WEB APPLICATION

Posted by: Margaret Rouse

https://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/definition/Web-application-Web-app

A Web application (Web app) is an application program that is stored on a remote server and
delivered over the Internet through a browser interface. Web services are Web apps by definition
and many, although not all, websites contain Web apps. According to Web.AppStorm editor Jarel
Remick, any website component that performs some function for the user qualifies as a Web app.
Web applications can be designed for a wide variety of uses and can be used by anyone; from an
organization to an individual for numerous reasons. Commonly used Web applications can include
webmail, online calculators, or e-commerce shops. Some Web apps can be only accessed by a
specific browser; however, most are available no matter the browser.
How Web applications work
Web applications do not need to be downloaded since they are accessed through a network. Users
can access a Web application through a web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or
Safari.
For a web app to operate, it needs a Web server, application server, and a database. Web servers
manage the requests that come from a client, while the application server completes the requested
task. A database can be used to store any needed information.
Web applications typically have short development cycles and can be made with small development
teams. Most Web apps are written in JavaScript, HTML5, or Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Client-side
programming typically utilizes these languages, which help build an application front-end. Server-
side programming is done to create the scripts a Web app will use. Languages such as Python, Java,
and Ruby are commonly used in server-side programming.
Benefits
Web applications have many different uses, and with those uses, comes many potential benefits.
Some common benefits of Web apps include:
 Allowing multiple users access to the same version of an application.
 Web apps don’t need to be installed.
 Web apps can be accessed through various platforms such as a desktop, laptop, or
mobile.
 Can be accessed through multiple browsers.
Web Application vs. other application types
Within the mobile computing sector, Web apps are sometimes contrasted with native apps, which
are applications that are developed specifically for a particular platform or device and installed on
that device. However, the two are not mutually exclusive. Native applications are applications
typically downloaded and made specifically for the type of device it is downloaded on. Native apps
can commonly make use of the device-specific hardware, such as a GPS or camera on a mobile native
app.
Programs that combine the two approaches are sometimes referred to as hybrid applications.
Hybrid apps work similar to a Web app but are installed to the device as a native app would be.
Hybrid apps can also take advantage of device-specific resources by using internal APIs. Downloaded
native apps can sometimes operate offline; however, hybrid apps don’t have this functionality. A
hybrid app will typically share similar navigation elements are a Web app since they are based on
Web apps.
__________________________________
API – application programming interface
A web application (or web app) is application software that runs on a web server, unlike computer-
based software programs that are run locally on the operating system (OS) of the device. Web
applications are accessed by the user through a web browser with an active internet connection.
These applications are programmed using a client–server modeled structure—the user ("client") is
provided services through an off-site server that is hosted by a third-party. Examples of commonly-
used web applications include: web-mail, online retail sales, online banking, and online auctions.

The general distinction between a dynamic web page of any kind and a "web app" is unclear. Web
sites most likely to be referred to as "web applications" are those which have similar functionality to
a desktop software application, or to a mobile app. HTML5 introduced explicit language support for
making applications that are loaded as web pages, but can store data locally and continue to
function while offline.
Single-page applications are more application-like because they reject the more typical web
paradigm of moving between distinct pages with different URLs. Single-page frameworks might be
used to speed development of such a web app for a mobile platform.
Mobile web application
There are several ways of targeting mobile devices when making a web application:

 Responsive web design can be used to make a web application - whether a conventional
website or a single-page application viewable on small screens that work well with
touchscreens.
 Progressive Web Apps (PWA) are web applications that load like regular web pages or
websites but can offer the user functionality such as working offline and device hardware
access traditionally available only to native mobile applications.
 Native apps or "mobile apps" run directly on a mobile device, just as a conventional
software application runs directly on a desktop computer, without a web browser (and
potentially without the need for Internet connectivity); these are typically written
in Java (for Android devices) or Objective-C or Swift (for iOS devices). Recently,
frameworks allow the development of native apps for all platforms using languages other
than each standard native language.
 Hybrid apps embed a web site inside a native app, possibly using a hybrid framework. This
allows development using web technologies (and possibly directly copying code from an
existing mobile web site) while also retaining certain advantages of native apps (e.g.
direct access to device hardware, offline operation, app store visibility). Hybrid app
frameworks include Apache Cordova, Electron, Haxe, React Native and Xamarin.

