Step-by-Step Guide: How to Develop a Simple Web Application?

Consider an online tool that simplifies your business and provides you with a competitive advantage over your competitors.

Isn't it inspiring? Yes, we're discussing web apps.

Developing a web application opens up a new world of possibilities for enterprises.

Let’s take BMW, for example. As a pioneering brand in the automobile business, BMW demonstrates that they are not afraid of new technology, whether with their automobiles or their website. However, they were missing the “wow” factor on their website.

The solution? They developed the new progressive web app to give users the “wow” experience. The high-resolution graphics & videos are the first thing everybody notices; the web loads almost rapidly with these features. Compared to the website, they saw a 4X increase in users clicking from the homepage to a BMW sales site, a 50% increase in mobile users & a 49% increase in site visits.

Web apps are the driving force behind today's enterprises. Be its productivity software to marketing and customer service solutions. Web apps enable us to accomplish tasks quickly and efficiently. As a result, many organizations prefer web apps over websites for gathering information for marketing campaigns and developing revenue-generating goods or services.

But how can you start building one? Let’s take a look!

The Need for Web Application:

A website application is interactive software that operates on a server & is more accessible through a web browser. A web app is structured so the user interface sends data back to the development team that created it.

The main distinction between web apps and webpages is that web application design is dictated by user experience.

For example, suppose a firm has established an e-commerce web program to track and report on which things a potential consumer spends the most time looking at. In that case, the web application might offer comparable items the next time the customer checks in.

If the same firm simply had a website, the user experience would be limited to what was offered to every customer: a fixed and standardized set of possibilities. According to polls, 42% of consumers are irritated when their content is not tailored, and 66% will only purchase from a site if the information speaks to their interests.

It makes web apps even more favourite for companies. A well-designed web app allows customers to purchase or transact, get information, and contact the company while keeping their data secure. Sounds simple?

Yet, with so many fantastic features and options available for web app developers nowadays, deciding which ones are critical for your app may take time and effort.

So, what does your web app need?

1. Responsive Design

According to Alan Cooper, the father of Visual Basic, “If we need users to love our software, we must design it to perform like a likable person: respectful, generous & helpful.”

A responsive design guarantees that your web app appears and works correctly on any device. While colorful layout animations are nice, user-friendly navigation is the key phrase when mastering responsive design for your web app.

2. Secure Login With 2FA

Having trustworthy online security and preserving sensitive information is critical for every organization.

Breaches like Amazon's web services crash have taught us never to reduce shortcuts when it comes to cyber security, and even a small company's web app should have effective security measures in place. Security is a top concern; securing your web app with Two-factor authentication (2FA) will add a new security layer.

3. Smart Push Notifications 

Push notifications are essential for every web app since they enable businesses to connect with their consumers quickly and on time, even when the user is not actively using the app.

4. Offline Features 

So you have created a fantastic, user-friendly business web app. Will users use it offline? Offline functionality is a basic necessity for any application. It will help your software load significantly faster while benefitting customers and companies with limited or no internet connectivity.

5. Built-in Analytics & Reporting

With analytics and reporting incorporated into your app, you can measure critical metrics like user engagement, conversion rates, and revenue to make data-driven choices.

6. Modern Customer Support

Even the finest online applications might have problems or bugs from time to time.  So, ensure your company web app has consistent customer assistance through live chat, a chatbot, or email support, so you can rapidly fix any difficulties and satisfy your users.

Overall, a successful business web app should be suited to the company's and its customers' particular and unique demands, and it should have features that allow for optimum efficiency, enjoyment, and security.

But how do you build one?

Process of Web Application Development:

Developing web applications is similar to every other software development life cycle stage. An effective team and well-defined procedures are the driving forces behind successful development. Yet, some people find it difficult.

As David Pawlan, Strategist at Aloa, defines - "The main development challenge that businesses face when developing a web application is standardizing their development process.” 

So, how do you begin?

