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Why Use React For Web Development: A Complete Guide

React is now a popular web development JS framework. Facebook developed React, an open-source front-end JavaScript framework for creating engaging and functional user interfaces. Our next piece will explain why we use React in web development. We will also learn about the benefits of using React describe what React is, and explain why it might be advantageous for your business to search for a React JS developer or to cooperate with a React JS development company.

What is React?

React is a UI library built in JavaScript. This is particularly important in applications with a single page where data is often refreshed. It allows developers to develop large-scale web applications capable of effectively updating data. The primary goal of React is that it should be fast and efficient, easily scalable and as uncomplex as possible.

React was created in 2011 by a software engineer at Facebook who is named Jordan Walke. Facebook developed it, and it was initially used internally. It was released for public use in 2013. Since then, React has emerged into the mainstream, and strong brands like Netflix, Airbnb, and Instagram use React to build their web apps.

Benefits of Using React

Flexibility and Modularity

React is highly flexible or, should I say, highly versatile. Unlike a framework, it is simply a library, which means it offers components for the application’s architecture instead. This modularity means that React can be taken and easily blended into an existing project, or a new project can be made flexibly.

Enhanced Developer Experience

React is so special to developers because of its simplicity and the productivity boosts they get from coding. The API for React can be simple and, thereby, easy for the user to master. Reusable components make productivity high and code maintainability excellent. The concept of components allows developers to construct recurring small pieces that can be used to construct large and complicated interfaces.

Facebook’s Support and Resources

React is, however, incredibly popular and supported by Facebook, which indicates its sustainability and constant development. Facebook has a team that manages and develops React, so you get frequent updates with bug fixes, improvements, and new features. Overall, such strong support from a leading IT firm offers a competitive edge.

Broader Community Support

It states that React has a huge community where developers share new information and contribute to its development. This means there are a lot of resources, libraries, and tools available to React developers in the community. Whether it is finding a solution to some query or just seeking information about some of the recommended practices, there is a lot of support from many people.

Superior Performance

React uses a virtual DOM to improve the method of updating the DOM, which stands for Document Object Model. This way, the number of operations affecting the actual Document Object Model is reduced, thus enhancing the interface’s speed and interactivity. This is particularly relevant for frequently used applications or containing large amounts of user input or data.

Easy Testing

Testing React applications is straightforward. Another advantage of using React is that it is quite easy to test components on a one-to-one basis. To this end, Jest and Enzyme are testing tools designed to enable the developer to perform tests with little or no configurations.

Key Features of React

Virtual DOM

The virtual DOM is considered one of the revolutionary features of React. It produces a shadow copy of the real DOM tree, which helps React update only the DOM’s changed components. This approach makes updates happen quicker, thus improving the application’s performance.

JSX

The JSX syntax extension enables developers to write HTML tags directly in JavaScript. Web developers utilize HTML and JavaScript to write more readable code, which speeds up development and reduces errors.

Components and Reusability

One of the more crucial aspects of React is the library’s component-based design. The components can be thought of as the smallest units of UI that can be scripted and reused to create larger and more intricate interfaces. It also supports code reuse and maintainability, which is important when handling complex applications with large amounts of code.

One-Way Data Binding

React uses one-way data binding: data flow from the parent to the child components. This is good for comprehension and debugging since it offers a conceptual view of how information flows within the application.

When to Use React?

React is an excellent choice for projects that require:

  • Complex User Interfaces: Even when there are many objects and a great deal of dynamic and interactive content in your application, React remains effective.
  • Large-Scale Applications: Due to its principle of modular components, React allows for a seamless growth of applications over time.
  • High-Performance Applications: Thanks to the virtual DOM, it is possible to update the interfaces quickly, making React ideal for high-performance applications.
  • Cross-Platform Development: If you already know how React works, you can apply this knowledge to create mobile applications for iPhone and Android.

How to Hire React JS Developer?

A professional React JS developer can make a huge difference in your project and its successful outcome. Here are some tips on how to find the right developer:

  • Look for Experience: Review the developer’s portfolio and look for prior React projects. It can be helpful to focus on previous successful projects similar to theirs.
  • Evaluate Technical Skills: Ensure the developer can work effectively with JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and related technologies. It is helpful to know tools like Redux, Webpack, and Babel.
  • Check Problem-Solving Abilities: These are common with react projects because they need unique approaches to tackle challenges. Determine how good the developer is when it comes to identifying and solving some problems.
  • Communication Skills: This can be seen within group projects where good communication is vital for the smooth running of the project. Let the developer be able to explain their thoughts and easily grasp your expectations.

