The technical definition: It is a combination of structural elements and their individual set of interfaces using which a system is composed in addition to the framework behavior of all the structural elements.

In layman’s terms: It is a set of techniques and model/design that are supposed to be followed for building a structured mobile app ecosystem. It can also be denoted as an app’s skeleton upon which the working and quality is based.

So, everything that defines an app – how the data would move, the UI/UX, the choice of platform, the tech stack, etc., is a part of mobile app architecture patterns.

However, with a number of apps present in the market striving for users’ attention, a new found pressure has come on every full cycle app development company for coming up with apps that would stand out. All the pressures are focused on ensuring one thing – non failure of the mobile application. 

However, more often than not, the reason behind failure of an app can be attributed to app development companies paying less attention to one of the key elements of mobile application development – mobile application architecture design.

So, keeping this in mind, we will be discussing the key elements and layers of a perfect mobile app architecture design. 

The Elements to Consider When Developing Mobile App Architecture Design

Device determination

At this stage, you will have to keep the device type into consideration. This would need you to study the screen size, resolution, CPU characteristics, memory, and storage space, plus the availability of the development tool environment. 

The app features would have dependency on the software or hardware, which is why it is important to have the details of devices on which the app would run. 

Bandwidth status 

Throughout its lifecycle, your application will face several events where the internet connectivity will either be dwindling or there would be none at all. Your application architecture diagram will have to be built noting the worst network conditions. You will have to design the data access mechanism, caching, and state management according to the worst case scenarios. 

Right User Interface

The importance of UI/UX within an application is unquestionable. Ensuring that your UI is devised to keep users engaged and give them an uncluttered experience is an important part of your mobile application infrastructure – One that would define how well it is designed.

Navigation Approach 

While majorly accounted for the app architecture designing front, the element would call for an expertise in both backend and frontend. On the basis of your understanding of who the customers are and what are their app requirements, you should analyze which one of these would be good for your app:

• Stacked navigation bar
• Single view
• Scroll views
• Tab controller
• Search based 
• Model controller 
• Gesture driven

Knowing the elements will only take you halfway when dissecting the concept to its entirety. 

Real-time updates vs Push notifications

While deciding the mobile application architecture diagram, ask yourself whether your users need real-time updates or push notifications. Real-time updates can be compelling but it might be an expensive feature. Plus, this feature may also drain the phone’s battery and data.

All the mobile app architectures are divided into layers. Understanding what they are, helps mobile app development companies understand what architectures are made of. Let us look into the components of mobile application architecture next.

The Three Layers of Mobile App Development Architecture

Presentation Layer 

The aim of this layer is to look into how to present the application to end users. When designing this layer, the mobile app developers must identify the correct client type for intended infrastructure. Additionally, the client’s deployment restrictions must also be kept in mind. Another necessity is selecting the correct data format and using robust data validation mechanisms for protecting the apps from invalid entry. 

Business Layer 

This layer looks into elements on the business front. In layman words, it looks into the way businesses are presented to the end users. This consists of business components, workflow, and the entities under two sub-layer hood: Domain model and Service. 

The service layer looks into the definition of common application function set that are available to the end users. While the domain model layer looks into the knowledge and expertise linked to specific problem areas.

Data Layer

The data access layer must meet the application requirements and should help in offering efficient and secure data transactions. Mobile app developers should also consider the maintenance side of the data while ensuring that the data layer can be modified easily with the changing business requirements.

This layer consists of the data specific components such as access components, utilities, helpers, and the service agents. 

The three elements of mobile architecture patterns are placed under two subheads: Persistence Layer and Network Layer. The former offers simplified data access which is stored in the mobile app backend architecture, the latter is needed for making networking calls. 

The intent of everything you have read till now is to not just understand what is architecture but ‘What is a Good Mobile App Architecture’. Now, what makes an architecture a good architecture is the principle set it is based on. 

The Key Mobile Application Architecture Principles

Question: What are the foundations of a good app architecture in a mobile application ecosystem? Answer: A good mobile app architecture best practices (both Android mobile app architecture and iOS application architecture) is the one which enforces good programming patterns and assumptions.  

