Software design and development
Software design and development encompasses an array of processes and methodologies. Developers have a lot to manage and will need guidance on how to handle different tasks and projects. Brush up on everything from app-dev approaches such as low code, test- and model-driven development, code refactoring and management practices, UI and UX design, and developer tools.
Top Stories
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Video
19 Nov 2024
Java, JDBC and SQL Server tutorial
This tutorial shows how to create a JDBC connection to Microsoft's SQL Server, and get started creating Java-based applications that are scalable and secure. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2024
Ansible vs. Docker: Differences and similarities explained
Ansible and Docker play specific roles, but when used together, Ansible's playbooks and Docker's Dockerfiles provide greater control and configurability over servers. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2021
ServiceNow Quebec platform goes after the low-code market
ServiceNow has released a new version of its Now Platform that caters to inexperienced developers looking to build customized applications and workflows quickly. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Mar 2021
Review these 9 low-code use cases and industry examples
Don't get hung up on the basics of low-code and your development teams' makeup. Evaluate the following use cases to see if low-code makes sense for your project goals. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Mar 2021
What is the future of low-code app development?
Experts see more enterprises embracing low-code to rapidly develop apps and empower nonprogrammers -- but there are plenty of reasons to keep using traditional development as well. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Mar 2021
Low-code and BPM: Differences and similarities
Low-code development and business process management help digitize and optimize a business's operations. Learn how each works, and how together they enable digital transformation. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Mar 2021
How low-code development accelerates digital transformation
Enterprises that don't embrace digital transformation invite competitors to carve up their business. Here's how low-code development can help a business become digitally adept. Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2021
Power Fx: Microsoft's low-code language for Power Platform
Microsoft has extended its low-code application development strategy with a new programming language known as Power Fx that will be consistent across the Power Platform. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Mar 2021
A practical take on low-code vs. traditional development
Sometimes the lines blur between low-code versus traditional development. Compare the pros and cons of each approach to judge which makes sense for your application needs. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
24 Feb 2021
3 software development trends to watch in 2021
As digitization accelerates and to ensure developers are set up for success, companies should enable developer productivity and collaboration, prioritization and developer experience. Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2021
Latest Uplevel tool enables software engineering efficiency
With Project Explorer, Uplevel enables development teams to improve efficiency by identifying potential risks and monitoring the overall health of projects. Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2021
Microsoft VS Code: Winning developer mindshare
With Microsoft Visual Code, developers receive a free, open source development tool that can be used by any developer, in any language and on any device. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Feb 2021
How to plan unit test coverage
Explore what an effective unit testing strategy looks like, whether it's wise to aim for a certain percentage of test coverage and how much unit testing is enough. Continue Reading
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Answer
09 Feb 2021
How ALM differs from SDLC
ALM and SDLC both cover much of the same ground, such as development, testing and deployment. Where these lifecycle concepts differ is the scope of what they include. Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
Kite launches enterprise-grade code completion tool
Kite's new enterprise version of its code completion tool, Kite Team Server, targets larger development teams to help them write code faster by automating repetitive tasks. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Feb 2021
App dev focuses on low-code, Kubernetes development in 2021
Software developers in 2021 must adapt to the growth of low-code/no-code and Kubernetes development tools as more citizen developers begin to build applications for the enterprise. Continue Reading
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Video
29 Jan 2021
Explore low-code features, examples in this Power Apps tutorial
Microsoft Power Apps is a capable low-code platform. This tutorial shows how it can be used to build software from scratch as well as from Excel files. Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2021
Microsoft: 2021 tools must support 'remote-first' developers
Microsoft has labeled developers the 'digital first responders' in the enterprise and is telling coders to prepare for application development oriented around remote work. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jan 2021
Mendix brings its low-code application platform to China
China beckons and Mendix answers the call to bring its low-code application development system to meet the digital transformation needs of Chinese developers. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2021
Oracle offers APEX low-code dev platform as managed service
