Month: November 2021

A Guide to Finding the Best Custom Software Development Partner

Posted on by Adina Humayoon

Finding the best custom software development partner is the ultimate goal that can make or break your business. You can talk to a number of custom software development companies to make your dream project come true. Having said that, dream projects don’t just happen; they require extensive work, an expert team with years of experience, professional tools, and a proper budget to come into existence. 

That’s just the beginning – there are a ton of technicalities that one needs to ponder upon in order to select an appropriate custom software partner. A reliable custom software partner is a one-stop solution to all your requirements. From the budget to the final proposal and flawless execution. 

It takes a lot to finalize a custom software partner that fits your approach and ideology well. For the magic to happen, a few factors must be considered. Let’s talk about some of these. 

Research: How to narrow down the list?

First, start by creating an extensive list of all the best software development partners in the market, broaden your range globally, and list the best names listed on the web. From that list, narrow down the ones that fit well against your product requirements. 

Do a lot of research on the partners that made the shortlist. Find out about their areas of expertise, strengths, work ethics, and methods. Check to see if they can meet all of your software needs, whether it’s web development or making apps for your phone. Take your time and find the best match for yourself before signing them up for your product. Make sure the services they provide align well with your brand image and ideology.

Experience: How good is their portfolio?

Reviewing a potential custom software development partner’s past projects and figuring out how much experience they have is important for more than one reason. Their portfolio can define the extent of their services, deliverables, the scale of projects they tend to board, and whether they are suitable for any future projects.  

Picking a company that is familiar with your project and idea is a huge advantage on your behalf since the custom software development company will already be familiar with the challenges that may occur while curating a similar product and will have a definite workaround for them. This ranges from product design to deployment. Look for a software development partner that is an expert with extensive work experience and a proven knowledge base for all sorts of practices that they advertise themselves for.

Communication: Are you being heard?

Seamless communication is integral to finding the best custom software development partner. This is often overlooked while other factors are considered deal-breakers, like pricing, services, and so on. But communication and building a suitable understanding are as crucial in this regard as all the factors mentioned above. 

By all means, ensure that there is no communication gap between your company and your custom software development partner. Building an initial understanding of your requirements and demands is necessary. Ensure that you are being heard and that any questions you have been successfully communicated to the software development team by the project manager so that they can be addressed as soon as possible. 

Location: What works best for you? 

When looking for a software development partner for your business, location can be one of the most important things to consider. It is also one of the prime factors that one needs to have an eye out for. The base location of the company you have selected can be one of the following: onshore, offshore, or nearshore. 

Onshore

Any company that is available in your hometown or country will be labeled as an “onshore” company. Not only are they in your time zone, but there is also a 100% possibility of a one-on-one meeting whenever required, providing room for establishing an understanding and smooth communication. 

One downside to this is that onshore companies are usually extremely costly. So one must allot a hefty budget to secure one of the local software development companies. 

Offshore

This one is self-explanatory; offshore companies have their bases in foreign countries. Their companies may be located on international grounds, but they offer services across the globe at affordable rates, which is why businesses go for an offshore custom software development company. 

Despite the cheaper cost and good service, a major disadvantage is different time zones and a one-on-one communication gap due to that. Online meetings can be set up, but when time zones clash, one or the other has to suffer by giving in time after work hours to schedule meetings. 

Nearshore

When you hire a custom software development company from a country close to your own region or a direct neighbor, that’s called “nearshoring.” Hiring a nearshore company is a win-win situation because it is not only cost-effective but also in a similar time zone, which will make scheduling meetings super easy for both parties without having to work outside business hours. 

Pricing: How much is too much? 

The prices that a certain software development partner offers signify the service they provide. However, this does not mean that companies with a hefty price tag are offering the best services; certain unnecessary expenses are involved in that regard. Meanwhile, do not be tempted by a low-cost package from any company, as they lack various technical skills and tools required to create a top-notch software application. 

Some of the best custom software development companies will cost you money, but it will be absolutely justified based on the services, dedication, and ideology that they implement while executing the product. 

If you can not afford the best companies, wait until you can. Rushing to create a subpar product from a cheap software development company can result in a larger loss. In this case, waiting is the best option – save up enough to be able to afford the best. 

Tools and Technologies: Are they using the best?

In the long run, top-notch software development companies that use the best and most emerging technologies for scalable and reliable software applications tend to be the best choice. It’s important to have the most up-to-date tools for making software because it needs to be modern and flexible, and come with the best tools and plug-ins for the best user experience and interface. 

