Discover easy ways of developing software with ColdFusion

To meet the expectations of future demand of web industry, many languages has come up into the industry in past few years like PHP, ASP, JSP, Python etc. ColdFusion is one such attempt from Adobe to develop enterprise standard web applications using CFML language. Well, much use ColdFusion as a language but the fact is it’s a framework build in CFML language. Since it is a framework, we can expect tremendous efficiency from the framework in developing quick web solutions. Let us know few ways to develop enterprise standard web solutions in ColdFusion.

Naming convention is must: This is the fundamental rule for any application. A good developer must follow all the naming conventions for different components of the web application program like variables, method name, class name etc. This will improve the readability of the application at the same time this will also decrease the maintenance cost of the application. It also affects the debugging process to a large extend and also it determines the fate of the application in long run; because, a well written and readable code can be well maintained by any developer or farm in the latter stage of its life.

Take the help of Sessions, Cookie etc: As a good ColdFusion web developer, you must ensure there is proper use of sessions and cookies in the application. Sessions are to keep the user’s data private to the browser that will definitely give a privileged feeling to the user. It also improves the user experience as a whole. Moreover, it helps in providing appropriate data to the end user depending on their browsing history that will definitely give awesome experience to the user. So a web developer must implement Session and cookies in its application.

Make your app to detect the devices: Yes, in modern era, there are lots of devices used for browsing purpose like mobiles, smart phone, tablet and desktop etc. So, we must provide similar experience to all audience of our application so that it will get good response from every angle. To achieve the same, we should detect the device from which the request is being served so that, we can modify our web application accordingly for better user experience.

Implement HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery for your app: HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery are the three virtual pillars of a successful web application of modern web industry. This trio are must for any responsive web application. It will ensure that your ColdFusion application will not break under any circumstances like small screen size or resolution like that of smart phones and tablets. So, as a ColdFusion programming developer you should implement these technologies to make better web applications in a seamless manner.

Cache management for efficient software development: Last but not the least; a good ColdFusion web developer must take the advantage of cache memory in developing enterprise standard web solution that is not only efficient but also effective. You can impart a smooth and hassle free user experience through the efficient management of cache memory in your application.

If you would like to hire Coldfusion developers for your web development needs, please contact us Mindfire Solutions. We provide Coldfusion web development services.

Handy tools for ColdFusion developers

ColdFusion is a framework which was developed by Jeremy Allaire and J J Allaire in 1995. But in 2005 it was taken over by Adobe. From then with few enhancements in the framework it is now well known being a powerful framework for web development process. Well many times we see people using ColdFusion term as a language. But the fact is it is a framework which is developed in the language CFML. Since it is a framework, we can expect futuristic features for the web developers which will definitely decrease the effort for developing enterprise standard web applications in less time and more accuracy. Moreover, it has already a good track record of around one decade which indicates its efficiency and reliability in the industry. There are many modules, features and plugins for the ColdFusion framework which will help the ColdFusion developers in developing quick websites with all modern amenities. Let us have a quick look over few important tools which can be integrated with the framework to make it even powerful and efficient.

Blogging tools: In recent period, there is an overnight popularity of different blogging websites among the users. Blogs help the users to be updated and gives knowledge on different sectors. Many frameworks are totally dedicated for blogging purpose like Google’s Blogspot, WordPress blogger etc. Similarly, for ColdFusion developers there are many blogging tools like 1SSblog from ED Tabara, blog CFC from Ray Camden, Mango (A sweet ColdFusion Blog Engine) of asFusion and MyBlog from Gurpreet Singh Randhawa etc. All these tools are dedicated for developing quick blog websites for the ColdFusion developers.

CFML code formatting tool: There are many code formatting tools available for the ColdFusion developers which can be integrated to the framework. It will help the web developers writing proper indented codes in the IDE. Code chameleon is one such tool which can be used to format the CFML codes on the ColdFusion framework. It has features like dreamweaver and HTML formatter which makes the coldfusion developer in writing easy and readable codes in CFML.

