Technology Stack for Telemedicine App Development

Telemedicine applications store sensitive user data. They are also subject to high load, so such apps need to be secure and productive. To ensure this, developers need to use technologies capable of providing a good balance between security and performance. In this article we’ll talk about how to choose the right technology stack for telemedicine app development and what factors impact this.

Programming languages used in telemedicine

The technology stack dramatically affects any IT project. Depending on the technology chosen, the time, quality, and cost of development can change. Moreover, it affects scalability, so if an IT project was developed on a poorly selected tech stack, it can cause some problems in the future. That’s why it’s okay if it takes you longer than planned to choose a technology stack for telemedicine app development.

A technology stack is a set of programming languages, frameworks, and software needed to develop an application. It consists of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, APIs, SDKs, etc. Before starting telemedicine app development, you will also need to decide on the structure of the application.

Since applications usually consist of client and server parts, the requirements for their functionality change the programming languages, frameworks, and software with which they can be developed. In other words, the requirements for client and server functionality affect the selection of technologies for development.

The duration of telemedicine app development depends on the complexity of the technical part, the features of the user interface, and its functionality. The price of developing a telemedicine application depends on the complexity of the project and the number of program functions. Choosing features for creating a telemedicine app is generally not the easiest task, especially if you want to offer maximum services to doctors and patients.

So, what are the best programming languages to use for healthcare apps? Let`s talk about them in detail

iOS app development

Swift is the number one technology for iOS telemedicine app development. This programming language allows you to build rich applications backed by robust and secure code. Apple created Swift back in 2014 as a simpler and more reliable programming language for iOS applications. Not surprisingly, it quickly pushed its main competitor Objective-C, out of the market.

The main advantages of Swift include the following:

Simplicity. Apple likes minimalism. That’s why Swift has a simple syntax. It is easy to read, and easy to write in. Swift is easily understood by developers who know other languages. This fact is crucial when developing an application for multiple platforms.

Security. Another strong point of Swift is its functional security. This statically typed language allows programmers to quickly find errors before compiling and fixing them. Security is a crucial factor for any telemedicine app, and Swift is a great technology to provide a high level of information security.

Swift has automatic memory management. It manages the application memory by itself. Now developers don’t have to waste time doing so. As a result, it helps reduce the time required to create an application.

It’s open-source. Swift went open-source in 2015. This event greatly influenced the popularity of the language. In 2015 it became the favorite language of Github users, and in 2016 it ranked second. Thanks to open source, Swift is rapidly evolving and improving.

It’s functionally interoperable. Thanks to its integration with Objective-C (Objective-C Runtime Library), it is possible to write programs in Swift, C, Objective-C, and C++ simultaneously.

Android app development

Java and Kotlin are used for Android app development. Kotlin was created as an analog of Java, and many developers believe that Kotlin is superior to its master. So, Kotlin has the following advantages:

Improved performance. Kotlin’s creators achieved improved performance through an intuitive syntax. It takes fewer lines to write a program and therefore not as much time. Thus, the result is achieved much faster.

Full compatibility with Java. This means that you can call Kotlin functions from Java and Java methods from Kotlin. Great news for both programmers and large companies working with large databases in Java.

Easy support. Kotlin is built into the most popular IDEs (like Android studio and some other SDKs). Therefore, Android developers don’t have any difficulty supporting the code. Especially since the toolkit remains familiar.

Reliability. Working in different versions can be a big headache for programmers. But not in the case of Kotlin, since the latest version of this language is backward compatible with each of the previous ones.

Official Android Studio support. Kotlin is supported by Android Studio, and thanks to the adaptation tools, programmers can use both Java and Kotlin at the same time.

Despite the growing popularity of Kotlin, Java is still a powerful, versatile platform for creating Android applications. Java has solid libraries, developments, and ready-made solutions in its arsenal. It is undoubtedly the leader in security, reliability, and agility.

Java has the following advantages:

Simplicity. It has clear syntax rules and clear semantics. Rationality and brevity are very useful for processing code by machines with limited resources.

Security. Developers have done a lot of work to protect the Java platform. It is extremely difficult to bypass or hack the security mechanisms.

Reliability. Programs in Java are stable in all conditions. The compiler can detect bugs at the earliest stages before the code is even executed. Runtime control prevents memory failures (such as those caused by an inaccurate pointer).

Independence from the hardware and the operating system. It is only important to have an executable environment and JVM. The computer architecture doesn’t matter. Bytecode can be easily interpreted on any machine.

Convenient and efficient networking features. Applications can easily find the necessary objects in the network and access them. There’s an extensive software library for transferring data via the most widespread protocols: FTP, HTTP, TCP/IP.

Convenient and efficient networking features. Applications can easily find the necessary objects in the network and access them. There’s an extensive software library for transferring data via the most widespread protocols: FTP, HTTP, TCP/IP.

Cross-platform app development

React Native, Xamarin, and Flutter are used for cross-platform app development. The choice of one of these programming languages depends on the healthcare software development priorities.

React Native is quite versatile. Developers can use the same code to implement an application for different operating systems. Also, it’s easy to update. Any changes made to the JavaScript part of the code on React Native allow programmers to update the app without having to download a new version from the App Store or Google Play. React Native provides good UX and easy UI changes that open up many opportunities for developers and users.

Xamarin is an open-source platform for creating effective Android, iOS, and Windows cross-platform apps based on .NET technology. It allows for the creation of a single code base for all platforms and it provides direct access to the native API of each platform. {amarin supports multiple platforms. The main ones are Android, iOS, UWP, Tizen. Additional platforms are being developed by the community for MacOS, WPF, GTK.

Flutter is Google’s free open-source framework for cross-platform application development. It is written in the Dart language. Flutter significantly speeds up the application development process. It has an expressive and flexible interface. With Flutter it is possible to quickly submit features based on end-user experience. A multi-tiered architecture provides full customization for incredibly fast rendering and expressive designs. Also, this technology provides fast performance. The Hot Reload feature helps programmers experiment quickly and easily, create custom interfaces, add features, and fix bugs faster.

Third-party integrations

A key requirement for quality telemedicine and telehealth software systems is their seamless integration with existing systems and tools. For example, these could be EHR, Video calls and Video Conferencing, payment getaway, etc. Additionally, your healthcare app might need documentation of telemedicine visits, synchronization of insurance programs, integration with patient portals, medical APIs, revenue cycle management platforms, etc.

All of the above are critical to providing patients with convenient care. Some telemedicine apps are built directly to “communicate” with mobile medical devices. You should keep in mind that the possibility of quality third-party integration depends on the chosen technology stack for telemedicine app development. All technologies used must provide compatibility in order to ensure a high level of security and not bring unnecessary vulnerabilities to the system. To do this, developers need to conduct a detailed analysis and select a tech stack that meets your business requirements and security standards.

Innovative technology for telemedicine app development

Digital technology has changed the delivery of health care in many ways. The reorientation toward patient-centered care creates favorable conditions for the further development of healthcare technologies and positive growth dynamics for this market segment. Telemedicine is seen as the future of healthcare and it continues to evolve. Among innovative technologies used in telemedicine app development are machine learning, artificial intelligence, chatbots/voice assistants, and IoT. Let’s talk about them in detail.

Machine Learning. ML and automation help optimize hospital processes, map diseases and treat infectious diseases as well as personalize treatment. Machine learning can also be used to create “smart” electronic medical records for imaging and diagnostics, remote patient monitoring, and much more.

Artificial Intelligence. Artificial intelligence and deep learning can be used to identify and classify images to help improve diagnostic accuracy in disease detection and promote better patient outcomes. AI technology also helps automate the telemedicine process, from scheduling to consultations, exams, diagnosis, and billing.

Chatbots/Voice Assistants. Chatbots and virtual medical assistants can perform many functions, from customer service to diagnostic tools or virtual therapy. Speech recognition technology continues to improve, and user interest in voice search is growing. It is possible to create virtual assistants to meet all patient needs for quality and seamless communication with the provider.
IoT combined with telemedicine is creating a new trend, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). It involves the use of a variety of medical wearable devices that collect specific health data either by patients actively submitting data or using sensors to provide real-time care. Its effectiveness depends on the reliability of healthcare software development.

Final thoughts

Developing a telemedicine app is almost a must-have investment for clinics of any size and a good idea for a startup. Medical mobile apps have been downloaded hundreds of times more frequently over the last 5 years, and especially since 2020. People don’t want to stand in a queue and put their health at risk. It’s a practical solution for doctors to provide better medical care and waste less time.

Also, don’t forget that healthcare software development requires an experienced development team able to select the best technology stack for telemedicine app development and bring your ideas to life with it. Over the last 5 years the IdeaSoft team has delivered innovative software solutions for various business domains, including the healthcare industry. Working with startups and enterprises, we have accumulated unique expertise that allows us to meet the needs of different types of business. Feel free to learn more about IdeaSoft services and contact us.

Most Impactful Fintech Trends for 2025

It’s incredibly interesting to watch how the financial industry is changing. Over the past decade, there have been so many fintech industry trends and technological breakthroughs that have influenced our habits, given us more opportunities, and raised fintech to a new peak. Based on the latest research and personal observations, we have prepared for you a detailed article on the blockchain fintech trends in 2025.

Interested in launching your own fintech or blockchain solution that will follow the recent market trends?

Let us help you figure it out, and correctly draw up the requirements for your project

Top 5 Promised Fintech Trends for 2025

In the dynamically changing pool of financial technology trends, the year 2025 holds a wave of transformative advancements that promise to redefine traditional financial paradigms. And blockchain and web3 technologies lie at the forefont of this evolutionary steps, poised to revolutionize the very foundations of the financial sector.

Since fintech uses many online technologies that are designed to speed up the processes of interaction with clients and making payments, the importance of data confidentiality is growing. A new approach to financial management requires new laws. The first Payment Service Directive laid the foundation for the rapid development of the fintech industry in Europe back in 2007. It also laid the legal foundation for SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area).

Since then, legislation related to fintech has been constantly evolving and shaping the market along with the new trends and applications araising almost every month. The main thing to follow in common for all, is that the “new” apps in fintech industry strive to increase its value for customers in order to compete with traditional institutions. Realizing all these difficulties, financial market players continue to improve the quality of their services and offer new solutions based on the latest fintech technology types.

Therefore, if we delve deeper into the current promising fintech trends, we can see that most of them are driven by the web3 technologies, such as blockchain and AI. Let’s discuss them all in more detail!

1. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) represent a digital form of fiat currency issued and regulated by a country’s central bank. Unlike cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, CBDCs are centralized and backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing government. The concept of CBDCs has garnered great attention in recent years due to their potential to revolutionize the global financial system and significant steps forward its implementation using blockchain as a foundation for it.

By leveraging blockchain or DLT technologies, CBDCs offer a secure, transparent, and efficient means of conducting monetary transactions. Moreover, CBDCs hold the promise of financial inclusion, enabling greater access to banking services for underserved populations while minimizing transaction costs and enhancing cross-border payments and therefore is one of the most discussed trends in fintech.

According to the latest reserach made by the Atlantic Council’s Central Bank Digital Currency tracker, 130 countries, representing 98% of the world’s GDP, are already conducting CBDC research. Numerous countries, including China, Sweden, and the Bahamas, have either launched pilot programs or initiated research into CBDCs.

Such efforts reflect central banks’ interest in staying in the forefront of technological innovations and address evolving consumer demands for digital payment solutions. Additionally, the rise of private cryptocurrencies and stablecoins has spurred central banks to explore CBDCs as a means of maintaining monetary sovereignty and mitigating potential risks posed by alternative digital currencies.

2. Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

We all know that decentralized finance market has been representing a paradigm shift in the traditional financial landscape since a decade. Yet, according to the numerous researches and following the current crypto market state we can predict a huge demand for DeFi apps and any other innovative solutions in this field for the 2024 making this emerging technology in fintech a complete trend once again.

To give a short overview for the newbies, unlike traditional finance, which relies on intermediaries such as banks and brokerage firms, DeFi operates on public blockchains, enabling peer-to-peer transactions without the need for trusted third parties. Smart contracts, self-executing code deployed on blockchains, automate various financial functions, including lending, borrowing, trading, and asset management, thereby eliminating the need for intermediaries and reducing associated costs.

By removing barriers to entry and enabling borderless transactions, DeFi empowers individuals who are underserved or excluded by traditional banking systems to access a wide range of financial opportunities. Also, the newest approaches such as account abstraction or the concepts of restaking making DeFi even more accessible for non-tech users while allowing for additional income generation for users’ savings.

… and just now! #AccountAbstraction is emerging as a real problem solver for wallet recovery.

Our head of the #blockchain department @rostyketh has been investigating topic for some time, and we've meticulously crafted a detailed scheme outlining technology functionalities👇 pic.twitter.com/sA4ZlWYba5
— IdeaSoft.io (@io_ideasoft) February 20, 2024

Additionally, ReFi, or Regenerative Finance, represents an evolution of DeFi that focuses on addressing scalability, interoperability, and sustainability challenges to further enhance the efficiency and “greenest” of decentralized finance solutions.

As DeFi continues to evolve and mature, its transformative potential to reshape the financial landscape and empower individuals worldwide becomes increasingly evident, thereby unlocking liquidity and providing opportunities for yield generation in a permissionless manner for a great amount of individuals.

3. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The use of AI-based technologies in finance has already become more than just one among others finicial technology trends, and we have a strong understanding the technology is here to stay.

Today advanced artificial intelligence algorithms can automatically determine if a client matches a particular segment and launch a chain of the most appropriate actions. Using a set of preprogrammed criteria, artificial intelligence improves the efficiency of daily operations and the quality of the user experience. The “trend” has surely developed a place for itself and projected to grow even more in the coming years.

The global AI in fintech market size was evaluated by ZION Market Research at $12.12 billion in 2022 and is slated to hit $42.17 billion by the end of 2030 with a CAGR of nearly 17% between 2024 and 2030.

Artificial intelligence minimizes the likelihood of human error, which is why more and more companies are focusing on process automation. Also, AI processes information much faster and is able to provide instant solutions, which ultimately helps to reduce the costs and risks. Artificial intelligence is one of the top fintech trends in 2024, especially when it comes to neobanks, where user experience comes first.

4. WellTech as one of top fintech trends in 2024

Welltech, or wellness technology, refers to the utilization of technology to enhance various aspects of individual well-being, including physical, mental, and financial health. In the field of financial technology market, welltech plays a crucial role in promoting financial wellness by providing individuals with tools, resources, and personalized solutions to manage their finances effectively.

The recent researches shows that $2.2 billion in investments in welltech startups followed by a growing $4.2 trillion wellness business with a desire to merge it with the AI technologies.

The intersection of technology and financial wellness will gain more traction. Services like robo-advisory will democratise investment opportunities, contributing to a more inclusive financial environment.
Herman Stogniiev, CTO and Co-founder of IdeaSoft

One significant application of welltech in fintech involves the integration of artificial intelligence to deliver personalized financial advice and services. AI-powered robo-advisors, for instance, leverage algorithms to analyze individuals’ financial situations, goals, and risk preferences, thereby offering tailored investment recommendations and portfolio management strategies. This democratization of investment opportunities not only empowers individuals to make informed financial decisions but also contributes to a more inclusive financial environment by breaking down barriers to entry and expanding access to wealth-building tools and services.

The potential impact of welltech on investment strategies and algorithmic trading is profound, as it enables the development of more sophisticated and adaptive financial solutions. Overall, the combination of welltech and AI in represents a transformative force that has the potential to revolutionize how individuals manage their finances, invest, and plan for the future, and therefore, this tech innivation surely deserve to be among our list of new trends in fintech.

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5. Enhanced Security & Authentication Measures

The financial sector faces an escalating threat landscape characterized by increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks and data breaches. Cybercriminals continuously evolve their tactics, leveraging advanced techniques such as phishing, malware, and ransomware to target financial institutions and their customers. Cybersecurity Ventures predicts cybercrimes to cost the world $9.5 trillion USD in 2024.

These threats pose significant risks to the integrity of financial data, the confidentiality of sensitive information. As the volume and complexity of cyber threats continue to rise, it becomes necessary for financial organizations to implement robust security measures to safeguard against potential breaches and protect the interests of their stakeholders. Thus, we call for cybersecurity and enhanced user authentification measures to be among the new market trends and even blockchain trends in fintech. Now we will examine why.

Web3 technologies, such as blockchain, play a pivotal role in enhancing financial security by offering innovative solutions for authentication and identity management. Blockchain-based digital identity solutions offer a decentralized and tamper-resistant mechanism for managing and verifying individuals’ identities across different financial services and platforms. By leveraging the immutability and transparency of blockchain technology, financial institutions can enhance trust, reduce fraud, and streamline identity verification processes, thereby strengthening overall financial security in an increasingly digitized and interconnected world.

Fintech Market Forecast 2025

Reflecting on a decade of fintech innovation, it’s evident that startups have disrupted certain segments of the financial services industry, particularly in areas like software-based payments, buy now pay later (BNPL), and commission-free trading. Companies such as Stripe, Affirm, and Robinhood have significantly altered business models and customer expectations. However, incumbents have also adapted, embracing innovations like mobile banking and consumer-permissioned API access to financial data, leading to widespread industry adoption.

In certain sectors, incumbents have proactively embraced innovation, gaining a stronghold in the market. For instance, while robo-advisors were pioneered by startups like Betterment and Wealthfront, incumbents now dominate 80 percent of the market.

Heading into 2024, we see the fintech market in the midst of a rebound.
F-Prime Capital, 2024 Fintech Market State Research

Despite these shifts, the fintech landscape continues to evolve, with ongoing developments in areas such as cryptocurrency, real-time payments, and AI-driven financial services, shaping the industry’s trajectory heading into 2024. Investors are increasingly prioritizing profitable and sustainable growth, leading to a rebound in public valuations and multiples within the fintech sector.

Which Fintech Trends Are No Longer Trends?

Several fintech trends that were once considered innovative or even disruptive have evolved to become standard practices or have faded away over time. A few of these trends include:

Mobile banking: Once a trend that disrupted traditional banking, mobile banking now has become a standard practice. Virtually all banks and financial institutions offer mobile apps, providing customers with convenient access to their accounts, transactions, and financial management tools. Mobile banking has transitioned from a trend to an essential component of modern banking services.
Big data: While big data analytics revolutionized financial services by enabling institutions to analyze vast amounts of data for insights and decision-making, it is no longer considered as a trend itself. Instead, big data has become an integral part of financial operations, used for risk management, fraud detection, customer segmentation, and personalized financial services. As such, it has transcended its status as a mere trends in fintech to become a foundational technology in the financial landscape.
Wealth management: Wealth management, once considered a niche area,today has expanded to a broader range of services and technologies. While robo-advisors and digital wealth management platforms were once viewed as disruptive trends, they have now become mainstream offerings. Wealth management has evolved beyond being a trend to become a fundamental aspect of financial planning and investment strategies for individuals and institutions alike.

Even though, these trends may no longer be as novel or buzzworthy as they were once, they have contributed to shaping the fintech market and paved the way for new innovations and advancements in the industry.

How IdeaSoft Develops Modern Fintech Solutions

IdeaSoft is a leading full-cycle software development company specializing in creating innovative fintech solutions. With a dedicated business team, extensive expertise, and robust research and fintech development capabilities, our team has been delivering outstanding products and leveraging emerging technologies to drive better business outcomes since 2016.

With a global presence, including offices in Lisbon, Warsaw, Prague, New York, Toronto, and Dubai, IdeaSoft is well-equipped to serve clients worldwide. As a member of Sigma Software Group since 2021, IdeaSoft is committed to deliver excellent solutions to both emegring startups and well-established corporations.

We have a solid track record of successfully delivered fintech solutions, you can check the most prominent of them in our portfolio of fintech case studies. For more examples or more detailed description of each, you can reach out to our tech specialist and request a presentation.

For businesses looking to explore innovative fintech solutions tailored to their specific needs, IdeaSoft offers personalized workshops available both online and on-site in one of our offices to discuss requirements, objectives, and potential opportunities.

Summary

The financial market is changing, it is a fact. The industry is inextricably linked to online and technical progress, therefore it uses the latest technologies such as blockchain and AI to create more profitable financial solutions. Security is still the main risk area for financial companies, so the development of security strategies is firmly entrenched in the ranks of the top fintech trends in 2025.

Another emerging trend is the rise of SocialFi, which combines social media with decentralized finance to offer innovative financial products and community-driven platforms. Anyway, current researches show that the industry continues to develop and we should expect a bunch of new fintech apps and AI-driven tools integration in the near future.

All You Have to Know About Outsourcing to Ukraine

Companies around the world continue to experience digital transformation with more and more businesses outsourcing their IT projects. Ukraine is becoming an increasingly popular outsourcing destination for those looking for software development partners. According to PwC, the Ukrainian IT market has grown 2.5 times recently. Many world-famous projects such as Grammarly, Depositphotos, Jooble, Nimses, Terrasoft were created by Ukrainian developers. In this article, we will look at the main reasons why outsourcing to Ukraine is in such demand.

Ukrainian software development market

Let’s take a look at the facts about the Ukrainian IT market that will help you understand why many companies have started outsourcing to Ukraine.

The outsourcing industry in Ukraine has been growing at a stable rate since the early 2000s. Despite the coronavirus global pandemic, so far in 2021 Ukraine’s IT industry has grown 20%, and it’s predicted to reach the $8.4 billion U.S. dollars of industry volume by 2025

In 2021, The British Global Sourcing Association named Ukraine the best country for outsourcing in its annual nomination. Other IT sector reports indicate Ukraine as one of the top 25 most attractive countries for software development worldwide and one of the top 20 outsourcing hubs in the EMEA. According to statistics, more than 100 of Fortune 500 companies have selected Ukrainian IT services for their business.

The Ukrainian IT market is an ever-growing business environment. In 2021 the number of software developers in Ukraine has grown to over 200,000, and by 2025 this figure is projected to approach 250,000.

5 reasons for outsourcing to Ukraine

If you’re looking for the best outsourcing destination, you should know why IT outsourcing to Ukraine has become more popular in recent years. Let us consider the 5 reasons why so many global IT companies choose Ukraine to outsource their projects to.

Favorable economic environment

The country’s GDP growth is around 3.5% per year, and since 2015 Ukraine has gone 20 positions up in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rating. The IT industry accounts for an estimated 10% of Ukraine’s GDP, and therefore in recent years the government has implemented reforms that have created more attractive conditions for outsourcing to Ukraine. In particular, Ukrainian legislation allows IT companies to work with self-employed specialists who only pay 5% of their income and a monthly unified social tax, which is 22 percent of the minimum wage.

