Laravel?s Envoyer is Ideal for PHP Deployment and Here?s How to Use

Laravel?s Envoyer is Ideal for PHP Deployment and Here?s How to Use

by | Sep 12, 2017 | Web Design

Developing a PHP application in itself is a quite exhaustive task requiring ample expertise and experience if you want it to be elegant and bug-free. But if you add to it the pain of deployment, the process becomes even more complex and cumbersome. While any reputed PHP application development company can take care of the first phase, it is the requirement of speed, efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the deployment process that elude many. And the solution too comes from a very similar place- Laravel. Besides being one of the top PHP frameworks, it offers, arguably, the best deployment tool- Envoyer.With the tag line of ?Zero downtime. Zero fuss?, Envoyer is known to deliver all that it promises. One thing, however, that it doesn?t reflect is the broad set of features that come along when you deploy your PHP application using Envoyer. Some of which include:
  • Unlimited project deployments
  • Unlimited team members
  • Multiple server deployments
  • Seamless deployment rollback
  • GitHub/Bitbucket integration
  • Application health checks, and much more.
As feature-rich as the tool is, equally simple is the process to use it for deploying PHP applications. Here is a quick 4-step procedure to guide you for signing up to the final deployment.1. Sign up and Add a projectSince Envoyer is a paid service, you need to first create an account and choose your preferred package that ranges from $10 for 10 projects to 50$ for unlimited projects, each month. After you have your account and are signed in, click on the ?Add Project? tab to get started with your first project using Envoyer.

Envoyer

2. Add RepositoryOnce you click on ?Add Project?, you will be prompted to enter along with the name and type of the project, the repository of your code. One of the key highlights of Envoyer is that it supports repositories from all platforms like GitHub and Bitbucket, even self-hosted repositories.Add Project3. Add ServersAfter adding the repository, you need to add servers to your project from the ?server? tab. Envoyer allows you to add as many servers as you like, after which, you will be provided an SSH key to be added to your server. Add this SSH key to the authorized_keys file for the users you want to connect.Once you complete the process, hit ?refresh? to test the connection. Generally, Envoyer should be able to connect to your server and perform routine health checks. But if the connection fails, you need to white-list the Envoyer IP addresses to allow it to access your servers.Add Server4. DeploymentAfter your server is up and running, it is time for the final deployment, which quite literally, can be done by a single click on ?deploy? button. You also have the option to schedule to the deployment, to be automatically pushed in coherence with the code.What?s more?As discussed above, it isn?t only the simplicity of deployment that makes Envoyer one of the finest tools but also the myriad of features that it brings along. After your application is deployed, you can simply setup heartbeat to monitor cron jobs and even setup notification channels like Slack and Hipchat to get notified of such tasks.Additionally, to prevent any downtime and rollback discrepancies, you can monitor the status of your application from three geographical locations (New York, London, Singapore), of which if any one suffers some breakdown or disaster, you can promptly switch to another.Final ThoughtsNo matter how robust or elegant a solution you get delivered by any PHP application development company, unless it is paired with equally robust and efficient deployment strategy, there is no way it can demonstrate its full potential.
How to Take Control of Your Startup

