#custom software engineering services

[sabelacarsonsblog]

Custom Software Development Services | Custom Software Development Company in USA

Experience dependable custom software development from a top-rated U.S. provider. We specialize in building secure, scalable, and business-specific solutions.

[copods]

Software Innovation versus returns? How Copods has solved the puzzle with its unique approach to future-proofing businesses

Copods, founded in 2017, believes it has cracked the code for effective human-computer interaction by building on the idea that the right way forward is a meaningful mindshare of multidisciplinary teams, fostering innovative software design and engineering.

Artificial Intelligence is rewiring the way we visualise customer interactions across sectors. But there’s a lot more to effectively leveraging this technology in your business than a simple plug-and-play option. Think of Jarvis from Iron Man…the legendary AI character who is not only a superhero’s trusty sidekick but also has the sass and personality that appeals to Tony Stark.

While AI systems of the real world are far from achieving this level of autonomy or intelligence to be personally attuned to the ‘human’ style, there are innovations that significantly enhance how a business operates and communicates with its customers. These innovations aim to bring us closer to the dream of having our own "Jarvis" for business needs.

One of these is Copods, a trailblazing services company that is transforming IT solutions with its innovative 'collaborative pods' approach to software design and engineering. Hence, the name 'Copods'.

In a conversation with YourStory, Co-founder and CDO Anish Bhuwania says that the idea was to create a “human co-pilot delivering digital experiences that drive results.”

“Software products are often over-engineered or over-designed, resulting in feasibility, viability, and desirability issues with an untapped opportunity to leverage collective intelligence. We saw the need for a more strategic and collaborative approach, leading to the development of our unique pod-based framework,” he explains.

Founded in 2017 by Anish Bhuwania, Sumin Shah, and Kamlesh Munot, Copods is focusing on creating transformative experiences. “We focus on the critical 40% that drives 100% business success, ensuring our efforts create meaningful and lasting impact,” says Bhuwania.

Copods "one-team" philosophy and “pod” structure bring together diverse expertise to drive innovation and ensure practical, relevant solutions. It doesn’t just deploy advanced technology; it bridges the gap between tech and human needs, creating solutions that resonate on a human level.

The early days

Today, Copods is a comprehensive digital solutions provider, specialising in research, design, engineering, branding, and marketing. It leverages emerging technologies like AI/ML, IoT, and advanced data analytics to deliver solutions across various domains such as cybersecurity, data and analytics, supply chain and industrial automation, ecommerce, healthcare, BFSI, and many more.

However, like most companies, Copods did not find overnight success. It has been a seven-year journey, growing from just three founders to a formidable team of 60+ people.

“We set out to transform how people interact with digital products on one side, and how software companies work with services companies on the other. As hands-on founders, we focused on the art and science of delivering value-by-doing. We leveraged our network and secured our first client within a few weeks of inception—a pivotal moment that validated our business model and demonstrated the demand for our services and approach. This early success laid the groundwork for future growth,” Bhuwania says.

Recognising the evolving needs of clients, Copods soon expanded its service portfolio to include software experience engineering as a service. This diversification helped attract a broader client base and nurture deeper relationships with existing clients.

For a company so attuned to customers' needs and requirements, managing limited resources in the early days while striving for rapid growth demanded meticulous planning and prioritisation. “There needs to be a fine balance between short-term needs and long-term goals,” Bhuwania says.

True impact

Traditional, siloed and hierarchical approaches often stifle innovation and efficiency. Copods has solved some of the world’s toughest challenges where traditional methods have failed.

For instance, a major North American retail chain struggled with inventory management and customer loyalty due to outdated, fragmented methods, leading to overstocking, stock-outs, and wastage, impacting ROI.

Copods introduced a smart, data-driven tool that analysed historical inventory data and real-time AI-driven in-store experiences. This created a Single Point of Governance (SPOG) with actionable insights, resulting in increased sales, customer footfall, loyalty, and a 72% reduction in perishable product wastage.

A product manager at one of the Big 5 management consulting firms, said Copods helped rethink their product structure, improving user experience and supporting business goals. The VP, Head of Design at a leading fintech company, shared that it never felt like Copods was an external team—it took full ownership of projects, went the extra mile to earn trust, and really understood the target customers.

The tangible results delivered for clients validate the company’s strategic approach. Significant returns on investment and glowing testimonials highlight the profound impact of its solutions.

Copods’ journey has been characterised by domain expertise. “Our teams, comprised of specialists from various fields, tackle complex challenges with unwavering confidence, reflecting our commitment to excellence. This allows us to deliver desirable, viable, and feasible solutions that drive client success,” Bhuwania says.

Looking ahead

As Copods scales new heights, its commitment to the founding principles of collaboration, innovation, and trust only grows stronger. This unwavering dedication forms the foundation of its ambitious vision for the future.

