In today's world, it seems like everything is done online. From shopping to communicating with friends and family, the internet has become a necessary part of our lives.
Business people are always looking for ways to improve their efficiency and make their work easier. Web applications are one of the many tools that businesses can use to improve their productivity.
So what are web applications, and why are they so popular? Read on to find out!
A web application is a software that you can use over the internet by opening it on a web browser. Common examples include email clients like Gmail, social media platforms like Facebook, and online shopping sites like Amazon.
The history of web apps is a long and complicated one, full of twists and turns. To truly understand how we got to where we are today, we need to go back to the very beginning. The first website was created in 1991, and it wasn't long before developers began creating apps that could be accessed via the web. The early 2000s saw the rise of social networking sites like MySpace and Friendster, which paved the way for the launch of Facebook in 2004. In the years that followed, web applications became increasingly sophisticated, and today they are an essential part of our lives. From online shopping and banking to entertainment and news, there's virtually nothing that can't be done through a web application. As we continue to enter the digital age, it's clear that web applications are here to stay.
Web applications reside on a server—a powerful computer that serves up web pages when requested by users. When you type in a web address like www.google.com, your computer sends a request to Google's server. The server then fetches the requested page and sends it back to your computer where it is displayed in your web browser.
Web applications are built using programming languages like Java, PHP, and Python. These languages are used to create the code that powers the various features of the application. For example, when you click on the "like" button on a Facebook post, the associated code tells the server to update your profile accordingly.
There are many reasons why businesses opt to build web applications instead of traditional desktop software programs.
First and foremost, web applications can be accessed from anywhere in the world as long as there is an internet connection—all you need is a web browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. This makes them much more convenient than desktop software programs which can only be used on the computer they are installed on.
Another big benefit of web applications is that they can be used by many people simultaneously without requiring each user to have their own license or copy of the program installed on their computer. For example, Gmail can be used by millions of people around the world at the same time without issue. This is in contrast to desktop software programs which typically require each user to have their own copy installed.
Other than that, web applications tend to be more secure than desktop software programs since they are less susceptible to viruses and malware. Additionally, they are easier to update and maintain since all users are using the same version of the program.
Web applications often offer more collaborative features than their desktop counterparts. For example, Google Docs allows multiple users to edit the same document at the same time.
Finally, web applications tend to be much more cost-effective than their desktop counterparts since they only need to be developed once and then deployed to multiple users with no additional costs incurred per user.
Additionally, since they reside on servers, businesses only need to pay for the costs associated with hosting and maintaining those servers—there is no need to purchase individual copies of the software for each user as was required in the past.
Now that we've answered some common questions about web applications and taken a look at some of their key benefits, let's examine some popular examples in detail.
Salesforce is a popular CRM web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps sales teams keep track of leads and customer data, and can automate many sales processes.
Expensify is a popular expense reporting web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps employees track their expenses and submit reports for reimbursement.
QuickBooks is a popular accounting web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps businesses manage their finances, track expenses, and create invoices.
Shopify is a popular ecommerce web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps businesses set up and manage their online stores, and process payments securely.
Google Sheets is a popular spreadsheet web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps businesses store data, create charts and graphs, and collaborate with other people on projects.
Hootsuite is a popular social media management web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps businesses track their social media accounts, publish updates, and measure their performance.
Trello is a popular project management web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps businesses plan and organize projects, track progress, and collaborate with team members.
Wix is a popular website builder web application used by businesses of all sizes. It helps businesses create and design professional websites without needing to code or hire a web developer.
In conclusion, web applications are computer programs that perform specific tasks or functions over the internet. They are built using programming languages like Java, PHP, and Python. Web applications have a number of advantages over their desktop counterparts which has led to their increasing popularity in recent years. Some of the key benefits of web applications include the fact that they are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, are more secure and easier to update, and are often more collaborative and cost-effective.