Programs and applications often offer different views or access levels to the underlying data and functionality. At Helm & Walter, we specialize in the technical aspects of the backend of digital applications. As fullstack developers, we also offer extensive support for your frontend challenges. This ensures a perfect interplay between robust, stable backend systems and great user interfaces (UI) for your customers or employees.
There are numerous ways to create a frontend for an application. In most cases, we rely on cross-platform technologies such as:
For applications and simple static pages to be displayed in a web browser, content and controls are defined using HTML and styled and positioned using CSS. Every browser interprets HTML and CSS slightly differently or offers special features.
To implement websites and projects in responsive design, separate display instructions must be defined in CSS for each relevant screen size.
HTML5 Logo by W3C
JavaScript is a scripting language that can be executed by a web browser. This allows dynamic changes to websites, such as animations or loading content without reloading the entire page. The goal is to enhance static HTML pages and improve user experience (UX).
Using scripting languages like JavaScript or TypeScript, websites and web applications can be created fully dynamically. That means the HTML of the site is not only modified but largely generated initially through scripts. The data to be displayed (e.g. lists of texts) is retrieved from a server and the actual page is built in the browser. Since no full page reloads or URL changes are required, such applications are called Single-Page Applications (SPA) – complex, dynamic web applications available under a single URL. These can also be delivered as independent cross-platform apps.
There are several libraries (frameworks) that help developers create SPAs and offer standardization. The basic approach is similar: for different program states, specific views are defined and composed of reusable components like menus, forms, or text blocks to build the user interface.
Vue is a JavaScript library that simplifies the development of complex, dynamic web applications. Vue.js is a relatively new technology and is under active development, continuously improving in performance and capabilities. It is lightweight and easy to use, which can significantly reduce development time.
React is a JavaScript library or framework that enables SPA and web app development. It was developed by Facebook and is widely compatible with modern and older browser infrastructures.
Angular is a frontend framework for web apps developed as an open-source project by a large community led by Google. Unlike other frameworks, Angular uses TypeScript and is supported by all modern browsers. Its mobile-first approach ensures optimal performance on mobile devices.
Flutter is a UI toolkit from Google for creating natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. It's known for its fast development, visual consistency, and high performance.
The backend, or server-side, is much more technical and often less tangible for clients and users. Nevertheless, Helm & Walter specializes particularly in solutions in this area. A solid backend forms the foundation for a stable and powerful IT solution. Therefore, special attention needs to be paid to this part.
Backend technologies can be fundamentally divided into three major areas, each requiring special expertise:
Web servers form the basis for many applications. Helm & Walter IT-Solutions specializes in implementing distributed systems, cloud services, and web applications (web apps). We primarily rely on a Linux-based cloud server infrastructure that offers maximum flexibility and reliability for us and our customers.
For the management, setup, and customization of these servers, we use a variety of state-of-the-art technologies. This allows us not only to secure the operation of your (web) server-based application but also to create flexible and realistic development and test environments. This, in turn, minimizes risks during later deployment.
We offer expertise in many other programming languages, frameworks, and technologies for your diverse development needs.
In most use cases we handle at Helm and Walter, the collection, management, analysis, and presentation of data are at the forefront. It doesn't matter how extensive these data volumes are – we find powerful solutions even for large amounts of data.
Databases are typically used for storing and processing data. These store entries in tables that are sometimes strongly interconnected. Searches or analyses can then be performed on this data. A good and professionally designed structuring of your data forms the basis for a high-performance IT solution. We support you in finding, developing, and implementing such a solid data model.
We can also help you with NoSQL (Not only SQL) systems for extremely large database systems.
Of course, we also assist you in migrating your existing data to a new system.
Software must run on a web server to receive, process, and respond to requests from clients (end devices such as PCs, mobile devices, or other servers). These programs can be created with different programming languages and technologies. At Helm and Walter, we primarily use Java, PHP, or Python for backend programming. PHP in particular has become the standard for such tasks. However, various base frameworks can be used.
Laravel is a relatively new and very powerful PHP framework that is continually being expanded in its functionality through many additional projects. It also offers developers extensive support, which shortens the development time of IT projects.
Symfony is also a PHP framework or a program library that provides functions and components for recurring tasks and problems in PHP programs, thus reducing development times and helping to avoid errors.
Zend is considered outdated today but was still very widespread until a few years ago. We use our many years of experience with this framework to keep existing systems running.
FastAPI is a tool for creating APIs. APIs allow data exchange between software components. FastAPI is favored for developing robust and fast APIs. With inclusion of features like type validation, errors are detected and corrected early on. Therefore, it's ideal for interactive websites and apps.
Comprehensive Python web framework enabling rapid development of secure, maintainable websites. Django provides numerous ready-to-use components with built-in authentication and admin interface, ideal for database-driven sites and complex applications.
An application isn't finished when it goes live – that's when the real test begins. Our DevOps expertise ensures that software runs reliably even under real-world conditions. We rely on active monitoring, automated deployments, proven tools, and experienced professionals to detect issues early and respond quickly. This guarantees smooth operations, continuous optimization, and high availability.
In an era of technological upheaval, Machine Learning (ML) is at the forefront for businesses looking to effectively master the challenges of digital transformation. Our AI software agency offers custom solutions that enable the intelligent use of data, automation of processes, and gaining valuable, previously unseen insights. ML algorithms assist in decision-making by identifying patterns and trends in large datasets that would remain hidden to the human eye. As your AI software agency, we support our clients in implementing these technologies and in building internal competencies to fully exploit the potentials of AI and Machine Learning.
Large Language Models (LLMs) such as Chat-GPT are revolutionizing the way businesses automate document processing and comprehension. These advanced AI models enable a deeper, context-aware understanding of language, making them ideal for tasks such as automated text generation, semantic text analysis, and personalized chatbots. We leverage these technologies to provide customized AI solutions that optimize and support customer service or internal processes.
Digital Twins are virtual models of real systems or processes, enabled by advanced simulation software and IoT technologies. These innovative digital twins allow companies to monitor, analyze, and optimize their facilities and operations in real-time. By providing precise forecasts and condition monitoring, Digital Twins revolutionize maintenance, enhance efficiency, and drive product development. Our agency supports businesses and research institutions in implementing customized Digital Twin solutions tailored to their specific needs.
Technological versatility is our strength! From classic enterprise applications to modern cloud-native architectures, we master the entire spectrum of software development. We rely on proven and innovative programming languages to achieve the ideal balance of stability, performance, and future-readiness for your project.
PHP is a server-side scripting language primarily used in web development. PHP supports object-oriented programming paradigms and is often employed as the backend language in CMS and e-commerce platforms.
TypeScript is a strictly-typed superset of JavaScript that adds static typing. It enhances code quality and understandability, and is often used in large-scale applications.
Python is an interpreted high-level general-purpose programming language. Known for its simple syntax, Python promotes readable code and reduces the cost of program maintenance. It supports multiple programming paradigms and is often used for web and software development, data analysis, and artificial intelligence.
We offer expertise in many other programming languages, frameworks, and technologies for your diverse development needs.