How to Take Control of Your Startup

by | Sep 8, 2017 | Business

Owning your own business is a real challenge. There?s always someone telling you what you should be doing or competitors breathing down your neck. As the owner, it?s up to you to stand up and take a position. Think about how far you?ve come and what you?ve accomplished so far. Use that as motivation to create new business goals and strategies for the coming years. It?s time for you to get in the driver?s seat and begin calling the shots. Do this by polishing up on your leadership skills and not being afraid to take risks. See how to take control of your startup. Manage Your DataIt isn?t a wise move to not have any of your technology or data stored properly. You need a software solution that?s secure and reliable. Cloud storage is an important technology decision, and nobody enjoys a pushy sales approach. That?s why you need a company like Hubstor to help you out. They invest heavily in automation and offer great quality. Sleep at night knowing your data and information is safe in the cloud. Build a WebsiteYour customers are searching for you online. The best way to make sure you get in touch with them is by having a well-designed website. Grow your business with a new look online. Stand out from the crowd and come up with unique ways to catch your customer?s attention. Include the proper mix of information and visuals, and your customers will be calling you in no time. It?s a great marketing tool and won?t take much of your time or effort to maintain. A professional looking website design will place you above the competition, and customers will be more intrigued to want to learn more. Hire Wisely Take control of your business by structuring a winning team at your office. Be smart about who you interview and hire. Take the time to get to know your candidates and make sure it?s a good fit before letting them through the doors. Building a strong company starts by hiring the right people for the job?web applications developers. Make it clear what kind of culture you want and bring in people who fit your description. Your startup will be running successfully in no time and you?ll be able to thank your employees for being a contributing factor. Engage Your CustomersSomeone needs to be nurturing and paying attention to your customers. You can?t all be heads down at the office without any idea of what?s going on in the field. Ask for feedback from your customers, include them in trials and tests you?re running and reward them for being loyal advocates. Show them how important they are to you and the success of the business. Train your customer service department to offer world-class support.ConclusionAs the owner of your company, it?s your responsibility to step forward and build a thriving business. Do this by taking the right actions that are going to get you there. This is how to take control of your startup. ?
The 5 Worst Mistakes When Hiring a Custom Software Development Company

The 5 Worst Mistakes When Hiring a Custom Software Development Company

by | Sep 6, 2017 | Off Topic

The 5 Worst Mistakes When Hiring a Custom Software Development CompanyYou can get your business software development work done faster and hassle-free by outsourcing it to a right partner. It is practically impossible to get all your IT and software projects done in-house. It will take a toll on your company?s resources and add costs in new hires. Consequently, farming out your custom software development work makes a lot of business sense as it lowers cost, increases speed to market and leverage specialized talent of the software developers. No wonder outsourcing is the buzzword in software development circles and is constantly on rise. Still many businesses are wary of the risks involved in outsourcing a project. Mistakes in getting a wrong team on-board for your business?s software development could be unforgiving. A wrong decision could land your business in a soup and cost you big money too. Being aware of the risk possibilities is the key to avoid these mistakes. One can hire a custom software development company taking into consideration all the risks with careful planning and devising vigilant strategies during the course of the project. You will in fact find it is no rocket science if you could be vigilant and avoid these pitfalls while hiring a software development team. Let?s look at the possible pitfalls avoiding which will make hiring a custom software development firm less of a daunting task.
  1. Price is not everything
Out of the numerous quotes for your software development project if you pick a firm which has quoted the lowest rates that might not be a sound thing to do. In all likelihood the company charging below the market rates either does not fully understand the project or they might be cutting their profits. They will most probably cut corners sometime during the project development cycle. This will be perhaps purely out of necessity as they will not be making any money. Chances are they lack sufficient experience or skill set and disciplined approach to carry out your project to a tee.Cheap price generally means poor product or service. Basing your hiring decision solely on low prices might prove disastrous later. Prioritizing cost and ignoring quality would mean you get an application which has a badly written code or is full of bugs. The project itself could be half done with wrong codes and bugs might appear later. Sometimes these may not be apparent at first but with usage the flaws in coding could emerge. It could be extensively delayed as well due to lack of expertise in fixing the bugs and updating the app as per your requirement. 2) Cultural DisconnectCultural fit is perhaps an underrated piece of the puzzle of zeroing in on a software service provider. Not finding a team which understands your working style and believes in the same set of work ethos as yours sometimes can be the biggest pitfall in the successful completion of your software development project.Outsourcing brings people from different cultures and geographies together for a project. This could bring the challenges of language barriers and differences in accepted business norms and ethics. Behaviour, gestures, vocabulary and implicit conventions vary across the globe. Cultural disconnect can lead to communication failure which in turn can be a big hazard for your app development project.3) Not Owning the Source CodeSource code is a set of instructions to develop the application. It is at best the basic foundation of an application and if you are required to make any changes to the app in future you need the source code. Very often the source code is included as part of a project deliverable in the custom software development project. If, however, the app developer is unwilling to part with the source code then you can infer some hanky-panky there. The software developer at any point in future can hold you hostage for the modification work required. You need to have proprietary rights over your application?s source code. Not having clear rights over the source code can put your business at risk from competitors. Rivals can copy your application and you can do nothing about it. A contract binding the developer to deliver the entire undocumented source code with full ownership also grants you the right to further develop it later with the same software developing firm or any other company. Owning the source code is critical to your business?s security and growth.3) Unclear Goals and Objectives and Ineffective CommunicationAny business thrives on the principle of setting out clear objectives and goals to yield better results and have control over the overall business process. It makes sense to leave the non-core competencies to the service partner while retaining the crucial decision making for the success of a project.If an organization lacks clarity in vision and mission of their business and specific project goals or is not able to communicate effectively its goals to concerned partners, then it will certainly result in chaos and confusion.This could be a pitfall that businesses can avoid when dealing with a custom software development company is sitting back and assuming that everything is going fine. The key to selecting a?custom software?company?that best fits your business needs is to keep an unfailing level of regular communication and constant exchange of ideas so that you are always on the same page with your developer partner.5) Not Getting a Non-Disclosure AgreementIt is imperative to get a non-disclosure agreement signed by your custom software development company to avoid any kind of mess later. Get the developers sign NDA even before signing a contract, in fact, even before discussing the project. It is essential that you ask the?custom software development company to consign all the rights of the software to your company. The last thing on earth that you would want is your competitor copying your idea or you landing up in dispute soup with your developer. If you have a great idea or product it is best to enter into a NDA agreement at the outset. Better safe than sorry!6) Poorly Drafted ContractContractual terms are important, binding and critical to the success of your software development project. A detailed contract with great attention to detail should be prepared safeguarding your interests. Nothing should be left to speculation in the contract. Ambiguous terms and clauses may result in disputes which may eventually snowball into a run of added tasks and overall cost of the project.A poor contract management can upshot in unforeseen exigencies, project delays and excessive expense. In present times, with rapid and constant technological changes it is very significant to have an efficient contract management t in place. NDA, ownership of source code are the important terms to be negotiated in the contract. In fact, it should reflect even the tiniest detail to circumvent any issues in the future.
5 Web Development Risks Every Business Should Avoid

