Introduction
Without a powerful engine, a rocket is nothing. The same is true for a mobile application. Without a functional backend, the application capabilities and user interface will be limited, regardless of how good the user interface is. That’s because the backend supports data exchange and communication. It allows the mobile application to do tasks that demand a considerable amount of computing power.
Our guide gives you everything you need to know about the backend, its types, and the technologies used to build them.
Why Do You Need a Backend For Mobile Apps?
The backend is the inner layer of a site or application that is hidden from the user. It’s also known as the server component. It is the service software and hardware part that runs on the server.
The server is hidden behind the user interface, the site, or the application visible element that operates on the client side. For example, when a user submits a query to a search engine and hits the “Search” button, this query is routed to the server – that’s where search algorithms pick out the relevant data. However, the search results displayed are just the user interface.
Application Backend Types
Server-Oriented Backend
Servers are computers or programs that provide services to other computing devices. This approach is the standard server architecture most widely used by the developers.
A server-oriented backend for mobile apps can be hosted in the cloud. The benefits of this back-end architecture include simplified data exchange and seamless integration with various computing devices. Because this architecture is centralized, it offers a single access point that can be in your home, office, or anywhere else.
The server-oriented architecture consists of three layers:
- API,
- database,
- and application.
API. This stands for Application Programming Interface. It acts as an intermediate utility that allows a developer to add internal functionality to a website or an app. For example, it can be used to integrate with social networks, send messages, integrate with smartphone features, and more. However, the benefits and capabilities of the backend API for mobile apps are largely determined by the capabilities of the technology that uses it.
Database. It is a repository of large amounts of data available to users and computer programs. Databases are created and managed using various types of modeling techniques. All types of database technologies offer utilities for creating and managing data storage. Yet the developers can also create their own external applications if they so wish. Such apps interact with the database via a command set called queries to store new or retrieve existing data.
Application. The app layer consists of computer programs that send various queries to the database. As soon as the database responds, the results are displayed in the appropriate sections of the application interface.
Serverless Backend
The serverless backend architecture has servers that are deployed and managed by a third party. In essence, the backend provider takes care of server maintenance and scaling if need be. This way, the developer doesn’t have to worry about server troubles. At the same time, the server vendor offers an application dashboard to manage application features.
This type of architecture helps developers process application projects quickly. Running cloud applications is also hassle-free as third parties take care of server management and scaling. Experts consider a serverless architecture to be more secure. Plus, this solution frees the developer from the server management hassle. The reason is simple: experienced back-end providers can deal with security issues more effectively.
But keep in mind that since the serverless server architecture is based on cloud technologies, it is more vulnerable to attacks. Therefore, special attention must be paid to minimizing vulnerabilities to make the server secure.
Decentralized Backend
This type of architecture consists of a centralized server network. These servers are located in various physical locations. Because there is no central location, no one takes full responsibility for managing the backend.
This type of network often uses open-source technologies running on individual terminals in a peer-to-peer network. The two most popular decentralized networks are Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Programmers can use any language to create the frontend and user interface with this kind of backend for mobile apps. Plus, the frontend storage of a decentralized architecture can be hosted in backend apps.
Functions Provided With Backend Development
There are several factors to consider before adding a mobile backend for app development. Here are the most basic functions to use while developing mobile applications.
Cloud Server
Today, everyone can get cloud servers that are available in a variety of sizes and are placed in a secure location. Google App Engine, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon AWS are some of the most popular cloud servers. They are widely used by major organizations and are very efficient.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or Third-Party Services
Some existing services may already provide the functionality you require. They provide backend solutions that are ready for usage by frontend applications. You only need to sign up and subscribe for a monthly charge, and in a few clicks, you’ll have a fully functional backend.
Mobile Backend As a Server (MBaaS)
If you do not want to create your own backend servers or place resources on a cloud-based server, Mobile Backend as a Service (MBaaS) is an opportunity for you. There are multiple different MBaaS providers available today, each with outstanding capabilities and an analytics platform for monitoring your apps.
