Web Application Architecture; Everything You Need to Know About

Web Apps are returning to the trend these days. The evolution in technology is the primary reason. In a year when web app development is simple & quick, many business owners still confused to choose the right web application architecture.
In this article, we will discuss what is web application architecture and its components briefly. Because, just like designing a product, it is equally important to craft your web apps. Thus an architecture or blueprint is the best option that will help your app to perform well without hassles.

What is Web Application Architecture

Web Application is complex software. It consists of a user interface, a login screen, an in-app store, a database, etc. Web application architecture is the solution devised by developers to manage all these components. Besides, the architecture interacts between the applications, database, and middleware systems and makes sure multiple applications work together effortlessly.
Web Application Architecture is also a mechanism that determines how application components communicate with each other. Below is a representation of how web application architecture works;

Types of Web Application Architecture

Web application architectures depend clearly on how the application logic is distributed among the client and server sides. Below are the three common web application architectures;

Single-page Applications:

SPAs (Single-page Applications) are the most sought-after applications in this era. As most people are preferring minimalist web apps over extravagant apps, developers choose this architecture. Moreover, SPAs include only required elements of content. Thus, single-page Web Apps offer an interactive user experience and allow users to have an effective interaction.

Microservices:

The architecture in the microservices permits developers to roll out applications faster and with greater efficiency. Furthermore, the developers get to choose a technology of their choice as various components are developed in different coding languages. This architecture has lightweight services that work together to execute a single functionality.

Serverless Architectures:

This is the most hassle-free approach that allows apps to execute the code logic without a correlation to infrastructure-related tasks. Besides, the developers need not manage the backend servers. All they have to focus on is developing the functionalities.

Layers of Web Application Architecture

Web applications in 2021 are developed commonly by separating their main functions into layers. Developers follow this strategy to easily upgrade each layer independently. Now, let us discuss briefly what functions differentiate the layers in the architecture.

Presentation layer:

The web app users interact with the app via HTTP requests and responses are rendered in a browser. The presentation layer displays the UI and makes user interaction easier.
Besides this layer comprises all the UI elements that display the received data for users. The crucial purpose of this layer is to process the requests from users, receive input data, convey them to the data service and finally, display the results.

Business layer:

This layer manages the flow of the app, implements business logic, and liaises with the data layer to process requests from users and their responses. Moreover, open-source, and third-party products reside here.
The core objective of this layer is data exchange. Besides, it determines the logic for business standards and operations.

Storage or data access layer:

Also called the persistence layer, the data access layer handles domain data and provides persistence and retrieval services for the database. This layer is in the centralized location that is connected closely to the business layers, thus the logic knows the right database to communicate and retrieve information.
You can store data in this layer with the help of hardware servers or in the cloud.

Components of Web Application Architecture

The web application architecture has various components. However, they broadly divide into two main categories as follows;

• User interface components
• Structural components

User interface components:

The user interface components create an interactive interface and experience. They connect to the display, settings, and configurations of your web apps. They are responsible for the layout plan of the web app.

Structural components:

The structural components of a web app play a crucial role in building the functionality of certain web apps. The architecture in this component comprises the database server, the web browser or client, and the web application server.

Models of Web Application Architecture

There are various models to choose from when it comes to developing the components of web applications. However, the number of servers and databases determines the model of the web app.
The three most common models used in web app architecture are as follows;

One Web Server, One Database:

This model is the most simple but unreliable web app component model. Because it has a single server as well as a single database. Thus a web app built using this model will fail as soon as the server goes down. This model will not go well with real-time web apps but can work handy on test projects.

Multiple Web Servers, One Database:

This is the most reliable model in web app architecture. Also, as there are two servers, you have a backup server to make your web app run without failing. However, you have made your database run continuously and securely.
All the requests made will be automatically redirected to the new server if a server in this model fails. In addition, if the database crashes, the web app will follow to do the same.

Multiple Web Server, Multiple Databases:

This model suits well for enterprise web apps as the model has all the power and capacity to handle a huge amount of data. Also, this is the most reliable model out of all the other models.

Best Practices & Features of Web Application Architecture

A working web application is not the core feature of web app architecture. But, you must follow a few practices to make sure the users have a good experience. Check out a few best practices you ought to follow if you are working on a web app;

Security:

Security is the biggest concern in today’s world. According to SAGipl, hackers can attack 9 out of 10 web application users. Already web apps are vulnerable to malicious code manipulation. Thus, it is necessary to protect the source codes. Also, the web app must protect the user data according to the local government laws.

Scalability:

Your web app architecture must be scalable horizontally. Because, to handle major fluctuations in traffic, your web app must be scalable across several regions and several servers. Nowadays, this scalability is possible with the help of cloud services by paying in proportion to your bandwidth usage.

Separation of Concerns:

A web app architecture must allow developers to add features and fix errors easily. Therefore, the web app must be modular and self-contained in nature. Also, the architecture should support analytics, A/B testing, offer fast responses, and solve problems consistently.

Extensible:

The lifespan of web architecture is important for developers. Thus the new-age web app architecture must be stable and possess a longer lifecycle.

Wrapping Up

The evolution and growth of Web Apps are exponential. Thus it is necessary to understand the architecture and build web apps accordingly. Leading web app development companies like Soft Suave choose the right architecture that offers a robust performance to your app.
Moreover, the right web app architecture determines and paves way for future expansion and scalability. If you need a second opinion to choose the perfect architecture for your web app, get a FREE 30-min consultation from the leading tech experts from Soft Suave.