5 Web Development Risks Every Business Should Avoid

by | Sep 5, 2017 | Business, Web Design, WordPress

While in our every other post, we always talk about how businesses that follow latest technology trends can transcend their competitors, this time we are asking you to unroll your sleeves and stay away from few oddballs. Because not every time a new thing is good for your business growth. As web development and mobile app development are our favorite subjects, here, we?re going to point out some development risks every startup business or an established brand should avoid if they want to go online. Most startups launch with a bang, work for a year and then just disappear for the various reasons they didn?t heed attention to in the start. And we don?t want you to fall in the same category. For developing a customer-centric eCommerce website, a reader?s favorite blog site, a talked about social networking website, a profit-generating B2B website, quick launch and long project life are the secrets. Since your website is the online representation of your business, you can?t risk its existence. There are a couple of things you need to consider before, during and after web development, ensuring that you have a growth-driven website at the end.Risk #1: Doing it all by yourself?Don?t force pieces that don?t fit.? So, if you know business but aren?t an expert in technical development/ design and coding, you shouldn?t do that. The problem begins when each of you start believing that developing a website/web app can be done either by yourself (having a little knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or by asking a friend to do it as a freelance developer. You don?t have to be good at everything; it?s better to focus on your business idea, take charge of the sales and marketing before and after launch. Don?t risk your website in the hands of any run-off-the-mill developer.Solution:Hire a reputed, reliable web development company capable of delivering top-notch solutions and converting your idea into a professional, scalable online platform. Risk #2 Developer?s ProfileWhile startups and businesses look for full-scale web development agency to outsource their project, they fall for web developers that have a similar portfolio as their own project. Some decision-makers assume that it?s plentiful if the developer they hired has delivered the project that aligns with their planned idea. Hold on to this thought! All projects are not the same, even if they seem alike. And if you want to stand out, you need to bring the individuality.Solution: Find a dynamic and innovative web developer who is flexible in working with an advanced and new technology bundle pertaining to the same web vertical. A broad competence is more progressive and creative as they can propose expertise from other domains, other business areas and bring forth a future-ready solution.Risk #3 Lengthy IterationsIt?s not true that anything that?s done with attention-to-detail calls for a long wait. Of course, focus and step-by-step approach are paramount, but not at the sake of project getting delayed. A project development process horizontally involves different expertise from different departments, moving from one phase to the other. The common steps to any web development project include sketching the idea, prototyping, UI/UX design, development, quality testing and final launch. But in the course of implementing each of these linearly, you tend to lose a lot of time and may end up launching your project when it?s outdated.Solution: To avoid such a case, go for smaller development cycles, where the developers or designers don?t wait for days for BA?s to give them the blueprint of the whole project and then start on. As soon as a mockup for one screen is finalized, the design and development teams should work collaboratively to devise a final product in a relatively shorter time.Risk #4: Fixed time estimationThere?s hardly any project we have seen in our lifetime, which doesn?t require a scope change or a new addition to what?s planned initially. Once the development team starts the work, many times, it happens that business owners come forward with a new functionality which wasn?t discussed before or sometimes they even change the complete plan going forward. So, fixed time estimations are bothersome. Instead of completing a web project on time, strict estimates spoil the flow. Solution: Typically, the website owner and Project Manager should understand this time game and keep a hidden buffer at each stage of development. ?This leaves room for adding novel features or make changes during development.Risk #5: Project delivery at onceWith a sack full of web development companies onboard, the options are limitless. Not only early deliveries and cost-effectiveness are remunerative. Imagine if you receive a d?class? website in just two weeks of development, will you be happy? Clearly, no. This happens because as a business owner, you are only concerned with the end-product, insensitive to what the developers and designers have been doing. Project delivery at once is harmful because that risks the whole project. Even if it?s a one-page website, you should be allowed to see the website?s progress time and again.Solution: Think big, but pay attention to details regularly. Ask for the web developer to deliver the project at the end of each development cycle, which actively demonstrate how the project looks like and where it is heading. Exactly the way we do it.Over to youDon?t shillyshally ? take a wise decision sidestepping these risks that may pull you down from marshaling a high-quality robust website/web app. ?Be cautious during the website development so that you are not screwed up by the developers, bearing a far-higher cost.It?s time to get your physical business on the desktop and mobile screens of your potential customers and construct the best lead-generating system, with a revolutionary design.
4 Ways To Attract More Customers

