What Does Web & Software Development Cover?
Web and software development covers everything that is designed, built and maintained to run in a browser or on a server for a business. Alive Inc. groups it into seven services, each with its own page:
- Website design and development
- Web application development
- Custom web application development
- Enterprise software development
- E-commerce development
- CMS development
- CRM development
Which Service Fits Your Project?
Start with what the people using your system need to do. The answer usually points to one service.
Website, Web Application or Custom Software: What Is the Difference?
These terms are often used loosely. In practice they describe different amounts of logic behind the screen.
Website Design & Development
Business, corporate, startup and content websites built to be fast, easy to update and structured so search engines and AI assistants can understand them.
Best when you need to:
- Introduce a business or product
- Rank for services and locations
- Capture and route enquiries
- Publish articles and resources
Web Application Development
Portals, dashboards and browser-based business software for users who sign in and work with data.
Best when you need to:
- Give customers or partners a secure portal
- Replace paperwork with online workflows
- Show live information on dashboards
Custom Web Application Development
Bespoke web applications for workflows that spreadsheets and stretched tools cannot handle, designed from your rules, roles and data.
Best when you need to:
- Replace spreadsheets and manual approvals
- Model pricing, scheduling or approval rules that are unique to you
- Connect several tools into one system
Enterprise Software Development
Large, integrated systems for organizations with many users, departments, locations and existing platforms.
Best when you need to:
- Integrate ERP, HR, accounting and legacy systems
- Apply detailed access control and approvals
- Modernize older software step by step
E-commerce Development
Online stores with product catalogs, checkout, payments, shipping and order operations, from single stores to multi-vendor models.
Best when you need to:
- Launch or rebuild an online store
- Connect the store to inventory and accounting
- Support complex pricing or B2B ordering
CMS Development
Content platforms your team can manage without developers, with editing tools, roles and publishing workflows.
Best when you need to:
- Publish frequently across many pages
- Let several editors work with approvals
- Manage multiple sites or languages
CRM Development
Custom CRM implementation, customization and integration so sales and support work from one record of each customer.
Best when you need to:
- Adapt an existing CRM to your process
- Connect the CRM to your website and tools
- Add automation and reporting
Choosing a Technology Stack
The technology should fit your team, hosting budget and long-term maintenance, not follow a trend. We recommend a stack during discovery and document why.
Commonly used technologies include:
- Laravel and PHP
- Node.js
- React and Vue.js
- WordPress for content-led sites
- MySQL and PostgreSQL
- REST APIs
Web and Mobile Together
Web and mobile apps can share the same back end and APIs, so records, users and rules stay consistent across both. Many teams launch the web platform first and add a mobile app once the workflow is proven.
How You Can Work With Us
Choose the engagement that fits how much of the work you want to run yourself.
Questions to Answer Before You Start
A short brief speeds up an accurate estimate. It helps to know:
- Who will use the system, and what is each person trying to do?
- What does the current process look like, and where does it break?
- Which existing tools must it connect to?
- What must be live first, and what can wait?
- Do you need web only, or web and mobile?
- Who will maintain it after launch?