Moreover, the company must create transparency between themselves and their clients by giving them access to their project management tools. Transparency ensures trust and keeps the client in the loop regarding the progress of their product and the technology used to create it from scratch.. 

In the End – Choosing the Best Custom Software Development Partner

After thorough research and examination, it eventually comes down to selecting reliable custom software development partners. It may be a complex task, but a well-researched selection will benefit in the long run. Take your time and consider all the major factors mentioned above, and then come up with a decision.

FAQs for custom software and over-the-shelf software

Research! That’s the only factor that can help you find the best custom software development company. After getting a list of all the potential companies, narrow down your research to what fits best in your budget, how experienced are they, what is their work ethics and how advanced are their tools and technologies used to create a masterpiece.

A good software development partner has the best tools to work with, is amongst the cream of the IT industry along with having the best reviews and a top-notch portfolio for review along with a great score from their previous clients. Moreover, they should be able to provide the services efficiently that they claim, and that is required by the client as well.

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5 Steps to Building a Cloud-Ready Application Architecture in AWS

Posted on by Adina Humayoon

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is an IaaS, commonly known as Infrastructure-as-a-Service, that is responsible for creating a huge gateway for cloud computing. This platform further specializes in services and organizational tools that range from content delivery services to cloud storage, and so on. 

But when it comes to creating cloud-ready applications, then there are a ton of things that you need to cater to, in order to ensure a smooth flow of elements and functions within the application itself. Let’s dive into the basic explanation of what’s cloud-ready and how is it different from the traditional cloud-native method.

Cloud-Ready Architecture vs. Cloud-Native

Cloud-native and Cloud-ready architecture may be branches of the same field, but they are polar opposite setups. Cloud-Native applications were originally designed for container-based deployment for the public cloud, and they use agile software development to get things done. 

Cloud-ready architecture, on the other hand, is a transformed classic enterprise application that is made to function on the cloud. They may not be able to utilize all the functions that the public cloud has to offer, but there are a significant number of productive assets that we can create and use from this transformed architecture.

However, when creating cloud applications, there are certain aspects you need to integrate and look out for in an AWS well-architected framework, to create a solid foundation that holds onto all the integral functions of the applications and caters to all the requirements of cloud-ready application architecture in AWS.

The AWS well-architected framework is designed on the 5-pillar model that ensures not only smooth transitioning but also lives up to the expectations of the client with timely and stable deliverables. Those AWS five pillars are as follows: 

  1. Design and operational excellence of AWS well-architected framework

The AWS architecture best practices start from the operational excellence which includes the key objectives of your business goals and how the organization can effectively work around them to gain insight, provide the best solutions and bring value to the business altogether. The design principles are categorized as follows:

  • Use of codes on all mediums of the workloads (infrastructure, applications, etc) to maintain autonomy and limit human error as much as possible. 
  • Create flexibility by updating small changes and upgrades to the system which can be reversible without any damage.
  • Evolve and upgrade your systems by refining the functions and procedures now and then. Set days to effectively work around and improve the system with your team to familiarize them with the changes.
  • Anticipate, trigger, identify and solve all the potential failures by diving in deep and conducting frequent testings and understanding the impact it creates, and familiarizing your team with it as well.
  • Share all the necessary trial and error outcomes with your team and engage them in all the learnings that you deciphered during necessary operational procedures. 
  1. Consistent and reliable performance (workloads) 

It is necessary to maintain a smooth performance while building cloud infrastructure on AWS well-architected framework. Maintaining performance efficiency will lead to smooth transitioning in demand and technology, without creating any disruption of any sort and simultaneously ticking all the right boxes. To maintain the flow, a few of the best cloud designing practices are followed, they are as follows: 

  • Utilize advanced technologies as services that your team can incorporate in your projects, by delegating their setup to the cloud vendors and including them in your cloud application.
  • Go global by distributing your workload amongst numerous AWS regions to bring down the delay rate and make things quick at a fraction of a price.
  • Discard physical servers and use wireless modern techniques like cloud technologies for service operations and reduce the transactional cost of physical servers by restricting them to traditional computing activities.
  • Broaden up your horizon and dive into experiments with different configurations and more.
  • Follow the mindset and approach that you deem fit for your goals and achievements.
  1. Reliable architecture 

