Web Application Development - Lecture 3

Websites vs. Web Applications

The primary aim of a website is to provide information.
Consuming information is the most important task the visitor of a website does.
Websites are static, meaning they are not updated, at least not all that often.
When someone says “website” you should think simple, single page sites or marketing websites.

Websites are built using HTML, CSS, and maybe a little bit of JavaScript.
No programming language is required, and neither is a database.
Websites are a huge part of the web and play super important functions like telling you today’s special at your local Italian meatball shop, or letting you know about a hot new startup that is about to launch.
It is also true that some websites are aimed at making the user take some action. For example, subscribe to their email list or buy one of the products the website is promoting. But all of this is achieved by making the user consume the information being provided.


The primary aim of a web application is to let the user perform a task.
Web applications are meant to solve a problem of the users or satisfy their desire.
Web applications are a whole For example, Trello helps to solve the problem of managing tasks and projects, while Facebook helps to satisfy the desire of a user to connect with their friends and family and share their day-to-day activities.
Web applications are dynamic and ever-changing.

A website can be both a web application as well as a website. For example Facebook, Google+ etc
The fundamental difference between the two remains the same.
Websites are meant for providing information and Web Applications are meant to solve a problem or satisfy a desire.
Understanding this difference is of paramount importance when you sit down to design a website or a web application.