“We've set a high bar, targeting a 95% client satisfaction rate and recognition for exceptional service. To achieve this, we're forging strategic partnerships with leading technology companies, academic institutions, and industry bodies. These collaborations not only keep us at the cutting edge of technology but also expand our influence within the industry,” Bhuwania says.

So could Copods be our real-world ‘Jarvis’? Perhaps, it can be even better than that!

By YourStory Media

[zoondiacom]

SEO Service | Zoondia

Zoondia's SEO services are designed to boost online visibility, attract organic traffic, and enhance our digital presence. We focus on thorough keyword research and analysis to improve your SEO, increasing visibility, traffic quality, credibility, and long-term growth. Contact us now!

[abcasys]

Strategic Outsourced Product Development Solutions for Innovation

[esourceful]

What is Web Development?

Ready to dive into the world of web development? Check out our comprehensive blog now!

Read more

[arnasoftech]

5 Early Signs You Need Product Engineering Services for Your Software Project

Is your software project veering off course more often than not? You’re not alone. Many teams struggle to maintain clarity, velocity, and technical confidence during software development. That is what comes in with Product Engineering Services. These are services well beyond coding as it is strategy-driven, design-driven, and engineering-based to achieve scalable, user-centric solutions. 

In case your team already contemplates Custom Software Development Services or researches Digital Product Development, it is important to know when you should introduce the idea of cooperating with a product engineering partner.

Let’s look at five clear signs you need help—before things go from complex to chaotic.

1. Your MVP is Still “In Progress” After Months

You started with a simple idea. Maybe even a clear prototype. But weeks turned into months, and your MVP is nowhere near ready. If your development cycle keeps dragging or pivoting without clarity, it’s a red flag.

Why it matters:

You’re losing time-to-market advantage, and possibly funding. A product engineering partner can bring lean methodology, technical mentorship, and sprint discipline to get your MVP moving forward again—with the right features, not just any features.

2. Your Teams Don’t Speak the Same Language

Product, design, engineering, and marketing often start aligned but end up disconnected. Developers may focus on feasibility, while product managers chase deadlines, and designers push for ideal UX. If your standups sound like four different teams building four different products, it’s time to pause.

What you need:

Cross-functional alignment. Product engineering services bridge business goals with tech execution. They act as a shared language between stakeholders, creating a roadmap everyone understands—from CTOs to junior developers.

3. You’re Rebuilding the Same Thing (Again)

Does this sound familiar? You release a feature, get feedback, and realize it wasn’t built for scale—or users didn’t actually want it. So you rebuild. And again. And again. This development loop is more common than you’d think, especially when skipping validation steps or scalable design systems.

What you’re missing:

End-to-end thinking. Product engineering includes research, architecture planning, and user feedback loops—so you build once, build right, and scale confidently.

4. You’re Not Sure What to Measure

Your product is live. Traffic looks okay. Users are engaging—but you’re unsure what success means. Without strong telemetry and KPIs tied to user behavior, your team can’t iterate meaningfully. Guesswork starts to replace data.

The fix:

Product engineering teams bake analytics and performance tracking into the product from the start. This turns intuition into insight—fueling decisions with real usage data and enabling smarter iteration in your digital product development journey.

5. Technical Debt Is Slowing You Down

Early shortcuts can become long-term liabilities. If your developers now spend more time fixing bugs, refactoring code, or avoiding “that part of the system,” you’re buried in technical debt.

The solution:

Product engineers think long-term. From scalable architecture to test automation and DevOps pipelines, they create a foundation that grows with you—without constant breakage or emergency patches. They don’t just fix code—they fix how your team writes and ships it.

In Summary

Not every software project needs a full-time product engineering partner from day one. But when early signs like delays, misalignment, or unstable releases start appearing, that’s your signal. By solving them early, it is possible to spend months fixing something that you should have seen coming and secure your product vision.

With Product Engineering Services, you have all the process, expertise, and collaboration that you need to get up and running to build a startup MVP or modernize enterprise systems with confidence.

And speaking of competitive advantage, there are such companies as Arna Softech, the Microsoft Consulting Services partner, you may rely on when you want to achieve synergies between strong engineering performance and sound business processes, particularly when you need to recruit C# developers and ramp up to scale, and become a long-term digital success.

Recent Posted: How Product Engineering Services Deliver: Real Business Outcomes

End-to-End Product Engineering: What It Really Means and Why It Works

[atcuality3]

Crafting Future-Ready Digital Experiences with Atcuality

Atcuality stands at the forefront of digital innovation, delivering tailored technology solutions for businesses of all sizes. From startups to enterprises, our clients trust us to build robust software that meets their unique challenges. One of our highly sought-after services is Telegram Bot Creation—perfect for businesses aiming to engage audiences on a platform they already love. We build bots that are secure, intuitive, and scalable, supporting diverse use cases from customer service to lead generation. Beyond bots, we offer full-stack development, AI integration, and cloud solutions. Discover how Atcuality can elevate your digital presence and give your business the competitive edge it deserves.

