Service specification 4 sections Part of bespoke software
Web Development
Website or web application?
The word app causes most of the confusion. Start with the job, then choose the right type of build.
Web application development builds a system for one business. It does not force the work into a fixed product. A website tells people about you. A web application does a job. It can take bookings, hold accounts, run quotes or handle orders. It runs in a browser, so nobody has to install it.
People need to understand, trust and contact you.
- Service pages and case studies
- News, guides and company information
- Enquiry forms and contact details
- Content your team can edit
Verdict: choose web design when the main job is to explain and sell.
People need to log in and complete a task.
- Accounts, bookings and order histories
- Quotes, calculators and forms with rules
- Dashboards built from live business data
- Work shared between customers and staff
Verdict: choose bespoke application development when the browser needs to do real work.
We test the page, the phone view and the work behind every button.
What we build in a browser
A bespoke web application starts with a task. These are six common jobs that belong in a browser.
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01
Customer logins and accounts
Customers sign in to see their profile, orders and information in one place.
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02
Booking and scheduling
People choose a service, date and group, then send the details you need.
Built for Cornish Wave - online booking, group bookings and participation forms -
03
Quoting and calculators
Rules turn the answers on a form into a clear quote or next step.
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04
Dashboards and reporting
Live records become a useful view instead of a report built by hand.
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05
Document handling
The right user can find, read and download the right file.
Built for Adviser Hub - gated content and media library -
06
Integrations with what you already run
The application reads from and writes to whatever already holds your data. That might be a CRM, an accounts package such as Xero or Sage, a payment provider, a courier or a mailing list. Records pass between them on an agreed schedule. Nobody re-types an order or a customer.
We use PHP and Laravel on the server. MySQL or PostgreSQL stores the data. JavaScript with Vue or React runs in the browser. If customer records are the main job, a bespoke CRM system may fit better. That page covers software shaped around customer data and staff work.
Building it in a browser, weighed up
A web application asks nobody to install anything. That convenience has a price, and it is worth naming.
| What to weigh | What the browser gives you | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| Getting it to people | A link is the whole rollout. No store, no install, no version chasing. | It has to work on whatever browser people already have, including old ones. |
| Making changes | You publish once and everyone has it immediately. | Everyone also has your mistakes immediately, so releases need care. |
| Working offline | Modern browsers can hold data and keep going for a while without signal. | It is more work than it sounds, and it is never as complete as a real app. |
| The device | The same screens work on a laptop, a tablet and a phone. | Camera, location and notifications are more limited than in an installed app. |
| Who can use it | Anything with a browser can reach it, including machines you do not control. | Which means anyone with the address can try, so access control matters more. |
| The long run | No app store sits between you and your own users. | Browsers change on their own schedule and occasionally break things. |
It runs in a browser, so nobody installs anything
A web application opens from a link. Staff and customers can use it on a phone without visiting an app store. Their account follows them between devices.
Updates happen in one place. The next time someone opens the application, they use the current version. Nobody has to download a new release.
This is what many businesses mean when they ask for a bespoke app. They need an application that works well on a phone. They do not need a native mobile app.
Some projects need an app on the phone, not a site in the browser. The choice depends on camera access, offline use or push notifications. Our mobile app development page explains when a phone app fits better.
Before launch, check keyboard use, zoom and mobile reflow. Our website accessibility checklist sets out the main tests.
The same web address, account and data work across each device. That keeps support simple and the record in one place.
Where it runs, and who can see the data
A web application needs hosting. We can host it or set it up on hosting you already pay for. Either way the application is yours and moving it later does not need our permission.
If it holds personal data, the scope has to say what is stored, who can see it and how long it is kept. We build in one account per person, permissions checked on every record, logged access and a clear way to close an account. Your own lawful basis, privacy notice and retention policy stay with you.
What happens after launch
You own a new codebase built for you, along with its documentation. If the build uses our Zeus Laravel CMS, Dev Moves owns Zeus and licenses it to you. The project-specific frontend is packaged separately and belongs to you. Your data is yours throughout.
After launch we can maintain the application, fix faults and add to it. Handover does not create an unlimited support promise, so what is covered is set out in the agreement. We also choose tools another developer can support, so you are not tied to us to keep it running.
Common questions
What is bespoke web development?
What is the difference between a website and a web application?
Do you build mobile apps?
Can a web application work on a phone?
Do you build SaaS products?
Who owns the code?
The applications we are asked for most: customer portal software, ecommerce website development and website support and maintenance.
Start with the job it has to do
Tell us what a customer or member of staff needs to complete. We will tell you whether that needs a website, a web application or an existing product.
- Pontefract, West Yorkshire
- Building for businesses across the UK
- Reply within 1 working day