Simply said, a web app is a program that can be accessed and used in a web browser. Keep in mind that while utilizing certain web applications, the browser technology is disguised. This is the case, for example, when embedding your web app within a native Android or iOS app, running a webpage as an application in Google Chrome, or running an app using Adobe AIR. 

But behind the scenes of these apps is a system analyzing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A web app may be thought of as a website with additional application-like features. In practice, there is no clear demarcation between a website and a web application.

WordPress is a great platform for building all kinds of websites and applications, including web-apps. You get the best WordPress hosting when creating your website or web-app. In fact, WordPress has all the necessary features and functionality for creating a fully-fledged web-app. 

All you need to do is install the right plugins, such as the ones that enable user registration, login, and profile management. Once you have those in place, you can start adding the features and functionality that your web-app needs. 

Of course, building a complex web-app with WordPress will require some coding knowledge. But if you’re not a developer yourself, you can always hire one to help you out.

Steps for creating a web-app using WordPress

If you want to create a web-app using WordPress, we recommend using the WordPress hosts as it will give you more control over your website.

Here are the steps you need to take: 

1. Choose a domain name and hosting provider – We recommend using Bluehost as they offer a free domain name when you sign up for their hosting services. 
2. Install WordPress – Once you have chosen your hosting provider, they will give you instructions on how to install WordPress. 
3. Choose a theme – You can find both free and paid themes for WordPress. We recommend choosing a theme that is responsive (meaning it will look good on both desktop and mobile devices), and that offers the features and functionality that you need for your web-app. 
4. Install plugins – Plugins are optional pieces of software that add additional features and functionality to your website. There are thousands of plugins available, so make sure to only install the ones that you need. 
5. Create your content – Once everything is set up, you can start creating the content for your web-app. This can include pages, posts, forms, etc. 
6. Launch your web-app – Once everything is ready, simply launch your web-app and start promoting it!

How much control over the design and functionality of the web-app will I have if I use WordPress?

WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that enables you to create a website or blog from scratch, or to improve an existing website. 

With WordPress, you have full control over the design and functionality of your website or blog. You can choose from thousands of themes (pre-designed layouts), and install plugins (additional features) to add new functionality to your site. 

WordPress is free and open source software released under the GPL. This means that anyone can use it, and anyone can contribute to the code.

WordPress is a popular content management system that helps users create and manage a website or blog. It is possible to use WordPress to create a web-app, but it may be more difficult than using other platforms.

When can you not use WordPress

There are certain uses for which WordPress isn’t the best fit. Here are several scenarios in which you probably shouldn’t utilize WordPress as the basis for your app’s backend.

Your Website’s Technology Will Be Licensed or Sold

The GNU General Public License, version 2 (GPLv2), under which WordPress is distributed, places limitations on the distribution of any software created using it. Specifically, you lose control of the program once it has been sold or distributed.

It’s a lot to take in, but the essence of it is that the GPLv2 doesn’t apply if all you’re doing is selling or giving away is access to your program. If you plan on selling or sharing your application’s source code, however, the GPLv2 will govern the code you share.

Flexibility is Not Important to You

The flexibility to make rapid adjustments to your WordPress site so that it better meets your requirements is one of its finest benefits. If Facebook “likes” are no longer bringing in visitors, for instance, you may switch to a Google+ plugin in place of the one you now use.  Changing your WordPress site’s theme or installing new plugins is often far quicker than building the same functionality in another framework from scratch.

Programming a native app or plain PHP, however, will be the best alternative in circumstances when efficiency and speed are more essential than being able to swiftly update the application.  Building at a lower level is appropriate, for instance, if your app is just going to do a single, straightforward task, like displaying the clock. Like Facebook, you can afford to develop everything by hand and employ bespoke PHP-to-C compilers to reduce website load times by a few milliseconds.

The degree to which your app updates in real time is crucial

One of WordPress’ possible drawbacks is that it uses the conventional web server setup. When someone visits a URL on your WordPress site, the request is sent to a web server (like Apache) through HTTP; the server then executes a PHP script; and finally, the whole page is returned to the user.

Using caching strategies and/or optimal server configurations, the performance of this architecture may be enhanced. WordPress may be made asynchronous via the use of AJAX requests or by connecting to the database using third-party clients. Consider alternatives to WordPress if your software requires real-time and asynchronous functionality (like a chat-based app or a multiplayer game).

This restriction is known by many WordPress programmers. However, it is currently difficult to get WordPress to work asynchronously while providing the same effectiveness as a native app or something developed using Node.js or other technologies meant to cater for real-time applications. This is likely to change in the future, however, as the WordPress core is likely to be updated to function better for real-time asynchronous apps.

Why Use WordPress?

 There are instances in which constructing your web app using WordPress is the best option. For instance, if your primary site is built using WordPress, you may just need to install a plugin to get the features you want. To name a few, WordPress provides excellent e-commerce (Jigoshop) and forum (bbPress) plugins, membership sites (Paid Memberships Pro), social networking (BuddyPress), and gaming plugins (WordPress Gamification) (BadgeOS).

Integrating your app into an already established WordPress site is a time-saver and a convenience for your visitors. If your web app’s functionality is relatively simple, you may be able to develop it as a WordPress plugin. Don’t be confused if you’re told you need to switch to a different platform because WordPress can’t handle a specific kind of content or feature.  All of your hard work on WordPress is not lost once you upgrade.

To sum up, it is possible to build a web-app with WordPress. 
This is because WordPress offers a wide range of features and plugins that can be used to create a web-app including WordPress hosting. In addition, WordPress is easy to use and has a large community of users and developers who can offer support. WordPress’s primary benefit is the time it may save you during the creation of a web application. By using the platform as a starting point, you may avoid building infrastructure like a database, user management features, application programming interfaces (APIs), and more. That is to say, it gives you something to lean on that you’re already comfortable with as a foundation.