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Interactive Insights: How Data Visualization Software Turns Static Data into Dynamic Experiences

Data is one of the core components of every business. Data helps to improve the efficiency in problem solving, decision making, generating an ability to function proactively, and focus on sustainability. It is the backbone of customer service, marketing, sales, accounting, etc. Earlier, businesses managed with just  static data from spreadsheets and other documents to analyze their performance and suggest relevant improvements. With the innovative technologies like AI, analytics etc, businesses can now transform the static data and use them  to optimize customer experiences. 

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As we step into 2024, the landscape of Big Data and analytics continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Businesses and technologists alike are keenly observing emerging trends and adapting to leverage data more effectively. This post delves into the key trends shaping the future of Big Data and analytics, offering insights and best practices to navigate this dynamic terrain.

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Having an intuitive online presence is crucial for the success of the organization of any domain. Businesses have realized it and are opting for stunning and easy-to-navigate websites. It not only improves their online presence but provides opportunities for generating more revenue.

Developers leverage cutting-edge programming frameworks and tools to deliver websites that exceed business owner’s expectations. They ensure that a website is user-friendly, responsive, fast-loading, etc. But all this requires time. 

Website designers and developers were looking for ways to automate processes without dropping the quality of websites. AI in web development has emerged as a solution to enhance website quality and overcome its challenges. 

Today, the ways of designing and developing user-friendly websites have entirely changed because of the advent of AI. It enhances the productivity of designers and developers. According to a GitHub survey, an astonishing 92% of US developers use AI coding tools to help them with their work.

This article will discuss how artificial intelligence impacts web development. But before that, let’s look into how AI in web development enhances the productivity of developers and the top AI tools for web development.

How AI in web development enhances the productivity of developers

AI in web development has the potential to transform the way developers design and develop websites. It significantly enhances the developer’s productivity by automating mundane tasks. Here is how AI improves the web development process:

1. Know Customer Better

What do you think is the most important thing to know when converting visitors into customers? You might have guessed it right: better understanding of your user behavior. AI tools understand the user’s patterns and give invaluable insights from user data. It allows developers to offer personalized experiences to enhance their satisfaction and nurture meaningful connections with them.

2. Saves Time

AI in web development significantly saves time by automating tasks like code completion, generating code snippets, identifying performance issues, and more. Not only does it save time during code completion, but it also saves time while debugging code. They can invest this time in more crucial development processes.

3. Performance Optimization

Imagine an assistant that analyzes the performance of a website, including loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and more. Won’t it ease the developers and improve their efficiency? That’s what AI in web development brings to the table. AI also assists in optimizing code by providing code quality recommendations to developers.

4 Best AI Tools for Web Development

AI tools are being utilized in web development to remove redundant processes, enhance productivity, and streamline processes. Here are some of the best AI tools for web development that you must try:

1. GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is the best tool that auto completes the code and provides real-time suggestions to improve the code. It is especially helpful when it comes to identifying bugs and resolving them. It enhances the productivity of developers by automating the coding. It also generates documentation by understanding the code. 

What’s more, it offers multi language support that enables developers to utilize it for different programming frameworks, including JavaScript, Python, and more. 

2. TensorFlow

Many of you might be familiar with TensorFlow. It is one of the most used open-source AI/ML tools among developers. One of the reasons behind its success is its flexible architecture that aids developers in developing, training, and implementing AI models.

Some key features of TensorFlow that make it the go-to AI tool are efficient working with multi-dimensional arrays, computation scalability, and support of deep neural networks.

3. Adobe Sensei

It would be an injustice to talk about the best tools that enhance the designer’s and developer’s productivity and not include Adobe Sensei. It is one of the top AI tools that elevates the digital experience by automating the design process. 

This tool is not just for web designers and developers but also marketers and content creators. Its ability to automate image editing, predictive analytics, and content intelligence shows the true impact of AI in web development. It provides intelligent insights and accelerates workflows to save significant time for users.

4. Wix ADI

Another invaluable tool that showcases the impact of AI tools on web development is Wix ADI. It has the ability to create tailored websites depending on the inputted data or query. 

All you have to do is provide some crucial information about your desired website, including its purpose, features, and more. Moreover, its capability to integrate content from the web makes it an outstanding option to use for making the web development process smooth.

8 Exciting Ways of Using AI in Web Development

The potential of artificial intelligence isn’t limited to any specific industry or task. It has hundreds of advantages to offer in every aspect. However, choosing a leading and reliable AI development company matters a lot. It empowers you to get your desired website while leveraging the capabilities of AI at the same time. 

Here are different ways of using AI in web development:

1. Faster Coding

Undoubtedly, coding requires a lot of effort and time to deliver the best results. Developers were looking for a solution that could assist them and improve the web development process. 

Today, several AI assistants and tools are available that have made coding a breeze. These tools and assistants automate the website development processes. By doing so, AI reduces the time to build intuitive websites without compromising the quality.

2. Personalized User Experiences

According to a report, 90% of leading marketers say that personalization contributes to business profitability. This massive number indicates the significance of prioritizing user experiences. 

AI algorithms have the ability to analyze user browsing history, preferences, and other insights to deliver tailored recommendations and user experiences. It significantly improves user engagement, increases loyalty, and enhances sales.

3. AI Chatbots for Engagement

Did you ever have a coincidence of seeing a pop-up appearing on a website with an aim to start a conversation with you? These are smart AI chatbots in action. These AI chatbots are available 24/7 to answer user queries, provide information, search relevant items, and even schedule appointments. 

AI chatbots are a great way of engaging users even at night when it is not possible for a human agent to resolve the queries of users. These AI chatbots have eased humans by reducing the workload. These chatbots satisfy users by resolving their concerns, which opens up new opportunities for converting them into customers.

4. User Behavior Analysis

Users are the lifeblood of any business. Happy users mean one step forward towards a successful business. Websites, being the first point of interaction, hold significant importance. It is necessary to improve the website design or content if required. But how to know whether your users are satisfied? 

Several AI-driven tools are available that provide insights about how users interact with your website. These insights provide you with information about user satisfaction and the website areas for improvement. It empowers developers to make necessary changes and increase user trust and loyalty to your brand.

5. Prototyping

Prototyping is of the utmost importance in the website development process. It offers a visual representation of the layout and functionality of the website. Additionally, it reduces the risks of any ambiguity earlier in the development process. However, it requires a lot of time to prototype.

AI in web development accelerates the process of website prototyping. It empowers designers to refine the prototype conveniently and quickly. AI also considers user sentiments and industry standards during the prototype process. It saves time and enhances the user experience to generate more revenue.

6. Voice Search Optimization

Voice search is the new meta. It has gained significant attention over the years. Businesses are looking to take advantage of this functionality by adding it to their websites. AI aids in making this feature a success. 

How? AI understands voice messages and replies with the most appropriate search results. It significantly enhances user satisfaction and helps to build long-term relationships.

7. Automated Testing

If you have some experience with developing, you must know that finding a syntax error can take upto hours. Debugging is hectic and time-consuming. However, several AI tools have emerged that made it easy to debug code within seconds. It allows your code to run smoothly and removes any performance concerns as well.

