Web App vs Cloud App: What Are the Differences and Benefits?

There are two main ways of software application development: from scratch and through an open-source platform.

The former requires a lot of time, and it is cost effecting too, while the latter way of development comes in handy for those on a tight budget.

Developers often go for the open-source development process for the interest of the clients. For open-source development, engineers use readymade applications like WordPress, Shopify, ReactNative, NodeJS, and Magento.

If you are building a new website, embracing NodeJs open-source, cross-platform, back end framework can provide a robust set of features for web and mobile applications. NodeJs suits the different scale of business regardless of the business domain.

Generally, startups and small businesses consider development through an agile process, which fits within their budget. If you go the nodeJs route, you will find many NodeJs development companies online that can ensure quality service and robust application development.

Whether you are developing from scratch or open source, a website needs a platform to store its data and backups. This platform can be cloud-based or on-premise.

Let’s now look at the standard function of both cloud-based and on-premise applications. 

What Is a Cloud-based Application? 

A cloud-based application operates through the cloud with the characteristics of an authentic desktop application. It is a more advanced web application used to access online content over the internet. However, it is not entirely dependent on a web browser. For deployment, developers install a cloud-based operating system and build a cloud-based infrastructure.

A cloud application software runs the logic and data storage among two different systems: client-side and server-side. Some go for an end-to-end local hardware support, and some go for remote server support.

Characteristics of cloud application design:

• User interaction takes place through an application programming interface (API). 
• Most data storage space is located on a remote server.
• Accommodate varied user requirements
• Facilitates access to a greater range of service.

Examples of Cloud applications: Mozy, Evernote, Sugar, Sync, Salesforce, Dropbox, NetSuite, and Zoho. 

What Is a Web Application?

Web applications are designed to be used on web browsers. The web architecture is simple, with a combination of server-side scripting and client-side scripting. The client interface structure and the system entirely depend on the web server components and offer core functional services.

The web application does not have the ability to multi-tenacity. It cannot support varying customer requirements.

Characteristics of web application design:

• Modular and loosely coupled.
• Easily tested with automated tests.
• Traditional SPA and behaviour supportive.
• Simple development and deployment.

Example of Web applications: WebEx, Ebanking, and eCommerce (eBay).

Cloud-Based vs Web-Based App Development 

Now that you have a rough idea of these two different architectures, we’ll now look at the key benefits of development processes on both the Web and Cloud.

Development Process of Cloud-Based Applications 

Cloud technology applications are the evolved version of the web application. Developing a cloud application requires a complex distributive system for a loosely coupled application built on various services. It can also be decoupled from the data system.

Developers can separate the services physically with API managers and empower it with governance technology. It provides services directories and helps to track many services.

• The cloud-based application considers communications between application and components. It combines connections into a single stream of data, instead of persistent communicating components.
• Monitoring tools are integrated to provide comparable performance to the 1000 customers who log in at the same time.
• Cloud integrated systems offer end to end security support; cloud architectures make security systematic to its application.  

Development Process of Web-Based Applications

A data-centric web application requires two development phases: backend and frontend development. Backend development languages include Python, Ruby, etc. and frontend development languages are HTML, JavaScript, CSS, etc. Hosting platforms like Github and Jenkins are used for deployment.

• For a relational database, the web application needs a robust database like SQL servers. MySQL, Postgresql, Microsoft SQL Server are some of the best choices of SQL server.
• Developers architect a solid segregating strategy to secure the client’s data, which comes up with two distinctive methods: Physical separation and Logical separation.
• The deployment section includes how the application gets from your source control. Here lies the big difference. In ERP architecture, for the web application, developers choose the ‘on-premise’ platform to host the final project.

Data Management of Cloud-Based Applications

Users on a website interact with the cloud system through a browser. The client-side server changes the user experience with the following data management capacity:

• SaaS (Software as a Service): it reduces the upfront cost of the users and eliminates the possibility to purchase software or invest in dynamic on-premise IT infrastructure.
• PaaS (Platform as a Service): PaaS provides the environment to run, manage, and develop the entire infrastructure of a website. Developers use PaaS as the foundation of the website and integrate with existing Oracle databases.
• IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): This provider manages the entire infrastructure for you. It encompasses the server, network, storage, virtualization through a private or public cloud system.

Data Management of Web-Based Applications

A web-based application uses a local database. A web database is essentially characterized by on-premise data storage. It can be accessed from a local network.

The on-premise data storage gateway acts as a bridge provides quick and secure data transportation. These servers include PowerBI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Azure Logic Apps, etc.

Benefits of Cloud-Based Application

• The cloud-based application requires minimum management scale and interaction.
• Users can customize on-demand services, and a sense of local independence is there.
• Cloud application offers broad computing capacity, offline and online.
• Without installing software, customers can access all the functions.
• Agile performance can streamline work processes and increase profit.
• Customers may not buy the software; however, pay for the quality services. Consequently, users get quick services and access to the required applications.

Benefits of Web-Based Application

• This application runs on multiple platforms.
• This application is accessible from anywhere through a web browser with an active internet connection.
• The web application can be used without installation.
• It can be updated and maintained without the need for reinstallation, from all sorts of devices.
• The web application requires less support and maintenance charges. It helps to reduce costs for the developers and the clients too.

So, which should you choose?

Forbes reports that 81% of all enterprises have a multi-cloud strategy already laid out. By the end of 2020, 82% of the workload will shift to the cloud. That means the cloud-based market will continue seeing rapid growth as will cloud-based web apps. The pandemic itself has also heightened the importance of businesses and institutions incorporating a cloud-based strategy.

At the same time, web-based apps have come a long way and are now all grown-up. They are now not forcing users to download a separate mobile app to get great user experience. Most smartphone users are accustomed to them and actively look for, download, and use web apps every day. According to Gartner, 91% of enterprises have developed and deployed mobile apps to meet the demand. You probably should do the same, if you haven't already.

Whether you choose to create a cloud app or a web app for your business depends on the type of functionality and scalability you require, as well as the needs of your users. You can consult a good web development company to get the right guidance on picking one over the other.