Which one you actually need-“Single Page Application or Multi Page Application”
Today, there are two principal ways of building websites: as multi-page applications (MPAs) or as single-page applications (SPAs). Majority of the web application is still made upon MPA. Although, SPA considered being a modern solution for a web application in many use cases building an MPA is a simply better option. In fact, many of the web’s most popular websites like Amazon, eBay have opted to remain as MPAs. On the other hand, SPA contains a website like Facebook, Google, and Apple, etc.
So, how can you decide which option is best for your project or your business? When deciding between single-page and multi-page, it’s vital to bear in mind your business goals and your project’s requirements. I’ve prepared the comparison below to overcome your confusions.
Let’s chose one!
What are they actually?
Single Page Application
A single-page application works in the browser while they don’t require any page reload and extra waiting time. SPA independently makes a request to the DOM and data after then renders the page directly in the browser. The page doesn’t need to be updated since the content is downloaded automatically. We are extremely involved with SPA with our daily life uses like Facebook, Google, and Medium.
Multi Page application
Multi-page applications are the traditional web applications consists of several pages with static information and a lot of links to other pages. MPA reload the entire page and displays the new one when a user interacts with the web app. It is mainly designed for a large website like Amazon, eBay, and other e-commerce sites. The main technology has been used for MPA are HTML and CSS where JavaScript and JQuery are used for increasing time and reduce the load. Although AJAX had made it possible to render just a particular component of the application, this makes the development process even more difficult and complex.
How they Work?
Single Page Application
Single Page Applications are uses HTML5 and Ajax to create a web page. This thing ensures a smooth responsive web page, as well as the constant page, reloads by its own. SPA uses JavaScript to carry out the maximum number of processing to the client side. Once the page is fully loaded with HTML & JavaScript code, all the subsequent updates are carried out through AJAX calls. After then the data is loaded by using the API call JSON from the server. This data is then updated on the web page without reloading which confirms the best user experience by SPA.
Multi Page application
Multi-Page Applications are used HTML and CSS to create a web page. MPA uses AJAX to render a particular component of the application due to its bigger size. In a Multi-Page Application, they demand to transfer a large amount of data between the browser and a server. So, every time the app requests the server, the server renders a new HTML page that has to reload the web page all over again. These things undoubtedly increasing the response time as well as the performance of the application.
When to use them?
Single Page Application
Single-page web applications are best for small data volume dynamic platform. For future mobile app development, it can be an ideal base as every web platform is now moving on to the mobile application. This architecture is excellent for both SaaS platforms and social networks where search engine optimization doesn’t matter. However, SEO optimization is the main obstacle to this development approach. Although there is a solution to this problem is MPA otherwise single page application is a perfect choice.
Multi Page application
A multi-page application is appropriate for large data volume multi-page websites. It is specially designed for companies with a broad range of products or services that require a lot of features and multiple menus. It is one of the best options for online stores, business sites, catalogs, and marketplaces. An MPA can consist of many micro websites and subsections that allow multiple entry points. To put it simply, if you have a lot of content and features like multiple products and services to include on your website then an MPA would be a good choice.
Why Single Page Applications?
Increase Efficiency
Single Page Apps get the entire fundamental markup from the web server which is required to load the page. On this time, only specific data elements are being loaded. To ensure smooth navigation for the user, this diminishes the loading time of the web pages.
Easier Debugging
It is much easier to debug a single page application; hence it has all its code on a single page. SPA frameworks often come with their own developer tools, and this makes the debugging process more hassle less.
Fast and responsive
Since single-page applications need not update the whole page but required content. This is how a SPA improves website speed significantly. In an entire lifespan of a SPA application, most of the resources are only loaded once.
Mobile-friendliness
Nowadays a vast amount of traffic comes from mobile so that frameworks that are used in SPA development allow you to create mobile apps in addition. This can be done by reusing the existing codes. Which is left is the UI layout to match the screen of the mobile devices.
Makes your website unique
SPAs one of the best things is that creating eye caching effects for their users. In this competitive market place, single page application can make your place comfortably secure from the others and this is so important to survive in the long run.
Why Multiple Page Applications?
SEO optimization
Many say MPA provides better SEO since the architecture is native to search engine crawlers. This kind of app gives better control over SEO because of multiple pages and its changing content. MPA offers the developers to put Meta tag to every page of an MPA site. Different keywords can help an MPA for better ranking of pages since an app can be optimized for one keyword per page.