8. Better SEO

Many businesses made the mistake of overlooking SEO. You must avoid this mistake by prioritizing SEO equally as important as coding during the web development process. After all, what’s the point of developing a website when it won’t reach its targeted audience?

Additionally, changing search engine algorithms are focusing on user intent and semantic SEO. It is a time-consuming and exhausting job to do. Moreover, it isn’t the task of only a single person; you require a proper team to do the job, which can be costly.

Don’t worry; AI has saved you and developers from the hassle of managing SEO. Several AI tools are available that help to optimize your website, thus increasing the organic traffic. Not only will your website rank higher in search engines, but it will also drive conversion.

How does web development benefit your business?

Your website can be the first point of contact for your potential client. The first impression that you give about your business via the website must be positive. Why? Because it helps them have a perspective of how good you and your services will be. 

A good website helps to attract and engage visitors and convert them into customers. Here are some benefits of having a website:

1. Enhanced Visibility & Accessibility

The importance of web development can never be overstated. It breaks the barriers of geographical boundaries and makes it 24/7 accessible to everyone around the globe. It acts as a digital storefront that provides information about your offerings. But can a mere website do the trick? Your website must be user-friendly and easy to navigate to turn your visitors into potential clients.

2. Brand Consistency

The ability to create a consistent brand identity shows why website development is important. It means you can have the same branding across all digital platforms. But how is it possible? You can add colors, logos, and more to the web design to make it perfectly match your identity and values. Having a well-designed website offers a professional look and improves the brand’s authenticity.

3. Better Sales

When internet users can reach out to you from around the world and can see the brand consistency throughout the platforms, it helps to increase sales opportunities and generate more revenue. A well-designed and fully functional website makes a difference in attracting more visitors. It allows businesses to showcase their products or services to engage potential customers, thus increasing the chances of more sales.

4. Competitive Advantage

Having a website plays a crucial role in the making of a business. It is more than just having a digital presence. Website development gives a competitive advantage to your businesses as your customers can easily reach out to you. Moreover, you can utilize digital marketing and SEO techniques to improve search engine ranking and attract your targeted audience. It provides untapped opportunities for growth and gives you a competitive edge over rivals.

Will AI replace web developers?

If you are a developer or a software engineer, you must have pondered whether AI will replace developers or engineers. The simple answer is No. AI won’t replace web developers or software engineers. It acts as an assistant to enhance their productivity and ease them to focus on core aspects. 

AI in web development is capable of automating mundane tasks but is not able to start a project from scratch and complete it. It isn’t able to think creatively and solve complex problems outside of the constraints of AI models.

To delve deeper into emerging trends, check out this article on the future of software development: Software Development Trends.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence has transformed the web development process. It has empowered designers and developers to develop secure, user-friendly, and responsive websites to engage audiences. AI in web development saves time and provides opportunities for sustainable business growth. Several new AI tools will emerge with further advancements in technology and will reshape the web development and design processes.

What else to read?

When it comes to web reporting, the main focus is on the performance and functionality of your software. Still, visual styling can also positively impact your reports or dashboards. It can enhance key points, highlight hierarchy, and even give you the vibe of the epoch. 

Our pivot table component comes with eight predefined themes, but sometimes, it’s not enough to create a unique style or to adapt to your existing brand style. Webdatarocks has great potential for customization of your report as you need. To prove it, we participated in the CodePen challenge dedicated to styling. We wanted to show that our component can be a part of any style solution, no matter how diverse or creative. And what better way to do that than to join a challenge that tests your coding skills and imagination?

But first, a little bit about what Codepen challenge is.

CodePen gives you a new task every week based on a monthly theme. We decided to try the November challenge about Style Trending, which covered such styles as Bento Style, Neo-Brutalism, Y2K Style, and the Gradient Glow Style. The template included the very basics of a fitness app dashboard and style was on us.

Bento Style

The first task was about Bento Style, an ode to digital minimalism. This style emphasizes simplicity, order, and elegance. It is not overloaded with details, so it gives full focus on your data to get valuable insights from it. In our demo, we did exactly that. Our dashboard echoes the Japanese art of bento box arrangement with simplicity and no mess. Each element is where it is supposed to be without any unnecessary decorative elements. Everything is clear, intuitive, and easy to understand, living up to the “less is more” principle.

This style can be excellent for data reporting and analytics thanks to its structural and stylish presentation of information.

Use cases: BI dashboards, financial and executive reports (highlights key insights).

Check it for yourself. 

Neo-brutalism

The next style was Neo-Brutalism, so we switched from elegant/structural minimalism to a rebellious style. This style takes its roots from the “raw” brutalist architecture of the 50s-80s, which you can see in hard shapes and strict lines. Nowadays, this style is about bright colors, clean lines, bold fonts, and geometrical shapes.

We managed to implement all this in our demo, which was inspired by Rubik’s Cube. Our dashboard features eye-catching geometric shapes and a vibrant color palette, making the data stand out. 

Use cases: Public awareness campaigns, social impact dashboards, scientific visualizations ( it helps to make a strong impression and highlight the contrast between different data segments.).

Take a look. 

Y2K Style

The third style was Y2K Style great style for old schoolers that works almost as a time machine and makes you nostalgic. It’s the place where the analog and digital worlds meet – bright colors, bold fonts and patterns, and a modern twist. 

This style can be fun and engaging for web reporting and data visualization, especially if you want to target a younger or more nostalgic audience. It can also add some humor and personality to your data presentation. It can give the feeling of the early 2000s era.

Use-cases: marketing, educational, social media and trends reports( to give the vibe of the 2000s and retro it can help soften complex data, and increase user interaction) 

Begin to time travel with this demo

Gradient Glow Style

Our final stop was Gradient Glow Style. This modern trend, rooted in early web design, adds depth and vibrancy to digital spaces. Explore the dashboard, capturing attention with a deep green gradient and matcha-colored accents that soften the seriousness of the report.

It can also help you emphasize the most important data points using colors and gradients. 

Use cases: investment dashboards, market research web reports ( it can help make data hierarchy more understandable, improves comprehension.) 

Here is our demo to check. 

Conclusion

No matter what style you need, the WebDataRocks pivot grid can be customized to it.  Explore more examples in our CodePen collection. This is not all customization opportunity, WebDataRocks can also integrate with third-party charting libraries, such as amCharts, Highcharts, Google Charts, or FusionCharts. This way, you can create both eye-catching and interactive data visualizations. If you want to learn more about how to do that, check out our list of tutorials below. 

What else to read?

Are you trying to figure out how to make a profitable mobile application? It entails many difficulties and factors to be considered, such as determining the budget, particular project specifications, features and functionalities, and more. Nonetheless, picking the right combination of powerful tools and technologies is essential to developing an app. 

Your mobile app’s budget, performance, and maintenance will all be significantly impacted by the tech stack your mobile app development company decides to incorporate within. This emphasizes choosing the right mix of technologies for efficient app development that gives your company a competitive edge.