It is necessary to encompass a reliable and effective architecture on AWS that enables a consistent workflow throughout the functionality of the application. There are several principles that one needs to look into while building cloud applications on AWS. They are as follows:

  • The system should enable an automatic recovery whenever a threshold is breached. With an effective automation process, the application can anticipate and conduct a remedy of the supposed failure before it affects the system.
  • A test run on all the procedures is necessary, which will help fix multiple failures before they happen in real-time. 
  • Reduce failure on overall workload by placing a large resource over multiple smaller ones. Scale horizontally to reduce any distribution of failures.
  • Monitor your service capacity based on your workload without “assuming” anything, as it is one of the common factors of on-premises failures.
  • Conduct any changes via automation, to track and review them throughout the process. 
  1. Security aspect 

Security has become a crucial aspect for applications to think of, especially cloud-based applications. This security pillar helps create a safe and secure environment for the application, keeping all the data, assets, and crucial information safe from all ends. There are a few factors that one must follow to maintain a secure platform while building cloud infrastructure architecture. 

  • Create a loop and traceability amongst the application and track activities in real-time.
  • Application of security and verification on all aspects and layers of the application.
  • Enforce strict authorization on all levels to interact with AWS resources.
  • Categorize data into security levels and limit access where necessary with high-level encryption.
  • Eliminate direct access to data with effective tools to reduce misuse of data. 
  • Conduct a drill to test emergency security features and automatic responses, and prepare for the right responses accordingly.
  1. Cost optimization

Cost Optimization is a crucial part of cloud-ready applications, mainly because it allows you to not only achieve the services at the lowest price point but also help predict the amount that will be spent in the future. It will also keep a tab on the necessary expansion and its expenses once the business takes off for good. 

Cost optimization is impossible without following a certain set of pillars, as stated below: 

  • Invest time and money in cloud financial management to learn more about it. 
  • Pay only for services that you use, and calculate the time that it takes on an average per day to further slash the cost.
  • Calculate the workload from the associated cost, and compare the data to increase the output and further cut down on things with little to no output, to increase functionality.
  • Allow AWS to cater to the heavy-lifting, and do not spend on unnecessary items that are not your forte, like IT infrastructure and all. 
  • Swiftly analyze the expenses and compare them to the collective and individual usage, workload and help optimize it to increase ROI.

Final Thoughts

With our thorough description of the AWS well-architected framework, you can easily build a cloud-ready application architecture on Amazon Web Services. The 5 pillars of operating a reliable, secure, and super cost-effective system will ensure a streamlined application construction, maintain a smooth workflow, and help create a well-groomed cloud-ready application architecture.

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7 Reasons why companies are shifting to AWS cloud

Posted on by Adina Humayoon

Cloud migration to AWS means leaving behind a major hassle of on-premise resources and the traditional cloud infrastructure that organizations used to rely on. Not only is AWS a secure way for cloud migration, but is also a sustainable way to secure your data while deploying your workload.

AWS cloud migration was one of the leading practices in 2020. As the global pandemic rose, businesses were forced to choose a stable, remote setup for sustaining their businesses in the otherwise crashing market and securing their future in the e-commerce industry. The following factors contributed to their decision:   

  1. End-to-end security

Data security and privacy are two things that companies can never compromise on. Before AWS migration, customers must understand the AWS Shared Responsibility Model that the service follows. Here, AWS takes complete control over the technical features that it provides, including, but not limited to software, hardware, communication between the servers, etc. Methods like two-way authentication, data encryption, monitoring, and threat detection are all responsibilities that Amazon Web Services looks after. Meanwhile, the customer will keep an eye out for the services they opt for, and all the technicalities that come along with it, including the sensitivity of their data and all the regulations and laws attached to it. 

  1. Better cost management 

AWS has always been a step ahead in terms of cost management and creating packages for businesses and users only, based on the services and resources that they provide. When it comes to cloud migration, cost plays a vital role in luring potential clients towards AWS cloud migration services. 

Even startups, with unstable funding, can take advantage of the low-cost entry which otherwise would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in services, configurations, and network equipment. Not only is this move to cloud beneficial from technical aspects, but also results in better cost management throughout your project, sitting well within your budget. 

  1. Scalability 

The ability to grow in an orderly manner is one of the major benefits of cloud migration on AWS. It is designed to expand as your business grows, and downscale as per your business’s requirements without any major infrastructural changes or loss of data. AWS cloud migration will be flawless on both ends. The option for scalability on AWS will enable you to handle the toughest and the most hectic hours of the day or night, without crashing the system or leaving loopholes for the system to corrupt. 

  1. Self-service model

With no physical hardware upgrades needed in an AWS cloud, organizations have complete control over the IT infrastructure. It enables them to work around the system without any restrictions and make swift changes to develop and deploy a faster and effective application for the client. To further enable organizations to maintain smooth operations, they can invest in a cloud management platform (CMP) that will overlook operations and maintain stability within the system.

  1. Compliance

Another bigger advantage of AWS server migration service is its AWS compliance program, where it offers a high-end security system with compliant packages curated solely to cater to the needs of the clients based on their industry. But while the AWS cloud migration takes clients towards a more compliant environment, organizations must be prepared with a set of AWS certified IT professionals to maintain it without leaving it exposed in any way.

  1. Lower latency

Amazon Web Services will decrease latency via AWS Direct Connect which allows you to link up your on-premises and private workload to an available AWS data center via your internet connection. There are numerous AWS data centers located around the globe to reduce latency, and so far it has done a tremendous job in maintaining a smooth path of migrating your existing applications to the AWS cloud.

  1. Disaster recovery

Cloud migration and data handling is a risky process, and if not done effectively, can lead to severe consequences for the organization, which also includes losing a ton of data. This is where AWS steps in; precisely the thing about AWS which draws in clients from across the globe. Its ability to handle the toughest man-made and technical storms that make their way towards the cloud and the data stored within. But migrating your existing applications to the AWS cloud must be handled by an IT personnel familiar with the AWS cloud migration process. 

FAQs for Reasons why companies are shifting to AWS cloud

AWS cloud is a secure and sustainable platform for businesses and individual users running digital applications and websites. It is a cost-effective method, catering to all budgets and creating growth opportunities as things go along the way.

The possibility of growth, scalability, and a secure platform for businesses has encouraged businesses to practice the AWS cloud migration as they make their way into the futuristic form of cloud computing and technology.

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Best Practices in Test Automation

Posted on by Iqra Bibi

If you are working in a software development organization, you must have heard quite a bit about test automation. Automation testing is an emerging technology in the field of Software Testing and acts as a life savior for testers by automating menial and repetitive tasks. It is shaping the future of manual testing by using tools and technologies to create test automation best practices that result in a flawless product. Automation planning and testing help the teams to improve their software quality and make the most out of their testing resources. It also helps in earlier bug detection, improving the test coverage, and speeding up the testing cycle.

With automation fast-gaining popularity, almost every company wants to dive into the sea of automation. Cost-effective automation testing with the best QA automation tools and a result-oriented approach is becoming crucial for companies.

Unfortunately, not all companies are getting desired results from their automation efforts. Many people don’t exactly know from where to start and extend up to what level. Some people have apprehensions about automation and thus fear of failure stops them from adopting it in their regular testing process. Failure of automation can have multiple reasons like:

  • Unclear automation scope/coverage  
  • Unstable feature/software 
  • Unavailability of automated test cases 
  • Time &  budget constraints
  • Unsuitable selection of automation tool
  • Unavailability of skilled people
  • Manual testing mindset
  • Testers unwilling to align with fast-paced technology

The right planning and good approaches to execute the plan can settle things more appropriately. The same is true in automation testing where the right decisions,  best test automation tools, approaches, and techniques can make a big difference.

Effective measures for successful Automation Testing

Here are some basic yet effective tips that you should keep in mind before moving ahead with automation testing.

Set Realistic Expectations from Automation Testing

1. Set Realistic Expectations from Automation Testing

The primary purpose of automation is to save time for manual testers and perform testing in an efficient, effective, and quick way. However, automation is not supposed to find out flaws in test designs, test development, planning, and execution. Don’t expect automation to find extra bugs that you don’t define in your test automation script. Accept the fact that automation is not the replacement of manual testers, it is here to provide confidence to the stakeholders that features are working as expected across builds and nothing is broken.

2. Identify your Target Modules

“If you automate a mess, you get an automated mess.” (Rod Michael).”

Thinking to automate the overall project is not a good approach. It’s always a smart approach to be concise, use a risk-based approach to analyze project scope, and then decide test coverage. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Always pick the area that is stable and there are no major changes expected in the future.
  • Pick tasks that consume a lot of the tester’s time in areas like performance, regressions, load, and security.
  • Features that are in early development should not be your choice for a QA automation tester.
  • Don’t consider automating the UI that is going to undergo massive changes.
  • Make sure you have a collection of stable test cases run by manual testers. Once manual testers mark the test cases stable/approved then you should proceed with the test automation.

