Complete Golang Web Development Guide: Frameworks, Skills & Best Practices

Web app development enables web-based projects to work and act as common applications you can find on your phone, for example. Web apps prioritize responsive interactions and user engagement to deliver a service through the internet instead of having the user install the application.

A website provides text and visual content that the web user can read and see but is unable to affect in any way. A web application, on the other hand, enables the user to read the content on the page and manipulate its data. Web app development focuses on designing and programming the various interactions a user will have with your web page and how the page itself will change based on those interactions.

Both web app development and web development are necessary, but understanding the difference will assist you in understanding how they could benefit your organization. 

In this guide, we will talk extensively about web applications, what they are, the various types, their disadvantages and advantages, and how to build web applications.

What Is a Web Application?

A web application is a piece of software that depends on a browser to run. It is delivered from a web server over the internet (or an intranet.) Web applications are fundamentally different from standard websites, which are primarily designed to be read and don’t have much interactivity. A web application allows users to create data, retrieve data, update data and (gasp!) delete data, all in real time, with the same ease and speed as on a native desktop or mobile application.

Web applications are apps developed using web development technologies that users can interact with from their internet browser. 

Main Types of Web Applications

There are various types of web application frameworks with varying behaviors based on how they are built. Though the various web application types use web technologies, they typically are grouped into a single page, server-side, and client-side applications. 

Static / Jamstack

• Primary use‑case: Marketing sites, documentation hubs
• Typical stack: Next.js for static generation, Markdown content, and a global CDN for lightning‑fast delivery

Dynamic / CRUD Apps

• Primary use‑case: Dashboards and SaaS platforms that need create‑read‑update‑delete workflows
• Typical stack: React or Vue on the front end, Node.js with Express on the back end, and a relational SQL database

eCommerce Builds

• Primary use‑case: Online stores and multi‑vendor marketplaces
• Typical stack: Headless CMS for product data, Stripe for payments, and a React storefront for rich shopping experiences

Real‑Time Systems

• Primary use‑case: Live chat applications and multiplayer features
• Typical stack: WebSockets for instant communication, Redis for in‑memory messaging, and Go services for high concurrency

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

• Primary use‑case: Mobile‑like web experiences with offline support
• Typical stack: React paired with Service Workers to enable installable, offline‑capable functionality

What are the Advantages of Web Applications?

Weighing the advantages of web application development against its disadvantages is crucial to understanding the entire process. 

First, we will take a look at the advantages of web application development. The major thing you will notice is that web applications are a great choice for boosting the user’s experience and engagement.

1. Better Convenience

Web applications do not have to be downloaded or installed. Or, as in the case of Progressive Web Applications, the download and installation isn’t the equivalent of an app consuming space on the user’s device. 

Though devices are constantly increasing their storage space, some end-users simply do not appreciate the bloat of having many apps. Alternatively, some don’t have the space. 

This option also frees end users from the demand for continuous updates. Plus, with progressive web apps, users can get a lot of the benefits provided by mobile apps with none of their problems.

2. Extreme Portability

End-users can access web applications from every device. With a tablet, a smartphone, or a laptop, end users can use a web application.

Simply put, web apps are completely multi-platform. They offer consumers an engaging exchange regardless of the operating system it runs on, whether PC, iOS mobile apps, Android, etc., as long as they maintain internet connectivity. 

3. Easy Development

Web apps simplify the development and hiring process. 

For instance, if you want your mobile application to be featured on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store, you will also need 2 distinct apps if you opt for native development. 

In essence, if you want a mobile app on every platform,  you would require 3 times as many resources. 

Web app development eliminates these frustrations as there is strictly one codebase.

What are the Disadvantages of Web Applications?

Web app development possesses a couple of disadvantages, as listed below.

1. Limited Access 

Typically web apps require internet access to even work, let alone perform adequately. Though Progressive Web Applications eliminate the stereotype, the most engaging web applications will not respond without an internet connection.

2. Restricted Functionality

Native technology always has the edge over non-native technologies. Because web apps are not native, they do not possess the capacity to interact effectively with your device’s operating system and hardware. 

Since system settings are different from device to device and web apps are cross-platform, developers do not build applications to work with laser specifications for each device. This restricts functionality compared to the functions of an app built just for a particular OS or device. 

3. Lower Speed 

Irrespective of all the accolades, web apps do not replace mobile apps and will operate slower than an app hosted on a local server. 

Progressive Web Applications try to control this disadvantage, but to date, there is zero veritable evidence that they have succeeded in eliminating the con. 

7-Step Web App Development Process

A web-app development project shouldn’t be disorganized and chaotic (like many ones that are out there). It should follow the same seven-step process, starting with discovery (step one) and ending with support and ongoing upgrades.

The web app development process isn’t much different from the regular SDLC or software development life cycle. Let’s define a common web app development framework to learn how to create a web application.

1. Discovery & Requirements

Creating a web application starts off by knowing and understanding the problem you intend to solve with your app or defining what you want end users to use your web application.

Gather business goals, user personas, and technical constraints before a single screen is drawn. Workshops, stakeholder interviews, and competitor audits help define what success looks like and set an initial budget and timeline.

2. Planning & Architecture

Workflows create a form of systematic organization for the different segments of your web app development. Brainstorm about what your web application will consist of and how to satisfy the requirements using your current budget and resources. 

Translating ideas into an actionable plan means choosing tech stacks, drafting a high‑level system design, and producing a backlog or sitemap. Clear architecture at this stage prevents re‑work later.