1. Define your Problem

The first stage in designing your web app is defining the problem you want to address or determining why you want users to use your web app. People always come up with new ideas, but is it worth implementing if it does not bring innovative answers to an existing problem?

2. Plan the Workflow 

A workflow can help you logically organize your web application development's many components. Consider what your web app will include and how you will achieve those needs with your available resources and budget.

According to Oren Greenberg of Kurve, “A key challenge for app developers is managing the complexity of integrating multiple systems with multiple business functions and can deliver those cost-effectively, on budget and on time”

Thus, it’s necessary to adjust the time frame of the process & develop algorithms that help move it forward.

3. Build a Wireframe

The next step is to sketch out your process. Your wireframe is just a technique for communicating your solution to your target audience.

Wireframing has significant advantages. According to UX designer Josh Maynard, “Wireframe user flows & user stories are quite useful because we have previously considered every conceivable screen and situation, so there are no surprises during design. It makes it much easier for me (the designer) to focus and figure out what to work on.” 

Some experts believe wireframing may help you cut your web app's cost overruns by 95%.

4. Create a Prototype & Validate It

Prototyping is creating an incomplete but working application to understand better what your final product will look like. It is the equivalent of an MVP. Once you have made your prototype, present your web app to potential consumers to validate it. Collect feedback and proceed from there.

5. Choose your Firepower

You will utilize many tools/platforms/frameworks to build your web application. Selecting a tool that is right for the web app rather than what is popular is critical. For example, Django and React may be overkill for a basic to-do app.

6. App Creation

Now it’s time to build your web app. For that, you need to research the software requirements. Here you need three things:

Database: Decide on the sorts of data that you must store in your database. Then build your database.

Frontend: You will likely construct both the front end and the back end at the same time. Your front end will be based on the wireframe/prototype that you evaluated previously.

Backend: Creating your backend is one of the most challenging components of web application development. The backend's key roles are to offer HTTP endpoints for your front end, authenticate users, authorize users, and serve the front end.

Now that you have decided on your tools, it's time to start creating your web app.

7. Test your App

According to the study, 62% of people delete apps due to crashes or installation bugs. That means, without question, the next step is testing. Throughout the development life cycle, many software development teams perform tests to guarantee that your web app is bug-free with each iteration.

So make sure to test your web app and that too before you make your app available to the public.

8. Host & Launch

A web app, like a website, has to be hosted on a web server. That means you'll need a domain name and a cloud hosting provider to get your web project up and running.

“One of the most challenging issues in website app development is creating an app that gives the best user experience & contains the most vital functionalities while being simple to use,” says Ritesh Vatwani, Head of Operations at Zestard Technologies.

According to Neil Patel, “Big corporates aren't the sole ones that can dabble in innovative application development.” 

So, first and foremost, ensure that your app is valuable to your intended audience. Also, your web app should focus on user experience, be responsive, and speak your brand voice!

Frameworks for Web Application Development:

Frameworks are intended to make developing web applications simpler and more rapid than writing code from scratch. Each web application framework has its philosophy and set of perks. They can be backend and frontend.

Front-End

Front-end tech for website applications & online creation has remained unchanged for a long time. But, at the very least, you can count on them!

• JavaScript - For functionality and interactivity of web apps.

• HTML – The web app's skeleton, its outline.

• CSS – Completing the design and layout of the app.

Developers utilize frameworks like Bootstrap for the first two. Several frameworks are available for JavaScript, including Vue.js, Angular.js, and React.js. According to Statista, the most common frameworks as of 2022 were Node.js, React.js, and jQuery.

Back-End

Back-end development encompasses a broader range of frameworks, such as:

• Rails - Covers everything required to develop database-backed web apps.

• Django - A Python Web framework with high abstraction that promotes speedy development and clean, pragmatic design.

• Laravel - A framework for web applications with expressive, beautiful syntax.