3. Pick the Right Test Cases to Automate

Always start with Smoketest cases of the identified module. Next, move on to the repeated tasks like Regression Test Suite, tasks that can experience human errors like heavy computations, and test cases that can introduce high-risk conditions. This is how the priority should be set for automation. You can also add data-driven, lengthy forms and configuration test cases that will run on different devices, browsers, and platforms.

4. Allocate Precise Budget and Resources

During automation, time, budget, and availability of skilled and trained automation resources are a big challenge. To cater to this, always choose automation for those projects that don’t have time constraints and tough deadlines. Ideally, choose automation for long-term projects. Your target projects should have enough budget in terms of resources so you can easily hire trained and skilled people. For resources, you should consider the following:

  • Assign automation duties to specific resources who possess sound knowledge of any programming language and are well aware of automation standards, strategies, frameworks, tools, techniques, and analytical skills.
  • Open to challenges, has strong problem solving and analytical skills.
  • If someone from the manual team is willing to perform automation then proper training should be provided and manual duties should be removed from that resource.

5. Pick the Right Tools for Automation

Tool selection should be based on the nature of the platform (Mobile, OS, Web). Ideally, a tool should be in the same language as the application so internal help is available, plus your selected tool must have support available. Price is another factor of consideration like either tool is open source or licensed. Consider the ability of the tool to integrate with other tools like JIRA or TestRail. Prefer those tools that require a flatter learning curve and are easy to use. The team should be able to adopt that new tool and easily work on that.

6. Estimate Automation Efforts Correctly

You can’t say that you can automate an average of 50 cases in 5 hours because each case will be different in terms of logic, complexity, and size. Always provide estimates in effort/hours against each case or the most appropriate way is to provide consolidated estimates feature-wise. For example, if there are two features, say, signup and login, then provide the average time for both features separately.

7. Capitalize on the Learning Opportunity in Automation

Consider automation as a growth and skills development opportunity for both organizational and individual levels. Accept the challenges/issues which you faced during automation as your learning point and try fixing them. Automation will not only develop your skills but also help to compete within the market and raise our worth and standard.

8. Make Automation a Part of CI/CD

CI/CD is used to speed up the delivery of applications. For continuous testing, you should set up a pipeline for automated test execution. Whenever developers merge the code into branches, these changes are validated by creating a build and running automated tests against the build. By doing so, you avoid integration conflicts between branches. Continuous integration puts a great emphasis on test automation to check that the application is not broken whenever new commits are integrated into the main branch. Here are some best practices to follow:

  • Your automation code is aligned with the stable branch in which developers are going to merge their changes.
  • Setup execution email during configuration which will be received at the end of each execution. 
  • Keep an eye on the results in case of build failure/conflicts with your automation test cases.
  • Once the status of test cases is passed, the build should deploy to production.

9. Implement the Best Coding Practices for UI & Functional Test Automation

Apart from the above practices, we should consider some important points while doing automation as we need to uphold international coding standards.

  • Make full use of version control software. Don’t keep the code locally. Always push your code even if you made a one-line change.
  • Remove unnecessary files/code from your automation project.
  • Remove unnecessary comments from your code.
  • Use boundary value analysis, equivalence partitioning, and state transition techniques in your automation.
  • Have a separate testing environment for automation.
  • Follow the best coding practices of the chosen programming language.
  • Always use dynamic values and avoid using static data and values in your code.
  • Use implicit wait instead of an explicit wait to boost efficiency. 
  • Implement a reporting mechanism so you have an execution report at the end of every execution cycle.
  • Capture screenshots in case of failure for failure investigation.
  • Log bugs on JIRA, TFS, and teamwork.
  • Write code that is reusable and easy to understand.
  • Refrain from writing too much code in a single function; use the concept of high and low-level functions.
  • Your code should be reviewed by a Senior Automation tester/Developer.
  • Use a page object model where you will define your functions in one file and test cases in another file.
  • Make sure your code is clean, readable, and maintainable.

Advantages of using best practices in automation testing

Implementing these automated testing best practices will help you improve the coverage of your test cases, make the testing process fast, easy, and convenient, and keep your code maintainable. It’s also very cost-effective as well as long-lasting and will future-proof your automation testing for any applications or projects. This will help boost productivity, save you time and money, and enhance your skill set.