There are several factors to consider when choosing the best tech stack. Therefore, you should read this guide to choose the appropriate tech stack for creating your project.

Mobile App Development Tech Stack: 4 Main Pillars

A tech stack, a set of tools and technologies, is decided and arranged as per the development needs of software or an application. These development platforms are strategically used to create well-oriented and feature-rich mobile apps. It can include tools for data storage, security management, user interface design tools, and various other frameworks.

This tech stack is bifurcated into four central pillars to make the mobile app development process seamless, as given below:

  1. Back-end

In the back-end development of mobile applications, the decision of technologies depends on the smooth functioning of server-side code and the database. The work of backend developers is to store and manage data, respond to user requests, and ensure frictionless communication between the server and client side. The back-end tech stack supports them in controlling these tasks effectively. 

Back-end Development Programming LanguagesPython, Ruby, Golang, PHP, or Java
Back-end FrameworksDjango, Ruby on Rails, or Laravel
Database Management SystemMySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQLite
  1. Front-end

The front end is at the forefront of any application or software. This is an interface where your users can interact with a digital product. The tech stack chosen to develop the front end of the application manages the user interface and the client-side code running on the device. Developing a mobile app layout includes elements such as buttons, animations, user flow, and links. 

Front-end Development Programming LanguagesHTML, CSS, JavaScript
Front-end Frameworks React, Vue.js, and Angular
  1. Platform 

Your choice of mobile app development tech stack depends significantly on the platform you choose to deploy the app (such as iOS or Android). Here, all libraries and interfaces are pictured as part of the mobile app design and development. Depending on the mobile app platform, specific technologies are selected. 

iOS PlatformDevelopment Tools: Apple Xcode and AppCode, iOS SDK
Programming Languages: Objective-С, Swift
UI Frameworks: SwiftUI, UIKit
Android PlatformDevelopment Tools: Android Studio, Android SDK
Programming Languages: Java Kotlin
UI Frameworks: Android UI, Jetpack Compose 
  1. Hosting

The hosting environment ensures the server-side code runs smoothly on the application as the input-output function depends on it. The fundamental purpose of a hosting platform is to 

  • store data,
  • hosting APIs,
  • scale applications,
  • implement robust security measures,
  • and enhance reliability by minimizing downtime.

Numerous hosting platforms such as Linux, Apache, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are popular choices in mobile app development. However, cloud hosting services have been the most in demand recently due to their many benefits.

How Do I Choose the Best Tech Stack for Creating Mobile Apps?

The robust tech stack you position will influence how effectively you are able to build the app. However, it requires meticulous planning, a clear vision, and familiarity with the features to ensure you have chosen the right tech stack.

  1. Types of Apps

The choice of technology stack is also driven by the varying features and levels of complexity of various application categories. 

For instance, an app for on-demand meal delivery will provide push alerts, real-time tracking, and smart search and suggestion features. Therefore, you should pick technologies that facilitate easy integration with external parties.

FacebookPHP, Jenkins, LAMP Stack, HHVM, Cassandra, React Native, and GraphQL
AirbnbJavaScript, React, Java, MySQL, Amazon S3, Amazon EC2, Ruby, Rails, Google Analytics, Braintree, and Twilio
UberPython, JQuery, Node.js, React, Java Golang, Kafka, Swift, Objective-CMySQL, EC2, and Hadoop
InstagramObjective-C, Swift, Java, KotlinReact NativeAFNetworking and Facebook SDK
TwitterObjective-C, Java, JavaScript, React, ScalaAWS, GCP, and Microsoft Azure

Note: Remember that these are the primary tech stacks used in developing these apps. An application uses a vast set of technologies for app development. Moreover, technological trends keep changing with time, and thus, companies adopt new tools and frameworks. 

  1. Platform Choice

The type of platform on which you choose to deliver your application has the most influence on the tech mobile app development stack. As mentioned above, iOS and Android applications will have platform-specific technologies. 

In contrast, if you choose to develop a hybrid app, you can use cross-platform frameworks (such as React Native, Ionic, Xamarin, and Flutter).

  1. Features and Functionality

The next factor you need to consider while selecting a suitable tech stack is the features and functionality you decide to integrate into your mobile app. This is because some technologies are better fit to create or embed features like games, augmented reality, or machine learning.

  1. Budget and Resources

Make sure to define your budget and resources (time, expertise, and development team) in the initial stage of development. With a fixed budget, you can ensure your team utilizes the tech stack fully within that cost. 

For example, native app development can be costly and requires more effort. Whereas hybrid or cross-platform app development can be done with open-source frameworks, ensuring a faster and more cost-effective process. 

  1. App Maintenance and Scalability

You must consider whether your application can be scaled with the tool or framework you choose to integrate. Go for the technologies that support a stable system architecture with an increasing user base and traffic. Here, you can select your server, hosting service providers, databases, and programming languages wisely. Ensure they are not getting outdated soon and facilitate app scalability.

Conclusion: Get Experts Help

As mentioned in this article, technologies are growing at an unprecedented rate; thus, it requires the mobile app development company you hire to be updated with the latest tech trends. In conclusion, different types of project requirements, such as budget, app types, technical expertise, and, most importantly, platform choice, affect your choice of tech stack. 

Therefore, as you initiate your project with your partnered app development team, begin with a thorough analysis of the app idea and discovery phase. With this, not only will you be able to decide on a robust technology stack but also ensure your mobile app developers are on the same page. 


Webhooks work as an integral part of web development as it helps in facilitating real-time communication between two applications. The objective of this comprehensive guide is to demystify the process of exploring the functionality, implementation, and various use cases in the development arsenal.

What are Webhooks?

Webhook is an approach that helps one system notify another system about events occurring in real time instead of a traditional API process where data needs to be pulled at intervals. Webhook is an automated way that pushes the data automatically when specific events occur. 

The event-driven architecture of Webhook enables seamless integration between different services and software applications by triggering data based on event occurrence. 

How do Webhooks Work?

Once you’ve got to know “What are Webhooks? Exactly, now let’s talk about its working procedure by jumping down your eye-ball a little on the below content. 

Centrally, a webhook contains two main components for its functioning: a sender and a receiver. The sender sends an HTTP request to a predefined URL (called webhook endpoint) whenever an event occurs. On the other hand, the receiver processes the incoming data and takes an appropriate action based on the event payload (information that one URL sends to another).

The Key Components of a Webhook Functioning

Here are the following key components of the webhook that help the webhook platform function. Let’s upgrade your knowledge on each separately.

  • Event Source: 

Event Source refers to the system that creates events, like a new message or a status change, prompting the webhook to activate. Basically, it is the origin of the trigger that sets the webhook in motion.

  • Event Payload: 

Payload is the data that gets transmitted during the event in the form of context and information.

  • Webhook Endpoint: 

The Webhook endpoint is the (second) URL where the event data is sent.

  • Subscriber or Listener: 

The subscriber or listener is the system or application that receives and processes the incoming data.

How to Implement Webhook?

