Do you have questions? Here are some answers!

Q. What is the difference between a website and a web application?

A. A Website is usually considered as an online advertising tool to market products or services to the public. A Web Application is a complex website but with functionality and requires user interaction. Most web applications have their own database attached to them that it stores the dynamic data that can be manipulated by the user. For example, web applications usually have a login system and multiple users have their own credentials. Social media platforms are considered a web application.

Q. What is the difference between a static content and dynamic content?

A. Static Content is when the content of the website is coded directly into the website and requires someone with access to and knowledge of how to manipulate the source code. Dynamic Content is when the content of the website is stored in the database and can be modified by a secure web application. This allows a website to be updated without contacting the developer or modifying the code directly.

Q. What is the development process?

A. There are many steps in the development process starting with Information Gathering. As much information about the project needs to be gathered. Next comes the Planning stage. This is where the flow of the overall website is mapped and the navigation bar(s) are planned out. The third stage is Design which is where the overall visual appearance of the website is laid out. Elements like the logo, colors, and column layouts. The fourth stage is the Development stage. This is where the developer integrates all the information from the previous stages into an online layout. Stage five is the Testing. Everything requires testing because everyone makes mistakes. Web Applications require a lot more testing than Websites. The final stage is Launching where the final product is put online for the public to access.

Q. Does everything always just work according to a plan?

A. The simple answer is no. No one can predict everything that can happen and there is a good amount of randomness that can cause some major schedule delays. The more complex the project, the more things that can go wrong, which is why the Testing Stage is so important. If you think about it, every little function of a website or web application needs blocks of code. That's a lot code and everyone interacts with the final product differently and in different environments. What might work on one computer, may be completely broken on another.

Q. How much does custom programming cost?

A. The cost is completely dependant on the complexity of the project. Once the contact form is filled out and submitted, I will get back to with a estimated quote on what I can do for you. However, keep in mind that is just quote and can change based on how much of the base project changes. This is why providing as much information on what you want the final product to do is important.

Q. What is an API Integration?

A. This is where a website or a web application interacts with another web application in a different location. For example, if you want your web application to send text messages for two factor authentication, an API is used to generate that code. Once the user on your web application enters in that code, it is sent to the API and is verified on their end. The API then sends back a message letting your application know if the code was verified or not. Once your application receives that message from the API, decisions can be made on what to allow the user do.

Q. What do I need to provide for you to start development?

A. In order to start development, we need to progress through the development process. Therefore, I will need to gather as much information from you about the project as possible so I can have a clear understanding of your end goal. After that, we will need to discuss how you want end users to navigate through the product. This basically means that we have to plan out the navigational system of the project. Questions like, "What pages are going to exist?", "Are there going to be sub pages that can only be accessed by going to another page first?", etc, will need to be answered. If you already have a pre-existing logo / brand or have a color scheme for the design of the website, that will help me get started as well. A website or web application isn't complete without content explaining its purpose to the end user, therefore I will need content provided to me before being able to finalize the development.

Q. If I launch a new website, will it show up in search engines automatically right away?

A. The short answer is no. In order for your website to show up on search engines, a marketing plan of some sorts will need to be implemented. One good way to start this marketing plan is to first come up with a short description and some keywords for each individual page of the website or web application. Also, try to integrate those keywords into the final content of the website. These keywords and descriptions will be the search terms that search engines will eventually focus on when the website starts to propagate on the internet over time. Other ways to help market your website or web application is to promote it on social media platforms and to create connections with other affiliated sites. The more the links to your website or web application is out there on the internet, the more search engines will recognize your website.