My journey into the world of databases began, like many others in my generation, with the humble dBase III+. Back then, it felt like pure magic. I was a wide-eyed programmer, marveling at how this seemingly simple software could store and retrieve information so efficiently. I didn’t understand the intricacies behind the scenes – indexes, file structures, query optimization – it was simply a black box that worked. Storage and quick retrieval were all I needed.

Following dBase, my journey took me through a landscape of evolving database technologies. I navigated the Fox family, from FoxBase to FoxPro and then Visual FoxPro, each iteration bringing new capabilities. Then came the enterprise-grade power of Oracle, followed by forays into Microsoft’s ecosystem with Access and SQL Server. And of course, I spent considerable time with MySQL, the open-source powerhouse that remains a cornerstone of web development even today.

Little did I know that those early days with dBase were just the tip of the iceberg. Databases were poised for an evolution that would reshape the world, much like the personal computer revolution before it. We’ve journeyed far beyond simple storage. Today, we live in the era of Big Data and data analytics, made possible only by groundbreaking advancements in how we store, retrieve, optimize, cleanse, distribute, and share massive datasets. Consider that the global data sphere is projected to grow from 64.2 zettabytes in 2020 to over 180 zettabytes by 2025!

While my personal hands-on database experience might be capped at SQL Server and MySQL, my fascination with the field has only grown. I’m captivated by the sheer power and scale of modern database technologies, from NoSQL databases like MongoDB handling unstructured data to cloud-based solutions like Amazon DynamoDB and Google Cloud Spanner offering unprecedented scalability.

What’s truly remarkable is how deeply intertwined databases are with our everyday lives, often without us even realizing it. Most people carry powerful databases in their pockets – their smartphones. Every time they search the internet, they’re essentially querying vast, distributed databases. Every interaction with AI, from voice assistants to recommendation engines, is fueled by complex database systems. It’s estimated that the average person interacts with databases, directly or indirectly, dozens of times a day!

At one point, fuelled by my passion for performance tuning and writing stored procedures, I dreamt of transitioning from a programmer to a Database Manager. I even poured my knowledge into a detailed article on stored procedures – back in the day, it got quite a bit of traction, read by hundreds! While that specific career shift didn’t materialize, the core of my fascination remains: the sheer elegance and power of well-designed databases. An early example of this, and a testament to the power of optimized databases is, SABRE, developed in the 1960’s by IBM for American Airlines. It was one of the first large-scale database systems and revolutionized the airline industry by automating ticket reservations.

And here’s a thought that often blows my mind: the Library of Congress, with all its physical books, is estimated to hold around 10-15 terabytes of data if digitized. A single, well-optimized database today can easily handle many times that volume!

For those aspiring database enthusiasts out there, here’s my advice:

1. Embrace the Fundamentals: Start with relational database theory (SQL is your friend!). Understand normalization, indexing, and query optimization.
2. Explore Beyond SQL: The world of NoSQL is vast and exciting. Learn about different database models (document, graph, key-value) and when to use them.
3. Cloud is King: Familiarize yourself with cloud-based database services. They are the future (and present) of data management.
4. Data is More Than Storage: Dive into data warehousing, data lakes, and data analytics. Learn how data is transformed into insights.
5. Never Stop Learning: The database field is constantly evolving. Stay curious, read, experiment, and connect with the community.
6. Practical Experience: Build personal projects, contribute to open-source databases, or seek internships to gain hands-on experience. Working with real-world data is invaluable.

The journey of databases is far from over. As we move towards an increasingly data-driven world, the importance of skilled database professionals will only grow. Whether you become a database administrator, a data engineer, or simply a data-savvy individual, understanding databases is a crucial skill in the 21st century. And who knows, you might even write the next chapter in the ever-evolving story of the database!

The post dBase to Modern Databases: A Personal Journey Through Database Evolution first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

Why Developers Should Care About WordPress Database Optimization?