To get to know how you can implement the process of webhook and start its functioning, here are some of the initial steps: 

  1. Create a Webhook Endpoint: Explain this point in simple terms:

To create the endpoint of the webhook, first, the developers need to set up a designated web address where a server can receive data (payload) automatically. Additionally, allows seamless communication between two software applications or systems. For security purposes, webhooks use HTTPS and request a verification process. 

  1. Event Payloads:

In webhook, when an event happens, as a new message or a status gets changed, then that data is sent in a structured format called JSON to a predefined location. Not only that, it also provides details about what occurred for further processing or action. The action of the payload will not be the same every time, instead, it will vary based on the webhook’s purpose and the services involved.

  1. Handling Webhook Requests:

In handling the webhook request, the application inspects the incoming data requests to extract the relevant information. Later, the application acknowledges the receipt of data by sending HTTP status codes as confirmation of the events triggered by the webhook.

How is a Webhook Beneficial For You?

Webhooks offer a powerful and efficient way to enable real-time communication between two applications. In addition, webhooks automate the workflows and enhance the overall performance and reliability of software applications and systems.

  1. Real-Time Updates:

Webhooks is an ideal application since it provides instantaneous updates to applications that require real-time data, like messaging apps or collaborative tools.

  1. Automation and Integration:

Webhook provides efficiency to the interconnected systems and automates the workflows by triggering actions in response to specific events.

  1. E-commerce and Payments:

With the webhook, applications like Paytm, Shopify, and more receive instant notifications for order placements, payments, and shipping updates. Moreover, it ensures timely actions as well as communication.

  1. Customization: 

Webhook enables developers to customize the webhook payloads. This flexibility of webhooks allows developers to transfer the data efficiently. Furthermore, it helps reduce the amount of unnecessary data that gets transmitted between two systems.

  1. Scalability:

Webhooks are so scalable as they have to trigger the request instantly to one system, get a response from another, and make the workflow efficient. Not only that, but also, webhook handles the events’ occurrence without putting unnecessary strain on the system and by supporting scalability in both small and large-scale applications.

  1. Enhanced Security: 

You have no need to worry about security while using Webhook as it offers encryption and authentication mechanisms that ensure the protected data exchanged between systems. However, in the polling mechanisms, it is crucial to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information.

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  1. Reliability: 

As in the prior time, polling mechanisms were used where reliability was very low. However in the webhooks process, the process is more reliable because it initiates communication only when events occur. Therefore, webhook ensures that only relevant information is delivered promptly without the risk of missed updates or delays.

  1. Social Media Integration:

Webhooks help social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and more, to respond automatically when certain events occur, like new posts, comments, or gaining new followers. This makes the integration process easier by integrating social media activities with other applications or systems.

  1. Alerts and Notifications:

Since the webhooks work so quickly and offer great services for sending immediate alerts or notifications when important events happen. The category of the important event includes system failures and other issues, security problems, important updates, and more. Therefore, the speed action of webhooks ensures timely awareness and operation in response to critical situations.

  1. Reduced Latency: 

Webhooks provide instant updates that significantly help reduce latency compared to polling-based approaches. This is very useful, particularly in scenarios where timely information is critical, such as financial transactions, stock updates, or real-time monitoring systems.

Conclusion

Webhooks allow two applications to communicate with each other with complete security by providing a strong solution for real-time integration as well as automation. Webhook is an all-in-one solution for developers. Consequently, helps to understand the architecture, implementation, and potential use cases of webhooks. As the digital landscape continually increases, webhooks play a crucial role in shaping the interconnected nature of modern web development.

What else to read?

Whether you’re developing software, web apps, or websites, you need a high-performing tech stack as a reliable tool. If you create them often, then it’s even more vital that you have built a tech stack for you.

With that in mind, here are some components your tech stack should have if you are a developer.

1. Robust Infrastructure

At the heart of any decent tech stack is a robust infrastructure that’s reliable and easy to navigate. Although we said, it’s the heart of a tech stack, a rich infrastructure forms the foundation of this tech stack like a backbone, ensuring that the software performs optimally and meets the demands of users.

A high-performance tech stack comprises various components, including programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and databases. However, even the most advanced technologies can only fall short with a solid infrastructure to support these components.

So, what exactly constitutes a robust infrastructure? It encompasses several vital elements, one of which would be your infrastructure’s ability to scale.

As your software grows and attracts more users, your infrastructure should be able to handle increased traffic and data volumes without compromising performance.

Reliability is another crucial aspect of a robust infrastructure. Your software should be available to users round-the-clock with minimal downtime or disruptions.

Security should always be a part of your tech stack, but we’ll cover that later.

With an excellent infrastructure, you ensure your application delivers optimal performance under varying loads while maintaining reliability and security standards.

2. Front-end Tech Stack

A front-end tech stack focuses explicitly on the client side of web development, meaning that it involves what users see and interact with when you’re developing or coding something. The goal is to prioritize user experiences overall instead of just focusing on looks.

When choosing a front-end tech stack, developers should consider various factors such as performance, scalability, flexibility, preferences and capabilities, and ease of maintenance. Some go-to choices for front-end tech stack languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript exist.

There are also frameworks such as ReactJS or AngularJS, which are pre-built components and libraries that simplify building complex user interfaces and speed up the development process for the developers.

You’ll create a more aesthetically appealing design by carefully picking your preferred front-end tech stack while ensuring your users don’t feel confused navigating your software.

3. Backend Tech Stack

If the front-end tech stack is about the user’s perspective, the backend is about the server-side or what the developers themselves see. It encompasses everything from the programming languages and frameworks used to build the server logic to the databases and servers that store and deliver data.

Your backend tech stack should think about data processing, managing user authentication, handling requests, and delivering responses. You should be paying more attention to your backend tech stack.

Some elements of your backend tech stack that you should be paying attention to should be:

  • APIs
  • Databases
  • Frameworks
  • Logic
  • Programming Language
  • Servers

You have to strike a balance since you want them to be lightweight enough so your programs don’t load too slowly. On the other hand, you also may need heavier frameworks and tools for the backend tech stack if you’re developing a more complex application.

4. Frameworks and libraries

Frameworks are the pre-built structures or templates that provide a foundation for developing applications. Think of them as the structure encompassing your entire program or software or what have you.

By using frameworks, developers can save time and effort by leveraging existing code and best practices and not trying to reinvent the wheel when creating the initial structure of your program.

On the other hand, libraries also consist of collections of pre-written code but only for part of the structure. Usually, they’re a collection of code for specific functionalities and tasks for a closer scope of work. For example, WebDataRocks is a JavaScript library that explicitly makes it easier to create pivot tables whenever needed for free.

Together, these tools help you develop your software more efficiently. By having the right frameworks and libraries to reference, you can accelerate the development process while ensuring code quality and reliability.

5. Efficient Database Management

Another crucial part of your high-performing tech stack would be how you manage your database. Since you will be retrieving and using specific datasets at any time as you create your code or program, you want to ensure an efficient database management system.

Some examples of a database management system would be Oracle, MongoDB, MySQL, Database Labs, and more.

