It is a big confusion among both clients and developers to decide which architectural framework best suits their requirements. All three types have their own benefits as well as disadvantages. It depends on the reasons you are looking to solve with the web application.
Below mentioned are the three main types of web application architectural frameworks that you can consider.
1.HTML based server-side web application architecture
This type of web application architecture is most widely used in the current industry. It works when the main serves generate contents in HTML format, and the client receives it as a real HTML page. It was the first appearance in the web architectures’ sphere, thus coining its name, ‘Web 1.0’. As it requires sending in huge amounts of data, the client needs to wait till the transmission is complete. Thus in terms of responsiveness or usability, it is not that great. The main benefit of this type of architecture is that it can be implemented very easily. This is mainly because URL receives HTML content by default. As known beforehand, optimizing it for search engines is far easier than the other two architectures.
In terms of development speed, it is the top ranking one among the three, especially due to the long time it has been around in the industry. It allows users to choose from wide language servers and specific frameworks for specific requirements. But in terms of performance, it may lag a bit in the race to the other architectures, again thanks to the large data transmission. But if you want to convert the website for mobile optimization, it will be problematic though it might be more secured for computer usage. The worst part is it will bring up a cached page in case of offline services as all the browser contents are manifested with the server’s emphasis.
2.Widget web app architecture
More commonly known as the JS generation widgets or AJAX, this has come up as the evolutionary results of HTML served-based architecture. The main difference between the two is that the contents of the page are widgets. That means they are capable of functioning independently. The framework of the AJAX query is used to feed data into the widgets from the servers. The data are either chunks of HTML or JSON, and it uses JavaScript principles to transform into the contents suitable for the page. The best benefit of using this architectural framework for web applications is that it brings in the server’s updates to the specific portions of the page as requested by the client.
As the chunks of data transferred are smaller than the HTML server-based pages, it is more responsive, allowing users to experience a better interface framework. But that also asks for special mechanisms and suitable tools for the linking process of the contents. The same is applicable when it comes to optimizing the contents for search engines. Using frameworks of JavaScript at the client-side can be a solution to the issue. It is better for the server-based HTML app as the data chunks are relatively much smaller in terms of performance. It is not suitable for offline works and is equally problematic for converting the website to mobile or desktop applications.
3.Single Page web app architecture
It is a service-oriented web application architecture framework that is known as ‘Web 2.0’. But it is not the exact term for the process. This is mainly due to one deviation – it asks users to fill and make repeated adjustments to the contents. It constitutes all projects and services that users can improve and develop on their own. Wikis, blogs, and social media platforms are the most common example of this architectural framework.
This confirms that no single or set of technologies bind this framework. This architecture can be defined as a self-sufficient application that utilizes its own complex JavaScript and shifts a portion of the functionality to the client-side. With minimal data transfer data for updates, it is one of the most responsive architectures compared to the other two frameworks.
But in terms of likability and search engine optimization services, it is one of the least preferred methods as users need to adopt specific tools and mechanisms to get done with the processes. It is hard to promote the page and even slow to develop. The only benefit that makes it a better choice over the other two variants is its performance speed. So if performance is your prime focus, it is your option. It is even great to convert websites to desktop applications or mobile apps as the basic platform is the same. It is also great in terms of working offline as it allows users to save data and application parts on storage devices.
