Definition #
- Websites: Websites are online platforms composed of web pages containing static or dynamic content. They primarily deliver information to visitors and often serve as an informational or promotional tool for businesses, organizations, or individuals.
- Web Applications: Web applications are interactive programs or software accessible via web browsers. Unlike websites, they provide functionality beyond displaying content. They allow users to perform specific tasks, interact with databases, and often involve complex functionalities or user inputs.
Purpose #
- Websites: Websites aim to inform, entertain, or promote. They present information to users through text, images, videos, and other multimedia content. Common types include blogs, news sites, informational pages, and promotional sites.
- Web Applications: Web applications are designed to perform specific functions or tasks. They facilitate user interaction, data manipulation, and complex operations such as online banking systems, social media platforms, e-commerce sites, and productivity tools like Google Docs.
Interactivity #
- Websites: Websites are generally more static and offer limited interactivity. They allow users to navigate through pages, view content, and interact through basic forms or links.
- Web Applications: Web applications are highly interactive. They enable users to perform various actions, input data, receive real-time responses, and often include user accounts and personalized experiences.
Complexity #
- Websites: Websites tend to be less complex in terms of functionality and structure. They focus on delivering content and may use basic scripting languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for simple interactions.
- Web Applications: Web applications are more complex due to their interactive nature and advanced functionalities. They require more sophisticated coding, use of frameworks, and may incorporate technologies such as APIs, databases, and server-side scripting.
Data Handling #
- Websites: Websites generally present pre-existing content stored on servers without much manipulation. They may retrieve data from databases but primarily focus on displaying information.
- Web Applications: Web applications actively handle and manipulate data. They often interact with databases, process user inputs, store information, and generate dynamic content based on user actions.
Examples #
- Websites: Examples of websites include informational sites (like Wikipedia), blogs (such as Medium), news portals (like BBC), and promotional pages for businesses or services.
- Web Applications: Examples of web applications are Gmail (email service), Facebook (social networking), Amazon (e-commerce), and Google Maps (mapping and navigation).
User Experience #
- Websites: User experience on websites is centered around accessing information efficiently. Navigation, readability, and presentation of content play crucial roles.
- Web Applications: User experience on web applications focuses on functionality, ease of use, responsiveness, and the ability to perform tasks efficiently and effectively.