WordPress developers just install WordPress, build a site on top of it, install plugins and deliver the site to clients. They do not go beyond it. WordPress, with its user-friendly interface and vast plugin ecosystem, has democratized web development. It allows individuals with minimal technical expertise to create functional websites. However, this ease of use can sometimes lead to a misconception: that WordPress handles everything, including database optimization. While WordPress does automate many database tasks, experienced (PHP!) developers know that neglecting a WordPress database (which is MySQL) health can have serious consequences.

This article delves into why WordPress developers should prioritize database optimization, exploring its impact on website performance, security, and scalability. We’ll also examine common database issues and provide practical optimization strategies.

The Hidden Cost of Neglecting Your Database

Imagine a bustling online store built on WordPress. As the business grows, so does its website traffic and the volume of data stored in its database. Product information, customer details, order histories, and countless other records accumulate over time. Without proper optimization, this data can become disorganized and inefficient, leading to:

• Sluggish Performance: A bloated database resembles a cluttered room; finding what you need takes longer. This translates to slow loading times, frustrated visitors, and higher bounce rates. This is an enemy of SEO!
• Security Vulnerabilities: Redundant and outdated data can become a security liability. Unpatched vulnerabilities in older versions of plugins or themes can be exploited by attackers. This could be a business-killer, sometimes!
• Scalability Issues: As a website grows, an unoptimized database can struggle to keep up with increased traffic and data demands. This can lead to downtime and lost revenue.
• Maintenance Nightmares: Neglecting database optimization can turn routine maintenance tasks into complex and time-consuming ordeals. You need Hosting’s grace in this situation.

Case Study: The Online Store That Crumbled

A popular online clothing store experienced a sudden surge in traffic during a holiday season like this. Their WordPress site (which was built with WooCommerce), burdened by an unoptimized database, buckled under the pressure. Slow loading times led to abandoned shopping carts, frustrated customers, and ultimately, a significant loss of revenue. A post-mortem analysis revealed that the database was riddled with:

• Thousands of unnecessary post revisions: Every minor edit to product descriptions had created a new entry in the database.
• Spam comments and transient data: Unattended spam comments and temporary data had accumulated, taking up valuable space.
• Bloated tables: Database tables had not been optimized, leading to fragmented data and inefficient queries.

This case study highlights the real-world impact of neglecting database optimization, even on a platform as user-friendly as WordPress.

Taking Control of Your WordPress Database

While WordPress simplifies database interactions, experienced developers should go beyond basic management. Here’s how:

1. Understand the WordPress Database Structure:

Familiarize yourself with the core WordPress tables (wp_posts, wp_users, wp_options, etc.) and their relationships. This knowledge is crucial for effective optimization.

2. Regularly Optimize Database Tables:

Use optimization tools like phpMyAdmin or plugins like WP-Optimize to defragment tables and reclaim unused space. Think of it as tidying up your database, ensuring data is stored efficiently.

3. Clean Up Unused Data:

• Delete unnecessary post revisions: Keep only a few recent revisions to avoid unnecessary bloat.
• Remove spam comments and trashed posts: These take up space and can pose security risks.
• Delete expired transients: Transient data is temporary information stored in the database. Regularly clearing expired transients can free up significant space.

4. Monitor Database Queries:

Identify and optimize slow-loading queries that impact performance. Tools like Query Monitor can help pinpoint bottlenecks.

5. Consider Caching Plugins:

Caching plugins like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache store frequently accessed data in temporary storage, reducing the need to query the database repeatedly.

6. Choose a Quality Hosting Provider:

Your hosting environment plays a crucial role in database performance. Opt for a provider that offers optimized server configurations and robust database support.

7. Implement Lazy Loading:

Lazy loading delays the loading of images until they are visible on the screen, reducing initial page load time and database queries.

8. Optimize Images:

Large image files can significantly impact website speed and database performance. Optimize images before uploading them to your WordPress site.

9. Limit the Number of Plugins:

Each plugin adds code and potentially database queries to your website. Only use essential plugins and choose lightweight options whenever possible.

10. Keep WordPress, Themes, and Plugins Updated:

Updates often include performance improvements and security patches that can benefit your database.

