Elita Dawson http://www.keydifference.com 2m 565 #webapp
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Have you ever wanted to develop a web application? The following 7 steps will lead you towards developing your own web app:
1) Thinking in Terms of Data Relationships:
Any web application can be broken down into simple operational mechanics regardless of its complexity or size, these are:
- The App taking data from users
- Processing what to do with the data.
- Producing some output for the users.
Initially break down the web app’s core features into data relationships to see how it should be built, what features to prioritize or how to interpret and represent data.
2) Follow Inspiring the User Interface(s) and Websites:
Make a note of everything on the web that inspires you from as little as small interactive components to as big as the color scheme/theme for the entire site. This will help you develop your own website, having a collection of inspiring things is a very useful thing.
3) Simple is the Word for your First Version
A popular concept for online startups is building a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP has the most basic core features of a web app, which has many benefits, but the primary purpose is to validate your web app idea quickly and cheaply. This way you can test whether your web app’s core features are what the users require.
4) Focus More on the App’s Behavior and Less on its Look
Though the App’s look is the first impression but its real purpose or behavior is what causes the most frustrations among its users. The look of the App can be refined along the way once the fundamental problem has been solved. So first, direct time and resources into the web app’s value proposition which is usually the basic problem an app is aiming to solve for its users. When it comes to developing the front-end interface of your MVP, use a reliable HTML/CSS framework or boilerplate such as Twitter that speeds up the process so there is enough time left to concentrate on the web app’s behavior.
5) Use Free or Affordable Web Services Whenever Possible
Never spend your money on something you can get for free or at a lower price. There are numerous web services built for modern applications that are either free or very affordable such as Heroku (Rails Host), to Amazon S3 (for storing images and other content) etc. with a bit of research you’ll save a lot of money. Once your app takes off you can invest more in robust web services replacement if necessary.
6) Use Third Party API’s with Caution
An API is how developers get access to the data of an external web service. Every API is different; the best ones are ‘RESTful’ i.e. they conform to the best practices, industry standards and provide good documentation. The web app’s performance is significantly affected by the API chosen, as the app’s core features rely heavily on them.
7) Focus on Excellent Idea Execution
Focus on how you will execute your idea effectively, because only its correct execution can guarantee success. It’s not about one big revolutionary idea rather multiple small well executed ideas.
About the Author
Elita is an editor at Key Difference with a passion for Web app technology, email marketing services, etc., and shares knowledge with other bloggers with similar interests.
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