Developing and maintaining a website is perhaps one of the most challenging jobs for your business. But it is a necessary evil because the digital market has witnessed a bloom and without an online presence, you can never take your business to the next level. Although you can use a professional development company for your project, knowing the steps to be carried out will be beneficial in building a successful website.

Website development comprises multiple steps and requires planning, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. These stages are often iterative and may overlap with each other, depending on the project's specific requirements and timeline. Successful website development requires a collaborative approach between designers, developers, content creators, and other stakeholders.

What should you have before starting website development?

Before you start building a website, there are specific prerequisites that you must have. It's almost like gathering the raw materials for a construction project before starting the development. There are 2 basic requirements to begin a website development.

1. Domain name: once you have decided to build a website, you need to decide on the domain name. The domain name should represent the business or entity you're building your website with and should be easier for people to remember. The domain name can be registered through a registrar, and you must decide on the top-level domain name like .com, .net, and .org.
2. We Hosting: to have your website online, you'll need a web hosting provider who will host your website on the internet. You'll upload necessary programming files, images, and HTML documents to a web server so that they are available online.

What are the stages of website development?

The next step we need to learn is the website development process. The stages of website development can vary depending on the specific project, but generally include the following steps:

1. Choice of the technology stack

The first step for building the website is choosing the technology stack. A technology stack is a collection of software tools and programming languages used to build a software application. There are many popular technology stacks that are used in software development. Some of the most popular technology stacks are:

• LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP): This technology stack is most widely used for building web applications. It includes the Linux operating system, Apache web server, MySQL database, and PHP programming language.
• .NET: .NET is a technology stack developed by Microsoft for building Windows-based applications. It includes the .NET framework, C# programming language, and Visual Studio IDE.
• Java: Java is a popular programming language used for building web, mobile, and desktop applications. It has a large number of libraries and frameworks available, including Spring and Hibernate.
• Django: Django is a popular technology stack for building web applications using the Python programming language and the Django web framework.
• Ruby on Rails: Ruby on Rails is a popular technology stack for building web applications using the Ruby programming language and the Rails web application framework.
• MEAN (MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, Node.js): This is another popular technology stack for building web applications. It includes the MongoDB database, Express web application framework, AngularJS frontend framework, and Node.js runtime environment.
• MERN (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js): This technology stack is similar to MEAN but uses the React frontend library instead of AngularJS.

There is 2 technology that you must consider: front-end and back-end. The front-end refers to the client-side user interface, and the back-end refers to the server-side technology.

Front-end technology refers to the part of a website that users interact with directly. It includes the visual design, user interface, and user experience elements of a website or application. Front-end technology uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the look and feel of a website.

Back-end technology refers to the part of an application that users do not see directly but that performs behind-the-scenes functions such as data storage and processing. Back-end developers use programming languages such as Java, Python, Ruby, and PHP to write server-side code that powers the functionality of a website. They also use databases such as MySQL, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL to store and manage data, and web servers such as Apache, Nginx, and IIS to handle incoming requests and serve dynamic content to users.

2. Website design and development

The next step in website development is designing and writing the codes. Designing usually refers to the front-end design that you must create with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In the design phase, you'll focus on UI, navigation, draggable slider, incorporating multiple images and setting their dimensions, and everything that users will interact with.

The core programming is done in the back-end that will handle the core functionality of the website including features, storage, and encapsulated functionalities. Web developers use tools such as code editors, version control software, and testing frameworks to build and test the website's code.

3. testing

In the web development process, there are 4 different types of testing that need to be conducted. The testing phases start with unit testing to test individual components, followed by integration testing to test how different components work together, system testing to test the entire website or application, and user acceptance testing to ensure that the system meets the user's requirements and expectations.

• Unit Testing: Unit testing is the process of testing individual components or modules of code to ensure that they are working as intended. It is typically done by developers during the coding phase and involves testing small, isolated pieces of code to identify and fix any bugs or errors. Unit tests are often automated and can be run frequently throughout the development process to catch issues early.
• Integration Testing: Integration testing is the process of testing how different components of a website or application work together. It involves testing the integration points between different modules or systems to ensure that they are working as expected. Integration testing is usually performed after unit testing and can be done manually or with automated testing tools.
• System Testing: System testing is the process of testing the entire website or application as a whole. It involves testing the system as a complete entity to ensure that all components are working together properly. System testing can include functionality testing, performance testing, and security testing.
• User Acceptance Testing: User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is the process of testing the website or application from the user's perspective. It involves testing the system with real-world scenarios and user workflows to ensure that the system meets the user's requirements and expectations. UAT is typically done by end-users or stakeholders and can help identify usability issues or functionality gaps that may have been missed in previous testing phases.

Each testing phase is essential for identifying and fixing bugs and errors and ensuring that the website or application functions properly and meets the user's needs.

4. Deployment

Once the testing results are perfect and all the bugs have been removed, the deployment process can begin. The deployment phase of the web development process involves making the website live and available to the public.

The deployment process involves choosing a web hosting service, uploading the website files, configuring the domain name and DNS, setting up security features, testing the website, and launching the website.

5. Maintenance and support

Once the website is live, ongoing maintenance is essential to ensure that the website remains up-to-date, secure, and optimized for user experience. This can include tasks such as updating software, fixing bugs, and making ongoing improvements to the website's design and functionality.