6. Seamless Integration

You can enjoy a genuinely excellent tech stack if there is a smooth integration between all elements and features in your tech ecosystem. Including third-party software and other tools in your tech ecosystem ensures no conflicting elements can affect your end-users and your program overall.

7. Programming languages

Different programming languages have strengths and weaknesses that you must weigh before pursuing them. Consider your preferred programming language based on impact speed, memory usage, concurrency support, and overall performance.

For instance, if you need high-speed processing or low-level system access, C++ or Rust are good. On the other hand, if you prioritize developer productivity and ease of use without compromising performance too much, Python or JavaScript are viable options.

Note that some programming languages also evolve so that you can enjoy more functionalities over time.

8. User-Friendly Interface

Your front-end tech stack should contribute to that user-friendly interface your end-users will enjoy. With a clean and easy-to-navigate user interface or UI, your users won’t find it painful to use your software at the very least and would want to keep using it at the most.

9. Runtime environment

A runtime environment is a software framework that provides all the necessary tools and resources for executing and running the apps you made.

Consider compatibility, stability, and performance optimization when choosing a runtime environment for your high-performance tech stack.

It’s also good to look into the community support and ecosystem surrounding the runtime environment. A vibrant community ensures ongoing updates, bug fixes, and access to helpful resources that can aid in troubleshooting issues or optimizing performance.

10. Web Servers

If you’re developing a website, part of your web development tech stack should have web servers. The servers are responsible for responding to requests from the browser to retrieve information about your website from your database.

11. Security and Maintainability

When developing software, you must ensure your processes are secure so malicious entities don’t attack your end-users and servers. You also want to care about the maintainability of your tech stack because it ensures no downtime for your programs.

You should have an in-house cybersecurity team. However, you can hire a reliable external  software support service provider to help with maintenance and troubleshooting issues for more extensive operations and projects.

By prioritizing security and maintainability in your high-performance tech stack, you are working more on preventing security breaches than just dealing with them if they come. Aside from that, you also ensure the reliability of your software for your users.

Importance of a High-Performance Tech Stack

When you have a high-performing tech stack, you can start and end your projects faster without compromising on the quality of your software. Your programs then meet the demands of your users while optimizing your development process altogether.

That tech stack isn’t just something you will benefit from for one project. With a tech stack that you can rely on at any time, you can continuously finish projects efficiently, and it can scale with you and your projects, too.

Conclusion

These components are all going to boost your ability to create software not only faster but also with better quality results. That’s why, if you plan on formalizing and systematizing your tech stack, ensure these elements are in them.

This is a hyper-competitive era for mobile app development as startups and well-established enterprises are looking to transform their business digitally. Building human-centric custom mobile apps provides them with the ability to offer their services more creatively and conveniently. 

Consequently, companies that want to enhance their digital focus with a data-driven app strategy hire a reliable mobile app development company. Their expertise enables the digital transformation of complex and conventional businesses to achieve quantifiable success and ROI. 

Do you have a growth-accelerating app idea that you want to convert into a full-functioning mobile application? Read this blog to learn the comprehensive guide on mobile app development, including its process, trends, costs, etc.

What Does it Mean by Mobile App Development?

A mobile application or app is software built to run on a smartphone or tablet. The process of making this software for a mobile app, web app, online app, iPhone app, smartphone app, or hand-held device is called mobile app development. 

Based on the nature of the application, this software can be preinstalled on the device (utility app), downloaded from the App Store/Play Store, or accessed via a mobile web browser. 

Quality of the app development process and speed-to-market are critical for business success when the competition is at an all-time high. Therefore, the Agile development methodology is widely accepted for mobile app development due to its wide range of benefits, such as pragmatic and comprehensive processes, efficiency, improved quality, adaptability, flexibility, etc.

Mobile App Development: A Market Overview

The number of mobile applications is increasing with every passing year. With 1.8 million apps available on the App Store and 3.7 million Android apps on the Google Play Store, mobile apps are becoming a lucrative business opportunity.

In terms of revenue, Apple iOS is winning the race with $83 billion in revenue generated in 2022 and is expected to generate $125 billion by the end of 2027. Hence, if you are an entrepreneur or own a startup, you can look for a business opportunity in the mobile app market. Moreover, an enterprise can also build an app to expand its revenue stream or benefit from an increased audience. 

When we talk about the monetization strategy, premium apps, in-app purchases, and subscriptions are turning out to be some of the most revenue-generating streams. It is forecasted that $233 billion of app spending can be seen by the end of 2026 based on the given monetization methods. Therefore, you must carefully consider your strategy to generate incremental value from your mobile apps.

The number of subscriptions for smartphone mobile networks is increasing rapidly. It is expected to reach 7.7 billion by 2028 when countries like China, India, and the United States are at the top. This states why businesses focus on mobile app development to leverage an extended customer base. Given the stats, it is no wonder mobile apps have such a profound impact on businesses as well as our daily lives.

It is possible that some of you have already come up with a basic idea or concept. Those who are starting from scratch may have no idea where to begin. Competitive analysis is one of the crucial parts of building a successful mobile app. You can take inspiration from the various apps available in the market to find out the features integrated, technology used, monetization methods, etc. 

Get inspired by the best mobile app ideas given below:

App CategoryEssential Features and Popular App Examples
eLearning App for the EdTech Industry
  1. Interactive Learning Modules
  2. Live Virtual Classes
  3. Progress Analytics and Insights
  4. Gamification for Engagement
  5. Offline Access to Course Content
Examples: Duolingo, Evernote
On-demand Grocery Delivery App
  1. Smart Shopping List Generator
  2. Voice-Based Ordering
  3. Real-time Inventory Status
  4. Personalized Product Recommendations
  5. Recipe and Meal Planning Integration
Examples: Instacart, DoorDash
eCommerce Mobile App
  1. Augmented Reality Product Preview
  2. Livestream Shopping
  3. In-app Chat Support for Customer Queries
  4. One-click Checkout with Digital Wallet
  5. User-generated Product Reviews with Photos and Videos
Examples: Amazon, eBay
On-demand Food Delivery App
  1. Dynamic Delivery Time Estimates
  2. Group Ordering and Bill Splitting
  3. In-app Table Reservation at Partner Restaurants
  4. AI-based Dietary Preference Recommendations
Examples: Uber Eats, GrubHub
Courier Delivery App
  1. Dynamic Pricing Based on Delivery Urgency
  2. Smart Route Optimization for Couriers
  3. In-app Photo Proof of Delivery
  4. In-app Instant Messaging with Couriers
  5. Parcel Locker Integration for Secure Pickup
Examples: FedEx Mobile, UPS My Choice
Healthcare and Fitness App
  1. Health and Fitness Assessment Tools
  2. Personalized Workout and Diet Plans
  3. Wearable Device Integration
  4. Virtual Coaching and Training Sessions
  5. Integration with Health Records for Health Professionals
Examples: MyFitnessPal, Fitbit
Mental Health and Wellness App
  1. Mood and Emotion Tracking with Insights
  2. Guided Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Exercises
  3. Teletherapy and Online Counseling Sessions
  4. Gratitude Journals and Daily Affirmations
  5. Community Support Groups and Forums
Examples: Headspace, Calm
Social Media App
  1. Advanced Content Discovery Algorithms
  2. Live Streaming with Interaction Features
  3. Augmented Reality (AR) Filters and Effects
  4. Ephemeral or Disappearing Content
  5. Personalized News Feed Based on User Interests
Examples: Instagram, Facebook
Cab/Taxi Booking App
  1. Dynamic Surge Pricing Alerts
  2. Split Fare with Friends
  3. Real-time Traffic and Road Closure Updates
  4. Multiple Stops for Multi-destination Rides
  5. Preferred Driver Requests for Frequent Users
Examples: Uber, Lyft
Online Video Streaming App
  1. Picture-in-Picture (PiP) Mode for Multitasking
  2. Cross-device Continuity (Seamless Switching)
  3. Adaptive Streaming Quality for Bandwidth Optimization
  4. Download Quality and Offline Viewing Preferences
  5. Co-watching and Virtual Watch Parties
Examples: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Digital Wallet App
  1. Contactless In-store Payments (NFC)
  2. Integrated Budget and Expense Tracking
  3. Instant Bill Splitting and Payment Requests
  4. Loyalty Card Aggregation and Rewards
  5. Peer-to-peer Lending and Microloan Features
Examples: Apple Pay, Google Pay