Meeting all these different conditions enables you to speed up the development process while making maintenance much easier. Additionally, a well devised mobile app design architecture in addition to platform centric technology is best used for solving complicated business issues in an effective manner for app projects – something that is fundamental in application development life cycle. 

Establishing an architecture as good is an event that calls for it to follow different principles. These principles also hold the answer to how to choose the right architecture for your mobile app. 

Portability 

It is the system’s ability to react to the changing environment. In the case of mobile apps, the environment changes maybe a lot more frequently noting the market and technological changes. A good architecture ensures that the system is portable enough to answer the changes, keeping the impact of those changes at the minimum.

Maintainability

Noting the requirement changes happening due to the environment changes should be modified to correct the faults, better the performance, etc. In such a scenario, there is always a need for constant app maintenance. A good mobile architecture and programming must ensure high maintainability while reducing the efforts needed to keep the system up and running. 

Reusability 

A good app architecture must understand that for a faster mobile app development process, it is important that components and protocols can be reused during updations or at redesign. Noting this, it is important that the architecture has the space for adding reusability in the structured app development cycle. 

Security 

Data security is the most major non-functional need of an application. The architecture must be robust enough for securing the data which is consumed by the app. It should also be in sync with the organization’s security ecosystem, while all the data which is stored on the device must be properly encrypted. 

Performance 

Users expect applications to be quick and issues free. If the app takes a lot of time to fetch the details, the probability of users abandoning the application increases manifold. A good mobile app architecture should be such that every single one of the users’ expectations are met to its entirety. 

This is the stage which would set the basis of your deep diving further into the types of app architecture and having a conversation with the engineering team about the technicalities of your mobile app development lifecycle. 

Appinventiv Recommended Ways to Choose a Mobile App Architecture Diagram

As a part of our full lifecycle application development service set, we have been offering custom software development services to our clients belonging to a vast range of industries for a very long time. Here is some advice that our team of designers and developers generally share with our digital partners when it comes to choosing the best mobile app architecture diagram – 

1. In case you don’t have any budget limitations, it is advised to build native software which provides intuitive performance and functionality. 
2. If your user base is made of both Android and iOS users and the end goal is to offer the best user experience, Appinventiv advises creation of native applications. But if you want to be present on multiple operating systems like Windows, you can go with cross-platform application development. 
3. To help engage your customers and your internal stakeholders, we recommend the creation of web and native software development to ensure business visibility and giving your customers the option to access your offering on multiple devices. 

Final Note

The success of any mobile application heavily relies on its architecture. Therefore, it’s really important to pay attention to what features you plan to include in your app, how you will deploy them, and how they will be connected in the architectural layers.

The type of architecture depends on many factors such as end-users, type of mobile platforms, and resources available. If it sounds difficult to you, it’s best to plan app development with a mobile app development company, which can suggest which architecture type to choose and the most effective ways to develop your app.

The post Explained: Mobile App Architecture – The Basis of App Ecosystem appeared first on Appinventiv.

The digital coins were conceived and then birthed to one day replace the issues associated with the fiat currency (like USD, Rupees, and Euro). With non universality, stark difference in currency value between one nation to another, etc. being some of those issues. 

While theoretically fit to be the ideal money, cryptocurrencies had a singular issue that kept (and are still keeping) them from becoming the universal currency. VOLATILITY. 

Lying right next to Hydrogen in the volatile chart, cryptocurrencies are notoriously famous for changing in valuation every passing minute. While thrilling for the investors, they are not logical for time based contracts. 

Imagine, you are employing a worker on a daily wage mode. On Day One, you are paying him 2 BTC, which is equivalent to 50 USD, now suppose the value of 1 BTC increases to 50 USD, you will now be paying him extra. And this can go the other way as well. The price might cut down in exact half. 

This situation you read above is what the effect of volatility is. 

Now, noting cryptocurrency’s other benefits, the industry started seeking a solution that would combat this issue. 

