an app like Snapchat, you want to incorporate chat, pictures, modern technologies, and adding friends. With a database like Objective-C or JavaScript while utilizing a cloud hosting base.

If you need help getting started, reach out to one of our experts at ISU Corp!

TOP 5 REASONS WHY USING MULTI-TENANT ARCHITECTURE IS BETTER

Typically, it is common that an organization which offers an in-house application continues to operate through a separate and dedicated server with storage space. This includes separate applications and separate infrastructure.

The transition to cloud computing has been advantageous for these organizations that have introduced multi-tenant architecture. With this new configuration, the SaaS vendor operates using the same server and storage space to provide multiple user accounts, also known as, the same application with a shared infrastructure.

The best feature of a multi-tenant environment is that each user account is unaware of other user’s existence, even when they're working on the same infrastructure, they are still acting independently.

A relevant comparison for understanding multi-tenant architecture is an apartment building. With a basic setup, you have the main building with hallways, and amenities which is the ‘cloud environment’ in the multi-tenant architecture. However, you can customize the allocated space to your name, which is the ‘user accounts’ in the multi-tenant architecture.

Now, what is Multi-Tenant Architecture?

A single instance of the software (the workable application) is set up and operates on the cloud vendor’s infrastructure like AWS, Azure, GCP, and serves the needs of several customers simultaneously.

Integrated into the multi-tenant architecture, customers are unaware of additional data that is stored exclusively. Which, however, makes the tenants invisible to one another.

What is Single-Tenant Architecture?

A single-tenancy architecture, that a single instance software functions through on a dedicated cloud server while only serving one customer at a time. The setup is possible among organizations that have resource-intensive workloads.

An easy comparable for understanding single-tenant architecture can be a villa that you create for your family. You will configure an exclusive building – which represents the dedicated server space that you own. With a single tenant you do not have to share anything with anyone, and every computing resource will only be accessible to you.

The biggest difference between single-tenancy and multi-tenancy is with multi, there is a “Noisy Neighbour” effect. This is when several tenants will make requests on the same database server, and performance issues will occur, and it will result in noisy neighbours.

To manage the allocation, and deallocation of resources to avoid starting the noisy neighbour effect is through a priority setting.

There are 2 types of Multi-Tenancy through Cloud Computing

1. One App Instance, with One Database

With this configuration, the software is supported by one database, and all the user accounts are accessed within the software product.

This style offers scalability, and increased correspondence to resources and capacity as tenants increase. The biggest downside to this style is the noisy neighbour effect.

2. One App Instance with Several Databases

With this configuration, the software is supported by several databases, and each tenant has a designated database that is independently maintained.

This version of multi tenancy can get expensive because you are asking for a separate space to store the application’s data. Scalability is not as easy with this version, but there is no noisy neighbour effect.

Okay, but how does Multi-tenancy work?

Alongside a multi-tenant architecture, a single instance of the software is contributed to the public cloud and is accessible to several tenants. However, when a new tenant starts, the software has the ability to be customized to suit their individual needs.

Here are the top benefits to Multi-Tenant Architecture:

1. Economies of Scale

This allows for renting common resources for your application on the cloud infrastructure. It includes the cost that you pay to host a multi-tenant software application that is fixed and could vary overtime.

When cloud resources that are fixed and vary with scalability are purchased the value and profits bring in improved economies of scale.

2. Easy maintenance, updates and upgrades

In the case of SaaS Multi-tenant architecture, users are not required to pay many fees to keep the software up to date. Maintenance costs are typically associated with a SaaS subscription and are not charged per case, unlike the Single tenant structure.

The maintenance costs, especially for updates, are shared between every tenant since they all use the same code from the same pool, which reduces the overall costs for each tenant.

3. Convenient onboarding of New Tenants

Multiple customer onboarding has sparked fame and become a primary focus for vendors since poor user experience can directly affect the growth prospects.  

4. The Virtue of Scalability

The more hardware that is added to a Multi-Tenant SaaS model, the more horsepower for the entire system there will be. Which will then provide excellent scalability to every tenant.

Our hope is that this gave you a better understanding for Multi-Tenant Architecture, and gave you better insight on what to use as a foundation for your business or software. Reach out to one of our experts at ISU Corp if you have any questions!

All About Sharepoint And It's Benefits

Have you always wondered about “What is SharePoint? What are its benefits and how can it help my team?” Today’s blog is going to answer those exact questions. We will take you through the basics of what Sharepoint is, the benefits of using it, and how you can get started. 

What is SharePoint?

Sharepoint is a digital cloud-based platform made for collaboration and project management. It's perfect for the social distanced age as it allows your team to still work together remotely and effectively. It allows you to manage all of your corporate content (financials, marketing materials, etc) so you can have everything in one easy to access location. It also lets you create websites, post company alerts to keep everyone in the loop, automate workflows, and build customized apps to help your team's productivity. 

It offers all these tasks in one easy to use platform, making collaboration a dream.

What are the Benefits?

As mentioned before, SharePoint offers many great features, but how do they all come together to really benefit us? Here are a couple of key benefits of using SharePoint:

1. SharePoint is Secure

If you heard your documents were all going to be on one platform the first thing you might have thought of are security concerns. But with this being a Microsoft piece of software you already know the security is taken very seriously. They place a heavy emphasis on protecting their customer's information, which is why they spend 1 Billion USD annually just on security. 

Some of the built-in security features include: 

• The ability to limit who outside your organization can see your content

• Set limits on who in your organization can access certain things

• Block or allow access to certain content just based on your team's location

2. SharePoint Excels Collaboration Amongst Team Members

Working remotely has its benefits but it certainly depletes one aspect in every business. Collaboration. When your team is not together there can be some concern on how they will be able to work together effectively and efficiently, however SharePoint provides a platform that simplifies collaboration. SharePoint puts all your documents into one place and lets them be accessed from any device at any time. As well, it shows real-time changes to documents and lets multiple people work on a document at one time, meaning your team can all be collaborating at the same time. 

Team members can also set up group tasks, assign tasks to other members, and check off tasks as they are completed. This allows everyone to know exactly what their responsibilities are and what everyone else is completing. 

3. SharePoint Helps Automate Pesky and Time-Consuming Tasks 

Having to collect signatures from employees or get approval can be annoying, especially when you want to just get back to your task. Sharepoint makes it easy to collect signatures and approvals digitally, meaning you'll spend less time chasing after your boss in the office and more time checking off tasks. 

As well, it automates other tasks such as tracking statuses on documents and enables notifications to see when something changes, etc. All these automations are called workflows and the most commonly used ones are: 

• Approval workflows

• Status workflows

• Notification workflows 

• Automation workflows

• Custom workflows

Isn’t SharePoint Hard To Use?

This is the same question that is always asked by any project manager before adopting new software and with good reason too. No one wants to adopt and transfer their team to a new platform just to make your life harder. Just like with any project management platform, if you prepare your team on how to use the platform and take time to implement it properly, it will be smooth sailing from that point forward. Not to mention, Microsoft is known for continuously updating their products so they can be the best, meaning you will continue to get improved service and new features. 

If you still have software questions or want to get in touch for more tips, please feel free to reach out to us at ISU Corp.