CFML Code generators: In website development process, code generator tool has a tremendous popularity among the web developers because it not only helps in developing quick web applications but at the same time it ensures the quality of the application. Moreover, it decreases the development time of the application to a significant level. Few code generation tools for CFML are ColdFusion application generator, CFCBlaster, CFProperty, CodeCharge, ColdDuck, ColdFusion Builder and Complete CRUD Code Generator etc.

CFML debugging tools: Web developers must be acquainted with debugging tools in order to debug his code base. This is extremely helpful while debugging a large web application using different features like break point, browser debugging etc. Some of these CFML debugging tools are CF – Fire logger, CF no debug, CF watcher, Fusion debug etc.

Caching tool: Cache management is a must concept while developing any web applications. The web developer must learn how to optimise his web application in order to provide hassle less browsing experience to the end user. All these can be possible by proper management of cache for any HTTP calls. Few caching tools for ColdFusion developers are cache box, cache management, CF_ accelerate, CF_turbo cache, Fusecache, Scopecache etc. You can get in touch with a custom ColdFusion Programming company who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

We provide ColdFusion application development services. If you would like to hire ColdFusion developer for your development needs, please contact us Mindfire Solutions.

ColdFusion frameworks and their features

By virtue of Adobe ColdFusion, developers can rapidly deploy, build as well as maintain Java applications. The seamless integration along with multitude of features has made this application server quite popular. To reap the best advantages out of this server it is essential to adapt the best suitable framework so that you might be able to increase productivity as well as employability. So how do you know which one of the frameworks to choose from? Here is a guide on the various kinds available along with their features so that you can decide perfectly.

ColdBox

This convention-based event-driven platform provides a reusable code set and tools so that the development productivity along with development standard may be increased. The applications can be built easily along with easy enterprise debugging, monitoring as well as caching. Typical application aspects are provided like logging, bug reporting, debugging tools, enterprise caching, pretty URLs, i18N, ORM integration, etc. It is both modular as well as comprehensive thus addressing major infrastructure concerns that are typically associated with such applications.

Model–Glue– This object-oriented framework operates with XML configuration file on an implicit event-based invocation paradigm. Event messages can be received by message listeners through registration. The messages are broadcast and multiple listeners can receive them, offering a system architecture that is highly coupled which allows you to develop as well as extend the application flexibly. Functionality like generating and displaying basic user interface for listing as well as editing of database data along with scaffolding are available in this framework which helps in prototyping as well as development of the application. It also generates development-time code and helps in tighter integration for CFC dependency injection with ColdSpring into listeners.

Mach II- This is another object-oriented framework that helps invoke some aspects of an application through an event that has been fired by application code or fired from URL. Those events are routed through XML configuration files to a series of filters and listeners, thus determining the functions that might be invoked on them. This configuration file helps you better understand the application’s logical flow since the layout is done in a sequence. There are logging and built-in caching functionality to it along with some pre-built tools that can build the applications.

Fusebox– Out of the above mentioned MVC framework, this is the oldest and the concept revolves around that of a real electrical fuse box which contains as well as controls many circuits, each of which has its very own fuse. Thus the application may be broken up into several related sections. You simply must write ColdFusion templates; the application may be developed with simple CFM pages, custom tags, etc. You can also have CFCs integrated or do both. The learning curve is easy and you can use XML for configuration of the control layer; even conventions-based CFC may be used for the configuration as well. Plug-ins can also be written so that the code can be executed during Fusebox request.

LightWire– Unlike the above mentioned frameworks which are MVC based, this a dependency injection one which allows configuration through XML along with programmatic interface. It is very lightweight, providing all functionality associated with dependency injection. It is easily deployable and can be integrated with any project, with the minimum overhead.

ColdSpring– This dependency injection platform enables the using of XML file for configuration of both CFCs as well as their dependencies which may be set explicitly. It may be autowired for CFC’s meta-data introspection; then the dependencies are instantiated and resolved automatically. Code blocks may be wrapped anywhere in the CFC functions that are implemented already. RemoteProxyFactories can be used to expose services for remote invocations.

Reactor– This persistence ColdFusion ORM is based on design pattern of Active Record which ensures that every object represents some data and this object is responsible for its very own persistence. The objects save their own data so that the data may be retrieved from the database, instead of asking external services. CFCs are also generated through provision of development mode so that objects, generic data access gateways as well as objects may be generated. A combination of database introspection and XML configuration powers the code generation. A lot of usable code is provided with minimal effort.

