Web applications have been with us for almost three decades, and there is no sign of them going away. If you are new to web app development but want to create your own web-based application, this guide is for you. Even if you don’t know what a web app is, we will start with the basics so you can learn more about web applications’ types and key benefits.
Then, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on custom web app development and discuss costs. As a result, you will learn the essentials for a successful web app development process. So, let’s start!
Table of Contents
What is a Web Application?
Simply speaking, a web app is a software application available through a web browser. Users can easily access it via the Internet and don’t have to install anything on their devices. Web apps generally have two essential parts: server-side (back-end) and client-side (front-end).
The server side is responsible for storing and retrieving data, while the client side helps display this data to users. The main difference between web applications and websites is the complexity of back-end development and infrastructure. Websites usually are just collections of web pages that can be accessed by users, and web-based apps feature more interactive elements and more complex user interfaces.
Benefits of Web Application Development
So why choose web-based app development instead of building a mobile app or creating a simple website? Let’s talk about the main advantages of web apps.
- Unmatched Availability:
While developing a mobile app, you often need to build two versions, one for iOS and another for Android. Desktop applications usually can’t seamlessly run on mobile devices. With web development, you end up with an application that can be opened in any browser, on any OS, and on a screen of any size and resolution.
- Cost-Effectiveness:
The Cost of web app development is significantly lower than other options. Due to a simplified web application architecture, less requirements for the user device system, and reduced investments in ongoing support and maintenance, building a web application is a perfect option for budget-conscious organisations or individuals.
- Customisation and Scalability:
Software often can’t keep up with changing requirements and the growing number of users as your business grows. This may lead to downtime and technical issues, and you may end up losing customers. Web apps are more flexible and easily tailored to changing requirements.
- Improved Security:
Web-based applications usually store their data on cloud servers, which are much more secure than alternatives. Also, this type of app removes access to back-end servers for users, making tampering with code and finding potential points of weakness for future cyber-attacks more difficult.
As we can see, web apps stay popular for a good reason. Now, let’s talk about what kinds of web applications you can build.
Types of Web Applications
There are several classifications of web applications, but we can narrow it down to the four most common types. Understanding these should be enough to start developing your own web-based software solution.
- Static Web Applications:
This is the simplest type, perfect for beginners. Static applications feature predefined materials that users can access via a web browser but usually can’t interact with. You can add multimedia, such as basic animations, videos, GIFs, or banners, to make the user interface more interactive and attractive to customers. Static web apps are best suited for people who just want to present some information to users without getting much feedback or input from them. Usually, this approach is used for blogs, newsletters, or brand pages, such as Product Hunt, Microsoft Developer Blogs, or Morning Brew.
- Dynamic Web Applications:
These apps are more flexible and interactive than static ones. Users can post comments, create profiles, and be involved in various activities through your application. Dynamic web apps are more complex than static applications and require more development resources. Nevertheless, it is usually worth it, as modern audiences usually expect more interactive web pages, advanced functionalities, and multimedia elements. Among the most popular examples of dynamic web apps are Amazon, Google Docs, and Airbnb.
- Single Page Applications (SPA):
Simply speaking, SPAs are web-based applications that don’t require refreshing a page for displaying new content. Single-page apps can rewrite web pages dynamically without relying on a web server. SPAs are becoming increasingly popular due to their intuitive user interface and quick loading times. Developing such an app will require both back-end and front-end developers and a rather complex tech stack. You may know about SPAs such as Gmail, Spotify, or X.
- Progressive Web Applications (PWA):
PWAs can be described as web apps with functionalities of mobile applications. Progressive web applications can be installed on a user device, operate offline, and integrate with device and other installed apps. Progressive web apps development is becoming very popular, but building an application like this will require expertise in both mobile and web technologies. Among the most well-known PWAs are Starbucks, Forbes, and Pinterest.
Now that you have learned about different types of web apps, let’s discuss the main part: the development process itself. .
