How to make web apps: A complete guide

Building a web app used to mean you needed coding skills, technical know-how, or even a team of developers. But not anymore. Thanks to no-code platforms, anyone can now build a web app.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur with a big idea or a business owner looking to streamline daily tasks, no-code tools make web app development easier than ever.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to make a web app and how to leverage a no-code platform to bring your ideas to life.

The power of web apps

Before we explore the steps of creating a web app, let’s take a closer look at what a web app is and how it works.

What is a web app?

A web app is a software that runs in a web browser – no installation needed. As long as you’re connected to the internet, you can use a web app on any device with a browser.

Here are the types of web apps you may often encounter:

• Ecommerce web app – creates an elevated shopping experience using interactive elements, including product customization, memberships, and advanced inventory systems. Amazon is the perfect example of this web app type.
• Progressive web app (PWA) – mirrors the features of native apps. They are designed to provide an app-like experience with push notifications and offline capabilities. Examples include Google Workspace and WhatsApp Web.
• Single-page web app (SPA) – loads content dynamically without reloading the page, creating a fast and smooth user experience. X is an example of a social media web app that falls under this category.
• Enterprise web app – built for internal use within an organization or business to streamline daily operations. The customer relationship management (CRM) software Salesforce is a prime example.

When creating web apps, developers only need to write and update a single source code. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the most commonly used languages.

By making the apps responsive, web apps will adapt to different screen sizes and work seamlessly across operating systems.

This approach makes building and maintaining a web app more cost-effective than developing separate native apps for different platforms.

Understanding slow-code, low-code, and no-code development

Developing web apps follows three main approaches: slow-code, low-code, and no-code.

Slow code gives developers full control over the source code, enabling deep customization and fulfilling complex needs – but it takes more time and resources.

Meanwhile, low-code and no-code development are faster, more accessible, and more cost-effective.

What are no-code platforms?

A no-code app maker lets you create web applications without writing any code. It only uses visual interfaces, drag-and-drop components, and pre-built templates.

Some no-code platforms also integrate AI tools for web development, allowing users to create web apps (including their layouts, content, and functionalities) entirely through text prompts. 

Here are some no-code platforms to help you build a web app:

• Hostinger Horizons – lets you build fully functional web apps simply by writing prompts. It also includes all the necessary infrastructure (including domain name and hosting) to deploy your app seamlessly.
• Bubble – provides a drag-and-drop interface, database management, and logic workflows to make a web app easily.
• Adalo – designed to create web and mobile apps with a visual editor, pre-built components, and built-in database management.
• Glide – turns Google Sheets into functional web apps without coding, making it ideal for simple applications like directories, booking systems, or data-driven apps.
• Softr – lets you make web apps using Airtable as a back end, with customizable templates for marketplaces, dashboards, and internal tools.

Maximizing low-code/no-code: Best practices

Here’s what you need to do to get the best results from low-code and no-code platforms:

• Define clear objectives – a clear roadmap ensures you choose the right tool for the job and minimizes inefficiencies.
• Choose the right platform for your needs – not all low-code and no-code platforms are created equal. Some specialize in app development, while others focus on automation. So, familiarize yourself with the tool’s features before choosing it.
• Maintain security and compliance standards – make sure your chosen platform supports encryption, access control, and compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, depending on your industry.
• Optimize for scalability – some low-code and no-code platforms may have limitations when it comes to high user loads or complex logic. Choose a platform with API support, cloud hosting, and advanced customization to ensure scalability.
• Regularly test and iterate – monitor performance, conduct user testing, and iterate based on feedback to refine your web app and enhance user experience.

How to make a web app in 4 stages

Learning about the traditional coding process can help anyone with building web apps, even if you plan to use a no-code platform. Here are the four main stages to create functional, user-friendly web apps.

1. Discovery and planning

The discovery and planning stage is the foundation of your development journey, ensuring you create something that truly meets people’s needs.

You’ll identify user pain points, validate whether your solution can help, and create a clear roadmap for development.

Ideation and validation

This first step is to identify real-life problems worth solving and confirm whether your solution has market potential.

