1.
Collaborative Line of Business
Applications on IBM Bluemix
How to build CLEAN Applications with
Cloudant, LoopBack, Express, Angular and Node
Niklas Heidloff
Developer Advocate
for IBM Bluemix
@nheidloff
Feb 2016

2.
Collaborative Line of Business ApplicationsCollaborativeLoBApplications
• LoB requirements often lead to the development of new
applications since standard software is not sufficient
• Collaborative applications allow employees to work together
synergistically to get their jobs done
• Collaborative LoB applications often require the protection of
intellectual property based on roles of employees
• Sample scenarios
– Approval workflows
– Teamrooms
– Travel expenses

3.
Requirements of LoB Applications
• Rapid application development
– To enable citizen developers to build LoB applications
– To enable innovation
• Focus on business needs rather than infrastructure
– Leverage cloud application platforms
– Utilize DevOps
• Cost efficient hosting
CollaborativeLoBApplications

4.
Requirements of LoB Applications
• Access to applications via web and mobile user experiences
• Integration of existing data, documents and files
• Integration of existing directories and user profiles
• Usage of modern and popular technologies to leverage
communities, libraries and tools
• Usage of standard and most common development skills
– Scripting is easier than languages like C and Java
– Preference is to use one language for everything
CollaborativeLoBApplications

5.
The CLEAN StackCLEAN
Cloudant Loopback
Express
AngularJS
Ionic, Cordova
Node.js
JavaScript everywhereBluemix

6.
Sample Project on GitHubCLEAN

7.
Business Objects and REST APIsBusinessObjects
• Declarative definitions of business objects
• Automatic generation of REST APIs
– Including API documentation
Loopback
Swagger

8.
BusinessObjects

9.
BusinessObjects

10.
BusinessObjects

11.
BusinessObjects

12.
BusinessObjects

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BusinessObjects

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BusinessObjects

15.
Customization of the generated APIsRESTAPIs
• Scenarios
– Add additional APIs
– Hide methods and endpoints
– Execution hooks for CRUD operations
• Turn off auto generation for models
Loopback
Node

16.
RESTAPIs

17.
RESTAPIs

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RESTAPIs

19.
Authentication against BluemixAuthentication
• Single Sign On service on Bluemix allows
authentication with on-premises directories
via SAML
Loopback
Bluemix

20.
Authentication

21.
Authentication

22.
Authentication

23.
Authentication

24.
AuthorizationAuthorization
• Authorization via roles
• Application level authorization is done
declaratively
• Business object level authorization is done
programmatically
Loopback
Node

25.
Authorization

26.
Authorization

27.
DeploymentDeployment
• Bluemix compute technologies
– Cloud Foundry
– Docker
• Deployment options
– Deploy button
– CLIs
– Git push and DevOps
Bluemix
Cloud Foundry
Docker

28.
Deployment

29.
Deployment

30.
Deployment

31.
Cloudant NoSQL DatabaseCloudant
• Cloudant service is created on Bluemix
• Cloudant Queries can be invoked via the
dashboard
Cloudant
LoopBack

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Cloudant

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Cloudant

34.
Development EnvironmentDevelopmentEnvironment
• Local environment
– Node.js, text editor, inspector
– Local property file with Bluemix credentials
– In memory database
• DevOps web editor
Node

35.
DevelopmentEnvironment

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DevelopmentEnvironment

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DevelopmentEnvironment

38.
Web ClientWebClient
• LoopBack generates JavaScript libraries
to access the services from AngularJS
controllers
AngularJS
LoopBack

39.
WebClient

40.
WebClient

41.
WebClient

42.
WebClient

43.
WebClient

44.
Mobile ClientsMobileClients
• Via Cordova mobile hybrid apps can be
generated for iOS and Android
• LoopBack generates JavaScript libraries
to access the services from AngularJS
controllers
• The controllers are the same ones as used
for the web client
Ionic
Cordova
AngularJS

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WebClient

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MobileClients

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MobileClients

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MobileClients

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MobileClients

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MobileClients

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MobileClients

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MobileClients

53.
Feedback is highly appreciated!
@nheidloff
https://github.com/ibm-bluemix/
collaboration
Niklas Heidloff
Developer Advocate
for IBM Bluemix
@nheidloff
Feb 2016