Apps. We’ve all heard about them somewhere. They’re as much a part of life as eating in 2022, used in practically every industry. Whether you’re a millennial that can’t take your eyes off your gadget, or one of our elders that just recently got introduced to the amazing world of modern technology, you’ve been told to download this app or that at some point. We’ve all used an app to do something or the other.
There’s an overwhelming number of apps on every app store. These are the apps we know about, the ones we go to either Google’s play store, Apple’s app store or any other application store you use. Games, mobile banking apps, social media apps, health tracking apps…. there’s an app for almost everything. Those apps on your app store are called mobile apps.
However, there are also web apps. This type of application is a little more unfamiliar than your regular mobile app. So, what are web apps? What are they used for? Where can they be found? All these questions and more will be answered in this article, read on!
What is a Web App?
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A web application is application software that runs on a web server, unlike computer-based software program that are run locally on the operating system. Web apps can be accessed by the user through a web browser with an active network connection. You might be thinking, “What on earth does that sentence mean?”. Well, you know the way you have your WhatsApp and Instagram running on your phone (locally)? Web apps are stored remotely, meaning they do not have to be downloaded to be used. You then access them using the internet with your browser (Chrome, Safari, Edge, etc).
Types of Web App
We have many different types of web apps. They can be:
- Static, eg: Netlify
- Dynamic, eg: YouTube
- eCommerce, eg: Jumia
- Content management systems eg: WordPress and a lot more
Uses of Web Apps
Now that we know what web apps are, what are they used for? Why are they different from mobile apps? Web apps are apps; they can perform the same functions as your mobile apps. From word processing and filing to entertainment to finance management to social media, anything that can be done with a mobile app can be done with the corresponding web app. In addition to this, they are more secure than mobile apps and can work with many platforms and operating systems.
So, do web apps have a store like mobile apps where they can be gotten from? The answer is no. Web apps reside on a server and we access them over the internet with the URL or link. Web apps are essentially your normal websites with very high functionality and interactive elements. They differ from websites in the sense that websites are read-only, they lack the interactive property that all web apps have.
We’ve talked about web apps, what they are, their uses and advantages. We’ll now discuss who can build a web app. What do I need to learn to successfully build my own web app? How long do I need to learn for? If you’re Nigerian like me, you’re probably also thinking, “Can I make money from this? Is it profitable?”.
Web App Development Skills
Let’s start with who can build a web app. Anyone can build a web app as long as you have the necessary skills. These skills are grouped into two. We have:
- Sever side programming: Usually called back-end development, this aspect decides how the web app will work. It programs the interactive elements. We’re talking programing here so you’ll definitely need to learn a couple of programming languages. The most commonly used are Python, PHP, Java and C#.
- Client-side programming or Front-end development: Here, we focus on the face of the web app. It involves programming the part of your web app that the user interacts with. For this you’ll need HTML, CSS and JavaScript mostly.
With this skill set, you’ll successfully build your web app. You don’t necessarily need to build it on your own, in fact, collaborating with another developer is always a better option. After all, two heads will always be better than one.
How Long Can I learn Web App Development?
Your learning journey is entirely up to you. It could you take you 6 months to 1 year or even longer. The important thing is, you’re getting better than you once were. Practice and consistency are the keys to success. Will learning this make you money? Of course! Developer and programming skills are in high demand, now more than ever.
Don’t just sit there after reading this. Go to Udemy, Udacity, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning… There are so many sites for learning online. If you need physical motivation, a lot of schools like Marshtech Academy teach these skills and languages. Sign up and learn something. You’ll be amazed at what you can do.
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