Everything You Must Understand About Web Application Development Company

Web application development empowers organizations to have a web app that functions similarly to a mobile app. The purpose of web applications is to engage users, give emphasis to responsive interactions, maintain high performance, enhance the visibility of the organization across multiple platforms, and track real-time data. A reliable web application development company builds interactive apps using robust web development technologies. Once the app is made, the users have the option of accessing the web app from their web browsers.

Essentially, in a web app, you can find a typical back-end and front-end framework. In theory, websites and web apps are closely related. The difference between web apps and websites is the fact that the former is dynamic and customized and is built for specific purposes. On the other hand, a website is an accumulation of web pages. Both websites and web apps are extremely significant for the business. Primarily, like a website, a web application development company utilizes CSS, JavaScript, and HTML for front-end development. For back-end frameworks, common languages such as Laravel, PHP, and Python are used.

You have the option of learning the entire process of web application development yourself. However, the learning process might take months and you are bound to commit errors. Moreover, if you are building web apps for your business, then it must be competitive so that it drives your business growth. Therefore, it is more recommendable to choose a reputed web application development company to get the multi-featured web app you need. Hiring a professional to build your web apps not only saves time, but also makes the app relevant to the present market, systematic, and future ready. In this blog, we will see the entire facets of the web application development process and the things you must know about before choosing your web app development company.

Top Benefits of Web Apps

Having a web app for your business provides many benefits to your users. Some of these benefits include cross-platform compatibility, access to secure and real-time data, high manageability, and installation independent nature. Now, let us observe the main points that highlight the driving factors for having a robust web app for your business.

• High-Portability:

You have good reasons for building a web app instead of a mobile app. First of all, you would need appropriate resources and budget to get the mobile app you require and make it visible across app stores. On the other hand, web apps give you high portability that powers users to access the app from any platform. A mobile app limits your visibility to just one platform whereas a web app can be accessed across many devices such as tablets, mobile phones, laptops, etc. As long as users are connected to the internet, they can open the app and even exchange data.

• More Convenience:

Web apps offer users more convenience in configuration and utilization. The web app can be easily accessed on the web, users do not need to install it on the device. Thus, you do not need to worry about the safety of your device and save a large amount of space on your disc. Many users nowadays do not prefer to load their smartphones with plenty of apps. Moreover, in a sea of mobile apps, it will be more difficult for companies to differentiate themselves apart and get users’ attention. Having a web app also lets you have peace of mind regarding updates as well. Users can also use the upgraded apps on the web and not worry about security issues that come with outdated apps installed on the phone.

• Easier Development:

Building a mobile app requires paying attention to a lot of technical details. For example, if you want to have a mobile app, then you need to invest in creating both a native app and a hybrid app if you want to make the app available in app stores. This requires twice as much manpower and technical expertise. Building web apps offers you a much easier development process and takes significantly less amount of time. Moreover, with a progressive web app, you can also reach out to your audience at remote locations and considerably upgrade your brand visibility.

• Reduced Cost in Development:

Since coding web apps require less manpower and the maintainability of the apps is relatively easier, businesses can save a lot of expenses in the development as well as support and maintenance services. A web app built by experts at a reliable web application development company provides a simplified architecture to the users and helps in organizing business operations. Hence, it powers businesses in saving additional costs that may be necessary in managing multifaceted processes. Moreover, you can also get your app customized by experts to reduce redundant features and have the functionalities you require in your web apps to serve users.

Types of Web Apps

While there are distinct types of web apps categorized based on their development process, generally, web apps fall under three main categories: client-side web apps, server-side web apps, and single-page applications. Let us know about these types in detail from the points specified below:

• Client-Side Web Apps:

Client-side web apps are the most common apps found in web app development domain where the focus is on the front-end development. It implies that developers put more impetus on the UI (User Interface) of the app. Through prioritizing the user experience, the developers help bring out a more enhanced performance of these apps. Any kind of business logic or the data that the app might utilize to function is loaded dynamically to initiate the app. Since developers emphasize client-side rendering, little-to-no buffering time is required for loading a web page. This boosts the user interactions with the web app content, which in turn, elevates the responsiveness of the web apps.

