In the fast-paced world of modern application development, APIs are the glue that connects systems, services, and devices. REST APIs, in particular, are widely used for their simplicity, scalability, and flexibility. But as APIs grow in complexity and scale, managing them effectively becomes a challenge. That’s where the OpenAPI Specification (OAS) comes in. OpenAPI offers […]
One of the benefits of using Shopify as an ecommerce platform is that it provides robust inventory management features. However, maintaining accurate inventory records in real-time can be challenging, especially for merchants who rely on manual data entry during inventory audits or restocking. Handheld barcode scanners are a great solution for increasing speed and accuracy […]
Shopify is a massively popular ecommerce platform in wide use by retail businesses large and small. Though Shopify provides easy-to-use tools for setting up and running an online storefront, managing the vast amount of data behind the scenes, such as product catalogs, customer information, order records, and inventory, can quickly become complex. Businesses often need […]
With Version 2025 Release 2, we’ve expanded functionality for working with YAML, OpenAPI, and XBRL, while also introducing new support for Shopify data integration. Our ongoing commitment to integrating and enhancing support for popular technologies means developers have the functionality they need to stay in step with evolving industry standards—using tools they already know and […]
ETL—extract, transform, load—is the backbone of modern data integration. While most technical professionals understand the basics, the real challenge lies in designing efficient, scalable ETL processes that handle complex data transformations while maintaining performance and accuracy. In our latest video series, we break down how ETL works, common challenges with defining ETL workflows, and how […]
ETL processes span a wide spectrum of complexity, from straightforward tasks like a one-to-one mapping of an API payload to a database, to highly intricate scenarios requiring extensive data filtering, transformation, and manipulation. Altova MapForce can tackle this full range of ETL tasks. This video tutorial explores a common ETL scenario: This particular transformation is […]
ETL processes are increasingly required in modern enterprises as organizations receive data in diverse formats that must be transformed and loaded into target databases or business systems. ETL projects range from simple to highly complex, depending on the specific requirements. A common example of a straightforward ETL process involves extracting CSV data from incoming files, […]
XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) is an open, XML-based standard for the electronic submission of business and financial data. Though XBRL specifies what data must be reported and provides a standardized way of doing so, companies and regulatory agencies need a way to ensure the quality of data that is submitted. One approach is by […]
The Altova Server Platform is comprised of the complete family of Altova’s high performance server software for automating data processing and data integration workflows. These cross-platform server software products allow for flexible installation either on premises or in any private or public cloud infrastructure. For customers utilizing the Microsoft Azure cloud, we’ve created a convenient, […]
Docker has revolutionized how developers build, ship, and run applications by offering a lightweight, portable solution for containerizing software. Containers package applications with all their dependencies, ensuring they run consistently across different environments, whether on a developer’s machine, a test server, or in the cloud. Compared to traditional virtual machines, Docker containers are faster to […]
PDF documents are used at many stages of modern business workflows, often serving as the format of choice for invoices, reports, legal contracts, and other critical documents. While PDFs are ideal for preserving content integrity and a particular visual layout, their structure makes automated data extraction challenging. For organizations engaged in data integration and ETL, […]
The European Banking Authority (EBA) requires banks to use the XBRL data format for their filings. XBRL is a standardized format that makes it easier to collect, analyze, and compare data from different financial institutions. By adhering to the EBA XBRL taxonomy, banks submit data that is consistent and easy to validate, which simplifies the […]
With YAML becoming increasingly common in configuration files and data exchange, it makes sense for developers to seek out specialized YAML editors to add to their everyday toolkit. Although YAML is simple, its strict reliance on indentation and formatting can make it prone to errors. Intelligent YAML editors provide features that can make coding faster […]
The latest version of the Altova product line introduces a host of new features and functionality. Customers now have access to new, visual YAML editing tools, improved options for extracting PDF data for mapping to other formats, updated SQL and NoSQL data integration support, and more. Whether working with Altova developer tools, server software products, […]
Handheld barcode scanners are indispensable in many sectors today, from retail and logistics to healthcare, shipping, and manufacturing. These devices play a critical role in capturing real-time data, such as inventory updates, order tracking, and customer details. However, integrating scanned data seamlessly into backend systems is just as important as collecting it. Barcode scanner apps […]
The latest version of Altova MobileTogether introduces frequently requested support for building apps that connect to mobile barcode scanners. This addition makes the low-code development framework even more useful for creating solutions across industries that rely on barcodes and QR codes to update data in real time. Version 10.0 also includes a new Styles Inspector […]
In programming, modularization is the practice of dividing functionality into separate, independent modules. Modularization in app development is an efficient way of organizing app components and enabling collaboration within development teams. A modular approach also helps make testing, debugging, and maintenance of the app easier and more straightforward. MobileTogether offers some classic – and some […]
