Atlantic Business Technologies, Inc.

Category: Development

Here, you’ll find insights on programming languages, frameworks, and techniques that shape the web and software landscape. Whether you’re a developer looking to refine your skills or simply curious about how things work behind the scenes, this space offers practical knowledge and thoughtful perspectives.

  • What does it cost to build and host a web application in 2023?

    What does it cost to build and host a web application in 2023?

    Web applications play an essential role in business operations. These software applications are accessed through a web browser and don’t need to be downloaded. They provide functionality through a URL so companies can engage with customers, automate processes and improve efficiency. With web application development, most businesses want to first understand how significant their investment in the technology will need to be. The answer can differ depending on many factors.

    In 2023, the cost of web application development is determined by things like the size and complexity of the application, any refinements and/or constraints, and hosting and maintenance costs.

    Start with the basics: how to determine size and complexity.

    To determine the size and complexity of your web application, we need to first define what it’s going to do. The specifications for modern software are often defined by ‘user stories’. These user stories are a simple way to describe discrete functionalities your application should provide, from an end-user perspective. They are often used by developers to define and estimate the effort required for web application development.

    Let’s use Facebook as an example of a web-based application that most people are familiar with. While Facebook may seem relatively simple to use, it is actually a massive web application with many different layers of functionality for different user groups. Describing it in user stories would take a very long time, however, if we stick to its most basic functionality we can use it as a good example. Here are some examples of web-based user stories:

    • As a user, I need to register and create a profile
    • As a user, I need to verify my email address to complete my registration
    • As a user, I need to find friends to connect with
    • As a user, I need to request to connect with the friends I find
    • As a user, I need to add pictures to my profile 
    • As a user, I need to post status updates to my feed 
    • As a user, I need to be able to react (like, love, hate, cry, etc) to posts 
    • As a user, I need to be able to comment on posts 
    • As an advertiser, I need to compare the performance of my campaigns
    • As an page  manager, I need to manage roles for my page

    I think you get the idea. 

    Defining this application in user stories would take a very long time, and producing each piece of application functionality takes a lot longer! With the table below we will try to ballpark the relative size of your web application using the number of user stories.

    When you are thinking of your user stories, also think of the relative complexity of each user story. For example: ‘As an advertiser, I need to compare the performance of my campaigns.’ is not the same level of effort as ‘As a user, I need to be able to react to posts.’

    We normally apply a ‘level of effort’ attribute to each user story to help scope the application. In development, ‘low’ might mean 5-10 hours, ‘medium’ 10 to 20, and ‘hard’ 50 to 100.

    Any user story more complex than that should be broken down into smaller stories. For example ‘As a user, I need to manage my profile’ is not an acceptable user story and should be broken down into even smaller pieces.

    Micro (< $50,000)Small($50,000-$200,000)Medium($200,000-$1M)Large($1M+)
    10-15 “low effort” user stories25-50 “low effort” user stories50-100 “low effort” user stories200+ “low effort” user stories
    5-10 “medium effort” user stories10-25 “medium effort” user stories25-50 “medium effort” user stories50+ “medium effort” user stories
    1-2 “large effort” user stories2-5 “large effort” user stories10-20 “large effort” user stories25+ “large effort” user stories
    Web Application Development Cost – estimated in user stories

    What’s next? Identify web application refinements and constraints.

    Another factor that can impact the cost of building and hosting a web application in 2023 is refinements and constraints. Refinements include features and functionality that are not essential but enhance the user experience or provide additional value. 

    Constraints refer to specific requirements or limitations that the application must meet, such as compliance regulations or security measures. These can add to the web application development time and cost of the project. 

    Web Application Development: Gain a competitive edge by considering user delight.

    With any web application you build, you are most likely facing competition in one form or another. In many cases it is with a direct competitor, but you are also competing with your users’ expectations of what an efficient and pleasant web interaction feels like. 

    That being the case, you want to refine your application to not only beat the competition but to also be a joy to use. Therefore, you will probably want to pay attention to usability in the design of your application. 

    Software developers often have a basic idea of usability when developing web applications, but there’s a big difference between a rudimentary interface and an efficient experience developed by a UI/UX professional. Here are a few classic UX design failures to illustrate the point.