Custom Server
This is the most versatile and powerful option. A custom backend can handle anything that SaaS or MBaaS cannot. Of course, one clear disadvantage is the cost of development and implementation. It is important to have a dedicated backend developer or a whole team. The custom backend might range from a simple application to a sophisticated distributed system, depending on your app’s requirements.
Custom Backend Vs Backend as a Service
Developers face a complicated array of factors when picking functionality for the backend development of mobile applications. Each of these factors plays a critical part in the app’s overall performance and user satisfaction.
Recognizing that the digital ecosystem doesn’t provide a one-size-fits-all answer, it becomes clear that the process of decision-making is quite delicate. It demands a thorough examination of the unique characteristics and requirements of your mobile application. This process entails carefully considering the pros and cons of each possible option for your app’s specific needs and goals.
Custom Backend Pros
Flexibility and Control
A custom backend gives you control over the code and infrastructure. This allows you to customize the backend to meet your requirements and easily link it with your existing systems. You may also modify it more easily as your company grows and your needs change.
Security
Custom backends provide greater control over security. The ability to use enhanced authentication mechanisms, data encryption, and other security features gives more protection to the sensitive information.
Scalability
A custom backend can be built to scale effectively with the growth of your user base. This is critical for applications that expect a large rise in traffic or data storage requirements.
Performance
A bespoke backend allows you to customize the code for optimal performance. This can result in a faster and more responsive user interface for your application.
Features
If your app requires specific functions, a bespoke backend enables you to create those features from scratch.
Custom Backend Cons
Higher Cost and Time Investment
The creation of a custom backend demands a lot of energy and resources. At the very least, it is necessary to hire experienced developers, manage the development process, and assign maintenance tasks. This may be costly compared to a BaaS solution with enhanced functionality and scalability features.
In-house Expertise
Developing a custom backend involves having or consulting in-house experts or an outsourced team. It can trouble smaller companies or startups without expertise.
Vendor Lock-in
Your app will become linked to the technologies and frameworks used in the custom backend and therefore the new technologies that will exist in the future. Switching the backend after that can be a problem by a certain time and may cost a lot.
Maintenance Burden
Dealing with the backend issues will require clients to constantly maintain their software ecosystem to fix bugs, tackle security breaches, and solve performance issues. The backend is also vulnerable, and keeping it up-to-date is a must.
Complexity
For basic applications with straightforward functionality, a custom backend might be overkill. A BaaS can often provide a faster and more cost-effective solution.
BaaS Pros
Faster Development and Reduced Time to Market
BaaS removes the burdens of constructing your own backend infrastructure. You can easily use pre-built features such as authentication, data storage, and push notifications so that you concentrate on creating the main functionality of your app. This makes it easier for the development to take place and to have your app launched in a shorter period.
Affordability
Typically, BaaS relies on a pay-as-you-use model. For startups or applications with an unpredictable user base, this comes cheap.
Concentration on Frontend Development
Once backend duties are given to a BaaS provider, a lot of your development team’s time and resources can be spent on creating a user-friendly frontend experience for your application.
Scalability
Most BaaS platforms come equipped with automatic scaling capabilities. You won’t need any manual adjustments when traffic increases or more data has to be stored.
Easier Maintenance
Server maintenance, security updates, and infrastructure upgrades are usually done by BaaS providers. This allows your team to concentrate more on core development tasks thus lessening the need to maintain their own backends.
BaaS Cons
Limited Flexibility and Control
BaaS vendors supply pre-built features and functionality. While this is convenient, it does limit your ability to tailor the backend to your exact requirements. You may not have access to the basic code or the ability to implement highly specialized functions.
Vendor Lock-in
Once you have integrated a BaaS into your app, transferring to another provider can be difficult and time-consuming. Your application becomes dependent on the specific capabilities and functions provided by the BaaS platform.
Potential Security Concerns
BaaS security is dependent on the provider’s infrastructure and procedures. While most BaaS providers have strong security features, you lose some control over data security methods. It is critical to select a reliable BaaS provider with a solid security track record.
Limited Scalability for Complex Needs
BaaS platforms are typically intended for handling a diverse set of applications. However, for very complicated applications requiring vast scalability, a custom backend may provide greater control and better performance optimization.
