When developing a web app, one of the first things a developer (or entrepreneur) must keep in mind is the technology stack on which it will be built. The technology stack on which you build your app will directly impact its performance and usability. 

Before deciding on the one reliable option that makes the most sense for you, you must consider many factors. Choosing the wrong technology stack for your web application poses a huge risk. 

A wrong choice can cost you money, time, and resources. Learn about the most common mistakes and the major risks associated with choosing technology to create web applications.

So, let us dive right into the major aspects that one must consider when deciding the right tech stack for their business, followed by a review of the mistakes one should avoid making.

What does it mean to make the “wrong choice”?

First, we should define what a “wrong choice” in web app technology means in practice. For example, the technology you use to create your web application may be inadequate for your project and business requirements. So when you start working on your app, think about what you want to achieve and how it connects to your business objectives.

You should also confirm that the technology you are interested in is not fading. It is necessary since choosing such technology may negatively impact the development process and the app’s maintenance once it’s launched. Outdated technology is also not secure. Therefore, it is important to secure that the tech you intend to use is properly updated (by the community or corporation that supports it) and efficiently secured.

Finally, keep in mind that a low price does not always indicate high quality. A common mistake is to select technology that is less expensive than comparable stacks but less efficient than the other options.

When creating a web application, you should always engage with a reputable and professional web development firm – your technology partner will assist you in choosing the finest and most secure solution based on your needs, business goals, and plans.

The business consequences of a poor technology choice

So we’ve outlined what a “wrong choice” of technology in a web application. Now, let’s look more closely at the consequences of that decision and how they can impact your company or business.

Hiring developers to expand your existing app can be hard.

Making the wrong choice of technology for your web application can lead to severe issues when hiring developers to expand your existing app. For example, if you’ve previously set up a web application, you may have used a technology developer no longer wish to work with. The decision may have been correct at the time, but the environment has evolved, and the stack you chose is now outdated.

It’s also vital to ensure that the technology you want to use isn’t out of date because it’s possible that you choose an out-of-date technology from the start, and developers no longer want to work with it.

Please remember that the developer market is always changing. New technologies come up, and developers abandon some technologies (for example, Ember) in favour of another – better, faster, more enticing, or easier to learn – solution.

If you choose a technology that no one wants to work with later, you will lose options for expanding your app, which will damage your business. When you cannot upgrade your app and add new features, you risk losing clients and falling short of your business objectives. It may also be more expensive to locate people who wish to work with outdated technology.

The need to rewrite your app to a new technology stack

Using old technology might result in costly app rewrites and moving to a new tech stack. And doing so takes time and money.

Sometimes the makers of a certain technology decide to stop supporting and updating it, leaving you with limited choice but to switch. But still, you may avoid this by depending on the experience of your tech partner, who will suggest the most future-proof technology available to date.

Migrating an app to a new technology stack can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly, but there are times when it is worthwhile.

The risk of security breaches

Outdated or unproven technology is often poorly secure and has so many security flaws. Therefore, choosing such technology exposes your company to the major prospect of data leaks, reputation issues, a potential PR catastrophe, and, in effect, commercial collapse.

When a technology founder decides to discontinue technology support, apps built with that technology may have security issues. Every technological upgrade brings a new security patch, but if the technology is no longer maintained, new security features for that technology are no longer created. Cybercriminals love to take advantage of such security flaws.

Problems with app development and adding new features

Choosing the ‘wrong technology’ for your web application, as well as the constraints of that technology, makes adding new features difficult or impossible. So do not be adamant when it comes to maintaining and improving an app or adding new features to an app developed in an already outdated technology – sometimes, rewriting it is a better option.

Suppose you wish to add a new feature to your web application, and the development process in a certain technology has already begun. However, you have an idea to add something completely new that you did not previously discuss, and your tech partners advise you that it is just impossible due to the technology you have used.

Companies will sometimes select technologies that have a large number of ready-made, built-in solutions. WordPress and e-commerce systems are excellent examples. It might be a great solution in some circumstances, but chances are you’ll want to add some custom features that are either not possible or need a lot of the developer’s effort.

Always discuss the constraints of the technology you intend to use for your web app with your technology partner. Additionally, check that the technology is still being developed and supported by the company that created it. If it isn’t, it usually indicates you won’t be able to add new features.

Unnecessary and additional setbacks

Some businesses create basic apps using complicated frameworks; they use technology tailored to complex operations to create a simple app. And occasionally, it is the other way around — the technology used to produce a web app is insufficient to create it properly.

It is crucial to select the appropriate technology for your company’s and organisation’s demands. First, it would be best to decide what you want to achieve to establish how sophisticated your app should be. Some companies fail to adjust technology to project complexity, resulting in significant development delays, longer time to market, and missed business goals.

An app loaded with bugs and suffering from serious quality issues.

Of course, the cost is a significant consideration when designing a web application. However, don’t focus just on the cost of the project. The app’s quality is more crucial than the budget you have. It is sometimes better to do less but better than to try to eat too much.

Firms typically select low-cost technology based only on its low cost and the number of developers that utilise it (if there are a lot of developers who use a certain technology, prices are lower). Some technologies are simple to understand, and many developers are available to help you design your app. It is simple to locate developers, but it is far more difficult to hire them.

Focusing solely on the price tag may result in low-quality code, exposing your company to security breaches, infecting your app with multiple bugs, and making it impossible to add new features. These setbacks have one simple result: the app’s customers are being lost due to the app’s use of cheap and bad tech.

Finishing up

Choosing the incorrect or obsolete technology for your web application will most likely have a long-term negative impact on your business:

• It will cost unnecessary expenses.
• It will result in a long time to market, which frequently translates to failure to meet your business objectives.
• Also, you will be unable to attract new clients and may lose existing ones.
• You will have difficulty attracting investors and developers if you have bad tech.
• Last but not least, it poses significant reputation damage.

Six basic pointers to help you avoid selecting bad technology for your web application:

• Select a reputed and skilled web development firm.
• Choose a company that offers a wide range of technologies.
• Don’t make a decision based just on what’s trending.
• Don’t base your decision just on a low price.
• Be open to suggestions from your technology partner.
• Discuss your long-term plan and strategy with your web development company.