Types of Mobile App Development

The types of mobile app development can be typically divided into 3 categories: 

  1. Native App Development: Generally divided into iOS and Android App Development, where the app is built for both mobile platforms separately using their Native app development technologies. 
  2. Hybrid/Cross-platform App Development: Here, the app is built using cross-platform app development frameworks like React Native, Flutter, Ionic, etc. Hybrid apps are also developed using web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. 
  3. Web App Development: Web applications are accessed using mobile web browsers. These types of applications are famous, too, because they ensure that the application developed for the web offers a fast and responsive experience to mobile users.

Step-by-Step Guide to Mobile App Development

Remember that mobile app development is an iterative process, meaning you can move from one or two steps back and forth to generate a quality result.

Here are the steps to build a mobile app:

PlanningThis is the first phase of the app development, which includes requirement gathering.
  • Initial Conversation
  • Scope Review
  • Sprint Planning
  • Task Breakout
  • Initial Release Planning
DesigningIn this step, building the UI/UX design of the app is included.
  • User Flow
  • Brand Integration
  • Mockup
  • Prototype
  • Demo
DevelopmentThis is the actual building part of the app development process, including coding.
  • Coding and Implementation
  • Version Control and Collaboration
  • Code Reviews
  • Testing Integration
  • Documentation
TestingHere, QA engineers will be checking the quality and performance of the application.
  • Regression Testing
  • Load Testing
  • Device Testing
  • Usability Testing
  • Status Report
DeploymentAfter the app is developed and tested, it will be deployed on the App Store/ Play Store or the client-server as per their request.
  • Release Notes
  • Operation Sign Off
  • Launch on the Google App Store
  • Launch on the Apple App Store
  • App Maintenance

Refine the Mobile App Idea With MVP Development

Do you have an app idea but don’t know whether it will succeed in the market? What if you can launch it in the market with less budget to gauge the response from potential audience or target users? 

Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development is an approach to building a software product or, in this case, a mobile app with essential features that represent your core idea or functionalities. This is a launch-ready version of the app; consider it as the first step towards ensuring the success of a mobile app. 

Once you get a positive response from the audience and gain enough traction, you can start with the scaling of the application. It minimizes the risk and expenditure before the full-fledged mobile application development.

Tech Stack Used in Mobile App Development

Here are the frameworks, platforms, and technologies used in building mobile applications.

Android App Development Swift, Java
iOS App Development Objective-C, Swift
Hybrid App Development FrameworkReact Native, Flutter, Ionic
App SDKXcode, Android Studio
UI FrameworksUIKit (iOS), Android XML Layouts (Android)
Server-side LanguagesNode.js, Python, Ruby, Java, etc.
DatabasesMongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL
Payment Gateway IntegrationStripe, PayPal, Braintree, and Square
Cloud ServicesAmazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud
Notifications and MessagesFirebase Cloud Messaging (FCM), Apple Push Notification Service (APNs), In-App Messaging (real-time chat), Firebase Realtime, Socket.io
GPS TrackingCore Location (iOS), Google Location Services (Android), Google Maps API

Top Mobile App Development Service Providers

Here are the top companies providing mobile app development services:

  1. Successive Digital

It is a CMMI-3 certified next-gen digital solutions provider with over a decade of experience. With their domain expertise on various industry verticals, cloud consulting services, and commitment to delivering value-driven solutions, you can build scalable mobile apps.

  • Clutch Ratings: 4.9 (77 Reviews)
  • Hourly Rate: $25 – $49 / hr
  • Number of Employees: 1,000 – 9,999
  • Founded: 2012
  1. Naked Development

It is one of the most creative app development agencies you can find to hand over your app development project. You can get end-to-end app development solutions from them, including planning, designing, development, testing, and maintenance.

  • Clutch Ratings: 4.9 (28 Reviews)
  • Hourly Rate: $100 – $149 / hr
  • Number of Employees: 10 – 49
  • Founded: 2018
  1. Mercury Development

One of the oldest companies on our list is Mercury Development, making it a reliable source for app development services. From startups to enterprises, it provides its services catering to the needs of a wide variety of business sizes.

  • Clutch Ratings: 5.0 (25 Reviews)
  • Hourly Rate: $50 – $99 / hr
  • Number of Employees: 50 – 249
  • Founded: 1999
  1. CodigoDelSur

It is one of the best-known mobile app development companies with more than 15 years of experience. Moreover, this company has won many awards and accreditations for their exceptional services.

  • Clutch Ratings: 4.8 (40 Reviews)
  • Hourly Rate: $50 – $99 / hr
  • Number of Employees: 50 – 249
  • Founded: 2007
  1. Utility

This specialized company has a team of experienced and skilled professionals crafting custom mobile and web applications. They have experience working with various industry sectors, creating successful applications catering to users’ needs.

  • Clutch Ratings: 4.8 (25 reviews)
  • Hourly Rate: $100 – $149 / hr
  • Number of Employees: 50 – 249
  • Founded: 2013

What is the Total Cost of Building a Mobile App?

When you select an app idea and decide to build it, your next concern must be how much mobile app development costs. The total cost of developing a mobile app depends on its complexity— a simple app with basic functionality can cost you anywhere from 30,000 to $60,000. When you increase the complexity, the cost can range anywhere between $60,000 and $150,000. However, an advanced mobile app with a high level of complexity, features, API integration, and ample storage can cost you as much as $300,000 or more.

Other factors influence the mobile app development cost, such as app category, platform selection, app design, app security, testing cost, selected features and functionality, the cost of hiring mobile app developers, and more. Therefore, it is challenging to find out the exact cost of mobile app development. To give you an idea, the average cost of building a mobile app can range from $40,000 to $300,000 (or more as per the complexity).

