Introduction
Getting the right app developed for your business, can be a difficult task. A successful application is not just about a beautiful looking app, but the functionalities and features matter a lot too. Entrepreneurs should concentrate more on getting a scalable, secure, and stable app, rather than having one with just good UI/UX design. In cases like these, technology stack comes into play, as choosing the right technology, for the development of your app, is very important for its success.
Most entrepreneurs leave the decision, of choosing the right technology stack, to the website development company, which they hire for their web app development. On the other hand, some choose it by themselves. A good app developed using the right technology stack not only attracts more users but also, helps your business to generate higher revenue.
Before talking about the tips to choose the right technology stack for your web app development, let us talk about:
Technology Stack and Its Components
To develop a scalable and secure app, developers use a lot of technologies and tools. The combination of these tools, frameworks, programming languages, and various technologies, that are required to develop a software solution is known as a technology stack or solutions stack.
Every web application has two main components- a server-side and a client-side, which are also known as, the front-end and the back-end.
Front-end
Everything that a user sees in your web app is a part of front-end or client-side web app development. It involves converting data and information into interactive graphic visuals. A front-end developer is responsible for making your web app interactive and attractive.
There are a number of technologies involved in front-end app development, but most web app development companies use majorly three technologies, which are:
- HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheet)
- JavaScript
One of the best tips to hire frontend developer is to hire one, who has complete knowledge of UI/UX design.
Back-end
The backend, or server-side development, is responsible for how your web app functions. Users cannot see anything related to the back-end, but they can experience it. This is where most people get confused about the technology stack. There are various technologies available for back-end web app development, out of which, some are listed below:
- PHP
- Python
- JavaScript
- Ruby on Rails
In recent times, PHP and JavaScript development services are high in demand and many successful web apps have been developed using these technologies.
How to Choose the Right Technology Stack for your Web App
Which technology stack you must choose for your web app entirely depends upon your project’s requirements. Before deciding one you must first decide the type of application that your business requires.
A web app can be developed using a single technology or by combining two or more technologies. Once you have decided on the programming language for your app development, only then you can choose the right framework for it.
Not every technology stack is suitable for all types of applications. There may be chances that the one that you have chosen for your last app may not be suitable for the current one.
There are a few factors which can help you in deciding the right technology stack for your web app, let’s discuss them in detail:
1) The Size and Complexity of the Project
The size of your project is an important factor to consider while choosing a technology stack. Some technologies may do wonders for small-scale web applications but, may not perform well on large-scale apps. As the size of your web app grows, so does the complexities involved in the app development, also increase. You must choose a technology that can handle all the complexities involved with your web app, not just for the current day, but also in the future, in case you decide to scale up your business operation.
Small scale web apps that have a single web page, does not require any high-end technology. It can be developed using any simple framework too.
Whereas, a web app like online stores or enterprise solutions involve some complex features. They require a much more advanced and complex technology stack than the small-scale web apps. For developing apps like these, JavaScript and PHP development services are high in demand.
If we talk about large-scale web apps like social media platforms, food-delivery app, taxi-booking services, etc. they require high-performing tools and technologies. These web apps involve a lot of complexities they require top-notch technology stack that can keep up with the scalability of these web apps.
2) Security
Every entrepreneur wants a safe and secure web app for his business. They want to get their apps developed with the kind of technology stack, which is highly secure, to ensure all their data remains safe. A top-rated and experienced web app development company always follows all the security guidelines which are required for app development, to ensure the utmost security of their client’s data.
So, if your business requires a web app that stores a large amount of user data, you must consider this factor. You may ask your developer to add advanced authentication features, to make your web app much safer.
3) App Development Cost
This is one of the major factors that will affect your choice of the technology stack. Although, most technologies and tools are open-source and free to use, still, some technologies may cost you less, while others may increase the overall app development cost.
So, it is always advisable to decide the budget of your project, beforehand, so that, based on your budget and the project’s requirements, you or your developer can choose the most suitable technology stack for your project.
4) Maintenance
App maintenance is very important for it to function smoothly. Also, while scaling up your app, the process should be effortless. For this, choosing the right technology stack is very important.
You must choose the technology that can be changed easily and does not require a lot of coding. The web app with a lengthy codebase, or too precise codebase, is difficult to manage and alter. This is because a lengthy code may require a lot of time to execute and a concise code may end up creating debugging errors. Therefore, you must choose the technology that is easy to write, fast to execute, and offers code reusability.
Also, the technology should be flexible enough so that new tools and technologies could be integrated seamlessly and must support scalability.
5) Testing and Launch Time
Few technologies require more time to develop a web app, while others take less. If you are in a hurry to launch your web app in a market, then you must go for the technology stack that offers an agile app development process. For this, you may opt for the MVP app development process, as it takes less time to develop an app.
Also, everyone wants their app to be free from errors, and testing each code requires a lot of time. You must choose the technology stack that produces TDD (Test-Driven Development). This will not only reduce the testing time but also, will reduce time-to-market-entry.
So, you must hire a web developer or developers, who can develop and deliver the project within the given timeframe, and the app can be introduced on time in the market.
Some Tips to Consider While Choosing the Technology Stack
- While choosing a technology stack for your web app, never go for the one that you like. Rather choose the one that is most suitable for your project and fulfills all its requirements.
- You should also avoid blindly following the latest trends while choosing the technology stack. Every web app has a different requirement. Some technologies may work for others, but may not work for you, and vice-versa.
- Do not just copy your competitor’s technology. Do proper research before choosing one for your website. If you cannot choose by yourself, try taking expert advice from an experienced web app development company. They are the best people to help you in situations like these.
Conclusion
Choosing the right technology is not difficult if you consider all the factors, before making your choice. The right technology helps in making your web app successful among your users. a good technology stack can offer scalability, easy manageability, robustness, and security to your web app.
While choosing the technology stack do not just trust the internet for your research or copy large companies. In fact, choose the one that is the most suitable choice for your project based on the requirements, budget, development cost, complexities, and size. You may also hire full stack development services if you do not wish to hire a separate front-end and back-end developer.
While choosing the technology stack you must consider all the pros and cons of that technology beforehand, and then make your decision. As they say, a technology stack is the backbone of any software solution, if chosen correctly, it can offer immense success and if not, you may incur huge losses.