[svsaqua]

CHATBOTS ARE REVOLUTIONIZING CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT- IS YOUR BUSINESS READY?

CHATBOTS & AI: FUTURE OF CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

Customers want 24/7 access, personalized experiences, and quick replies in today’s digital-first environment. It can be difficult to manually meet such requests, which is where AI and machine learning-powered chatbots come into play. 

WHAT ARE CHATBOTS?

A chatbot is a computer software created to mimic human speech. Natural language processing and artificial intelligence (AI) enable chatbots to comprehend customer enquiries, provide precise answers, and even gain knowledge from exchanges over time. 

WHY ARE CHATBOTS IMPORTANT FOR COMPANIES?

24/7 Customer Service 

Chatbots never take a break. They offer 24/7 assistance, promptly addressing questions and enhancing client happiness. 

Effective Cost-Scaling 

Businesses can lower operating expenses without sacrificing service quality by using chatbots to answer routine enquiries rather than adding more support staff. 

Smooth Customer Experience 

Chatbots may recommend goods and services, walk customers through your website, and even finish transactions when AI is included. 

Gathering and Customizing Data 

By gathering useful consumer information and behavior patterns, chatbots can provide tailored offers that increase user engagement and conversion rates. 

USE CASES IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES

E-commerce: Managing returns, selecting products, and automating order status enquiries. 

Healthcare: Scheduling consultations, checking symptoms, and reminding patients to take their medications. 

Education: Responding to questions about the course, setting up trial sessions, and getting input. 

HOW CHATBOTS BECOME SMARTER WITH AI

With each contact, chatbots that use AI and machine learning technologies get better. Over time, they become more slang-savvy, better grasp user intent, and provide more human-like responses. What was the outcome? A smarter assistant that keeps improving to provide greater customer service. 

ARE YOU READY FOR BUSINESS?

Using a chatbot has become a strategic benefit and is no longer optional. Whether you manage a service-based business, an online store, or a developing firm, implementing chatbots driven by AI will put you ahead of the competition. 

We at Shemon assist companies in incorporating AI-powered chatbots into their larger IT offerings. Smart chatbot technology is a must-have if you want to automate interaction, lower support expenses, and improve your brand experience. 

Contact us!

Email: info@shemonsoftware.com 

Phone: 7738092019

[xtremeautomationllc]

Automation Programming in Edwardsville, Illinois | Smarter Industrial Control

Automation programming involves developing the software and logic that controls machines, equipment, and production lines. It’s the “brain” behind any automated system, enabling precise, repeatable, and adaptable actions without constant human intervention.

Key components include:

PLC Programming: Writing logic-based code to control equipment such as motors, sensors, and actuators.

HMI Design: Developing visual interfaces that operators use to monitor and interact with automated systems.

SCADA Integration: Supervisory control systems that collect and analyze data from across an entire facility.

Custom Automation Scripts: Logic tailored to unique processes and workflows.

In Edwardsville, automation programming is essential for companies that want to minimize downtime, improve product quality, and remain competitive.

Why Automation Programming Matters for Edwardsville

With its strong economic base and proximity to major markets like St. Louis, Edwardsville is home to a growing number of industrial operations. Whether it's a mid-sized packaging firm or a large-scale manufacturer, local businesses face increasing pressure to improve efficiency and throughput. That’s where automation programming comes in.

1. Operational Efficiency: Well-programmed systems eliminate manual tasks, speed up production, and reduce the likelihood of human error.

2. Quality Control: Automation ensures consistency across batches, helping companies meet strict quality standards.

3. Cost Savings: By reducing labor costs and minimizing material waste, automation delivers a strong return on investment.

4. Data Utilization: Modern systems provide actionable data insights, allowing operators and managers to make smarter decisions in real-time.

In Edwardsville, this translates into better-performing factories, safer work environments, and increased economic resilience.

Core Services Provided by Automation Programmers

Local automation programming companies in Edwardsville offer a range of services to support manufacturers across sectors. These include:

Custom PLC Programming: Tailored logic to manage specific machines or entire production lines.

HMI Interface Development: Easy-to-use control panels that display system data and allow for quick troubleshooting.

SCADA System Setup: Centralized control systems that integrate data from multiple sources.

Retrofit and Upgrade Services: Modernizing older machines with new control logic and communication protocols.

Process Optimization: Using analytics and automation logic to fine-tune production flow.

These services ensure systems operate at peak performance, even in complex, multi-stage production environments.

Industries in Edwardsville Benefiting from Automation Programming

Automation programming is not limited to one field. It plays a critical role across many Edwardsville industries:

Food & Beverage: Automating mixing, filling, and packaging for hygiene and speed.

Warehousing & Logistics: Conveyor control and sorting systems that reduce shipping delays.

Pharmaceuticals: Precision dosing and environmental controls for product safety.

Automotive Components: Robotic assembly coordination and inspection programming.

