Last updated on September 22nd, 2023
For a long time, the idea that “native apps are better” drove the development of new websites and mobile apps. However, web applications are now driving growth. Web apps are apps that can be used on any device with an internet browser. As a result, web apps are a low-cost way to make apps that can reach a lot of people. They use new technologies and development methods that are on par with native apps in terms of performance and user experience.
For a long time, the idea that “native apps are better” drove the development of new websites and mobile apps. However, web applications are now driving growth. Web apps are apps that can be used on any device with an internet browser. As a result, web apps are a low-cost way to make apps that can reach a lot of people. They use new technologies and development methods that are on par with native apps in terms of performance and user experience.The process of making a web app flows from coming up with an idea to designing, building, and launching it. But one of the first things that need to be decided is how the web app is built: how will it be organized, and how will everything fit together?
In this guide, we’ll talk about what web application architecture is, its components, layers, importance, and much more.
Web Application Architecture: An Overview
User interfaces, transaction processing, databases, and other components are all represented in web application architectures. The fundamental goal is to ensure that all pieces operate well together.
These components work together to form web application architectures. What are the roles and duties of these elements? Let us go over their interaction, noting all of the idiosyncrasies of this procedure.
Web application architecture governs the interaction of apps, middleware systems, and databases, allowing several applications to function together. When a user inputs a URL into a browser and presses ‘enter,’ the browser sends a request to a server.
What Is the Importance of Web Application Architecture?
Market trends shift, customer expectations shift, and business growth is never-ending. A web app needs architecture to establish a solid foundation; without it, your business app would be swimming in a large ball of mud architectural anti-pattern.
A well-thought-out web app architecture can manage varying loads and effectively adapt to changing business requirements to give a quick user experience that further increases app performance. You may also take on many development projects at once by breaking the structure into separate modules, which will gradually reduce development time. Furthermore, new capabilities may be easily included without disrupting the overall framework.
Here are more benefits of web application architecture:
01. Better customer satisfaction
From a user experience point of view, you need to invest in web application software architecture or a solid plan for how it works.
It is an important part of making any web app. It makes sure your design is efficient and scalable, which means it will work well in a variety of situations and avoid downtime. If a business app has too many bugs, it will irritate users and make them not want to use it.
02. Better business results
The right Web Application Architecture can save your business time and money in the long run by making sure your website works at its best and has no problems.
In particular, web application system architecture lets web developers make websites that work well as traffic grows. It also gives website features like offline access (like Google Docs) that consumers are coming to expect more and more.
03. Better app performance
A solid web app architecture gives the app a lot of flexibility, which means it can respond to changes in the market and customer needs.
The overall structure makes it easier for developers to work on an app in different modules and add new features without stopping the web app from working.
04. Enhanced security
App security is improved because modern web application architecture sees a web app as a system made up of different blocks. Each block is then protected separately.
In this way, security as a whole improves, making the software more resistant to attacks and other common safety risks. Because the structure is solid, adding new parts won’t lower the level of security that has already been reached.
Components of Web Application Architecture
Web application architecture has parts for the user interface and parts for the structure. There are also client-side and server-side parts to the structure. The different components are as follows:
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User interface components
The user interface components of a web application include things like activity logs, dashboards, alerts, settings, and more. They are part of the way the web app looks and works.
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Structural components
The structure of a web application is made up of parts on both the client and server sides:
- JavaScript, HTML, or CSS are used to make the client part. Web browsers run the code and turn it into the interface, so the operating system does not need to be changed.
- Java, Net, NodeJS, Python, and other programming languages are used to build the server part. There are two parts to the server: the app logic and the database. The app logic is the whole operation centre for a web app. The information is in the database (like your login credentials).
Different Web Application Architecture Layers
Each layer of web application architecture contains the components of the web app, with each layer fulfilling a distinct role. The four tiers of web architecture are as follows:
1. Presentation Layer
The presentation layer is user-centric: it is concerned with what the user sees and interacts with. The presentation layer, often known as the client side, comprises the specific user interface (UI) required for the display at hand, as well as the logic responsible for browser communication and any code to enable user interaction.
2. Business layer
The business layer represents the app’s logic, receiving data from the persistence layer and executing the request back to the presentation layer in accordance with the business operations rules – for this reason, this data exchange layer is also known as the “logic layer” or the “application layer.”
3. Persistence Layer
Another logic level is the persistence layer. However, the logic here is just concerned with accessing, writing, or changing the database. The persistence layer, like the other levels, can also be referred to as a data access layer. It is also called the storage layer or the persistence layer, and it is joined to the business layer. So, the logic knows which database to use and how to best use the data it gets.
4. Database layer
The database layer is where all of the data in the database, such as SQL Server or MongoDB, is stored. Changes to one layer in a layered architecture have no effect on other levels, eliminating interdependencies and providing for more robust software. DSL protects the information of an application’s web architecture by separating the business logic from the client side and moving the data that was handled by the BLL to the presentation layer.
5. Data access Layer
DAL makes it easier to get to data stored in files that don’t change, such as binary and XML files. The data access layer is also in charge of CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations. It is also called the storage layer or the persistence layer, and it is joined to the business layer. So, the logic knows which database to use and how to best use the data it gets.
6. Third-Party Integrations
This part has advanced tools like payment gateways, social network authorization, GDS (Global distribution system), and geolocation support that you can add to your web application and software architecture.
They are called APIs, and they are added to the backend script as part of building a web application. The best thing about them is that you can get data from other platforms and systems and use it for your own purposes. So, the parts of your web application infrastructure architecture become more complex and don’t have to be made from scratch.
Different Models of Web Application Architecture Components
01. One database and one web server
This method only uses one server and one database. If the server goes down, the whole web app stops working. If the database goes down, you lose all of your data. This method is only good for a very small web app or a personal one.
02. One database, many web servers
In this way, the app is less likely to be affected by a server crash since one server can replace another if it fails or scales up as needed (add more load). However, data loss is still a risk, and it could eventually stop scaling.
03. Many Web servers and many databases
Redundancy is important here, so you need at least 2 servers and at least two databases. This gives all systems a backup and lets work be split up among the different databases. But when there are multiple databases, there are new risks to data integrity and restoring integrity, as well as more complicated ways to get to the data.
04. Serverless applications
This method is called “serverless,” and it uses distributed SaaS solutions that take care of all the questions about servers and databases as they come up, including configurations, tasks, maintenance, and scaling.
Do You Want to Understand Web Application Architecture Before creating a Project?
The architecture of a modern web app is always very important to how well it works. For a modern web application architecture to be designed, it needs to be done by a professional architect who knows the limitations and challenges that come with it. At iTechnolabs, we have qualified architects who can help you figure out what framework and architecture will work best for your business. If you are also at a crossroads looking for a web architect for your business application, we are ready to help you!
Frequently Asked Questions For web application architecture
1.What are the two types of components of web architecture?
We have stated below in somewhat detail the two types of web architecture. Take a look –
- Structural Components –
Simply put, the structural components form the structure of a web application architecture. They determine the quality of user interaction with the web application. They include –
- Web browser
- Database server
- Web app server
- User Interface Components –
As the name suggests, the user interface components are responsible for how the web app will look like. They include visual elements such as –
- Widget
- Dashboard
- Notifications