Transfer– This ORM revolves around business objects concept, representing a single entity within an application. The business objects can be generated from XML configuration files at run time and provide a lot of basic functionality needed for application development. The business objects may be retrieved as well as modified if necessary. A perfectly configurable caching layer is also provided by it along with Publish-Subscribe model to observe Transfer events, scripting language to carry out database-agnostic querying, etc.

Basically there are three kinds of frameworks for ColdFusion- MVC, Dependency injection and Persistence. Each has its own sets of advantages as well as disadvantages. For example MVC ones help in organizing the application logic along with view, Dependency ones allow easy management of object relationships and compositions while Persistence ones eliminate the cumbersome code writing process for the storage as well as retrieval of objects through relational data storage. For the best advantage, some developers even resort to using a combination of multiple frameworks; ultimately the choice depends upon your discretion. You can get in touch with a ColdFusion web development company who can help you with your Coldfusion projects.

We provide ColdFusion application development services. If you would like to hire ColdFusion developer for your development needs, please contact us Mindfire Solutions.

ColdFusion Offers Seamless Integration with HTML5

With the introduction of ColdFusion, development and publication of HTML applications have become quicker and that now helps the developers immensely when it comes to keeping pace with the increasing demand of the clients and market dynamics. Now that mobile applications have seen a boom and more and more people are opting for various types of mobile devices, introduction of Adobe ColdFusion 10 is perfectly timed!

ColdFusion was primarily developed with the objective of converting the knotted business logics into only a handful of code lines. This, to say the least, has quickened the cycle of development by many folds. ColdFusion 10 offers the users identical capabilities with HTML5 apps development. It helps the developers by offering high quality user experiences through incorporation of synergistic charting components, GeoTagging, WebSockets, video players, and the likes with just a click of the mouse.

The ColdFusion Builder option acts as an effective tool for the developers to help squeeze tasks that would have taken too long to go through, into projects that are easily manageable. It also helps in building and deploying scalable Java EE applications for meeting the needs of large-scale business houses.

Incorporation of HTML5 support is a critical aspect of mobile apps development as it negates the need for a third part API or any browser plug-in. ColdFusion 10 is available with a large consignment of HTML5 charts and components that work in JSON as well as XML data formats that can be integrated with certain server-side technologies like JSP, ASP, PHP along with ColdFusion.

While there was always a concern with web application security even with HTML5 apps, introduction of ColdFusion 10 has negated this concern to a large extent as it comes up with functions that come in handy for prevention of cross-site forgery as well as scripting.

A developer, who is planning to build online applications for gaming, will be able to use Adobe ColdFusion as a sound back end application. This will enable the developer to offer a high quality interactive end-user experience through built-in support for the HTML5 web sockets as well as charting. With this, development of back end becomes easier, especially with the help of HTTP, by exposing business logics with the use of built-in REST support.

Let us now see how end user experience is optimized with extension of in-built support for HTML5 by ColdFusion.

HTML5 Charting:

Majority of the modern websites are developed with client-end charts. These client-end charts prove to be extremely handy when it comes to making a particular website more attractive, interactive as well as dynamic. However, for that the developers and programmers need to do a lot of coding, which is an extremely laborious job. With the introduction of ColdFusion 10, things have become much simpler for them, especially as it facilitates implementing client-end HTML5 charts without any lengthy coding. Developers can also choose from the collection of charts and simply implement them with the use of CFCHART tag.

HTML5 Web Sockets:

As the users nowadays have the freedom to choose from a variety of websites and applications, they can opt for the one that will provide all the latest and updated information. Hence, it has become absolutely imperative for the web developers to design webs and applications that will attract the users through a seamless generation of real-time response from the server. However, this demands a lot of time as well as efforts from the developers. As ColdFusion 10 provides built-in support for the HTML5 sockets, it is now easier for the programmers to push point-to-point data or publish them for multiple clients at the same time through real-time server response.