Metal Fabrication: CNC machine integration and real-time production monitoring.

These industries depend on accurate, flexible programming to respond to market demands while maintaining operational control.

Tools and Platforms Used in Edwardsville

Automation programming professionals in Edwardsville are proficient in a wide range of technologies and platforms, including:

Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Automation

Siemens TIA Portal

Mitsubishi PLCs

Omron and ABB Systems

Ignition SCADA

Wonderware (AVEVA)

Beckhoff TwinCAT

These platforms offer robust tools for machine control, process visualization, and data management—all essential for high-performance automation systems.

Workforce Training and Local Support

Edwardsville benefits from strong academic institutions like Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), which offers programs in engineering, computer science, and industrial technology. These institutions help build a local talent pipeline of engineers and programmers equipped to design and maintain next-generation automation systems.

Additionally, ongoing partnerships between automation companies and local manufacturers ensure that workforce development aligns with real-world needs. On-the-job training and technical certifications are increasingly available to support career growth in automation programming.

Looking Ahead: Smarter Factories on the Horizon

With the rise of Industry 4.0, the future of manufacturing in Edwardsville is smart, connected, and data-driven. Automation programming is a key enabler of this future. Companies are beginning to adopt:

Remote Monitoring and Control

Cloud-Based Data Storage and Analytics

AI-Enhanced Predictive Maintenance

Digital Twin Simulations

These technologies offer unprecedented visibility and flexibility, allowing businesses to operate more efficiently and react quickly to changes in demand or supply chain conditions.

Your Edwardsville Automation Partner: Xtreme Automation LLC

If you're seeking professional automation programming services in Edwardsville, turn to the experts at Xtreme Automation LLC. With deep experience in PLC programming, HMI development, SCADA integration, and smart system upgrades, Xtreme Automation delivers tailored solutions that boost performance and cut downtime. Whether you're building a new line or upgrading legacy systems, their team ensures seamless automation from design to deployment. Learn more at xtremeautomationllc.com.

[leadchainsystems]

A Day Without Team Assist

Team Assist is a comprehensive productivity and management solution designed to optimize remote and on-site workflows. It helps boost efficiency, accountability, and performance across your team.

Imagine managing your team without Team Assist:

📧 Endless emails asking for attendance updates, 🔍 Guessing who’s productive and who’s not, 📝 Manually checking timesheets, one by one, ⏱ Tracking active vs inactive hours—pure guesswork, 💼 Chasing employees for screenshots to verify work, 🚫 No real-time insights—just assumptions and confusion.

Now, imagine Team Assist handling all of that for you: ✅ Automated Attendance Tracking—no more follow-ups, 📊 Live Employee Monitoring—real-time productivity insights, ⏱ Accurate Timesheets—generated automatically, 📈 Active vs Inactive Hours—clear trends, no guesswork, 📸 Live Screenshots—instant snapshots of work, 🔍 Comprehensive Reports—everything you need at a glance.

💡 The difference is clear. With Team Assist, you focus on what matters—growth, not guesswork.

Explore More: https://www.leadchainsystems.com/leadchain-teamassist/

[divrittechnologies]

Unlock Business Success with Cutting-Edge Digital Solutions

Whether you’re looking to streamline financial operations, develop custom software, move to the cloud, enhance your web presence, or boost online marketing efforts, leveraging the right solutions can drive efficiency and growth. Discover how Tally Solutions, Custom Software Development, Cloud Solutions, Web Development Services, and Digital Marketing can empower your business.

[8techlabs-blog]

How Do You Implement Data Validation and Error Handling for Your Web Application’s Database Input and Output?

Introduction

In today’s digital economy, businesses rely largely on web applications for client interactions, data management, and day-to-day operations. A web application‘s effectiveness is measured by its functionality and ability to manage data accurately and avoid errors that interrupt corporate processes. Data validation and error management for database input and output are critical to ensuring reliability.

Data validation guarantees that the information entered into your database satisfies the necessary criteria, preventing invalid or damaging data from entering the system. On the other side, error handling focuses on providing tools to deal with difficulties that may arise during database operations, ensuring that the program recovers gracefully.

In this article, we’ll look at how organizations may employ good data validation and error handling in web applications to streamline processes, prevent data corruption, and improve the user experience. We’ll also look at how 8 Tech Labs, a prominent mobile app development firm, can help organizations achieve these goals with competent services. 

The Importance of Data Validation and Error Handling

Effective data validation and error handling are vital for any web application that interacts with databases. Without these mechanisms in place, applications are vulnerable to:

Data corruption: Invalid data may lead to inaccurate analytics and faulty business decisions.

Security breaches: Insufficient validation can leave your application exposed to threats like SQL injection.

User frustration: Poor error handling can result in a negative user experience, reducing user satisfaction and retention.

Operational inefficiencies: Uncontrolled errors may cause downtime, affecting business continuity and leading to financial losses.

