However, there is a large caveat: in order for open-source code to bring your software the above-mentioned benefits, it needs to be of good quality.

Part of open-source code’s appeal is that anybody can access and edit it. This leads to potentially thousands of developers reviewing the code, fixing bugs, and bringing their expertise to the table. But on the other hand, because of the openness of this scheme, just a couple of people with bad intentions or sloppy coding practices can lower the quality. So, before incorporating any open-source code into your project, you must assess its quality.

And if you’ve already used open-source code, it isn’t too late to check it for flaws! To illustrate this, let’s take a look at Redmine, a popular project management tool with wide cross-platform abilities.

How Intetics Used TETRA™ for Comprehensive Assessment of the Open-Source Management Tool

First, a little bit of background about Redmine: this free, open-source tool allows users to manage projects and documentation, track issues and time efforts, build Gantt charts, etc. It supports 49 languages, is compatible with various version control systems, and offers a diff viewer and repository browser. It’s a pretty powerful tool, but due to its Open-Source origin, it can be tricky to maintain a common quality level.

Intetics’ TETRATM performed an in-depth audit and assessment of the product in order to measure technical debts, evaluate product efficiency, and rate compliance with industry standards. Analysis of the Redmine project was made under the 8 dimensions that the Technical Debt Reduction Platform (TETRATM) covers. They are as follows:

1. Source Code Quality
2. Usability, Documentation, and UI
3. Security
4. Performance
5. Business Logic
6. Architecture Quality
7. Data Quality
8. Open-Source Code Use

The Assessment Process

2 different versions of Redmine were evaluated in order to identify the vector of the project’s movement and adapt the testing approach. The first assessment was carried out with TETRA™  for Redmine 3.3.9. At the time, these performance, UI, and security problems were found:

• The application’s performance needed to be improved. The best option was to move to cloud services.
• The user interface had to be updated because it did not satisfy the users’ needs and was partially outdated.
• The TETRA™ team revealed security aspects to improve.

Redmine 5.0.0 was analyzed again in order to assess the app development dynamics. The focus was on the problems revealed during the first assessment. Here are the main outcomes:

• Performance tests: The performance of Redmine 5.0.0, with the same workload as the 3.3.9 version, was poorer for some requests related to rarely-used features like Login or Ticket creation. They don’t affect regular users. At the same time, the updated version shows significant improvement at peak load: the maximum possible number of users has almost tripled.
• Usability tests: No critical problems were detected, and the general quality level increased from Low to Medium. As per TETRATM team, the app’s rating is 4/5 due to the standard terms for such tools, a not overworked UI, and an intuitive functionality hierarchy and layout. Although it’s an open-source app, its minor problems don’t affect end users. The tool is simple and convenient to use.
• Security tests: Redmine 5.0.0. shows significant security improvements. The general rating increased from Low to Medium, which means the previously detected serious vulnerability issues are eliminated. While some low-priority vulnerabilities were still found, the development team maintains the product properly, prevents new security problems, and keeps improving the security level.

Results

• The overall quality of Redmine has improved
• The latest analysis showed that product metrics have improved; compared to version 3.3.9. Still, there are areas to refine related to the usability, security, and performance of the application to provide a better experience for end-users.

Assess the Quality of Your Open-Source Code With TETRA™

TETRA™ aims to help designers and developers understand how much technical debt their project has. While open-source code quality is an important component, TETRA™ assessed much more than that!

The assessment is based on the results of over 29 years of experience and 6,000 hours of research conducted by the provider, Intetics. The areas assessed are based on ISO standards, and results are presented in an easy-to-understand manner.

So, are you ready to bring any issues in your software to the surface? Reach out today to order a TETRA™ assignment — we’ll show you where your project’s technical debt is hiding.

Read also: Open-Source Assessment Use Case: TETRA™ Detected Significant Improvements in the Quality of the Odoo ERP System

The post Open Source Assessment Use Case: TETRA™ detected significant improvements in the quality of the Redmine cross-platform application appeared first on Intetics.

This income is expected to grow even more and is set to reach $1,249 million by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.6% over the next five years. The upshot is clear: the industry needs a more effective and profitable management system and it is ready to pay it.

