Frontend

Frontend is the study of the components for creating, managing, maintaining and testing IT software, which can be defined as the logic programming required by all information systems to operate properly and provide the user with a practical and intuitive interface that enables them to use an application.


Timeline

2013-2023

Sector

Software Engineering

Scope

Frontend software development
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BACKGROUND

Technology is ever-present in our world and the greatest advancements in this area have been achieved with IT, essentially through the hardware and software that is running on it. Nowadays, practically any production process or leisure activity involves the use of software applications, and the usability of these depends, in a large measure, on a proper frontend development capable of ensuring the use of these applications result in an easy and attractive user experience. For this, it is essential that a proper analysis is carried out of the requirements, a proper planning and execution of the development as well as a careful design of the interface and user experience.

SOLUTE has an extensive record and a great technical capacity for developing software of the most varied types, from industrial automation systems to applications designed for professional use in specific sectors, to mobile apps suitable for private use.

Software development is a discipline that studies the components required for the creation, management, maintenance and testing of IT software, which can be understood as the logic programming that all IT systems need to operate properly and allow the user to enjoy the functions of an application through a practical and intuitive interface.

One of the facets of software development is frontend design, the part that is in contact with the user and is used by him/her to interact with the application. The frontend in turn communicates with the backend, which is the area that manages and processes the information provided by the user and returns the results requested through the frontend.

The frontend is always executed as an application on the user's device or within a browser in the case of web applications, while the backend, in some cases, is executed on the customer's machine (self-contained applications) or in one or more servers accessible through a communications network or the internet.

Often times the greatest problem of an application is the existence of a user interface that is not easy to use or intuitive, which lowers user productivity and involvement. For this reason, the most important part of frontend development is the designing of UI / UX (User Interface / User experience). While the design of the UI is focused on creating an attractive and practical interface, the design of the UX is focused on ensuring the actions to be carried out on the interface are logical and coherent with the processes that are to be carried out while the application is being used.



RESULTS

After a proper development process, efficient and effective software is obtained with an attractive and easy to use interface and a logical and intuitive work flow. All of this leads to improved productivity and greater involvement by the user as well as a better perception of the brand by the user. 

OTHER APPLICATIONS

Software development is applicable to any industry and sector. Most software projects require a frontend, making them highly versatile for use by all types of potential buyers.

EXPERIENCE

Since 2013, SOLUTE has been managing many projects, for internal use as well as for customers in varied fields, such as the energy or automotive sector.

In the wind sector, SOLUTE has developed and commercially exploits the Furow software for comprehensive project management, covering all its phases, to include the processing of wind data, micrositing and economic analysis to the calculating of wind resources.

Currently SOLUTE develops Aphelion, a range of products focused on providing high resolution weather forecasts that are relevant for the energy, agricultural, industrial or naval sectors.

Frontend development requires a series of components that cover the purely artistic aspect of the graphic design and the use of tools, to the much more technical analysis and programming of languages.

METHODOLOGY

Software development in general and frontend specifically, require being familiar with a series of preceding concepts about programming theory and algorithm analysis, but, due to the great speed with which interfaces are evolving on the market, it is very important that the latest trends are also taken into account in the design world.

Frontend development requires a series of components that cover the purely artistic aspect of the graphic design and the use of tools, to the much more technical analysis and programming of languages such as HTML, CSS or Javascript. Due to the increasingly social aspect of the projects, certain knowledge of human psychology and the dynamics of social interaction between people are often required.

Given the highly multidisciplinary nature of frontend development, the tools that are used cover a very wide spectrum: for designing prototypes and visual elements, a graphic design software such as the suite of Adobe Creative Cloud applications are used, while for creating the code itself, coding tools such as Microsoft Visual Studio Code are used. To streamline the development, of the code as well as the interface, some frameworks are uses such as jQuery, Laravel or Angular.js. In the case of web applications, tests can be carried out on different browsers and operating systems to ensure maximum compatibility of the final product with the largest possible number of configurations.

Just like in any type of somewhat complex software development, the use of version control tools such as Gitlab becomes essential.

Strictly monitoring the coding standards and style for the different languages is very important, and in the case of web based frontend development, monitoring the W3C standards that guarantee the compatibility of the development with the different customer environments. In recent years, following data protection regulations has become especially important in the different regions with respect to confidentiality, the right to cancel and correct the data and the use of tracking systems for statistical or advertising purposes such as the use of cookies.

Different methods are available for developing software, which is chosen depending on if the project to be carried out requires covering a need at a specific moment or if the project has long service life and commercial exploitation cycles. Currently, a methodology is used that is commonly referred to as agile methodology: initially a preliminary analysis is carried out of the application and then, the project is planned out by studying the best development platform and languages as well as carrying out an estimation of the required resources and the execution time lines.

Then, the coding process and the application tests are initiated to finally continue with the implementation on the envisaged platform. The project is considered to be complete once it is validated by the client or the pertinent corrections are made. Often times, when requested by the client, a subsequent continuous maintenance phase is initiated where modifications can be made to the application as well as improvements.

In applications with long operating cycles, the possibility of creating new development iterations is studied, where new functionalities can be added to the project to extend its service life. Upon completion of the project, documentation is delivered of the source code and database, if applicable, in the format and manner agreed to in the contract.

Wind

BIM Building Information Modeling

The implementation of the BIM methodology in wind parks and wind turbines allows creating a digital twin that provides us with very useful information, not only about cost, but also about the drafting of construction and maintenance plans.

Solar

Solar resource

Realistic definition, with the minimum uncertainty, of the solar resource available in an area, to calculate the photovoltaic production of a plant.