By ensuring that data is properly validated and errors are managed effectively, businesses can avoid these pitfalls, ensuring smoother operations and better user experiences. The process can also improve the overall integrity of your mobile app development and app development software, ensuring both front-end and back-end work seamlessly.

How to Implement Data Validation in Your Web Application

Implementing data validation for web application input and output is a critical task to ensure that the data entered is accurate, complete, and formatted correctly. There are several ways to implement data validation, and a combination of client-side and server-side validation is often the best approach.

1. Client-Side Validation

Client-side validation is the first line of defence and happens before the data is sent to the server. This can help catch common issues early on and improve user experience by providing instant feedback.

HTML5 Form Validation: Utilize built-in HTML5 input types such as email, number, url, and tel to ensure the input is formatted correctly.

JavaScript Validation: Use JavaScript or popular libraries (like jQuery) to add custom validation rules. This can include checking if the fields are empty, verifying email formats, or matching passwords.

Example:

document.getElementById(“submit”).addEventListener(“click”, function(event){

    if(document.getElementById(“email”).value == “”){

        alert(“Email is required!”);

        event.preventDefault();

    }

});

2. Server-Side Validation

Although client-side validation is useful for immediate feedback, it’s essential to validate data on the server side as well. Server-side validation ensures that data is checked before it is inserted into the database, preventing issues such as SQL injections or data inconsistency.

Check for Null or Empty Fields: Ensure that all required fields are provided.

Data Type Validation: Confirm that the data matches the expected data type (e.g., a date field contains a valid date).

Sanitize Inputs: Remove any special characters that may pose a security risk (e.g., SQL injection attacks).

Example (PHP):

if (empty($_POST[“email”])) {

  echo “Email is required”;

} else {

  $email = filter_var($_POST[“email”], FILTER_SANITIZE_EMAIL);

}

3. Regular Expressions

For more complex validation (like validating phone numbers or addresses), regular expressions are often used to match input against predefined patterns. Regular expressions ensure that data conforms to specific formats.

Best Practices for Error Handling

Error handling is just as crucial as data validation in developing a dependable web application. Here’s how firms can apply efficient error management strategies:

1. Error Logging

Keep track of errors that occur throughout your online application. These logs should include detailed information like the problem message, the user’s actions when the error occurred, and the data involved. Logs allow developers to swiftly detect and resolve issues before they affect users. 

2. Graceful Degradation

In the event of a problem, offer users with clear, actionable messages rather than allowing the application to crash or display cryptic technical warnings. Graceful degradation enhances the user experience by advising them of the problem without crashing the program completely.

For example, instead of the general “500 Server Error,” the program may display “We’re having some problems right now.” “Please try again later.” This decreases user irritation while maintaining trust. 

3. Custom Error Pages

Create unique error pages that match your application’s look and direct users on what to do next. For example, if a user receives a 404 error, display a page with advice on how to go to the correct content. 

4. Testing and Monitoring

Regularly test your error-handling procedures by simulating various types of errors and ensuring that they are handled correctly. Implementing error-tracking software (such as Sentry or Bugsnag) can help to automate this procedure. 

How 8 Tech Labs Can Help

At 8 Tech Labs, we understand the importance of building robust web applications that are both reliable and secure. Our mobile app development and app development services are tailored to meet the specific needs of businesses, ensuring that data validation and error handling are implemented effectively to maximize performance and security.

IT Strategy Development: We work with businesses to create long-term strategies that leverage cutting-edge technologies for optimal growth.

Technology Solutions: Our team provides comprehensive IT solutions that streamline operations and integrate seamlessly with existing workflows.

Digital Transformation Consulting: We guide businesses through digital transformation, ensuring that web applications, mobile apps, and other technologies align with industry best practices.

IT Advisory Services: We offer expert advice on selecting the right technologies and approaches for your web applications, ensuring smooth functionality and user satisfaction.

With 8 Tech Labs’ expertise, you can ensure that your web application remains secure, reliable, and efficient, driving both immediate and long-term growth.

Read More

[elixentblog]

Discover bespoke software development, product engineering, and quality assurance services at Elixent Technologies. We craft cutting-edge solutions tailored to your business needs, helping you achieve success with innovation and excellence.

[cool-wilson-david]

Prompt Engine Commercial by Karthik Ramani Review

Prompt Engine Commercial by Karthik Ramani – Discover Why Prompt Engine Pro is the Ultimate Tool for Entrepreneurs and Creatives Prompt Engine Commercial by Karthik Ramani. When it comes to tools that simplify workflows, Prompt Engine Pro emerges as a top choice due to its seamless functionality and innovative features. Unlike conventional extensions or collections of prompts, this app works as…

[tofupixel]

⭐ So you want to learn pixel art? ⭐

🔹 Part 1 of ??? - The Basics!

Edit: Now available in Google Doc format if you don't have a Tumblr account 🥰

Hello, my name is Tofu and I'm a professional pixel artist. I have been supporting myself with freelance pixel art since 2020, when I was let go from my job during the pandemic.