Time zone and culture

Compared to some alternative outsourcing destinations Ukraine is located in the center of Eastern Europe. Working with Ukrainian professionals will be comfortable as they adhere to many of the same values that are reflected in Western work culture and mentality, including dedication and discipline.

Ukraine’s time zone GMT+3 is convenient for nearshoring, given that it is only 1-2 hours ahead of most European countries, and for the USA the difference is usually between 7 to 10 hours. You can use this time difference for non-stop product development. In addition, Ukrainian companies often work on flexible schedules, so it will be easy to establish a stable workflow and communication process.

The country has a favorable geographical location for IT development outsourcing and business trips. A flight from most European capitals to Ukraine takes about 2-3 hours, and travel is mostly visa-free. Citizens of 64 jurisdictions, including all European citizens and the citizens of the USA and Canada can enter Ukraine visa-free and stay for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

A large pool of skilled developers

More than 20,000 tech students graduate from Ukrainian universities annually. Many of them are taking internship programs at IT companies in order to receive a job offer afterwards. Around 75% of Ukrainian developers have a higher education degree, 6.3% have two degrees, and 1.5% hold an Sc.D, according to statistics. Also, in the IT Skills 2021 report, Ukraine ranks 6th among countries whose developers have received the highest scores in coding tests. In addition to traditional education, there are a large number of IT courses. There are about 120+ courses in programming, QA testing, and UI/UX design in Kyiv alone.

Ukrainian developers work with a wide range of technologies that meet the needs of the market. According to DOU, 2020 was the first year JavaScript had outrun Java and became the number-one programming language in the Ukrainian development community. Over 18% of software engineers used it as their primary language in 2020, and more than 41% named it as an additional programming language. When it comes to frameworks and libraries in use, React.js, Node.js, and Angular.js are the top three in the popularity chart.

Industry growth

The quantity of IT outsourcing services export in Ukraine has grown steadily over the last few years: 29.3% in 2018, 31.4% in 2019, and 20.4% during the worldwide pandemic in 2020. The main areas in which the Ukrainian IT market is developing are Telecom, FinTech, MedTech, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, security, SaaS, enterprise software development, mobile apps, and games.

Often, software development companies in Ukraine that work for Western clients grow into fully-fledged R&D centers whose creators know why outsourcing to Ukraine is a great option. Ukraine hosts more than 100 R&D centers for global tech giants: Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Samsung Electronics, Skype, Ericsson, Oracle, Boeing, Siemens, Magento, and more.

The number of software companies in Ukraine has increased from 1,050 in 2011 to 1,650 in 2020, and 18 Ukrainian IT companies are featured in the world’s top 100 best outsourcing companies. There is a large pool of Ukrainian software outsourcing firms of any size that provide specialized services for any business domain, from small teams to companies with 7500+ employees.

Also, there is Ukraine’s strong startup community with over 4,200 startups in the country. The total venture capital investment reached $258 million in 2017 and $510 million in 2019, according to Deloitte, and has been growing steadily.

Cost efficiency

Reasonable developer rates are also one of the main reasons why outsourcing to Ukraine is booming. Companies can reduce their software development costs by 2-3 times by outsourcing their projects to Ukraine, getting the same product quality. We prepared data on the average hourly rate for software developers in different countries. According to YouTeam, the landscape of software development rates looks like this:

Which cities in Ukraine are the best for outsourcing

The IT industry is actively developing throughout Ukraine due to a large number of universities and an ever-growing amount of new software development companies. To better understand which cities in Ukraine are the best for outsourcing, consider the 5 biggest Ukrainian IT hubs.

Kyiv

As the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv is a central administrative, cultural, and scientific hub of Ukraine. Many global enterprises such as Samsung, Huawei, Ericsson, NetCracker, and others have R&D centers in the capital. About 40% of all Ukrainian developers work in Kyiv. There are more than 78,000 IT professionals. This percentage is motivated by the high quality of local technical universities and the huge number of IT job openings. The most prominent sector here is IT outsourcing, presented by a huge number of software development companies.

Kharkiv

Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine with 1.5M citizens. It is one of the most industrialized places in the whole country and is home to many prestigious technical universities, graduating more than 2,000 technicians annually. For most market-leading software development companies, having an office in Kharkiv is a common practice.

The city is home to over 31,000 tech specialists and around 480 IT service providers. Many Kharkiv software development outsourcing companies cooperate with clients in the U.S. to a large extent, and the U.S. market accounts for nearly 65% of all IT exports. Kharkiv developers are skilled in popular programming languages and frameworks. Therefore, it is not surprising that Kharkiv is the birthplace of GitLab, the first Ukrainian unicorn.

Lviv

Lviv is the biggest city in Western Ukraine, as it houses more than 800,000 people. Lviv specialists have more of a Western mindset and are used to communicating with foreign customers. According to data gathered by DOU, the city takes third place in Ukraine by the number of programmers – over 26,000 developers are employed in the IT industry. Over 450 IT companies have offices in Lviv and 90% work in the IT outsourcing sector. More than half of all the outsourcing enterprises distribute their services to the US and Canada, 35% to European countries and the UK.

Dnipro

Dnipro is the fourth most populous city located in the Eastern part of Ukraine. It has over one million citizens. There are about 370 IT companies in Dnipro employing over 17,000 IT professionals. In addition to the specialists who are currently working, the number of developers is expected to double by 2025 due to graduates of local universities.

Odesa

Odesa is located on the seaside of the Black Sea, and it is one of the fastest-growing Ukrainian startup hubs. As DOU reports, Odesa is home to around 150 IT companies engaged in various industries with an IT talent pool of over 10,000 IT professionals.

IdeaSoft outsourcing software development services

Now that you know why outsourcing to Ukraine is in demand, let us tell you how we can help your business grow.

IdeaSoft is a Kharkiv-based software development company providing a wide range of services from business analysis, UX/UI design to programming, testing, and support. As an IT outstaffing company, IdeaSoft can provide dedicated development teams to augment your existing staff. In 2021, IdeaSoft became part of the Sigma Software Group, one of the biggest IT companies in Ukraine. With a skilled in-house development team and deep expertise in blockchain, our goals are to deliver outstanding products, modernize systems, and implement emerging technologies to ensure better business outcomes. The company’s clients include more than 250 international startups and enterprises from the USA, Germany, UK, Canada, Israel, Australia, Argentina, and others.

We provide the following services:

IdeaSoft is featured in the ratings of Top Blockchain Development Companies, Top Mobile App Developers, Top B2B Companies in Ukraine, Top Global Development Companies, and Top Custom Software Development Companies.

If you are looking for an outsourcing software development partner, feel free to explore our services and offers. We will be glad to become a part of a new promising project and will do our best to help you achieve your business goals. Check out our portfolio or contact us directly to discuss your project.

Discovery Phase in Software Development in Practice

According to the Standish Group report, about 66% of software projects fail. The McKinsey report found that 45% of software development projects exceed their estimated budget. The reasons for project failure and going over budget vary from unrealistic expectations and cost estimates to poor planning and requirements management.

However, there are strategies and industry-standard methods to prevent failure, foresee possible issues, and mitigate risks. One of the most useful and applied methods is the project discovery phase. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the discovery phase in software development and why it matters. We also consider the main stages, benefits, and deliverables of the discovery phase based on our own example.

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What is the discovery phase in software development
Why is the Discovery Phase Crucial?
When You Need Discovery Phase?
Key Steps of the Discovery Phase
Who Is Involved in the Project Discovery Phase Team?
How Long Does the Discovery Phase Take in Software Development?
How to Calculate the Cost of Product Discovery Phase?
Summary

What is the discovery phase in software development?

So, what is the discovery phase meaning in a project development life-cycle? The project discovery phase is the initial step in software product development. It allows everyone involved in the software development process to create a shared understanding of the project goals and requirements as well as helps to reduce software development costs.

The discovery phase in software development focuses on determining the scope of work, building the product architecture, identifying functional and non-functional requirements, choosing a tech stack and team composition, estimating costs, and creating a project development plan. Also, the discovery phase allows you to get better to know a development team. Moreover, regular communication and in-depth discussions of a project with the development team help clarify essential details and establish trust.

Why is the Discovery Phase Crucial?

If you have doubts about the importance of project discovery phase in software development, let’s take a look at the benefits of incorporating the discovery phase into the software development process, as well as the potential and highly probable consequences of abandoning this stage.

With discovery phase	Without discovery phase
Lowering the risks of missing deadlines and exceeding costs.	Lack of communication and engagement between developers and clients.
Reducing uncertainty about the scope of work, timeline, and functionality.	Absence of clear scope boundaries due to adding features and requirements and reworking without actually moving towards the launch.
Minimizing the risk of mistakes, wrong choices of the tech stack, alterations, and other failures.	Deadline and budget changes during the development process due to lack of information about the project.
Improved trust and relationships between developers and clients.
Achieving the balance between the business goals and the needs of a target audience.

As you can see, the goal of the discovery phase is to help understand a project better, optimize a budget, and reduce risks. This phase helps you and a development team clearly define what they need to create, how long it will take, and what result they will get. Starting software development without the discovery phase is like reaching your destination without a pre-selected route. It will take much more time and effort.

To be honest, to pay less at the end is to pay more at the beginning. And as we know, quality always costs, and we all know about it. There are plenty of teams and individuals you can onboard, but as market conditions change rapidly, this becomes harder and harder. Even experienced teams sometimes can’t keep up with all the innovations.
Herman Stogniiev, CTO and Co-founder of IdeaSoft

When You Need Discovery Phase?

The discovery phase in software development is essential in the following cases:

Launching a new project. With it, you ensure a comprehensive understanding of target users and market needs.
Entering a new market. With it, you gain insights into market trends, competition, and customer expectations.
Developing an innovative product. With it, you validate unique ideas and technological feasibility.
Complex project requirements. With it, you clarify intricate details and potential challenges.
Mitigating risks. With it, you identify and address potential risks early in the process.
Aligning stakeholders. With it, you ensure all team members and stakeholders have a unified vision and understanding of project goals.

If you have any questions regarding the software discovery process, IdeaSoft can help you.

Key Steps of the Discovery Phase

Now that you know about the discovery phase in software development let us tell you more about our approach. IdeaSoft treats each project as a unique case and provides a full range of software development services, from business analysis and design to programming, testing, and support. Let`s discuss the discovery phase steps at our IdeaSoft team.

Initial phase: Empathize, Define, Ideate

The main task here is a complete understanding of the project’s goals, strengths, and weaknesses. Based on this data, we can create a product that meets your business needs. During this phase, together, we will find answers to fundamental questions:

What is the Business Idea of your software project?
What unique value does it bring to the market?
Who is your target audience, and how can you best meet their needs?
What are the business metrics of your project’s success?
Who are your competitors in the market, if any?
What features and interface do you want?
What technologies should be used?

Our experts thoroughly analyze the input data and research the target audience and market, competitors, trends, industry standards, client brand specifics, and existing infrastructure. Therefore, the analysis allows you to find the project’s strengths and weaknesses and make it more attractive to engage customers by filling the gap that other products have missed.

Technical Validation

When it comes to technical verification activities during this phase, they are designed to validate and confirm the technical feasibility and requirements of the project:

Technical Requirements Analysis
Technology Feasibility Study
Technical Risk Assessment
Performance Assessment
Technical Dependencies Analysis
Resource Estimation

Our senior developers discover all the possibilities and pitfalls of your future project, forming a profound action plan.

Wireframing

While the preliminary wireframes received are helpful and provide an excellent overview of the platform to be developed, we will work on detailed wireframes during the discovery phase.

