Websites
What is the difference between a website and a web app?
The practical difference
The terms overlap, so the useful distinction is purpose. An informational website helps people understand something, find a business, read content, contact an organization, or complete a relatively simple public action.
A web application is designed around interactive work. Users may sign in, create records, search or edit data, manage a workflow, collaborate, or receive personalized results.
Examples
A company homepage, service site, documentation site, or learning library can be a website. A customer portal, inventory system, project dashboard, booking system, or online editor is more clearly a web application.
A single product can contain both. A public marketing website can explain the product while the application handles the user's private workflow.
Which should you build?
Start with the job, not the technology. If visitors mainly need information and a clear way to contact or buy from you, start with a website. If they need repeated, stateful, data-driven work, a web application may be appropriate.
Many projects should begin with the smallest version that proves the workflow. You can add application features later if real users need them.
Sources and further reading
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a website and a web app?
A website is often read. A web app is used to do a job, such as tracking orders or editing a file. Many products are both.
Which should a beginner build?
A website, if the job is to explain, teach, or be contacted. Build an app when people must log in and change data often.
Is an app always better?
No. An app is more to secure, host, and maintain. A clear site is the right product for many businesses and guides.
Can a website become an app later?
Yes. Start with the pages people need. Add accounts and saved data when the work requires them.
Do web apps need a database?
When they remember people or records, yes. A page that only displays the same information does not.
Do the same SEO ideas apply?
Public pages can still be found in search. Screens behind a login usually are not the pages you try to rank.