8 Common Mistakes of Web App Development in 2021 and How to Avoid | SENS

October 21st, 2021

8 Common Mistakes of Web App Development in 2021 and How to Avoid

#Digital Insights

Web application development is one of the most popular services from software companies providing for corporations that are in need of digitalizing their business. However, developers may face some of the common mistakes while running a web application project.

About Web Application Development

A web application is an interactive app that users can access through their browser and is produced using web development tools to serve the wish and demand of users. Web apps provide users with the ability to: Share images, information, shopping, selling, calculating…whether you are in need of a marketplace or managing platform, web apps can bring your idea into reality.

 

In theory, web apps and websites are quite similar, therefore web app development and web development have a lot in common.

Web app developers, for example, use JavaScript, CSS, and HTML on the front end. Web apps’ backends may employ the same server-side languages that developers use to create webpages, such as Ruby or Python. Web apps, on the other hand, work in a manner that is unique from that of a standard website on any device.

Common Mistakes of Web App Development in 2021 and How to Avoid

#1: Do not clear about the purpose of the project

Customer understanding is not only important for marketers, while developing a web app, you need to be really clear about these questions: What are you trying to achieve? Do you want to provide a resource for educational purposes, create a game for entertainment or introduce a service?

 

A common mistake that app creators make is to ignore their target audience. An idea is all good and well, but who did you create it for? Do you have a target audience in mind who will most likely use your software?

#2: Depending on Templates

You can find many templates available on the web that allow you to download free or with a small fee. Templates are very convenient in some situations and can help you save time. However all of them have some predesigned elements and they may not fit unique business requirements.

 

For instance, templates can not help if you want to add specific buttons at the centre of your webpage, make a chart, include some interactive button on the site, and so on. All these require you to customize the website with a more creative design.

 

Customizing a unique web app helps you to stand out from the crowd. You can check your competitors’ sites or conduct A/B testing several times to ensure that the web app is optimized for the users’ preference.

#3: Insufficient Input Validation

Only HTML and JavaScript validations are not enough for user input validation. You need to validate user input both on the client and the server side. We are all aware of the sage advice “do not trust user input” but, nevertheless, mistakes stemming from validation happen all too often.

 

For example, filling in the wrong information, say an incomplete mobile number, email address without ‘@’. Incorrect data submission leads to a failed attempt at finding information or executing a task. Therefore, it’s important to help them rectify the mistake.

 

To prevent them from making such mistakes, front-end validation is required. The most recent frameworks have great validation rules that are simple to design and assure error-free user input.

 

Sharing validators between the front-end and back-end is also a good idea. It is possible to accomplish this by authoring the validator as an independent element in Bit and then sharing it on Bit.dev. It’s easier to keep the client and server sides in sync because shared components are consumed and maintained independently.

#4: Incompatibility between browsers and devices

The popularity of using a web app across many browsers and devices is growing. Gone are the days when you could expect to create an app that worked the same on a variety of devices and browsers, including desktop, laptop, and smartphone. Many people now use smartwatches, refrigerators, smart TVs, and other gadgets to access online apps, as well as browsers like Firefox, Safari, and others.

 

As a result, you must focus on developing a responsive web app that works across many devices and browsers. You may utilize cloud testing solutions to swiftly test your site across a variety of browsers and devices. You can identify and fix HTML and CSS bugs that cause browser breakage in any browser. Vendor-specific codes can also be added.

#5: Not Keeping Scope for Scalability

Building MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) has become increasingly popular. With these, entrepreneurs can share and test the efficacy of their app idea in the market.

 

Taking scalability for granted is a mistake. Choosing a scalable web server and database, as well as placing the application layer on a separate scalable server, is insufficient. To prevent rewriting substantial chunks of the app layer later, you must consider a number of factors. Aspects such as database storage, load balancing, web server, session state servers, profile photos, and so on should all be considered.

 

You need to implement a file synchronization service or strategize other workarounds to ensure that the files are spread across the web server.

 

We know it’s a lot of hard work. Consider engaging dynamic web development services to create a full-proof app.

#6: Unoptimized for Users’ Internet Connectivity

Typically, development and testing are carried out over a local network. A high level of internet connectivity is present in such a development ecosystem. It frequently leads to the underestimation of bandwidth utilization. You must consider the users’ ability to connect to the internet. Many consumers may still access your web app over 3G networks. Is the app designed with them in mind?

 

Here’s a checklist to help you get the most out of your bandwidth.

  • Optimizing image size and resolution
  • Server side HTTP compression
  • Minifying CSS
  • Minifying JavaScript

#7: Not Developing for Different Screen Sizes

Responsive design has been a big topic in the past few years. Expansion of smartphones and tablets with different screen resolutions has brought many new ways of accessing online content, which also comes with a host of web development issues.

 

In order to ensure seamless navigation and access to website content, you must enable users to access it from all types of devices.

 

There are numerous patterns and practices for building responsive web applications. Each development platform has its own tips and tricks, but there are some frameworks that are platform independent. The most popular is probably Twitter Bootstrap. It is an open-source and free HTML, CSS, and JavaScript framework that has been adopted by every major development platform. Just adhere to Bootstrap patterns and practices when building your application, and you will get a responsive web application with no trouble at all.

#8: Wrong or Missing SEO

SEO is a critical factor in web development these days, with business owners striving to get their websites to the top of the SERPs and drive greater visibility and traffic.

 

Here are a few things you should bear in mind:

  • Enhanced loading speed
  • Crawlable site architecture
  • W3C validated coding
  • Image alt tags
  • Interlinking on the page content
  • No duplicate content
  • Optimized metadata

Maintaining on-page SEO techniques during web development, on the other hand, isn’t enough to improve a web app’s ranking. It’s critical to hire professional SEO services on a regular basis to carry out off-page SEO practices.

 

Paying attention to these elements will make it easier for you to create a web app. If you’re still having trouble, it’s a good idea to get expert web application development services from a digital solution partner. These errors will not be made by experienced developers, and the development process will be streamlined.

 

 

REFERENCES:

  • The 10 Most Common Mistakes Web Developers Make: A Tutorial for Developers
  • Web Application Development: Mistakes to Avoid