Choosing the correct tech stack for your web application can benefit you in many ways:

• Your web app’s base performance will be strong.

• Your developer can code efficiently & you can keep the same developers on future projects.

• The codebase of your web app will be easy to maintain. However, selecting the incorrect stacks increases maintenance expenses and technical debts.

• The stack will be fully documented, and typical defects or performance concerns will be simple to resolve.

Types of Web Applications:

Now that we have covered the basics of web app development let’s move on to its many types. If you're wondering how to create a web app that will help you expand your business while allowing your users to fulfill their everyday chores, consider the web application type carefully.

Here are the basic types:

1. Progressive web applications

Although these web applications are similar to webpages, they provide a flawless native mobile app experience. They enable users to work offline, receive push alerts, and see screen-responsive content. Many notable examples include Forbes, Uber, Starbucks, Pinterest & more.

2. Single-page applications

The primary distinction between SPAs and other web apps is that they do not need the reloading of web pages from the server. Most of its information is still intact, with only a few bits requiring updating. Trello, Gmail, Twitter, and PayPal are the most popular SPAs.

3. Multi-page applications

Multi-page apps comprise many pages (thus the name) that are entirely reloaded whenever the data is modified. Google Docs is one of the notable examples of such apps.

4. Portal web applications

A portal web app is an application available over the internet that consistently gathers information from many sources such as emails, online forums, and search engines. Notable examples include Udemy, Coursera, and many more.

5. CMS web applications

CMS or content management system refers to a software application that assists users in managing digital material and improving content generation and administration. Examples include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.

6. Static web apps

Such web apps do not require user interaction with the server. The web page's content is given to their browsers without server-side modifications to JavaScript, HTML, or CSS data. A book publishing company is one example.

7. Dynamic apps

A dynamic web application that shows real data based on user requests is one of the best. Dynamic web applications are more advanced than static web apps, including interactive devices and ways of drawing attention to products or services, and are built on PHP or ASP.NET. Some examples include Netflix, Facebook, HubSpot & more.

8. E-commerce web applications

An e-commerce web app is a web application that allows users to buy/sell things electronically over the Internet. eBay and Amazon are notable examples.

9. Animated web apps

An animated web app is a web application that delivers animation & synchronization on the web platform. Some of the greatest examples of animated web applications are Sqadeasy & Miki Mottos.

Advantages of Web Application Development:

Web apps provide various advantages for enterprises. To begin with, web apps provide remarkable accessibility. Users with an internet connection can access web apps from any device, including a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Web applications also provide real-time data processing and synchronization. This functionality is most useful for enterprises that rely on shared data, such as project management software or collaborative document editing platforms.

With web apps, businesses can focus on heightened security. According to Jeff Kalwerisky, Senior Information Security Architect (CISO designate) at TIBCO Software, Inc., “A constant focus on cybersecurity during app development helps keep the firm one step ahead of these risks, ensuring higher app agility and usability.”

Additionally, web apps allow for personalization and modification. Businesses can provide tailored content, suggestions, and user experiences by collecting user data and preferences. According to Forbes, 88% of marketers engage in customization to improve the consumer experience, and 89% of marketers found web app personalization boosted their revenue.

Understanding the varied benefits of web apps is critical for business owners and CEOs wishing to use this technology to boost revenue and distinguish their businesses.

The Future of Web Application Development:

Technology is always changing. As technology advances, it alters how we access and use information. Organizations have been able to construct fully-functional, one-of-a-kind applications that improve data access and automate operations thanks to the arrival of web apps.

But what lies in the future? Well, billions of devices will be linked to the Internet, allowing them to access and exchange information. New web applications are on the horizon that will be more pervasive and intelligent than present apps.

They will be available anytime, from any location, and on any device. For example, augmented reality may be integrated into web apps. Apps like Layar and other rudimentary applications are currently available, and more are expected to follow.

