Web Application Development – The Ultimate Guide

Ever since the concept of web apps was introduced to the world, it has been constantly embraced by smartphone users and online businesses due to its quality of being used as a native application directly from the web browser. If made by a professional web app development company, a web application can be equally responsive to that of a native app and can either be downloaded or accessed directly from the browser and is multiple OS friendly.

The concept of Web Application Development was first introduced by Steve Jobs as a fascinating idea of ‘apps being used directly from the browser’. In 2005, Ajax converted the thought into a reality by making it possible to build interactive and responsive web apps. With this, the era of data-centric static apps was over.

Talking about the scenario in 2021, the easy availability of technology and insightful minds has made web apps the most common and the most convenient way of accessing dynamic applications. Unlike native applications, web apps do not utilize the device’s internal storage and get updated automatically with every browser search. From the entire MS Office to Mailchimp, Basecamp, Pinterest, Trivago and Facebook – are all successful examples of web application development in the current era.

Web app development comes packed with a lot of benefits which makes it a preferred and constant choice of businesses operating in 2021. But the question arises, how to build the enterprise-level web application to scale your business? The article holds everything an entrepreneur needs to know about web apps and web app development.

What is a Web Application? 

The dynamic and interactive applications that are used directly from the browser search are called web applications. These apps do not hold a place in the device’s internal storage but are rather stored on the servers and are accessed when the internet connection is available. More precisely, web apps are client-centric software that lets the users connect to the server through internet connectivity and access the software.

Web application development is the process of creating web apps that starts with having a purpose, designing the solution, creating a prototype, selecting the framework, and finally developing and testing the app that will promote and facilitate a business. Just like for realtors, real estate web development is a boon in 2021. Know more about real estate web portal development or any other enterprise-level web app development with Vervelogic.

Though app development is a one-time deal but introducing updates to pace with the current demands of the consumers is a constant process that makes web app development an ultimate hit.

Web Application Development – Most Common Comparisons 

Web Applications VS Mobile Applications

So far you got the idea of web application development. But are these apps similar to mobile applications? Well, there are similarities like both can be accessed via smartphones, both are interactive, both can store data, etc. BUT there are distinctions as well…

Hold on to one of these promising online business ideas and make your passion come true with the help of a dedicated web application.

Web Applications VS Websites 

Where a web application gives more flexibility to the user to interact, websites are basically the visualization of the images, videos and written content that can only be seen with heavy limitations on changes from the user-side.

Discuss with your associate web app development company about these most popular and highly efficient web app development frameworks for 2021. Keep a concrete base of your online business…

Progressive Web Apps

Progressive Web Apps aka PWAs are an updated form of web apps that have the potential of outperforming the standard native apps too. Being an advanced form of web apps, PWAs have an extra set of utilities that work in the favor of a business like push notifications, manifests, service workers, etc.

Sharing the traits of web applications, PWAs can easily be accessed through a browser search and can also be bookmarked on the home screen for quick fingertip access (an icon appears just like a native application). The data is still stored to the server and occupies no internal storage of the device.

Want to start your own venture in 2021 with low investment? Check out the business app ideas you can fuel by owning a progressive web app in 2021…

Different Kinds of Web Applications 

Before jumping into the steps to create a web application, you must be well versed with what type of web application suits your business purpose. Each web application type serves a specific business goal and therefore to make the best web application you must know which type of web application you need for your business.

Here are the 3 Types of Web Applications You Must Know

1. Client-Side Web Apps 

These are simply front-end web apps having a client-centric approach. Made with some of the robust front-end technologies like JS and Javascript-based frameworks, these sites work in terms of user experiences. As such web apps run only on the client-side server it is impossible to communicate with the database. Thus the client-side web apps are targeted if the user information needs to be preserved for a single session only like gaming apps or image editors.

2. Server-Side Web Apps 

Server-side web apps are more data-oriented and are concerned with processing the data as per the inputs by the end-user. Server-side web app development utilizes certain top-notch programming languages like C#, Ruby, Python, PHP, etc. depending on the expertise of app developers.

In server-side web applications, for every change that is introduced (from form submission to data updates), the server will create an HTML file and the webpage will reload. Changes are done at the server end and the client (web browsers) will reload the fresh web page.

3. Single Page Apps 

Single-page web apps involve both front-end (client-side) and back-end coding (server-side). Such apps interact with the user by simultaneously re-writing the current page rather than loading the entire site from the server end. Thus single-page apps work more in real-time without the need to reload the page.

Sure-Shot Benefits of Web App Development  

One can anticipate the market scope of web app development from the fact that it is employed by many giant businesses with a huge clientele spread across the world. Professional web app developers have a good call as businesses nowadays are heavily banking on developing and maintaining web applications with pure intentions to reach out to millions using any OS platform or device (desktop, mobile, or tablet).

