Website and web applications are similar in many ways, for example, they both run in browsers, and need an Internet connection to perform, support integration, authentication, and more. Yet, most people think that the two are different. Well! It is true they are similar but the difference exists.
Below we have also shared the difference between websites and web applications with examples to make it easier for you to understand their roles.
What is a website?
A website is generally identified with a common domain name and published on at least one web server. It is a collection of relevant web pages that include media, content, videos, and other information related to the business.
It can be accessed via a public Internet Protocol (IP) network, such as the Internet. The World Wide Web is an example of a website that is accessible to the general public. There are many more websites available based on the different categories, including news, education, food, travel, business, or real estate. Each website helps the reader attain what he is looking for via the pages connected by hyperlinks.
Be it a phone, desktop, or tablet, users can access a website easily on any platform by typing in a domain or clicking on the website link. Each website has multiple pages containing relevant texts, suitable graphics, and hyperlinks connecting visitors to other web pages. Webpages may also include information about a specific product or different services.
Every time a visitor clicks a link via a search engine, he/she is accessing a web page.
The only difference between a website and a web page is the webpage is a single document, whereas, a website is a collection of web pages elaborating on different topics under the same domain. The webpage takes minimum time and less complex to develop, whereas a website takes more time and is more complex to develop.
Example: A restaurant website like Yang’s Kitchen or a news portal like CNN are a few examples of a website.
Characteristics of a Good Website
- Speed: If your website is taking too long to load, chances are high that the visitor will switch to another website for valuable information. Hence, update your website speed and check with online tools for verification.
- Mobile Responsive: It is important to ensure that the website is working great on all devices, including smartphones, desktops, or tablets.
- SEO friendly: To rank your website in search results, build a website that is SEO friendly on both content and technical level.
Advantages of a Website
- Helps display your services and products in a better way
- Websites are an easy mode to promote businesses online
- Allows users to share their thoughts or provide information via blogs.
Disadvantages of a Website
- The design must be regularly updated as per the changing trend.
- Requires users to regularly update the website with valuable content for better engagement.
- Must invest in strong security measures to protect the site from crashing.
What is a Web Application?
Web applications are software programs that an individual can use to access a variety of services from their desktop or mobile device. Generally, a web app is responsive and dynamic. It uses server-side scripts for storage management and retrieval of data and client-side scripts to display the information.
Web applications are often cloud-based, and many of them provide a user with the opportunity to store information in the cloud. It contains both functional and interactive elements and can be easily accessed via a browser. A web application may also be referred to as an “app” for short.
Example: Facebook for Social media platforms, Gmail for email services, YouTube for Video hosting services, and Instagram for Photo Sharing are a few popular web applications.
Characteristics of a Good Web Application
- Speed: Similar to a website, if your application takes more time to process data or load, visitors will switch to a similar application. Hence, optimize your app and work on loading time to improve audience engagement.
- Security: With apps, people find it difficult to share their personal details. Hence, make sure to have a secure authentication for your application that will also help build customer trust and maintain safety.
- Scalable: Make sure that your app is scalable, intuitive, and supports user input. With more people engaging with your app, they will surely propose you add more features in the future. Hence, make it scalable so that new features can be easily added to it.
Advantages of a Web Application
- Helps automate processes
- Websites are compatible with multiple platforms
- Easy to access from any location without installation
- Web applications take less time for the development process.
Disadvantages of a Web Application
- Requires an internet connection for smooth functioning.
- Must be tested thoroughly before deployment.
Difference Between Website and Application
| Parameters | Website | Web Application |
| 1. Purpose | Websites include static content and have different purposes, for example, selling products, providing practical information, or merely entertainment. | Web apps are dynamic and help customers interact with end users |
| 2. Interaction | Website visitors can only read the content but cannot manipulate it. | App visitors can both read and manipulate. |
| 3. Authentication | Authentication is not mandatory. | The Authentication Feature is supported by web applications |
| 4.Integration | Supports Simple Integration. Also, can integrate with CRM. | Supports integration with other platforms but is more complex because of its complex functionalities. |
| 5. Browser Capabilities | High browser capabilities | High browser capabilities |
| 6. Functionality | Simple functionality | Complex functionality |
| 7. Precompiling | Precompiling is not necessary. | Precompiling before deployment is necessary for web applications. |
| 8. Development | Less complicated and requires only a single front-end developer for website development. | Different from a website and requires both front-end and back-end knowledge to develop web applications. |
| 9. Hosting solution | Less expensive as less data needs to be processed. | More expensive because it includes components, like a database and a back-end solution, plus additional resources, such as CPU power, storage, etc. |
| 10. User Interface and User Experience design (UI/UX) | Not mandatory | Mandatory |
| 11. Examples | A restaurant website like Yang’s Kitchen or a news portal like CNN | Facebook for Social media platforms, Gmail for email services, YouTube for Video hosting services, etc |
Conclusion
To improve productivity or business performance, most organizations find it hard to decide whether they should hire a professional for web development or app development. Well! If you want to display your business services or products to clients, you must hire a web developer. But, if you want an online tool that will help in process automation, go for web applications.
Websites are good for promotions and a secure platform for their readers and visitors. Web applications, on the other hand, automate certain processes, easy to access, and can be easily run on multiple platforms.
Also, websites require only a single front-end developer for website development, whereas, with web applications, you require both front-end and back-end knowledge for development. We have listed many more factors on the basis of which you can easily compare and choose between websites and web applications for better business performance.
We hope our guide was able to through some light on the web application vs website dilemma.
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Also Read: Why Simplicity Works Best When you Design Your Webpage