Pricing for High Usage
While BaaS provides a pay-as-you-go model, apps with a big user base or high use of resources may see considerable cost increases.
Feature Limitations
Applications that require extremely unique or specialized functionality beyond the platform’s pre-built features may not be compatible with BaaS.
Which Apps Need a Backend?
Apps That Don’t Need a Backend
Simply put, the backend is the software that the app uses to connect to the Internet. So instead of wondering whether your application needs a backend, ask yourself, “Does my application require internet access?”.
Some programs can function completely offline. Of course, you’ll need the Internet to download them. Yet if your application can function without an Internet connection, it can certainly function without a backend. Here are some apps that do not require a backend.
- Calculator. You can use the Calculator app to perform some simple mathematical equations. These can be easily calculated on a smartphone and no backend is required.
- Measure. This app enables users to measure anything using only their phone without a ruler (e.g. apartment measurements in sq.m.). An app like that doesn’t need a backend.
- Camera. Every smartphone has this app by default. It can be used to take photos or record videos, and it does not require a backend to function. Of course, the current version of the application stores image backups on the server. However, the backend is not required to capture a picture, as per the application’s basic principle.
- Voice Recorder. An audio recording app that uses the microphone on the user’s smartphone. It saves recordings to the device’s local storage. Thus, the app is totally functional without a backend.
- Tetris. This game needs no introduction. You don’t need a backend to create a game like that – most single-player games are playable without server components. Should you need a leaderboard, a backend would be useful.
Apps That Need a Backend
As you see, a backend is required by apps with more complex functionality. Such apps are very common. It’s simpler to name the categories they belong to.
- Messaging applications. Messenger apps have grown in popularity with smartphone users. Thus demand for custom mobile app development increases as well. Although building a messenger app is not easy, developers can swiftly create one with the support of high-quality server services. Messaging apps require real-time database access to transmit or receive messages and instantly convert data. MBaaS (mobile backend as a service) companies specialize in providing RESTful APIs, storage servers, notification services, and messaging protocols, critical for those operations.
- Geolocation apps. Geolocation applications are extensively used in online taxi, food delivery, and parcel delivery services. Fortunately, server-side programming tools work excellently for location-based properties as well, with Geohashes and GeoPoint being some of the more popular examples. As a result, some backend apps assist with real-time queries and large databases to support various geolocation requirements. Other backend solutions provide services that help secure server support for apps like that.
- IoT applications. Applications for the Internet of Things are used on IoT devices and belong to specific industries. These IoT applications could be related to traffic monitoring, health, wearable gadgets, water supply, fleet management, or agriculture. Server services are absolutely necessary for this kind of software. MBaaS systems may simply combine these app data sources and connect them to other applications. Additionally, support for SDKs and APIs for server services is also very beneficial for good IoT software performance.
- Games. Backend services for mobile apps are also excellent when it comes to game projects. MBaaS systems can handle all the server operations requirements of gaming software. Server services offer a high-performance cloud architecture perfect for gaming applications. Similarly, the availability of NoSQL databases, log management, and tracking technologies makes server services a viable option for developing gaming apps’ backends.
What Are the Best Backend Technologies for Mobile Apps?
Web Server Tools
A web backend server for mobile apps can store, process, and provide data to apps installed on end-user phones, all while keeping the server and client communication secure.
Examples:
- Apache HTTP Server
- Apache Tomcat
- NGINX
- Node.js
- Lighttpd
According to BuiltWith, the most used web server tool is NGINX, which has 32.41% of all use cases. Apache takes the second place and has 21.53% of popularity.
Database Tools
A database backend for mobile apps enables dynamism, which is increasingly important these days. It is in charge of providing data to the client, as well as accepting and storing previously transmitted data.
Examples:
- Oracle RDBMS
- IBM DB2
- Altibase
- Microsoft SQL Server
- SAP Sybase ASE
- Teradata
- ADABAS
- MySQL
- FileMaker
- Microsoft Access
- Informix
- SQLite
- PostgreSQL
- Amazon RDS
- MongoDB
According to Statista, the most popular database management system is Oracle, having a 1240.88 ranking score. MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB follow the leader and form the top 5 database tools by their popularity.
