Website applications differ from other applications mainly because they reside on a server on the Internet or your local intranet (internal office network). This means that their greatest advantage is that they are accessible wherever you have a connection to that server. A web application is a website that has it’s business features built-in. In the past websites were only for display purposes. A web application also incorporates parts of your business into the website.
Some things to keep in mind when considering a web application.
- Your users will need to be connected to access your application.
- You will need some kind of hosting for your website application (A computer server that is constantly connected or shared hosting from a hosting provider).
Why do many opt for web applications?
A website does not need to be installed on a user’s device. It is accessible via an URL that is known as a website address. This means you do not need to worry about the type of device that accesses your application. You only need to make sure that your application supports the browsers of the majority of your users. It has become easier as websites comply with coding standards.
Web applications have the added benefit of being centrally updated. This one update is then served to all users the next time they visit your web application. This is an easy and cost effective way of keeping your website application up to date. Users always have access to the latest version without you having to worry about older versions.
Another good reason to make use of a web application is its ability to look good on any screen size. It takes a bit of extra work, but it caters for mobile and desktop users at the same time. We call this responsive design.