The post-pandemic reality has forced hospitality business owners to use novel methods to ensure their customers are provided with top-notch accommodation. The respective market is now determined by a suitable set of innovative technological solutions. That is why centralized computer systems continue to develop and improve, delivering greater flexibility to players in the hospitality sector.

The Benefits of a PMS with an Open API

A PMS enables hotel owners to organize and handle the daily functions of their businesses effectively. Recent advances in technology deliver even more opportunities for hotels and restaurants to streamline their internal processes, improving the customer experience, and thus, in turn, increasing overall revenue.

Modern technology vendors offer various solutions that can be used to complement existing PMS functionality instead of replacing it with a brand system. So, if a hospitality company strives to reach the next level of scalability by reacting promptly to the rapidly changing digital needs of its clients, it should keep track of the latest updates. Using an open API and integrating new features in accordance with the most recent market trends is an intelligent strategy. 

An open API (application programming interface) is a publicly available interface that enables developers to integrate other software apps with their existing systems. APIs govern the way one app communicates with another and provide a stable data exchange. Which crucial features only become available through the use of an open API:

• Automation of most processes
• Digitalization of some offline services
• Digital check-in/out
• Contactless booking
• Multichannel booking
• Self-service payment system
• Use of electronic signatures
• Integration of social media features
• Integration of additional services from business partners
• Availability of digital documentation via different sources

For example, one can use information about bookings stored by the PMS with an open API and share it with other apps. Therefore, when multiple apps are linked to the same database, managing the workload of staff and automatically scheduling shifts becomes a reality. A PMS can also be linked via an open API to the applications that calculate employees’ salaries. 

Closed APIs significantly complicate the process of adding new features and may even cause problems such as duplicated bookings. For instance, when a mobile app (or any third-party booking service) and PMS are not linked to the unified database of a property, the staff will either have to fill in the booking requests manually or deal with consequences that may affect the good image of the company.

How to Set Up the Ideal PMS for a Hospitality Business?

The architecture of the tech solutions that can be modified provides enterprises with a certain degree of freedom. Modern companies don’t have a good chance of surviving without a clear understanding of the fact that their PMS must be open to constant technological improvement. However, this becomes an option only with an open API, whereby a company can profit from new technologies by integrating them into their existing system. 

Speaking from experience, approximately 90% of all operating hotels still use traditional PMS setups. The main reason for this is a lack of knowledge; sadly, most CEOs don’t pay much attention to the need to adjust the applied architecture to achieve the necessary freedom. Even though the pandemic has clearly pointed out the weaknesses of existing systems, hotels aren’t in a position to focus on the automation and digitalization of their services. They hit a wall due to the limitations of the PMS they use. Today, any PMS with a closed API is rightfully considered obsolete, as it deprives hoteliers of the tools they need to enhance their business. What are the main drawbacks of systems with closed APIs:

• Predominance of manual labor that leads to the slow processing of information
• Mistakes caused by the lack of automation (human factors)
• Complexity or inability to integrate with external services 

Intetics helps business owners get rid of the restrictions by providing the services of skillful architects who possess extensive knowledge in legacy system migration and niche development. As Intetics say: “Let us think about technology. And you focus on your core job – serving guests.”

The Final Note

Outdated property management systems are a major obstacle to the effective functioning of hotels. It’s impossible to maintain a business approach based on innovation and agility without the flexibility delivered through the features of an open API. Not only does this represent a viable future investment by implementing modern cloud-based management solutions, but it also helps improve the customer experience which strongly depends on automation and convenience for most of the B2C services being provided.

Find out more on Hospitality Software Solutions.

The post The New Architecture of a Hotel Operating System with an Open API appeared first on Intetics.

Companies are published within various categories, including:

• Branding agencies
• Social media marketing agencies
• Web development companies
• Big Data

And many more!

Receiving a Manifest award is highly coveted, as awardees are featured in a press release, are offered content marketing support to improve publicity, and are offered a “Most Reviewed Company” badge.

On September 15th, The Manifest Awards released its first report on top Ukrainian firms, in which Intetics was a featured leader. We are excited and grateful to be included on this list, and we look forward to improving our leading position in Ukraine even further.

The post Intetics Is One of the Manifest’s Top Ukrainian Companies 2021. appeared first on Intetics.