Below, you’ll find four topics that are gaining attention from development teams today. Read on–and follow the links–to learn why each could be key to staying ahead of the mobile development curve:
1. Backend as a Service (BaaS). BaaS has emerged as an alternative to mobile middleware, the software that connects disparate mobile applications. The new approach uses the cloud to connect back-end services to the user-facing front end of mobile apps. This eliminates the need for developers to build out their own back ends; BaaS provides the back end, along with common back end features like push notifications, location services, and social networking integration.
2. REST APIs. Mobile–along with cloud, social and ‘big data’–is changing the complexion of application integration. Over the past few years, new technologies and integration approaches have arisen to address the unique requirements of integrating mobile apps. In particular REST APIs have taken the fore, gaining added important in application integration design.
3. Mainframes and legacy applications. Shiny new apps are threatening the existence of legacy applications and the mainframe. Or are they? This trend has yet to take a solid direction. Increasingly, development leaders are forced to measure the worth of existing applications against brand new mobile and Web apps. As mobile app adoption spreads, the question of what will happen to mainframes and legacy applications only gets louder.
4. Web vs. native browsers. The debate over Web and native browsers came to a head in 2012 when Facebook’s Zuckerberg denounced HTML5. Still, it’s far from over. Development leaders are wondering how HTML5 will impact open source software and mobile applications, should it gain popularity with developers. It remains to be seen what will happen, and how the outcome will impact both development and integration.