    Good usability is best built into the design and informed by user research. To add a UX professional or team to your web application development project might add another 5-10% in cost (could be more depending on the nature of the application and how important the experience is). That said, this 5-10% can save you much more down the road in rework and enhanced customer satisfaction and retention.

    Criticality, security, and regulatory requirements directly impact web application development cost.

    Is your application critical to the daily operation and success of your business, or that of others? Does it deal with health and safety or finance? Does it deal with an industry with regulatory requirements, such as PCI or HIPAA? Do federal accessibility requirements apply? If you answer yes to any of these questions, your web application needs to be developed with special requirements in mind.

    All of these considerations will increase your web application development budget significantly; not only through the additional requirements, but also due to the need for testing. All well-developed applications are tested continually through the development process with both automated testing and human testing and peer review. 

    Application software that is extremely sensitive or critical would have additional layers of testing and security added throughout the process. Normal development of a web application would include a 20% cost for testing and security, but on critical or extremely critical software that might grow as high as 40% of the total cost.

    Ensure a smooth run with ongoing web application development support.

    Designing and developing the application is just the start. Once it is built, it must be operated from somewhere by someone (hosting), and all software needs periodic maintenance such as security and feature updates.

    What about hosting?

    For most web applications we recommend a cloud environment for scale and redundancy. Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure to name a few. Processing cycles, storage, bandwidth, backup, disaster recovery, and other details all add to the web applicating hosting cost. With a disclaimer on accuracy for your particular application, here are some ballparks below.  

    Micro SmallMediumLarge
    < $100 / month$100-$500 / month$1,000-$5,000 / month$5,000-$100,000+ /month
    Web Application Development Cost – hosting estimates

    Don’t forget application management.

    Applications have an ongoing cost of ownership — all software, especially critical applications, need security updates, periodic maintenance, updates to supporting software and technology, and perhaps testing of backup and disaster recovery. To keep your web application secure and performing well, these need to be performed as preventive maintenance, not as an emergency response after problems occur.

    To make sure all these happen, you will want some level of application management, whether that’s internal or through a managed service provider like Atlantic BT. Because you have a custom application, your best bet in choosing a managed service provider will be a company that can both manage the hosting and the ongoing web application development and support. 

    It’s very rare that you ever “finish” developing your application. Normally, you continue to evolve and improve your application over the course of the time it is in production. Choosing a managed service provider that has a continuous DevOps chain from development through hosting will ensure efficient, continuous operation.

    The costs of managed services around a custom application could range from 5%-20% depending on how well it was built originally and how many features and requests you want to continue to add as the application is used. 

    Are the numbers starting to make sense?

    This web application development cost article will help guide you in the right direction for a ballpark estimate. More importantly, it tells you how to approach estimation in general for software development and lifecycle maintenance. 

    Trying to figure it out on your own is time consuming and relatively imperfect if you don’t have the in-house skills and experience. We can help in a couple ways:

    1. If you just want to chat — we’re always here and look forward to getting to know you and what you’re working on. We can probably give you a SWAG (scientific wild ass guess) in just a few minutes, but more likely we’ll recommend some kind of discovery to start nailing things down to plan the web application development. 
    2. If you need something with a bit more fidelity for an internal budget request or pitch to management we can help with a “QuickStart Web Application Budget Workshop”. For a very high value engagement that won’t cost you much, we’ll put 3-4 of our top brains in a room and create a budget range and document the broad requirements for your application. 

    Ultimately, the investment in a well-designed and well-maintained web application can pay off in increased customer engagement and business growth. Working with an experienced development team to create a detailed project plan and budget will provide the most benefit.

    Atlantic BT’s years of experience and expertise in web application development, combined with our ability to handle everything from design to hosting and management, make us the ideal choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive solution to their web application development needs. 


    Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help your business thrive in the digital age.

  • Why Your Website Needs Accessibility

    Why Your Website Needs Accessibility

    We’ve all heard the saying that “content is king” when it comes to the web. But what if you’re a sight-impaired person trying to access your favorite website? In a perfect world, your screen would read out all of the text on the page and give you the option to click on links. That’s where website accessibility works: to ensure that everyone has access to the same information and tools, regardless of disability or other factors.

