A Top-Notch Guide on Web Application Development for Super Success

There was a time when people actually thought web based interactions would be dated since mobile devices were taking over major applications. The apps are much more intuitive, have a wide range of functionalities and offer compatibility across handy devices like mobile phones, tablets and other user interfaces. Compare that convenience to that of a web browser and the hardware that hosts these browsers and you will know why people tried to write off web services. 

Enter web application development. In simpler terms, web applications can be explained as mobile applications run through a web browser. Web pages these days are no longer just posters displaying static content. Websites act as programs that run on web servers behaving according to the user interface. Although a majority of the user percentage is still with mobile apps, when we look at the hours spent on both, web applications aren’t too far behind.

These web applications on a web page don’t reload a million times and do less back and forth due to its dual face interfaces, one each for client side and server side. Custom web application development services like YouTube & Netflix are prime examples of how in the modern world of mobile app development, the classic web browser based services can also be made into interactive fun sessions without the inconvenience of the static nature of the browsers and servers. 

Some essential benefits of web applications

Accessibility

Unlike mobile apps, web applications do not need to get downloaded from a store. They can be easily accessed through a URL onto a web browser. They also do not need constant version updates like mobile apps do as web apps are updated automatically. This accessibility makes web applications much more relevant and popular than mobile applications.

Compatibility

Mobile apps need a separate version and meet prerequisites of each operating system they wish to operate on while web applications run on web browsers which are independent of the OS. Trending features like AR/VR can run on the browser’s capabilities across devices while for a mobile app, it has to meet the requirements of the various operating systems for it to offer the same functionality.   

User Friendly

You need 5 different apps to perform 5 different functions and that may eat up lots of storage both physical as well as cloud on your devices while you only need 1 web browser to perform a plethora of functions using different web applications. This also helps when you wish to share content i.e. to share a piece content from a web application, you just need to share the URL of that page while to share the content of a mobile app, you need the other person to have the same app or it will route them to the store to download the app.

The Basic Anatomy of a Web Application

Now that we have covered the basics of web applications and how they differ from native mobile applications, let us take a look at the technologies these web applications are based on. Web applications work on two different fronts: client side front and server side front. Both fronts can be on different platforms. 

The Client Side 

The end on the client side is the one that interchanges behaviors from the web browser based on the user’s interface. Users can access this by looking at the source code. Traditionally, languages like HTML, CSS & JavaScript were mostly used to write the client side codes. In the last few years, new age scripting languages like AJAX, JQuery & MOO Tools have also gained popularity. 

The Server Side

The end on the server side is the one that reacts to the client side behaviors from the web servers. The application developers play a larger role in the server side development. Users do not have access to the server side coding. Traditional server side coding languages like PHP & ASP .Net are still pretty much apt while new platforms like Zend (derived from PHP) and Python have also been popular among developers.

Four Stages of Web Application Development

The process of developing a top web application involves multiple stages. The standard practices involve basic stages like research and analysis, framebuilding, identifying the technology and designing. You must identify the purpose with your clients before initiating your project. 

Research & Analysis

The very first step for any project is the right documentation. After progressive dialogues with the client, the developer documents the whole project and the scope of it. Having a clear purpose helps the developers pick and choose the right framework and technology. For instance you may have completely different frameworks and technologies for various web applications like static/dynamic web application, ecommerce, content management system, single/multi page application, etc.

Frame Building

Based on the purpose of the application, you then form the frame. Before moving to the fancy technologies, it is advisable for developers to build a frame. The frame, often referred to as wireframe is a slightly sophisticated version of a flow chart or a paper hypothesis. It can be done with paper drawings or digital drawings. Having this frame helps you and your client understand the flow and basic infrastructure of the application.

Identifying the Technology

After apt documentation and approvals of the wireframes, you now choose the technology you want to work with. Just like actual structures, web structures too depend on a strong architecture. Define the functions your applications need and write the codes for them or place them from the existing libraries based on the technology you choose. The potential traffic and size of data are a couple of key factors in deciding the technology.

Designing & Testing

The last and perhaps the most fun aspect of the process is the designing. This is where you have the fun as you get to design innovative and interactive user interfaces. The previous three steps play a huge part in executing this last step as the source technology corresponds to the front end design technology. Based on the functionalities of the application, you get to design various interfaces. After you are done with the designs, it is very important to run various intensive tests on your application and figure out key performance indicators. This helps you tackle any future bug or update that may occur. 

The Word

You would think that mobile applications would take over the business channels but the recent trends suggest something totally different. Only 200 million websites are active out of a total 1.5 billion of them, but the sheer convenience of using multiple applications on the same browser is much underrated and becomes a decisive factor. The streaming platforms still see a major split between mobile and web users. The case is pretty much the same for eCommerce web development companies as businesses want to reach out to users across devices. We can never predict the future when it comes to the internet but with web applications emulating almost everything that mobile applications do barring customization, one thing is pretty certain the idea of using all the apps from the same window or a same platform is quite intriguing for both businesses as well as consumers.

Nandan Goda

My name is Nandan, the Owner at Gtech Web Infotech Pvt. Ltd.. I’m also a designer and developer. I’ve been working in the web development field for last 12+ years. Developing and implementing small to large-scale projects and everything in between. Currently working on a lot of CMS, dev-tooling projects. Furthermore focusing on combining Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning with emerging technologies.