How to Develop a Web Application
After you learn the basics, you can start the web app development process. To build a web application, you need to go through numerous processes and complete different tasks. Here are the key steps for developing web-based apps.
Planning Stage
Almost every successful app solves problems people face in their everyday lives. Make sure that your product will be helpful for users. The app’s core idea doesn’t necessarily need to be groundbreaking and never seen before, but make sure that it improves over similar solutions.
Analyse similar solutions on the market right now, figure out their strengths and weaknesses, and conduct thorough market research. During this stage, you may need help from your tech team or a web app development service provider you will partner up with.
The next step is to determine your app’s core feature. It is recommended that an actual application development be started by building a minimum viable product (MVP). The MVP should include only the main functionalities, so don’t over complicate it. However, it should still be usable and tell people what your app is about.
Creating Sketches, Wireframes, and Prototypes
Before actually building a user interface, create a simple sketch of your future app. Just sketch up the basic look of a web application on a piece of paper. Also, during this stage, you can create a user journey map.
After sketches are done, you and your application development team can create accurate portrayals of the web app’s design called wireframes. They will provide you with a better understanding of how web pages will actually look on screen. When wireframes are done, the next step is building an interactive prototype.
The prototype should be clickable and feature all web pages that will be an MVP. Of course, it can be a little buggy and unrefined, but it is still an important step before an actual development. Prototype will let you make necessary adjustments before any coding is done, which makes it easier and more cost-effective.
Core Development
For actual web app development, you need front-end and back-end developers, web designers, and quality assurance specialists on your team. Depending on the complexity of your app, the size and structure of your tech team may change.
Before starting the development process, you need to decide on the technical aspects of your future app. The choice will heavily depend on what type of app you choose to build, the desired features and functionalities, and the project budget.
The most common programming language for front-end development is JavaScript. Other widely used technologies include HTML, TypeScript, and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). The most popular libraries and web application frameworks include React, Vue.js, and Flutter. For back-end development, software engineers often use Python, Java, Golang, Rust, and Ruby.
Almost any web app requires complex database management, so pay attention to this aspect, too. Elasticsearch, and others. Based on your chosen database, the technical team should find a compatible database management system from dozens of options available today. Other decisions you should make during this stage include finding a suitable application programming interface and choosing server architecture to ensure your web application is scalable.
After your MVP is built and ready for launch, don’t forget to test it. QA experts will not only be able to fix simple bugs that can make your app impossible to use but also consult you on the product’s usability and overall quality. After testing is over and you are sure you have a high-quality and secure web application, you can deploy your MVP. You should establish channels for user feedback, track user activities, and, based on this data, iterate and fine-tune your web app.
Web App Development Cost
To accurately estimate how much building a web application will cost, you need to know dozens of things. The costs of development mainly depend on three aspects: the complexity of the project, the time frame, and the hiring option you choose. You can build a simple static web app using no code or low code platforms, which will cost you a couple of thousand dollars. Still, functionalities will be limited, and customisation will be basically impossible. Custom web applications with interactive elements and advanced functionalities will cost significantly more, starting at $100.000, and the more features you want to add, the higher costs will be.
The time frame also affects the budget. If you need rapid development to put your app on the market sooner than competitors, you will need more developers who will work more hours. Regarding hiring options, freelancers will cost you less but can deliver questionable results or disappear from you. Outsourcing web development will cost you extra, but by hiring developers offshore, you can lower costs while still receiving excellent service. In-house full-time tech specialists will require you to pay salaries and benefits, which lead to associated spending, such as renting office space or paying for infrastructure.
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Conclusion
Web app development has been popular for a long time now, but with single-page applications and progressive web apps that are quietly replacing native application development, it plays an even more important role in our lives.
If you decide to build your own web application, you make the right choice. In this guide, you can find information about the basics that will help you to start your journey through this complex but rewarding process.
May 29, 2024
