Websites vs Web Applications – Know Which One You Need
It has become habit with consumers today to visit the website of a service one is using. You find something interesting, and the next thing you do is Google it. Does this thing have a website? Typically websites offer detailed information into your object of interest. You go from page to page within a single site, depending on how well you need to know a product or service, probably before you buy it.
Compare this to a social media handle such as a Facebook page. Over and above mere information, and probably also a link to the standalone website, you could reach out to the providers of the product/service in question, ask your own questions, give them feedback, simply let them know you ‘like’ them in perhaps not so many words, and communicate with them real-time. All this is possible, because it is the social media you are on that makes these stunning features possible. Which makes it more than a website – a web application.
In other words, a web application has greater scope for user involvement than a website. Whereas the latter is like a one-person presentation wherein the focus lies on content, the former is like a more-than-one interactive session. Web applications like Facebook, YouTube, GMail are characterised by a range of features, made possible by bleeding-edge programming, that fix them notches above your run-of-the-mill website (and other web applications).
A web application lets you perform
Web applications are made possible with intricate levels of programming for the multifaceted functionality that distinguishes them. As opposed to a static repository of content, programmatic user input and heavy analytics constitute the dynamics of a web application. A back-end put together with great skill props one up. Imagine what it is like to browse through once-uploaded and continuously edited articles on a news website, compared to a collaborative spreadsheet that processes and syncs individual data for numerous collaborators each second.
What is a fine line from the point of view of technology – the static pages of a website, as opposed to an offering with code/scripts on the server – leads to a remarkable difference in user experience. While a website is arguably more of a B2B proposition, a web application is significantly consumer-oriented. This is where we gauge client expectations and tailor our deliverables. It all boils down to what you want out of your idea.
Breaking down the basics
| Website | Web Application | |
| Semantics | Static | Dynamic |
| Supporting Database | Storage of (user) data, such as interactive brochures | Real-time responses involving modifications in the user experience depending on user inputs, such as reservation sites |
| User Interface | Users go from page to page, gathering information | Users interact with multiple entities and their properties, which is basically a replication of the app experience |
| Programming Differences | Relatively simple programming required to serve information-oriented pages | Programming takes into account complex user-interaction scenarios and multipronged results |
| Example | Website for a realtor may list their contact information and properties currently on offer | Web application will allow visitors to book viewing and counselling appointments, interact with the realtor, and connect with like-minded property-hunters (for example, users looking for roommates to rent out with) |