Conclusion

If you are, as a developer responsible for your Client’s WordPress website, you cannot be ignorant about WordPress database Optimization. You need to inform the client, and care about the DB as part of your regular WordPress Maintenance tasks.  Developers, regardless of their experience level, should prioritize WordPress database optimization. It’s not just about keeping a website running smoothly; it’s about ensuring its long-term health, security, and scalability. By understanding the WordPress database structure, implementing best practices, and utilizing optimization tools, developers can create websites that are not only visually appealing but also performant and secure.

Remember, a well-optimized database is the foundation of a successful WordPress website. By taking proactive steps to maintain its health, you can ensure your website remains a valuable asset for your clients or your own business.

The post WordPress database optimization – Why WordPress Developers Should Care About it? first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

Advanced WordPress Development requires expertise in certain tools and techniques apart from experience.

WordPress is a powerful platform that can be used to create complex websites and web applications. However, performing advanced tasks on WordPress requires a high level of expertise in various areas, including WordPress architecture, PHP, MySQL, website optimization, website security, and WordPress plugins and themes. In this blog post, we will discuss each of this expertise in detail and provide some tools, plugins, IDEs, and applications that developers may use to advance in their work. Let us see what Advanced WordPress Development means with certain skills that you require to acquire.

1. Knowledge of WordPress architecture

To perform advanced tasks on WordPress, developers must have a deep understanding of the platform’s architecture. This includes knowledge of WordPress core files, themes, plugins, and how they interact with each other. Developers can use the WordPress Codex, a comprehensive resource for WordPress developers, to learn more about WordPress architecture. They can also use code editors like Sublime Text, PHPStorm, and Atom to write, test, and debug custom code.

2. PHP and MySQL expertise

PHP is the programming language used to create WordPress, and MySQL is the database used to store website data. Developers can use IDEs like Eclipse, NetBeans, and PHPStorm to write and debug PHP code. They can also use database management tools like PhpMyAdmin, Adminer, and Sequel Pro to manage the WordPress database.

3. Experience with website optimization

Developers must have experience with website optimization techniques like caching, minification, and CDN implementation. They can use caching plugins like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, and WP Super Cache to improve website speed and performance. They can also use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Pingdom to analyze website performance and identify areas for improvement.

4. Familiarity with website security

WordPress websites are often targeted by hackers, making website security a crucial aspect of website maintenance. Developers can use security plugins like Wordfence, Sucuri, and iThemes Security to protect against malware and other security threats. They can also use SSL certificate providers like Let’s Encrypt and Comodo to secure website data and communications.

5. Knowledge of WordPress plugins and themes

Developers must have a good understanding of WordPress plugins and themes, including how to safely install and uninstall them, how to update them, and how to troubleshoot issues related to them. They can use the WordPress Plugin Directory and Theme Directory to find and download plugins and themes. They can also use code editors like Sublime Text, PHPStorm, and Atom to write custom code for plugins and themes.

In conclusion, to master Advanced WordPress Development, developers must have a high level of expertise in various areas to perform advanced tasks on WordPress. By using tools, plugins, IDEs, and applications, they can streamline their workflow and create robust, secure, and high-performance WordPress websites and web applications.

The post Mastering Advanced WordPress Development: Expertise, Tools, and Applications to Create Robust, Secure, and High-Performance Websites first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

Web development, in general, refers to the tasks associated with developing websites for hosting via intranet or internet.

It encompasses all the operations required to plan design, build, host, and manage a website to ensure its performance, user experience, and speed are optimal. Web development includes the coding or programming that enables website functionality, per the owner’s requirements.

What is a full-stack in web development?

The development of both front end and back end portions of an application is termed as Full-stack development. This involves multiple interrelated yet independent technologies.

This process comprises three layers – the Presentation layer (front end bit which deals with the user interface), the Business Logic layer (back end bit dealing with data validation), and the Database layer. This accounts for all the steps from the concept to the finished product.