• Server-Side Web Apps:

As the name suggests, the server-side web app is software where the focus is on back-end development. Now, back-end development is a process that consists of building servers, application programming interfaces, databases, or any other background processes that exist in the application. Though, it is important to remind ourselves that web apps will also have a UI and a front-end, the most dynamic codes will exist on the server side. This type of web app functions well with static content. This is because it can take a few moments for the web browser to deliver a request to the server and then wait for a response. The main advantages of server-side web apps include improved security and upgraded browser compatibility.

• Single-Page Applications:

A SPA or a single-page-applications is the kind of software that displays all its content on a single page and contains an infinite scroll mechanism. It is quite different than a multi-page app where you must click on a certain link to open a page. SPAs contain advantages of both server-side web apps and client-side web apps. A reliable web application development company utilizes the method of dynamic routing through coding with different JavaScript frameworks to boost the power of the apps to retrieve only the data user requires at a time. Thus, expert developers configure SPAs in such a way that entire pages do not need to reload completely whenever a user fetches new sets of data or implements a function.

Main Steps Involved in Developing Web Apps

Theoretically, the development process of web apps is not drastically different than developing any conventional software. However, you do need proper planning, a team of domain experts, and well-defined procedures to achieve the successful development of web apps. Let us take a glance at the main steps to keep in mind while developing competitive web apps.

• Problem Definition:

Before executing the development process, it is imperative to be clear about the problem and requirements. This is a fundamental step based on which the entire development process depends. If the problem definition is not clear, then the development process becomes unorganized and non-specific to the business requirement. No matter how clever your web app solution is, if it is not suitable for the business problem, then the client might discard it. It is important to be clear about the fact that the end product should be able to solve the problem at hand.

• Workflow Planning:

Workflow planning requires you to establish a proper systematic approach to your web app development. It requires organizing all the aspects and tasks that are relevant to the web app development process. Here, you must plan the features of your web apps and determine how you can build these features with your existing resources and budget. Take care of both the technical and business-oriented aspects of your web app in the workflow planning. Also, create proper timeframes so that you can finish off the development process well within the deadline. You can also create well-detailed algorithms that can help in propelling the development process forward.

• Create a Prototype for Your Web App:

You must gain some idea about how your final product would look before creating a web app. In this way, you can figure out whether your development process is on the right path. You can also include changes that would bring your web app closer to the business requirement. Creating a prototype gives you a vision of the end product. It is an incomplete yet functional design that lets you have the minimum viable product. The suitability of the prototype with roadmap specifications determines the success of the project.

• Validate Your Web App:

Determine that the prototype is impressive enough to perform well in the market. Validating your web apps also requires you to find out the users in the market who are interested to see what you have in your plans. To validate your prototype, you can start by showing your designs to suitable users. Then, you can gather honest feedback and then make changes or improve aspects accordingly.

• Build Your Web App:

Once you have got all the basics right, it is time to start coding. Figure out all the front-end and back-end technologies you would need to make the web app work. Create a timeline and get your talented programmers to work. It is more profitable to code accurately and as per the roadmap specifications so that you don’t encounter expensive errors later on.

• Test Your Web App:

A single bug can disrupt the functionality of the web app and bring down the reputation of the brand. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to thoroughly test the web app so that the final product is without any shortcomings. Now, a prominent web application development company ensures administering tests through the development cycle so that each iteration is without any bugs. Nevertheless, software quality assurance is an intrinsic part of web applications and without proper testing, it is inadvisable to release the app to the public.

• Host & Launch Your Web App:

Similar to any other website, a web app must be launched and hosted on a robust web server. It essentially means implementing your web app and here, you will have to purchase a domain name and get a suitable hosting provider on the cloud. A reliable web application development company helps the client throughout the hosting and launch process. Moreover, once the web app has been released, the company also aids the client with round-the-clock support and maintenance services so that the client never encounters any technical problems or downtime.