Think about the problems you face daily or see others struggle with often. Clearly define who experiences this pain point and why solving it matters.

Test your web app idea through conversations with potential users in real life or online (for example, on social media or niche forums). Also, check whether there’s already a product that addresses this problem.

By validating your ideas early, you reduce the risk of wasting time and money building a web app that will not resonate with users.

Defining core functionality

This step identifies the essential features of your web app while deliberately excluding nice-to-have elements. By focusing only on what’s truly necessary, you can launch faster and improve based on real feedback rather than assumptions.

List all possible features, then narrow them down to only those that directly solve the core problem you want to address.

Categorize your features into these groups to set clear development priorities:

• Must-haves
• Should haves
• Nice-to-haves
• Not now

Your must-haves are the essential features needed to solve your users’ problems.

Market research and user analysis

This research stage involves understanding your target audience and competitors to identify opportunities and potential challenges. Understanding user needs helps you create features that meet their expectations.

Create a detailed description of your ideal user, including their demographics, goals, and pain points.

Then, analyze your direct competitors to identify gaps in the market you can fill. You can do this by paying special attention to negative reviews on sites like G2 or Capterra.

Project scope and requirements

This step turns your ideas into specific decisions about your project’s boundaries. An unclear scope often causes project delays and budget overruns.

Create a document that clearly outlines how different people will use your app. For each main feature, list what’s included in the first version and what’s not.

Choose the right technical tools that fit your resources and define when to consider each feature done to prevent unnecessary tinkering.

Timelines and budgets

This step establishes realistic financial parameters and sets expectations for the development. By defining timelines and budgets upfront, you can prioritize key features and critical elements first.

Break the project into weekly and monthly sprints with clear objectives and include a buffer for unexpected challenges. Then, develop a tiered budget, separating core functionality from other features.

2. Design and prototyping

Design and prototyping is about creating visual mockups of your web app before you start building it. This stage helps you spot problems early, test your idea with real users, and improve your concept based on actual feedback.

UI/UX Design

UI/UX design is about enhancing what users see and feel when using your web app.

This process involves mapping out how people move through your app, deciding how content is organized, and choosing colors, fonts, and styles that fit your branding.

Good UI/UX design can increase user satisfaction and retention and help your web app stand out in the market.

Wireframing and prototyping

This stage turns your ideas into something you can see and interact with.

Wireframing involves creating designs that show layouts and content placements, while prototyping involves creating interactive mockups that demonstrate how features work.

This helps all team members align on the vision and get early feedback from stakeholders.

Use tools like Figma, Adobe XD, and Sketch to create simple wireframes and clickable prototypes.

Usability testing

This step is where users try your prototype, and you collect feedback to see what makes sense and what can be improved.

Usability testing helps you spot design problems you might have missed and allows you to build your product around the experience of actual users.

3. Development

The development stage is where your designs and prototypes transform into a working app through coding, database setup, and connecting different components.

Front-end development

Front-end development involves building everything users interact with, including layouts, buttons, forms, and other visual elements. A good front end makes complex features easy to use and keeps users engaged.

Use your wireframes and prototypes as a coding roadmap, and build your interface with programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Back-end development

Back-end development creates the behind-the-scenes logic (including databases, servers, and business rules) that governs your web app.

The back end determines how your app handles data, connects with other systems, and performs in different environments. Designing an efficient database and implementing secure authentication are also very important in this step.

Build your back end by selecting the right tools, such as Node.js, Python, or PHP.

API and third-party integration

Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of rules that allow different apps to communicate with each other. Meanwhile, third-party integrations connect your app with external services.

By connecting to third-party services (for features like payments and social sharing) via effective API integrations, you can add new functionality without having to build everything yourself.

To integrate APIs well, identify the essential connections you need and design clear communication methods. Then, implement strong security, prepare for potential outages, and create helpful documentation for other developers to follow.

Testing

Testing ensures your app works correctly and meets quality standards. Proper testing helps prevent costly mistakes, improve user satisfaction, and build confidence in your product.

