In this post, we successfully set up a custom domain name for our Elastic Beanstalk environment and secured it using SSL. By creating a CNAME or an ALIAS pointing at our environment URL (found on the dashboard screen), we made our app accessible via the new domain name. We then used AWS Certificate Manager to add SSL to our environment for access over HTTPS, which was confirmed by visiting the secured site. Now we have a Rails application that can not only be deployed by a CI server, but is also SSL secured with a custom domain.
07 May 2017
In this blog post, we're going to set up an automated deployment pipeline using CircleCI, GitHub, and AWS Elastic Beanstalk. We'll begin by creating a GitHub repository for our Rails application. Next, we're going to help CircleCI understand our build environment by creating a `circle.yml` file to install the AWS EB CLI tools and to define commands for deploying our application. Lastly, we'll set up the required AWS credentials in CircleCI. Once completed, any changes pushed to the develop or master branch in GitHub will trigger a deployment to the respective environment in Elastic Beanstalk.
07 May 2017
This post guides you through the essential steps of creating and deploying a Rails application into Elastic Beanstalk environment. Topics include creating an AWS user, configuring AWS CLI for deployment, and setting up the environment variables for your app. Also, it provides you the valuable knowledge of connecting your Rails app to RDS instance and ensuring it successfully connects with the dev database.
07 May 2017
We're moving on and tightening our database security in step 3. We're running our database in private subnets within a created RDS instance on our VPC, making sure our data isn't accidentally left in the open. After setting up our network and security settings, we'll dive into creating our databases manually via our secure Bastion server. With a few commands, we set up our dev and prod databases, don them with strong passwords and grant them access to our master username. Voila, our RDS instance is ready to go! Stay tuned for step 4, where we unveil the real deal,...
07 May 2017
In this post, I describe how to set up, configure and deploy an Elastic Beanstalk application on a VPC in Amazon AWS, using Rails 5 and Ruby, using Puma for deployment and configuration of Public and Private subnets in Elastic Load Balancer. I also cover the details of network card settings, the selection process for subnets and security groups for Load Balancer and Instances, and finally shared the result of deploying the sample application on Elastic Beanstalk.
07 May 2017
In this blog post, I am guiding you through the process of deploying a Rails application to Elastic Beanstalk in a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) on Amazon AWS. I detail the setup of a VPC, subnets, and internet gateways, as well as the configuration of NAT gateways and security groups. Ultimately, this will allow for a safe, internet-accessible environment for your application and its accompanying databases.
01 May 2017
Just wrapped up the first iOSCon hackathon and had a blast tinkering with my Raspberry Pi, turning it into a full-fledged Bluetooth device in sync with an iPhone app. Used node for setting up and Bleno for creating Bluetooth low energy peripherals. Penned down each step for you to replicate, right from writing strings on my LCD to reading temperatures and getting notified of IR remote button clicks. Ran it on an app store or GitHub test application. Also, explored the Core Bluetooth framework for iOS app creation, for reading and writing data to the Raspberry Pi. Let's keep creating...
18 May 2014
In today's blog post, I successfully turned my Raspberry Pi into an iBeacon using a Bluetooth dongle and following an Adafruit tutorial. I had to go under the hood a bit to make sure my dongle was recognized, but after adding some udev rules, it was good to go. Then, with a string of terminal commands, I was able to set it up as an iBeacon broadcasting a specific UUID. Testing it out with a basic iOS app, I was able to detect the signal strength from the beacon! While it wasn't the flashiest project, it was definitely satisfying to...
13 May 2014
In this fun tech adventure, I successfully managed to sync my infrared receiver to my Raspberry Pi. This involved correctly wiring up my IR sensor, installing and setting up LIRC, and creating a new lirc config file. I explained each step in detail and shared my major milestones, which included seeing a list of pulses when the remote was pointed at the receiver. Now my Raspberry Pi is fully controlled by my remote.
13 May 2014
Ever wondered how to hook up an LCD display with your Raspberry Pi without using up all your GPIO pins? With the right tools, such as the MCP23S17 and wiringPi, you can effortlessly keep your I2C, UART, and SPI functionalities free for other worthwhile endeavors. This blog post truly proves that the GPIO is quite flexible with the I2C or SPI pins and setting up the MCP23S17 is as simple as connecting the pins. And with support for 5v LCD modules, I can assure you that this setup is definitely lit!
11 May 2014
In just a bit of time, I managed to successfully get my temperature sensor, the DS18B20, up and running on my new Raspberry Pi. My starter kit even included a ready made circuit board for the sensor, making wiring a no-brainer. After following the setup instructions and inputting a few commands, voilà, my temperature readouts were coming in loud and clear. Ready to tinker around and perhaps even move the connection pin if needed.
06 May 2014
We've updated SudokuGrab with some major enhancements including iCloud syncing for your puzzles and support for iPads. There are a few bugs we're aware of and we're actively working to fix them in the coming weeks, with a new version already submitted to the app store.
06 May 2014
In this blog, we're diving into the details of setting up and using iCloud's NSUbiquitousKeyValueStore to help persist settings in the new universal app version of Sudoku Grab. We'll look at how to enable cloud syncing for your app, handle updates from iCloud, and persist changes, allowing us to keep user settings consistent across devices. Note, this storage method is meant for small amounts of data with particular quotas - so keep an eye on your usage. For hands-on experience, there's a simple demo project on GitHub ready for you to experiment with!
14 February 2014
Currently, I am revitalizing Sudoku Grab, my first app ever, published in 2009. The plan involves updating the code, upgrading to ARC, simplifying the menu system, accommodating iOS7, and supporting 4-inch display sizes. Future updates may include iCloud syncing features for universal access to puzzles. This endeavor also gives me an excuse to switch to an iPhone5s!
09 February 2014
After putting in some work, I've successfully figured out how to create a real grunt plugin. I've discovered that a node module is essentially a node application with a package.json, and with this understanding, setting up became simple. My new plugin can be found at the given link and has straightforward usage. Once installed, the plugin may be activated in your Gruntfile. The plugin's full mechanisms can be found at the mentioned link or at the git project page.
07 February 2014
Exploring node.js and its associated tools, I've been intrigued by Grunt, dubbed as 'The JavaScript Task Runner'. Amid building a project, I wanted to integrate Liquibase - a useful database schema management tool we used in developing Vollow.me. Despite the lack of a Grunt plugin or a Node module for Liquibase, I've managed to get it operational with Grunt using grunt-shell. The next step is to package Liquibase into a formal Grunt task and streamline database settings loading.
06 February 2014
Stoked to let you know I'm part of the team organising the first ever iOScon 2014 with SkillsMatter! Be quick and snag an early bird ticket for a mere £95! Jam-packed with the brightest minds in iOS development and design, this is your golden chance to keep ahead of the curve, explore new techniques, collaborate and grasp new technologies. Don't miss out on the unique iOS hacking weekend!
05 February 2014
Just switched the blog to github pages and jekyll. A new journey begins!
16 January 2014