My progress, from 2017 to 2024. IMO the only thing that really matters is time and effort, not some kind of natural talent for art.

This guide will not be comprehensive, as nobody should be expected to read allat. Instead I will lean heavily on my own experience, and share what worked for me, so take everything with a grain of salt. This is a guide, not a tutorial. Cheers!

🔹 Do I need money?

NO!!! Pixel art is one of the most accessible mediums out there.

I still use a mouse because I prefer it to a tablet! You won't be at any disadvantage here if you can't afford the best hardware or software.

Because our canvases are typically very small, you don't need a good PC to run a good brush engine or anything like that.

✨Did you know? One of the most skilled and beloved pixel artists uses MS PAINT! Wow!!

🔹 What software should I use?

Here are some of the most popular programs I see my friends and peers using. Stars show how much I recommend the software for beginners! ⭐

💰 Paid options:

⭐⭐⭐ Aseprite (for PC) - $19.99

This is what I and many other pixel artists use. You may find when applying to jobs that they require some knowledge of Aseprite. Since it has become so popular, companies like that you can swap raw files between artists.

Aseprite is amazingly customizable, with custom skins, scripts and extensions on Itch.io, both free and paid.

If you have ever used any art software before, it has most of the same features and should feel fairly familiar to use. It features a robust animation suite and a tilemap feature, which have saved me thousands of hours of labour in my work. The software is also being updated all the time, and the developers listen to the users. I really recommend Aseprite!

⭐ Photoshop (for PC) - Monthly $$

A decent option for those who already are used to the PS interface. Requires some setup to get it ready for pixel-perfect art, but there are plenty of tutorials for doing so.

Animation is also much more tedious on PS which you may want to consider before investing time!

⭐⭐ ProMotion NG (for PC) - $19.00

An advanced and powerful software which has many features Aseprite does not, including Colour Cycling and animated tiles.

⭐⭐⭐ Pixquare (for iOS) - $7.99 - $19.99 (30% off with code 'tofu'!!)

Probably the best app available for iPad users, in active development, with new features added all the time.

Look! My buddy Jon recommends it highly, and uses it often.

One cool thing about Pixquare is that it takes Aseprite raw files! Many of my friends use it to work on the same project, both in their office and on the go.

⭐ Procreate (for iOS) - $12.99

If you have access to Procreate already, it's a decent option to get used to doing pixel art. It does however require some setup. Artist Pixebo is famously using Procreate, and they have tutorials of their own if you want to learn.

⭐⭐ ReSprite iOS and Android. (free trial, but:) $19.99 premium or $$ monthly

ReSprite is VERY similar in terms of UI to Aseprite, so I can recommend it. They just launched their Android release!

🆓 Free options:

⭐⭐⭐ Libresprite (for PC)

Libresprite is an alternative to Aseprite. It is very, very similar, to the point where documentation for Aseprite will be helpful to Libresprite users.

⭐⭐ Pixilart (for PC and mobile)

A free in-browser app, and also a mobile app! It is tied to the website Pixilart, where artists upload and share their work. A good option for those also looking to get involved in a community.

⭐⭐ Dotpict (for mobile)

Dotpict is similar to Pixilart, with a mobile app tied to a website, but it's a Japanese service. Did you know that in Japanese, pixel art is called 'Dot Art'? Dotpict can be a great way to connect with a different community of pixel artists! They also have prompts and challenges often.

🔹 So I got my software, now what?

◽Nice! Now it's time for the basics of pixel art.

❗ WAIT ❗ Before this section, I want to add a little disclaimer. All of these rules/guidelines can be broken at will, and some 'no-nos' can look amazing when done intentionally.

The pixel-art fundamentals can be exceedingly helpful to new artists, who may feel lost or overwhelmed by choice. But if you feel they restrict you too harshly, don't force yourself! At the end of the day it's your art, and you shouldn't try to contort yourself into what people think a pixel artist 'should be'. What matters is your own artistic expression. 💕👍

◽Phew! With that out of the way...

🔸"The Rules"

There are few hard 'rules' of pixel art, mostly about scaling and exporting. Some of these things will frequently trip up newbies if they aren't aware, and are easy to overlook.

🔹Scaling method

There are a couple ways of scaling your art. The default in most art programs, and the entire internet, is Bi-linear scaling, which usually works out fine for most purposes. But as pixel artists, we need a different method.

Both are scaled up x10. See the difference?

On the left is scaled using Bilinear, and on the right is using Nearest-Neighbor. We love seeing those pixels stay crisp and clean, so we use nearest-neighbor. 

(Most pixel-art programs have nearest-neighbor enabled by default! So this may not apply to you, but it's important to know.)

🔹Mixels

Mixels are when there are different (mixed) pixel sizes in the same image.

Here I have scaled up my art- the left is 200%, and the right is 150%. Yuck!

