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Frequently Asked Questions

In this section, we have collected questions that are repeated during conversations with customers, and we have explained some key terms that may raise doubts. We hope you find the information below helpful. If you have any questions, please write to us!

• What is a web development service?

  The web development service concerns software created for the Internet. It could even be a simple website. CrustLab as a web development company implements much more complex projects, i.e. web applications including front-end and back-end development. As part of the web development service, we offer:

  •  MVP development – Minimum Viable Product is the preparation of a basic version of your digital product.
  • PWA development – Progressive Web App is a combination of a website and a mobile application that achieves very good performance and works on various devices using the full potential of smartphones.
  • RWD development – Responsive Web Design is a flexible approach to designing websites and web applications, allowing for the correct display of the product also on mobile devices.
  • And many more, such as testing and maintenance.
• What are the types of web development services?

  On a general level, there are three types of web development services that differ in the technologies used:

  • front-end development
  • back-end development
  • full-stack developmentThe scope of each of these services includes more detailed activities such as MVP development, Progressive Web App Development, Responsive Web Design, Mobile-First design, Cloud-based software development, multi-tenant systems, SaaS platforms development, test, maintenance, and more.The bigger web applications that require not only a common back-end to be created but high optimization or even data mining could also be interpreted as a result of web development services provided but in general, the process of creation of such complicated applications should rather be called Custom Software Development.
• What is a web application?

  The web application runs in the browser and it’s optimized to be displayed on different devices, e.g. mobile phones without downloading. The Web app stores and displays information to users and allows them to interact with the content of the application thanks to such functionalities as customer account, adding forms and attachments, adding products to the shopping cart, making payments, and more. Web applications are much more complex than simple websites. They contain more information, so they operate on the basis of data transfer from an external server. Such web applications are stateless with some minor exceptions – backend services are responsible for the maintenance of data and the state of user details or even content that is displayed in the web application. The creation of a visual part of the web application requires knowledge of JavaScript, CSS, or HTML5.

• What are the types of web applications?

  There are several types of web applications that differ in functionality, way of operation, and often appearance. Static web applications are built in a simple way, and modifications each time require interference in the source code. The structure of dynamic web applications is more complicated because they use data libraries to display information to users. This allows for easy content modification. Other types of web applications are online stores and portals as well as content management systems. Nowadays, most IT products are web-based applications. Thanks to this software components do not have to be downloaded but are fully hosted by external services hosted locally or cloud services.

• I'm not sure if I need a web app. How to make this decision?

  First, answer the following questions. Is there already a web application similar to the one I want to create on the market? Does my competition have web apps? Can I afford it? How will the investment in a web app for my business pay off? If you are not sure whether a web application is a solution that your business needs, rely on the opinions of experts. Before starting work, we always discuss the client’s business goals, current problems, and possible solutions. After such analysis, we will be able to confirm whether you need a web application.

• My web application was created by a company with which I ended my cooperation. Am I able to develop this project or do I have to start a new one?

  To continue working on a web application that was created by another company, you need access to the source code created by your previous partner. The project could then be developed by another company. There are however a few very important points you have to have in mind. Some of them are:

  • Technological fit – a new company needs to be able to easily and quickly understand the web application. Some time will be needed for the new company to get to know the project.
  • Technical documentation – every time you order some software development service, make sure that you also allocate a part of the budget to the documentation. This might sound like a waste of funds at the very beginning but it pays off later on, especially when you’d like to hand over your project to another company.
  • Technical debt – it is possible that your partner never updated technologies used in the project or the quality of source code is very low. In such cases, it might be extremely difficult to reduce that technical debt and as a result, it would be more profitable to rewrite the project than wasting time on creating hackly solutions that just work but the software is not extendable.Keep in mind that predictable software development processes and quality of the source code are very important and you should always pay strong attention to that while choosing your partner in software development.
• What type of web app should I choose?

  It all depends on your business goals and assumptions of the web application. If you only need an online business card so that customers can find your data on the web, a simple static web application could be enough. If you’d like to modify the content of your company website a CMS system could be required. Headless CMS system would let you modify textual values displayed on your website but there is also an option to implement a full CMS technology that would allow you to modify all the content of your web application. If you need more functionalities that will allow users to perform certain actions, you need a dynamic web application. In other situations, the response to your needs will be a dedicated online store or a custom web application’s administration panel. If you still hesitate, the software house will help you make a decision before starting cooperation.

• Is the web application efficient enough?

  The performance of a web application depends on the quality of its source code and the technology it was created with. Work on improvements should be permanently included in the business strategy of each project. Extended web application loading time directly affects the exit rate. A well-optimized web application means more conversions with more value. As you can see, web applications can be efficient enough, but it all depends on what specific web application we are talking about. The most important thing here is the knowledge and quality of workmanship, not the type of web application.

• When is it worth creating a web application?

