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Minimizing internal programmer resources while providing a streamlined integration tool is one of the main reasons why companies turn to hosted software development. Hosted software as a service (SaaS) development products have transferred the burden of maintaining a platform from an in-house only option to a combination of an in-house and remote hosting service. Although the niche for hosted software development is growing rapidly, there are pros and cons to completely outsourcing. Companies with programmers who are scattered around the globe will reap the benefits of hosted software development tools the most. They allow for seamless, remote integration of various aspects of coding, while giving all programmers equal access to the tools they need to complete the job. Some hosted software development companies include a variety of tools in their hosted software bank that are designed to not only make the programmer's job easier, but that work in tandem with one another to create fewer programming bugs. In fact, some hosted software development systems include bug tracking software that alerts the programmer to potential issues early on in the coding process. Traditionally, software development tools have been designed and run as in-house operations only. They have included the integrated development environment (IDE), as well as the repository. The infrastructure required to maintain both components can be taxing on the company's resources, especially for a small enterprise. It is no surprise then that hosted software development systems offer both full hosting of the IDE and the repository, and partial hosting of just the repository. The needs of each company will vary depending on their infrastructure resources and the ability of their developers to provide the programmers with a top-notch software development tool. Although the burden of maintaining both aspects of the programming platform can be eliminated, some worries about hosted software development remain. Unease about placing intellectual property on an outside server is perhaps the largest concern for companies. The potential for data loss, as well as, coding being compromised are real concerns. However, most hosted software development companies provide safeguard measures that work to eliminate these concerns. Superior firewalls and the physical locking of servers helps to provide security from outside threats. Hosted software development systems are quickly becoming the choice for programming teams, as they increase the group's efficiency by freeing up internal resources. Many companies still choose to keep their IDEs based in-house, but outsource the hosting of the repository and tools to a remote company. This allows them to retain control over more of their intellectual property, but frees up the time and resources of the system developers, as well as, the programmers. This streamlined approach saves the company both time and financial resources. As more hosting companies emerge, it is necessary for corporations to analyze the complete service package and reputation of each hosting site. Not all hosting software development companies are equal in their ability to work with customers and their unique coding needs. Fully integrated systems with a high-degree of customer support will always be the better choice for programmers and the companies they work for.
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