Web applications are intended to provide an app-like experience to perform various functions. They are stored on servers and accessible via URLs by the users. To understand what a web application is, just open up Google Docs in your web browser. Using your web browser as the interface, you can perform all of the expected content creation and storing requirements, as easily as you can via preinstalled native software. 

In contrast, Enterprise applications are discrete software solutions designed to mitigate mission-critical business management challenges. It involves business-appropriate multiple performance parameters and touchpoints.

Let’s check in more detail on how web applications and enterprise applications differ. 

What is a web application?

Web applications are universal in serving users. A web application is used as a promising productivity tool for sundry use cases commercially and individually. It can be defined as a web-based computer program that can perform one or more functions using a web browser as its interface/client. Users can access it from anywhere over the internet, and it is responsive to every operating system and device. 

Working on a web application

Unlike native applications, web applications work in a client-server architecture with distributed application layers. The functional network involved in a web application would be a web server, application server, and database. 

The complete working cycle of a web application begins from a user prompt via a web browser/interface. Further, the webserver pushes the request to the application server to execute the request. Consequently, querying the database application server processes the result and sends it back to the webserver.   

Web applications generally build with browser-appropriate server and client-side scripts such as Javascript, HTML, ASP, PHP. Thus, the perfect intersection of the codes makes for an excellent web application that caters to the request of users. Plus, dynamic applications demand server-based processing to perform the task in contrast to static applications. 

Pros:

  • Cost-effective app experience at the expense of a website
  • Responsive design with time-saving request execution cycle
  • Cross-device functionality and seamless application integration
  • Severs multiple users at a time without technical snags
  • Secure data centralization with easy backup functionality
  • Uninterrupted app service across different Operating systems

Cons

  • As the web application is directly linked to a web browser, the application size is increased. This tends to make the web performance slower. 
  • Security and safety is reduced as there is no quality control system 
  • It is difficult to have awareness about the apps since it is not available in the play store or app store
  • If the website undergoes any failure, then the application will also fail

Web applications technologies and examples

We can point out hundreds of web applications around the digital world. Moreover, we would’ve been working on a couple of web application services in our daily life. 

Web applications are a proportionate mix of client-side coding (browser) and server-side coding (web server).  

      Client-side coding technology stack

  • Cascading Style sheet(CSS)
  • HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
  • Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax)
  • jQuery
  • Dojo Toolkit
  • MooTools

Server-side coding technology stack

  • Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)
  • Active Server Page (ASP)
  • Zend Framework
  • Coldfusion
  • Ruby on Rails
  • Python
  • ASP.NET
  • Pearl

What is an enterprise application?

Applications that can effectively respond to resolve the operational challenges of businesses can be considered enterprise application software. In a business setting, numerous enterprise applications have to be deployed. For example, the accounting team requires comprehensive ERP applications like SAP, yet, the business development department demands scalable Business intelligence application tools. 

Each department requires work-appropriate software solutions to mitigate everyday challenges. Plus, each of the applications could communicate through an uninterrupted channel to gain operational advantage as a whole. 

As a result, enterprise application integration (EAI) is crucial to ensure smooth communication between applications and systems. This allows the different business verticals to yield real-time data and efficiently perform with a data-driven approach.

Working on an enterprise application

Enterprise application technologies are evolving from time to time, adding simplified business management solutions. Application service providers offer diversified cutting-edge enterprise software applications in different forms such as Software as a service (SaaS), progressive web app, and Business web application services. In addition, many types of enterprise applications can be accessed in different integrated platforms and devices that are exclusively for in-house functionalities and remote accessibility.

 Since cloud technologies steal the show, many enterprises are shifting their whole infrastructure toward cloud environments. Nevertheless, many organizations weave their industry-appropriate enterprise applications with their in-house app development team. 

Pros:

  • High Data Capacity and Scalability
  • Extensive Interoperability
  • Excellent Configurability
  • Operation Analytics
  • Exceptional Identity Management
  • Disaster Recovery and Redundancy
  • Assured Privacy and Security

Cons: 

  • The needs of the enterprise application space are very dynamic and constantly changing, and the developers of these applications might not always be able to cater to these needs
  • You might face a loss of detail and information that you thought was not important is relevant later on.
  • There is no clear visibility into the structure of the system. 

Examples of enterprise applications

Conclusion:

 The purpose of web applications and enterprise applications is likely to intersect at a common point. Both intend to serve the users to perform the task without any hassles. Enterprise applications are burdened with loads of such tasks, and web applications are comparatively less loaded. However, both involve complex network and server architecture to deliver the service continuously. Further, enterprise applications incorporate more technological attributes to simplify complex organizational activities.