Oracle has released its APEX low-code development platform as a managed service, touting it as a high-functioning, lower-cost alternative to other low-code tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jan 2021
Examining the low-code market's race for citizen developers
Low-code and no-code vendors are fighting viciously for the favor of citizen developers. Examine the reasons for this trend and the market moves that reveal these vendors' motives. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2021
Internal launches no-code app dev platform for enterprises
Internal, a San Francisco startup, has delivered an enterprise-focused, no-code app dev platform that will compete with the likes of Google's AppSheet. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Jan 2021
Waterfall or Agile? Predictive vs. adaptive SDLC explained
Waterfall and Agile epitomize the differences between predictive and adaptive SDLCs. Here are some considerations that a dev team should know before it chooses a methodology. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Dec 2020
How to make remote pair programming work
Two heads are better than one when you're writing software code. Learn how to get those two developers working together from separate locations in a remote pair programming session. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Oct 2020
How static and dynamic code analysis boost app security
Catch security vulnerabilities before they catch up to you. Here's how static and dynamic source code analysis help address application concerns, and the difference between the approaches. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Sep 2020
Essential mobile app development tools and programming languages
Learn about the tools available for hybrid and native iOS and Android mobile app development and testing, as well as the programming languages developers use. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Sep 2020
Learn how to perform TDD with a simple example
Fizz, buzz -- no, it isn't cocktail hour, although we don't mind if you pour one. It's time to learn test-driven development with a simple example. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Sep 2020
3 steps to secure codebase updates, prevent vulnerabilities
Codebase updates are critical, but what about when they introduce vulnerabilities? These three steps will help app developers secure codebase updates and keep their apps safe. Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2020
Developers must consider low-code app security
Security is baked into most low-code development platforms, but developers still need to pay attention to security issues and test for vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Aug 2020
'Secure by Design' principles include failures, exceptions
Using design principles with built-in security, along with properly defining exceptions, can help developers not only build safe code, but do so while meeting deadlines. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Aug 2020
Exception handling best practices call for secure code design
Making software secure by design requires tremendous consideration about how failures are handled. Learn more from these exception handling examples. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Aug 2020
23 software development metrics to track today
High-performance, engaging, secure apps don't happen by accident. Measure these KPIs to improve the software development process and software quality. Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2020
Salesforce Apex developers tap into CircleCI's CI/CD engine
CircleCI has teamed up with Salesforce to help developers building applications on Salesforce's Java-like Apex development platform tap into the CircleCI CI/CD engine. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Aug 2020
Agile FAQ: Get started with these Agile basics
Check out these tips on Agile basics for a quick catch-up or a great head start on maximizing the value of using Agile methods in your organization. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jul 2020
Follow Google's lead with programming style guides
Code style guides shield developers from dangerous programming approaches and confusion. Here's how Google cultivates style guides, and why you should too. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jul 2020
Altova debuts debugger for low-code applications
Low-code app development could gain a quality boost from Altova and its debugger for low-code applications, which helps developers catch and fix bugs in the development process. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jul 2020
How to work with custom low-code application components
No- and low-code development platforms meet more enterprise app needs when they're customized. However, custom work can mean just as much programming as before you bought the tool. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jul 2020
Follow this Dockerfile tutorial to create a dev environment
Containers can help establish consistent dev environments. In this step-by-step tutorial, learn how to write a Dockerfile and run containerized applications. Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2020
Amazon CodeGuru uses machine learning to improve code
With Amazon CodeGuru now generally available, developers can write higher-quality, cost-efficient Java code. The service uses machine learning to find and fix bugs. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2020
Examples of low-code projects show stumbles and successes
Can business staff and software developers really work together on a low-code project? It's not easy, but it can be done. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jun 2020
How to perform effective code reviews -- in less time
Waiting for code reviews can feel like watching paint dry. Break the bad habit of slow code reviews with these organizational changes -- just remember it takes time to save time. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jun 2020