    Most of us already know that there are rules for physical premises when it comes to accessibility for people with disabilities, either physical or socio-economic. Fewer know that accessibility can apply to online content, as well. 

    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates something called WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance, which is a means of designing websites, tools, and technologies so that people with disabilities can use them as easily as possible. WCAG compliance covers several types of disabilities, including blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, neurological limitations such as Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s, and cognitive limitations such as learning disabilities. 

    The goal of ADA compliance is the creation of a website that uses a variety of different design and web development practices to assist people with disabilities in successfully navigating the site.

    Who Needs to Have an Accessible Website?

    The ADA requires state and local governments to be accessible under Title I and any business that is open to the public under Title III. 

    State and local government websites, as well as any private business that receives federal funding receive the most scrutiny for accessibility. An inaccessible website can bar users with disabilities from the government entity’s services, events, and activities.

    Websites are increasingly becoming accepted as public spaces and public spaces are required to be accessible in order to be ADA compliant. The Department of Justice has historically interpreted that ADA compliance applies to all “goods, services, privileges, or activities offered by public accommodations, including those offered on the web.” Public websites may include those for:

    • Retail
    • Restaurants
    • Hotels, Inns, and Motels
    • Hospitals and Medical Offices
    • Banks
    • Theaters and Sports Arenas

    What are the Benefits of Accessibility?

    There are numerous benefits to making your website ADA compliant. In terms of customer retention, it’s a good idea to design web content to be as accessible to as many people as possible. Users with disabilities are a highly under-served segment, so ADA compliance can help your organization differentiate itself from competitors. Accessible sites and apps allow more people to engage with your organization, buy your products, or access your services. 

    Some other ways that Accessibility benefits your organization include:

    • Reduced risk of legal complications
    • Improved user experience for everyone
    • Improved website Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

    Simply put, managing your accessibility is part of building a modern, robust digital platform.

    How Do We Know We’re Compliant?

    Companies seeking ADA compliance often undergo a website accessibility audit that includes both automated and manual testing to ensure compliance. The audits help companies identify problems and put them on the path to improving their practices, reaching a broader audience, and avoiding discrimination or legal complications.

    What is the Process for ADA-Accessibility Audits?

    The process is quite straightforward. Once you identify a company that performs accessibility testing, you provide your contact information with the website you’d like the company to review. In particular, you will want your homepage, service/product pages, contact page, and other key landing pages reviewed. Once the report is completed, the company will follow up with a call to discuss their initial findings and share their detailed accessibility audit report with recommendations.

    If problems are suspected, the audit company will set up automated testing to catch code issues that make your site inaccessible. The experts may recommend that you update old, inaccessible document repositories to be compliant with modern standards, and can help you develop your accessibility remediation strategy and work with a trusted partner to ensure your site stays up to date.

    Consult a Professional Web Design and Development Company

    Atlantic BT is an award-winning technology firm located in Raleigh, NC. We offer enterprise web design, website accessibility testing, IT consulting, software development, cybersecurity, and cloud technology to help clients easily manage, secure, and scale their core technologies. We combine full-service digital marketing with custom software development and technology solutions. Our awards stem from outstanding results in all aspects of digital, from UX design to modernizing applications. For more information, contact us or call us at 919-518-0670.

  • The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Web Development

    The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Web Development

    Here’s a scenario: you run a business and have an in-house web development employee. This individual controls your critical digital platforms and helps support your vital business systems. One day, this person gets a better offer from another company and departs. Perhaps they get recruited by NASA to join the Mars program or decide to move to the mountains and just ski and enjoy life. 

    Whatever the reason, this individual takes nearly all your web development knowledge and know-how out the door, and your business immediately feels the pinch. For some, it even leads to an operations catastrophe. Building up a business takes a lot of work and something like this could be a deathblow to a burgeoning enterprise. 

    Why it’s a Good Idea to Outsource Web Development

    While your own situation may not be quite so dramatic, there’s a good chance you won’t have your web development person forever, and a sudden departure won’t leave you with enough time to transfer knowledge to someone new. 

