In recent years, a web application has become an essential business tool that enables companies to communicate with customers, collaborate with employees, store vast volumes of data more effectively, and provide better information management. Since its popularity is fast-increasing, a web app is becoming a new business trend.
Although many companies choose web applications as the best option today, many entrepreneurs are still unfamiliar with what a web app really means. In this article, we will outline the key benefits of custom web applications and why businesses are migrating to them so rapidly.
What Is a Web Application?
A web application is a computer program that runs on web servers and utilizes web technology to perform tasks over the Internet. It is usually used to submit and retrieve data to/from a database. Commonly, web applications are built using web technologies, like HTML, CSS, JS, etc., and can be accessed through your preferred web browser, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer.
Unlike mobile apps, there is no specific SDK for building web apps. Web application development has become even more popular with the advent of SaaS (Software as a Service) movent. Some of the web applications are dynamic and require server-side processing. Others are static and don't require processing at the server. They need a web server to be able to handle client requests. Web apps also require an app server to complete the tasks requested. Sometimes, they also need a database to store information. Web app server technologies include ASP.NET, ASP, and ColdFusion, to PHP and JSP.
The most common examples of web apps are shopping carts, online forms, word processors, and email programs, like Yahoo and Gmail. Popular web apps also are Microsoft 365 and Google Apps.
Benefits of Custom Web Applications for a Business
As the popularity of web apps is constantly growing, the demand for custom software development services is increasing. Businesses across various industries have already unlocked the benefits of this technology and started migrated to web apps. Let's consider the seven most important reasons why companies use web applications.
1. Increased Efficiency
Web apps help significantly increase process efficiency and business performance. While using many spreadsheets and shuffling around piles of paperwork is very time-consuming and ineffective, web apps allow automating a process and avoid plenty of human errors. Furthermore, web applications enable you to streamline processes making it easier to manage everything and get more tasks done quickly. Having all your data gathered in a single place allows you to get better visibility across your business areas.
2. Round-the-Clock Accessibility
One of the most attractive features is round-the-clock availability. It means that customers can access information about a business and take necessary actions anytime. Business systems using web applications are easily accessible 24/7, as they are using web browsers. Moreover, you can access information in a web app using both desktop and mobile devices. The only thing you need is an Internet connection.
3. Enhanced Cybersecurity
Web applications offer improved security. In the case, if a laptop is stolen or broken software with all your information is lost as well. To save your personal data, you'll need to contact a customer support center with a request to re-install your data on another device. On the contrary, web applications store your data safely in the cloud. If the hardware is damaged, you will only need to know your web address, username, and password to log into a system from any desktop or mobile device connected to the Internet and get your e-business back instantly. Finally, in the case of data loss because of the program's or human error, it can be easily restored from the cloud.
4. Offers Almost Zero Downtime
Most modern web apps operate on shared hosting services, implying that users should pay according to their usage maintained by hosting service providers. So there is almost no chance that your hosting service provider will run out of hardware resources to keep a system stable during the random surges in many users. Web applications utilize the AWS S3 service that deploys a previous web app version in the case if a new version fails on servers. All this ensures almost zero downtime.
5. Easy-to-Customize & Scale
One of the most often challenges faced by business owners using one off the shelf software is that it can't evolve along with a business. Since a web application is an absolutely customizable solution created specifically for your business, it can be easily scalable and modernized to correspond to your new business needs and requirements. Web app customizations may include your own branding, access to different user data levels, custom layouts, UI design, etc.
Since a web app is a web-based solution and is rendered from there to the end user's device it is easy to release new features. Once new features are developed, they can be integrated into the web app's testing environment. After the bug fixing procedure, it can be released on the production server.
6. Easy Installation and Maintenance
Web apps are comparatively easy to build and require less development time because the development process can be divided into two parts (frontend and backend) and happen simultaneously. Moreover, a web app is a less expensive solution because they can perfectly run on different devices. Unlike in native apps, there is no need to build apps separately for all the OS and devices. You only need to make a web app responsive to make it cross-platform compatible at the same time.
7. Low Expenses on Hardware
Due to the fact that web apps are web-based and the user interface is rendered on a web browser, there is no need to have a particular expensive device to use a web application for your business. The end-user can utilize any device that can load a large customer base from a web app.
Closing Thoughts
In the modern digital world, web applications are becoming even more important than official companies' websites when it comes to revenue-generating. While a website shows only the information about a particular business or company, a web app provides a broader customer coverage thanks to its features that are more useful and interesting for customers. After all, they can be easily accessed and used on different mobile devices because they consume lesser bytes when browsed, loaded, and used.
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