The generally used technologies in full-stack web apps

The generally used technologies in full-stack web apps

1. Front end:

It is the part of the website or application that the user interacts with directly which is responsible for the user experience.

a. For the Front End, some of the languages used are:

• HTML – HyperText Markup Language is used to design the front-end portion of web pages using a markup language.
• CSS – Cascading Style Sheets is a language that is intended to simplify the process of making web pages presentable.
• CSS preprocessor – a program that lets you generate CSS from the pre processor’s own unique syntax.
• JavaScript – is a scripting language used to create the aspect of the sites to make them interactive for the user.
• Graphic designing – It is good to have a full-time graphic designer for web development. UI is the entry for making great impression over the web development deliverables.

b. Front End Frameworks/ Libraries:

• AngularJs – a JavaScript open-source front-end framework that is used to develop single-page web applications
• React.js – an indicative and flexible JavaScript library for building user interfaces
• CSS framework – a library that allows for easier, more standards-compliant web design using the Cascading Style Sheets language.

2. Back End:

It refers to the server-side development of a web application or website with a primary focus on how the website works. It is responsible for managing the database through queries and APIs by client-side commands. Any one of the following backend programming languages is a must-know for full-stack web development.

a. Back End Frameworks and Libraries:

• PHP – a server-side scripting language designed specifically for web development. (+ a high-performance PHP framework for developing Model-View-Controller (MVC) based web applications like Codeigniter of Laravel)
• .NET – a developer platform with tools and libraries for building apps, including web, mobile, desktop, games, IoT, cloud, and microservices.
• Java – Java is widely used for enterprise-grade web applications.
• Opensource platforms for CMS like WordPress, Magento for ECommerce. Using an open-source platform will make things quick and easy.

3. Database:

It is the collection of inter-related data that helps in efficient retrieval, insertion, and deletion of data from the database and organizes the data in the form of tables, views, reports, etc.

• SQL – Structured Query Language is a standard Database language which is used to create, maintain and retrieve the relational database
• MySQL Database – is a fully-managed database service to deploy cloud-native applications

4. API integrations

APIs are a set of functions and procedures allowing the creation of applications that access the features or data of an operating system or application.

An API integration process, simply put, is the ability to connect all applications in a seamless manner

5. Continuous integration (CI)

CI is a software engineering practice in which frequent, isolated changes are immediately tested and reported on when they are added to a larger codebase.

A good example of CI is Jenkins. It is the most popular open-source project. Jenkins can help teams to automate any task. Some of the common uses include building projects, running tests, bug detection, code analysis, and project deployment.

6. Source code version management

Version control is what keeps track of the changes in the code so that if something goes wrong, you can make comparisons in different versions and revert to a previous version. It is a must-have requirement wherever multiple developers are continuously working on or changing the source code.

Git is a highly regarded version control tool presently available among the developers.

It provides strong support for non-linear development and is compatible with existing systems and protocols like HTTP, FTP, etc. GIT provides cryptographic authentication of history and is capable of efficiently handling small to large-sized projects.

7. XML/JSON

Knowledge of XML and JSON is important in full-stack web development.

JSON and XML are human-readable formats, are language independent and both have support for the creation, reading, and decoding in real-world situations

Both JSON and XML are “self-describing” (human-readable), they are hierarchical (values within values) and both can be parsed and used by lots of programming languages.

8. Containers

A container is a standard unit of software that packages up code and all its dependencies so the application runs quickly and reliably from one computing environment to another.

Docker is an open-source container technology that performs operating-system-level virtualization, commonly called ‘containerization’. Each container is essentially a virtual computer, so it is possible to set up different technology stacks as needed.

Choosing a web development full stack setup is mainly about practical experience. You will be able to make good choices once you have had experience of applying technologies and know-how well they work for you.

If you choose a tech stack based on internet research, it will be like trying to fix your car after reading the manual but without having any practical skills. You may do it right, but the chances are that you will have to bear losses for the damage you will cause.

The post What is a full-stack in web development? first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

MySQL has long been the preferred open source database software solution. However, with newer options coming into the market, it is only natural to be intrigued by what the alternatives have to offer for database admins and developers. Today we bring to you 4 capable MySQL alternatives for your zero cost database solutions requirement –

1. PostgresSQL is a database solution has been in active development for the last 15 years and has emerged as a pretty robust database. It offers a high degree of customizability and provides an interface to process custom data types. It is compatible with a lot of programming languages such as C/C++, Ruby, Python, Perl, and Java. Features like the query rewrite system and table inheritance further elevate the reliability of SQL as a viable MySQL alternative.