XQuery Update Facility is an extension of the XQuery language that allows you to make changes in an XML document using “update expressions” that insert, delete, replace, or rename nodes. This extension provides a convenient way to make intelligent updates to XML documents, and XMLSpy has a unique implementation that makes it even easier. Let’s […]
YAML is increasing in popularity due to its combination of human readability, simplicity, and versatility. Often used in configuration files and for data serialization, YAML can be used alongside JSON and XML in modern systems. It makes sense, then, for developers to choose an IDE that supports all three standards. New YAML tools in XMLSpy […]
The latest release in Altova’s line of desktop developer tools and server software products includes support for new industry standards, updated database support, and performance optimizations. With each new product version, we aim to provide customers with a mix of developer-requested features, support for emerging standards, and performance improvements. Version 2024r2 is no different, with […]
Visual, no code tools like Altova RecordsManager have revolutionized the field of data-centric app creation, making it faster and more accessible. But now imagine expressing your database vision in a single sentence, and having it created automatically – including not just the database structure and tables, but forms and reports as well. That’s exactly what […]
As IoT adoption continues, smart devices are driving efficient automation in our homes, in offices, and at scale in myriad industrial applications. Communication protocols play an increasingly pivotal role in ensuring seamless connectivity between devices used in these scenarios. One such protocol that has gained widespread adoption for its efficiency and lightweight nature is MQTT. […]
Version 9.0 of MobileTogether, Altova’s low code app development framework, is now available with new features including comprehensive MQTT support, support for new gestures, drawing barcodes and QR codes, dark mode, and much more. Here’s a look at all the highlights.
Batch-to-batch and batch-to-one are common scenarios in data integration & ETL projects. Check out these batch data mapping how-to videos.
AI is a great productivity booster for IT projects, and working with databases is one area where AI is really making inroads for improving efficiency. By leveraging AI in database tools, DBAs and database developers of any skill level can save time and effort with AI-generated SQL scripts and sample data, for instance, as well […]
The explosion of AI tools has made a significant impact on the field of software development – not by replacing software engineers as some have predicted – but by actually increasing their value by freeing them to focus on higher-level tasks. By automating low-level code generation, for instance, AI increases development speed and opens the […]
MapForce, Altova’s award-winning data mapping tool, includes support for PDF input in data integration and ETL workflows. The MapForce PDF Extractor makes it easy to define rules for extracting PDF data in a structured format to make it available for mapping to other popular formats like Excel, XML, JSON, databases, and more. Let’s take a […]
Version 2024 of Altova Software introduces brand new AI Assistants in multiple products as well as long-awaited support for PDF data integration in MapForce. Other features include Markdown editing support, split output preview for business report creation, support for new XBRL standards, and much more. Let’s take a look at the highlights.
The advantages of JSON as a lightweight, human-readable, interoperable data format have led to its widespread adoption in various domains, including web development, mobile app development, and backend services. Many programming libraries and frameworks provide built-in support for JSON parsing and serialization. That said, most applications still benefit from or require validation of client-submitted data. […]
Data mapping plays a vital role in modern data-driven organizations, enabling efficient data management and integration. Altova MapForce is a powerful, graphical data mapping tool that supports endless data transformation scenarios, including one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and chained data conversion. While there are applications for each of these approaches, chained data mapping is especially helpful for […]
Altova MapForce offers a powerful, yet easy-to-use, approach to converting and transforming data. Whether you need to write XML to a database, convert JSON to EDI, or map Excel to multiple different data formats, MapForce has you covered. From simple one-to-one conversions to complex ETL scenarios, the MapForce approach is to represent data structures as […]
Code editors with a graphical option in addition to the traditional text view are great for developers working with XML or JSON. Graphical editors like Grid View in XMLSpy provide a visual representation of the JSON or XML structure, making it easier to understand, navigate, and edit complex data hierarchies. XMLSpy introduced Grid View years […]
To meet current mandates, ESEF (European Single Electronic Format) reports must be filed in XBRL. To accelerate the process, regulated companies can take advantage of intelligent software tools to fill the reports with data. One such tool from Altova allows organizations to create valid ESEF XBRL directly in Excel, where finance pros are already comfortable […]
EDI (electronic data interchange) messages are used in a variety of industries for transmitting business information such as invoices, shipping notices, and purchase orders—which were traditionally recorded on paper—electronically. EDI transactions are structured according to standards that describe the format of each message. Adherence to a standard format enables the messages to be transmitted electronically […]
The latest release of Altova software includes ongoing enhancements for graphical XML and JSON editing in XMLSpy Grid View, new tools for working with XPath/XQuery, support for integrating VDA EDI data in MapForce, and much more. Here’s a quick overview of all the new functionality being introduced.
