What is a Single-Page Application?

TechsPlace | Users rarely think about the technologies responsible for the abundance of mobile apps on the market. Still, when it comes to developing an app that can help your small business grow, as well as reach and communicate with potential customers in a more effective manner, technologies start to take a new meaning for you. As an entrepreneur, you begin to view technological developments as effective tools wherewith you can help your business bring in more revenue. Today’s article is concerned with single-page applications, or simply SPAs, that are believed to come a long way towards boosting business productivity. Go on reading to learn more about a single-page application, its main features, business benefits, and limitations.

What is a Single-Page Application

According to the official definition, single-page web apps are the apps that load a single HTML page and dynamically update it as soon a user starts interacting with this app. This means that your users won’t need to wait until they wait for ages until the page reloads and can access the required item in a matter of milliseconds. Though you might not be thinking about it, you interact with SPAs from day-to-day. Among the noteworthy examples are Facebook, Twitter, Google Drive, Gmail, and GitHub.

The main features of SPAs include:

Ability to reshape any part of the interface
Ability to work offline
Improved cross-platform functionality
Lower latency and enhanced performance
Ability to monitor users’ state and location

Main Business Advantages of Using a Single-Page App

As you might have already guessed, the improved user experience is one of the most outstanding benefits of single-page apps, provided that they are configured properly, of course. Let’s talk about him in more detail.

It’s not a secret that mobile users are impatient users, and they often don’t forgive mistakes and a sloppy job done by web developers. According to Amazon, one second of additional delay in page load time can is responsible for about a 1% reduction in their sales. Even for such a giant as Amazon, this figure can be frustrating, let alone small businesses. Let’s face it, what can be more annoying and frustrating than long-wait time users experience every time they interact with your app? Longer load times are what can make your customers associate your brand with their negative experience and eventually refrain from making a purchase.

SPA apps are out-of-the-box solutions that can address the problem of slow response and reduced performance. The techniques used for SPA web development reduces micro-interactions taking place within your app to the minimum and thus makes it possible for your users to remain on the same webpage without having to wait for page reloads. This helps to make the user experience not just tolerable but quite enjoyable.

Why Build a Single-Page Application?

The main reason behind most entrepreneurs’ intention to migrate to SPAs is the desire to boost the productivity of their websites and their sales correspondingly. So, if you also have a website that requires a dynamic platform, it’s about time you started looking for experienced web developers who can help you create an effective SPA product. What’s more, if you’re aiming to develop an application well-suited for mobile platforms, a single-page app is also your best bet. You should also note that the single-page application architecture is suitable for developing SaaS platforms and social networking websites.

SPAs are fast and convenient and, as mentioned above, are more conducive to enjoyable user experience. At the same time, you should bear in mind that there are cases where you should refrain from using the seemingly win-win single-page solutions. Let’s discuss such cases in the section below.

When a Single-Page App isn’t the Best Option

Nothing is ever perfect. And SPAs are no exception. If you’re running a big company offering a wide selection of goods or services, you’ll be better off using a traditional multi-page application (MPA). Chances are your single-page app won’t be able to connect to multiple user databases as quickly and effortlessly as its MPA counterpart. Moreover, unlike SPAs, MPAs put a lesser burden on browsers. So, if your users are on low-end devices, they are very likely to experience difficulty loading your website.

SPAs are great for ensuring the best liner user experience. Still, if you want to design an app that implies clicking various links and not just scrolling down, set your sights on an MPA instead.

Another important thing you should keep in mind is that single-page applications are more vulnerable and less protected against cyber-attacks than their multi-page counterparts. In contrast to MPAs that force users to perform authentication after a specific period of idle time, most SPA apps allow users to remain logged in until their devices disconnect. This is fraught with sensitive data exposure. Moreover, because of XSS and the fact that new pages don’t load, cybercriminals can access your website and inject new scripts on the client-side. So, additional precautions should be taken when developing SPAs.

And last but not least, you won’t be able to get your website on the first page of Google if you opt for a single-page app. The truth is, search engines are now having a hard time indexing single-page websites. The reason behind that is constantly changing URL addresses. So, to avoid the bother of tinkering with the URL settings, choose a framework capable of supporting server-side rendering. It’s also a good idea to use static URLs and optimize the scripts on your page to improve the speed. Also, make sure to use valid HTML5 on your pages. By doing so, you’ll make it easier for Google crawler to discover and index your website, which, in turn, will allow your potential customers to find you online.

That being said, a single-page application is a great way to improve your website’s speed, boost your customer satisfaction, and increase your revenue. So, don’t miss out on the opportunity to build an effective product that will help you take your business to the next level.