History
In earlier computing models like client-server, the processing load for the application was shared
between code on the server and code installed on each client locally. In other words, an application
had its own pre-compiled client program which served as its user interface and had to be separately
installed on each user's personal computer. An upgrade to the server-side code of the application
would typically also require an upgrade to the client-side code installed on each user workstation,
adding to the support cost and decreasing productivity. In addition, both the client and server
components of the application were usually tightly bound to a particular computer
architecture and operating system and porting them to others was often prohibitively expensive for
all but the largest applications (Nowadays, native apps for mobile devices are also hobbled by some
or all of the foregoing issues).
In contrast, web applications use web documents written in a standard format such
as HTML and JavaScript, which are supported by a variety of web browsers. Web applications can be
considered as a specific variant of client-server software where the client software is downloaded to
the client machine when visiting the relevant web page, using standard procedures such as HTTP.
Client web software updates may happen each time the web page is visited. During the session, the
web browser interprets and displays the pages, and acts as the universal client for any web
application.
In the early days of the Web, each individual web page was delivered to the client as a static
document, but the sequence of pages could still provide an interactive experience, as user input was
returned through web form elements embedded in the page markup. However, every significant
change to the web page required a round trip back to the server to refresh the entire page.
In 1995, Netscape introduced a client-side scripting language called JavaScript allowing
programmers to add some dynamic elements to the user interface that ran on the client side. So
instead of sending data to the server in order to generate an entire web page, the embedded scripts
of the downloaded page can perform various tasks such as input validation or showing/hiding parts
of the page.
In 1996, Macromedia introduced Flash, a vector animation player that could be added to browsers as
a plug-in to embed animations on the web pages. It allowed the use of a scripting language to
program interactions on the client-side with no need to communicate with the server.
In 1999, the "web application" concept was introduced in the Java language in the Servlet
Specification version 2.2. [2.1?]. At that time both JavaScript and XML had already been developed,
but Ajax had still not yet been coined and the XMLHttpRequest object had only been recently
introduced on Internet Explorer 5 as an ActiveX object.
In 2005, the term Ajax was coined, and applications like Gmail started to make their client sides more
and more interactive. A web page script is able to contact the server for storing/retrieving data
without downloading an entire web page.
In 2007, Steve Jobs announced that web apps, developed in HTML5 using AJAX architecture, would
be the standard format for iPhone apps. No software development kit (SDK) was required, and the
apps would be fully integrated into the device through the Safari browser engine. This model was
later switched for the App Store, as a means of preventing jailbreakers and of appeasing frustrated
developers.
In 2014, HTML5 was finalized, which provides graphic and multimedia capabilities without the need
of client-side plug-ins. HTML5 also enriched the semantic content of documents. The APIs
and document object model (DOM) are no longer afterthoughts, but are fundamental parts of the
HTML5 specification. WebGL API paved the way for advanced 3D graphics based on HTML5 canvas
and JavaScript language. These have significant importance in creating truly platform and browser
independent rich web applications.
In 2016, during the annual Google IO conference, Eric Bidelman (Senior Staff Developers Programs
Engineer) introduced Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) as a new standard in web development. Jeff
Burtoft, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft, said "Google led the way with Progressive Web
Apps, and after a long process, we decided that we needed to fully support it." As such, Microsoft
and Google both supported the PWA standard.

Interface
Through Java, JavaScript, DHTML, Flash, Silverlight and other technologies, application-specific
methods such as drawing on the screen, playing audio, and access to the keyboard and mouse are all
possible. Many services have worked to combine all of these into a more familiar interface that
adopts the appearance of an operating system. General-purpose techniques such as drag and
drop are also supported by these technologies. Web developers often use client-side scripting to
add functionality, especially to create an interactive experience that does not require page
reloading. Recently, technologies have been developed to coordinate client-side scripting with
server-side technologies such as ASP.NET, J2EE, Perl/Plack and PHP.
Ajax, a web development technique using a combination of various technologies, is an example of
technology that creates a more interactive experience.

Structure
Applications are usually broken into logical chunks called "tiers", where every tier is assigned a role.
[3]
Traditional applications consist only of 1 tier, which resides on the client machine, but web
applications lend themselves to an n-tiered approach by nature. [3] Though many variations are
possible, the most common structure is the three-tiered application.[3] In its most common form, the
three tiers are called presentation, application and storage, in this order. A web browser is the first
tier (presentation), an engine using some dynamic Web content technology (such
as ASP, CGI, ColdFusion, Dart, JSP/Java, Node.js, PHP, Python or Ruby on Rails) is the middle tier
(application logic), and a database is the third tier (storage). The web browser sends requests to the
middle tier, which services them by making queries and updates against the database and generates
a user interface.
For more complex applications, a 3-tier solution may fall short, and it may be beneficial to use an n-
tiered approach, where the greatest benefit is breaking the business logic, which resides on the
application tier, into a more fine-grained model. [3] Another benefit may be adding an integration tier
that separates the data tier from the rest of tiers by providing an easy-to-use interface to access the
data. For example, the client data would be accessed by calling a "list_clients()" function instead of
making an SQL query directly against the client table on the database. This allows the underlying
database to be replaced without making any change to the other tiers.
There are some who view a web application as a two-tier architecture. This can be a "smart" client
that performs all the work and queries a "dumb" server, or a "dumb" client that relies on a "smart"
server. The client would handle the presentation tier, the server would have the database (storage
tier), and the business logic (application tier) would be on one of them or on both. While this
increases the scalability of the applications and separates the display and the database, it still
doesn't allow for true specialization of layers, so most applications will outgrow this model.