    This will result in lost knowledge, delayed projects, customer displeasure, workforce chaos and lost revenue. Good reasons to outsource include the following:

    Risk mitigation. By aligning your company’s future with a professional web design and development firm, your business can mitigate the very real risk of sudden brain drain. Outsourced web development companies can provide all the same services as your in-house personnel – while also offering a broader range of services that can help your company grow.

    A new perspective. If you’re not 101 percent pleased with your company’s website, it may be because you’re stuck in a rut. After all, a single individual can only work from a single perspective. Outsourcing your website development is a great way to introduce new perspectives to your web presence. Having someone working internally on your software and programs means they know it well, but access to even more creativity and talent to solve technical challenges is a reason to outsource as well. Today’s technologies are growing and changing at a rapid pace and having a team of dedicated individuals who are skilled in all of these areas can provide incredible benefits in terms of growth and resiliency for your business.

    Search engine optimization. While your current website developer may wield a mean on-site banner ad, he or she may not be an expert in other tools and solutions that will further optimize and expand your possibilities for growth and future-readiness. A professional web development and IT consulting company will have experts on staff to assist you in building a more robust technology environment. 

    It consolidates marketing responsibility. In many businesses, it’s the marketing team that is expected to put a great deal of time and effort into the website. Unfortunately, this responsibility often leaves the marketing team with less time to do their actual job: marketing. Outsourcing allows your employees to focus on their core job responsibilities, which will help your business grow and succeed.

    Partner with a Professional

    Atlantic BT is an award-winning technology firm located in Raleigh, NC. We’ve been building websites since 1998, providing 25+ years of web development experience that your business can capitalize on. We also offer website redesign services, IT consulting, software development, cybersecurity, and cloud technology to help clients easily manage, secure, and scale their core technologies. Our awards stem from outstanding results in all aspects of digital, from UX design to modernizing applications. For more information, contact us or call us at 919-518-0670. 

  • Top 3 Reasons to Redesign Your Website

    Top 3 Reasons to Redesign Your Website

    Before embarking on any web design and development project, it’s important to ask a few key questions to best understand the reasons why the website needs to be redesigned to begin with. While every project is different, we’ve found that most businesses will decide to go through a website redesign when they are experiencing the following issues.

    If any of these reasons resonate with why you feel your website is not attracting visitors or getting conversions, then it might be time to consider revamping your website.

    1. You Want to Add More Functionalities to Your Website

    Websites are now the most common point of contact between customers and companies, as well as among employees. Many websites incorporate payment processing, live chat, administrative tools, and other advanced features. These features require sophisticated technologies implemented within the code and backend of the website to function seamlessly and with zero downtime. Many businesses today are adding custom-built applications to their websites to allow customers to make purchases, add a modern feel to the site, and integrate with other systems (such as ERP, CRM, and POS). An experience web design and development company can really add value to your website by making it more functional for your users.

    2. You Need an Industry Compliant Website

    In addition to the reasons mentioned above for updating your website, there are a number of regulations and stringent compliance requirements many industries must adhere to today. For example, if you are a medical clinic or hospital and you want to provide online appointment booking services, you will need to be HIPAA compliant in order to do so. Even if you aren’t a medical facility or government agency, you may still need to comply with certain security and privacy regulations on your website. For example, if you are collecting sensitive information from users, you need to ensure that your site is secure. Failure to do so could result in serious consequences for both your business and its customers/clients. A web design and development agency can help ensure your website is compliant.

    3. You Have Large Amounts of Content

    With web design and development, it is crucial to have a clear navigation system in place so that potential customers and visitors can easily locate the information they need. Keep in mind that there are many elements of a website’s design that should be carefully considered before building. The goals should always be outlined prior to beginning the web design and development project and a plan that is focused on results should be followed. Here are a few of the ways websites with large amounts of content can keep things clear and consistent:

    • Keep the navigation simple and easy to use so users can easily find essential information.
    • Use an overall design format that works well with lots of text.
    • Make sure your fonts are legible and that there is an enhanced mobile experience.

