The architecture of a web application plays an important role in its development and use. It sets the foundation for all aspects of a web application, including performance, security, scalability, and maintainability. Choosing the right architectural approach can have a significant impact on the success of the entire project. If you are looking for a provider of custom web application development services to implement a quality application, this article will help you gain a deeper understanding of how web applications work.
Principles of Architecture
Web application architecture is based on several system components and layers. The latter allows the developer to divide functions into categories or layers. All of them are isolated from each other, which makes it possible to make changes to them that will not affect the operation of other components.Web applications are designed in such a way that in addition to the user interface components, there are a number of structural elements. They, in turn, are also server and client. The latter can include many different elements: from standard settings to information panels and special notification logs. All this is reflected in the interface layout.The visual component of the application is developed using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This technology stack allows you to write code that runs in the browser. In order to see the result, you do not need to configure virtual machines and other software.The server side can be created in Node.JS, PHP, Java, or even Python. It is based on the database and application logic. The latter is nothing more than a control center for the entire software product. As for the database, it is designed to store information used in the application.
Layers of Web Application Architecture
When talking about web application architecture, it is impossible not to mention layers. The following layers exist:
DAL – data access layer;
BLL – business layer;
SL – service layer;
PL – presentation layer.
Each of them plays an important role in the operation of the application, so they are worth considering in more detail.
Presentation layer.
This layer is responsible for displaying the user interface and simplifies the user interaction process. This is where the components on which the user experience will be based are formed. The task of this level is to provide the client side with all the necessary information. Before this, it is collected, processed, and sent to a special data service.
Business layer.
Here, data is exchanged, which is pre-processed and brought to the desired form. Essentially, this layer is responsible for the business logic of the entire application. For example, the authorization function is also one of the levels of business logic.
Services layer.
It can only be found in large applications. Usually, it refers to an API interface that allows other applications to access the program. This layer is responsible for isolating the business logic and security of transmitted data.
Data access layer.
Most often, information is obtained from a database, so this layer can manage CRUD operations. Other sources may also be used to obtain data. Sometimes page scraping is used. It is important to remember that this layer filters the data, but does not process it.
Types of Web Application Architecture
There are several types of web application architecture, depending on how the application logic is distributed between the client and server sides. The most common web application architectures are:
microservice architecture;
serverless applications;
single-page and multi-page web applications;
hybrid (progressive) web applications.
Let's look at the details of them.
Single Page Application or SPA
An SPA is a website or web application that loads all the necessary information when the user enters the page. Single Page Applications have one major advantage - they provide an amazing user experience as users do not experience web page reloads. Single page web applications are often developed using JavaScript frameworks such as Angular, React, and others.Popular SPAs: Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Slack.
Multi-Page Application (MPA)
Multi-page applications are more popular on the Internet since in the past all websites were MPAs. These days, companies choose MPA if their website is quite large (e.g. eBay). Such solutions reload the web page to load or send information from/to the server through users' browsers.Popular MPAs: eBay, Amazon.
Microservices Architecture
To understand microservices architecture, it is better to compare it with a monolithic model.The traditional monolithic web application architecture consists of three parts - the database, client side, and server side. This means that internal and external logic, as well as other background tasks, are generated in the same code base. To change or update a component of an application, software developers must rewrite the entire application.When it comes to microservices, this approach allows developers to create a web application from a collection of small services. Developers build and deploy each component separately.Microservices architecture is beneficial for large and complex projects because each service can be changed without affecting other blocks. Therefore, if you need to update the payment logic, you do not have to temporarily stop the site.Popular projects: Netflix, Uber, Spotify, PayPal.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA)
One of the main trends in web app development in recent years is progressive web applications. These are web-based solutions that run as native applications on mobile devices. PWAs offer push notifications, offline access, and the ability to install an app on your home screen.To create PWAs, developers use “web programming languages” such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. If an application requires access to device functions, developers use additional APIs - NFC API, geolocation API, Bluetooth API, and others.Popular PWAs: Uber, Starbucks, Pinterest.
Conclusion
High-quality and thoughtful architecture makes the web application convenient for both users and developers. Such a software product is easy to change, test, and scale. Therefore, this aspect of development must be given close attention and it is best to entrust this to professionals in custom web application development solutions. Digiteum is one of the most reliable modern companies in the field of web application development, IoT products, MVP, and other solutions with more than 10 years of experience.
By Chris Bates
