Cloud Application Development Best Practices | Progress (2024)

Application Development

The rise of cloud computing has forever changed the world of application development.

Businesses are moving their applications to the cloud more frequently to benefit from its scalability, flexibility and cost-effectiveness. However, creating cloud applications has its own unique set of challenges. In this blog, we'll look at some best practices for cloud applications and outline how Progress OpenEdge, a robust enterprise application development platform, can help foster your success in the cloud.

What Is Cloud Application Development?

Cloud application development involves creating software applications that run in cloud environments. These environments offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• Scalability: Cloud platforms enable applications to scale horizontally or vertically—depending on demand—to promote optimal performance.
• Flexibility: Developers can choose from various cloud services and tools to build, deploy and manage their applications.
• Cost-Efficiency: Cloud-based applications can reduce infrastructure costs and offer pay-as-you-go pricing models.
• Global Reach: Cloud infrastructure allows applications to be accessible worldwide, improving accessibility for users.

Best Practices for Cloud Application Development

Microservices Architecture

Break your application into smaller, manageable components or microservices. This modular approach enables easier maintenance, scaling and fault isolation.

Containerization

Use container technologies like Docker to package your application and its dependencies. Containers provide consistency across different cloud environments and help streamline deployment.

DevOps Practices

Implement DevOps principles to automate deployment, testing and monitoring. Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines are essential for efficient cloud development.

Serverless Computing

Leverage serverless platforms for specific functions or tasks. Serverless computing reduces operational overhead and allows developers to focus on code.

Data Security

Facilitate robust data encryption, access control and compliance measures to help protect sensitive data in the cloud.

Monitoring and Analytics

Implement monitoring and analytics tools to gain insights into application performance, user behavior and security threats.

Cloud Application Development with Progress OpenEdge

Progress OpenEdge is a versatile application development platform that seamlessly integrates with cloud environments. Here's how it ties into cloud application development best practices:

• Containerization: OpenEdge can be containerized using Docker, promoting consistency and portability across cloud providers.
• DevOps Integration: OpenEdge can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines, automating deployment and testing processes. This streamlines the development lifecycle and enhances collaboration among development and operations teams.
• Serverless Compatibility: With OpenEdge, you can develop serverless functions using technologies like AWS Lambda and Azure Functions. This simplifies the development of event-driven, serverless components within your application.
• Data Management: OpenEdge data management capabilities—including data encryption, replication and synchronization—help keep your data more secure and accessible in cloud environments.
• Monitoring and Analytics: OpenEdge provides tools for monitoring application performance and collecting analytics data. You can integrate it with popular cloud monitoring solutions to gain valuable insights into your application's health and usage.

Considering Changing Your Cloud App Development Platform?

Cloud application development is essential for modern businesses seeking agility and scalability. To succeed in the cloud, developers must adhere to best practices, including containerization, DevOps, serverless computing and data security.

Progress OpenEdge is a valuable companion in this journey, as it offers the flexibility and compatibility needed to thrive in cloud environments. By incorporating OpenEdge into your cloud application development strategy, you can harness the power of the cloud while maintaining better control and efficiency in your development process.

Learn more about the benefits of using OpenEdge for application development.

Cloud Cloud Monitoring OpenEdge OpenEdge 12.8 serverless

Jessica Malakian

Jessica Malakian is a product marketing specialist at Progress who focuses primarily on Progress OpenEdge. Jessica is a recent college graduate and is excited to begin her professional journey with Progress. Outside of work, Jessica loves reading and writing.

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