How To Choose The Best Web Development Platform
Websites are integral business tools in the modern age. They are the first points of contact between brands and potential customers. These websites provide crucial information to customers enabling them to make informed choices. They can compare pricing and product qualities and check customer reviews before engaging with the company/brand or making an offer for a product.
The online business space features several brands competing for customers. It means brands must develop outstanding online marketing and engagement resources. Focus shifts from online visibility to simplifying customer experiences. An attractive website or web app can generate substantial customer leads. It can only mean one thing – brands must optimize web development.
Web development, like cross-platform app development, relies on multiple tools to expedite website design, launch and maintenance. These tools have shifted from traditional web development platforms and methodologies where coding, web design and testing are done separately.
Websites increase online visibility of brands
How does a modern web development platform work? This guide provides essential tips for web developers to choose the best web development platform, compares the performances of different platforms and ways to maximize user experiences and website performances.
What is a web development platform?
A lot happens behind the scene for you to have seamless experiences navigating different websites. The development process has striking similarities with iOS app development and Android app development. The developer should optimize their performances on multiple devices and screen sizes. The web development process also requires elaborate wireframe development and UI UX design, else the website will feature haphazardly organized components, with low-quality appearances and responsiveness.
A web development platform avails multiple tools for the developer to make the process faster and more manageable. A good platform allows the developer to write website code, optimize UI UX designs, simulate multiple wireframe designs, debug code, manage servers and maximize website security.
Some website development platforms are beneficial for building website applications – a great alternative to native android and iOS applications. Other terms used in the place of a web development platform are web development framework, web development software or web development tools. Using a web development platform to manage workflows helps you achieve product development faster while stretching the levels of the developer’s creativity. Web developers gain access to several tools and features that can revolutionize the delivery and performance of different websites.
Functions of a web development platform
Web development software performs several tasks to improve the quality of websites and usability. They contain several tools for managing workflows and automating repetitive website design tasks. A web development platform can perform one or more of the following activities:
- Code editing
- Wireframe development
- UI UX design and simulation
- Website prototyping
- Software package management
- Website server management
Web development platforms simplify workflow management
Web development frameworks contain CSS preprocessors required for workflow automation. These tools analyze multiple lines of code, highlighting and categorizing reusable website development code and identifying and reducing errors. Advanced frameworks used for web app development also contain API integration tools required for testing app functionality. They also have adequate tracking tools to monitor version changes to the original codebase and design features. A web development framework is a crucial tool for the centralized management of libraries and code dependencies.
Factors to consider when choosing a web development platform
Web developers have access to several web development frameworks. Each framework contains desirable features and tools to facilitate the design, development, testing, launch and maintenance of websites and web applications. Choosing the right web development tools is the first step towards achieving excellence and ensuring you build functional, attractive and competitive business websites. Here is what a developer should consider when selecting an appropriate web development framework.
In-built security features
Every website is a cyberattack target. That makes it mandatory for web developers to maximize website security. A developer should focus on tools that provide robust security tools. Some website security management features include:
- Web app firewalls
- Cross-site scripting utilities
- Web security audit tools
Failure to manage website security at the design stage makes it more susceptible to cyberattacks which can limit its performance.
The complexity of the platform
A web development platform should simplify workflows. The developer should consider how easy it is to use the platform and its related tools. The web development framework should help you achieve the desired development goals using the least resources and effort. A complex platform may not be appropriate since the developer spends more time figuring out how it works or ways to rectify errors made during the process.
A good platform allows you achieve your development goals faster
Compatible programming languages
A developer has to write a few lines of code at some point in the web development process. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of no-code web development software. If the developer sticks to frameworks requiring coding, they should focus on those accommodating programming languages they are comfortable with. The goal is to complete projects faster and more accurately. Do not opt for a web development platform using a foreign programming language – you will spend more time learning the syntax and error-fixing methods of the programming language. Working with a programming language you are experienced with makes it easier to track changes, identify errors and debug lines of code for a high-quality website.
Scalability of the framework
A developer should choose web development software that is reliable for managing various project sizes. A competitive developer works on different projects, each with varying demands. The framework they choose should provide adequate resources for managing complex workflows when dealing with large e-commerce websites while providing simple support for building smaller websites, like a personal blog.
Cost and platform support
Most web development frameworks use a subscription-based model. Developers pay a fee to access design, coding and testing tools. The cost of the framework should be reasonable. The developer should verify if the platform receives requisite support should one experience a software glitch. This support also includes periodic software updates to refine its features, usability and security.
The best web development frameworks
Angular
Angular is one of the best web development software for managing front-end design. The framework contains several UI design components that developers can leverage to optimize user interfaces. The developer can generate websites with unique appearances and multiple on-screen features without compromising the responsiveness and usability of dynamic websites or web apps.
Angular uses HTML and CSS for building different websites. Web developers can classify several website components into modules. It makes it easier for the developer to test web functionality. Developers can easily integrate Angular with standard IDEs for customized coding and debugging.
Developers using Angular should be conversant with JavaScript libraries.
Ruby on Rails
Ruby on Rails is a full-stack web development framework. Developers leverage this platform for front-end, back-end and server-side website development. Developers use the platform to build secure websites- making the framework suitable for building e-commerce websites bearing sensitive customer and payment information. The framework contains robust testing tools that automatically validate website code for quicker turnaround time.
Bootstrap
A reliable front-end website development tool; that leverages HTML, CSS and JavaScript to design high-quality websites and web apps. They contain in-built scripts that minimize the need for manual coding to manage front-end development tasks. Developers can customize web pages using Bootstrap’s inbuilt features. They can tweak color systems and CSS features to optimize website appearances.
Sublime Text
It is the most suitable choice for junior website developers beginning their software development journey. This is a text editor essential for writing code for lightweight websites. Developers can visualize how code density impacts website functionality in real time. The web development platform is compatible with several third-party APIs required to maximize web functionality.
Node.JS
Node.JS is among the best web development platforms used to build lightweight web pages and sites. The framework focuses on creating versatile websites highly responsive to user inputs.
Will web development become obsolete?
Is it too late to launch your career in web development? Perhaps you are worried that the growth of mobile app development and cross-platform apps will kick out websites. Time to put aside those worries. Web development is here to stay. The obsolescence of web development technologies will take ages to materialize. Developers should continuously adopt innovative web development technologies to ensure the timely delivery of projects and the creation of high-quality websites that stand out in the crowd. Developers should explore strategies to incorporate cross-platform, iOS and Android development with web development to ensure extensive market reach and to maximize customer leads by popularizing brands and business through all available digital channels.
Final Thoughts
Web developers operate in a highly competitive, frequently changing environment. These developers should implement new changes regularly to keep websites secure, stable and flexible for viewing on different devices. Developers can overcome market-driven web development challenges by adopting a reliable development platform that allows them to update websites and maximize value to visitors through robust UI UX designs and layouts. Developers can leverage open-source platforms or subscribe to a paid model to access advanced web development tools. The future of web development remains bright, provided developers foster innovation in their routine design and development workflows.