In Unique Software System, our workflow for web application development has 8 stages.

The first stage is PLANNING & ANALYSIS.

In this stage, Project goals, Objectives, and requirements are defined. Later to this intensive market research and competitor analysis is conducted. 

Based on the findings and project goals, user personas are created and targeted audiences are determined. Now with all the analysis done, the project plan is developed along with the timelines and milestones. This leads to the next stage.

The second stage is DESIGN.

In the design stage, to visualize the user interface and user experience (UI/UX) wireframes and prototypes are created. Then to get the feel of the application including the color schemes, layouts, and branding elements the overall look is designed. 

This design is presented to the stakeholders for their approval and feedback. Once approved, the project moves to the next stage.

The third stage is FRONT-END DEVELOPMENT

The front-end development team is responsible for implementing the user interface. They would use HTML, CSS & Javascript for the interface and also use front-end frameworks like React, Angular (the modern version), or Vue.js for efficient development. 

The front-end development also ensures the developed design is responsive and it is compatible with various devices and screen sizes.

The next stage is Back-end development.

The fourth stage is BACK-END DEVELOPMENT.

In this stage, the appropriate server is set up and the required back-end program is chosen. The back-end program would be Node.js. Python, Ruby, Java, etc. Server-side scripting for handling the request, processing the data, and managing the database is developed. They also integrate the required third-party services or APIs as per the client’s requirements. For example, SMS API, Whatsapp API, and geo-location API are integrated if needed.

The fifth stage is DATABASE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT.

The database (DB) team designs and creates the database structure as per the requirement of the developed application, They choose the suitable DB system (MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB. If the client insists on Oracle – because Oracle would incur additional costs for premium support versus the other mentioned have strong open source communities to support). 

DB team implements the database interactions with the application to store the data in DB, retrieve it from DB, and update the data in DB.

At this stage, the application is fully functional, so software testers come in.

The sixth stage is TESTING.

In this stage, the software testing team conducts – automated script testing, manual testing, Quality Audits, Application security checks, scalability checks, and access to the usability and user experiences.  They also fix the identified bugs during testing.

The next stage is DEPLOYMENT (Seventh Stage).

The developed application is deployed to the chosen hosting environment web server. Domain settings and required security measures are configured and CI/CD pipelines for automated deployment are set up.

The last stage is MONITORING & MAINTENANCE.

The required monitoring tools like Icinga, opmon, sensu are implemented to track the application’s performance and identify the issues. Dispatch regular updates, maintain the application, address the vulnerability, and add new features if needed are done by this team. 

In Unique Software System, throughout the development cycle, we collaborate with clients to ensure the application exceeds expectations.