As we can see, the "pixel" sizes end up different. We generally try to scale our work by multiples of 100 - 200%, 300% etc. rather than 150%. At larger scales however, the minute differences in pixel sizes are hardly noticeable!

Mixels are also sometimes seen when an artist scales up their work, then continues drawing on it with a 1 pixel brush.

Many would say that this is not great looking! This type of pixels can be indicative of a beginner artist. But there are plenty of creative pixel artists out there who mixels intentionally, making something modern and cool.

🔹Saving Your Files

We usually save our still images as .PNGs as they don’t create any JPEG artifacts or loss of quality. It's a little hard to see here, but there are some artifacts, and it looks a little blurry. It also makes the art very hard to work with if we are importing a JPEG.

For animations .GIF is good, but be careful of the 256 colour limit. Try to avoid using too many blending mode layers or gradients when working with animations. If you aren’t careful, your animation could flash afterwards, as the .GIF tries to reduce colours wherever it can. It doesn’t look great!

Here's an old piece from 2021 where I experienced .GIF lossiness, because I used gradients and transparency, resulting in way too many colours.

🔹Pixel Art Fundamentals - Techniques and Jargon

❗❗Confused about Jaggies? Anti-Aliasing? Banding? Dithering? THIS THREAD is for you❗❗ << it's a link, click it!!

As far as I'm concerned, this is THE tutorial of all time for understanding pixel art. These are techniques created and named by the community of people who actually put the list together, some of the best pixel artists alive currently. Please read it!!

🔸How To Learn

Okay, so you have your software, and you're all ready to start. But maybe you need some more guidance? Try these tutorials and resources! It can be helpful to work along with a tutorial until you build your confidence up.

⭐⭐ Pixel Logic (A Digital Book) - $10 A very comprehensive visual guide book by a very skilled and established artist in the industry. I own a copy myself.

⭐⭐⭐ StudioMiniBoss - free A collection of visual tutorials, by the artist that worked on Celeste! When starting out, if I got stuck, I would go and scour his tutorials and see how he did it.

⭐ Lospec Tutorials - free A very large collection of various tutorials from all over the internet. There is a lot to sift through here if you have the time.

⭐⭐⭐ Cyangmou's Tutorials - free (tipping optional) Cyangmou is one of the most respected and accomplished modern pixel artists, and he has amassed a HUGE collection of free and incredibly well-educated visual tutorials. He also hosts an educational stream every week on Twitch called 'pixelart for beginners'.

⭐⭐⭐ Youtube Tutorials - free There are hundreds, if not thousands of tutorials on YouTube, but it can be tricky to find the good ones. My personal recommendations are MortMort, Brandon, and AdamCYounis- these guys really know what they're talking about!

🔸 How to choose a canvas size

When looking at pixel art turorials, we may see people suggest things like 16x16, 32x32 and 64x64. These are standard sizes for pixel art games with tiles. However, if you're just making a drawing, you don't necessarily need to use a standard canvas size like that.

What I like to think about when choosing a canvas size for my illustrations is 'what features do I think it is important to represent?' And make my canvas as small as possible, while still leaving room for my most important elements.

Imagine I have characters in a scene like this:

I made my canvas as small as possible (232 x 314), but just big enough to represent the features and have them be recognizable (it's Good Omens fanart 😤)!! If I had made it any bigger, I would be working on it for ever, due to how much more foliage I would have to render.

If you want to do an illustration and you're not sure, just start at somewhere around 100x100 - 200x200 and go from there.

It's perfectly okay to crop your canvas, or scale it up, or crunch your art down at any point if you think you need a different size. I do it all the time! It only takes a bit of cleanup to get you back to where you were.

🔸Where To Post

Outside of just regular socials, Twitter, Tumblr, Deviantart, Instagram etc, there are a few places that lean more towards pixel art that you might not have heard of.

⭐ Lospec Lospec is a low-res focused art website. Some pieces get given a 'monthly masterpiece' award. Not incredibly active, but I believe there are more features being added often.

⭐⭐ Pixilart Pixilart is a very popular pixel art community, with an app tied to it. The community tends to lean on the young side, so this is a low-pressure place to post with an relaxed vibe.

⭐⭐ Pixeljoint Pixeljoint is one of the big, old-school pixel art websites. You can only upload your art unscaled (1x) because there is a built-in zoom viewer. It has a bit of a reputation for being elitist (back in the 00s it was), but in my experience it's not like that any more. This is a fine place for a pixel artist to post if they are really interested in learning, and the history. The Hall of Fame has some of the most famous / impressive pixel art pieces that paved the way for the work we are doing today.

⭐⭐⭐ Cafe Dot Cafe Dot is my art server so I'm a little biased here. 🍵 It was created during the recent social media turbulence. We wanted a place to post art with no algorithms, and no NFT or AI chuds. We have a heavy no-self-promotion rule, and are more interested in community than skill or exclusivity. The other thing is that we have some kind of verification system- you must apply to be a Creator before you can post in the Art feed, or use voice. This helps combat the people who just want to self-promo and dip, or cause trouble, as well as weed out AI/NFT people. Until then, you are still welcome to post in any of the threads or channels. There is a lot to do in Cafe Dot. I host events weekly, so check the threads!

