This is another excerpt from this summer’s 31-page intern project report (PDF). All of this was written entirely by our interns, with only some editing feedback from professional Oasis Digital developers or managers.
Tools
Node.js
Node.js is a server-side platform built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine. Programs for the platform are written in JavaScript, meaning the average programmer does not need to learn a new language. Rather than being multi-threaded, Node.js is single-threaded, which enables event-driven, asynchronous I/O. Most Node.js I/O functions are given callbacks as a parameter which are called when the I/O activity is complete. This allows the app to continue to run smoothly even through intensive I/O activities [1]. The team found the cons of Node.js to outweigh the pros. We decided that Node.js is a good choice for small-scale projects without a lot of server-database interaction. For larger projects, the amount of callback functions that are needed becomes foolish. A long chain of callbacks is made when the server needs to execute many functions linearly. This causes confusion while reading the code because of code-indentation and the sheer amount of callbacks. We had to nest four callbacks within each other in our project, and it was painful. Another problem with Node.js is that it can become difficult to think in an asynchronous manner for complicated processes. Unfortunately, many Node.js functions do not provide a synchronous option; asynchrony is forced upon the developer.
Node Package Manager (NPM)
Node Package Manager is a universal repository for Node.js modules (applications). NPM comes packaged with the Node.js installation. Modules are able to be imported and re-used in applications, creating a web of module dependencies. A JSON file, package.json, is used to record the modules that an application requires to function. NPM is able to download and install all dependencies for a specific module based on the contents of package.json. NPM is a wonderful tool as long as the package.json file is updated whenever a new package is added. A downside of NPM is that packages are not automatically added to the file when installed. The repository is hosted on Node’s servers and is accessible via command line or their website [2].
JIRA
JIRA is an issue-tracker which made up a large part of the project management aspect of the project. JIRA allows bugs, new features, improvements, and tasks to be created and assigned to members of the development team. JIRA includes a customizable workflow which each issue needs to flow through before completion. This allows for in-depth progress tracking for each issue and the ability to know each developer’s role in bringing an issue to completion. JIRA helped to organize daily tasks for the team and removed any chances of duplicate fixes. It provided an excellent interface for watching the progress and history of our project. JIRA includes a user-customizable dashboard that is able to include graphs or other representations of data regarding the project [3].
The image above shows two examples of JIRA graphs. The first graph displays issue delegation, and the second graph displays whether the team is keeping up with the amount of open issues.
BeeBole
BeeBole is an online timesheet service for small and medium-sized businesses. BeeBole provides a week-by-week calendar for employees to enter the hours they worked per day [4]. Each week, the employee submits their timesheet for approval. A project manager or owner of the business then processes and approves the timesheet on a bi-monthly basis and sends a paycheck through a service called SurePayroll. The BeeBole dashboard offers customizable graphs displaying personalized information regarding your timesheet. These graphs include hours worked per project, hours per day, trends throughout the month, and many other options. Managers and owners have access to charts that show the total hours of the company per project which allows more efficient management of a business.
(to be continued)