Data-driven solutions like database and enterprise apps rely on connection to, and interaction with, backend databases. Backend relational databases, however, store data in tables that reflect complex data relationships. This provides numerous advantages for effective data management and data integrity but can make it difficult to access and work with the data stored therein in […]
Enterprise database apps are increasing in prevalence due to their advantages for enabling access to—and easy management of—the ever-growing amount of critical data business users need to work with on a day-to-day basis. Unlike other types of business productivity apps, database apps must include measures for managing different levels of user access to maintain the […]
The low code approach to app creation has been very effective at decreasing the complexity and learning-curve associated with building custom apps in response to quickly changing business requirements. Low code tools do the heavy lifting for developers and system administrators, freeing them to focus on business needs and rules rather than writing complex code. […]
We’ve updated our demo series on building an app that connects to a backend database using MobileTogether. The low-code approach to app development in MobileTogether extends to database connectivity: the Database Wizard includes a visual SQL statement editor that makes it easier than ever to connect to and work with backend database data in your […]
Altova releases new versions of its app development framework multiple times a year to introduce new features added in response to customer requests and feedback, as well as to add support for newer OS and database versions as they become available. The latest release of MobileTogether and RecordsManager introduces important new functionality for building low-code […]
Like other regulatory agencies around the world, the European Banking Authority (EBA) has standardized on XBRL for the transmission of data submitted by filing entities. Benefits of using XBRL include increased accuracy and efficiency of supervisory practices and risk identification. The use of XBRL benefits filing organizations as well, because the now-standardized data can be […]
Developers working with XML often need to deal with multiple DTDs and XSDs that define industry-standard vocabularies. Whether it’s DITA for technical writing, HL7 for healthcare data, CbCR for financial reporting or any number of examples, it becomes a challenge to manage the various schemas—and numerous versions thereof—on a day-to-day basis. For flexibility and convenience, […]
The ESEF acronym has been top of mind for finance professionals across the EU and UK since mid 2019, when an upcoming reporting mandate from the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) was announced. ESEF, which stands for European Single Electronic Format, is a digital financial reporting standard based on XBRL. As of early 2020, […]
Long-time XMLSpy and MapForce customers may remember the fun drawings and depictions from Altova’s early ads and logos. Those dark spy images have given way to brighter colors and imagery over the years – but at the same time, developers have gravitated towards dark mode in their applications. Now, dark mode is finally available for […]
GDPR is an acronym that has been top of mind for of privacy officers, CIOs, and even marketers across the EU since the early months of 2018. Now that it’s been a few years since the regulation went into effect, organizations should have a handle on what type of data is impacted and how to […]
Data entry is a vital activity for businesses and organizations across every vertical. While much data entry has been automated thanks to advances in technology, there are circumstances where manual input is still required. Whether entered data is for reporting financials, tracking research, documenting health data, or managing inventory, end users need easy-to-use tools that […]
Backend databases are the lifeblood of enterprise and records-driven apps, but database development is time and resource intensive. Developers and administrators need easy tools for defining online databases to power the custom apps their businesses require to remain productive and competitive. Altova RecordsManager offers an entirely visual approach to building sophisticated database apps without any […]
XBRL International has finalized the sunrise period for its important new OIM (Object Information Model), which includes the xBRL-JSON and xBRL-CSV standards. In turn, it has completed the software certification process. Any product awarded the XBRL Certified Software designation has been thoroughly tested by XBRL International for conformance with the current XBRL specifications. OIM represents […]
We are excited to announce availability of a new product in the Altova app development framework: RecordsManager. Altova RecordsManager offers a completely visual, no-code interface for quickly creating custom database apps. RecordsManager is perfect for any app that handles data in records: think contract management, a customer database, an invoicing system, a database of local […]
Version 8.0 of MobileTogether adds several exciting new features to the innovative platform for building enterprise and mobile apps, giving existing customers a major upgrade and paving the way for new customers to create full-featured apps even faster than before. Major additions to the platform include a brand new way of interacting with relational databases, […]