In today’s digital age, custom web app development is highly accessible and no longer limited to tech experts or big budgets.
With the right team you can create powerful web and mobile applications which in the past would have required a lot of resource and expense.
AI-powered development tools, open-source resources, and a supportive online community empower anyone with creativity to create modern web apps.
Designing the User Interface
One of the first steps in creating any application is to understand how it looks and building the user interface (UI).
This step requires you to plan out the workflow and different user stories, defining how different users will interact with your application.
Using tools such as Figma you can easily design good looking screens quickly and collaboratively with others in your team.
Once the UI has been created you can connect screens to build a prototype which can then be used to get feedback and do customer research.
Validating your idea is really important, and by sharing your prototype with potential customers you can see if it really is a good idea.
Building a Robust Backend
The backend is where your business logic and data is stored.
Typically, you will create a backend and set up a server which handles how data is handled and controls what users see on their screen.
The kinds of questions you should think about are:
- Will the app be used on desktop or mobile?
- Who will be logging in and what will they need access to?
- What kind of data are you storing?
Building a backend is obviously very complex but by taking time and working with an experienced team you can create something which is stable and secure.
Prioritising Security
A very important consideration when building any application is security.
You need to ensure sensitive data such as PID (personally identifiable data) is stored properly.
For example, you can encrypt things such as emails, phone numbers and passwords.
As well as this you should consider how access to the server and other code is handled.
Storing Code and Assets
When building a custom web application it’s common that you would be working with multiple developers.
It’s important here to have a single codebase which can be added to.
Tools such as Github are invaluable in managing access and allowing your team to update code, whilst also eliminating conflicts and tracking issues.
On the database side you can use tools such as Mongo Atlas which handles everything on the cloud, making it easy to manage and backup your data.
Other Web Application Services
These days there are some amazing tools out there which can help speed up development and offer really powerful features:
The exact tools you use will depend on your tech stack.
This refers to the languages and frameworks for your backend and frontend architecture.
For example, if you were working with WordPress, that would be the LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP).
Another very popular option is the MERN stack.
Exploring the MERN Stack
The MERN stack is a powerful and popular choice for web application development, known for its versatility and efficiency in building dynamic and interactive applications.
Many modern web apps use MERN because it’s fast, robust and easy to scale.
Understanding MERN Stack
The MERN stack is an acronym representing four key technologies:
- MongoDB: A NoSQL database that offers flexibility and scalability, ideal for handling diverse data types and large datasets.
- Express.js: A minimal and fast web application framework for Node.js that simplifies server-side development, routing, and middleware management.
- React is a well-known JavaScript toolkit for creating responsive, modular, and intensely interactive user interfaces.
- Node.js, a server-side JavaScript runtime environment, allows programmers to create quick and scalable network applications.
These technologies create a seamless and efficient development stack for building web applications that can handle complex data interactions, real-time updates, and a responsive user interface.
Why MERN Stack is a Great Choice
The MERN stack’s popularity stems from several important features:
- It’s entirely based on JavaScript, allowing developers to use the same language for both frontend and backend development, streamlining the development process and enhancing code consistency.
- Due to the MERN stack’s open-source nature and thriving developer community, a tonne of tools, libraries, and resources are available to speed up development.
- Its scalability and flexibility make it suitable for various applications, from small startups to large enterprises.
- Its modular architecture promotes code reusability and maintainability, reducing development time and costs.
Ongoing Costs and Support
Unlike a simple website you need to ensure your web application is well supported.
Depending on the number of users, traffic and what tech you are using, it would need constant improvement and technical maintenance.
Your most likely costs would be:
- Servers and server management
- Third party APIs such as for transactional emails
- Storage such as database and data buckets
- Tools used for deployment such as Docker or Vercel
The exact cost depends on your application but any good development team would guide you on this.
How Our Experts Can Help You with MERN Stack Applications
While the MERN stack offers numerous advantages, you need an experienced team to get the most out of it.
At StudioRav we have a wealth of experience in working with MERN on various types of applications.
With our help we believe we can speed up development, and also help avoid common mistakes and issues.
Contact us today if you’re interested in building a custom web application and let’s see how we can help you.