I’ve previously been a little confused about the difference between a website and a web application. I know they both have something to do with the Internet, but what can I use them for? The answer is nuanced in that there isn’t a clear line in the sand between these two. Web applications are often used for business or enterprise applications. They look a lot like websites but usually offer more advanced functionality. Websites are primarily used to share information with your audience. For example, if you’re publishing content on your website, advertising your product, or explaining various services but when you’re likely trying to get people to buy stuff from you or interact with you, well, that’s where web applications come in handy! You can use them for things like processing orders, managing inventory of products, and many other tasks that might be hard to do on your website alone. In this article we will lay down the differences between a website and a webs application, after reading this I promise you will have a full understanding of the concept of the two and know what they both stands for. Let’s dive in.
What is website?
A website is a public digital space, designed to display information via the Internet, it is a collection of digital data, such as text and images which can be viewed on any device that has been published on the internet. This data can be about anything- from your favorite blog or movie review site to a personal blog or business website. Websites are created and organized using HTML,CSS and JavaScript code. i.e vincah.com, cnn.com
What is web application?
Web applications are a type of software that’s used over the internet to provide a service or information. Web applications often have a graphical user interface and can be accessed mostly from a computer, but occasionally on a tablet or smartphone. Web applications have become more popular because they allow users to access the application from any location with an internet connection, and they generally don’t require installation on your computer. Here are some good things about web applications. i.e facebook.com, vendblue.com
5 key differences between website and web application
Interaction:
Websites and web applications both provide content that users can see and read. The difference is, with a website the user only sees the page while reading it, but with a web application, they can do more than just read-they can also manipulate data, When an action is carried out within this kind of system there will be some sort of response from it.
Authentication:
For websites, authentication is not necessary. However, users may register for access to regular updates or enhanced features such as a newsletter or filling in contact forms while For web applications however, they usually require authentication since the experience is more personalized such as creating an account, forgetting emails.
Integration:
Web applications usually integrate with software because of the complex functionality while website on the other hand, generally does less integration via the internet and only has linking capabilities.
Deployment:
website updates happen without having to change the entire project like is needed for a web application. This means that websites can have small updates while still not affecting the core of them.
Complexity:
Web applications are much more complex than websites, which only have to show a single page. Web applications can do all sorts of things that websites cannot because they are so advanced, like create databases and run programs. Websites just display information on a specific web page.
Conclusion
It can be difficult to differentiate between a website and a web application. Here are the key differences between the two. A website is typically informational in nature, with no interactive elements or functions. Web apps are often used for business functions such as commerce, banking, and social media. A website can be accessed through any device on any platform whereas a web app is typically accessed through a browser on desktop. A website can be built by anyone with basic design expertise but web apps require programming knowledge. Web applications are generally more expensive than websites because of the amount of time they take to build.