Enter the profound importance of Stablecoins. 

What are Stablecoins?

The idea of a price stable cryptocurrency has been doing the rounds for quite some time. Also with this there is an upsurge in the stablecoin use.

The stablecoin definition lies in its working. 

The price of Stablecoins are pegged {verb: fix (a price, rate, or amount) at a particular level} at a one-to-one ratio to universally accepted assets like the U.S. dollar or Gold, held in reserve as collateral. 

Suppose you buy 1 stablecoin for $1, you will then be able to sell the stablecoin for $1, later. 

Since they are pegged with an asset, they maintain a steady price. By doing this, they have become a major liquidity source in the volatile cryptocurrency market. The use of stablecoins can be seen with investors using them to buy other cryptocurrencies on the crypto exchanges which do not accept fiat currencies, and also as a place of saving funds when the crypto market is going through heavy price fluctuations. 

With the answer to what are stablecoins and what makes them a part of the future of cryptocurrencies now with you, let us head on to the types of stablecoins. 

Types of Stablecoins

1. Fiat-collateralized stablecoins 

This type is what massively defines what are stablecoins. 

These stablecoins are issued with respect to a fixed ratio pegged to the fiat currency. Here, the amount of issued tokens must be in 1:1 ratio with the total cash amount in vault or bank. 

For example, 1 stablecoin would be equal to the value of $1. So, for issuing 1 stablecoin, $1 will be kept at a central custodian such as a bank. This way, if your 1 stablecoin = $1, you will be able to pay your employee 25 stablecoin as daily wages (which would be equivalent to $25). 

Likewise, instead of issuing $250 for buying 5 Bitcoins, you will be able to use 250 stablecoins. 

The point in all this being that the 1:1 ratio must be maintained at all times. 

But by giving the authority to handle the process in the hands of centralized entities with their own governance protocols, doesn’t fiat-collateralized stablecoins goes against everything that Blockchain stands for?

After all, if the control is with a center body, how is it decentralized?

The same question was asked by many. The answer which the industry got them, was the Type 2 of stablecoins. 

2. Crypto-collateralized stablecoins 

Like fiat-collateralized stablecoins are backed by fiat currency or a global asset, crypto-collateralized stablecoins are backed by cryptocurrencies.

The idea is simple. By moving away from the fiat currency, we can remove centralization. By backing stablecoins with other cryptocurrencies instead of say USD, everything will be on Blockchain.

And the peace will be restored. 

But. Hold on. 

Doesn’t it get us back to where we started? Because cryptocurrencies were volatile, we created stablecoins. Now, by pegging them with the same cryptocurrencies, wouldn’t we make them a lot more volatile? 

There is only way to solve this Catch 22 (noun: a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.) : Over Collateralization.

Let us explain this with an example. 

Suppose you take a bank loan, keeping your house as mortgage. The bank now has a guarantee that even if you are unable to return the loan amount, it will take your property. 

In this case, the home is cryptocurrency and the loan amount is your stablecoin. If you want to get 5 stablecoins issued, you will first have to deposit 50 bitcoins. This way, there is enough scope for absorbing price fluctuations.  

In the worst case scenario, if the price of your pegged cryptocurrency falls too down, the stablecoins will be liquidated (a process that will be governed by smart contracts). 

As an idea, crypto-collateralized stablecoins are cool. But they come with some deal-breaking disadvantages.

A. they are more volatile than fiat-collateralized stablecoins.

B. they can be destroyed spontaneously. When the price of your pegged cryptocurrency lowers heavily, your stablecoin will get liquidated into the crypto. E.g: suppose the value of your 50 Ethers, continuously decline, the value of your 5 stablecoins will eventually get merged and destroyed and you will be left with only 45 Ethers (50-5= 45).

As you dive deeper into this world, you will begin to think, do we need collateralization, at all? After all, if the US was able to move off the gold standard and no longer be backed by any underlying asset, why can’t your stablecoin do the same?

This brings us to the Third Type.