How to Generate Revenue With Mobile Apps

As a business owner, you must be looking to make it a source of income. Fortunately, there are many methods to generate revenue through your mobile app, and you can select any one of them or use a combination of two or more methods. 

  1. Freemium: This model allows your users to access and utilize your application for free while keeping the selected features paid.
  2. Subscription Model: You can set the price of the paid subscription tiers with various features and functionalities for your user.
  3. In-app Purchases: In this type of model, you offer certain services or content to users for a set amount of price. This is one of the widely used revenue models combined with other ones.
  4. Advertisements: This is a simple trick of monetizing your application by approving ads in your application. However, your application must already be popular and have a set customer base to ensure this revenue stream works for your business.
  5. Affiliate Marketing: You can offer some affiliate links inside your application via advertisements to earn money. The benefit of this model is that you can negotiate with the brand you are affiliated with on how much commission you want.
  6. Collaboration With Brands: This model requires you to have marketing skills, as you have to be careful with brand positioning. You can build an app in collaboration with some brands or collaborate with them if you find your application niche.

Conclusion

There’s a lot to unpack regarding mobile app development, including budget, goals, timeline, technical skills, and app complexity. Moreover, it is essential to partner with a reliable and experienced company that you can trust to get custom mobile app development services. Ensure the company you hire has a proven track record of delivering best-in-class mobile apps for a wide range of industry verticals. Moreover, make sure to judge them based on competitive pricing, quality assurance, and maintenance services that can fulfill all your mobile app development needs.

What else to read?

Do you think building interactive data dashboards is difficult? 

We’ll prove exactly the opposite by walking you through the concept to a stunning dashboard creation with the help of WebDataRocks and AnyChart

What is WebDataRocks Pivot Table?

It’s a free JavaScript pivot table component that is compatible with all popular frameworks, server-side technologies, and other data visualization libraries. Being easy to set up, it provides all reporting features at hand – aggregating, filtering, sorting, and exporting to PDF, CSV, or Excel. Once you’ve connected to the data source, you can start getting meaningful insights.

What is AnyChart?

AnyChart is a JavaScript charting library that is easy to embed into any app. A lot of companies all around the world use its charts for the data visualization layer of their projects. Its API properties and methods allow for defining the custom appearance and behavior of charts. 

Another thing we’d like to highlight is its rich gallery of ready-to-use samples and the Chartopedia guide, where you can learn about the structure and purpose of all chart types.

What do you get after completing this tutorial?

A responsive business dashboard that can be embedded in any project. The pivot table aggregates the data while the charting library turns it into intelligible visualizations. 

Required technical skills

This tutorial presumes you are well familiar with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. For starters, this will be enough to create the following dashboard, as we will guide through all of the process.

Alright, let’s get started!

Collect your data

The first and foremost step we need to take is to retrieve the data from available data sources and save it in a single CSV or JSON file. Make sure the data is cleaned and standardized. On top of that, data should be complete and accurate. Otherwise, we may end up with misleading results of data analysis. Learn more about JSON and CSV formats supported in WebDataRocks.

Define goals and your target audience 

Before moving to practice, an important step is to identify the goals of your data analysis and ask the questions we want to get answers for.

Let’s imagine we work in a retail company that needs to analyze its annual profit by months, countries, and product categories. To satisfy its reporting needs, we need to implement a simple BI solution that shows critical metrics. 

Install WebDataRocks

Now it’s time to set up your reporting tool

There are three ways to carry this out. 

  1. Download a package and add its files to your project.
  2. Add WebDataRocks scripts and styles to the <head>section of your page.
    <link href="https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/latest/webdatarocks.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    <script src="https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/latest/webdatarocks.toolbar.min.js"></script>
    <script src="https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/latest/webdatarocks.js"></script>
  3. Install WebDataRocks via npm
    npm install @webdatarocks/webdatarocks  

Additionally, you can add styles of report themes to prettify your component.

If you need more details, please refer to the Quick start guide

Create a Pivot Table

Add the container where the pivot table should be rendered:

<div id="pivot-container"></div>

Embed the component in it using new WebDataRocks() API call: 

var pivot = new WebDataRocks({
    container: "#pivot-container",
    toolbar: true,
    report: {
        dataSource: {}
    }
});

Now we need to tell the component from where to catch the data. 

We have at least two ways of doing it:

  • Specify the link to the CSV/JSON dataset.
    dataSource: {
        filename: "URL-to-data"
    }
  • Set the name of the function that returns the JSON data.
    dataSource: {
        data: getData()
    }

Build a report

The pivot table component is filled with the data. Let’s start exploring it!

Firstly, we need to organize the data on the grid so that it is comprehensible for the end-users. To achieve this, we define which hierarchies we want to see in the rows and columns as well as measures that should be at the center of attention.

Here is a sample of the slice object that describes a subset of the data:

"slice": {
        "rows": [
            {
                "uniqueName": "Country"
            }
        ],
        "columns": [
            {
                "uniqueName": "Product Category"
            },
            {
                "uniqueName": "Measures"
            }
        ],
        "measures": [
            {
                "uniqueName": "Profit",
                "aggregation": "sum"
            }
        ]
    }

This particular slice answers the following question: “How much profit did each country bring?”

If we sort the data, we’ll discover which country brought the most/least profit. Also, it’s possible to filter the data and create calculated values to measure custom metrics.

Note that we can change this slice anytime to get a different view of the data and answer other questions. This is what makes this tool so flexible

Highlighting report metrics

To draw attention to the most important values, we can apply conditional formatting to the cells. 

We can format the numbers tidily via the UI as well:

Save the report

Save the tabular report in a JSON file to be able to pick up where you left off later.

Install AnyChart

To get access to charts, we need to add the script file to the <head> section of the page:

<script src="https://cdn.anychart.com/releases/8.6.0/js/anychart-base.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

And a container where the chart should be rendered:

<div id="chartContainer"></div>

Process the data

The next step is to transform the data into the format that is suitable for the chart type we are going to use.

Our goal is to write a code which does the following:

  1. Retrieves the data from the pivot table.
  2. Processes the data to the appropriate structure.
  3. Sends this data to the newly created chart.
  4. Sends updated data to the existing chart if the grid’s report is changed.

But how do we find out when the pivot table is ready to provide the data?

This is where reportcomplete event comes in handy. It’s triggered once the pivot table is rendered and ready to show the report.

Let’s attach an event handler to it and create the function that implements the above-mentioned scenario. 

reportcomplete: function() {
    pivot.off("reportcomplete");
    createPieChart();
}

In createPieChart(), we use webdatarocks.getData() method to request the data from the specified slice and pass it to callbackHandler and updateHandler. callbackHandler defines what should happen as soon as the pivot component is created and the data is ready to be passed. It accepts one argument – a rawData object which has to be processed for the selected type of chart. You can do it by implementing an additional function (e.g. prepareDataFunction()). After the data is prepared, we initialize the chart and fill it with this data.

updateHandler is called once some change occurs in the report (the data is updated/sorted/filtered). We’ll use it for updating the chart’s data at change.

