Anyone who builds apps understands that apps designed for the particular platform on which users will run them perform better, are easier to manage and more resilient to changes. Developing cloud apps for specific platforms are no exception.
However, only few developers understand the designing and building process of a cloud app. Whether you want to build a private or public cloud app, lacking cloud development skills may lead to a poorly designed app, let alone performing better on any platform. These apps may survive running on a platform, but they fail to deliver the value that a cloud app is destined to, especially for enterprises.
That’s why before jumping for cloud app development, you have to first learn its foundation so that you can get the most out of app development efforts.
Here’s the list of skills to learn for cloud app development. The concepts presented below are the mixture of things you have to learn, platforms you have to understand, and career paths you have to choose to become a certified cloud app developer. Call it a procedure to achieve success in the world of cloud app development.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Explore Core Cloud Concepts
Cloud app development, in simple terms, is the delivery of a program over the internet where you will find various ways to integrate cloud resources. The key options under cloud include public, private, and hybrid. All of them offer similar benefits like cost-effectiveness, reliability, scalability, and top performance – but you have to learn which cloud method to choose depending on your app development project and the business needs.
Let’s have a brief look on each cloud concept.
Public Cloud
Public cloud is the most common and embraced method of deployment. Here, the cloud resources like storage and servers are owned, operated, and managed by a third-party cloud service provider. They deliver these resources over the Internet. Microsoft Azure is a well-known example of a public cloud. More on that later.
Under a public cloud, all software, hardware, and other infrastructure is taken care of by the cloud service provider. In fact, you can share the same hardware, networking devices, and storage facilities with other organizations or cloud “occupants”. You have access to services and can manage your account through a web browser.
Generally, app developers use public cloud deployment to offer web-based email, storage, online office apps, testing, and development environments.
Benefits of Public Clouds:
- Low Costs : You don’t need to purchase software or hardware separately. You pay only for using the service
- Zero Maintenance Cost: Your cloud service provider takes care of the maintenance
- Immense Scalability: Almost all resources are available at hand to meet your business needs.
- Highly Reliable: Cloud comes with a huge network of servers ensuring security against failure.
Private Cloud
A private cloud contains resources that are used exclusively by one organization. It can be physically located at the organization’s data center or can be hosted by a third-party service provider. But in private cloud, services and infrastructure are managed and maintained on a private network as the hardware and software are allocated to the business. Because of this, a private cloud is easier for an organization to customize resources and fulfill the specific IT requirements.
Private cloud is a go-to option for mid-to-large size organizations, government agencies, and financial institutions with business-sensitive operations seeking maximum control over the environment.
Benefits of Private Cloud
- Added Flexibility: Any business can customize its cloud environment to fulfill specific needs.
- Enhanced Security: As private cloud doesn’t offer shared resources, you can expect a higher security level and maximum control.
- Highly Scalable: Similar to public, private cloud also comes with higher scalability and efficiency options.
Hybrid Cloud
Often named as the “best of both worlds”, hybrid clouds combine the on-premises infrastructure of private clouds with public to allow businesses to take advantage of both. In a hybrid cloud environment, data and apps can move between public and private clouds to achieve greater flexibility and avail more deployment choices. For example, you can use private cloud for business-critical activities such as financial reporting and public clouds for low-security requirements like web-based emails. Hybrid is the space where an app runs under a private cloud until there is a surge in demand (for instance, seasonal online shopping), at which point the business can transit to public cloud for additional resources.
Benefits of hybrid clouds:
- Maximum Control: you can maintain control between private and public infrastructure based on assets
- Higher Flexibility: take advantages of vast number of resources available in both clouds whenever you need them
- Cost-Effective: because of its ability to scale towards the public cloud, you pay only for what you need.
- Easy Transition: you can easily migrate from managing lower to overload traffic as per your business seasons.
Cloud app developers explore these options before jumping on the development stage. It gives them a fair idea of where to get started.
Explore Cloud Platforms and Solutions
In the past, developers would run applications from software downloaded on the computer. Cloud app development allows the developers to run the app directly on the internet instead of relying on a software.
Cloud app development is based on the concept that the main operations take place on a machine, often remote, that is not currently in use. Remote servers (a.k.a. Cloud servers) collect and process data during this time which means the device that wants to access the cloud doesn’t need to work hard.
With the power of hosting platforms, software, and databases remotely, cloud servers set the memory and computer power free of individual devices. Users can access cloud services securely by using credentials received from cloud service providers. This is where app developers have to be careful about choosing the right cloud service provider.
Deciding service provider for private cloud is somewhat complex as there are a few popular names in the field. But when it comes to public cloud, options are pretty easy to pick up from with companies like Amazon and Microsoft. They offer cloud computing services addressing a large and dominating market. They offer a wide range of cloud-based products and services like IaaS (infrastructure-as-a-service), PaaS (Platform-as-a-service), and SaaS (Software-as-a-service).
The learning path of different cloud service provider platforms give you an overview of what’s needed and what’s not during the actual cloud app development process. Majorly, there are three popular platforms that you need to get aware of. To understand their strengths and weaknesses, how they align with your cloud app development goals, and get a sense of where the cloud industry is heading.
Here are the most popular public cloud platforms to get started with:
Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services is the leader in IaaS with the most secure cloud services that you can expect from private cloud. It consists of many benefits for public cloud like additional compute power, wide storage for your data, and other features designed to help your app grow with security and without paying extra costs for a private cloud service.
Microsoft Azure
Azzure comes with a solid ground for hybrid cloud solutions for companies looking to balance the network traffic without affecting the security. Simply say it, Azure enjoys being the center for enterprises needing cloud service providers for multiple monetization models.
Google Cloud Platform
Google Cloud Platform is a set of cloud computing services using the same infrastructure that Google runs internally for its end-user products like Google Search, YouTube, and Gmail. The platform is working hard to enter into the digital transformation era. Moreover, it’s also expanding its key aspects like retail and other financial services.
Explore Cloud App Development Certification
Once you get the entire knowledge of cloud app development concepts, platforms, and service providers, you can take up a course to gain certification and start your career as soon as possible.
When it comes to cloud, there are many high quality learning resources available in the education industry. These resources offer practical advice to individuals stepping up for a first time, those who have been in the industry for a few years or experts. The question isn’t about your experience level. Rather it’s about “what do you want to learn?” Or should I say, “from where do you want to get started?”
Do you want to be certified for learning basic concepts or jump directly for the development process so that you can start early?
Choice is yours. Select and put the “best courses for cloud” in Google to find your match.
To Conclude
Cloud offers many benefits for organizations such as flexibility, agility, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. But to ensure that app development is as efficient as needed, cloud app developers have to identify the fundamental differences and take the necessary steps to create what’s expected.