2  Redis This in-memory data memcached. Just like memcached, Redis’ ability to store entire data in-memory substantially speeds up the querying time. It is a great choice to share data across multiple servers, multiple applications, and multiple processes. Redis’ capability to process much higher number of data types (including lists, hash, unordered sets, and sorted sets) and built-in persistence makes it a much better alternative to memcached.

3  MariaDB – If digital behemoths like Facebook and Google use this database system, then there is little doubt about the popularity of this open source database solution. Since it is built by the same team that is behind MySQL, developers will find that they can reuse a lot of components from MySQL to MariaDB. It also features new additions like server optimization and alternate storage engines. Developers can also upgrade MySQL security patches to work with MariaDB which in turn, improves the efficacy of these MySQL patches.

4  MongoDB – This solution moves away from traditional data storage formats and stores data in JSON-like documents. Instead of tables and rows of a typical SQL structure, it stores data in collections and documents. Its dynamic schema design facility allows developers to create fields without defining their structure. As a result working with complex data structures, hierarchical relationships and data arrays become simpler. Its replication and auto-sharding feature ensure immense help with huge data sets.

Do you know of any other free and open source database alternatives to MySQL? Do write to us and let us know. Or add them as your comments below.

The post Top 4 MySQL alternatives first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

MEAN

As developers, we know the importance of full stack of development technology putting our lives at ease. While LAMP stack started this trend many years back, we now see another trend fast catching up in the development universe- the MEAN stack

Simply put, this technology bundle consists of 4 components

1. MongoDB – The database

MongoDB is a widely popular schema-less open source NoSQL database system. Its design makes it easy to pass data to and fro from the server to the client.

2. ExpressJS – The development framework

This agile framework lets developers build single and multipage web application easily and quickly.

3. AngularJS – The front end solution

AngularJS is an open source JavaScript framework ensures quick time front end development. Angular has become popular after Google started backing it. It is used to create RICH Internet Applications (RIA), especially single-page web applications. Which means, With lesser lines of codes, developers can build applications that are running functionally rich applications.

4. Nodejs – The server side environment

The JavaScript-based execution environment helps to build concurrent network applications that are robust and scalable. It’s  built on Google’s Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. Node.js has an event-driven framework and has non-blocking Input/Output model, hence making the applications run efficiently.

The benefits of learning this stack are obvious: a developer with skills in these 4 technologies under his belt can bring about enormous value added than 2-3 different programmers with various expertise adding substantial HR cost overheads to the company. The immense ROI presented by this talent makes MEAN developers highly in demand in the market.

MEAN stack provides amazing facilities with these 4 technologies. Utilizing the combined prowess of these technologies, developers can easily build enterprise grade web apps. What’s more, the stack also has multiple utilities like Passport and Mongoose pre-built into the stack. The brains behind MEAN have strived to tackle the key problem of bringing together multiple popular environments and frameworks and solving integration issues.

Downloading the components

1. MongoDB can be downloaded here and there is a very good Installation tutorial which you can find here.
2. Express can be installed post Node.js download. This has Express as one of the Node.js Package Manager with the command – $ npm install express
3. Steps for installing AngularJS can be found here
4. Nodejs can be downloaded here and there is another good tutorial on npm (nodejs package manager) installation.

Tried your hand at MEAN stack? Let us know your thoughts on your experience on this versatile technology stack.

Like to have solutions developed with MEAN? Contact us!

The post Be MEAN and Lean in Web App Development – Build Apps with MEAN Stack first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

Using client apps for MySQL provides more than just a well-presented representation of your database. It elevates the level of accuracy and time saved by database administrators. And every dollar saved is a dollar earned in profit for your business.

Hence, it makes total sense to go for MySQL client apps when you undertake a PHP web application development project. However, the million dollar question is – “Which client app should you go with?” The market is flooded with many apps which make selection difficult. Today we try to ease out this issue by compiling our list of MySQL client apps, which we feel give the modern day PHP developer an edge over the others.

Read on and choose wisely!