3. Non-collateralized stablecoins

The arguments made by F.A. Hayek in the 70s says that a privately issued, non-collateralized, price-stable currency would challenge the dominance of fiat currencies.

Now, ensuring that price stability happens, is what Robert Sams’s Seigniorage Shares scheme is based on. 

According to the scheme, there should be a smart contract that works on one monetary policy: ensuring that an issued currency will trade at $1. And how does that work, you ask? 

Here’s the answer of Collateralized vs. non-collateralized stablecoins. 

Suppose your stablecoin is valued at $2. This means, the supply is low and demand for the coin is high. To solve this, the smart contract will create new stablecoins and then auction them in market. This will bring the demand and supply to one point and the value will come at $1. 

Now what if the coin value is $0.50. How will you lower the supply? 

There’s one way to do it: purchase the stablecoins and lower the circulating supply.

Non-collateralized stablecoins are ambitious. But it comes with several unanswered questions: How much downward pressure would the system take? Won’t whales play around the system once it starts declining? These questions make the whole system prone to sentiment based price swings and panics.

Seeing all the stablecoins from a logical standpoint, it is safe to say that none of them are “Ideal”. On a rough level, here is what an ideal coin which addresses all the challenges of stablecoins would look like – 

Even while we are waiting for the industry to come with its own version of ideal stablecoin, what cannot be ignored is their benefits. Going by the concept and the working use cases of stablecoins (the list is shared later in the article), they have what it takes to be the bridge that fills the gap between digital and fiat currency. 

But prior to knowing how are stablecoins used, it is necessary to know their importance. 

These benefits of stablecoins are what majorly makes up for the answer of what are stablecoins:

Importance of Stablecoins 

• Rise in blockchain development company, owing to the alignment between fiat and digital world. 
• Bigger access to global financial system: everyone using the internet will be able to get stablecoins.
• The intersection of tokenized securities and stablecoins, will make dividends and investments practical.
• Greater programmability would happen since the stablecoin payments would not be subject to cryptocurrencies’ volatility.

List of Stablecoins

213 stablecoin projects are estimated to have come into existence ever since the launch of the term back in 2014, with the current stablecoin market cap being $3,197.89 USD. While not all of them saw the morning sun, the number of stablecoins operating and in plan is not less. 

With brands like Walmart and Facebook entering the stablecoin game, the market is poised to be on a steep rise. And so would be the increase in confusion of which stablecoin is the best. 

• Tether
• DAI
• USD Coin
• Gemini Dollar
• True USD
• Paxos Standard Token

Bitspark has done an amazing job at explaining the features set of each of the stablecoin and the blockchain that supports them. But, you should take the list with a grain of salt, simply because the market is on a growth spur. Meaning, there is no guarantee that the names which are in list today will be here tomorrow. 

At this note, it will be worth mentioning who all are issuing the stablecoins, now or in the time to come. 

1. JP Morgan: After calling bitcoin a “fraud”, the US Bank unveiled its plan to launch its stablecoin. The plan behind this cryptocurrency is to speed up the settlement time in case of international transactions. 
2. IBM has launched its blockchain-powered World Wire in collaboration with Stellar, with the aim of developing cross-border payments network. Here, international banks would be able to develop their stablecoins backed by the local fiat currency. 
3. Facebook hired dozens of engineers to create its fiat-pegged stablecoin, Libra, which users could use to send money to their family and friends across borders, from within their apps. 

Conclusion 

The purpose of stablecoins is a lot bigger than enabling financial contracts or being a transparent & semi-stable way for traders to trade. It is the evolution of money. 

It is the new money that will be controlled algorithmically, in the absence of any political stimulus. It would simply serve the use of being an advanced medium of transaction and as a unit of account that we have in human history. 

And so it is imperative that we prepare for the limitations of stablecoins and get it right. 

Standing on the same parallel grounds as the idea of John Nash’s ideal money, stablecoin has what it takes to become a global money standard – one that is similar to the standard measure, like the metric system. It has given us a way to develop a decentralized currency which promotes price stability. 

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