Uplevel targets software engineering efficiency amid pandemic
Uplevel, a startup analytics vendor whose platform aims to aid engineering efficiency, rolled out three new tools on Tuesday to assist developers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2020
Fix spaghetti code and other pasta-theory antipatterns
Developers must try to write maintainable, reusable code. That's easier said than done. Learn about programming antipatterns espoused in the pasta theory, and don't forget a napkin. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 May 2020
Software development must align with your business-side team
Software development has become a company-wide process, with business teams now offering their input. DevOps must learn to work with them for projects to succeed. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2020
Kite intros code completion for JavaScript developers
Kite's AI-powered code completion technology helps make Python and JavaScript developers more productive with deep learning models that predict the next logical line of code in apps. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2020
Collaboration, better coding themes dominate GitHub Satellite
GitHub released two new tools at its GitHub Satellite virtual event: GitHub Codespaces and GitHub Discussions. Both are meant to help developers collaborate and code more effectively. Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2020
Node.js 14 delivers more enterprise-friendly features
Node.js 14 is now available with new features aimed at the demands of enterprise developers, who have increasingly adopted the server-side runtime environment for JavaScript. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Apr 2020
DevSecOps and the changing view of security for DevOps
Organizations shouldn't keep DevOps and security siloed. Bring them together as DevSecOps, ensuring security is built into applications earlier and with less of a struggle. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Apr 2020
Git version control helps remote teams with integrated builds
Organizations with remote development teams should use Git repositories and Git version control while developing integrated software builds. Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2020
Agiloft adds AI engine to its no-code CLM platform
With a new AI engine for its contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform, Agiloft is giving developers assistance in building CLM applications using the company's no-code tech. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2020
How developers focus despite open offices, concurrent projects
What do shared meeting calendars, pink sombreros and home offices have in common? They're all ways to combat distractions and let programmers focus on productive coding. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Apr 2020
Software-based routing on its way to become the new normal
SD-WAN took the networking world by storm, and software-based routing aims to do the same in the router market. Here's what to expect from the move to software. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Apr 2020
10 tips on when to refactor code
Developers only have so much time available. Here's how to prioritize code refactoring so you get the most value from the least amount of effort. Continue Reading
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Podcast
30 Mar 2020
Tanmay Bakshi talks programming with Julia and Swift
Programmers are problem solvers first, and code writers second, says Tanmay Bakshi in this interview. He shares how programmers should learn to code and develop machine learning apps. Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2020
GitHub's NPM acquisition sparks Microsoft-related worries
GitHub's acquisition of NPM will bring two prominent open source players together under the Microsoft umbrella. But moves like this tend to cause concern for some observers. Continue Reading
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News
12 Mar 2020
Docker targets cloud-native developers with tools, services
With cloud-native development being key to application modernization and digital transformation efforts, Docker has refocused its strategy to empower developers with tools. Continue Reading
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News
06 Mar 2020
Mendix expands support with private, dedicated cloud options
Low-code platform provider Mendix has released Mendix for Private Cloud and Mendix Dedicated Cloud, new offerings aimed at enterprises with special security and compliance needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
06 Mar 2020
TDD vs. BDD vs. ATDD and other Agile development techniques
Agile development doesn't always start with, well, development. Put tests before coding in TDD, BDD and other Agile techniques to minimize waste and focus on the user. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2020
Apple subsidiary delivers Claris Connect no-code tool
Claris Connect, the latest product from Claris, the enterprise software subsidiary of Apple, targets nonprogrammers at SMBs to help them build apps by stitching services together. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2020
5 FAQs on the low-code approach
Low-code might be the future, but it faces a learning curve in the present. Learn about low-code, no-code and citizen development basics with these FAQs. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Feb 2020
The future of UX research: Measure the unquantifiable
Applications capture more information than ever about their users, from heart rate to tone of voice. Prepare for a connected software future with qualitative UX measurements. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2020
Why projects fail in the citizen developer model
