Cloud Application Development

The term “cloud-based technology” refers to applications, resources, and services provided on demand through the internet from the servers of a cloud computing provider. In other words, it’s all about apps and tools that run in the web and that interact with users through web browsers and APIs.

Cloud-based technologies offer the same functionality as a native application but they are stored in a remote data center or server rather than in an in-house location.

It’s a common mistake to see web and cloud-based applications as the same thing, especially because they work in similar ways. However, there’s a noticeable difference in their architecture. Cloud-based applications work within the cloud but perform processing tasks on the local device. This means that they only need an internet connection when downloading or uploading data.

Web applications, for their part, need to be connected to the internet at all times to work. In the case of web apps, all or some of the software is downloaded from the internet every time they run. That’s not the case with cloud-based apps, as they can work offline and online upload or download content on an as-needed basis.

Cloud application development is the area of software development that takes care of developing, migrating, or working on apps that need to run on cloud platforms. Through cloud application development services, software development companies help businesses with their cloud environments, be it through the design of new cloud-based applications or by helping them migrate legacy systems to the cloud. 

That means that cloud application development is more than just creating applications. It can also cover other vital cloud-related services, such as cloud consulting, cloud integration, and cloud testing.

There are 3 different types of cloud computing models: 

• Public cloud is the cloud computing model that delivers resources through the internet across many different organizations. 
• Private cloud is the model in which the cloud is strictly devoted to the needs and requirements of your organization.
• Hybrid cloud is a model that combines the public and private cloud models in an attempt to overcome their drawbacks.

Depending on your needs, goals, and available resources, you’ll pick one or the other, always considering the pros and cons of each model. With that being said, it’s important to note that the hybrid model has been showing a rising popularity over the past years, as it provides the necessary flexibility, scalability, and security that most modern cloud-based applications need to perform at their highest level. 

Though cloud services are multiplying by the minute, we could divide them into 4 distinct categories that are broad enough to encompass most of them:

• Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) provides instant computing infrastructure over the internet, relieving you from the hassle of buying and managing your own physical infrastructure. In this service, the IaaS provider worries about maintaining and updating the infrastructure while you only have to focus on managing the software running on it.

• Platform as a service (PaaS) is a step further from IaaS, as it provides the same infrastructure (servers, storage, and networking) over the internet but it adds middleware, development tools, BI services and more. It’s the perfect service for companies that want to manage the applications they develop while the infrastructure falls under the cloud provider’s purview. 

• Software as a service (SaaS) encompasses what you get with IaaS and PaaS services while adding ready-made cloud-based apps over the internet. In other words, using SaaS means that you pay to use an app that’s running on the cloud and that was developed by a third party. The underlying infrastructure and middleware are all concerns of the provider while you only focus on using the software as it’s provided to you. 

• Serverless. In a certain sense, serverless services are similar to PaaS services, as they also provide everything you need to develop cloud-based applications, including infrastructure and development tools. However, they aren’t the same: serverless services are more agile and easily scalable but provide less control over the development environment. 

Cloud application development can be a challenging endeavor, especially because it has its own set of concerns on top of the traditional obstacles found on application development. That means that you have to take certain things into account when developing your cloud-based apps, whether you do it with your in-house team or hire a cloud application development company to do it for you. 

Here are the top 5 tips to ease your cloud application development:

1. Embrace cloud-specific development platforms, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft’s Azure, or Apache’s CloudStack. Having cloud engineers that know their ins and outs is a must to truly leverage the power of the cloud.
2. Keep an eye out on performance issues. It’s essential to be aware of the design of the cloud network to anticipate potential bottlenecks and lag issues in the connections between web, database, and application servers. Your cloud applications need to account server load problems to ensure you meet your desired performance. 
3. Devise a robust integration strategy. With hybrid clouds becoming more and more, it’s crucial for your cloud developers to understand how to properly integrate the different moving parts of your cloud environment in the safest way possible. Failing to do so can lead to increased exposure and vulnerability.
4. Increase your visibility in all connections. Cloud computing can bring a high level of complexity you’ll have to deal with. There are so many parts that have to work perfectly for the whole system to work that you need to be sure you’re monitoring all of them at all times. Understanding what falls under your control and what under the scope of your provider is key to ensure a smooth cloud experience in your applications. 
5. Beware of unexpected costs. Cloud app development is a highly dynamic effort that is constantly evolving. This means a positive flexibility that allows you to quickly scale up to meet new demands but can also bring increasing costs that you need to keep in check. Be sure to know what’s happening in your development at all times and what fees you’re bound to pay every time a new feature is added or whenever you scale up.