Further, there can be the advent of new development frameworks, more emphasis on creating customized web apps, and more adoption of AI in web app development. “AI advancements are accelerating and will undoubtedly affect how many of us operate shortly," says Karl Escritt, CEO of Like Digital & Partners.

AI and its operational potential can save time, provide better insights, and help the firm make better decisions. The application of AI in web applications and UX can put the consumer at the forefront.

Furthermore, cloud computing has already significantly influenced the landscape of business web app development services, and this trend is expected to continue. Microservices architecture is a growing trend in business web development services. Also, web application security is a huge worry for organizations and will only worsen.

Several intriguing developments and projections characterize the future of web app development. Businesses are investing in technology that will help them develop better web apps and improve the user experience, ranging from AI and ML to cloud computing.

Technology Stack for Web Application Development:

We have already talked about the necessary frameworks in web application development. Now let’s discuss the tech stack. The tech stack comprises two parts:

Front-end/customer side

The front-end components facilitate the client's interaction with the application's functionality. Such a connection occurs with the help of supporting components like frontend frameworks like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

However, there are other libraries as well, such as:

• React - It’s simply a "javascript library for building user interfaces." It is ideal for large-scale web applications.

• Vue - Vue bills itself as a "progressive JavaScript framework." Vue is smaller, easier to learn than React, and suitable for most project sizes.

• Svelte - Svelte markets itself as a provider of "cybernatively enhanced web apps." Svelte is a compiler rather than a framework and is the new kid on the block.

Back-end/server-side

The backend is concerned with web server technology stacks. Users do not see it, yet without it. The app would not function correctly. It’s in charge of implementing requests, storing data & more.

They include:

• Back-end programming languages – Python, Java,  C#, C++, NodeJS, PHP, ranked according to the PYPL rating.

• Servers – NGINX, Apache HTTP Server, IIS.

• Databases – MySQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB & PostgreSQL.

• Cloud computing – IaaS (infrastructure as a service), PaaS (platform as a service), and BaaS (backend as a service).

Cost of the Web Application Development:

To determine how much money you must invest in web app development & understand the important aspects that impact the overall cost of the finished product. These are the project scope, the complexity of the UI/UX design, and the recruiting alternatives.

The project scope is the most significant issue that requires your attention. Are you building a basic web app? Is it necessary to integrate with various third-party services? The more complex your web app will be, the higher its cost. If you want figures, they can range from $10,000 to 300,000+, depending on whether it’s a basic or complex app.

But that’s not all. As David White, Senior Project Manager at Best Response Media, says - "You ought to have a qualified team in place or work with an experienced web applications partner,” as well. 

Final Words:

Now that you have learned more about creating a simple web app, you're ready to embark on your journey to web app development! Choosing a web application for your business provides alternatives that a simple website does not provide. Web apps are the way to go if you want to interact with your clients engagingly.

The best part is that you can be someone other than a technology expert to bring your app ideas to reality. Anyone with a desire to learn can build a web app for novices.

Are you ready to begin your web app development journey? MarsDevs can help!

Start building your web apps with us today!

FAQ

1. What is the difference between a web app and a website?

A web app has more interactive features than a webpage. While websites provide users with information or content, web applications are designed to allow users to interact by accomplishing a task or a set of actions.

2. Which are the types of web apps?

Web apps can be many types, from single-page web apps to multi-page applications, static or dynamic web apps, animated apps, or even progressive web apps.

3. What are examples of web apps?

Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Uber, TikTok, and other popular apps are all web apps.

4. How long does it take to build a full-stack web app?

The timeline for a certain web application may differ based on the project type and complexity. However, it takes around 4.5 months to establish the front end of the web app along with its back-end infrastructure.

5. How does a mobile app differ from a web app?

Users must use an app store to obtain and install mobile apps. Mobile applications that live and operate on the device can access system resources such as GPS and the camera function. On the other hand, users can access web applications using an internet browser. Web applications adapt to the device on which they are viewed.