What is Web Portal Development: Explained Like I’m Five

by Nguyen Quang Duong

Are you wondering, “What is web portal development?” Well, it is the process of developing a web portal. 

But what is a web portal anyway? Hmm, simply think of it as a platform that requires users to log in to access certain resources and services.

Still have more questions and want more detailed information about web portals? Then you’re in the right place. In this blog post, we will discuss web portal development in length, including the tech stack used in web portal development, trends, and more.

Let’s explore with Axalize– the #1 web portal development services provider.

What Is A Web Portal?

Simply speaking, a web portal is a website that gathers all the important information about your business. A prominent characteristic of a web portal is that it requires users to register for a password-protected account to unlock access to the services and content behind the portal.

We think it’s important to clarify that although web portals and websites both require Internet access, they are not the same thing. Here are the three biggest differences between web portals vs typical websites.

  • Web portals let users highly interact with content online. Meanwhile, a typical website usually has read-only pages.
  • To access features, services, or content of a web portal, you need to create an account with a password and then log in. With websites, unless your IP is blocked by the website owner, you can view its content without authentication.
  • Web portals usually have much more extensive features because they integrate with tons of third-party tools and platforms.

💡 Want to build a web portal people love to sign up and engage?

At Axalize, we provide specialized web portal development services tailored to your demand and budget.

Core Technologies in Web Portal Development

Most web portals are complex and have lots of features, integrations, etc. Hence, in order to develop a functional web portal, developers will need to use multiple technologies at a time. This includes programming languages, frameworks and libraries, databases, and web servers.

Technology

Back-end development

Front-end development

Programming Languages

PHP, Python, Java, Ruby, Node.js, etc.

HTML, CSS, JavaScript

Frameworks and Libraries

Laravel, Django, Spring, Ruby on Rails, etc.

React, Angular, Vue.js, etc.

Databases

MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, etc.

Web Servers

Apache, Nginx, etc.

Modern Web Portal Development Trends

Besides mastering the tech stack mentioned above, top-tier web portal development agencies like ourselves often go above and beyond by utilizing new trends. 

From our experience, here are some modern web portal development trends and how it works:

Trends

How it works

Main benefits

Headless CMS

A headless CMS separates the back end and the front-end display

It allows you to deliver content across various platforms like websites, mobile apps, etc. with fast loading speed

Microservices

Microservices break down applications into smaller, independent services that you can develop, deploy, and scale individually

This approach enhances scalability and makes updating and maintaining each part of the application easier.

Cloud-based portals

Cloud-based portals host services and data on remote servers

Reduce IT costs and improve accessibility from anywhere for you and your users

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI and ML integrate smart features into web portals, like personalized recommendations and automated customer services

Enhanced your user experience through intelligent, responsive, and customized interactions

💡 Axalize experts use state-of-the-art technologies to make your web app stand out.

Want to outsource custom web app development? Let’s explore why Axalize’s web application development services should be your go-to choice.​

Web Portal Development Process

Depending on the agency you choose, this process might differ. But at Axalize, we have a very transparent workflow for our web portal development services: 

Step 1: Requirement analysis and planning 

First, our Account Manager and developer team will book a meeting with you via Google Meet so we can talk and get to know more about you. 

This includes defining your goals, target audience, features, and any technologies needed for the web portal development project. 

Step 2: UI-UX design 

Our UI-UX designers kick-start the project by creating design mock-ups of the web portal and hand over to you for feedback. 

Step 3: Development

Once the design is finalized, our front-end and back-end developers start building the web portal using the technologies mentioned above.

Step 4: Testing and Quality Assurance

After our front-end and back-end developers finish coding, our QA team thoroughly tests the web portal to ensure it functions correctly, from visual aspects to functionality and security. We also check for the web portal’s responsiveness across various devices and browsers.

Step 5: Deployment

After testing is complete, we launch the web portal into the production environment, making it accessible to your users.

Step 6: Maintenance and Support

Post-deployment, we continue to support you by updating content and features, fixing any bugs, and providing ongoing user support to ensure the web portal remains effective and up-to-date.

Essential Skills for Web Portal Developers

As we were saying, web portal development requires extensive knowledge of both the front and back-end. The essential skills of web portal developers are pretty similar to full-stack web developers.

Here are the soft and hard skills that a web portal developer need to possess:

Hard skills

Soft skills

  • Proficiency in programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python
  • Proven working experience with popular web frameworks like Angular, React, or Vue.js
  • Extensive knowledge of back-end technologies like Node.js, Ruby on Rails, or Django
  • Solid understanding of database management systems like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB
  • Understanding of web servers and hosting environments (e.g., Apache, Nginx)
  • Great expertise in web best practices and security protocols 
  • Strong skills in performance optimization and load balancing for web portals
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
  • Fantastic teamworking skills
  • Strong problem-solving skills and logical thinking
  • Creativity and innovation in developing web solutions
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines strictly

Let’s build a web portal that works like a well-oiled machine.

A well-developed web portal can empower you to achieve whatever ambitious goals you have in mind.

Conclusion

When properly developed, a web portal can be the X factor that drives growth. Whether you are looking to build a customer portal, an affiliate portal, or what you name it, investing in web portal development can give you an edge over your competitors.

Axalize team hopes after reading this article, you can now know what is web portal development as well as all the myths around it. 

If you are interested in IT outsourcing in general and web portal development in particular, drop us a line, and we will get back to you with free consultation. 

What is Web Portal Development: FAQs

Depending on your requirements, custom features, and complexity, web portal development services can cost you from $5,000 to $50,000+.

Again, it also depends on several factors, such as your specific requirements for the web portal. Normally, it might take from 3 to 6 months for the MVP (minimal viable product).

To choose a well-reputed web portal development agency, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Does the company offer a price that aligns with your budget?
  • Do they have proven experience working on web portal development, especially projects like yours?
  • Are they transparent about the workflow, communication channel, and pricing?

Here are four rising trends in web portal development as of writing this article:

  1. Headless CMS
  2. Microservices
  3. Cloud-based portals
  4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

Scroll up for more details about these trends’ concepts and benefits.

You may also like

AXALIZE INCORPORATED

Copyright © 2023 Axalize, Inc. All right reserved.