As a result of this stage, you will receive 10-15 wireframes detailing this flow. These wireframes, combined with the provided ones, will produce a comprehensive overview of the system to be developed.

Testing Approach & Areas

During this phase, we determine the approach to testing the solution and ensure it is comprehensive and systematic. We also work through functionality, performance, security, and usability. Aspects covered during this phase are:

Precise goals. We ensure both functional and non-functional features are tested, and medium or higher priority bugs are eliminated before the MVP phase.
Strategic testing. Our test strategy includes a description of scenarios, test cases, criteria for passing tests, and regression testing for optimal results.
Testing approach. We validate the need for manual and/or automated testing to ensure optimal return on the selected approach.
Transparent reporting. We develop a system for analyzing test results and bug reports, as well as their severity and priority, to ensure constant product improvement and timely, transparent communication with our clients.

This way, our IdeaSoft team ensures your MVP will have as few bugs as possible.

MVP Planning

At this stage, we have to draw a parallel between your business goals and tech solutions for the project and form a winning mix. As a result of this stage, you will get the following deliverables:

Vision documentation and workshop notes
PBIs (Product Backlog Items)
List of non-functional requirements
Architecture design
Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)
Release plan
Wireframes (10-15 screens)
Testing Approach & Areas
Release plan and cost estimate

After summarizing our findings and completing the technical validation, we will develop a detailed plan for managing time, budgets, human resources, and potential risks for the MVP phase. Once we have a plan, the project is ready for development.

Who Is Involved in the Project Discovery Phase Team?

Project manager, product manager, technical specialist, and, of course, you are involved in the software discovery phase. The more actively you are involved, the better the system can be modeled. Daily calls at this stage are a requirement rather than a recommendation.

Project manager (PM). This specialist ensures that the project is manageable and clearly defines its goals and objectives. PM forms the project plan and budget, coordinates and synchronizes all participants, communicates with stakeholders, monitors the progress of work, makes necessary adjustments, and maintains reports.
Business analyst. During the discovery stage, he/she researches the market and competitors’ solutions, defines the product’s target audience and its needs, describes the product’s functionality and holistic vision, and forms a roadmap for its development.
Developers (department leads). A representative of the software development team provides technical expertise. He helps to assess the possibilities of practical realization of the required functionality in terms of costs and time, defines architecture and technologies, and prototypes and tests potential solutions.

This is not an exhaustive list. The software development discovery phase may also require the involvement of business analysts, marketers, UI/UX designers, and data science specialists to work with data and real-world consultants who can provide all the necessary information for the project.

How Long Does the Discovery Phase Take in Software Development?

At IdeaSoft, we offer a discovery phase lasting 2 or 4 weeks. Small-scale projects with well-defined goals may require a shorter discovery period. In contrast, large-scale or highly innovative projects might need an extended discovery phase to thoroughly explore all necessary aspects.

discovery phase service for software development — *An exmaple of IdeaSoft discovery phase scope [major steps are to be defined in accordance with client’s requests]*

Your involvement during the discovery phase:

Kickoff meeting. The objective of this meeting is to establish a foundation for our partnership. We will discuss your product idea, determine the RACI matrix, and set the collaboration plan.
Regular syncs. We will have 2-3 meetings weekly, which will be used to hold workshops. These workshops will include Business Analysis Workshops, Technical Discussions (as needed and with the detalization level you’d like this to be), Wireframing presentations, and iterations.
Discovery phase completion. At the end of the discovery phase, we will finalize our initial exploration and provide discovery deliverables for your review. Dedicating time to this part is best for optimal momentum. After this, we will transit into the implementation phase.

So, now you know how long does the discovery phase take in software development. At IdeaSoft, we try to make the discovery phase as comfortable for the client as possible. You can securely outsource software development to our team and end up with an awesome software product.

Want to discuss a project?

How to Calculate the Cost of Product Discovery Phase?

Curious about how much does a discovery phase cost? Here are the factors influencing discovery phase costs:

Resource costs. These are salaries, benefits for the product team (managers, designers, researchers), etc.
External tools. These are the costs of software or services used for user research, prototyping, etc.
Travel expenses. These are the costs associated with user research activities like interviews or testing. At IdeaSoft, we also offer a possibility of conducting an offline workshop where our core team members will concentrate on your prodject idea and create a detailed and customized launch plan along with dedicated discovery phase & team composition set up.

You can ask our IdeaSoft team for the discovery phase price for your project.

Project discovery phase deliverables

At IdeaSoft, we provide the following discovery phase deliverables:

Vision documentation and workshop notes
PBIs (Product Backlog Items)
List of non-functional requirements
Architecture design
Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)
Release plan
Wireframes (10-15 screens)
Testing Approach & Areas
Release plan and cost estimate

Our company has a team of experienced business analysts who will gladly help you set the stage for a successful launch of your project. Our designers will create an exceptional interface for your application or platform that your users will love. IdeaSoft’s experienced developers will implement the conceived features in the best possible way using selected technologies, and QA specialists will ensure that your product is flawless.

Summary

We always advise our clients not to skip the discovery phase service for software development, as it helps you organize your project and see its strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities. With a clear work plan, you can create your software product, go to market faster, and achieve success in a shorter time frame.

Feel free to check out our software development services or contact us to discuss your project. We’ll be excited to work with you.

Best Destinations for Outsourcing Software Development in 2021-2022

Software development outsourcing is thriving. The increased demand for digitalization and innovative products allowed the information technology outsourcing market to reach $66.5 bn in 2019, and experts predict further growth. This is not surprising, because outsourcing software development is much more profitable both in terms of expertise and in terms of price.

However, in such a rapidly growing and changing environment, choosing a business partner that meets all your requirements can be confusing. Especially when you don’t know where to start. Let’s fix it. In this article, we will look at the top software outsourcing destinations to find out which countries are the best to develop software products.

Software outsourcing market overview

Let’s start with the market overview to better understand all benefits and pitfalls of outsourcing. The outsourcing market has been developing for many years, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only intensified this. According to AppDynamics’ report, 95% of respondents said their organizations have changed their technology priorities during the pandemic following the Covid-19 outbreak. The increased demand for digitalization has forced companies to re-prioritize their tasks and find a fast and efficient solution for technology adoption.

But why do companies outsource? According to the Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey 2020, the main reason for outsourcing software development is cost reduction. Assembling an in-house team includes the costs of recruiting, providing jobs and a social package, nurturing expertise, which will cost you significantly more. By outsourcing custom web development services, you pay for the hours of work of a certain specialist only when his services are needed. Moreover, when outsourcing, you are not limited by location and can choose the most reasonable rates, which differ depending on the region. Delegating labor-intensive tasks to service providers allows you to reduce the internal workload of the company and focus on core business goals, optimize resources, and gain more flexibility.

Recommend reading our recent article Why outsourcing software development

Reasons why companies outsource — Source: Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey 2020

Of course, the reasons for outsourcing depend a lot on the type of company. For example, according to Clutch, 24% of small businesses use outsourcing to improve their business performance. At the same time, large companies are more likely to have a budget for outsourcing, so they are more likely to resort to such services. The good news is that you can find outsourcing service providers on the market for different budgets and needs.

Main criteria for choosing an outsourcing software development company

But how to choose a software development provider? This question worries everyone who is looking for a business partner for the first time or has had a negative experience of interaction with outsourcing companies in the past. Some people put attractive developer rates in the focus of their choice and get poor-quality software. Others choose companies that cannot fully cover their needs. To help you, we have compiled a list of the main factors when choosing a software development partner. Keep in mind that they may rank differently for each project, depending on your goals and the resources available.

Technical education level

Everyone needs quality software products, and only skilled specialists can create such software. When resorting to outsourcing, you have the opportunity to choose a company for cooperation from anywhere in the world, but you should take into account regional differences and the level of the tech education level of specialists in the country are going to work with. Be sure to study both the general level of education in the region and the expertise of a particular company.

Time zone

Even though you are delegating the creation of software, you will need to interact with a remote team, and a minor issue like the time difference could one day become a major problem. Therefore, we advise you to consider the time zone when choosing an outsourcing service provider, so that at least part of your work time and your partner’s work time coincide. This way you will be able to quickly resolve the questions posed and effectively interact with each other.

Product development expertise

There are many software development companies and each may have a different specialization. So you need to know what technologies developers are working with, whether they are familiar with popular programming languages that may be used in your project. If you are planning to adopt blockchain, artificial intelligence, or other advanced technology, make sure a company has a similar experience. For example, if you want to create a mobile application for the AppStore, you need a company with in-house Swift developers who have experience building apps that meet all Apple requirements.

Resource availability

Availability of company resources is also an important criterion for choosing an outsourcing partner. Make sure that the company you intend to work with has all the necessary specialists to cover your tasks and you don’t have to wait until some developer is free or the company hires DevOps. Plus, partnering with a full-service software development company can save you time and money. For example, IdeaSoft has a staff of specialists who will help you with all tasks related to software development, from business analysis and design to programming, testing, and support.

Price/quality ratio

While the main benefit of outsourcing is cost reduction, you shouldn’t focus on price alone. Many people think that any software development company can provide you with the same services, the only difference is in rates and brand, but this is far from the case. Companies differ in expertise, experience and they provide different qualities of services. Your task is to find the best price/quality ratio. In this context, you shouldn’t be guided just by general information about the company’s work but also of whether it meets the requirements of your particular project. Determine some kind of acceptance criteria that affect the quality of your product and choose an outsourcing partner based on them.

Top software outsourcing destinations

According to statistics, the most popular outsourcing destinations are Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Let’s take a closer look at the IT environment of each region to determine the best countries for outsourcing software development

Europe

Despite the fact that Europe is one of the main consumers of IT outsourcing services, it is also a popular outsourcing destination. The thing is that developers’ rates are very different in the West and in the East. Therefore, many entrepreneurs from Germany and the UK, for example, outsource software development to colleagues from the Eastern region. According to the State of European Tech 2019 report, the European software engineering pool counted 6.1m developers.

According to statistics, the most popular outsourcing countries in Europe are Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Croatia.

Ukraine

Ukraine is a well-known country for outsourcing software development all over the world. Projects such as Grammarly and DepositPhotos were created by Ukrainian engineers. Plus, such international giants as Oracle and Google have opened their R&D centers in Ukraine. According to the IT sector report of 2019, Ukraine has become the largest exporter of IT services in Europe.

The information technology market in the country is constantly growing and this is not surprising. Around 39 Ukrainian tech universities generate about 30,000 tech specialists annually. And the market has good government support. In total, there are close to 200,000 IT specialists in Ukraine, according to Escadra. In Ukraine, you can find a specialist of any technology stack and seniority level. Besides, compared to the USA and Western Europe, there are reasonable hourly development rates. Convenient time zone, open culture, high level of professionalism, all this makes Ukraine one of the top software outsourcing destinations.

Poland

Poland has a mature software development market. International companies are happy to open their R&D centers here, as did Google, IBM, and Motorola. The total number of IT specialists in Poland is 295,300, and annually, about 70 thousand students study Computer Science. Although the software development market in Poland doesn’t have such impressive growth rates as Ukraine, it continues to develop and is expected to reach $2,834.2 million during 2021, according to Statista.

Despite the fact that development rates in Poland are not the lowest, they are still relatively low when compared to Germany, UK, or the USA. In addition, the country has a convenient geographical location almost in the very center of Europe. A favorable political environment, strong economy, and highly qualified technical resources contribute to Poland’s success in the outsourced software development market.