1. HeidiSQL

HeidiSQL is an open-source designing tool that works seamlessly with MySQL server, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL. It allows the developer to browse and edit data. But, that is not all. PHP developers can also use this tool to create and edit tables, scheduled events, Triggers, and procedures. Developers can connect to multiple servers using a command line on a single window.

Developers have the freedom to generate SQL exports, compress these exports or place them on a clipboard. It is possible to export one server or database directly to a different server or database using HeidiSQL. It enables export of table rows, including HTML, CSV, SQL, XML and PHP Array. Developers also can use it to optimize and repair tables in a batch.

2. Navicat for MySQL

Navicat for MySQL is a graphical database development and management tool. Developers using this application claim it the ideal solution for MySQL and MariaDB, as it allows them to connect to both databases simultaneously, regardless of the databases being remote or local.

Navicat for MySQL boasts of an intuitive graphical interface that allows seamless development, maintenance and continuous management of databases. It comes with a host of features that makes it a client app of choice. It comes with an SQL builder and editor, data modelling tool, import and export, data transfer, report generation, view, events, data and structure synchronization, functions and procedures.

3. MySQL Workbench

MySQL Workbench is a unified visual tool that PHP developers can use for SQL development and data modelling. It is replete with administration tools that allow server configuration, backup and user administration. Using the Database Connections Panel, developers can manage standard database connection, and also get access to database objects and schema.

What makes MySQL Workbench so massively popular is the ability to administer MySQL environment easily while enjoying enhanced visibility into databases. Also, the client app allows reverse-engineering and lets developers handle difficult change management and documentation tasks which otherwise are time-consuming. It even offers an easy-to-use solution to migrate Sybase ASE, Microsoft Access, Microsoft SQL Server, and other data, tables and objects to MySQL on Windows platform.

4. TOAD

TOAD is a user-friendly interface from Oracle for relational databases. PHP developers can use TOAD while writing querying tables as well as developing tables. Developers with basic database command knowledge can also use this interface.

Using TOAD, developers can build and test PL/SQL packages, functions, Triggers, and procedures. It allows seamless creation and editing of tables, views, constraints and indices. Developers also can use TOAD’s SQL Editor to write and test scripts and queries, and its data grids to view and edit Oracle data. This tool lets developers view Oracle Dictionary, manage common database tasks from a single window and create customized code templates.

The post 4 MySQL clients for PHP developers in Windows first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

With the rapid emergence of technological innovations, there has been a dramatic rise in the demand for high-end technological solutions for web application development. Traditional technologies have taken a backseat, and application developers are constantly looking out for the latest development models.

So what’s new and exciting in the tech landscape?

It has to be BaaS or ‘Backend as a Service’.

What is BaaS?

Also termed as Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS), this particular application development model helps developers in linking their applications to backend cloud storage. By offering increased number of services to your potential clients, BaaS emerges as one of the effective alternatives to conventional application development.

Moreover, with the presence of some popular and leading BaaS service providers in the market; this particular service is gaining solid ground amongst enterprise customers.

Interested to know about 4 leading BaaS service providers for your iOS apps? Then read on…

1. Firebase

The first name in this list is California-based Firebase. As one of the pioneering BaaS companies across the globe, Firebase offers a range of products for software application developers. The company offers static web hosting and real-time database service as part of its BaaS portfolio.

With the help of this service,

1. Application developers can easily synchronize application data across clients.
2. Developers can ensure this data synchronization with the help of an API, which also offers data storage on Firebase’s cloud.
3. A REST API also offers access to the database.

2. Couchbase

Another noteworthy mention is Couchbase, the result of a merger of CouchOne Inc. and Membase Inc. resulted in the formation of Couchbase. The company also offers a document-oriented database offering indexing and querying.

Couchbase comes with a pretty strong benefits set

1. The firm offers highly scalable backend resources and tools.
2. Some of the common services offered by the company are:

• file sharing and storage,
• push notifications,
• social network integration,
• user management,
• chat and messaging functions,
• location services, and
• usage analysis tools

3. io

As a JavaScript library, Socket.io proves to be highly beneficial for real-time web application development projects. By enabling bi-directional and real-time communication between servers and web clients, it proves to be helpful in real-time web applications.

