A web application or a web app can be termed a client-server computer program where the client, including the user interface and client-side logic, runs in a web browser. Some of the most common web applications are webmail, online retail sales, online banking, and online auctions, among many others.
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Components of web applications
Any web application, big or small, contains these major components:
View Layer
The View layer component gives an interface to the application. Regardless if it is for users with a browser or another application using Web services. It is the bridge for getting the data in and out of the application. It does not have business logic, like calculating interest for a banking application or storing items in a shopping cart for an online catalog. It also does not contain any code for existing data to or retrieving data from a data source.
Business Layer
It is also known as Business Logic or Domain Logic, or Application Layer. The business layer’s function is to accept user requests from the browser, process them, and determine the routes through which the data will be accessed. The workflows by which the data and requests travel through the back end lay encoded in a business layer.
Data Access Layer
This layer is built to keep the code people use to pull data from the database, flat files, or web services separate from business logic and presentation code. Even if owners want to change data stores, they do not end up rewriting the whole thing.
Error handling, security, logging
When pursuing web app development, people generally tend to focus on the end-goal, building, and testing only for situations when things go right. Unfortunately, things rarely go right all the time in the real world. This is where error handling is a vital part of any application’s user experience. And, if it is done well, it can leave users feeling informed and adequately considered.
Types of Web Applications
Web Portals
As the word ‘portal’ suggests, this is a point on the Internet that serves as a single outlet to multiple features. Some of the most popular web portal features (that are not necessarily used together) include published content, access to email, personal profile, and financial transactions. The critical moment is that all these features should work in a self-service manner; in other words, a portal should provide automated functionality that will let users complete their tasks independently.
Enterprise web apps
Instead of catering to an entire company’s general, needs the way an enterprise web portal does, enterprise web apps address the challenges of more specific user groups: departments, project teams, etc.? There can be multiple features available here too, but all of them should have a common goal of coordinating the staff’s workflow and being productive. It is easier to imagine an enterprise web app as a regular desktop application used by employees in their daily workflow but made available online for the sake of data sharing convenience and easy remote access.
Ecommerce Web Apps
This web solution plays an essential role in small and large businesses alike. The category of eCommerce web apps is quite vast and includes all kinds of e-shops (B2B, B2C, B2A, etc.) and systems (transportation, lodging, entertainment, etc.). The main components are, unsurprisingly, grids/lists of products or services, product/service details, shopping cart, and secure e-payment options.
Essentials of Web App Development
In matters of the internet, as in web applications, they must all conform to particular requirements. These, in turn, usually bring the most significant difference in terms of user experience and functionality needs. Some of the essentials that inform an excellent web app development process include:
Incorporate useful buttons: phone calls and SMS
The user’s connection with the web application will be generally useful. For example, it will be for things, checking the address, telephone number, and whatever other data from the organization or business. Therefore, a ‘call to action’ utilizing a telephone call or SMS will be what users will esteem the most about the company and the general application. It comprises a button that demonstrates the business’s telephone number and permits calling or sending an SMS when clicked.
Include maps
This information ought to be incorporated into the mobile application. In any case, what else would the web owner be able to give the user? Including maps that tell a user where a business’s offices or stores are found is a smart thought to fuse to web application development. It will be fundamental and quick to accomplish by including the Google Maps application, and on top of this, it will yield great results.
Contact forms
Imagine a scenario where the potential user is so busy that they cannot spare extra time to make a call. An approach to maximize in this scenario is incorporating a web application that permits the incorporation of a contact form. This contact form for mobile versions must be small, but the owner needs to ask for the essential information. Along these lines, the web owner will guarantee a much quicker and robust customer support with the inclusion of the items they sell. Furthermore, it is a means of engaging the user to get in touch in a somewhat easy manner – which is a dependable favorable position.
Unfolding contents
A content-rich web application is key to reaching out to users. Plus, not forget that mobile versions have to simplify and eliminate all non-essential contents. One way to realize unfolding content is by including drop-down menus. Another way is to incorporate image slideshows into the web app development process. It will result in a more straightforward and cleaner interface and provide a wealth of content for the user to access at will.
Easy navigation
As many experts have said before, simplicity is the master concerning web application development. Possibly implement simplicity while making the web application. It will enhance user-friendliness and execution, and in this way, expand user-interaction. Easy navigation will make clients stick and prefer the website and come many more times for services.