Hungary

The pool of IT specialists in Hungary is not as large as in Ukraine or Poland, with only 80,000 specialists. However, the region is very popular for R&D centers due to its favorable business environment. So, according to statistics, most of the income from the technology industry is generated by enterprises controlled from abroad.

IT outsourcing in Hungary is popular due to several reasons. Firstly, Hungary is a member of the European Union, which means that its services are fully in line with European standards. This makes it easy for other European companies to hire and interact with Hungarian professionals. Second, Hungary provides really high-quality software development services and has a stable market. However, in a certain sense, the country’s IT market has reached its maximum, and if you are looking for a long-term partnership and an active community, Ukraine has more potential.

Criterion	Ukraine	Poland	Hungary
Number of developers	200,000	295,300	80 000
Most popular technology	JavaScript, Java, C#,	JavaScript, Java, Python,	Java, JavaScript, Python
Main IT hubs	Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv	Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw	Budapest, Miskolc, Debrecen
Average software development hourly rate	$25-46	$40-56	$39 – $52

Asia

The Asian market has over 10 million software developers. The region is primarily known for its relatively low development rates and it does not always mean bad quality. Software and tech consulting services are one of the fastest-growing markets in Asia. This is not surprising given the innovative business environment. Asia is home to many tech startups. According to McKinsey, in April 2019, Asia had roughly more than one-third (119) of the world’s 331 unicorns (startups worth over $1 billion). The main players in the outsourcing market are India, the Philippines, and China.

China has one of the fastest-growing software markets in the world. According to IBIS World, the market size, measured by revenue, of the software development industry has reached $1.2tr in 2021. The sector is well supported at the state level. In addition, the country’s education is mainly focused on science and mathematics, which makes it possible to replenish the pool of IT specialists by several million annually.

According to PISA (Philippine Software Industry Association), the Philippines currently employs over 190,000 tech specialists, and this number is expected to reach 210,000 by 2022. One of the main benefits of working with the Philippines for Western countries is that English is the official language for Filipinos. In addition, due to the country’s history, Filipinos have a lot in common with Western culture. Therefore, communication will be easy for you, and you can consider the Philippines as one of the top software outsourcing destinations.

India is one of the world’s largest exporters of outsourced software development services. According to ResearchAndMarkets report, the IT outsourcing market in India was valued at INR 5,649.47 billion in 2019 and is estimated to reach INR 8,830.14 billion by 2025. Key industries that Indian IT outsourcing companies work with include banking, financial services, insurance, telecommunications, manufacturing, and healthcare. A definite advantage of outsourcing in India is the low development rates, but many companies face cultural and linguistic barriers.

Criterion	India	Philippines	China
Number of developers	4 million	190,000+	6 million
Most popular technology	Python, Java, JavaScript	PHP, Java, JavaScript	ASP.Net, PHP, Lua
Main IT cities	Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai	Manila, Cebu, Davao City	Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen
Average software development hourly rate	$22-50	$25-50	$30-60

Latin America

Latin America is a popular outsourcing destination mainly for North American companies due to low time and distance differences, high English level, and relatively low development rates. Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico are the most popular countries for outsourcing software development in Latin America. Let’s take a closer look at each of these top outsourcing destinations.

Argentina’s software development pool numbers around 139,000 professionals. The country’s education system is focused on informatics, which means that even more qualified developers will appear in the country in the near future. Software and mobile development, data transfer to the cloud, and DevOps development are the main specializations of Argentine engineers. However, you should keep in mind that the country is developing and still remains a quite unstable economic environment that can cause certain difficulties. For example, the unreliability of state laws regarding the entry of foreign businesses.

Brazil‘s IT market has grown significantly over the past few years. Today, Brazil has the largest number of developers among all Latin American countries. Many US companies prefer to hire Brazilian professionals because they are highly skilled and well-educated. Brazil has approximately 1,714 IT-related technical and graduate courses, which produce 100,000 graduates per year.

Mexico is also one of the most popular countries for software outsourcing. In response to market demand, the government is modernizing the country’s education system to replenish the talent pool with well-educated technicians. There are currently about 223,398 software developers working in this region. SkillValue ranked Mexico second among the countries with the best engineers in the world in terms of price/quality ratio.

Criterion	Argentina	Brazil	Mexico
Number of developers	139,000	475,000	223,398
Most popular technology	C, Java, PHP,	JavaScript, Java, C#	JavaScript, Python, C#
Main IT cities	Buenos Aires, Chaco, Formosa	Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Curitiba	Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
Average software development hourly rate*	$35-55	$30-50	$30-50

What is the best country for IT outsourcing today?

Well, now that you’ve learned more about top software outsourcing destinations, let’s try to find out which country is the best for outsourcing. According to the latest Skill Value report, based on +550 technical assessments, the top 5 countries with the best developers of the world regarding price and quality include Slovakia, Mexico, Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine.

It makes sense. However, when you are choosing a software development partner for yourself, you should look at the factors that are crucial specifically for your project. For example, for US companies, Mexico can be an excellent option due to its close geographic location, especially if you want to actively participate in the development process or are looking for specialists to expand your in-house team. At the same time, you will find lower rates in Eastern Europe. Not surprisingly, in this context, many choose Ukraine as the best country for outsourcing software development.

So why do companies outsource software development to Ukraine:

A huge pool of technical specialists. Ukraine already has about 200,000 professional developers. Plus, over 20,000 tech students graduate in Ukraine each year, according to The IT Ukraine Association. Ukrainian engineers master a large technology stack, including advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and blockchain. Plus, you won’t experience trouble with communication. According to DOU, 70% of surveyed engineers speak English at the intermediate and upper-intermediate levels.

Favorable business environment. In Ukraine, the information technology market is supported at the state level. Therefore, you will not have any problems with the legal side of interaction with a partner company. IT companies have favorable tax conditions that allow them to provide services at reasonable prices within the regulatory framework and market trends.

International recognition. The talents of Ukrainian developers are known far beyond the borders of the country. Ukraine is in the top 50 Most Innovative Countries by The Global Innovation Index. Also in 2021, 12 Ukrainian companies, including IdeaSoft, entered the Clutch Top 100 Fastest-Growing & Sustained-Growth Companies for 2021. Such internationally famous startups as Grammarly, GitLab, Jooble, DepositPhotos, and others originated in Ukraine.

Reasonable rates and great quality. Ukrainian developers create high-quality software products due to a good technological background. Moreover, development rates are lower than in Western Europe or even neighboring Poland and Hungary. Often it is the excellent value for money that becomes the decisive factor in favor of outsourcing to Ukraine.

Convenient time zone and location. The time difference between Ukraine and the United States is 7 hours, between Ukraine and the UK – 2 hours, which opens up new prospects for working on projects. Also, if you want to visit Ukraine, it will not be difficult. The country has excellent traffic interchanges.

If you like the benefits of outsourcing software development to Ukraine, we will be happy to help you get started on your project and prove that cooperation with a Ukrainian company is a good decision.

IdeaSoft, being part of Sigma Software Group, a Swedish software development company, will be able to cover all tasks related to the development of your software product. We provide a full range of services from business analysis, UX/UI design to programming, testing, support, and outstaffing services. The company’s portfolio includes more than 250 successfully implemented projects in such industries as fintech, telecom, healthcare, B2B, government, logistics, and others.

Feel free to check our services , industries we work with and contact us directly to discuss your next project!

Deep Dive Into Telemedicine App Development

Given recent events, the healthcare sector has been in the spotlight. As patients, we expect quality medical care services that meet new realities, and as healthcare providers want to use an efficient business model to help us achieve our business goals. And telemedicine has become the answer to both requests. This article covers the benefits of telemedicine solutions for doctors and patients, as well as the telemedicine app development process. Get ready, we’re diving into this exciting topic right now!

Telemedicine market overview

Designed to facilitate patient access to medical care, telemedicine uses modern technology to monitor and treat patients remotely. And this approach is becoming more widespread in the world. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global telemedicine market size was $41.63 billion in 2019, and in line with a new report from Grand View Research, that figure will reach $298.9 billion by 2028. Also, Statista predicts the global telemedicine market to reach $460 billion by 2030.

This rapid market growth is largely related to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overcrowded hospitals, a shortage of medical personnel, and the need to maintain social distance have all made telemedicine the most reasonable solution in the current environment. Telemedicine brings down the burden on physicians, as well as reduces the cost of providing medical services to patients. So it is not surprising that government agencies are paying more attention to the implementation of digital healthcare technologies, contributing to the rate of market growth. For example, in March 2020, the US Federal Communications Commission developed programs to assist healthcare providers in deploying telemedicine technologies.

The widespread adoption of 5G is also driving the development of telemedicine. The improved internet speed will allow doctors and patients to communicate remotely without worrying about network outages, blackouts, or delays. Moreover, 5G also enables seamless connectivity by integrating medical devices into a single network. This gives patients access to a wider range of professionals. We recommend reading the How 5G is transforming the healthcare industry article to find out more.

Types of telemedicine apps

According to statistics from McKinsey&Company, the growth of users of telemedicine applications has increased from 50 to 175 times compared to the period before COVID-19. In response to demand, more and more telemedicine platforms and apps are emerging every day. Therefore, before moving on to the process of telemedicine app development, we should consider their types and functions.

So, you can build one of the following telemedicine applications:

Live video conferencing apps. These are applications allowing real-time interaction between doctor and patient. In many ways, this is similar to regular live doctor consultation. Live video conferencing apps allow patients to quickly get medical advice wherever they are. The use of this technology helps to save time and costs of treatment. This is the most popular type of telemedicine application.

Asynchronous video (Store-and-Forward) apps. Unlike live video conferencing apps, these types of telemedicine apps do not provide real-time interaction. Asynchronous video apps are used to transmit a recorded medical history via an electronic communication system to a practitioner who uses it to evaluate a case or provide a service out of real-time. In this way, a healthcare provider can simplify its workflow and provide a patient with more timely and better treatment without referring the patient to another specialist.

For example, in ophthalmology, eye screening for diabetic retinopathy can be digitally recorded using retinal cameras and then sent to a specialist for review.

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM). Some chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, epilepsy require constant monitoring. RPM solutions help to securely store all patient data in a single place and quickly transfer it to a healthcare provider for evaluation. Thus, a medical specialist will be able to quickly determine changes in the patient’s health and provide the necessary treatment. Experts argue that the use of such applications helps to reduce the number of emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and readmission rates.

Mobile Health (mHealth). These apps allow you to monitor your health using mobile technology. For example, health tracking apps like fitness trackers, etc. mHealth is also used to screen patients, help with treatment, track outbreaks and manage chronic diseases. The use of mHealth is helping to make medicine more accessible, as well as improve the quality of healthcare services.

Each of these types of apps has its own list of features. We’ll take a look at the most popular telemedicine app features that you are likely to want to include in your product. It is worth noting that a telemedicine application usually consists of two sides – functionality for a patient and functionality for a doctor.

Features for patients

So any creator of a telemedicine product wonders what are the essential features to develop a telemedicine app. Don’t forget that a healthcare app should be convenient and useful for both patients and physicians. Therefore, before you start telemedicine app development, you should carefully study the needs of both parties, as well as carry out competitor analysis. This will help you create a functional application that meets the needs of your target audience.

Let’s start with the patient features. As patients, users of your app should be able to select a medical provider and make an appointment. Therefore, you need to take care of the following functionality of the telemedicine application.

