The future of digital

In software development, a new approach is gaining momentum: Composable Architecture, or as we rather call it, Smart Build. This approach promises flexibility, scalability, and faster time-to-market, making it a compelling choice for companies that want to stay agile and competitive. But what exactly is Composable Architecture, and why is it considered the future of software custom development? Let’s break it down in simple terms.

By the way, we use the term 'Smart Build' throughout this blog to describe what others call Composable Architecture. So whenever you see 'Smart Build' or 'Composable Architecture,' know we're talking about the same concept.

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What is Smart Build?

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Think of Composable Architecture as a system built from a collection of smaller, independent components. Each of these components can either be custom-built or sourced from external solutions. On top of that, there are essential, frequently-used components, the foundational elements we pull straight off the icapps shelf, ready to go. They are put together to form a cohesive whole. The key to this architecture is that these individual pieces follow specific standards, making them easy to reuse, swap, or upgrade without affecting the entire system.

Unlike traditional monolithic architectures, where all code is tightly interwoven, Composable Architecture allows for flexibility and modularity. Updates or changes to one component won’t disrupt the entire system, significantly reducing the risk of downtime or extended development cycles.

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Key principles of Smart Build

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To fully understand the advantages of Composable Architecture, it’s important to break down its three core principles: modularity, reusability, and loose coupling.

Modularity: In Composable Architecture, each component has its own responsibilities and can exist independently. This means you can add, remove, or modify components without needing to overhaul the entire system.

Reusability: One of the most significant benefits is the ability to reuse components across multiple projects. For example, a login form may look different in various applications, but its core functionality remains the same. This saves development time and resources by eliminating the need to build the same component repeatedly.

Loose coupling: Components in a composable system are designed to operate independently of each other, reducing dependency between them. This setup allows for faster updates and fewer complications when modifying one part of the system. However, it’s essential to remember that loose coupling isn’t a shortcut—thorough analysis is still crucial to ensure each component interacts smoothly and effectively with the others. Without a careful plan, independent parts may struggle to deliver a cohesive system.

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The future of Smart Build

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Composable Architecture is poised to play an even larger role as software development continues to grow in complexity. The demand for specialized solutions in areas like security, accessibility, and scalability is increasing. Fortunately, the rise of SaaS platforms allows for the integration of highly specialized services, further enhancing the flexibility of composable systems.

Companies and agencies are increasingly looking for ways to avoid starting from scratch every time. They want to focus on delivering high-quality solutions that meet their specific needs, and Composable Architecture is the perfect framework for achieving that.

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Discover all the benefits of Smart Build in part two

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As we wrap up this first blog, it’s clear that Composable Architecture is reshaping the software development landscape. In part two, we’ll peel back the layers even further and uncover the full potential of Composable Architecture. Expect to explore its flexibility, see how it stacks up against traditional and microservices architectures, and understand why it’s a cost-effective choice for the future. We’ll also tackle the common challenges and provide actionable solutions illustrated by a real-world example of composable architecture in action.

Go to part two!

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The Traditional Distinction Between AI, ML, and Deep Learning

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Traditionally the distinction has always been made between AI, ML, and deep learning as follows: Machine learning is the development of algorithms by providing data with answers and having the computer "figures out" how to get to the answer.
Artificial intelligence refers to the development of algorithms by telling the computer exactly what steps it should take.

For example, if you want to categorize apples and oranges. Using AI would mean that you look at the colors of the image. If it has more green, it's an apple, if the image contains more orange, it's an orange. Machine learning would require hundreds to thousands of images manually labeled as an apple or an orange. You can then "train" a "model" to detect if the image contains an apple or an orange. Deep learning takes this further by expanding and using more complex models.

This distinction is not complete though. AI is an algorithm or a combination of algorithms. While Machine learning is a specific type of algorithm that is not built, but trained. AI can contain Machine learning and that is why we often hear about tools that use Machine learning as AI. These tools often use a combination of logic and multiple Machine learning models to function.

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The Complex Relationship between AI and Machine Learning

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A more complex example is reading text (OCR - optical character recognition). To read the text in an image you need 3 main parts; find where there are words, find the characters in the words and read these characters. The detection of words is done by taking a part of the image and putting it through an ML model that says whether or not this is a word or sentence. Once a word/sentence has been found, the process is repeated to determine where there are characters in the word/sentence. Then these characters are sent to another Machine learning algorithm that determines which character it is.

The whole process contains different parts and some are Machine learning, but calling the whole process Machine learning isn't entirely correct.

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Applications of AI: AI Tooling, ML Tooling, and Custom ML

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You can also distinguish between the following AI applications:

• AI tooling: These are platforms where AI is available and can be directly used. Like ChatGPT and Midjourney, but it’s also available in for example PhotoShop and other applications
• ML tooling: Making use of (pre-trained) algorithms, think of cloud solutions like AWS personalization and Google Vision AI. These can be integrated into your processes and applications to enhance them.
• Custom ML: Self-trained models like our Epilepsy PoC, are the most dynamic, but they are also the most difficult ones to make. Custom ML is entirely custom build models that need to be trained to do exactly what you want.
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The Growing Prevalence of AI and ML in Our Daily Lives

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Despite the differences between AI and ML, both fields are rapidly advancing and are becoming more prevalent in our daily lives. From virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa to self-driving cars, AI and ML are changing the way we interact with technology. Understanding the distinction between these two fields and their applications can help us better appreciate the capabilities and limitations of these technologies.