HTML5 Video Player:

Besides providing the latest as well as the most relevant information, web application also has the onus of impressing the users through presentation of data and information in the most impressive way. When it comes to impressing users, video clips come more handy than the textual contents or images as they can communicate messages more effectively in an impressive and stylish manner. However, this poses a challenge for the developers as they often have to target web browsers that do not support HTML5. ColdFusion 10 offers the developers the option of designing web applications with the use of Adobe Flash Player as well as HTML5 video player. The latest version also comes up with an option that provides the users a string of well-defined APIs which ensure that the site in question optimizes the end user experience, no matter what type of browser the users opt for.

Optimization of existing Websites:

ColdFusion 10 can also help the developers in availing the advantages of HTML5 for optimization of website performance. They can incorporate new features in the applications without actually writing any extra code and this makes things easier for them a lot.

You can get in touch with a coldfusion web development company who can help you built coldfusion web app within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide Coldfusion development services. If you would like to discuss with a certified coldfusion web developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

5 Reasons Why Startups Specifically Use ColdFusion?

Unlike established software development companies, the startups have to develop projects with limited resources. Many startups also look for a rapid web application development platform that is familiar to their developers. When the developers of a company have already experience in building robust web applications using a specific framework, it becomes easier for them to develop new websites without putting any extra time and effort. However, some widely used rapid web development platforms like Adobe ColdFusion can complement business process and budget of new software development companies.

According to its needs, the company can choose from the developer, standard and enterprise editions of ColdFusion 10. At the same time, latest version of the framework also comes with a set of innovative features to easily build a variety of websites, internet applications and web services. Also, some of these features help small companies to keep the cost of software development project under control. If you are evaluating rapid web development platforms for your startup, it is time to understand why ColdFusion is used specifically by startups.

5 Reasons Why ColdFusion is Widely Used by Startup Companies

• Easy to Build Robust Web Applications: Often a startup company has to develop web and mobile apps with limited resources. As it can afford to deploy only a small team, it becomes essential for the company to divide time and resources properly to build, implement and market the application. ColdFusion comes with a set of features that help startups in completing projects in a faster and cheaper way. The developer can avail these advanced features to work seamlessly with mail, spreadsheets, databases, PDFs, PDF forms, presentations, SharePoint and full text search. The features make it easier for developers to build interactive websites without writing lengthy code.

• Several Good IDEs: ColdFusion further come with a set of good IDEs, open source libraries and projects. So the web application developer has option to pick the right IDE according to his skill and experience. Along with Eclipse based IDEs like CFEclipse and ColdFusion Builder, the developer can also use some of the popular IDEs like Coda, Dreamweaver, Textmate and IntellijIDEA. Similar to the IDEs, the programmers also have options to use a variety of open source ColdFusion frameworks like Model View Controller (MVC) frameworks, unit testing frameworks, and dependency injection/inversion of control frameworks. The pre-built tools provided by the IDEs and frameworks help programmers in building powerful web applications at a rapid pace.

• Scalable Enough to Handle Heavy Load: While developing a website, programmers often look for efficient ways to boost its performance by handling heavy load. The scalability of a system depends on a number of factors including user interface tuning, database tuning and the right caching system. Similar to other dynamically typed languages, ColdFusion is also scalable enough to handle heavy load. The feature of the web application development platform further makes it easier for developers to check the system scalability. ColdFusion is designed with built in ehCache integration that allows developers to work with clustered caches in a simple and straightforward way to optimize the performance of the website.

• Seamless Integration with Client’s Existing System: Along with developing new website and web applications, startup companies also have to integrate the software into the existing system of clients. As the type of software and systems used by clients vary, the software developers have to choose a framework that can be integrated with other technologies seamlessly. Also, the startup company needs to ensure that the integration will not require additional investment. ColdFusion supports a wide variety of technologies including XML, SOAP, .NET assemblies, RESTful web services, Java objects, PDF forms and SMS gateways. As ColdFusion objects are configured with remote access options, they can be published automatically as SOAP pr JSON resources to make it simpler to work with APIs.

• Boost the Performance of Web and Mobile Applications: The updated version of ColdFusion is designed with built-in support for HTML5 and RESTful web services, Tomcat integration, and enhanced caching. These features make it easier for programmers to optimize the performance of their web application without putting any extra effort. Further, the programmer can avail the advantages of Hotfix installer and scheduler to make their websites secure by using advance encryption and authentication techniques. At the same time, the HTML5 support enables them to optimize user experience by designing web applications with video player, interactive charting, web sockets and geo-tagging.

