Web Application Components: A Beginner Breakdown

Web Application Components
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Bilal Tahir
Co-Founder | WPWhales.io
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In our modern world web applications play an important part in making social networks and banking applications.

But how do you make a web application and what are the inner components that make it run smoothly without any issues?

This blog will discuss web application components and how they work. It's for those new to web development and the curious.

Define Web Application

It is a program that runs on a web server in any country. It can be accessed through browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. 

What is Web Application Components
Web Application Components

Unlike the old app, the new one doesn't need installation. You can access web apps directly through a browser without installing anything.

Examples of web applications include YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or any banking service related to your bank.

Web Application Component Categories

The operations of web applications are further divided into two categories they are:

  • Front End Component: This is where you, the user, can interact with the web app. It is a front-end component, designed for clients.
  • Back End Components: This is where all functions are carried out. It stores data and processes the web apps' server.

Now let us break these two categories further and see what's in store for us.

1.Front-End Components

This is the place where the user interacts with the web application with different navigation and buttons.

These features are important for providing a good user experience for success.

front end components
Front End Components

The following are the components used in making all of this happen:

Hypertext Markup Language

HTML is the simple structure of any internet web page.It describes the layout of the site and organizes text, pictures and videos. HTML is the skeleton of a web page telling the browser what to show and where to put it.

Example: HTML tags are used to display headings, images or paragraphs on a website.

Cascading Style Sheets

CSS is used to fashion the HTML layout.Whereas HTML offers content and structure.

CSS controls things like fonts, shades, spacing and layout to make pages visually appealing.

Example: CSS guidelines can alternate the colour of all titles on a web page to blue or align photos to the middle.

Java Script

Javascript brings interactivity to the website. It allows the person to engage with the software making it interesting. 

This results in elements on a page that can change without reloading the whole page.

Example: Consider a dropdown menu or slideshow that cycles through pictures. 

These features are enabled with the help of JavaScript.

Recommend to Read:7 Best Website to Practice JavaScript Questions

Library and Framework

Many programmers use frameworks and libraries to make improvement less difficult and faster. 

These are pre-written rule sets that assist in streamlining the improvement procedure.

Example:

React: A JavaScript library for developing user interfaces.

Angular: A complete framework that helps construct dynamic single-page programs.

Vue.Js: A development framework that specializes in building the visual layer of web software.

These frameworks help manage complexity to create a responsive, interactive consumer interface.

User Interface

The UI is what the person sees and interacts with on the screen. This includes the whole thing from buttons and text to complicated visible factors like charts and graphs. 

An appropriate UI navigation is straightforward, visually appealing and practical.

Example: All layout and configuration of a web shape which includes text fields, buttons and labels fall into the UI class.

2.Back-End Components

This is where managing data, storing data and maintaining security takes place.This is where the core capabilities of the web page take place and are not visible to the customer.

Back End Components
Back End Components

The following are the key elements that make it all possible:

Website Server

The server processes requests from the client's browser and sends appropriate responses. 

Each time you click on a link or submit an application the request goes to the server which responds with all the necessary information.

Website Server
Website Server

Example: When you log into your social media account your request for your account is processed by a server.

Database Management

A database has all the necessary data to make a website function correctly. 

This could be client reports, product reports, sales reports or data types on which the software relies on. 

Database Management
Database Management

Popular databases include:

MySQL: Relational database management engine.

MongoDB: A NoSQL database that stores data in a flexible, JSON-like format.

PostgreSQL: Another relational database that received recognition for its high reliability and performance.

Example: In an e-business application data is usually stored in a database that identifies products and customers.

Recommend to Read:Is Web Development Dying

Back-End Programming Languages

Different programming languages play an important in developing a website application to function with all the features like business data, storing data to the server or fetching it when needed.

Back-end programming languages
Back-End Programming Languages

Some of the following used in this are:

PHP: Commonly used for server scripting, particularly for dynamic web pages.

Python: Known for its simplicity and clarity.

Node JavaScript: It lets you operate on the server.

Ruby: Known for its ease of use and quick building the applications.

These languages ​​are used to construct writing codes that power the whole website from behind the curtains.

Application Programming Interface

The API enables different parts of the application to interact with each other. It acts as a communication bridge allowing for easy sending and receiving of information.

Application Programing Interface
Application Programing Interface

Example: When trying to search for a product on an e-commerce website it retrieves the product description from the database and sends it to your browser.

Recommend to Read:The Impact of AI on Web Development

Frameworks of Back-End Development

Just like with the front-end frameworks can help make the back-end process easier and more efficient. 

Popular examples are:

Django: It is a Python-based framework that uses rapid and clean development and design.

Laravel: It is a PHP framework known for its adaptability and easy-to-use features.

Express.Js: Simple framework designed for Node JavaScript for building applications.

They are all designed to provide pre-built solutions for the common responsibilities of database connectivity and user authentication.

It allows developers to focus on creating unique features for their systems.

Verify and Authorize

Most applications require verifications and then authorisation to ensure security for the users. 

It verifies the identity of the user while confirmation makes sure that the user is allowed to have administrative tasks or not.

Example: When you log into your email you can verify with your username and password.

If you're allowed to view your inbox but not access administrative settings that is the process of authorization.

Recommend to Read:Is Computer Programming Hard

Middleware: Bridging the Front and Back

In addition to the backend and front end, there is another function called the middleware. 

It acts as a bridge of communication supplying help for client management, exchanging information and other different services. 

This consists of:

Security applications: Middleware can help with data encryption and verifying client information.

Storage: To quickly manage all the processes it stores all the potential data which can be used in future operations.

Its only job is to make sure that the communication is straight and there are no issues in processing data information which can further create issues.

Conclusion

Understanding all of this is the key to knowing how all of this works and functions correctly. 

If you are a programmer or just curious, this can teach you. It shows how things can work in website development.

Breaking all of these down into simple steps will show how the functions work together. They create a website or an app we use every day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you define Web Application?
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A: It is a program that can run on any browser that you are using without installing it.
Q: What is the purpose of a server in Web Application?
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A: Its job is to operate data or store it and send or receive information upon the request of the website.
Q: How does Middleware work and why is it important?
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A: It is the bridge between an app's front and back ends. They must communicate smoothly.

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