It's easy for citizen developers to start a software project, but difficult to augment or maintain it. Watch out for these four issues that ruin most no-code projects. Continue Reading
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News
14 Feb 2020
New tool fixes app accessibility glitches
The new Applause Accessibility Tool helps developers write better apps for disabled users by automatically finding and fixing app accessibility issues in their code as they write it. Continue Reading
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News
14 Feb 2020
Synopsys Code Sight combines SAST, SCA testing in the IDE
Synopsys' Code Sight IDE plug-in provides capabilities for simultaneous static application security testing (SAST) and software composition analysis (SCA). Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Feb 2020
Learn 5 defensive programming techniques from experts
How do you become a good programmer? Accept that you have bad programming habits. The authors of 'The Pragmatic Programmer' share tips for defensive code creation. Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2020
Pegasystems' Pega Express empowers citizen developers
Pegasystems' new Pega Express low-code application development methodology helps business users and citizen developers to quickly create applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Feb 2020
Real-world developers' low-code examples focus on productivity
Two enterprise IT organizations share the benefits their dev teams gained from different low-code platforms, the process issues the tools exposed and how teams can get started. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2020
Google App Maker to shut down in wake of AppSheet buy
Google App Maker, the company's low-code development tool, will be shut down in January 2021. Google offers users alternative options for users to switch to as App Maker sunsets. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2020
RapidAPI, MongoDB answer the call for GraphQL support
As developer demand for GraphQL continues to grow, vendors such as MongoDB and RapidAPI are adding support for the API query language in their core products. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jan 2020
The 6 IDE features to use for tool selection
The best IDE for a project depends on the languages programmers use, how the platform integrates with code repositories and other tools, and many other factors. Continue Reading
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News
15 Jan 2020
Startup Uplevel targets software engineering efficiency
Startup vendor Uplevel emerged from stealth on Wednesday touting a platform aimed at improving the efficiency of software engineers by using data analysis. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jan 2020
Google buys AppSheet for low-code app development
Google has bought AppSheet, maker of a low-code platform that line-of-business employees can use to create cross-platform mobile applications. Continue Reading
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Video
13 Jan 2020
Get to work with Python in this PyCharm tutorial
IDEs make it a lot easier to work with programming languages like Python. In this video PyCharm tutorial, learn how to use features to catch syntax errors, debug issues and run code. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Dec 2019
How to train junior developers in 5 steps
Junior developers thrive on trust and training -- even if you're wary of the former and have little time for the latter. Here's how to get inexperienced programmers tuned up fast. Continue Reading
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Photo Story
27 Dec 2019
What's in store for software development trends in 2020?
New year, new IT priorities. While not all initiatives stick, these development and testing trends will shape how teams create, evaluate and deploy software. Get ahead of the curve. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Dec 2019
How to get DevOps into compliance, and vice versa
IT organizations that are serious about DevOps, especially with integrated release pipelines, need compliance and governance workflows that dovetail with the app delivery approach. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Dec 2019
5 can't-miss software development news stories of 2019
Before you finalize your 2020 plans, take a minute to catch up on app-dev news stories that will shape the next year. Here are the five top news stories for 2019, with analysis. Continue Reading
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News
19 Dec 2019
Azure confidential computing, AWS aim to better secure cloud data
Microsoft's confidential computing for Kubernetes and AWS' upcoming Nitro Enclaves both aim to give IT pros ways to create isolated compute environments for sensitive data. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Dec 2019
How software prototyping beats requirements gathering
How do you know which features to code into the software you're developing? Application teams share tips on how to deliver ROI with prototyping, UX research and a design week. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Nov 2019
What to look for in code review tools
Code review gums up the Agile, iterative works. Assisted and automated code review tools improve quality, and there's a mix of products out there for different workflows and needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Nov 2019
Assess low-code platform pros and cons
Some see low-code platforms as intuitive and time-saving, but security and compliance concerns could negate those benefits. See where low-code tools stand with these pros and cons. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Nov 2019
Low-code platforms face off: Mendix vs. OutSystems
Low-code products target different audiences. So, will traditional or citizen developers use low-code platforms more in the future? We pit Mendix vs. OutSystems to explore each approach. Continue Reading