Business use
An emerging strategy for application software companies is to provide web access to software
previously distributed as local applications. Depending on the type of application, it may require the
development of an entirely different browser-based interface, or merely adapting an existing
application to use different presentation technology. These programs allow the user to pay a
monthly or yearly fee for use of a software application without having to install it on a local hard
drive. A company which follows this strategy is known as an application service provider (ASP), and
ASPs are currently receiving much attention in the software industry.
Security breaches on these kinds of applications are a major concern because it can involve both
enterprise information and private customer data. Protecting these assets is an important part of
any web application and there are some key operational areas that must be included in the
development process.[4] This includes processes for authentication, authorization, asset handling,
input, and logging and auditing. Building security into the applications from the beginning can be
more effective and less disruptive in the long run.
Cloud computing model web applications are software as a service (SaaS). There are business
applications provided as SaaS for enterprises for a fixed or usage-dependent fee. Other web
applications are offered free of charge, often generating income from advertisements shown in web
application interface.

Development
Writing web applications is often simplified by the use of web application framework. These
frameworks facilitate rapid application development by allowing a development team to focus on
the parts of their application which are unique to their goals without having to resolve common
development issues such as user management. Many of the frameworks in use are open-source
software.
The use of web application frameworks can often reduce the number of errors in a program, both by
making the code simpler, and by allowing one team to concentrate on the framework while another
focuses on a specified use case. In applications which are exposed to constant hacking attempts on
the Internet, security-related problems can be caused by errors in the program. Frameworks can also
promote the use of best practices such as GET after POST.
In addition, there is potential for the development of applications on Internet operating systems,
although currently there are not many viable platforms that fit this model.

Applications
Examples of browser applications are simple office software (word processors, online spreadsheets,
and presentation tools), but can also include more advanced applications such as project
management, computer-aided design, video editing, and point-of-sale.
What Is a Web Application?
Improve your understanding of web-based application programs
by Daniel Nations
https://www.lifewire.com/what-i-s-web-application-3486637
Updated on June 25, 2020
Just as a mobile app exists on a mobile device, a web application (or "web app" for short)
is any computer program that performs a specific function by using a web browser as its
client. The application can be as simple as a message board or a contact form on a
website, or it can be as complex as a word processor or multi-player mobile gaming app
that you download to your phone.
What Is a Client?
In a client-server environment, "client" refers to the host program a person uses to run
an application. A client-server environment is one in which multiple computers share
information from a database. Where the server hosts information, the "client" is the
application used to access the information.
What Are the Benefits of Using Web Applications?
A web application relieves the developer of the responsibility of building a client for a
specific type of computer or operating system, so anyone can use the application along
as they have internet access. Since the client runs on a web browser, the user could be
using a PC or a Mac. They could be using Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox, though
some applications require a specific web browser.
Web applications commonly use a combination of server-side script (ASP, PHP, etc) and
client-side script (HTML, Javascript, etc.). The client-side script deals with the
presentation of the information, while the server-side script deals with all the hard stuff
like storing and retrieving the information.
How Long Have Web Applications Been Around?
Web applications have been around since before the World Wide Web went mainstream.
For example, Larry Wall developed Perl, a popular server-side scripting language, in 1987.
That was seven years before the internet really started gaining popularity outside of
academic and technology circles.
The first mainstream web applications were relatively simple, but the late 90s saw a push
toward more complex web applications. Nowadays, millions of Americans use web
applications to file income taxes online, perform online banking tasks, share posts on
social media, communicate with friends and family, and more.
How Have Web Applications Evolved?
Most web applications are based on the client-server architecture, where the client
enters information and the server stores and retrieves information. Email is a good
example of this, with services like Gmail and Microsoft Outlook offering web-based email
clients.
More and more web applications have been developed to handle functions that normally
would not require server access. For example, Google Docs is a web application that can
act as a word processor, storing information in the cloud and allowing you to "download"
the document onto your personal hard drive.
If you've been using the web long enough, you have seen how sophisticated web
applications have become. Much of that sophistication is because of AJAX, which is a
programming model for creating more responsive web applications.
G Suite (formerly Google Apps) and Microsoft 365 are other examples of the newest
generation of web applications. Mobile applications that connect to the internet (such as
Facebook, Dropbox, and various banking app) are also examples of how web applications
have been designed for the increasing share of the mobile web in global internet traffic.
https://techterms.com/definition/web_application
Web Application

