12 crucial considerations for selecting a web application framework
Do you want to launch a new project, but are overwhelmed by a wide range of framework options available in the market. You may have to decide which one of them would be the fastest to get up and running? Which one will be the best in the long-term? Do these frameworks come with any associated costs et cetera? There is no single framework that offers all the answers. The right framework for you will depend upon various factors. In the article, we will share with you some insights about how to choose the right framework to create a new web application. Are you interested? Let’s start the ball rolling!
Important points to consider before choosing the right framework
Go through these 12 important points to find out which framework is best suited for your needs.
Fulfil your requirement
It is important that when you are planning for a project, you should make a list of your requirements. After making the list, you should start looking at the different frameworks to find out which one of these would be best suited for your specific needs.
How new is the framework
If it is a new and successful framework, then be assured that it will be around for a good while. However, if the framework has just entered the market, then it would be prudent to stay away from it because many of its features may not have been tested sufficiently. Similarly, if a framework is around for a long period, then it may have become stagnant. You do not want to face a situation where you create a web app using an old framework and subsequently the framework stops providing updates. Therefore, choose a framework that is relatively new and has a huge community support.
Licence
One of the major factors you should take into account before selecting a right framework for web application is its licensing. You should find out whether the framework is free to use. If it isn’t, then is the licensing cost worth the savings you can make through shortening the development and maintenance time. You also must find out whether the developmental tool you want to use with the framework comes with any associated cost. Many frameworks and developmental tools may be free to install and use, but they will charge you for any support.
Software pattern
It is important that the framework you choose should use the MVC pattern. This will help you to keep your data, user interface, the controller, and the logic in separate silos. Separation of these important elements would help you to write a better code that will result in better application.
Is it open source?
If a framework is open source, there will be no formal support. However, such a framework will have a large community support to maintain the code. Since a large number of developers are involved in maintaining the code, the chance of it becoming stagnant is remote. Even if a framework is open source, you must also look at the frequency of contribution to the framework before making the final choice.
The smallest learning curve
A framework consists of several elements, including directory structures, naming conventions and so on. Some frameworks are rather flexible, whereas others are very strict with the parameters and will show errors even for small mistakes. Therefore, choose a framework that has the smallest learning curve.
Ease of installation
Ease of installation of a framework is also very important. Many frameworks are feature rich, but have to run through numerous steps to be installed and start working. This could be a big issue once the application is ready and needs to be hosted on the production server.
Hosting requirement
It is tempting to build applications that are hosted on cutting edge platforms. However, you should always remember the constraint of your budget. If you are on a limited project, then you have to settle for shared hosting that comes with basic settings and normal modules.
Documentation
The framework you choose for your web application should have good documentation. This can be of immense help both at the time of setup as well as to resolve any challenges that you may face. You should do some research on the framework to see how easy it is to find solutions for potential challenges before you select it for your project.
Library
Library is an important component of frameworks. The library helps you to forgo writing repetitive codes. However, they give you enough scope to either control or add new features. While looking for a framework you should look for one that gives you the ability to replace the part of the library with another part of your choice to get greater control over your work.
Scaling
Scalability is also an important factor to keep in mind while selecting a framework. In most cases, scalability issues are related to I/O and network latency rather than any shortcoming of the framework. However, you should look whether the framework you have selected facilitates easy scalability.
Regular updates
Since frameworks are supported by large communities of developers who are putting it through its paces regularly. Therefore, if any issues related to bugs or performance come up, then they are solved very quickly. Due to this reason, you must choose a framework that is very popular, widely used and is updated regularly.
Conclusion
By keeping in mind all the considerations mentioned above, you will be able to discover some of the top web application frameworks for your project. After this, you need to choose the best web application framework that aligns well with your project idea.
If you still face any difficulty in choosing the right web application framework, you can reach out to a web app development company. They will not only suggest the best web application framework as per your needs but also deliver you a feature-rich web application.