Sign up

Sign up feature for a telemedicine app is not as easy as it seems. Since the app will contain a lot of sensitive data, you must ensure that this information is stored and transmitted completely securely, and no third parties will be able to access other people’s accounts. Usually, a user is presented with several registration options, using email or third-party tools like Facebook Login or Google Sign In. Also, don’t forget about two-factor authentication as a basic security feature for a mobile application.

Personal profile

It is much more convenient for patients to store all information about treatment and consultations with doctors in their personal accounts. In addition, a personal profile makes it possible to store and open access to electronic health records (EHR) for medical professionals. So a doctor will be able to monitor the current condition of patients and look through their previous treatment history in order to prescribe the most effective treatment. However, you should keep in mind that if you plan to use such electronic medical records, you must fully comply with the regulations of the region you intend to work with. For example, in the USA you need to comply with HIPAA.

Search and filters

Finding a medical professional can be a real challenge. Make sure that your users can quickly and easily find the right doctor using the built-in filters. For example, enable patients to filter physicians by specialization, proximity, doctor’s rate, rating, and more.

Video conferencing

Video communication is one of the key features of telemedicine applications, as it allows doctors to remotely examine patients and prescribe the correct treatment. Therefore, you need to provide high-quality video and clear audio. You can also allow patients to record consultations so they can get back and remember the most important points. Also, do not forget that application users may have different internet connections, so your app should automatically adjust the video quality.

Text chat

Along with video conferencing, you shouldn’t forget about text chat. Some questions can be resolved in text messages, saving time for both parties. Also, chat should provide the ability to exchange media files. Needless to say, sending and receiving such sensitive data requires an increased level of security. Make sure to use cryptographic algorithms to make the data reliably protected and immutable.

Book appointment

Convenient appointment scheduling is a must-have for any telemedicine application. Give patients the opportunity to see a doctor’s available time slots and send meeting requests. In addition, a patient should be able to cancel or reschedule the appointment. Also, as soon as the doctor confirms the appointment, the patient must be notified. We advise you to integrate with Google Calendar to make the process as simple and efficient as possible for both parties.

Payment

When implementing a payment feature in your application, you can choose between a custom payment service or a third-party system like PayPal. Remember that the speed and security of transactions matter. When choosing a third-party system, make sure that it’s reliable and it has reasonable fees. If you are looking to create your own payment system, P2P payments can become a great benefit for your users. Also, telemedicine services can often be covered by insurance, so we advise you to consider the option of adding an insurance provider.

Notifications

Email and push notifications are useful for both users and you. First, notifications can increase user engagement and improve user experience. For example, reminders of an appointment or a received chat message. Secondly, by using notifications, you can keep users informed of the latest updates to your application. However, remember that notifications shouldn’t annoy users in any way. So it is better to give them the opportunity to independently choose which alerts they want to receive.

Review and ratings

When implementing features for a telemedicine app, don’t skip the review and rating system. Allow patients to evaluate the work of doctors, which will simplify the choice of a specialist for new users. Also, this way physicians themselves will be able to receive feedback on their work and find ways to improve.

Features for doctors

Now let’s talk about what features should be implemented in your application to make it convenient for doctors to work with it.

Sign up and personal profile

When registering, doctors may need to provide more information about themselves than patients. The more a physician can tell about himself, the easier it will be for patients to be convinced of the reliability of this specialist. The doctor’s profile should contain information about his education, specialization, experience, certificates, and so on. Preparing all the required fields for filling out will greatly facilitate and speed up the registration process.

Scheduling

Doctors can have a huge workload, and one of the main goals of telemedicine apps is to provide healthcare professionals with an effective task management tool. Therefore, create a convenient calendar for doctors where they can organize the accurate workflow and avoid mistakes in the work schedule. Also, physicians should be able to place appointments in patients’ schedules, reject or approve patient-initiated appointments, and so on.

Video conferencing and text chat

Telemedicine applications involve two-way communication. Therefore, make sure that on the doctor’s side video conference and text messaging features are also implemented with high quality.

EHR verification

We have already mentioned that in order to provide quality diagnostics and treatment, a doctor must have access to a patient’s medical history, the so-called electronic health record (EHR). The physician must be able to request access to this data from the patient. Make sure no unapproved user can download the EHRs. Safe storage of patient data is one of the most important tasks that a telemedicine app development team should set itself.

Medical prescription

This is a great feature that benefits both doctors and users. By implementing digital posting of medical prescriptions, you ensure that this important information doesn’t get lost in correspondence. And patients will be able to use this prescription to get the medicine at the pharmacy.

Analytical dashboard

This is something physicians will really thank you for. Combining data in one place allows doctors to effectively analyze their activities, see changes in the statuses of appointments and the progress of patient treatment. By providing a well-visualized and well-thought-out dashboard, you will significantly improve the visibility of doctors’ workload.

View feedback

Finally, it is not only patients who need to be able to provide reviews. Allow doctors to receive and respond to feedback. Healthcare professionals need to know how they can get better and at the same time be able to protect their reputation if they are confronted with a dishonest patient.

Telemedicine app development steps

When looking for an answer to the question of how to build a telemedicine application, you cannot ignore the development process. An experienced development team will always help and guide you, but being aware of how apps are created will definitely not hurt you and even help you realize what to prepare for. Let’s take a look at the key steps of telemedicine app development.

Discovery phase

The discovery phase is a crucial step in the development of a telemedicine application. In general, this is the stage of gathering information about a project and creating a work plan. Sounds simple? In fact, this is one of the most difficult stages, because success depends on how clearly you set goals and write down the requirements.

During the discovery phase, business analysts will help you determine the goals of the project, target audience, list of features for your app, list of integrations, etc. This will help define the scope of work and possible risks of the project. Developing software for the healthcare industry is a challenging task as it must meet the highest security standards and comply with regulations. The discovery phase will help you not miss anything and have a clear plan for creating and bringing your product to market.

Throughout the discovery phase, you can expect to get deliverables such as a Solution vision document, PBIs (Product Backlog Items)/Lists of functional and non-functional requirements, architecture design, UX wireframe design, prototype, release plan, and cost estimate. We do not recommend skipping this step, as the discovery phase will help you optimize your budget and reduce project risks.

Design

It is no secret that many projects have failed due to poor design. And it’s not only about the appearance of the software, but about the logic and convenience of the user interface. The main task of UX/UI designers is to create simple navigation that allows users to solve their problems. A patient installs your application to have an effective tool for interacting with healthcare providers. And if he spends a lot of time figuring out how to navigate your app, he will probably just delete it and download another one.

UX/UI designers will be able to create the best user interface logic based on your project and target audience data. If you want to enter the market with a quality product, take care of its design in advance. Many software development companies have in-house design departments. For example, at IdeaSoft, we have a staff of experienced UX/UI specialists who collaborate with other departments to create a design that best suits the goals of the project and is easy for further deployment.

Development

Once you’ve decided on the design, it’s time to bring it to life. We will not dwell on all the technical nuances of the question of how to make a medical app, but we will tell you about the main points. Application development always takes place in accordance with the documented requirements and the selected technology stack. The technology stack for telemedicine apps includes programming languages, frameworks, databases, and third-party APIs like messaging, videoconferencing tools, and others.

The development time depends on the complexity of the project, which is formed based on the number of features and integrations, as well as the type of application. For example, if you decide to build native iOS and Android apps, it will probably take longer than building a single cross-platform app. Read how to choose between native and cross-platform development here.

Testing and maintenance

It probably won’t be a surprise to you if we say that timely application testing is the key to its successful operation. By involving testers in the telemedicine app development process, you can make sure not only that it works as intended, but also that it is free of vulnerabilities. A data breach or app hacking will ruin your reputation forever. Therefore, it is so important to confirm that your telemedicine app is secure and reliable. This is what testing can achieve.

Different apps may involve different types of testing. The main ones are functional, performance, usability, compatibility, and security testing. Don’t neglect testing as bugs and vulnerabilities can cost you more in the future.

Once you and your development team are confident that the application works flawlessly, it’s time to deploy it on the servers and submit it to app stores if you planned to do so. That’s it! However, you should keep in mind that the software is software and it needs updating and support. Therefore, decide which specialists will do this for you and keep in touch with your development team in order to quickly make changes to the product if necessary.

How much does it cost to develop a telemedicine app?

Now when you know how to develop a telehealth app, you probably wonder how much does it cost to develop such an app. We don’t want to confuse you by naming the numbers because, in fact, the price varies from project to project and depends on many factors. If you want to get an estimate of your project, just contact us and we will study your specific requirements.

So what affects the cost of developing an application?

The number of features and their complexity
Supported browsers, devices, and operating systems
Number and complexity of integrations
Custom designs
Location and structure of the development team

It is also worth considering the costs of payment integrations, App Store and Google Play fees, servers and backend support, and the like. One of the most significant factors affecting development costs is the structure and location of your development team. For example, according to YouTeam, the average development hourly rate in North America is $55, while in Eastern Europe it is $37. The difference is significant, isn’t it? So, choosing the best destination for outsourcing, consider the best option regarding price and quality.

How we can help

Telemedicine app development is a complex process, so you better find a reliable software development partner. You need not only experienced developers who know how to best implement this or that feature, but also specialists who know the specifics of creating software products for the healthcare sector.

IdeaSoft has been developing advanced software solutions for Fintech, Telecom, B2B, B2G, Smart City, DLT & Blockchain, Logistics, and Healthcare industries for over 5 years. Our in-house development team consists of skilled developers, designers, business analysts, QA, and other specialists who are able to solve the full list of tasks related to telemedicine app development.

In IdeaSoft’s portfolio, you will find more than 250 successfully completed projects, including solutions for the healthcare sector. In particular, we have created a feature-rich telehealth platform that allows not only communication between patients and doctors but also simplifies the management of internal events for healthcare providers, an efficient organization of workflow and data storage operations, streamlining business processes. The platform consists of two separate applications, one for doctors and one for patients.

Also, doctors and patients can exchange media via private chats. All data is reliably protected by cryptographic algorithms.

If you want to create a telemedicine app like this, feel free to contact us. IdeaSoft specialists will carefully study your requirements and offer you a solution that best meets your business needs.

So, now you know how to develop a telemedicine app and how we can help you. Thank you for reading this post. We will be happy to see you among the blog subscribers.

6 Best Security Features for Mobile Apps

Security of mobile apps is the key to their success on the market. However, protecting information, transmitting data over the network, and accounting for hidden features are often challenging, and, unfortunately, fraudsters can take advantage of vulnerabilities of your app. According to McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the global economy lost more than a trillion dollars in 2020 due to hacker attacks. And fraudulent methods are becoming more inventive every year. This imposes additional responsibility on the developers of mobile apps. So, in this article, we’ll tell you about common mobile security threats and the best security features for mobile apps to help you create a secure and high-quality application for your business.

Common mobile security threats

It is difficult to imagine our lives without mobile apps today. According to DataReportal, the average user spends 6 hours and 43 minutes online. Moreover, 10 out of every 11 minutes users spend using mobile devices. What’s more, 44% of apps contain personal data that requires a high level of security, and 66% of apps have functionality that could compromise user privacy.

Among the leading mobile apps with more than 500,000 downloads, 94% contain at least three medium-risk vulnerabilities, and 77% contain at least two critical vulnerabilities, according to the Beta News survey. And about 1/3 of the apps contain hidden functionality and bottlenecks in the source code. If you want to develop a secure and feature-rich mobile app, you should check out our guide to mobile app development.