4 Ways To Attract More Customers

by | Sep 4, 2017 | Business

You may have some customers who gravitate toward you naturally, but the majority of them you?re going to have to win. You do this by learning what it takes to drive more business to your company. Although being a business owner is challenging, you have to make time to nurture relationships and bring in more customers. If you?re struggling to meet your numbers, don?t give up. Start by implementing a few different strategies and taking advantage of opportunities to draw more people to your business. It takes hard work and dedication, but many are already doing it and succeeding. See four ways to attract more customers. Well-Designed WebsiteEven if you own a physical store, a lot of your customers are going to be searching and looking for you online. Make sure you?re not only there, but that you?re there to make an impression. Hire a website consultant to help you if the design isn?t your forte. Potential customers will be instantly judging you based on what they see when they come across your website. Give them the exact information they need in a beautiful layout, and you won?t have much to worry about.Smart MarketingAttract the right customers at the right time by implementing a marketing strategy. Use a full-service marketing agency, like Click Intelligence if you?re in need of help with your SEO, Paid Search, PR Outreach or Link Building. They deliver ROI focused online marketing to improve your visibility on the web. Link building services should never be taken lightly as they are truly the backbone of any effective online marketing strategy. If you?re looking to have your brand easily identifiable as an authority within your industry, it all starts and ends with SEO link building tailored to gain rank on the SERPs.Identify Target AudienceStop trying to do it all and be everywhere. Instead, turn your focus to your target audience and those people who are actually going to purchase your product or service. You?re going to get far better results when you narrow your efforts to those who are more likely to take an interest in your business. Align your marketing efforts with your target audience and you?ll not only find an increase in the amount of traffic to your business and website but the right kind of traffic. Superior Customer ServiceWhat?s going to set you apart from most businesses are offering top-notch customer service. Believe it or not, many companies are failing in this area. Put your time and energy into training your customer service department to deliver excellent customer service and your clients will be thrilled. When people have a particularly great or poor experience, they typically have the urge to go and tell their friends and family. Do whatever it takes to make sure they?re inclined to talk about you because of the fantastic service.ConclusionCustomers aren?t just going to show up at your door. Put your thinking cap on and start implementing new strategies to get their attention. These are four ways to attract more customers.