React JS Development Services

Opting for React JS development services can provide numerous benefits for your project:

  • Professional Expertise: Development services provide experienced employees required to generate quality code and standard business approaches.
  • Time Efficiency: With a specific focus, development services can work quicker, which enables you to launch your application quicker.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: While using professional services takes time to complete and incurs initial costs, it helps minimize project mistakes and streamline the process in the long run.
  • Comprehensive Solutions: Design and development services cover the whole process, from the concept to implementation and even the support and maintenance of the software project.

Conclusion

React is an open-source, high-performance JavaScript library for developing advanced UI components. This translates to flexibility, improved developers’ experience, and improved performance, which makes it ideal for different projects. Regardless of whether you are creating an average webpage or a high-performance application, React offers all the tools and the necessary support from the community.

You can inquire about a React JS developer or choose to work with a React JS development company to get the most out of this amazing tool. With React, you choose technology that has been actively developed and enhanced over the years, supported by the close-knit community, and has gained a powerful corporate base.

React’s flexibility, increased usability, and high-performance capabilities make it a preferred tool for web development. Thus, using React for your next project might be worthwhile to enjoy its many advantages and enhance your web development skills.

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A Developer’s Guide About Building an AI Story Generator

There are quite a few AI-based tools available today, and each one offers something unique. However, perhaps the most-used AI programs today are generative AI tools, including those that generate stories. A Forbes research says generative AI will be worth $280 billion by 2032.

That’s why, you’d want to build an AI story generator, that could potentially help users write the stories they want. But a tool like that is a sum of many great features. But what exactly is an AI story generator compared to other generative AI tools?

Moreover, what kind of features do you need, and which development path should you take? Let’s find out. 

What is an AI Story Generator? Compared to Other Generative AI

An AI Story Generator is an AI/Machine Learning-based program, which uses advanced AI algorithms to generate stories and narratives. Like other chatbots or generative AI tools, these programs also use pre-trained algorithms.

Except, there is one major difference between a common chatbot and an AI story generator. The difference in question is that the latter is designed to create engaging narratives and write in a story-esque manner while providing means to the writers. 

Let’s take ChatGPT for example, and how it would do something with a prompt like this:

“A story about Tom experiencing morning life in New York streets.”

Now, let’s put it into ChatGPT first:

Some might say it’s quite extraordinary, while others might smell AI all over it. But, if we do the same with an AI story generator like this one from Summarizer.org, our results look quite different:

And once the story is generated, here’s our result:

The story has a lot more details and offers a lot more depth compared to the ChatGPT version. That’s because ChatGPT is designed to be a chatbot only. Summarizer.org’s AI Story Generator is designed to write stories with minimal prompts.

Now, there are other options for AI story writers like these, which we’ll discuss later. But it’s important to understand how the two tools discussed above leverage AI, and the clear winner in this comparison is the story generator. 

4 Key Features You Should Add in Your AI Story Generator

Now let’s talk about the development features that you should be adding to your AI story generator. It should feature quite distinctive elements compared to normal chatbots or generative AI tools. Here are five key things you need to provide:

1: Style Selection

Style selection is one of the key things you should provide in your story generator. For instance, if the user wants a narrated story, you should provide the ability to narrate a story. While some would want a story told in a more POV manner.

The idea is to provide features that help each writer/user create a story closest to their vision. So, providing a style selection like this would help your target users get just the type of story they want.

2: Tone & Type

Another thing you should focus on is the tone and type of the story your users want to write. Some would want to write a classic, while others would want a horror or thriller. The possibilities are endless and so they should be able to explore them.

Here’s an example of the AI story generator that we used earlier:

In the Classic mode, the story uses the traditional method of delivering the idea. But, for example, let’s say if we wanted the story to be more hilarious, then we could try the Humor story type:

As you can see, the humorous setting takes it on a way different path than the earlier classical version. So, the point is, to provide something that doesn’t only distinguish stories, but also eases the job for the writer/users.

3: Creativity Level

Creativity level is yet another thing you should provide, and it should help the user select their level of creativity. Now, this depends on the type of deep learning model you use, such as GPT 3.5 or 4.0. However, it should look something like this:

When the user selects each level, like in the AI story generator that we demonstrated earlier, it should be written in that tone. Here are two examples:

Imaginative:

Inspired:

So, make sure your users are able to select the creativity level, and you provide enough means for them to leverage AI.

4: Story Length

Story length is one of the key aspects of any written story, so you should ensure your tool has the right options. The Summarizer.org’s AI Story Generator we used has three main options, and each one is made to write content in three main lengths:

The short one stays around 500-600 words:

While the longer version is around 700 words:

So, these are must-haves in an AI story generator.