⭐⭐/r/pixelart The pixel art subreddit is pretty active! I've also heard some of my friends found work through posting here, so it's worth a try if you're looking. However, it is still Reddit- so if you're sensitive to rude people, or criticism you didn't ask for, you may want to avoid this one. Lol

🔸 Where To Find Work

You need money? I got you! As someone who mostly gets scouted on social media, I can share a few tips with you:

Put your email / portfolio in your bio Recruiters don't have all that much time to find artists, make it as easy as possible for someone to find your important information!

Clean up your profile If your profile feed is all full of memes, most people will just tab out rather than sift through. Doesn't apply as much to Tumblr if you have an art tag people can look at.

Post regularly, and repost Activity beats everything in the social media game. It's like rolling the dice, and the more you post the more chances you have. You have to have no shame, it's all business baby

Outside of just posting regularly and hoping people reach out to you, it can be hard to know where to look. Here are a few places you can sign up to and post around on.

/r/INAT INAT (I Need A Team) is a subreddit for finding a team to work with. You can post your portfolio here, or browse for people who need artists.

/r/GameDevClassifieds Same as above, but specifically for game-related projects.

Remote Game Jobs / Work With Indies Like Indeed but for game jobs. Browse them often, or get email notifications.

VGen VGen is a website specifically for commissions. You need a code from another verified artist before you can upgrade your account and sell, so ask around on social media or ask your friends. Once your account is upgraded, you can make a 'menu' of services people can purchase, and they send you an offer which you are able to accept, decline, or counter.

The evil websites of doom: Fiverr and Upwork I don't recommend them!! They take a big cut of your profit, and the sites are teeming with NFT and AI people hoping to make a quick buck. The site is also extremely oversaturated and competitive, resulting in a race to the bottom (the cheapest, the fastest, doing the most for the least). Imagine the kind of clients who go to these websites, looking for the cheapest option. But if you're really desperate...

🔸 Community

I do really recommend getting involved in a community. Finding like-minded friends can help you stay motivated to keep drawing. One day, those friends you met when you were just starting out may become your peers in the industry. Making friends is a game changer!

Discord servers Nowadays, the forums of old are mostly abandoned, and people split off into many different servers. Cafe Dot, Pixel Art Discord (PAD), and if you can stomach scrolling past all the AI slop, you can browse Discord servers here.

Twitch Streams Twitch has kind of a bad reputation for being home to some of the more edgy gamers online, but the pixel art community is extremely welcoming and inclusive. Some of the people I met on Twitch are my friends to this day, and we've even worked together on different projects! Browse pixel art streams here, or follow some I recommend: NickWoz, JDZombi, CupOhJoe, GrayLure, LumpyTouch, FrankiePixelShow, MortMort, Sodor, NateyCakes, NyuraKim, ShinySeabass, I could go on for ever really... There are a lot of good eggs on Pixel Art Twitch.

🔸 Other Helpful Websites

Palettes Lospec has a huge collection of user-made palettes, for any artist who has trouble choosing their colours, or just wants to try something fun. Rejected Palettes is full of palettes that didn't quite make it onto Lospec, ran by people who believe there are no bad colours.

The Spriters Resource TSR is an incredible website where users can upload spritesheets and tilesets from games. You can browse for your favourite childhood game, and see how they made it! This website has helped me so much in understanding how game assets come together in a scene.

VGMaps Similar to the above, except there are entire maps laid out how they would be played. This is incredible if you have to do level design, or for mocking up a scene for fun.

Game UI Database Not pixel-art specific, but UI is a very challenging part of graphics, so this site can be a game-changer for finding good references!

Retronator A digital newspaper for pixel-art lovers! New game releases, tutorials, and artworks!

Itch.io A website where people can upload, games, assets, tools... An amazing hub for game devs and game fans alike. A few of my favourite tools: Tiled, PICO-8, Pixel Composer, Juice FX, Magic Pencil for Aseprite

🔸 The End?

This is just part 1 for now, so please drop me a follow to see any more guides I release in the future. I plan on doing some writeups on how I choose colours, how to practise, and more!

I'm not an expert by any means, but everything I did to get to where I am is outlined in this guide. Pixel art is my passion, my job and my hobby! I want pixel art to be recognized everywhere as an art-form, a medium of its own outside of game-art or computer graphics!

This guide took me a long time, and took a lot of research and experience. Consider following me or supporting me if you are feeling generous.

And good luck to all the fledgling pixel artists, I hope you'll continue and have fun. I hope my guide helped you, and don't hesitate to send me an ask if you have any questions! 💕

My other tutorials (so far): How to draw Simple Grass for a game Hue Shifting