As the number of cloud storage services increases & projects may require using multiple services at the same time, it becomes complicated for a developer to learn the details of each provider.
Simple Cloud API is an open source project that aims to create a common PHP interface for using cloud services.
It currently supports the storage API for:
- Amazon S3
- Windows Azure Blob Storage
- Nirvanix
- Local
and, in the near future, aims to support Rackspace Cloud Files, GoGrid Cloud Storage besides the queue & document APIs of all services.
The project is backed by Zend & supported by IBM, Microsoft, Rackspace, Nirvanix, and GoGrid.
Web applications are offering an almost desktop-like functionality parallel to the increase in the connectivity speeds, wider usage of the cloud (easier scalability) & improvements in JavaScript/RIA development.
Also, moving to the cloud is no more a fantasy, it is the "current & future trend" considering the popularity of applications like Google Docs, Adobe Acrobat Online or web-based OSs.
As a web designer/developer, it is possible not to use any desktop softwares & work 100% web-based.
There are several tools that we use daily & has vital importance:
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IDE (code editor)
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Image editor
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Database manager
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FTP application
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Storage
Although desktop environment, clearly, has many advantages over web, web has an important one like working from any computer (even it is a weak one) & staying synchronized.
Here are free web applications that you can use to create your own web-based design/development environment:
Code Editing
This web application offers a desktop-like coding environment with features like:
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multiple projects
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built-in FTP explorer
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syntax highlighting
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undo-redo support
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& more.
There are also features like tabs, find-replace or auto-completion that we could expect from a desktop IDE.
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