In The End

Automation is not rocket science. It’s just a matter of proper techniques and approaches that you follow. All you need to do is some brainstorming on the best strategy, R&D on tool selection, identifying your team skills, defining your project scope, and then just starting the automation. You will soon begin to see why automation testing is all the rage in this day and age. The one-time-right investment in automation (time, resources, and budget) will save you from many hurdles in the future.

FAQs For Test Automation Best Practices

Good coding practices while automation includes a series of things, like removing unnecessary codes and comments from your project, having separate testing environments, capturing screenshots whenever you detect a failure, and more.

Some of the key factors while conducting advanced text and automation start from setting realistic expectations, picking the right cases, the right tool. Allocating the best budget and selecting the best team to conduct all these testings.

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Why successful businesses prefer custom software over off-the-shelf

Posted on by Adina Humayoon

Offering a digital solution for clients is the ultimate futuristic goal of every company, whether it be e-commerce, healthcare, or on-demand service delivery. But lately, this has become more of a necessity instead of a company’s “5-year plan”. 

The post-pandemic era has forced numerous businesses to move their modes of work to a much more digitized and remote platform that is easy to access and control from anywhere. These digitized platforms are classified into two categories, custom software development (CSD) and off-the-shelf software. The real struggle arrives when it comes down to choosing any one of the two software.   

Before we begin, there are numerous factors to consider when narrowing down the options and technicalities of either type of software. To make an informed decision, the first step is comparing the two setups, and having a basic understanding of when custom software or off-the-rack software is required. What are they, what distinguishes one from the other, and most of all, how are they going to benefit the client and their business without causing much disruption to the system? 

Custom software vs. off-the-shelf: what are they?

Off-the-rack and custom software are polar opposites. Despite offering similar services, they are extremely different from each other. Let’s take a look at what they are. 

Custom-made software

Off-the-rack and custom software are polar opposites. Despite offering similar services, they are extremely different from each other. Let’s take a look at what they are. 

Custom software application development is a dream project that every software development company loves to work on. It is completely custom-built, made exclusively by following a brief provided by the client. 

Custom Software Development focuses on the client’s product goals and needs, targets an idea, and works around it to cater to market needs. VentureDive plays a vital role in executing that idea into reality, with an in-house team of expert engineers and designers working extensively on individual custom-made products. Companies opting for custom software development usually have a clear understanding of the service and the approach that they need to create an amazing product, and VentureDive takes it one step further with its top-notch skills and execution.  

But why do businesses opt for CSD? Well, there are a number of factors that give customized application software an upper hand in the software development industry. Some of these include: 

Time: Creating custom-written software is a lengthy process, to say the least. It takes months of hard work, research, and a highly-skilled procedure of quality assurance to finally create a product that is well suited for the client’s needs. It may be time-consuming but is definitely worth it in the long run. 

Cost: The high initial cost is a given with this bespoke software, but if you look at it in a way, it’s a long-term investment that will only generate tons of revenue and branch out in the long run. And keeping this in mind will relieve you of the need to pay frequently for minor upgrades or bug fixes.

Maintenance: Speaking of bugs, one of the major advantages that custom-made software has is that there is barely any need for frequent maintenance, as it is built by experienced developers and engineers with flawless execution. The only maintenance it may require is when the software requires an update.

Scalability: With custom Software development, the possibilities for expansion are endless. Modification and customization according to the client’s needs and demands is a huge benefits of custom solutions. This leaves room for scalability in the near future as the business expands and grows, without having to strip down the existing UI and create everything from scratch.

Off-the-shelf software

What is off-the-shelf software, and what features and advantages do it bring to the industry? Off-the-shelf software may have been under the radar for quite some time as it is a great opportunity for small businesses to dive into the digital market. Off-the-shelf software is ready-made software, which may have different packages available for sale. It usually comes with a set of pre-installed features and plug-ins that you can utilize for your business. 

Time: A perfect solution if you are under a time constraint, or need go-to-market results quickly. Off-the-shelf software solutions are easy to acquire, as they are ready-made and available in the market at all times. Since it’s readily available, it is the first option for countless small-scaled businesses that have little knowledge about software development, and reach for an option that is simple and quick.