Aspects to Consider While Hiring a Web App Developer

Choosing a suitable web app developer is a tricky and business-critical process. Carrying out proper research and selecting the best option can make you rest assured that you will get the app you require. Essentially, you need to consider a lot of aspects such as the development environment, the suite of technologies available, costs, domain expertise, etc. The following points will help you make an informed decision while hiring a favorable developer for the web app development process.

• Transparency and Communication:

The foremost things that clients appreciate in web app developers are transparency and communication. Keeping clients in the loop about the progress of the project, the technologies involved, and the accurate timeline builds trust among the clients. A proper web app development process keeps clients informed about what parts of the project have been completed and the problematic tasks that the development team is dealing with. There must be a proper reporting structure and the team should lay out all the updates in the report. Calling the client every other day is also a symptom of flawed communication. Essentially, transparency and communication involve keeping track of minute details and sharing such details with the client.

• Competence of the Team:

While it is true that no developer can deliver a project 100 percent right, a development team must have a certain degree of competence. The presence of domain experts helps the development team to find quick solutions to all the complexities that emerge in the market. Besides, all members of the development team should know how to understand business requirements, what technology to use, and how to communicate within the team and with the client. A perfect unison of hard and soft skills helps clients rest assured that their web app development project is in good hands.

• Dedication:

If a web app development assigns a development team to you that is already working on several projects, then it is likely that you will get disorganized services. To make communication between the client and the development team as smooth as possible, it is imperative to have a dedicated team for a client. In this way, a client can get real-time updates quite easily because the team is working on a particular project. It increases the focus of the team and elevates the confidentiality of the project. This also powers clients to connect easily with the development team and specify any more changes they want.

• Detailed Billing Report:

Billing is a major aspect that a client has to take care of when dealing with web app developers. Even if the work is progressing smoothly and no issue occurs in the web app development process, problems may still emerge in the billing process. Therefore, the developer must be transparent while issuing the bill and make the billing report as detailed as possible. The billing report indicates the hours spent by the programmer and highlights the reasons for slow development if any.

4 Examples of Web Applications You Must Have Knowledge About

We can see the prevalent use of web applications all around us. Knowing how you use your web apps in your daily life might motivate you to create a tremendous concept for your web app.

• Google Docs:

Google Docs is probably one of the most famous web apps you have come across. With the help of Google Docs, users can interact directly with the software and offer suggestions and make changes, which others can see in real-time. It is a great tool for corporates to allow employees to collaborate on a document simultaneously. Moreover, it saves your data on Google Drive, so it is impossible for you to lose your data. One of the primary features of Google Docs is the fact that the document automatically saves changes right after you make them and displays them to other users.

• Notion:

In recent times, Notion has attained astonishing popularity. It is a prevalent web application that meets many purposes and requirements. Essentially, you can utilize Notion as a to-do list, calendar, wiki, notepad, etc. The app functions using components that you can easily insert, and you can also edit changes using just your browser.

• Mailchimp:

Mailchimp is a popular marketing web application platform that enables marketers to send targeted and automated mass emails to their leads. The User Interface is simple to understand and navigate for the users and the features to set up an email marketing campaign are also quite straightforward.

• Salesforce:

Salesforce is a powerful app to manage customer relationships in real-time effectively. Built on a SaaS model, the software enables businesses to provide suitable services to the customers by utilizing the insightful data and integrate Salesforce into other types of technologies such as HubSpot, CMS, etc.

Conclusion

Having a fully featured web app is imperative for your business. Now, you can either initiate the development process yourself or hire experts at a credible web application development company. It is recommendable to hire professional developers because they know about market standards, the strengths of your competitors, and emerging trends in the domain. In the blog, you can gain knowledge about all the introductory concepts related to web application development and the importance of hiring a suitable web app development company. If you want a cost-effective solution as well as domain expertise and round-the-clock support and maintenance, rely on BMITS.