Learn · Web apps

What is an integration?

An integration is a connection between your app and another system so they share data or trigger actions automatically. Connecting a store to a payment provider, a site to an email tool, or an app to a CRM are all integrations. They let separate tools work as one and remove manual copying between them.

Most integrations use the other system's API. Your app sends or receives data through that defined interface, so a new order can create an invoice, add the customer to your email list, and notify your team, all without anyone touching each system by hand.

Integrations are where a lot of practical value lives, because they eliminate repetitive work and keep data consistent across tools. They also add points of failure, so they need error handling for when the other service is down or changes its API.

Updated July 2026

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How do web apps store user data?
Web apps store data in a database on the server, not in the page. When you save something, the app sends it to the backend, which writes it to the database and can retrieve it later for you or others. Small preferences may also be kept in your browser, but the real record lives on the server.
What are real-time features, and how do they work?
Real-time features update instantly without a page refresh: live chat, notifications, collaborative editing, and live dashboards. Instead of the browser repeatedly asking the server for updates, the server pushes changes the moment they happen, so everyone sees the same thing at once.
What is the difference between a website and a web app?
A website mainly shows information: pages you read, like a brochure, blog, or portfolio. A web app is software you use in the browser: it takes input, does something with it, and saves state, like Gmail, a bank dashboard, or a booking system. The line is interactivity and data, not looks.
What is SaaS?
SaaS (software as a service) is software you access online and pay for by subscription, instead of buying and installing it. You use it in a browser, the provider runs and updates it, and you pay monthly or yearly. Slack, Shopify, and Notion are SaaS. Most business software now works this way.
What is an MVP and why start with one?
An MVP (minimum viable product) is the smallest version of an app that delivers real value and can be put in front of users. You start with one because it gets you to real feedback fastest and cheapest, before you spend heavily building features nobody has confirmed they want.
What is user authentication?
Authentication is how an app confirms who a user is, usually a login with an email and password, a social login, or a one-time code. It's paired with authorization, which decides what that verified user is allowed to do. Together they protect accounts and control access to data.

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What is an integration?

How do web apps store user data?

What are real-time features, and how do they work?

What is the difference between a website and a web app?

What is SaaS?

What is an MVP and why start with one?

What is user authentication?

Want this built, not just explained?