To keep the tutorial brief and simple, we don’t include all code here – please refer to this demo. There you’ll also see how to implement prepareDataFunction().

Results

It’s time to enjoy the results of your great work!

You are ready to use an interactive data dashboard that can assist as a BI tool and provides insights into the levels of profits of a particular company. It looks simple yet it’s very effective when it comes to decision-making. 

We encourage you to experiment – change the slice interactively, drill through the values to see which records are hidden behind.

Check out the CodePen demo!

Wrapping it all up

In this tutorial, we learned how to set up a dashboard in your app using JavaScript and two free data visualization libraries that perfectly complement each other – WebDataRocks and AnyChart. We do hope these tools will make a positive impact on decision-making in your business.

Dive deeper

If you have any questions about the structure of a rawData object returned by getData(), please refer to this article.

If you are interested in creating multilevel hierarchies, check out our guide

In case of any other questions related to WebDataRocks functionality, please post them on StackOverflow.

Do you have a React, Vue or Angular app? Read our available tutorials on integrations.

What else to read?

pivot table js with Chart.js

Data visualization is the key 21st-century skill. It’s crucial for making information easier to perceive and holding the interest of an audience longer.

A dashboard is a preferred tool for building effective data visualizations. Dashboards help to fully reveal insights about your data and share them among departments easily. Most often, they present an interactive way to visualize the data and contain charts, graphs, controls, grids, and pivot tables. Such a combination of elements enhances the understanding of the data.

This step-by-step tutorial is aimed at mastering your visualization skills using two free & flexible JavaScript libraries.

Prerequisites

To go through this tutorial, you need to have a bit of understanding of JS and HTML.

What will you get

As a result, you’ll get a dashboard with well-crafted charts and an analytical pivot table, which is ready to be embedded into an app.

Tools for data visualization

The first tool is a pivot table component.

WebDataRocks is a free JavaScript pivot table control that integrates with various frameworks including React, Angular, Vue and works smoothly in any modern browser. It supports connecting to CSV & JSON data sources. The essential functionality for effective web reporting is at your disposal: aggregation functions, calculated values, multiple filtering options, sorting, exporting to PDF, HTML, and Excel. The features are available both from UI and a broad API.

To make your pivot table even more visually appealing, you can customize it:

The simplest way to get started with WebDataRocks is from the integration guide. For React, Angular and Vue developers, there are npm packages available.

The second tool is a charting library.

Charts.js is an open-source JavaScript charting library. Its charming visualizations managed to steal the hearts of many developers, data analysts, and designers.

Being extremely lightweight and responsive, it offers eight basic types of charts: bar, line, pie, radar, polar area, bubble, scatter and area.

What makes this library stand out is its out-of-the-box customization options:

You can find everything about installing it in your project and configuring your first chart in the comprehensible documentation. It covers various aspects of working with charts.

Let’s move on to powering up your project with analytics and visualization!

TL;DR: If you are eager to play with the demo, hop right to the last section with examples.

Prepare your data

Every data visualization starts with the data. Once you’ve collected your dataset, you are ready to move on.

Note: this tutorial is ONLY for plain JavaScript. If your project is based on any of the following frameworks, check our documentation: React, Angular, Vue.

Step 1: Install WebDataRocks

You have three options of adding a pivot table to your project.

  1. Download a package into your project.
  2. Use a CDN to add WebDataRocks scripts and styles to your HTML page:
    <link href="https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/latest/webdatarocks.min.css" rel="stylesheet"> <script src="https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/latest/webdatarocks.toolbar.min.js"></script> <script src="https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/latest/webdatarocks.js"></script> 
  3. Install WebDataRocks as an npm package:
    npm install @webdatarocks/webdatarocks

Next, add the container where you want to display the pivot table:

<div id="pivot-container"></div>

Initialize the pivot table instance on your page by writing this JS code:

var pivot = new WebDataRocks({
    container: "#pivot-container",
    toolbar: true,
    report: {
        dataSource: {
            filename: "https://cdn.webdatarocks.com/data/data.csv"
        }
    }
});

Step 2: Create a report

Now that you see the pivot table is rendered on the page and filled with data, it’s time to define a slice – a fundamental part of the report that specifies the hierarchies for the rows, columns, and measures. At this step, choose an aggregation function to apply to your measures. You can change it anytime later. If you want to create a custom measure, take advantage of calculated values.

Define a slice like in the snippet below:

"slice": {
    "rows": [{
        "uniqueName": "Country",
        "sort": "asc"
    }],
    "columns": [{
        "uniqueName": "Measures"
    }],
    "measures": [{
        "uniqueName": "Profit",
        "aggregation": "sum"
    }]
}

Step 3: Customizing appearance

To highlight the values on which you need to focus, apply conditional formatting via UI:

Step 4: Install ChartJS into your project

You have two options of adding this library to your app:

  1. Use a CDN to add the link to the library to the <head> section of your HTML page:
    <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/Chart.js/2.7.2/Chart.js"></>
  2. Or use an npm package:
    npm install chart.js --save

Then, define where the chart will be rendered by adding an HTML5 Canvas placeholder and set the size of this canvas:

<canvas id="polarChart" width="800 height="500"></canvas>

Adding an ID to the canvas element is necessary for the library to know in which container chart will be rendered. When adding multiple charts, every ID must be unique.

Create a canvas context:

var ctx = document.getElementById("polarChart").getContext('2d');

Step 5: Pass the data from the pivot table to the charts

Let’s add a bit of real-time interaction between the components.

We need to do the following: wait until the data is ready, get the data from the pivot table, prepare it to the format required for charts, and create a chart.

Firstly, we get the data from the pivot table as soon as the pivot table is rendered (line 74 in our example):

reportcomplete: function() {
	pivot.off("reportcomplete");
	createPolarAreaChart();
}

The second step is to define createPolarAreaChart() which will get the data we need from the pivot table (line 82 in our example). To achieve that, we used the getData() method. It requests the data from the current report and asynchronously passes this data to callbackHandler and updateHandler. Additionally, you can define which data you’d like to get. callbackHandler should draw the chart and updateHandler should redraw the chart on updates.

The third step is to draw the chart. We prepare the data to the format required for the polar chart (line 121 in our
example), set the necessary options for the chart and render it (lines 122-164).

Final step

Hooray! Now you have a responsive dashboard with data visualization capabilities of charts and pivot table:

Feel free to embed it into any project and share with your colleagues. Experience real-time interaction: rearrange the hierarchies by using the drag-and-drop feature of the pivot table or set different aggregations. Filter the records and see how immediately the chart reacts to these changes.

Try experimenting to get fabulous results!

Thank you for reading!

Try it on CodePen

About WebDataRocks:

About Chartjs:

Integration with other charting libraries

If you are still wondering what is the best charting library for you, you can try amCharts, Highcharts, Google Charts and FusionCharts in a combination with WebDataRocks.

What else to read?

Move up