On the whole, ColdFusion 10 comes with loads of features to make the requirements of both established and startup companies. The innovative features help startups to leverage ColdFusion web development tools to build rich web applications for clients while meeting the latest web 2.0 trends. Along with reducing the amount of time and efforts required to complete the project, the ColdFusion is also effective in controlling the project cost and overheads.

We provide ColdFusion application development services. If you would like to know more about the expertise of our expert ColdFusion programmers, please contact us at Mindfire Solutions.

Why develop websites with ColdFusion?

Each company wants to develop powerful, compelling and dynamic websites at a rapid pace. Many companies also like to use rapid web application development technologies that are portable, scalable and fast. As a rapid web application development platform, ColdFusion allows developers to build a variety of websites without putting any extra time and effort. Based on the requirements of the project, ColdFusion can be used a programming language as well as an application server. Adobe has further released ColdFusion 10 with a set of innovative features to meet the latest trends in website and internet application development.

Why Develop Websites with ColdFusion 10?

Rapid Web Application Development

The constant changes in technology and user choices have made web application development both complex and competitive. Most companies, nowadays, look for options to build robust applications without investing any extra resources. As a powerful application server, ColdFusion allows developers to build high quality and customized websites and web applications at a rapid rate. Unlike other programming languages, ColdFusion does not require programmers to write lengthy and complex codes. So the programmers can build dynamic and robust websites without taking any extra time.

Efficient Data Management

Each website has to manage a large amount of information to meet the varying demand of users. For instance, most internet applications have to store, access, edit and update customer information stored on several databases. ColdFusion provides a single interface to developers to manage all their back-end support and databases. Further, the interface also allows them to track certain projects, and maintain data integrity in a secure environment. The feature makes ColdFusion suitable for developing a variety of websites that need dynamic information on a regular basis.

Seamless Integration with IT Environments

The performance of a web application depends on the way it is integrated with other IT environments. ColdFusion offers a web application server that work seamlessly on major platforms. The web application server helps developers to maintain stability for their existing applications. At the same time, a developer also has options to include additional applications into existing ColdFusion websites by using a simple framework. ColdFusion also offers a set of tools that helps programmers in integrating a variety of databases and web pages at a rapid pace.

Built-In Support for HTML5

HTML5 is commonly used by programmers to build a wide range of robust and interactive applications. ColdFusion is designed with built-in support for the HTML5 WebSockets, which makes it easier for developers to publish data to several clients, and perform point-to-point data push with real-time server response. A developer also do not need any prior programming knowledge to access the HTML5 WebSockets instantly. Also, he can use the built-in CFCHART tag to access and implement interactive client-side HTML5 charts. The charts can further be customized easily to meet the specific requirements of the website.

Easy to Create and Publish Web Services

Most websites are now being used with web services to improve user experience. But developers have to put some extra effort to create and publish web services. The latest version of ColdFusion is designed with SOAP 1.2, WSDL 2.0 specification and document literal wrapped style. These features make it easier for developers to create and deploy a variety of web services to make the website more efficient. ColdFusion 10 is further designed with Axis 2 Web service framework that reduces the amount of time required to deploy the web services.

Option to Use AJAX

Most developers use asynchronous JavaScript and XML technology (AJAX) to make their internet applications run without any interruptions. AJAX is effective in receiving and transmitting data stored on web servers without having impact in the look and feel of the website. A programmer can incorporate AJAX in the ColdFusion web application to improve the user experience. The seamless AJAX and ColdFusion programming will surely help the developers in building a powerful website to meet the latest trends in user choices. The integration will further customize the internet application to meet specific requirements of clients.

Adobe has released ColdFusion 10 with a set of innovative features to allow developers to build websites with a higher level of flexibility and scalability. These features further make it easier for programmers to develop cross-platform application without putting any extra time and effort. ColdFusion migration to latest versions has become all the more worth.

We provide ColdFusion web development services. If you would like to discuss with a certified ColdFusion developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.