    If your website needs redesigning, these are just some of the main reasons why it could be a good idea. Whether you want to give your site a facelift or want more functionality, we hope this list has helped you decide the best path forward for your web design and development project.

    At Atlantic BT we have over two decades of experience building software and integrating solutions for businesses across the globe. Our vast experience sets us up to be your trusted advisors in web design and development, and beyond! Let’s discuss your project!

  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Journey with AWS She Builds

    AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Journey with AWS She Builds

    The Certified Cloud Practitioner journey is about as simple as you allow it. The AWS She Builds program is strictly for women or individuals who identify as women. However, this post will discuss the free resources offered in a non-structural format, allowing all individuals interested in getting certified to learn more. Most importantly, studying for 1-3 months and taking the exam while it’s fresh in your mind is recommended.

    The initial sign-up process for AWS She Builds was simple. There are individual cohorts that span eight weeks. To clarify, you’re not limited to those eight weeks as it’s self-paced. Therefore, taking this journey with a full-time job is possible. However, they request that you get through the process within a specific time frame to get a free voucher ($100 USD value). There is a requirement to attend the initial onboarding meeting. After that, they will send an email, including an invite to Slack, and your journey will begin! They offer near-immediate responses to questions within the Slack channels. In addition, previous cohorts and other women who are more experienced can also provide guidance.

    The next cohort starts on August 25th (2022):

    AWS She Builds – SkillUp with CloudUp – Cloud Practitioner

    What is AWS She Builds

    • Flexible 8-week program for individuals who identify as women only.
    • Community-driven learning environment.
    • Utilizes AWS Skillbuilder for structure.
    • It provides a baseline structure to keep you on track.
      • A weekly guided academic-based flow with modules and dates to help you stay on track.
    • Live training sessions and webinars.
    • Study groups within Slack that are available online across the globe.
    • Resources from external sources are provided for extra practice.
    • Weekly live Q&A sessions for any individuals who feel ‘stuck’ or just want to listen.

    Why is AWS She Builds just for women?

    • AWS She Builds desires to bridge the gender gap, pay discrepancies, and lack of diversity in IT teams.
    • Allows women to bond and come together to discuss tech, leadership, and network for career expansion.

    What about others?

    The resources used for AWS She Builds are available for free for others. The caveat to that is that you cannot participate in live webinars or Q&A sessions or get the detailed structure paths the mentorship provides.

    Resources to get certified for Cloud Practioner:

    AWS Training and Certification Skill Builder

    Digital Cloud Cloud Practitioner Cheat Sheet

    AWS Educate

    AWS Power Hour

    Cloud Practitioner YouTube Playlist

  • Maintaining a Website is like Owning a Car: An Analogy to Help Website Maintenance Make Sense

    Maintaining a Website is like Owning a Car: An Analogy to Help Website Maintenance Make Sense

    In the previous post, I discussed how the planning and development of a custom website can be similar to having a custom house designed and built. The analogy works in many ways, particularly in the planning and designing phases, but it’s not a perfect analogy.

    In this post, I’ll correlate website maintenance and ongoing development with owning a car. Keeping an application “purring like a kitten” takes effort, and I also won’t leave out aspects of digital upkeep that just don’t make sense with car terminology.

    When you’re done, the last post in the series compares the experience with your vendor to a fine dining experience.

    Keeping Fuel in the Tank

    Visiting the gas station is probably the most ubiquitous aspect of owning a car, unless the sole purpose of the vehicle is keeping it on a pedestal for viewing only. With a website, the same case can be made for hosting. Server or cloud hosting is foundational for a site to be usable. And similar to a car that may be driven more or less in a month, hosting costs can fluctuate – particularly from high or unexpected amounts of traffic.  (Although we want web traffic, we don’t want car traffic.)

    With a website that your users (or future customers) depend on, someone needs to be monitoring that hosting. A common offering these days is the Managed Service Provider (MSP). Picture this as a dedicated fueling crew, keeping the gas and fluids topped off. With the monitoring and ownership of an MSP, it could be said they also maintain and protect your garage and driveway, which can be compared to how your site reaches the rest of the internet.