Effective testing requires four key approaches:

• Unit testing – test individual features and functions separately.
• Integration testing – verify how components work together.
• User acceptance testing – get feedback from actual users and make improvements based on feedback.
• Automated testing – set up systems to run tests whenever the code changes.

4. Deployment and maintenance

In this stage, you make your web app available to users and conduct ongoing maintenance to ensure it continues functioning correctly.

Deployment

Deployment is moving your web app from your development environment to servers where users can access it online.

Without deployment, no one can use your app. A successful deployment is when your app is accessible, secure, and runs smoothly in real-world conditions.

To successfully deploy your web app, select an appropriate hosting provider and set up automated deployment. Remember to protect sensitive data and your domain with proper security certificates.

Monitoring and performance analysis

This step involves monitoring your web app’s health, speed, and performance so you can catch and fix any errors quickly.

Even well-built apps can experience unexpected issues, so monitoring helps you maintain performance, prevent downtime, and allows you to plan for growth.

To effectively monitor your web app, use tools like New Relic or Datadog to track key metrics like load times and error rates. Test your app from different locations and on various devices to ensure it works well for all users.

Bug fixes and updates

This step involves identifying, prioritizing, and resolving issues while keeping your web app’s code and features up to date.

Bugs can frustrate users and turn them away from your app, so regular updates are essential to keep it reliable and secure.

To manage updates and bug fixes effectively, create a clear tracking system that focuses on the most serious issues first. Also, don’t forget to do thorough testing before releasing updates.

Ongoing development and feature additions

It’s important to continuously improve your app with new features based on user feedback and market trends. Ongoing development shows your commitment to improvement and helps you retain users.

Create a clear development roadmap that mixes new features with technical improvements. Collect user feedback regularly to guide your decisions and quickly fix any frustrating parts of the user experience.

Marketing and user acquisition

Even the best web apps need effective marketing to reach their target audience. By attracting users through various promotional channels, you can grow your web app and revenue as well as receive valuable feedback for future development.

To effectively market your web app, clearly define your target audience and build a strategy for publishing helpful content on each channel.

For example, create videos showcasing your app’s features, engage with relevant communities on online forums, and interact with followers on your social media account.

Does the development process change on a no-code platform?

Regardless of how you build your web app, fundamental principles like planning, UI/UX design, and testing remain relevant. No-code platforms like Hostinger Horizons just make all these steps simpler.

Here are six advantages of making a web app with a no-code platform.

Accelerated development

By using no-code platforms, you can cut development time significantly. Instead of manually writing and debugging code, you can accomplish similar work in minutes by arranging elements visually or instructing AI to create the code.

This results in faster app deployment, lower costs, and the ability to receive user feedback quicker.

Shift in skill sets

No-code platforms have also changed what skills matter most when building apps.

With coding skills no longer being a requirement, you can focus more on skills that improve business processes and user experience.

Emphasis on visual design

There’s also a greater emphasis on visual design when building with a no-code platform.

You can focus on drawing out user journeys, mapping how screens connect, and designing layouts before you start building. This visual approach helps you find problems early and create a better user experience.

Reduced technical complexity

A no-code platform reduces the need for technical expertise, but it’s still important to understand how the platform works. As your project grows, be aware of performance limitations, customization options, and how different systems connect.

Faster validation and iteration

Using no-code platforms can also help you test ideas faster by building working prototypes and applying updates quickly.

This fast feedback loop shows you which ideas work and which need improvement before you invest more time in their development.

Potential for increased collaboration

With simple design elements that everyone can understand, no-code platforms make collaboration easier. Other teams can see and interact with the app while it’s being built, allowing for immediate feedback instead of waiting for technical explanations.

Conclusion

No-code platforms have made web app development accessible to everyone, even those without technical skills.

While no-code tools simplify the process, to be successful, you must understand the fundamentals of web app development, including validating ideas, defining core functionality, and making improvements based on user feedback.

By combining these fundamentals with an AI app generator like Hostinger Horizons, you can quickly turn your idea into a web app that solves users’ real problems.

Ready to bring your app idea to life? Start building with Hostinger Horizons today and launch a successful web app without writing a single line of code.

How to make a web app FAQ