6 Benefits of Using a Template for Integration Projects
Application integration allows enterprises to leverage their technology infrastructure, so its various on-premises and cloud platforms, systems, and applications operate as one. It's challenging to implement but, using a project template can facilitate the process.
PROJECT TEMPLATES: A BRIEF OVERVIEW
A project template is a reusable boilerplate containing a standard set of configurations and assets that serve as a solid foundation for application projects. Project templates provide enterprise developers with a basic framework for creating and sustaining an appropriate enterprise integration environment. It is an essential tool for a practical application integration strategy and will typically house:
- Interfaces basics
- Project dependencies
- Security configurations
- Reusable libraries
Enterprise system architects create project templates using enterprise standards as guides. These standards are based on multiple factors,including the parameters established by the governance team, functions, or projects specific to the enterprise and industry standards.
Typical enterprise standards may address:project templates using enterprise standards as guides
- Secure credentials (ERP, CRM, Enterprise Systems)
- Error Handling (Standard error response handling)
- ELK Stack logging service (Elastisearch, LogStash, Kibana)
- Database setup (i.e., any database connection must be secure)
- External configuration
Enterprises can develop their own project templates or customize templates from vendors like MuleSoft, which offers templates in the AnypointStudio.
BENEFITS
1. Standardizes Interfaces and Configuration
A project template can ensure that enterprise applications' common interfaces facilitate system communications, and there is consistency with application configurations.
2. Establishes Consistent and Agile Coding Practices
Enterprises can reinforce agile software programming practices with project templates. A project template also contains reusable code libraries that developers can reference for the section of codes that can be reused for different applications repeatedly with little or no modifications. This increases the efficiency of coding, allowing code to be complied faster and with less effort.
3. Creates Flexibility to Move from Project To Project
Because it provides a ready overview of how the elements of a system are related to one another, a project template is also a mechanism that provides flexibility for personnel and other resources to migrate to and from different projects. As the enterprise system environment evolves, the template can be updated to reflect the environment and address future needs.
4. Improves and Simplifies New Project Creation
There is no need to start every new project from scratch. A predefined project template serves as a blueprint, giving developers an idea about the structure of the project or application from a previous one. This allows the acceleration of new project creation and the onboarding processes.
5. Facilitates Maintenance
Using a project template can ensure that the necessary elements are in place, so the maintenance needed to address existing issues,limit system outages, enhance the performance of applications, and enhance new features, can be implemented. Developers can concentrate their efforts and resources on the stabilization of the enterprises' applications.
6. Reduces Cost Both at Creation and In Future Maintenance
Using project templates also helps the enterprise to both reduce and optimize costs during application development and maintenance. Enterprises can save money and time on integration processes, which can result in faster onboarding. This is pertinent for enterprises that routinely have large scale implementations that can require significant hours and whose costs can quickly spiral out of control. Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, ‘“an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is certainly applicable to project templates. Investing the time and effort to create thoughtful templates will pay huge dividends.