It works actively across platforms and is highly reliable and speedy. With a client-side library for running in browsers and a server-end library for node, it happens to be of paramount significance for both servers and web clients.

4. Parse

With easy-to-understand documentation and helpful BaaS, Parse offers unsurpassed convenience to first-time developers. The company provides beginners with sample projects along with custom UI views. Additionally, the services offered by Parse come equipped with a diverse range of 3rd-party libraries.

Perhaps, the only issue with Parse’s policy is that once you exceed the free allocation limit, the prices scale up quite high.

BaaS is rapidly emerging as the standard of the future in cloud-based data storage. It helps iOS development agencies in promoting their value to clients as a feasible alternative to setting up an expensive in-house team for storage and backup. Do let us know if BaaS will be on your database strategy for 2016-17.

The post 4 iOS Backend as a Service (BaaS) Providers for Mobile app development first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

NoSQL DB programming

The new-age digital economy revolves around three key disruptive forces – Web, mobile, and Internet of Things (IoT). A new set of tools and technology is now needed to manage the overwhelming volume of data from these sources and glean actionable insights. When real-time data management and processing becomes a cause of concern with its demands on data processing speed, scalability, and availability, it is time to look beyond older RDBMS. This is precisely where NoSQL shows its forte.

NoSQL – the term brings with it, various terms that are in vogue today – Big Data, millions of pieces of content, and robust database to name a few. NoSQL provides multiple benefits for the enterprise client. These include scalability, flexibility, and huge data processing capacity. Because of this, the distributed and non-relational database system happens to be one of the most exciting backend options in this era of everything Big Data.

Interested to explore some leading NoSQL solutions? Then this article is worth a read for you.

1. MongoDB

The first name in this list is of MongoDB. As a document-oriented database using JSON-style data format, MongoDB happens to be an ideal option for content management, data storage in websites as well as caching applications. MongoDB also allows configuration for high availability and replication.

Apart from the characteristics mentioned above, this particular NoSQL database offers some additional benefits too

• high availability across LANs and WANs
• complete index support
• easy replication
• flexible data processing
• horizontal scaling
• deep tech support

This NoSQL database proves to be an incredible performing system.

2. CouchDB

Next, we look at CouchDB, a document-oriented ACID compliant database system offering data storage in the JSON format. Quite similar to MongoDB, this database stores website content and data as well as provide catching. By offering a convenient and easy-to-use web administration console, it proves to be a handy option for web application developers.

Oh yes. Did we say it is also capable of implementing a Multi-Version Concurrency Control or MVCC?

3. RethinkDB

RethinkDB is another notable addition to this list of amazing NoSQL databases. The database operates on the ReQL query language and allows the storage of JSON documents with a dynamic schematic structure. Additionally, the design of the database facilitates the pushing of real-time updates to applications for query results.

4. DynamoDB

Getting down to the last one on the list

DynamoDB is created by Amazon.com and utilizes synchronous replications across multiple data centers. One of the unique features that distinguished DynamoDB from the rest of its contemporaries is the presence of throughput. The database offers developers the opportunity of purchasing the service depending on throughput and not on storage. Although the database does not offer automatic scaling, developers can achieve it through increased throughput requests.

Conclusion

Choosing the correct database will be critical to the success of your web application designing and development. Especially, in this age of Big Data analytics and BI revolution, opting for the appropriate NoSQL database will prove to be a significant decision in ensuring the success into your investment with Big Data infrastructure.

We would love to hear from you. Do write to us and let us know which of these NoSQL databases will be your choice of enterprise database systems for your company.

The post 4 NoSQL Databases for modern Web app developers ( Updated Oct 2018 ) first appeared on Macronimous Blog.

This simple slide teaches you the best MySQL practices to be followed up by 15 minutes.

Taking out the best from MySQL will improve the application performance if its part of your day to day life get into these standards and practice this every day. This presentation from Ronald Bradford. Thanks to Ronald for sharing.

The post Tips for building better mySQL architecture first appeared on Macronimous Blog.