Git Clients
Developers can use Git clients to work with visual version control and a project collaboration system. Since the user does not have to create code for version control manually, they can perform their jobs much faster.
Examples:
- SourceTree
- GitHub Client
Microservice Platform Tools
Microservices is a collection of tools and technologies that provide a variety of services through the Internet. They have predefined functions and algorithms, allowing developers to quickly design sophisticated software.
Examples:
- Kubernetes
- Docker
Local Development Environment
An LDE, or a local development environment, enables you to set up services on a workstation to run a website or a mobile app.
Examples:
- WampServer
- XAMPP
- Laragon
Collaboration Service Tools
Collaboration Services technologies streamline professional project collaboration. This removes the bottlenecks common in feedback and approval workflow procedures, allowing for smooth real-time collaboration. Communication, project and task management, as well as file sharing and management, are the three primary functionalities of collaboration software.
Examples:
- Slack
- Jira
App Performance Testing Tools
A good performance testing tool is necessary to determine the efficiency, speed, scalability, reliability, and compatibility of your apps.
Examples:
- Apache JMeter
- AppLoader
Read more in our backend testing tutorial.
Middleware
Middleware is server-side software that connects the frontend and backend of an application. It creates a connection between the client and the server. Middleware can be organized into multiple layers, including business and presentation ones.
Furthermore, it allows on-premise and cloud software to interact while also providing services like error management and data integration. An effective middleware can improve the management of business processes, user engagement, authentication, content management, and so on.
Examples:
- Flow middleware platform
- IBM WebSphere application server
- JBoss EAP
- Oracle Fusion middleware
- Temenos Fabric
- WSO2 Carbon
Best Practices For Mobile Backend App Development
Building an app’s backend is a multistep process with a number of complex stages. To ensure the app’s success, developers must prioritize certain essential elements when creating a backend for a mobile app. Ignoring these elements can have significant consequences on the app’s performance in general and user experience.
Flexibility
Developers should make sure that the backend of a mobile app is flexible enough to deal with a growing user base and increased data volumes without negatively impacting the app’s performance.
This goal can be met by developing a scalable backend system structure that supports horizontal scalability, which means adding more servers to meet increasing demand. Furthermore, optimizing database queries and introducing caching can assist in speeding up the backend system.
Security
The development team must prioritize security measures to avoid breaches and secure user data. They can set up strong user authentication methods to guarantee that only authorized users have access to critical information. To protect the system from potential threats, they should also update software and install security patches regularly, encrypt data, and do frequent security audits.
Adaptability
The development team should strive to build a backend that is both extensible and simple, allowing for the simple integration of new features and repairs. To achieve this, companies should consider using a microservices architecture, which allows for the independent development and release of distinct system components.
In one of our articles, we’ve gathered information dedicated to monoliths and microservices. Feel free to read the article to learn more.
Furthermore, using standard protocols and APIs is recommended to ensure backward compatibility with newer products and systems. This will allow the development team to design a strong and scalable system capable of handling future updates and developments.
Maintenance
To ensure the backend’s sustainability and security, the development team must update and maintain the backend on a regular basis. The team should thoroughly inspect all the features, data, and other backend components for bugs and security problems using bespoke code, and get involved when needed. To maintain seamless operations, developers should keep an eye on the backend and make adjustments as needed.
Mobile Backend Development Challenges
Developing mobile backends unveils a number of issues, mostly due to the dynamic and unique characteristics of mobile applications, as well as the need to support numerous platforms. Given the complex nature of the mobile environment, developers frequently encounter numerous typical issues when creating mobile backends.
Scalability
Companies have to ensure that their backend is capable of handling expanding user numbers and data volumes. There are some options to solve this challenge.
First, make sure to create a scalable architecture that can grow horizontally. Then, employ load balancing to divide traffic among multiple servers. Another thing to consider is to use cloud services or containerization and apply horizontal scaling to add resources as the user base grows.