  Nowadays, this is one of the best business paths, having desktop applications is an alternative. It’s a great way to reach a wide audience. Despite the constantly growing share of mobile traffic, desktop traffic still constitutes the majority in Google reports. The Web App is a better solution for products that need constant content updates and new functionalities. A progressive web application will be perfect if your clients need to use it quickly or without Internet access from mobile devices. Especially progressive web apps are perfect for the e-commerce industry.

• What is web front-end development?

  The web frontend is a presentation layer of the web application. Web frontend development is a service of the creation of graphically represented data elements of simply an implementation of a purely visual part of your web application. The whole process of web frontend development gives users the opportunity to interact with the web application. Frontend development is responsible for the external part of the web application used by users. A person working on frontend development should know JavaScript, CSS, and HTML very well, but also React, Redux, API integration mechanisms, REST – JSON, or GraphQL.

• What is web back-end development?

  The so-called back-end is a set of services containing most of the web application logic and providing points of communication that could be used by external services or your web application’s UI – front-end. Web backend development is the creation of a service that in the background carries out all the processes responsible for the correct operation of the web application and the server on which it is located. Simply put, backend development is responsible for making the web application or website work properly. Backend development is responsible for the internal part of the web application, which is not accessible to users. A person working on backend development should know technologies such as Python, Scala, Ruby Java, or other programming languages, depending on the project. Such a person needs to know a few types of databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Firebird, MongoDB, Cassandra, SQLite, or Oracle. In addition to that, the person needs to know the basics of API design, microservices architecture, and a variety of communication protocols. The role is one of the most demanding as the back-end is the root of your mobile or web application and the number of required technologies grows quickly over time.

• What is PWA?

  Progressive Web Application is a mix of website and mobile apps which is installed on the server, but users can use it via a web browser or install it just like a native mobile application on mobile devices. PWA provides the full benefit of native apps such as high performance and great usability. Unfortunately, progressive web applications do not use all smartphone features like geolocation or sensors, but they are perfect for selected industries, e.g. e-commerce. Users using PWA can save the web application in the memory of their phone and use it in the same way as with a native application, even without internet access.

• What is RWD?

  Responsive Web Design is not a trend anymore but a necessary practice in web development nowadays. Thanks to RWD the website is displayed correctly regardless of the device being used or screen size. RWD ensures user satisfaction and usability for all devices. It is a very flexible solution that emphasizes UX/UI design and adjusts the displayed interface to the screen size on which it is used. Due to the growing popularity of mobile phones in our daily lives, Responsive Web Design became especially important.

• What is a mobile-first design approach?

  In the era of mobile, it is important for businesses to be mobile-friendly. Mobile-first design consists of the creation of websites with mobile in mind first and then the migration of solutions to the desktop. The most important aspects of mobile-first design are a simple design, high performance, content, easy contact, and visual attractiveness. Mobile-first design is a solution that will not only appeal to your customers but will also positively influence your position in Google search results.

• What technologies do you use for web development?

  When implementing the web development service, we use different technologies depending on whether the work relates to frontend or backend development. In the first case, we focus mainly on JavaScript, PWA, and React.js. Secondly, we use technologies such as Kotlin, Java, Scala, Node.js, Spring, or Kafka. Of course, there are many more. Everything depends on the software project we are being asked to implement.

• What skills should a web developer have?

  The skills most needed in the work of a web developer are primarily the knowledge of technologies such as JavaScript, HTML, PWA, React.js (frontend development) and Kotlin, Java, Scala, Node.js, Spring, Kafka (backend development). In addition, a web developer should have analytical skills, the ability to conduct tests, knowledge of web design trends, and the basics of Search Engine Optimization. A web developer is a position that requires cooperation with the marketing department and graphic designers, therefore interpersonal skills and knowledge of English will be important.

• What does the web development process look like?

  The web development process is an instruction to follow the steps necessary to complete a web development project. The web development process at CrustLab consists of the following parts:

  • Planning defines the entire product: technology, team structure, tools, and specific tasks.
  • The design creates the visual layer of the product, from ideas written on paper through low-fidelity mockups to high-fidelity mockups which are the reflection of the project’s final version.
  • Development transforms the assumptions planned and illustrated at the previous stages to the source code and a real product thanks to the work of programmers.
  • Launch, i.e. putting the web application into use.Both during web development and after the launch of the product, we perform manual and automatic tests and collect feedback from early users in order to fix errors and provide the highest quality web application.
• How to use web development in business?

  Web development supports various types of businesses in reaching online customers. Ranging from simple business card sites to more complex web applications, enabling the growth of businesses in industries such as betting, e-commerce, fintech, healthcare, e-learning, transportation, entertainment, and many more. If your customers are online, you can reach them thanks to the web application.

• Do you provide web app maintenance?

  Naturally. We have clients whose web applications we wrote a few years ago, and cooperation in maintenance and optimization continues until now. The situation in which the product is developed by programmers who know it well is beneficial for both the client and the web development company. Long-term partnership in software development is one of our key targets.

• Do you provide quality assurance?

  Yes. Source code testing is an integral part of the web app development process. Application tests are performed before each subsequent deployment. If you have not used the CrustLab web development service, but want to order a source code audit for your web application, write to us.

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