3.  UI/UX Design

Designers create wireframes, user flows, and high‑fidelity mock‑ups, iterating on feedback until layouts, color palettes, and navigation are signed off. Good UX decisions here reduce churn and boost conversions

4. Front‑End & Back‑End Development

Developers turn designs into code: HTML/CSS and JavaScript frameworks on the front, REST/GraphQL APIs and databases on the back. Continuous integration keeps the codebase stable as new features land. 

5. Quality Assurance & Testing

The test phase for most software development teams is a continuous process throughout the project’s life cycle. This ensures that every iteration of your web application is error-free. Also, software quality assurance is a crucial aspect of developing a web app. This must happen before releasing your web application to end-users. 

Manual and automated tests—unit, integration, UI, performance, and security—catch bugs before launch. Fix‑and‑verify loops continue until the system meets acceptance criteria

6. Deployment & Launch

Like a website, a web application has to be hosted on web servers. This means that putting your web application into action necessitates buying a domain name and a cloud hosting provider.

The app moves from staging to production via scripted CI/CD pipelines, DNS is cut over, and real‑time monitoring begins. Soft launches or canary releases help mitigate risk.

7. Maintenance, Monitoring & Iteration

Post‑launch, the team tracks KPIs, patches security issues, refactors code, and rolls out new features based on user feedback—closing the loop back to Discovery for the next cycle

Frameworks and Technologies for Web Applications

Now that we know how to create a web app, we need to define the tools used to do it. For successful web app development, your organization will require the right back end and front end tools. The technologies and frameworks are different for each of these parts of your web app.

Front-end

The front-end part of a web application involves developing the client-side that most users will see and experience. The tools for development have remained pretty consistent throughout web app development history. 

JavaScript

JavaScript has been the go-to language for front-end web pages and web app programming almost since its inception. The language has adapted and expanded over the years as web pages and apps saw the need to become ever more dynamic.

Nowadays, several frameworks and libraries have been developed to expand on JavaScript’s capabilities and allow developers to easily create complex interfaces far faster.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

HTML is the basis of practically every web page that you’ve ever visited. Its main function is to define and structure the contents of the page, such as text, images, or even video and audio.

Cascading Style Scripts (CSS)

CSS serves as a sort of dresser for web pages. They indicate how elements of a web page (defined in the HTML) are supposed to look like (such as color and font, in the case of text), and their layout and positioning.

CSS is in great part responsible for what makes web pages look so appealing to end-users.

Back-end

The back-end part of a web application involves developing the server-side that powers the app behind the scenes. The tech stack of your application should be planned carefully so that all components communicate effectively and provide the best performance for your end-users. 

Programming Languages

When developing the functionality of your app, you will need to develop algorithms, communicate with other parts of your back-end (such as databases) and possibly develop or interact with APIs.

To do so, you’ll need to program these functionalities. Some of the most commonly used programming languages used for this purpose are Python, Java, PHP, Ruby, Ruby on Rails (RoR), and Django.

Several frameworks have surfaced over the years to help streamline the development of back-ends, each with its own programming language of choice.

Databases

Databases are the most common technology used to store all the information pertaining to a web app, be it client data or even product specs and inventory.

The go-to platforms for databases usually revolve around Structured Query Language (SQL) based solutions, such as Oracle, MySQL, and PostgreSQL.

Servers

Servers house the services that the front-end application (and thus their users) will communicate with. All information requested will usually go through a server to verify the user’s credentials and access rights to establish security for the platform. Servers will usually also house the needed databases for the application to work.

The most common web server platforms are Nginx, Apache, and Microsoft’s Internet Information Services (IIS).

Application Programming Interface (API)

APIs are the gateway to back-end technologies. They expose certain information and even functionality of a service to integrate it with other relevant applications and services.

Depending on the web app, it can consume an API from an external source, provide one for use in other apps, or both.

Paying with PayPal in a store, getting weather information for a certain location, and flight information aggregators are all examples of apps or widgets that use APIs from third parties to provide a service or deliver information.

Web Application Examples

Let’s look at a few examples of Web Apps that you can use (or even are using in your day-to-day right now!) in the comfort of your browser.

Google Docs

Google Docs (and by extension Google Drive) is a web app that is meant to replace the most common applications offered by office suites, such as solutions for writing documents, creating spreadsheets, and making presentations.

By virtue of being a web application, it offers other secondary features that make it very appealing when compared to its counterparts, such as multi-user real-time editing and collaboration.

Spotify

Spotify is one of the most recognizable and largest music streaming services.

You can use their web app to listen to music, share playlists and receive new music recommendations based on your current favorite music.

Dropbox

Dropbox, much like Google Drive and other file-sharing apps, is a service that allows users to store files in the cloud. You can access your files synced on your own PC, but there is another solution: by using their web app, you can view and access all your files in your browser and even download and upload new ones if needed.

Toggl Track

If you need an app to keep track of your time across several tasks or projects, Toggl Track can easily fill that need. You can easily set up reports that tell you how much time you spent on tasks in a time frame related to a certain project, a certain client, or any combination of those options.

Evernote

Evernote provides its users with a note-taking app that can either be used on a PC or directly on the web using their web app. You can set up notebooks that allow you to categorize your notes, clip internet articles for later reading or studying, or even create to-do lists to never forget to do anything.

Conclusion

Like any software development project, web application development requires time and resources that must be handled adequately. At DistantJob, we can help you find and hire a remote web app developer for half the cost and twice the speed.  

 If you are a web developer, we can match you up with the right project and organization. Just contact us, and we’ll set you up.