It is a fact that the human race has become increasingly dependent on the web and its numerous services in the few decades since the invention of the internet. The internet and web applications were the reason why millions of people survived the pandemic lockdown. Web application development services are hired by brands to develop functional and feature-rich applications and websites. It is not easy to develop a web app. Web app agencies need to pay attention to certain things and also check their apps and websites on key parameters.
Checklists to Develop Web Applications
It is not just about creating an app with a stunning design. Web developers should follow certain checklists during development phases to ensure that web apps and websites function smoothly and are secure. These include:
- Acquiring a Domain Name and Installing SSL: It is important to obtain a domain immediately after designing a site. This is necessary to make the website available to everyone. It is now part of SEO. These are included in some web development software.
- How to Find a Reliable Host: Your site’s performance will be poor without a reliable host. There are many web hosting companies, but they do not all offer the same services. Hosting agencies may offer different packages that are tailored to the needs of their clients. Depending on your budget, you may choose between shared hosting or dedicated hosting. Shopify, for example, offers dedicated hosting with its SaaS web development service.
- Implementing SEO: Your website will struggle to be accessible to your target customers if you don’t implement proper SEO methods. Some popular web applications, such as Magento, WordPress and Drupal, have built-in SEO measures. However, developers can also use third-party plug ins, like Yoast SEO, to improve site SEO. An experienced website development agency can guide clients on how to implement the best SEO strategies for their site.
- Mobile Optimization: As billions of users are aware, mobile devices are preferred by web surfers over PCs. Web applications and websites must be optimized for mobile devices. The top web application developers optimize websites while they are developing them. Use web development tools with mobile-optimized templates. WordPress offers many mobile-friendly themes. Many other web development platforms also offer them.
- Planning Third-Party Tool Integration: Based on the client requirements, web developers have to use various third-party tools along with the main website development platform/application. It is therefore important to understand the client’s needs and select the appropriate application. If MailChimp, Zoho Online Suite, or other third-party apps are required, web developers will need to choose a tool that can be used with them.
Choose Plug-ins/Extensions With Care: Professionals in web development often use third-party extensions and plug-ins along with their main platform/tool. These plug-ins can be used to enhance the functionality of a website. It is important, however, to choose such extensions carefully. Select plug-ins with good reviews, ratings, and support from the developer. Using too many plug ins can cause the budget to exceed.
Generating a XML sitemap: Search engine crawlers must be able to locate your website in the maze of millions of other websites. Creating an XML Sitemap is essential.
Testing: During the development of a website or web application, it is necessary to test repeatedly. Periodic checks will ensure that flaws are caught early in web development. It helps to avoid glitches, and resolve issues such as cost overruns. You can also test on different levels. Web developers who are experienced run different tests to find security flaws and coding errors.
Payment Processor Options: Today, the majority of websites and apps sell a variety of products and services. These applications allow users to pay online for subscriptions even if they don’t buy any physical products online. Web developers must therefore consider payment processing when creating these applications and websites. Payment processors are embedded in most web development platforms, such as Shopify and WooCommerce. Nevertheless, you can add additional payment processors via extensions.
Keep Option for Automated Back-ups: When developing a site, developers must focus on the option to enable automated backups. It helps to keep site data secure. Coding can enable automated site data backup. Many modern web development software, such as those based on the SaaS model, have this option by default.
Image Optimization: Images are present in every website or application. In web development, it is essential to use high-quality images that are clear and of good quality. Sites that have too many images of high resolution can suffer from issues with file sizes. The site or application may render slower if it is too large. This could turn off some buyers. Developers must optimize images. Third-party tools like Biocommerces have an image optimizer built in.
Checking browser compatibility: Today, web users have a wide range of options when it comes down to choosing a desktop or mobile browsing software. The days of defaulting to the now-defunct IE are long gone. There are many mobile and PC web browsers available today, but their core technologies are different. Web developers should check whether the websites they create are compatible with popular web browsers.
Enabling quick Login: A website that sells digital or physical goods, or provides visitors with subscription-based information must have options for quick login. No one wants to fill out lengthy forms to access a website’s content or make a purchase online. Web developers should provide easy login options using social media or email IDs.
Optimizing for Faster Rendering: Web users have a reputation for being impatient! They tend to abandon websites that are slow to load. They can be turned off by even a few second delay. Web developers must use techniques to reduce the loading time of sites and applications. To achieve this, it is important to remove unnecessary media elements from the site and tune the user interface. Sometimes, choosing the right theme makes a big difference.
Designing UI with Care: The user interface of a website or web application must be attractive. It is crucial to use the right colors that reflect your brand. For example, a healthcare agency’s website shouldn’t have bright or fluorescent colors. It is also important to have the right balance of text and white space within the UI. The UI shouldn’t look cluttered.
Checking for Security: Today, no web developer can afford not to pay attention to the security of their website and application. MNCs, business titans, and other companies have paid a high price for security breaches on their websites. Web development agencies are very careful to implement security measures when developing websites and applications.
Below is a list of Web Development Security Checklists that Developers should be aware of:
Site/Application security: Web developers must be cautious when implementing measures to ensure site and application safety. Websites must be developed using the most recent security protocols. Depending on the platform, they may need to use third-party extension to improve site security.
Plug-in security: The plug ins that are used on a site can have loopholes which hackers could exploit. Web developers should check whether the extensions and plug ins they choose are secure. Developers who use platforms that have thousands of plug ins should be cautious.
Updated Application Version: Web developers should always use the most recent version of an application, whether it’s a CMS framework or PHP-based framework. The latest version of any web development tool will ensure that you are using the most secure version. The website will be less vulnerable to security threats.
Wrapping it Up
When you choose the best technologies for web development, developing a web app shouldn’t be arduous. The application development checklists are important, but web application development must be planned and done in phases. Hasty decisions can cause complications and increase costs.