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News
19 Nov 2019
IBM's latest Kubernetes tools ease use for cloud developers
IBM's new open-source Kubernetes tools help lower the barrier to entry for developers to use Kubernetes to build, deploy, manage and move workloads to the cloud. Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2019
Atlassian products aid BizDevOps, but integration work remains
IT pros have found Atlassian tools useful for BizDevOps initiatives but would like more integration and consolidated points of management among them in the future. Continue Reading
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Guide
01 Nov 2019
How to improve code quality, from teamwork to AI features
Development teams must enforce code quality from day one. Take a multifaceted approach to write, and then manage, secure application code with this advice from experts. Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2019
Atlassian CISO Adrian Ludwig shares DevOps security outlook
Atlassian's CISO believes that eventually, application security mechanisms will be absorbed completely into Agile and DevOps tools -- including his own company's products. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Oct 2019
A low-code platform can do a lot, but it has limits
If you're ready to jump into low-code development, you'll want to know what these platforms can help you accomplish and how to sidestep common troubles. Continue Reading
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Podcast
24 Oct 2019
What the DevOps movement has done for -- and to -- developers
As DevOps hits the mainstream in enterprise IT, Gene Kim examines what makes a successful DevOps approach, how developers should define their value and where we go from here. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Oct 2019
4 vital UX testing methods for concept through development
Don't rely on a single UX test, and don't create an overloaded bottleneck that delays development. Instead, deploy these four UX assessments iteratively and often. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Oct 2019
UX guidelines for people-friendly software
Nail these UX design concepts for easier transitions from requirements to application design to code. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Sep 2019
What are some bad coding practices to avoid?
Application development projects aren't meeting expectations, and developers are not sure why. What are some common bad coding practices that developers follow but should avoid? Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Sep 2019
Working with Git branches and repositories
With a grasp of just a few basic concepts and commands, developers can use Git's branching capability for feature development and experimentation, testing before release and more. Continue Reading
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Answer
13 Sep 2019
Which programming practices alleviate code redundancy?
WET code leaves apps bogged down. Learn how to reduce the challenges brought on by code redundancy by programming based on the DRY principle. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2019
Low-code goes mainstream to ease app dev woes
Enterprises are after low-code/no-code platforms to help with developer productivity, as they find themselves under increased pressure to produce apps with fewer skilled developers. Continue Reading
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Infographic
29 Aug 2019
How citizen developers offer IT relief -- and headaches
Low-code application development platforms enable citizen development, where anyone can build software. While this approach can be a boon to productivity, it carries definite risks. Continue Reading
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News
28 Aug 2019
Atomist adds drift management feature to pare technical debt
Atomist has added a feature to its software delivery automation platform to help enterprises visualize, identify and fix the problem of technology drift. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Aug 2019
What coding standards in software engineering should we follow?
Every team has its own ideas about coding practices. What types of code standards should our team embrace to produce quality work as we develop applications? Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2019
Consortium taps Linux group, IT vendors to encrypt data in use
The Confidential Computing Consortium mobilizes hardware vendors, cloud providers, developers and open source experts with the Linux Foundation to find ways to secure data in use. Continue Reading
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Guide
22 Aug 2019
Evaluate low-code app development strategies, tools and practices
Developers perpetually have too much work on their hands, which is why low-code app development tools are in style. Use this handy essential guide to make low-code implementation low fuss. Continue Reading
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News
15 Aug 2019
IBM, VMware ease Kubernetes complexity with Kabanero, Octant
Tools from IBM and VMware help developers build apps that are deployed on Kubernetes clusters, as well as handle complex Kubernetes workloads. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Aug 2019
How to become a UX designer with your QA background
If you're a tester, a switch to a UX role is fairly simple. A range of UX design skills are just a matter of evaluating user needs before developers build the app code -- not after. Continue Reading
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News
09 Aug 2019
IBM interprets machine models with AI Explainability kit
IBM's open source AI Explainability 360 toolkit packages algorithms and training examples to help humans better understand the decision-making process of machine learning models. Continue Reading