A Guide to the Fundamentals of Web Application Architecture

Web Application Components

As stated, web applications consist of multiple components to serve the purpose of their existence. Every web application is designed to serve pre-defined purposes, and the components depend on the apps’ goals. Broadly, web application components fall under two categories: client-side and server-side.

1. UX and UI (Client Side)

The client-side elements of the web applications are UI (User Interface) and User Experience (UX). The interface is what you see when you open an application. On the other hand, user experience depends on the interactive components of the apps. For example, a web application may come with multiple tools for performing various tasks. Therefore, you need to use those tools and interact with the applications.

2. Structural Components (Server Side)

The server-side components are structural components of web applications. For example, the structural components include database storage, server control tools, etc. Therefore, the developers must build client-side and server-side components separately to develop a seamless and powerful web application.

Web Application Architecture Types

Web application architecture can be divided into two types: front-end and back-end. Learn more about them in the following section.

1. Front-end

• Single Page Applications: Recently, single-page applications have become a lot more popular. A webpage takes time to load, which negatively impacts the user experience. The single-page apps load quickly, and thus the user experience improves drastically.
• Server Side Rendered (SSR) Apps: Such applications render client-side JS frameworks to HTML on the server-side. The process happens quickly to ensure a seamless user experience. The server-side can compile information and serve a new HTML document on every query request.

2. Back-end

• Serverless Architecture: As the name implies, such an architecture does not include any servers. However, third-party providers play a significant role in this entire architectural infrastructure.
• Microservices: It is described as a service-oriented architectural model. This service-oriented architecture is lightweight. Moreover, developers can use any programming language to develop a web application architecture.

Web Application Architectural Models

Every web application has been developed on specific models to meet the requirements of the end-users. The developers choose the right model to develop the web application by understanding app owner’s requirements and the application’s actual purpose.

1. One Database, One Web Server

The simplest web application architecture model is “One Database, One Web Server.” In this model, developers use only one database web server for developing the application. The drawback of a single web server is a poor user experience due to server downtime.

2. One Database, Multiple Web Servers

As the name implies, the model includes multiple web servers. The developers use a minimum of two web servers for this web application architecture. Such an application architecture offers a seamless user experience. If one server is down, the other server will keep working to provide an effortless and uninterrupted user experience.

3. Multiple Databases, Multiple Web Servers

Such an architectural model is appropriate for developing professional web applications for small and large enterprises. As the name suggests, the model consists of multiple databases. However, you will find two databases in most cases. On the other hand, the application possesses multiple web servers. As a result, such web applications work swiftly without experiencing any downtime.

So, these are the fundamental things to know about web applications. Learning these crucial facts will help you select the right architectural models and components to develop web applications for your business. If you need assistance building a next-gen web application, connect with an industry leader like Technosip to develop a feature-rich web application.