Did you know that Google Docs, Gmail, and even Twitter are all web apps? While it may be difficult to live without web apps, most people don't really understand what they are and how they differ from websites. Most people know even less about the web app development process.
If you have an interest in careers in web app development or in web apps in general, you're in the right place. Web applications play an important part in our lives and understanding more about them, how they work, and how they're developed can be very beneficial.
In this article, you'll find the answers to your web app development questions including how web apps are made and what their advantages are. First, we'll take a look at what web apps are exactly.
Everyone is familiar with mobile apps, but web apps are a different story. However, they both do work in similar ways. In both cases, these applications function to engage their users and incentivize user interaction. The major difference between mobile and web apps is that web apps can be used from a computer browser rather than a phone.
It is important to remember that web app development is not the same as web development. Web apps are also not the same as websites. While they may sound very similar, there are a few important differences.
When it comes to the basics of web app development, most web app developers use familiar computer programming languages such as JavaScript, HTML, and Python. These programming languages are versatile and can support a wide range of design and development ideas.
So far, web app development sounds pretty similar to traditional website development, so what's the difference?
The biggest difference between these two modes of development is that web app development focuses on getting the user to interact while website development's main purpose is to present information to the user. This is another way in which web apps are similar to mobile apps: the user is able to interact with the application.
On traditional websites, the most users can do is scroll around, click on a few tabs, and maybe enter personal information if the user would like to buy something. On the other hand, if you've ever used Twitter, you can see the big difference a web app can make in comparison to a website. On Twitter, you can reach millions of people, interact with them, and promote yourself in countless ways online.
The way a web app is able to do this is because they aim for user experience (UX) optimization. This involves making sure the user experience is the best and most enjoyable it can be. The downside to this is that web apps require a lot more upkeep and management than websites because web apps need to be able to tolerate complex user interactions.
Think about it: if a web app like Twitter isn't continuously updated, it will start to slow down and become out of date. This would lower positive user experience pretty quickly and fewer people would continue to use the web app. Websites, on the other hand, can stay more or less the same for long periods of time since not much is required of them.
This is why, when creating web applications, testing and feedback are important. If you ignore these aspects, it can be easy to create a failed web app that no one wants to use.
Progressive web applications or PWAs are relatively new in the world of web app development. PWAs are similar to traditional web apps in that they can be accessed from a computer browser. However, they differ in the fact that they can also be downloaded onto your home screen, much like a mobile app.
This makes them convenient and accessible. A bit benefit of PWAs is that they can also work offline. They are as if you're bringing the ease of use of mobile apps onto your computer screen.
We've already seen that one of the major benefits of web app development is that it involves users in a much more meaningful way when compared to websites. This is ideal for improving the user experience and for getting users to keep using your application. However, there are plenty more benefits than that alone.
A huge advantage is that web applications can be accessed from pretty much any electronic device that has a screen. This includes everything from laptops to iPads to mobile phones. As long as the user is connected to the internet, web applications can be accessed (and of course, PWAs can be accessed offline as well).
So, when you're on the go, you can always have your web applications on hand whenever you need them. Web apps, except for PWAS, don't need to be installed either.
Mobile apps can be frustrating because of how much space they take up on your device. You'll never have that problem with web applications. A web app is essentially a much more liberating version of a mobile app.
A major benefit for developers is, of course, the ease of development. Those who have developed mobile apps in the past know that it can be frustrating to get a mobile app up and running for public consumption. When developing web apps, since you would only be working with one code base, the process is much smoother.
Now that you have a better understanding of web app development, you can understand why it's important. Without web apps, the internet would be a much duller and much less convenient place.
To learn more about web app development, explore our website here.
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