The first step in creating a secure mobile application is to be aware of the basic methods of attacks on mobile devices. To do this, industry experts put together a developer help called the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). It includes the OWASP Mobile Top 10 listing the main threats to mobile security. According to this list, among the main security threats are improper platform usage, insecure data storage, insecure communication, insecure authentication, and insufficient cryptography.

You should keep in mind that users know that the number of online threats is increasing. So they often try to find out what are some must-have’ security features for mobile apps, because they want to use only reliable applications. That’s why when developing an app you should make sure that your software product meets both security standards and the expectations of your users.

The best practices to improve mobile app security

Answering the question of how to make a mobile app more secure, first of all, you should know mobile app development trends to keep abreast of the latest tendencies in the development world. Secondly, there are many different ways to improve security, depending on the type of application. Also, the implementation of some of them depends on the development team’s experience. Newbie developers, for example, will not be able to provide reliable data encryption. Here are some tips on how to ensure mobile app security.

Secured code

Often developers turn to third-party libraries to simplify the development process. This is a common and effective practice. However the problem is that not all developers care about security, and often third-party libraries have bugs that affect the reliability of the entire system. Consequently, if programmers are borrowing an implementation from outside, they must be sure that it will not make the system more vulnerable. To avoid poor coding issues, developers should spend more time analyzing and testing it. Here are some of the best practices for keeping your code secure:

Use third-party static analysis tools to detect memory leaks and buffer overflows.
Avoid simple logic in your code known to hackers.
Use the latest updated versions of third-party libraries for development.
Validate input from all untrusted data sources.
Use testing best practices including fuzz testing, penetration testing, and source code audits.
Conduct code reviews regularly.

Secure code can stop attackers from successfully hacking an application. Be sure to check your code for vulnerabilities and bugs. Use code hardening and code signing. Work only with safe, proven tools and try to make the system flexible enough so that in case of updates everything goes quickly and smoothly. Remember that secure code is one of the best security features for mobile apps.

High-level authentication

The most common application vulnerabilities in 2019 were related to improper security configuration. But the highest risk was associated with weak authentication. Such a problem was found in 45% of the examined applications. An unlimited number of attempts to log in to the account is a great threat. Password-only authentication is the factor that contributes to the largest number of attacks through brute-force login/password combinations. So password complexity requirements, which used to be the gold standard, now undermine security. Therefore, according to NIST recommendations, organizations should switch to multi-factor authentication if they haven’t already done so.

Here are more tips to ensure secure authentification:

Ensure that passwords and security keys are not stored locally on the mobile device.
Enforce periodic authentication of user credentials and logouts from the server-side.
If you are using local data storage, make sure it is encrypted with an encrypted key obtained from the user’s credentials. This forces the app to authenticate the application data at least once.
Don’t allow loading app data if the server has not authenticated the user’s session.
Limit the number of login attempts and password reset requests for every account and IP address range.

User registration and authentication system is a critical element of service security. In most cases, you’re better off not making it from scratch, much less using a password as an authentication factor. It is better to delegate the entire function to a third-party service, such as a popular social network, etc.

Reliable data storage

First of all, you should not store sensitive data in local storage, as there is an increased risk of attack. If you still need to do this, take care of data encryption so that in the case of a leak, attackers cannot read the information and compromise users. The very first targets on a cracked device for scammers are SQL, log files, XML data stores, binary data stores, cookie stores, etc. Make sure your application is not vulnerable to these threats, and also follow the next tips:

Make sure the server and app authenticate each other before exchanging data.
Encrypt files and networking communications.
Adapt your code to different mobile platforms as different platforms have different security features.

Also, both iOS and Android provide security guides to developers. Make sure your development team is ready to follow them and has the necessary expertise to implement the best security features for mobile apps as suggested in these guides.

Data encryption

Data encryption is one of the most important steps in building a secure mobile app. Deficiencies in cryptography and outdated encryption methods can make your app an easy target for attackers and leak sensitive user data. Encryption algorithms convert plaintext data into ciphertext, hiding the original content. There are several encryption methods. It can be symmetric (secret-key encryption) which uses a single cryptographic key to encrypt and decrypt data or asymmetric (public-key encryption) which includes several keys for encrypting and decrypting data, which are mathematically related to each other.

Both iOS and Android have encryption features to protect user data. The challenge for developers is to use best practices for these mobile platforms, in particular, to ensure that encryption keys are securely protected and cannot fall into the hands of fraudsters. For example, developers should never place encryption keys in the same directories as encrypted data. Also, the best encryption methods include public-key encryption algorithms, hashing, Message Authentication Codes, signatures, key derivation functions.

Secure communication

Insecure use of interprocess communication is a common critical vulnerability that can lead to data theft as it travels over the network. The fact is that mobile applications, as a rule, exchange data according to the client-server model. The client-side of the app is the program that users install on their mobile devices. However, this application interacts with the back-end. This part is responsible for processing and storing information, as well as synchronizing user data between devices. Therefore, the transmission process through the operator’s network or the Internet must be implemented securely in order to avoid interception of traffic from proxy servers, base stations, etc.

client-server communication — *Client-server communication process*

To ensure secure communication, mobile app developers must use industry-approved encryption protocols and other practices, including installing SSL/TLS certificates from trusted certification authorities and alerting users when an invalid certificate is found. You also need to establish a secure connection only after the endpoint server has authenticated with trusted certificates in the keychain. Make sure your development team doesn’t neglect best practices for secure communication and conducts sufficient testing to ensure that there are no system vulnerabilities.

Testing

You should keep in mind that it is not enough to be concerned about the safety of mobile applications at the end of the life cycle, since it is much more expensive to fix bugs in the last stages of project development. A robust early testing strategy of mobile apps can help avoid future security problems. Therefore, it is important to implement testing at all stages of mobile app development in order not to accumulate bugs. This is not actually a security feature, but we can’t fail to mention this. If you want to create a truly secure app, you need to test it over and over again. Only this can show how effectively other security features have been implemented.

Mobile app security testing is aimed at identifying the risks and weaknesses of the system. To do this, QA specialists create test cases based on the main threats and make sure that the system can resist them. This includes vulnerability analysis, web service security testing, client security testing, AI testing tools, and the like. In addition, certain platform-related tests can be carried out, since native applications, for example, are created using OS features. In any case, your project needs a team of experienced testers who will be able to assess the security of your app. So don’t neglect this step.

Final thoughts

Now you know the best security features for mobile apps and how important it is to work with an experienced development team. Securing a mobile app is a challenging and demanding task that your team must take seriously. Unfortunately, attackers are becoming more and more inventive and it is no longer enough to inject a few security features into an app. Each project implies its own data protection scenarios and has its own characteristics. That’s why the best way to create a secure mobile app is to contact experienced specialists. They can assess all the risks and develop an effective security strategy.

An experienced mobile development team of IdeaSoft will be happy to help you develop a feature-rich and secure mobile app. We provide a full cycle of software development services from business analysis and UX/UI design, to programming, testing, and support. Check out our delivered projects and feel free to contact us directly.

How to Hire Remote Blockchain Developers

When you’re starting a blockchain project and you’re not a developer yourself, the process of hiring tech specialists can be a really challenging task. Blockchain is a relatively new technology and you need to find experienced developers to implement your idea in the best way. In this article, we’ll tell you how to hire remote blockchain developers in 2021, where to find experienced specialists, and what is better: outstaffing or outsourcing. Let’s get started.

Required blockchain developer skills

Requirements for blockchain developers — Source: Jumar

So what knowledge and skills should your ideal blockchain developer have? Of course, a lot depends on the type of project. Working, for example, with DeFi projects is a serious and long-term task. In this case, blockchain developers must be disciplined, able to cope with tight deadlines and stressful conditions, and have high development skills.

Blockchain developers fall into 3 main categories:

Blockchain engineers. These are the people who create the software shells and implement complex algorithms. They are the ones at the “cutting edge” of development. These are the most experienced people in the blockchain sphere. Blockchain engineers need proven experience with C and Java languages, an understanding of the software and hardware architecture on the global level, and a good knowledge of the applications` server side.
Blockchain programmers. These are creators of client products and web interfaces that use blockchain technology. There is a big variation of requirements here – it can be knowledge of basic web development languages, such as Javascript, Python, Ruby, and more exotic, such as Go, Rust. Also, they need experience with Node.js or MongoDB.
Smart contract developers. This group of specialists is directly involved in drafting and maintaining smart contracts, as well as solving applied problems that arise during the operation of a blockchain service. This is where Javascript and Python skills, as well as full-stack web development experience, come to the fore. Smart contract developers need to know popular programming languages, libraries, and frameworks.

Also, despite the programmer’s specialization, he or she must be at least familiar with Solidity, the programming language for smart contracts on the Ethereum platform. Most blockchain-based solutions operate on smart contracts, which allow you to automate processes and exclude third parties. So if your project is related to the Ethereum network, Solidity will be one of the must-have requirements.

Speaking about programming languages, it should be noted that C and C++ are important for blockchain developers precisely because the lion’s share of projects are written in them. A smaller part of blockchain projects is written in Java, although theoretically, as programmers say, it is possible to build chains of transaction blocks in any language.

Blockchain is a combination of familiar, long-existing technologies (e.g. hashing). Together, they provide new features that open up huge prospects for blockchain-based products. In this regard, experience with distributed databases, knowledge of modern cryptography, especially asymmetric cryptography, encryption, and hashing are useful.

The level of requirements for blockchain developers is generally high. A huge number of software specialists are not yet working with blockchain technology, but are interested in it. So, where to find remote blockchain developers?

Where to look for blockchain developers

Really good professionals in blockchain development can now choose from several dozen or even hundreds of offers. The market of blockchain projects is constantly increasing, as well as the amount of investment in it, so blockchain developers today are in short supply. If you want to hire the best remote blockchain engineers you should know where to look for them.

In addition to Google, there are several ways to find blockchain developers. One of them is business directories, where companies create their profiles, tell about their services, and publish customer reviews. The second one is freelance sites, where you can find both company representatives and independent developers. It is should be noted, that a blockchain development company gives more guarantees and control over the quality of services, so we recommend working with a company rather than with freelancers.

Business directories

You can find many different directories with software development company profiles. Most companies represented in such directories have been on the market for a very long time, so it is quite easy to find an experienced partner to develop a blockchain project. The list of the most popular business directories include:

Clutch. It helps business owners to find reliable blockchain development companies and entrust particular tasks to them. This service has more than 200,000 agencies in more than 500 categories. Clutch helps business owners to be confident in the quality of the services provided by blockchain development companies.

GoodFirms. It is the right place to start searching for blockchain specialists after Clutch. GoodFirms has information about more than 60,000 software companies and more than 30 000 reviews about them. It offers visitors comprehensive, detailed, and free research of outsourcing companies.

Techreviwer. It helps companies of all types to choose professional development partners from more than 20,000 offers. Techreviwer is one of the most popular sites for searching for dedicated software development teams.

Freelance sites

Freelance sites are in high demand among small businesses that don`t need big development teams. Most specialists on freelance sites have been on the market for a very long time, so it is easy to find an experienced freelance developer by examining reviews and completed projects. If you decide to hire remote blockchain developers on a freelance basis, you should consider the following resources:

Toptal. This site helps different businesses find the right developers. It offers a risk-free trial version and only sends a bill if the project tasks are completed successfully.

Freelancer. There are a lot of blockchain developers that are looking for projects. It is a very popular website where potential employers hire remote blockchain developers.

