Web apps are convenient to use, easy to update, and are not bound to any particular platform. There are two main choices in web app development that are single-page and multipage web apps.
When creating your web application, you encounter the dilemma of choosing between a single-page app vs a multi-page web app. While both web apps have pros and cons, you need to know your business requisites and goal to choose the right one.
Selecting the correct type of web application development between SPA and MPA becomes crucial. It is essential to understand your business type and objectives. You need to decide on SPA vs MPA to find out if you need to for a Single Page Application Development Company or Multi Page application development.
This blog highlights the key points of difference between Single Page Applications and Multi Page Applications.
Multi-Page Application
Multi-page Applications have more than one page that carry static information in terms of text, images, etc., and links to other pages. MPAs can be static or dynamic but they rule in terms of number of pages over SPAs. These are practically larger than the Single Page Applications. These contain large data and complex architecture. They work on the traditional concept, as the user will see a different page every time a page reloads. It means a different UI for a different request.
In between a jump from one page to another, the browser will reload the data and downloads the resources again, even if the components are repeated throughout every page, such as the header and footer. As this help transfer a lot of data from server to client and client to server. It, in turn, slows down their performance. Some famous examples are Amazon, eBay, and so on.
Pros
- Implementation of SEO is easy in Multi Page Applications. One can optimize each page of these web apps.
- More insights are possible with MPAs because all the pages are separated from each other.
Single Page Application
SPAs would be a good choice to develop a cross-platform, cross-browser compatible, and feature-rich web app. But before you proceed, what exactly a SPA is?
An SPA is a web app or website that works inside a web browser and loads a single request. The more significant benefit of a single-page application is that it does not reload the whole page; it brings what is requested. Because the fresh data is loaded on the same web page. So, you’ll see an illusion of web page change while you are still on the same page. SPA are preferred because of their responsiveness, high performance, and smooth user experience.
Users can access as much content as they want without leaving the web page. In technical terms, SPA is a single HTML document loaded on the user’s browser to fetch JSON data from the server and rewrites it to a web page. SPA development benefits a business in terms of performance and faster loading.
Pros
- It consumes less bandwidth as the page is loaded only once. Hence, it consumes less resources.
- It assists in faster development as the developers do not have to create multiple pages.
- SPAs offer an enhanced user experience because it minimizes the server response time.
SPA vs MPA
1. Speed and Performance
One of the prime characteristics of the difference between MPA and SPA is speed and performance. MPAs are usually slower than SPAs because numerous requests have to be processed. The necessity to reload pages inevitably results in their slower performance and speed. In contrast, SPAs offer enhanced performance and speed because only the requested data will change. It cuts down the loading time while interacting with the page.
2. Development Time
The time required for developing the Single Page Application is less than MPA. Developers need not write a new set of code for every page, as they write in MPA. Developing a Multi-Page Application is quite complex and requires more effort and time. MPAs require many functionalities that can be implemented individually on different web pages. Depending upon the need and complexities of the project, the development time increases.
3. Navigation
Multi-page web applications require navigation from one page to another to access more information. Every page on MPA has its own URL, which changes when the user processes a request. Also, the backward and the forward buttons work efficiently.
However, Single Page Applications rarely use back and forward buttons. The data is refreshed on the same page every time there is a request on the server.
4. Data Caching
In the SPA, after the first request to the server, all the necessary data is stored locally, allowing users to work offline. That makes web apps fast and efficient. The offline mode of Google Docs is a better example.
In contrast with SPA, MPA requires different requests to the server to load the data as per the requested page. It means that an additional request is sent to the server for every different page.
5. Flexibility
SPAs are preferred because of the flexible front end. Only a single page is sufficient for different requests of the end-users. SPA development is also not complex because of its easy implementation. In contrast, Multi-page applications need to depend on more complex mechanisms to adjust content according to the needs of each page and each device. Due to their relatively complex structure, multi-page web apps are less flexible than single-page apps.
Which is the better option: Single Page Apps vs Multi Page Apps?
MPA or SPA? Which is better or which is not? The answer to this question is not straightforward because every business has its own set of requirements. It depends on your business objectives. Your customers are the key for you to choose between SPA or MPA.
For example, if you have a large website that displays a wide array of products or services, SEO is an important channel for you to attract customers. Then a multipage web app is a suitable choice for you.
However, single-page application development is appropriate if you want to provide maximum functionality and ensure the best user experience with large amounts of data.
Conclusion
When developing a web application, you need to be assured of what you have to choose from the start of the development phase. These days, it is a key point of discussion to choose between single-page applications and multi-page application development. You can compare based on the features of these web apps and business goals.
As web-based technologies, these web apps have many common benefits, such as they can be run on every browser or device.
However, to build a robust SPA or MPA, you can hire web developers to complete the development process of your web app.