Cost: Off-the-shelf solutions applications are extremely cost-effective initially. The readily available setups are generated for the masses, with a ton of potential buyers who are trying to build a business on a budget. But there are several hidden costs attached to off-the-rack systems that clients are unaware of in the beginning. These are the costs of frequent updates or maintenance to fulfill the client’s needs which are otherwise not being met, giving them another reason to switch to custom-made software. And not to mention the subscription and licensing fees like we get to see in SaaS.

Large Community Support: The best feature of off-the-shelf software is that you have a large community to turn back to in case you run into an issue with your program. Since it’s a commonly available setup, acquired by numerous businesses, a chain of similarity runs throughout, which means that others must have faced the same issues as you have, and they might have a solution for it that you can use. 

References: Prior user experience and references of off-the-shelf software are of great help for businesses, to decipher whether the application is suitable for them or not. A trusted system and setup will help clients get an idea of what awaits them, and can even opt for a trial run before investing in the product completely.

Custom software: pros, cons, and everything else

Pros

  • A custom-built setup is made from scratch, tailored to the client’s needs mentioned in their requirement brief.
  • Works on a “you dream, we create” basis, where there is no limit to what functionalities you can feature in your product. 
  • No hidden charges or frequent upgrades and maintenance on the product.
  • Custom software can not be replicated in any form, giving you an upper hand over your competitors in the market. Your product will remain relevant and unique in all forms.
  • Undergoes thorough QA in all development phases of the product, with back-and-forth communication for smooth transitioning. 
  • Fool-proof setup with no bug-ridden issues and flawless design and UI.
  • A team of specialized engineers and developers familiar with the product will be available at all hours for immediate fixes if needed. 

Cons

  • Custom software takes months to get ready and reaches perfection after thorough testing and development phases. If you are looking for a quick fix, this is not it. 
  • It is expensive! Custom software development is something that will cost you a lot, but it is a one-time investment with no hidden charges and does not require you to pool money for every upgrade. 
  • The client will always be dependent on the company creating the software for any fixes and upgrades, in case they are not available, it can lead to several issues caused by the delay. 

Off-the-shelf: pros, cons and everything else

Pros

  • Off-the-shelf software will save you a ton of money and time. Not only is it cheap but also readily available for clients to license and acquire. 
  • Small-scale businesses have a huge advantage with off-the-shelf software; it can be the best platform for them to enter the digital market, with promising results leading to a successful business. 
  • Clients won’t have to think much while acquiring off-the-shelf software, as there are numerous reviews and references available on the web, vouching for the reliability and functionality of the product.

Cons

  • Off the shelf solutions are temporary. In the longer run, it will not support your requirements, and you will have to shift to a custom software as it offers reliability and scalability.
  • Off-the-shelf software will not be able to cater to all the client’s requirements and will demand frequent and expensive upgrades to fulfill their specific needs. 
  • You will have to pay for services that you may never use, and it might cause your software to lag and interrupt functions of the existing services in use.
  • It’s impossible to alter or modify according to your project’s needs, you will have to work around the existing features that may limit the functionality.
  • Off-the-shelf software is easily replicable, no matter how hard you have worked on your project, your competitor has an advantage over you, and they can easily reproduce your work.
  • Companies are going to outgrow OTS soon when they reach their full potential, leaving them back to square one on what they should do to further excel their product and brand. 

Final verdict

In this off-the-shelf vs. custom software race, it’s clear as to why businesses prefer custom software solutions over off-the-shelf software. Not only is it the best setup for a rapidly growing business in the vast industry of digital marketing, but it is also a fruitful investment that will give back to your company as well as fulfilling its purpose rightfully.

FAQs for custom softwares and over the shelf softwares

Off-the-shelf software’s advantages range from being a quick and cost-effective solution for small scale businesses. It maintains a good repute in the market with numerous references and reviews, enabling people to have a good idea of what they are buying. Moreover, users can also have a short trial of the services with tons of in-built features all at a super affordable and convenient initial price.

 

Custom developed software is a dream transitioned into reality, whatever the client wishes to see in their product, the custom software development companies make it possible, with a fully customized setup. Moreover, it also has the ability to make immediate changes without costing extra frequently. It is flawless, with countless testings done and top-notch quality assurance phases to make it possible.

 

Not really, off the shelf software is there because users need a ready-made solution in a strict time frame. And these software are already configured with numerous sets of tools and features that will remain a part of the application, even if you require it or not. Of course, there are going to be frequent upgrades within the software that the client must look out for.

 

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