Modern Web Application Architecture ➤ The modern digital landscape is a fast-paced, changing environment. New and emerging technologies emerge, as well as trends that begin and end quickly.
As such, businesses need to have their finger on the pulse of what’s relevant so they can pivot and adjust appropriately at a moment’s notice. As an organization, there are many things you should be considering if your web application is going to remain relevant in today’s tech-forward world.
What will your users expect?
How can you keep up with the pace of innovation? How can you ensure your app is future-ready? All of these challenges require a modern web application architecture that can support your needs now, and in the future.
Let’s take a look at why this is so important!
What Is a Modern Web Application Architecture?
The modern web application architecture is the foundation for any modern web application, regardless of industry. It encompasses a structured design, deployment, and implementation process, combined with an array of best practices, tools, and technologies. The main purpose of a modern web application architecture is to facilitate feature development and support continuous deployment and release strategies.
It ensures your web application can scale and operate effectively while providing an excellent experience for your customers. A modern application will be built on a decoupled architecture, meaning that each component can operate independently and scale as needed. This is in contrast to a traditional, monolithic application, where one large application manages the flow of data, and operates as one unit.
Why Is Modern Web Application Architecture Important?
As we’ve talked about, a modern web application architecture offers many advantages for businesses. As such, it is important to ensure your existing application is modern. However, even if you start with a new application, you still need to ensure you’re using modern architecture from the get-go. If your digital platform is not built on modern architecture, it will be harder to scale and will be expensive in the long run.
It might also not be scalable, which could hinder your ability to accommodate a sudden increase in traffic. On the other hand, if you have modern architecture, it will be easier to add additional capacity to your application. It will also be easier to maintain, update, and fix issues. In fact, a recent study found that organizations with modern architecture are 50% more likely to exceed expectations.
3 Key Elements of a Modern Web App Architecture
1. Responsive UI and User Experience:
The user experience (UX) determines how your customers will interact with your digital platform. If your UX isn’t intuitive or easy to navigate, your customers will have a poor experience with your product—no matter how great it actually is.
This is why your digital strategy should begin with an analysis of your customer journey, and what your users expect. A digital transformation project should also include a User Experience (UX) strategy, to ensure your digital transformation has a positive impact on your customers.
The modern digital architecture will be built with a responsive UX in mind. This means it can adapt to different device types, including mobile, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. It will also be accessible on a variety of web browsers.
2. Cloud Infrastructure and Platform as a Service:
The architecture of your digital platform should be built with scalability in mind. If your current architecture can’t accommodate sudden spikes in traffic or new features, you will find yourself in a bind.
Modern architecture can easily scale up or down, depending on the needs of your business. This will help you avoid expensive hardware upgrades that might be necessary if you don’t have enough capacity.
In addition, your data should be stored in an open-source database, like Apache Cassandra, MongoDB, or Amazon Aurora. This will ensure your data is available across all of your web apps and devices with no single point of failure.
A Modern Application Development Methodology:
The way your digital platform is built can have a significant impact on the success of your business. Modern architecture should be built using the latest development methodologies, including Agile and DevOps.
This will ensure your team can build and release new features efficiently, and respond to customer feedback quickly.
Conclusion
A modern web application architecture is crucial for modern businesses. It ensures your digital platform can scale and can accommodate sudden increases in traffic. It also ensures your customers have an excellent UX and can access your app easily on any device.
A modern application will be built with a responsive UX in mind, be hosted on the cloud, and use a modern, open-source database. It will also be built using the latest development methodologies, like Agile and DevOps. A modern web application architecture is important for businesses to succeed in today’s digital landscape.