A web application or "web app" is a software program that runs on a web server. Unlike traditional
desktop applications, which are launched by your operating system, web apps must be accessed
through a web browser.
Web apps have several advantages over desktop applications. Since they run inside web browsers,
developers do not need to develop web apps for multiple platforms. For example, a single
application that runs in Chrome will work on both Windows and OS X. Developers do not need to
distribute software updates to users when the web app is updated. By updating the application on
the server, all users have access to the updated version.
From a user standpoint, a web app may provide a more consistent user interface across
multiple platforms because the appearance is dependent on the browser rather than the operating
system. Additionally, the data you enter into a web app is processed and saved remotely. This allows
you to access the same data from multiple devices, rather than transferring files between computer
systems.
While web applications offer several benefits, they do have some disadvantages compared to
desktop applications. Since they do not run directly from the operating system, they have limited
access to system resources, such as the CPU, memory, and the file system. Therefore, high-end
programs, such as video production and other media apps generally perform better as desktop
applications. Web apps are also entirely dependent on the web browser. If your browser crashes, for
example, you may lose your unsaved progress. Also, browser updates may cause incompatibilities
with web apps, creating unexpected issues.
Some people prefer desktop apps, while others prefer web applications. Therefore, many software
companies now offer both desktop and web versions of their most popular programs. Common
examples include Microsoft Office, Apple iWork, and Intuit TurboTax. In most cases, files saved in
the online version are compatible with the desktop version and vice versa. For example, if you save
a .TAX2013 file in TurboTax Online, you can open and edit the file with the desktop version.
https://www.guru99.com/difference-web-application-website.html

Difference between Website and Web

Application
What is a Website?
A website is a group of globally accessible, interlinked web pages which have a single domain name.
It can be developed and maintained by an individual, business or organization. The website aims to
serve a variety of purposes. Example: Blogs.
A website is hosted on a single or multiple web server. It is accessible via a network like the Internet
or a private local area network via IP address.
What is a Web Application?
A web application is a software or program which is accessible using any web browser. Its frontend
is usually created using languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript, which are supported by major
browsers. While the backend could use any programming stack like LAMP, MEAN, etc. Unlike mobile
apps, there is no specific SDK for developing web applications.

Web Applications came to prominence with the advent of Software as a Service (SaaS) movement.
Why you need a Website?
Here, are prime reasons why you need a website:
 An effective method to showcase your products and services
 Developing a site helps you to create your social proof
 Helps you in branding your business
 Helps you to achieve your business goals
 Allows you to increase your customer support
Why you need a Web Application?
Web applications are more popular because of the following reasons:
 Compared to desktop applications, web applications are easier to maintain by as they use the
same code in the entire application. There are no compatibility issues.
  Web applications can be used on any platform: Windows, Linux, Mac… as they all support
modern browsers.
 Mobile App store approval not required in web applications.
 Released any time and in any form. No need to remind users to update their applications.
 You can access these web applications 24 hours of the day and 365 days a year from any PC.
 You can either make use of the computer or your mobile device to access the required data.
 Web applications are a cost-effective option for any organization. Seat Licenses for Desktop
software are expensive where SasS, are generally, pay as you go.
 Web-Based Apps are Internet-enabled apps that are accessed through the mobile's web
browser. Therefore, you don't require to download or install them.

