A Guide to the Internet, Software, and Web App Development

#internet #software #webapp #beginners

This post provides a comprehensive explanation of the internet, software, and web app development, including the processes involved and the relationship between a web app developer and a software engineer.

The Internet: The Network That Connects the World
The internet is a vast network that links all the computers, mobile phones, and other devices on Earth. Think of it as a global communication system where data is transferred from one device to another. When you search for something on Google, your phone sends a message through the internet to Google's servers, which then sends the results back to your phone. This communication happens via wires or Wi-Fi.

Website vs. Web App vs. Software
The main difference between these three terms lies in their functionality and how they're used.

Website: It's like a static "page" or "book" on the internet, used primarily for displaying information. For example: Wikipedia. It's built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Web App: This is a special, highly interactive type of website. It changes based on user actions and works like a mobile app, but it runs through a browser. Examples include Google Maps or Gmail. A web app has two main parts:

Frontend: What the user sees and interacts with.
Backend: The hidden part on the server that handles data processing and storage.

Software: This refers to applications that are installed directly on your device's operating system (like Windows or macOS). It can often work without an internet connection. Examples include Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Word.

Can a Web App Developer Be a Software Engineer?
Yes, a skilled web app developer can certainly be called a Software Engineer.
Many people mistakenly believe that software engineers only build desktop or mobile apps, but that's not true. Software engineering is a broad field that involves the design, development, testing, and maintenance of any kind of software system. A web app is also a complex software system that runs on both the client and server sides.
However, to be considered a software engineer, a web app developer needs more than just coding skills. They must also have a solid understanding of fundamental principles and key practices.

Core Principles of Software Engineering
A software engineer's job isn't just to write code; it's to build and manage the entire system using a disciplined process.

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): An engineer must know how to handle a project from start to finish. This includes:
Requirements Gathering: Understanding user needs.
Design: Creating the system's architecture and design.
Development: Writing the code.
Testing: Finding and fixing bugs.
Deployment: Making the application live.
Maintenance: Regularly updating and fixing the app.
Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA): This is essential for building efficient and fast software. An engineer must know how to store and manipulate data effectively.
Design Patterns and Architecture: To build large and complex systems, it's crucial to understand design patterns (like Singleton, Observer) and architectural styles (like Microservices, Monolithic).
Quality Assurance (QA) and Testing: An engineer must ensure their code is reliable and bug-free through testing (like Unit Testing and Integration Testing).
Version Control Systems (VCS): Tools like Git are vital for tracking different versions of the code and collaborating with a team.
Code Review and Documentation: Good engineers document their code well and review others' code to maintain high quality.

The Web App Development Process and Architecture
A web app typically follows a Client-Server Model architecture.

Planning and Design: The first step is to define the app's purpose and user needs. Then, the architecture and user interface (UI/UX) are designed.
Development: Frontend and backend developers write code based on the design.

Frontend: Uses frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js to build the user interface.
Backend: Uses languages like Node.js, Python/Django, or PHP/Laravel to create the server-side logic.
Database: Databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB are used to store data.

3. Deployment: The completed app is hosted on a live server using services like AWS, Heroku, or Netlify.

What to Learn to Become a Skilled Developer?
If you want to pursue a career in this field, you need to acquire the right skills based on your interests.

To become a Web App Developer: