In this digital world companies and individuals need to understand the difference between a website and a web app. Understanding these facts helps them pick the right tool for their unique wants and objectives.
What Is A Website?
It is a group of web pages that can be accessed online and linked together. Websites can be used for advertising, getting information or buying things online. They usually stay the same and only let people talk to each other one way or another.
Website Characteristics
- Static Content: A website content is usually set and doesn’t change unless changed by hand.
- One way Communication: Users can only read the information given they can’t change or connect with it directly.
- Limited Interactivity: Websites have simple interactive features such as search bars, contact forms and navigation options.
- Only read Access: People who visit the website can only read the information they can’t change or add to it directly.
Examples Of Websites
- News sites like CNN and BBC
- Websites that promote companies like Apple and Coca Cola
- Personal blogs like food blogs and trip blogs
- Online portfolios like galleries for artists and designers
- Resources for learning like online encyclopedias and training tools
Website Development
Website creation is the process of making websites. It includes planning, designing , writing , testing and deploying the websites. First the site goal population and needs must be defined. Next the style and user experience must be planned.
Website writers code the front end user experience using HTML CSS and JavaScript. They also add back end features like databases and server side programming. Testing ensures the app works well on all devices and is easy to use. The website is on a web server so that anyone can view it. It will need regular upkeep and changes to stay up to date.
Why Should You Have A Website
- Create an online presence: A website helps people and businesses leave a digital trace and become more visible online.
- Spread information: Websites let you share details about goods, services , events or anything important.
- Advertise goods or services: Websites let companies show off what they have to give new customers and increase sales.
- Make people aware of your brand. A well-designed website can help a brand personality and online exposure.
What Is A Web Application?
A web application is software that runs on a web server and can be viewed using a web browser. Unlike desktop apps web apps don’t have to be installed on the user computer they can be viewed and used right from the browser.
Web applications are live and engaging so the user and the application can talk to each other back and forth. They usually need users to prove who they are, let users enter and change data and provide customized experiences based on user identities or tastes.
Features Of A Web Application
- Dynamic Content: A web app content changes often sometimes in real time based on user interactions with it or changes in data.
- Two Way Communication: Users can talk to the app by entering information, choosing options or doing things that change the content or how it works.
- High Interactivity: Web apps have advanced interactive features like drag and drop real time changes and tools for working together.
- User Authentication: Many web apps require users to log in or confirm themselves to access personalized features or safe areas.
- Personalization: Web apps can change how users feel based on their likes, dislikes , traits or jobs.
- Data Storage and Manipulation: Whether on the server side or the client side web applications often need to store processes and change a lot of data.
- Better security: Web apps usually use many safety measures such as encryption access controls and data checking to keep user data safe and prevent access by unauthorized users.
Examples Of Web Applications
- Online banking sites like Bank of America and Chase
- Tools for managing projects like Trello Asana and Jira
- Email apps like Gmail and Outlook Web App
- Web based office applications like Google Docs and Microsoft Office 365
- E commerce sites like Amazon and eBay
- Streaming services like Netflix and Spotify
Why Do You Require A Web App
- Streamline Business Processes: Web applications can simplify and improve many business processes which makes them more efficient and productive.
- Encourage teamwork: Many web apps have features that let people from different teams or organizations talk to each other, share files and work on projects together in real time.
- Offer Customized: User Experiences Web apps can change the user experience content and features based on users’ jobs tastes or identities.
- Real time updates: Web apps can show and change data in real time so users can always access the most up to date information.
- Improving Data Management: Web apps store processes and change a lot of data making it easy to organize and analyze it.
- Accessibility: Web apps can be used on any device with a web browser and a web connection making them more accessible and mobile for people with disabilities.
Differences Between Websites And Web Applications
A website and a web application are different because a website doesn’t change but a web application does. Among the other things are
Purpose
Websites are mainly used to share information, advertise and have a simple online presence. Web apps on the other hand are designed to be engaging and task oriented allowing people to do certain things.
Content
Websites usually have material that only changes if it is manually updated. Web apps have changeable material that always changes based on how users interact with them when data is updated or when real time events happen.
Interaction
Websites let people communicate only in one direction; they can only read the information posted.
Web applications allow two way contact so users can communicate with them, enter information and receive customized answers or material.
Functionality
Websites have only a few functions like navigation searching and filling out contact forms. Web apps have advanced features like logging in as a user changing data working together and creating custom experiences.
User Experience
Websites usually give people an idle experience meaning they read the material without changing it or doing anything else with it. On the other hand web applications engage users by making them want to connect, enter data and complete specific tasks or actions.
Data Storage And Manipulation
Websites usually need little or no data storage because they mostly serve basic information. However large amounts of data are often stored, processed and changed in web services either on the server or the client side.
Security
Websites usually have basic safety features like SSL TLS protection to send private data securely. However to keep user information safe and prevent people from accessing it without permission web apps need more robust security measures such as user login access controls, data checking and encryption.
Even though these are the main differences it is important to remember that the line between websites and web apps can sometimes be fuzzy. Current websites may have engaging features while web apps may have educational ones.