    Maintenance Every 5,000 Users or 3 Months, Whichever Comes First

    No, not really every 5,000 users. But maintenance should be performed at least every 3 months. You may fuel your car regularly, but you also need oil changes and other regular maintenance items. Hosting on its own isn’t enough. 

    Code libraries and software versions need updates. If your site uses a Content Management System, those platforms also require regular updates. Code needs love just like your car. Your team of mechanics (development team) should perform these regularly.

    Sometimes these updates can cause small unexpected changes to the site, and fixing those are usually part of ongoing maintenance. It could be considered professional detailing whenever you bring in your site for maintenance. Keep it shiny! If you don’t perform regular updates, issues can build and compound. This is what we refer to as technical debt. 

    But Wait, I Want Something New On My Site

    We haven’t even gotten to new development yet – it’s all been upkeep. Yup, that’s on purpose. Would you spend money to upgrade a car you don’t even bring in for maintenance? I doubt it. New features don’t correlate to owning a car quite as well – but maybe at some point you want a custom paint job or to upgrade the console. 

    In my experience, it’s pretty uncommon that someone builds and launches a brand new site and then never wants anything to change. The process of a new feature for your car or your website is roughly the same: you talk to someone about what you want, provide some detail, get an estimate or quote, you approve the work, the work is completed, and you’re good to go. Where does website development beat out vehicle improvement? You don’t have to drop your website off and rely on another one while the work is being done.

    Lifespan & Resale Value

    Just like a car, your web application will have a longer lifespan if it’s better maintained. You might drive daily and reliably for 8 years, but if you never take it to the mechanic, the life span of your car is going to be shorter. If you let technical debt build and build, there can be a point that it would be cheaper to rebuild a new site than upgrade and fix the current one. There may not be “resale value” in a web application, but in five to ten years when you’re ready for a new one, the cost of building a new one will be lower if it’s been cared for. 

    I’ve known people who drove cars to the absolute maximum end of a car’s lifespan, spending as little money as possible on maintenance and upkeep. And yes, that’s an option with a website. However, as a website that presents your brand, brings in customers, and is possibly part of your employee’s workflow – it’s not going to end well.

    Where The Car Analogy Screeches to a Halt

    As you can see, there are a lot of similarities between owning a website and a car. But not everything fits.

    The most important difference? A website isn’t a product. There’s a reason we’re not discussing how buying a car is like building a site – it’s not. Almost all cars are manufactured, with certain options to choose from, in very specific configurations. A website simply isn’t a thing you buy, it’s really a service that you (with a development crew) build.

    Another difference is with a website, new technologies (or just time) can uncover vulnerabilities in code. This is why updates to libraries are important, as they’re where those vulnerabilities get fixed. Every time you bring your car in for an oil change, you’re not also changing the locks and reinforcing the windows. There typically aren’t new advances in car theft that you need maintenance every few months to prevent. However, even this is changing given the amount of digital components in vehicles, such as recent stories of key fobs being maliciously replicated.

    Problems or bugs will occur on a website. It’s reasonable to assume or hope a car won’t have any problems or recalls for the first couple years. Bugs will happen on a website. I promise. With a car, there’s typically a single operator (driver). On a site? Thousands of visitors with unique combinations of browsers, operation systems, hardware, and digital savviness are using your application. It’s impossible to guarantee every aspect of a site will work all of the time for everyone.

    There’s also not a good vehicle comparison to deployments. Deployments are when a site is first launched, but also any time code or hosting changes are made. Possibly driving the car off the lot is equivalent to the initial deployment of a new website, but other than that? I suppose when you leave the mechanic with your car in top shape – but it’s not a metaphor that feels right.

    There’s plenty of other aspects that don’t overlap between cars and websites. Website hacking, car insurance, and your friend borrowing your car – it doesn’t all match up. 

    Finishing The Trilogy

    I hope this article and the others in the series help to provide you with better context in your next web site or application project. To wrap up the series I’m going to dive more into the experience of working with a partner when building a website. 

    How Building a Custom Website Is (and Isn’t) like… A Fine Dining Experience (3 of 3 in Series).