Single-page applications (SPAs) are tools that everyone has used, but nobody fully understands.
Single-page applications are everywhere and continuing to grow in popularity. You have likely already used some examples, such as Netflix, Facebook, and Gmail.
At Blaze, our expert web development team knows everything you need to know about single-page applications, and they are willing to share some of their knowledge with you.
Aren’t you lucky?
What Are Single-Page Applications?
For those who have never heard of single-page applications, figuring out what they are might be difficult.
However, whoever named single-page applications did us all a favour by giving it a name that says what it is on the tin.
A single-page application is a website that updates the current webpage with new data from the web server instead of reloading each page individually.
This essentially means that single-page applications provide real-time updates without the need to refresh.
If you’re still not comfortable with what a single-page application is, here’s a real-life example.
Think about the last time you were doom scrolling through your Instagram feed and a new post popped up; that is a prime example of a single-page application in operation.
How do Single-Page Applications Work?
The beauty of the single-page application is that you don’t receive any more HTML after the initial page loads.
Instead of updating the whole page, single-page applications subtly rewrite the information the page already contains.
Integrating a single-page application into your web design could drastically improve your site’s functionality. This way, any reactive elements can be updated without having to reload the entire page.
Let’s face it: we all hate having to load up a new page every time we click something, so you’ll only be making your site users happier by going down the single-page application route.
Why are Single-Page Applications Popular?
There are plenty of reasons why single-page applications have become so popular and to form a better explanation, we have ventured into unchartered territory to find out more information- our dev department.
According to their wisdom, here are some of the reasons why single-page applications have become so popular.
They’re Easier to Build
Because a single-page application consists of only one HTML page, it takes much less time to build.
If you want to get your site out quickly and efficiently, you will benefit from going down the single-page application route.
They Run Faster
We live in a fast-paced world. We all want everything to be done here and now and as fast as possible, and people want that from the sites they use, too.
Because a single-page application doesn’t need to fetch heaps of data every time someone clicks something, it can operate really quickly, delivering data at the drop of a hat (if the person dropping that hat was an inch tall).
Mobile Friendly
Single-page applications are more mobile-friendly than MPAs. Using a single-page application can improve user experiences, as they tend to perform better than other sites.
Think about all of the main mobile platforms you use, such as Facebook, Gmail, or X. These platforms are built on single-page applications, and because of this, they all feel really quick to navigate.
When you last searched for something, was it on your phone or your computer?
As mobile devices become smarter, we become more dependent on them, so it is important that websites run well on mobile devices.
Single-Page Applications Vs. Multi-Page Applications
In case you aren’t aware, a multi-page application (MPA) is a type of site comprising multiple pages; each page is separately created and sent to a web browser by a server.
Whoever named these clearly lacked a certain creative flair.
An MPA is the more ‘traditional’ way of creating a website, and most websites you use online are MPAs. Some classic examples include Amazon, eBay, and LinkedIn.
MPAs are usually much larger than SPAs because they need to store the large amount of data necessary for their operation.
Before you decide on which application would be best for you, you first need to establish the goal of your website. If your website can operate on a single-page application, we suggest following that route.
However, if you have a lot of data to share, your content may be too large for an SPA, and you may need to create an MPA.
Pros and Cons of Single-Page Applications
Now that you know a bit more about how SPA works, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of single-page applications.
Pro: Speed
With an SPA, all resources only have to be loaded once when you initially boot up the page. Once the page is loaded once, it won’t need to be loaded again, and from that point, data is transmitted back and forth.
Using a single-page application is likely your best bet if you want your site to be fast and dynamic.
Con: SEO
Something that you should keep in mind is that single-page applications aren’t very search engine friendly, so if you are looking to utilise SEO for your site, you may want to avoid SPAs.
SEO depends on page crawling, and this can only occur if the page is discovered, which usually happens through identifying content. When crawlers come across an SPA, they will just see an empty container due to how data is transferred.
SEO depends on web traffic, which is not encouraged through the use of an SPA.
Pro: Easy to Debug
A major benefit of SPAs is they are generally very easy to debug. Because of how they operate, users are able to use browser developer tools to find any errors in the code that renders a single-application page.
With an MPA, you need to sift through thousands of lines of code before you find the issue, so using an SPA speeds up the process.
Remember that though this is a huge advantage, it contributes to SPAs being quite easy to hack. Because the code is so easy to find, it’s very easy to alter.
Con: Slower Initial Load Time
You have to keep in mind that when you first open a single-page application, the entire application is loaded at once, so as you can imagine it will take slightly longer for an SPA to load in comparison to an MPA.
The time it takes depends on how complex the JavaScript used on the page is. If it isn’t very complex, it shouldn’t take too long to load.
If your attention span can’t cope with how long an SPA takes to load, you won’t be happy when you have to load dozens of individual pages in an MPA.
Single-Page Applications Frameworks
Like any site, not all SPAs are built the same way.
Every developer is different, and even the development team we have at Blaze has its own individual preferences. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right—who told them that free thinking was allowed?
Most developers have a preference for frameworks they use when building SPAs, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Before our team decides which framework to use, they consider aspects of the site, such as the functionality and the user interface.
Here are some of the more popular frameworks to give you an idea of the frameworks developers use.