Unlimited scalability
Multi-page apps can include more information about products or services as per your requirement. There was no page limitation for this. As a result, you can create new content to place it on new pages as you want.
Cost Effective
We use MPAs since the very beginning of the website era. Multi-Page App development has become a cost-effective approach due to a lot of established technologies and developers working in the same domain.
Security
Multi-page application offers more secure browsing over single page applications. Most of the technologies and frameworks available for Multi-Page App development have been tried and tested so many times which makes MPA more secure than any other new application.
Better Maintainability
Coding for multi-page application is easier than the single page application. MPAs have partitioned code that’s why it can distribute its code among all the pages. It’s easier to maintain a Multi-Page Application for distributed coding pages availability.
Drawbacks of Single Page Application?
SEO optimization
Search engine optimization is important since it helps potential users discover your website. Single page applications are operated on JavaScript and download data on request from the client side that’s the reason for providing poor SEO optimization by SPA.
Browser history
SPA doesn’t provide browsing history support which means when a visitor clicks the back buttons they surely won’t go back. A SPA doesn’t save visitors’ jumps between states, and so a browser only takes users to the previous page where the mobile app just has the previous state.
Weaker security
JavaScript’s doesn’t perform code compilation, so it becomes accessible to malicious users. By using Cross Site Scripting they are able to deliver dangerous JS scripts to other users. It needs extra work of proficient developers to make it secure.
Development cost
Both SPA and MPA need the same amount of efforts and time so there are no such things to think that SPA is cheaper and also easier to develop. Not only this but also a developer should have knowledge about the latest JavaScript frameworks. This can increase the cost of developing a SPA in hourly rate even higher.
Dependence on JavaScript
A single-page app is mostly dependent on JavaScript and its frameworks. Otherwise, it may cause bugs and problems with app functionality those results in higher app bounce rates and lower conversion rates.
Drawbacks of Multiple Page Applications?
Increased Loading Time
While using a multi-page application when a user creates any new request then a new web page is rendered by the server. At loading another page, the browser completely reloads page data and downloads all resources again, even components that are repeated throughout all pages.
Mobile App Development becomes difficult
In SPA they can easily use their backend code to develop a mobile application as well. But there are no such things in multi-page application. A multi-page application does not allow this. As a result, you may need to start everything from scratch again.
Oppressive testing
In single page application testing was quite streamlined because of clear separation lines between the UI interface and the data. But multi-page applications do not have this kind of distinction so that the testing process is so oppressive.
More time for development
Multi-page application takes more times to develop. In most cases, developers have to code the backend from scratch. Developers have to suffer more while separating the frontend and the backend since they are very close to each other. This requires more time for app development.
Maintenance and updates
Maintaining and updating multiple pages can be difficult as they are too large. This also affects the security of a multi-page application because developers need to secure each separate page.
How to make a perfect choice?
Both the architectures come with their own sets of pros and cons. Before deploying a web application, you need to consider the goal of it. Choosing between a SPA and an MPA can be easier if you have your goals and requirements determined. There are a few things to consider before deciding whether you should or should not choose to build a single page application over a multi-page application.
· Who are your targeted audience?
Whether you make your site, SPA or MPA, it’s for your customer or targeted audience, right? Then you have to think about your customers live in places which are likely to have a high network or network insufficiency. It will help to select SPA instead of MPA.
· What is your business platform?
SPAs are good for developing social networking applications, SaaS platforms, usually where SEO Rankings do not play a vital role. Where, MPA approach is good, for e-commerce applications, business catalogs, and marketplaces.
· How much do you need SEO?
SEO can play a vital role in your business as well as your sites. In order to survive in the long run of this competitive business market, you always wanted to get your website indexed. Don’t forget though, that there are plenty of business models that don’t imply your project to be heavily dependent on SEO. MPA offers better SEO than SPA in this regards.
· What is your future plan?
If you have long-term product vision then you have to think twice. SPAs are flexible and will allow you to go in another direction. But still, if you’re not sure you’ll be able to resist the desire to add another page, consider choosing an MPA pattern. SPA provides you with better speed and reusable code that you can deploy to develop your mobile application where developing a mobile application is a bit difficult for MPA.
Once, you have your goal and purpose then consider these things. I am pretty much sure you will get your desired platform.
Remember, always choose the best.