Web Application Development – Benefits 

-> As web applications are OS flexible, it increases the chances of reaching out to more people using any OS – the opposite is the case with native apps.

-> Native apps cot just double the web apps as for native apps twice the efforts, resources, and time is needed.

-> The emergence of advanced technologies has paved the way for well-built web applications making them look and feel like truly native applications.

-> PWAs have come a long way in terms of the benefits that a web application could give to an online business.

-> Giants that were already owning mobile applications have switched to web apps as this was the only way to enhance user experience and increase app usage by 40%.

-> With the help of a professional app development agency, you can come up with a comprehensive answer to android app development, iOS app development and web development in a single web app that is dedicated to your business.

-> Web apps can be tested easily for unit and functional testing as they have a single source-coding to run tests on. Also, know 8 specific functional testing types and their importance in web app development.

Complete Tech-Stack Needed for Web App Development 

Mentioned below are some top-notch in-built technologies to power your business application. These front-end and backend technologies will help you create some highly advanced, turbo and high performing web apps:

Front End Web App Development 

As the name says, front-end web app development deals with empowering the components/processes that users will directly interact with. The processing is done on the client-side. To fulfill the purpose, Javascript is preferred. Here are some JS-based front-end dev frameworks:

Get in-depth knowledge of the best front-end frameworks for quick and best web application development.

Databases

What tops the list of top 3 web app development databases is MySQL – the other two being PostgreSQL and Oracle.

Back-End Web App Development

Python tops the list of best technologies for back-end web application development together with Ruby, Go, Node.js, Java and Django. Every framework and language has its own skillset when it comes to fulfilling respective tasks. For example:

How to develop web applications? 

“Developing a web application that serves a business is a deal to accomplish”.

No matter which industry or business the web app serves, the standard process of developing web applications will remain the same. Discussed in the segment is the entire process of web app development:

1. Discovering the Purpose/Benefit/Issue

What purpose do you want to serve through your web application? What benefits your web app will give to its potential clients? And what issue do you want to solve through your business web application? All these questions will be the guiding statements for your business web app development and will ensure that you and your associate app development agency are on the same page.

2. Web App Strategizing 

What should happen through your web app? This is the stage where you already have the solution to an issue and are accordingly deciding the workflow of your web application. The major purpose of deciding the entire workflow is fixing the issue.

3. Wireframing or App Prototyping 

The wireframe is basically the blueprint of your application that is made keeping in mind the solution and the functionality of the web application. It is to guide the entire process of app development. While wireframes are the illustrations of web apps, app prototype is more of the visual functional/non-functional mockup of your application. Either of which can be the guidance for developing web apps. Wireframing/prototyping is easier than ever with these 15 wireframing and mockup tools.

4. Validating the Prototype 

Get feedback by letting users use the prototype of the application in the internal ecosystem.

5. Employing the tech-stack to build the application

This is the time one needs to stress on employing the in-built technology to power the application. The entire performance, flexibility, and scalability depend on the Ui components and the in-built tech stack that is used in developing your application. Mentioned above are some of the technologies that you can employ for the front-end and back-end development of web applications.

Web App Development is crucially about selecting the right app frameworks, platforms, tools, libraries, plugins, APIs, front-end technology, back-end technology, or databases.

6. Testing and Debugging 

Web app development is incomplete without testing the app for quality and bugs. Unit and functional testing is the constant process throughout the entire web app development. One always has the option to automate functional testing by employing the automation best functional tools and accordingly tracking the results.

7. Host and Deploy Your Web Application

Now that you have a fully functional web application with a check for quality and bugs, you need a space on the server to store your application. Hosting is about storing and running your application on a server. You need to buy a domain and select the cloud hosting provider. Talk to your web app development agency about the requirement.

Not only development and deployment but marketing and promotion of your business application is a must, here are 10 free websites where you can promote your business web app (each of which is elite in its own way).

Web Application Development – Cost Breakdown

The exact cost of every single web application is different depending on various factors like application size, complexity, technology integration, smart technology integration, feature list, designing and the web app development company you decide to work with.

To give you a heads-up, here is the approx estimation of the range in which different sizes and complex web apps can be developed:

At Last 

Web apps are highly preferred among businesses due to the checklist of benefits they come in. Web App Development has become a key resource for most of the giants and it continues to support businesses extensively by reaching out to the wider audience pool. With easy accessibility, cloud/server storage, and the ability to run on various platforms, web apps are becoming the talk of the town. Doing justice with your investments, Vervelogic is here to help you through your customized web app development and marketing needs. We are a click away from you.