Traditional Web Apps or Single Page Apps-Which One is Better

In both mobile and web application development landscapes, new trends are being introduced. And each trend brings more convenience for the users and lots of new updates.

Web applications have replaced traditional desktop applications. Because they are easy to update and not restricted to one device, people prefer them over desktop applications.

Recently, the terms MPA and SPA have become quite popular. MPA stands for multi-page application while SPA stands for single-page application. But what makes them different, and which one is better?

That’s what we are going to discuss today. In this post, we will cover both types of applications in detail including their pros, and how they work. So, shall we start?

What is a Single Page Application?

Single page application is an idea based on innovation with the aim to provide a top-notch user experience, ensuring faster loading speed. In a SPA, the web browser doesn’t load all the new pages but dynamically rewrites the current web page with new data retrieved from the web server.

With such a fast transition, as a user, you get a native app-like experience. There’s no refresh in such apps but the required HTML, JavaScript, and CSS is retrieved by the browser with a single page load.

What is a Multi-Page Application?

Multi-page Applications are the most common types of web applications around. Have you ever explored Amazon and eBay online? These are examples of classic MPA architecture.

A Multi-page application consists of a large number of pages. And each of these pages is refreshed every time a change is made to a single page. This is how websites have been developed traditionally.

Though MPAs are easy to optimize for SEO, you can display multiple products and services on different pages, but the speed and efficient use of resources is compromised.

Pros of Single-Page Apps

As said before, single-page applications have many advantages over traditional multi-page applications. Let’s explore them in detail:

Faster & Responsive

Single-page applications offer a fast loading speed; you don’t have to wait long for a page to load as they load only the most relevant information sought by the user.

The server doesn’t reload HTML, CSS, and scripts with every interaction. After the initial loading, only new data is downloaded from the server. Single-page applications load only pieces of content, so they have a lighter server payload.

Further, since the data is processed from the server to the browser, SPAs have a reduced response time.

Easier to Develop

A faster development process is another benefit of Single-page applications. We have dozens of JavaScript frameworks available to facilitate SPA development -- the most notable ones are React, Angular, and Vue.

Moreover, you can keep the back-end and front-end development separate. Hence, both parts can be developed in parallel.

Great User Experience

And the less time your app takes to load, the greater the user experience. Single-page applications are known for providing a more understandable linear experience.

AJAX and JavaScript frameworks help in building a flexible and responsive interface that users enjoy interfacing with.

Data Caching

Since page applications send requests to a server and then keep all the data they get in return. Further, they can cache to any local storage. This is how they work offline; you can continue working even after disconnecting to the data.

And no need to worry about losing changes. Once the data returns, the local data synchronizes with the server.

Easy Debugging

Normally, these applications are developed using React, Vue, and AngularJS. These tools have their own debugging tools based on Google. This makes debugging easy.

Though this is possible with multi-page applications as well, debugging a SPA compared to MPA is much simpler and faster. Since the whole code is located on the same page, you can see the entire code at once.

Pros of Multi-Page Apps

We can’t say multi-page applications are obsolete. In fact, they are still more common. That’s due to some of their unbeatable advantages, including:

More Space for Products/Information

Of course, a single page doesn’t suffice if you are a global brand, selling multiple products. Or maybe your application deals in multiple niches, you want to display the information for each industry separately.

The more pages you get, the easier it gets to organize the information.

Better SEO

SEO comes before everything else. And when you have a multi-page app, you can target different keywords on each page. For example, you are selling a home-decor service on one, and an interior design service on another, you can target relevant keywords on each.

But that’s not possible in a single-page application. And thus, they are difficult to optimize for search engines.

Cost Effective

Because SPAs are developed using the latest frameworks and technologies, they are quite expensive. On the other hand, MPA requires a smaller tech stack and thus, proves a budget-friendly option.

Takeaway

Both multi-page applications and single-page applications have their own pros and cons. It’s up to you and your objectives, which one would suit your business well. Sit down, do your research, and analyze both before hiring a Mobile app development services provider to develop one for your business.