Guru99 is a website while Salesforce is a Web Application

Characteristics of Website
 Quality and relevant Web Content is which richly displayed.
 User-friendly navigation and web design
 Can be easily searched using search engines like Google.
Characteristics of Web Application
 Cloud-hosted and highly scalable
 Mostly Cross-platform
 Modular and loosely coupled
 It is easily tested with automated tests.
Web Application vs. Website

Below given are the prime difference between web application and web site:
Parameter Web Application Website
Created for A web application is designed for A website mostly consists of static content.
 Parameter Web Application Website
interaction with the end user It is publicly accessible to all the visitors.
In a web application, the user not only A website provides visual & text content
User
read the page content but also which user can view and read, but not
interaction
manipulate the restricted data. affect it 's functioning.
Authentication is not obligatory for
informational websites. The user may ask
Web applications need authentication,
to register to get a regular update or to
Authentication as they offer a much broader scope of
access additional options. This features not
options than websites.
available for the unregistered website
visitors.
Web application functions are quite
Task and The website displays the collected data and
higher and complex compared to a
Complexity information on a specific page.
website.
The web application development is
Type of The website is a complete product, which
part of the website. It is itself not a
software you access with the help of your browser.
complete website.
The site must be precompiled before
Compilation The site doesn't need to be pre-compiled
deployment
Small changes never require a full re-
All changes require the entire project
Deployment compilation and deployment. You just need
to be re-compiled and deployed.
to update the HTML code.
Disadvantages of Website
 A website can crash which is not good for anyone. It is the biggest disadvantage for your
business
 Contact form published on your website may invite lots of unwanted spam e-mails.
 The information on any website might be unreliable if it is not updated regularly.
Disadvantages of Web Application
 Security is not guaranteed, so it is vulnerable for unauthorized access.
 The web app may not support multiple browsers with equal precedence.
 The web application is built explicitly for a certain operating system, so it is difficult to
discover from the app store.
 Limited scope to access the device's features.
Summary:
 A website is a group of globally accessible, interlinked web pages which have a single domain
name.
 A web application is a software or program which is accessible using any web browser.
 Developing your website helps you in branding your business.
 App store approval not required in web applications
 Quality and relevant Web Content are the most important characteristics of a good web site.
 Cloud-hosted and highly scalable are the most vital characteristics of a good web application.
What is a Web Application?
May 31, 2016

Robert Gibb
https::/blog.stackpath.com/web-application/

Definition
A web application is a computer program that utilizes web browsers and web technology to perform
tasks over the Internet.
Overview
Millions of businesses use the Internet as a cost-effective communications channel. It lets them
exchange information with their target market and make fast, secure transactions. However,
effective engagement is only possible when the business is able to capture and store all the
necessary data, and have a means of processing this information and presenting the results to the
user.
Web applications use a combination of server-side scripts (PHP and ASP) to handle the storage and
retrieval of the information, and client-side scripts (JavaScript and HTML) to present information to
users. This allows users to interact with the company using online forms, content management
systems, shopping carts and more. In addition, the applications allow employees to create
documents, share information, collaborate on projects, and work on common documents regardless
of location or device.
How a web application works
Web applications are usually coded in browser-supported language such as JavaScript and HTML as
these languages rely on the browser to render the program executable. Some of the applications are
dynamic, requiring server-side processing. Others are completely static with no processing required
at the server.
The web application requires a web server to manage requests from the client, an application server
to perform the tasks requested, and, sometimes, a database to store the information. Application
server technology ranges from ASP.NET, ASP and ColdFusion, to PHP and JSP.
Here's what a typical web application flow looks like:
1. User triggers a request to the web server over the Internet, either through a web browser or the
application’s user interface
2. Web server forwards this request to the appropriate web application server
3. Web application server performs the requested task – such as querying the database or processing
the data – then generates the results of the requested data
4. Web application server sends results to the web server with the requested information or processed
data
5. Web server responds back to the client with the requested information that then appears on the
user’s display
Example of a web application
Web applications include online forms, shopping carts, word processors, spreadsheets, video and
photo editing, file conversion, file scanning, and email programs such as Gmail, Yahoo and AOL.
Popular applications include Google Apps and Microsoft 365.
Google Apps for Work has Gmail, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, online storage and
more. Other functionalities include online sharing of documents and calendars. This lets all team
members access the same version of a document simultaneously.
Benefits of a web application
 Web applications run on multiple platforms regardless of OS or device as long as the browser is
compatible
 All users access the same version, eliminating any compatibility issues
 They are not installed on the hard drive, thus eliminating space limitations
 They reduce software piracy in subscription-based web applications (i.e. SaaS)
 They reduce costs for both the business and end user as there is less support and maintenance
required by the business and lower requirements for the end user’s computer
Conclusion
Increased Internet usage among companies and individuals has influenced the way businesses are
run. This has led to the widespread adoption of web applications as companies shift from traditional
models to cloud-based and grid models. Web applications give businesses the ability to streamline
their operations, increase efficiency, and reduce costs.
These online apps such as email clients, word processors, spreadsheets, and other programs provide
the same functionality as the desktop versions. However, they have an added advantage of working
across multiple platforms, having a broader reach, and being easily accessible from anywhere.