Data Privacy and Security
Mobile applications frequently store sensitive user data. Therefore, it is critical to guarantee data security throughout transmission and storage. However, deploying effective authentication, authorization, and encryption techniques is difficult.
To address this difficulty, developers should follow some steps. First, set up secure authentication and authorization systems. Then, to encrypt data while in transit, use HTTPS. Last, but not least, conduct frequent security audits and follow recent security best practices.
Real-Time Communication
Apps with real-time capabilities, such as messaging or collaboration, require a backend that supports real-time communication. To do this, developers can implement WebSockets or push notification services, optimize server performance for efficient real-time communication, and implement effective handling of errors for such features to avoid unexpected problems.
Monitoring and Debugging
Debugging and monitoring a system with many components can be tough, especially in the context of production. It requires specialized tools and processes to identify and handle issues fast and maintain a stable backend. To tackle this challenge, developers can implement strong logging and monitoring using tools.
Another option is to use error tracking systems to proactively detect and resolve issues. One more thing to consider is to create effective debugging procedures and tools for both the development and production environments.
Third-Party Services Integrations
Mobile applications commonly rely on third-party services for various functions. However, the integration and upkeep of these services might provide additional issues, such as dependency management and the use of versions. There are some ways to solve these issues.
First, developers must choose reliable and well-documented services. They should implement effective handling of errors and fallback techniques for backend interaction with third-party technologies. To avoid potential difficulties, it’s better to stay up to date on third-party API upgrades and modifications.
How to Choose the Backend Provider
Startups and newcomers struggle to find a suitable backend provider. Even well-established businesses occasionally make mistakes. That is why, while selecting a mobile backend solution, you should take into account the following factors.
Ease of Use
Whether your business is large or small, your app development teams prefer simple mobile backend services. Yes, it is important for you to easily navigate the UI of the backend service provider.
Furthermore, it should be quick to manage server-side assignments for both technicians and managers. Similarly, user administration should be simple with these services.
Security
Today, data is considered to be extremely precious, and the data safety of users is undoubtedly critical. The majority of backend services are cloud-based, which increases the risk of data breaches and security difficulties.
Therefore, developers as well as businesses should choose safe mobile backend services. Triple data encryption, an effective authentication mechanism, restricted public access, the sealing of input fields, and other information may be useful in this regard. In other words, you need to understand what a mobile backend vendor can offer to keep the application secure.
Scalability
Businesses typically prefer mobile app backend services since the resources may be easily expanded or reduced. Indeed, well-known backend providers such as Firebase or AWS provide highly scalable models that allow for the rapid extension and limitation of resources based on budget and requirements.
Additionally, as a young company, you can operate with fewer resources. However, when your user base grows, you can expand your plan to include additional data storage, APIs, and other properties. It merely requires a few clicks. So, it is critical to estimate the scalability of your chosen vendor.
Pricing
We all know that an affordable price policy is a major factor in the popularity of mobile app backend services. Some mobile app backend vendors provide a pay-as-you-go pricing model with free signup, whereas others require credit cards for free services.
Similarly, some BaaS providers impose minimal monthly fees based on the cost of resources consumed. Companies must determine which pricing strategy will best suit their needs.
User Authentication
User authentication is yet another factor to think about while selecting a good MBaaS service. Major mobile app backend vendors already offer two-factor verification. However, you should still ask about this functionality before making a final selection.
Push Notifications and Social Integrations
Connecting your mobile app to social networking apps is simple thanks to ready-made integration characteristics. Social integration is critical for the success of mobile applications since it attracts greater user attention.
Similarly, to support your advertising campaigns, you should know whether a vendor provides you with push alerts or not.
Conclusion
Now that you understand what a mobile application backend is, it’s time to ask the big question: does your app need a backend? If you’re making an app that deals with user data, it definitely does.
When choosing a technological stack for the software backend, ensure that it meets the requirements of your application, business logic, and future growth potential.
Our team of professionals has years of experience in mobile app backend development. Whether you already know all the details of your future project or only a vague idea for an application, contact us to book a free consultation and discuss what Bamboo Agile can do for your business.