Are you interested in AI and do you want to learn more about how you can use it in your business?

Customized to serve better

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From the outset, the City of Antwerp was clear that a one-size-fits-all solution wouldn’t suffice for their ambitious digital transformation goals. “Our preliminary research indicated that existing public apps were process-driven rather than user-centric,” Youri Segers, CDO/CIO at the City of Antwerp explains. “We needed an app that didn’t just serve but integrated seamlessly into the daily lives of our citizens.”

The decision to develop a custom app was bolstered by extensive user research, which revealed a strong local demand for more tailored digital services. “The enthusiasm from our citizens was unmistakable. They wanted an app that was intuitive and comprehensive - a true digital companion,” Youri adds.

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Building with and for the community

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Understanding the diverse needs of Antwerp’s population was crucial. The city partnered with local stakeholders, including businesses and community organizations, to ensure the app was inclusive and accessible to all. “We engaged with Atlas and incorporated feedback from less digitally skilled users to ensure no one was left behind,” Youri notes.

Digital inclusivity was a guiding principle throughout the app’s development, as Kris (CCO at icapps) elaborates, “We aimed to create an interface that was as simple as the most basic applications, ensuring that the elderly and less digitally savvy could also benefit.”

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Ambitious goals and a mobile-first strategy

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Antwerp’s choice of a mobile-first approach was strategic, leveraging the ubiquity and familiarity of smartphones to drive adoption. “Smartphones are a gateway to simplifying complex processes. This accessibility drives our digital transformation efforts forward,” says Youri.

The city has set robust targets for Mijn Antwerpen, aiming for a 35% adoption rate by 2026 and 70% by 2032.

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A gateway to city services

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Mijn Antwerpen is designed to be a holistic tool for residents and visitors alike. It acts as a portal to numerous city services, from administrative tasks to cultural engagement. “Whether it’s registering a birth, reporting issues, or finding out about local events, the app puts all these services at your fingertips,” Kris points out. Additionally, the integration of the A-card into the app allows users to digitally collect points and access rewards, improving the user experience further.

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Measuring success and looking ahead

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For the team behind Mijn Antwerpen, success is defined by user satisfaction and frequent engagement. “We will continue to enhance the app based on the community's feedback and evolving needs,” Youri states. “It’s about creating an application that grows with its user base.”

Kris reflects on the alignment between this project and icapps’ mission: “Building this app wasn’t just a project; it was a commitment to improving daily life in Antwerp. It reflects our core mission to enrich people's lives through technology.”

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The future of Mijn Antwerpen

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As Antwerp looks ahead, the roadmap for Mijn Antwerpen includes not just enhancements based on citizen feedback but also ensuring that all new digital projects are optimized for mobile use. “This is just the beginning. The potential for expanding the app’s capabilities is limitless,” Kris concludes with optimism.

In an earlier blog we discussed the who, what, why and when of the Facebook-originated React development framework. We already mentioned the existence of React Native, the mobile partner in crime, as an extra reason to start using React. But why would this partner in crime be a reason in itself to choose for React? To answer this question, let’s simply highlight the main advantages of React Native.

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1. React Native is Community-driven

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The development of the React Native framework actually started as a hackathon effort in 2013, responding to the need of the developer community: it was looking for a mobile alternative that would combine the advantages of mobile app development with the power and agility of the native React environment. This resulted in React Native, a framework created by Facebook, and supported and continuously pushed forward by the development community.
There are considerable advantages to using such a community-driven environment like the availability of a huge team of enthusiastic JS and native developers willing to share their knowledge and expertise and huge catalogs of freely available components.

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2. Maximum code reuse & cost saving

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By using React Native, you can use the same code for deployment on iOS as well as on Android. This means a huge saving in development time and cost. Theoretically, the development effort could be cut by half. In practice, the cost saving will be a little lower but still more than interesting enough to make the investment worth your while. According to recent calculations, about 90% of the code can be reused between Android and iOS, but it would be wise to calculate some extra time for practical modifications as well.

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3. Live reload

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React Native might be considered as the mobile next step after React: It builds on the React ideas and allows you to create powerful mobile applications. In fact, React Native features an interesting extra that you will not find in the native frameworks: the ‘live reload’ feature, enabling you to immediately see the result of the latest change that you have made to the code. If you have two windows opened – one containing the code and the other showing a mobile screen as a result of the code – you can immediately see the effect of what you have changed in one screen, on the other screen.

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4. Strong performance for mobile environments

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The React Native architecture is very well tuned to mobile devices. It makes use of the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), while native platforms are more ‘CPU (Central Processing Unit) intensive’. Compared to hybrid technologies – which was the only option for cross-platform in the past – React Native is superfast.

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5. Modular and intuitive architecture similar to React

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The same advantage that was already mentioned for using React can be highlighted here: the modular and intuitive interface makes it very easy for other developers to delve into someone else’s project and build upon it. This increases the flexibility within a development team, and makes it easier to create updates and upgrades to web applications. Additionally, testers will need less time to understand the programming logic and build appropriate testing scenarios. This will lead to valuable time-savings, which is a message that any customer and/or CFO loves to hear. Especially when this advantage is extended from web to mobile and vice versa.