Let’s say You have a great idea on custom web application, it is very early stage of Your idea, maybe not everything is materialized in Your mind. Still, You want to make a risk and build Minimum Viable Product. We call it a risk here because You don’t know if You will attract targeted audience, if nobody will be interested, of course Your investment will fail.
Before diving into development considerations, let's understand what we're really talking about.
What is a Custom Application?
A custom application is a software solution specifically designed and developed to meet unique business requirements that off-the-shelf products cannot fulfill. Unlike standardized software, custom applications are built from scratch with particular users, workflows, and business processes in mind. They can be tailored to integrate with existing systems, match specific security requirements, and scale according to business growth.
Custom Application Examples
Here are some real-world examples of custom applications:
An inventory management system for a specialty wine distributor that tracks bottle aging, temperature conditions, and customer preferences
A hospital's patient tracking system that integrates with various medical devices and follows specific regulatory requirements
A real estate agency's property matching system that uses unique algorithms to pair buyers with properties based on complex criteria
A manufacturing company's quality control application that interfaces directly with their specialized machinery and generates custom reports
A school's student performance tracking system that incorporates proprietary teaching methodologies and assessment criteria
Difference Between Custom Application and Custom Web Application
While they share the core concept of customization, these two types of applications have distinct characteristics:
Custom Applications:
It can be designed for desktop, mobile, or other platforms
Often operate offline or within a closed network
Usually installed directly on devices or local servers
May have deeper access to device hardware and system resources
Typically designed for specific operating systems
Custom Web Applications:
Run in web browsers across different devices and platforms
Require internet connectivity for full functionality
Updated centrally without requiring user installation
Accessible from anywhere with proper credentials
Platform-independent, working across different operating systems
Often integrate with other web services and APIs more easily
Generally easier to scale to multiple users across different locations
This brings us to an exciting opportunity: We have above 4.5 billion people who are active internet users. Investing in web application give You a possibility to reach those people, isn't it great?
But why to build custom application when You can use web application builder and simplify this process? There are platforms like wix or bubble, I have created my own company website on wix within 4 hours, at that time I had a design from UX developer, but I think, I would manage it even without it.
The only problem I see with platforms like wix, is that they are centered and balanced in order to cover the massive amount of problems and sometimes, this maybe blocking. Everyone wants to make their application special and unique, I am not claiming it is not possible with wix but maybe difficult.
Investing in custom web application is a great fun and new experience, You can really feel the power of creation at work. Although this power comes with responsibility, as a investor You want to create something that will pay off. The rule is simple, simple things works.
When hiring a professional who will help You to build web application You must be concrete, and this is specially difficult because the amount of features You can put into Your application is enormous. Most of them is not needed and artificially created, the desire to make Your web application shiny can lead to burial of Your main concept.
When You focus on too many things at once You may end with a product that will be not understandable by targeted audience. What’s more, the comapny that will build that product will not spend enough time on main concepts. As a result, at the end You will get a product that has many bugs and not completed features. And I am pretty sure that You will see that some features where not needed at all.
Each idea has a mission that it tries to complete, although, easy access to boosters lead to it failure. At the moment we have around 1.35 million tech startups and this is great news, but at the same time now days users are flooded by technology. Because everything is at your fingertips You start to be inaccurate and lazy, and this is affecting both investors and contractors.
How to build a custom web application in right way ? Building a web application is a process, with many iterations. First, if You are the idea owner, You cannot completely delegate it to other people, no one is sitting in Your head. If end results will not satisfy You, You are the one to be blamed.
The right technological partner will be interested in Your business and product. Why ? Good technological companies takes care about their products and in order to help You, they must go deep into Your business. At the end they want to create a good product that will be easy to maintain and extend.
Iteration is a key to success, plan few steps ahead but don’t focus on too many features at once. Always highlight what is the priority for You. Participate in the process by giving Your feedback.
Partnership is the right way to go. For an investor who knows how to find information over the internet, like using Google search operators, a technological partner that is not transparent should arouse concern. For me sharing knowledge and experience with my targeted audience is a promise I made.
Working with somebody who really cares about Your business is a great experience. Maybe similar to visiting Your favorite hairdresser or car mechanic ? If you are interested in building a custom web application read this case study where we build client web application for analysing stocks