Web application – what is it?

Web applications offer a whole range of advantages over most mobile applications, or desktop applications both in terms of use, interaction with other systems, scalability, administration and maintenance, as well as distribution or implementation. In addition, over the last years in the development of this type of technology, the programming approach, programming languages, standards and security concepts have improved significantly, which are now almost identical to the solutions used in the development of classical software with the so-called high-level languages. However, before we explore the advantages of the discussed applications, let’s have a look at their definition.

Web application – definition

According to the definition, a progressive web application (PWA) is software hosted on a server and accessible through a web browser. In other words, we can define this software as a computer program that uses a web browser to perform specific tasks through specific scripts. Developers use programming languages such as PHP, Java or Python on the server side to create web applications, while on the client side, the most popular solutions include JavaScript, HTML and CSS, and AJAX, among others. While it may seem that web applications are similar to websites, they actually offer many more different features and functionality.

Dedicated web application vs website

A website is a collection of related web pages hosted under a single domain name. The interface and content of a website can be accessed from many different devices: desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. All you need is a browser and access to the Internet to use the website. 

Unlike websites, whether in terms of interface, rendering, or level of interaction, PWAs use the same solutions used for native apps, which can be found in the App Store as well as Google Play. However, the standard types of desktop or mobile apps require direct downloads to the disk of the mobile or desktop device and are an entity independent of the browser engine. Web apps don’t need to be installed as they are accessible over the web, combining the features of a website and native apps.

Advantages of web applications

With ever faster internet connections, web applications have replaced other forms of software in many areas. However, this software also offers many numerous benefits. Let’s look at a few examples. 

No installation on users’ side

Unlike solutions that require installation, PWA is accessible directly from a web browser once it is implemented on the server and is independent of the operating system of the device the user will be using. This makes the configuration and maintenance of the software much easier. 

Simplified updates

As in the case of installation, the user does not need to download software updates to their device to use the latest version. As soon as the software is updated on the servers, customers will have immediate access to the latest version without any intervention on their part. 

Improved user experience

PWA’s graphical interface is much easier for a developer to customize and allows you to build the best solutions to influence a positive customer experience. The more easily customizable interface, in turn, allows users to work more efficiently when using the web application.

Scalable data processing

PWA can use several servers simultaneously to speed up processing times, allowing it to handle large amounts of data without sacrificing performance. Also, because the servers run 24/7, they often cache the most frequently used data for immediate access.

Secure software

When developing a web application, it is important to make every effort to make the software as secure as possible. Any vulnerabilities in this regard can cost developers dearly. Due to the fact that the PWA resides on only a small number of servers, it is easier to ensure its security.

Web applications – examples

Some Google services such as Google Maps, Gmail, and the search engine itself are web applications. In addition, some eBay, or Amazon web services such as Amazon Video, or Amazon Music also use management systems specific to web applications. These examples are proof that the boundary between PWAs and native applications is almost invisible to users. In contrast, a clear difference can be observed in the case of Microsoft Office Online. Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook) are available within the PWA from the browser. Thus, users can create various documents, process them and save them as if they had the Office suite installed on their device.

Are web apps the future?

PWAs have proven their potential very quickly. There are several reasons why they may eventually replace native applications. First of all, they offer many benefits to both users and developers. In particular, users note that this type of software is more convenient than native apps. This is due to the fact that web applications load faster and consume fewer resources. For developers, on the other hand, creating PWAs and maintaining them is a cheaper and more efficient solution than building native software. Of course, PWAs will not replace native applications overnight, but they will gradually replace static mobile and desktop applications, which are in conflict with the flexible and increasingly dynamic web traffic. 

Are you planning a new web project? Contact with us and use our knowledge and programming skills to support your projects and develop your business. Creating dedicated web applications from scratch is our specialty. We’ll be happy to talk with you about your idea and suggest the best practices and technology to implement it.