Upwork. Upwork helps startups find the right specialists to meet their business needs. It is among the most efficient freelance sites in terms of being an intermediary between a client and a remote developer.

Ukraine is one of the best countries to hire remote developers

Why hire blockchain developers in Ukraine

When looking for remote developers for your project, pay attention to Ukraine. This is a country with reasonable prices and high quality of blockchain development. Ukrainian software companies show great expertise in big data and AI, DeFi development, blockchain, and cryptocurrency projects. The reasons to hire remote blockchain developers in Ukraine include a strong work ethic, convenient time zone, European mentality, attractive rates, strong skillset.

According to Upwork statistics, Ukraine ranks first in Europe and fourth worldwide in the number of freelance programmers. More than 82% of orders carried out by Ukrainian specialists are related to software development. The majority of orders come from English-speaking countries such as the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada.

The pool of IT specialists in Ukraine is huge. At the moment there are more than 1,000 IT companies that provide outsourcing services. Every year the IT market of Ukraine grows by 20%, according to statistics. So if you looking for a remote blockchain development team, Ukraine can be one of the greatest options.

Outstaffing or outsourcing: what to choose

Now let’s talk about two of the most common models of collaboration with remote blockchain development teams. Outstaffing or outsourcing: what to choose?

Outsourcing means that a customer entrusts a development team with the creation of a software product and expects a certain result. Having provided a list of requirements, the client can track the progress of the development, but he himself is not involved in the process and can focus on other business tasks.

Criterion	Outsourcing	Outstaffing
Type of projects	Small or one-time projects	Large or continuous projects
Who is responsible for code quality	Vendor	Client
Client control over development	Little management effort	Full control
Project start	Takes time to collect requirements and build a team	Quick start
Budget	More expensive than outstaffing, cheaper than in-house	Flexible with the costs

Outsourcing vs Outstaffing

For example, you conclude a contract with an outsourcing company for crypto exchange development, and it is important to you get your project ready in time and of high quality. The outsourcing company evaluates the situation and decides how best to implement your idea. Your crypto exchange will be ready in time and you don’t need to figure out all the technical details. This option is suitable for you if you want to completely entrust the development of your project to other specialists.

Outstaffing, on the other hand, means that the client is given certain personnel for an agreed time. The client himself determines how to organize the work of the developers, as well as the whole development process. If you are looking to expand your development team and just need individual specialists to do this, outstaffing is the perfect option for you. In this case, you lead the development process.

How IdeaSoft can help you

IdeaSoft is a software development company that offers both outsourcing and outstaffing services. Our in-house development team consists of more than 120 developers. We can provide you with a full cycle of software product development: from business analysis, design to programming, testing, and support. Thus, you can completely entrust us with the development of your blockchain project. If you are looking to hire remote blockchain developers to expand your team, we can offer you the services of experienced developers of different seniority levels and technology stack.

Why innovative companies choose IdeaSoft:

Huge experience. IdeaSoft has gained a reputation as a reliable and proven outsourcing development partner for innovative companies all over the world.
Wide range of services. We can quickly assemble a team of software development specialists for you that meets the requirements of your project, including designers, developers, QAs, business analysts, DevOps, and others.
High-quality blockchain development. We are proud to have a lot of positive feedback from our clients. The expertise of IdeaSoft developers has been proved by more than 250 successfully implemented projects.

The IdeaSoft blockchain development team will be happy to help you with your project. If you are looking for developers, take a look at what we do, and feel free to contact us.

A Complete Guide on Initial DEX Offering (IDO) Development

The crypto market continues developing and increasing. The upside potential and risk reduction in the crypto industry have attracted more attention from investors. There are several strategies and mechanisms for offering tokens to involve more investors.

The latest iteration of token offering mechanisms is the Initial DEX Offerings conducted on decentralized exchanges. Restaking has emerged as a key trend in the space, providing additional rewards and incentives for token holders. So, in this article, we will talk about the IDO mechanism as well as the Initial DEX Offering development.

What is an Initial DEX offering (IDO)?

2020 was a phenomenally successful year for decentralized finance as the TVL (total value locked) in DeFi went from less than $1 billion in January to more than $16 billion in December 2020, according to Coindesk. And the current success of DeFi brings IDO to the fore.

Initial DEX offering or IDO is a fundraising method in which the IDO coin is issued via a decentralized liquidity exchange that relies on liquidity pools by which traders can swap tokens. The liquidity pool is pair of crypto assets and stable coins. For instance, USDT/ETH is a liquidity pair. Traders can swap between crypto-assets and stable coins based on market conditions. As the volatility of stablecoins is inappreciable, it offers a safe way for traders to manage crypto tokens and assets by swapping them with each other.

Any member of the community can choose IDO as a method for distributing tokens, and such tokens can represent any type of asset hosted on decentralized exchange. IDO is attractive to exchange users with a more economical token sale model. For example, the available liquidity pools on DEX enable IDO to provide quick liquidity with minimal slippage. Examples of DEXs offering IDO services include Binance DEX, Polkastarter, and Uniswap.

Differences between IDO, IEO, and ICO

While in equity markets, IPO (Initial Public Offering) is the standard way to raise capital, things on the crypto market are more fluid. We had Initial Coin Offering (ICO) in 2017- 2018, Initial Exchange Offerings (IEO) in 2019, and Initial DEX offering (IDO) in 2020. So we can call it the evolution of the crypto market. The following chart compares the different characteristics of the ICO, IDO, and IEO models.

Characteristics	IEO	ICO	IDO
Fundraising	Crowdfunding by issuing selling via a centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX)	Crowdfunding by issuing utility token/coin through blockchain platforms	Crowdfunding by issuing selling via a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange (DEX)
Marketing& Advertising	CEX responsible for all the marketing and advertising	Project teams take care of all the advertising and marketing	The team behind the project and DEX do the marketing and advertising
Trading& Liquidity	Immediate liquidity and trading on the CEX. Exchange with a limited number of tokens traded on this exchange	The issuer is responsible for the transferring token. Immediate liquidity after launching in CEX	Immediate liquidity and trading on any DEX. Providing an exchange with an unlimited token stack
Trust	Investors who register with the CEX for the token sale have to go through KYC/AML	There are trust issues due to some token issuers providing misleading information	There are trust issues due to no KYC integration and no control mechanism
Security	Highly secure since a centralized exchange host does all transactions. High risk of identity and banking information theft.	Highly insecure as transactions happen on ICO project platform which could lack proper security measures	No risk of identity and information theft. Anonymous and highly secure transaction.
Fees	Exchanges charge issuers commission for launching and trading	There is no fee due to no intermediaries. Exchange fee after launching in CEX	No exchange fee. Only payment gas for the provision of smart contracts
Regulation	Regulated by CEX	Partially regulated (depends on the region)	Unregulated

The benefits of the IDO model

In this section we will review the most common machanics used by initial DEX offering platforms.

Open and fair fundraising

Fundraisers using the IDO model often don’t have to rely on traditional private investments to kickstart their operations. The token sale goes public and investors buy many tokens at a lower price. They will resell these tokens to the general public gaining a considerable profit. Also, anybody can organize or participate in IDO, not just private investors, because there is no need for CEX and permission to start fundraising.

Immediate liquidity

With IDO, project tokens acquire immediate liquidity. The liquidity pool promises liquidity at every price level with no slippage. Many altcoins are only accessible through DEX, where transactions can occur without high trading volumes. IDO provides more opportunities for the distribution of project tokens and increases financial inclusion.

Instant trading

From the date a project launches its token, investors can start trading. Therefore, traders try to buy a new token as early as possible and later sell it at a higher price during the IDO. For example, in UMA protocol fundraising, the initial token price of $0.26 immediately jumped to around $2.

Lower costs

DEX functions on the basis of self-executing smart contracts. If a project uses DEX solutions without an intermediary, they only pay the “gas” fee for deploying a new smart contract that controls the liquidity pool and the asset’s token. And even so, DEX charges a low fee, around 0.3%, for exchanges like Uniswap.

Reliable transactions

Through smart contracts, DEX executes trades and records them to the blockchain, enabling reliable transactions. And since DEX doesn’t hold your funds, they are less likely to be targeted by hackers.

How to launch an IDO?

Now let’s talk about Initial DEX Offering development. So this is how it works. Projects appeal to the general public through launchpad or platforms specializing in IDO. Investors like you and me can, under certain conditions, buy the tokens before they are available on the market. The IDO token is launched on DEX. There are two different practices of public sale:

1. The issuer sets limit sell orders at various levels of increasing price.

2. The issuer conducts an auction, resulting in a demand-supply-driven sale price.

Listing is carried out on automated market maker (AMM) based exchanges such as Uniswap and Balancer. An issuer produces pool liquidity using its tokens and proceeds from sales to create a liquid secondary market for the token.

Liquidity incentivization is a referral to a wide variety of programs that the token issuer can run to kickstart product or service usage. Mining is very popular nowadays and can create strong incentives for people to support the platform.

How IdeaSoft can help you with Initial DEX Offering development

IdeaSoft has been providing innovative blockchain-based solutions for businesses since 2016. During this time, our team has implemented more than 250 projects in different domains. Blockchain is an extremely rapidly developing area where you always need to keep your finger on the pulse of market trends. This is what we do. Therefore, DeFi development is one of the most popular IdeaSoft services lately.

Having extensive expertise in software development, we can help you with creating and submitting an IDO token or building an Initial DEX Offering platform. Such a platform will allow you to attract users and fully benefit from IDO. Launching your own IDO platforms opens up opportunities for you to create your own community of fundraisers and investors, as well as form all the necessary conditions for the prosperity of your business.

By partnering with a leading crypto exchange development company like IdeaSoft, you can ensure the successful launch and scaling of your blockchain-based projects, backed by industry expertise and cutting-edge technology.The IdeaSoft team will take over the entire technical implementation of your idea, using the best blockchain development practices. Feel free to contact us to discuss the details of your project.

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Programming languages used in telemedicine

iOS app development

Android app development

Cross-platform app development

Third-party integrations

Innovative technology for telemedicine app development

Final thoughts

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Top 5 Promised Fintech Trends for 2025

1. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)

2. Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

3. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

4. WellTech as one of top fintech trends in 2024

5. Enhanced Security & Authentication Measures

Fintech Market Forecast 2025

Which Fintech Trends Are No Longer Trends?

How IdeaSoft Develops Modern Fintech Solutions

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Ukrainian software development market

5 reasons for outsourcing to Ukraine

Favorable economic environment

Time zone and culture

A large pool of skilled developers

Industry growth

Cost efficiency

Which cities in Ukraine are the best for outsourcing

Kyiv

Kharkiv

Lviv

Dnipro

Odesa

IdeaSoft outsourcing software development services

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What is the discovery phase in software development?

Why is the Discovery Phase Crucial?

When You Need Discovery Phase?

Key Steps of the Discovery Phase

Initial phase: Empathize, Define, Ideate

Technical Validation

Wireframing

Testing Approach & Areas

MVP Planning

Who Is Involved in the Project Discovery Phase Team?

How Long Does the Discovery Phase Take in Software Development?

How to Calculate the Cost of Product Discovery Phase?

Project discovery phase deliverables

Summary

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Software outsourcing market overview

Main criteria for choosing an outsourcing software development company

Technical education level

Time zone

Product development expertise

Resource availability

Price/quality ratio

Top software outsourcing destinations

Europe

Ukraine

Poland

Hungary

Asia

Latin America

What is the best country for IT outsourcing today?

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Telemedicine market overview

Types of telemedicine apps

Features for patients

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