Building Scalable Websites: Best Practices for Web Developers
Every business aims to grow further and for that, their website should be able to handle traffic and data load.
Facebook was launched in 2004, and there were one million users on the platform at that time. Today, 3.14 billion people use Facebook, but nobody ever faced the challenge of site crash, slow loading time, or account loss.
This is the power of building a scalable website from the start to maintain performance and user satisfaction. To help solo developers and web agencies with the same, we’re here with this article where we’ll discuss the concept of website scalability, its benefits, and best practices.
What is website scalability?
Scalability of a website refers to its capacity to handle growing numbers of users, transactions, and data without compromising performance.
A scalable website is able to manage new load by leveraging provided resources like servers, databases, and network components.
Scalability is important for businesses that are anticipating growth or already detecting patterns of increased traffic.
Benefits of building scalable websites
Now, let’s talk about the advantages of building scalable websites from the start.
High performance
Scalable websites maintain fast load times and responsiveness, even under heavy traffic. It prevents user frustration and potential revenue loss.
Global access
With scalable architecture, websites can serve users worldwide by using distributed server networks to minimize latency.
Cost efficiency
Cloud services eliminate the need for pricey in-house hardware and enable pay-as-you-go models, which are frequently the foundation of scalable solutions.
User experience
Users benefit from consistent performance and minimal downtime.
Easier maintenance and updates
Modular, scalable architectures simplify maintenance and updates. It enables changes to be made without affecting the entire system.
Best practices for developers to build scalable websites
It’s not always possible for a solo developer to fulfil the client’s requirements.
In that case, they can take help from a white label web development agency. This way, they can provide high quality services without going through too much hassle.
Anyway, here are some best practices for developers to build scalable websites.
Adopt microservices architecture
A web application can be divided into smaller, independent services using microservices architecture, each of which can be created, deployed, and scaled independently.
Developers take this approach to enhance flexibility and it also allows for easier scaling of specific components without overhauling the entire system.
Utilize caching
Caching significantly reduces the database load and improves response times. It is done by storing frequently accessed data in a temporary storage layer to minimize the need for repetitive database queries, thus speeding up data retrieval.
Load balancers
The job of load balancers is to distribute traffic to multiple servers. We do this to prevent a single server from overloading.
Employ horizontal scaling
Instead of upgrading the capacity of a single server as is the case with vertical scaling, developers deploy more servers in a horizontal manner to manage rising loads.
This method provides better fault tolerance and can easily accommodate growing traffic.
Optimize database performance
Scalability requires efficient database management. Techniques like database shading, replication, and indexing help distribute data and balance the load across multiple database instances, which improves read and write operations.
Implement asynchronous processing
Asynchronous processing allows tasks to be executed in the background, freeing up resources to handle other requests.
Sending emails or processing big files are two examples of chores where this strategy comes in handy because they don’t require instant feedback.
Choose the right tech stack
A building’s strength depends on its foundation. That’s why choosing the right tech stack is necessary to support scalability.
Frameworks like Node.js, Django, and React, along with scalable database solutions like MongoDB and PostgreSQL, are designed to handle high loads and complex applications efficiently.
Leverage cloud services
Cloud platforms such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure offer scalable infrastructure and services, including computing, storage, and databases. These platforms offer the adaptability to scale resources up or down in response to demand, guaranteeing best practices and financial viability.
Top examples of highly scalable websites
- Netflix handles millions of concurrent streams. It is an expert in video content delivery at scale.
- Amazon, which started as an online bookstore, is an ecommerce giant today. Amazon’s scalability journey is legendary.
- Airbnb manages millions of listings and bookings globally. The platform demonstrates scalability in the travel sector.
Summary
Businesses expecting growth or high traffic load should focus on building scalable websites from the very start.
Developers must consider the best practices for their clients in order to create scalable websites. Such practices include microservices architecture, caching, load balancing, horizontal scaling, leveraging cloud services, etc.