3 Keys In Developing the AI Story Generator

Now let’s talk about the development part of the AI story generator. This part depends on your preferences, the technology you use, and design elements. So, here’s what you should do:

1: Technology Stacks & Which One To Use

Make sure you’re using a proper programming language with proper frameworks. The technology stacks make all the difference, and choosing the right ones can help you create a high-quality AI story writer in no time. Here are our suggestions for each category:

  • Programming Language: Python 
  • Machine Learning/Pre-Trained Models: GPT
  • Database Management: PostgreSQL 
  • Backend: Django or Flask
  • Frontend: CSS, JavaScript, or Angular
  • AdditionalServices: Git, Docker

This should help you get started properly and help you create a solid AI story writer. 

2: UI Design and Writing Method

The design of your AI story generator and the writing method in it should be simple and straightforward. The UI of the tool we used earlier should serve as an example. So, you should make sure it has:

  • A simple and readable interface.
  • Colors that are easy on the eye.
  • Offers dark mode.
  • Provides options clearly, i.e., story type, creativity level, etc.
  • And ensure the design isn’t cluttered.

This way, you will be able to keep it simple and ensure the users find it handy.

3: Testing & Finalizing

Testing and finalizing are two necessary steps to take, and you should ensure you create a checklist before deploying the tool. So, you should check for any usability problems, like errors that might pop up when users try different methods.

Or you should ask writers or other story experts to check the tool before deploying it. Besides, it’s always important to provide updates and make changes even after uploading the tool.

Conclusion

These are some of the key features and development paths for building an AI story generator. Remember, it’s about creating something that the users not only find helpful but can also leverage to break out of writer’s block, or simply generate creative ideas to work with. So, providing them with the options we explored can help you do just that easily.

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An Ultimate Guide to Web Application Security

web application security

“If one thinks that they know it all about cybersecurity- this discipline was probably not explained appropriately to them.”- Stephane Nappo

With the rise of information technology, businesses have to opt for digital transformation. They leverage best-in-class web development languages to create applications that cater to the unique needs of users. Such apps gain traction and reach a wider audience from all over the world. 

But that traction can be harmful as it also attracts hackers. They exploit the weak aspects of the web application security or the vulnerabilities of your app to steal valuable dat a. This can cause some serious damage to business and their customers. 

More and more cybersecurity breaches are happening even in the government and large business organisations. The scale of harm such attacks inflict is only getting bigger. And in a time when eCommerce is booming, every customer and online store is at risk. Every digital payment system and its users are at risk. So what to do now? 

Business owners and developers need to implement measures that safeguard various aspects of web apps. Therefore, we present to you an ultimate guide on web application security.

Here, we will go through the basics of the concept, its importance, how it works and what best practices you can implement for its success.

What Is Web Application Security?

If any vulnerabilities are present in your app then cybercriminals can easily exploit it. Therefore, it becomes necessary to form web security policies for the protection of your apps. It helps you apply the best security measures like multi-factor authentication, maintaining privacy status and user state, WAFs, cookies validation and more. 

The purpose behind implementing these best practices is to validate all the user inputs. The purpose here is to identify the source of the user input and check if it is malicious or not. The input will be processed only if it is confirmed that it won’t be a security threat to the app or its data. 

Along with strengthening the security of their apps, users also need to keep an eye out for online threats that might corrupt their personal computers. If you are someone who works from home then nothing can provide you enough security than an anti-virus application. 

You have to identify the potential threats, formulate a strategy to handle them and follow it strictly. We will provide you with a few best security practices for your web apps but before that, we need to know why web app security is so important and how it works.

Importance of Web Application Security

From online shopping to digital banking, web apps are dominating in almost every field. But the popular ones also become an easy target. They are proficient at finding and exploiting the weaknesses or the vulnerabilities of the web app may it be in open-source code, a design flaw, access control, APIs or third-party integrations.

Attacks commonly targeted towards web applications include: 

  • Insecure deserialization
  • Cross-site scripting
  • Brute force
  • Cookie poisoning
  • Sensitive data disclosure
  • Credential stuffing
  • SQL Injection
  • Session hijacking
  • Formjacking injections

How Does Application Security Work?

Any approach you take to secure your web app will be about addressing any specific weakness or vulnerability. Web App Firewalls are utilised to monitor and filter the web traffic between an app and its users. This helps in defending against various cybersecurity attacks. 

These firewalls are configured with policies that help in determining which traffic is safe and which could pose a threat to the app. WAFs can do a phenomenal job of blocking malicious traffic. The purpose here is to prevent malicious traffic from reaching the app and accessing its confidential information.

Web app security best practices

1. Attack your website

The best defence is to attack. No, you don’t have to attack your attackers but your application. Knowing how your enemy thinks will provide you with the best protection. And your enemy thinks of attacking your web app. 

