#cloud based application development

A few years ago, most of us thought work only happened in an office. There were desks, meeting rooms, and long commutes. Today, work looks very different. People join meetings from their homes, share files in seconds, and finish tasks while sitting miles apart. This big change is possible because of smart tools built through cloud based application development. These cloud apps for remote work help teams stay connected and move fast, no matter where they are.

Stay Connected Without Being in the Same Room

Cloud apps make virtual collaboration simple. Teams can talk through video conferencing instead of driving to meetings. They can chat all day on team communication platforms and get quick replies.

One of the best parts is real time editing. Two or more people can work on the same file at the same time. No more sending five versions of one document. This is where virtual team management software also helps. Managers can see updates, follow conversations, and guide the team without calling endless meetings.

All Your Work in One Safe Place

Remote teams need quick access to their files. With cloud storage and file sharing, documents are saved online and can be opened anytime. There is no need for USB drives or heavy downloads.

Project management tools help teams plan tasks clearly. Everyone knows what to do and when to do it. Task tracking keeps projects on schedule. Many apps also use workflow automation to handle repeat tasks, which saves time and reduces mistakes.

This is why saas for remote teams has become so popular. Since it is software as a service, teams can use these tools online without installing complex systems. It’s simple and cost-friendly.

Work from Any Device, Anywhere

Cloud apps offer multi device access. A team member can start work on a laptop and continue on a phone. Virtual desktops also allow employees to log in and use their office setup from home.

This flexibility is powerful. It gives freedom but keeps work organized. It also supports business continuity. Even during travel limits or sudden events, work does not stop.

Behind many of these tools is strong cloud based application development that helps businesses build custom solutions made for their own teams.

Safe and Secure Remote Access

Security is important when people work from different places. Cloud apps use secure login systems to protect accounts. Identity management makes sure only the right people access the right data.

Data encryption protects information from hackers. Many companies also use vpn access when connecting from public networks. Managers can use performance monitoring tools to track progress and results without standing over someone’s shoulder.

Conclusion

For the past decade, businesses have embraced cloud-based application development — and there are no signs of that trend slowing down in the future. Attracted by the ease of use, scalability, and lower operational costs, cloud computing services have leveled the playing field. Capabilities once accessible only to large enterprises now are available to companies of all sizes.

The major factor in the rush to cloud-based application development is user expectations. Companies saw the exponential use of mobile apps after rapid smartphone adoption by consumers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for cloud-based services in 2020 even more as off-site work became essential to doing business. When many countries instituted lockdowns, users turned to cloud-computing services to get the job done.

In 2021, the global cloud applications market had a value of $133.6 billion (US) and is expected to reach $168.6 billion (US) by 2025 at a compound annual growth rate of 4.8 percent, according to Statistica. The key drivers are expected to be increased adoption in small and medium businesses, as well as cloud services related to data management and analysis.

Let’s dig deeper into cloud-based and cloud-native applications and their impact on business.

What Is Cloud-based Application Development?

A cloud application is software deployed in a cloud environment rather than hosted on a local server or machine. Cloud application development uses private, public, and hybrid clouds to create apps. Because organizations can use cloud computing as a virtual IT structure, they can move key business functions off-site, like on-demand storage, computing services, application development platforms, and much more. It follows the same software development stages as any project, from planning to testing to deployment to maintenance.

What Are the Characteristics of a Cloud-based Application?

The characteristics of cloud-based applications and progressive web applications typically include…

Managed infrastructure

Easy scalability

Geographical distribution

Integrated security tools

Redundancy

Pay-for-what-you-use cost structure

What Are the Most Common Cloud Deployment Models?

Typically cloud deployment models fall into these categories…

Software as a service (SaaS): A software licensing and delivery model in which software is centrally hosted and licensed as a subscription

Platform as a service (PaaS): Cloud computing services in which a third-party provider delivers hardware and software tools to users over the internet

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS): A cloud computing service model in which computing resources are hosted in a public, private, or hybrid cloud

Serverless computing: Cloud computing execution model in which the cloud provider allocates machine resources on demand and takes care of the servers on behalf of customers.

What Are the Benefits of Cloud-based Application Development?

Companies are attracted by the numerous benefits that cloud-based application development offers, including…

Streamlined deployment

Managed infrastructure

Cost savings

Security tools

Data recovery

Scalability

Resiliency

Agility

Continuous release

Ease of access

What Are the Challenges of Cloud-Based Application Development?

While cloud-based application development holds many benefits, businesses should be aware of challenges, like…

Difficult to change cloud service providers

Time and expense involved in the migration process to cloud services

Issues with interoperability across different cloud environments

False or misleading claims from cloud service providers

The complexity of system integration

Communication issues with cloud providers

Insufficient monitoring and security tools

Examples of Cloud-Based Applications

Because a cloud-based application is software that’s hosted in the cloud, you’ll find numerous examples on your computer and mobile device. Common applications include…

Online storage (Dropbox, Apple iCloud, Box, One Drive, etc.)

Social media (TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)

Communication (G Suite, Slack, Yammer, etc.)

Document creation (Google Drive, Microsoft 365, Zoho Office Online Suite, etc.)

Customer relationship management: (SalesForce, HubSpot, etc.)

Financial (Mint, Quicken, YNAB, Banks, etc.)

E-commerce (SquareSpace, Shopify, Big Commerce, etc.)

Video and mobile gaming (PUBG, Minecraft, Apex Legends, Fortnite, Pokemon Go, etc.)

Step by Step Guide to Creating a Cloud-based Application

Cloud-based applications follow the same software development stages as any project.

Concept & Planning: Identify the product requirements upfront, determine business and revenue goals, and develop a realistic timeline.

Technical Requirements: Work with your development team to determine the best technologies, frameworks, and programming languages.

Design: Finalize all design components such as colors, images, fonts, logos, and other artistic elements.

Development: Develop code and review iterations to determine if requirements are met and design ideas are optimized.

Testing & Quality Assurance: Work with an independent software testing team to ensure that everything is working well and end-users are not experiencing any issues.

Operations & Deployment: Prepare and deploy the completed and tested code in the appropriate production environment.

Maintenance & Updates: Make improvements, upgrade features, add functionalities, optimize performance, develop firmware updates, etc.

Quinnox with its skillful cloud application experts provides you the right path towards cloud adoption for your business and applications to become more proactive and productive. Our Cloud Application Services will help you migrate your existing on-premise applications to a cloud-based platform for optimised and streamlined application management.

Quinnox with its skillful cloud application experts provides you the right path towards cloud adoption for your business and applications to become more proactive and productive. Our Cloud Application Services will help you migrate your existing on-premise applications to a cloud-based platform for optimised and streamlined application management.