You can implement all the best security practices and tools you want but nothing can prepare you like actually simulating the attacks. An attack makes the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of your app visible.

You can hire experts to run such attacks in an isolated environment. It is to prevent inflicting any harm on business processes attached to the apps. You can do it for yourself but unless you are a cybersecurity expert, you won’t be able to do it effectively and hence you won’t get any good information from this approach. 

Non-technical people, beginners and amateurs can’t completely understand how security protocols work and where they fall short under attack. Therefore, you need to conduct various cybersecurity attacks like sensitive data leaks, XSS, broken authentication, DNS spoofing, SQL injection, CSRF and more under the supervision of an expert.

2. Invest in an SSL certificate

A Secure Socket Layer certificate will encrypt the data of your app and pass it through a protected network. This prevents hackers from seeing or intercepting it. 

Your app might have sensitive business and user information like usernames, passwords, addresses, bank details, credit/debit card details and more. Getting an SSL certificate will hide all that data from the attackers. 

Google has announced that every web app must have an SSL certificate if it wants to rank higher in its search engine results. 

It’s a simple technique that ensures the users of the Google search engine that the websites they will visit through search results will be completely secure. Now, if you want to provide a payment system on your app then you will need to obtain the PCI licence and for that, you need to have an SSL certificate. If you are wondering that with such importance, an SSL certificate might be expensive, then you are mistaken. It only costs around $8.00/year. 

3. Read and educate

Hackers can be lethal if your staff isn’t well-educated on the subject of cybersecurity. An educated staff is tough to fool even with social engineering attacks. 

You can get updates on the latest trends and technologies through popular blogs and YouTube videos. Your information must help you gain an edge over hackers. Uneducated users can easily fall victim to even non-targeted attacks.

4. Backup your data

Cyber attacks won’t come with a warning and they won’t even give you time to react. So, you have to regularly back up your data. It ensures that even if you lose against an attacker, you won’t lose your data. They might take down your site but if you have maintained a data backup, you can go live within a few hours. 

Now, where to back up your data? It is highly recommended that you use cloud-based storage devices. They are comparatively safer and are easily available in addition to hard drives which can be stolen or corrupted easily.

5. Scan your website

Attackers make malware scanner-proof but if you use quality scanners then you can detect and quarantine the threats that would have otherwise gone unnoticed and caused some serious damage. 

Therefore, on a regular basis, you must scan your entire website, maybe once a month to stay clear of cyberattacks. But threats are not always injected directly into the web apps, they might emerge through your computer too. Therefore, scanning your app alone is not sufficient, you must also scan your computer regularly. 

Scanning your web applications will help you find and remove potential threats and vulnerabilities.

6. Keep your software up to date

As your staff needs to stay updated with the latest trends, your software also needs to be updated. If you leave it be, your software will slowly become outdated and such apps can be easily compromised. 

Therefore, if you want to keep the attackers at bay, you have to keep updating your web apps. In some platforms, updates are done automatically, but some apps demand manual updates. 

So, look out for your app and update it regularly. Only an updated app can protect sensitive information from attackers.

7. Manage your passwords

Some people tend to forget complex passwords because it would be careless of us if we wrote them down somewhere. What if the attacker can get a hold of it? Well, every now and then, you can keep changing your passwords. But many people hate that too. 

Also, setting an easy password is not an option because it will be easier to crack. Now, you can apply constraints on your app while users set their passwords. It will help them set a difficult password. 

It advises users to utilise different characters, symbols and numbers to make a strong password. It is said that setting a 14-digit password is good as it makes it difficult to guess with brute force and bots. 

In addition to a strong password, a user can implement two-factor verification to strengthen the security of the application.

A 4-6 digit code is sent to the user for two-step verification. Only after entering that code, the user will be authorised to use or access the app. If after multiple attempts, the user fails to provide the authentic code, the app would automatically block the IP address of the user.

Final Thoughts

The online marketplace has become highly competitive. We won’t know which means a hacker would use to attack your web apps. It is the duty of the owner and the developer to fortify every wall, as the attack might come from any front. 

First, you have to secure the weak and vulnerable sections as we discussed in this blog. It will prevent them from exploiting any opening to your fort. 

Advanced arsenal can be of big help as the hackers also use modern attacks like DNS spoofing, CSRF, SQL injection, DDoS, and XSS. You not only need to know how these attacks work but also need to have advanced technology to nullify those attacks. 

I hope the insights provided in this article are helpful. Still, cybersecurity is a vast topic, and every app is a different case. Know your web apps well, know how they can be attacked and know how you can defend them. That’s the gist of the security best practices.