According to Statista, the global low-code platform market is expected to reach USD 65 billion by 2027. Meanwhile, McKinsey reports that over the next three years, 92 percent of companies plan to increase their AI investments. What does this mean for web development? Is web development still relevant in an age of AI-powered tools and low-code platforms?
With the growing popularity of pre-configured templates, gen-AI assistants, and drag-and-drop website builders, custom software engineering seems to be losing its popularity. For lightweight applications and quick prototypes, low-code solutions may indeed present impressive results in the shortest time. However, companies that require more than just experiments still need secure, scalable, and future-proof software, and this is where low-code solutions hit a glass ceiling.
Business Research Insights reports that the global web development market was valued at USD 76.27 billion and expected to reach USD 165.13 billion by 2035. This supports the fact that web development isn’t going anywhere. Custom software development is evolving, with the rise of technology fueling the next generation of winning digital solutions.
In this article, we will examine the common challenges in web application development that organizations are likely to face in 2025. We will cover everything from maintenance and integration to testing and performance optimization. We will delve deeply into the answers to these roadblocks and discuss why and how to hire a dedicated development team, which is essential for building software strategically.
Web Development in the Era of AI and Low-Code Tools
The doubt about the relevance of custom development is closely related to the rise of specific low-code and AI website generators, such as Wix, Bubble, and numerous others. During strategic sessions with our clients, we discuss all possible options and their potential impact, and present the pros and cons of low-code platforms to them. They indeed offer unmatched accessibility and affordability, as well as impressive speed, making it possible for businesses to iterate with limited resources.
However, the qualities that make them attractive also create web application issues. The principal selling point of AI and low-code tools is their templates and pre-built functionality, which often fail to address the complexity and depth required for enterprise-grade applications. The list of specific web app challenges and limitations for low-code/AI tools includes:
- Nearly impossible integration with multiple legacy systems and complex APIs. Low-code or AI tools, since they depend on standardized connectors and can’t handle the custom logic and unpredictable data flows of legacy environments.
- Failing compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI DSS. This compliance requires fine-grained control over data storage, access, and audit trails, which low-code tools rarely provide.
- Ineffective management of high transaction volumes. Low-code solutions suffer from data loss and performance degradation because they are designed for moderate workloads without real-time load balancing.
- Lack of integration with advanced analytics, forecasting, and fraud detection tools. This results in significant visibility and security risks, as low-code and AI platforms often can’t connect seamlessly with enterprise data pipelines or real-time monitoring systems, leaving potential threats undetected.
- Complexities with enforcing enterprise-grade security policies, including role-based access control, encryption, and vulnerability management. It is difficult because low-code platforms hide much of the underlying infrastructure, limiting developers’ ability to customize security settings, perform deep audits, or implement protection measures.
- Limited ability to support multi-tenant architectures for SaaS solutions or platforms serving diverse user groups. This restricts scalability and customization, as most low-code and AI tools can’t ensure proper tenant isolation or dynamic resource allocation.
- Inability to capture sophisticated workflows across departments. The result is fragmented processes, since drag-and-drop logic can’t model complex approvals, dependencies, or exceptions typical of large organizations.
- Poor handling of real-time data processing and synchronization across distributed systems. Leading to inconsistent or delayed information updates, as low-code platforms aren’t optimized for continuous data streams or event-driven architectures.
- Restricted integration with specialized third-party services such as payment gateways, ERP systems, or industry-specific applications. Causing operational gaps and limiting extensibility, as prebuilt connectors rarely meet advanced performance or compliance needs.
- Insufficient transparency and control over disaster recovery and business continuity. Increasing downtime and data loss risks, since organizations depend on vendor-managed recovery processes without the ability to customize or audit them.
For large enterprises, custom web app development is not a luxury, but rather a deciding approach to overcome challenges and risks in web based application development. Mission-critical web applications must securely integrate with payment gateways, provide real-time data synchronization without delays across various systems, and support highly personalized workflows by leveraging Artificial Intelligence and machine learning. There is an additional demand to withstand rigorous security requirements, from role-based access (RBA) control to industry-specific compliance frameworks.
With a trusted custom software development company, you will get much more than just a vendor, but rather a strategic partner that works closely with stakeholders on technical decisions that align with business goals. This level of nuance is impossible with off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all tools.
Want to learn more details on how to outsource app development?
Read our featured article on this topic and discover how to avoid common risks in web application development with a trusted tech partner!
Common Challenges in Web Application Development
Even with the best partner at your side, you should know what are the biggest challenges involved in building a modern web application, which can lead to the failure of the most promising project. Understanding these obstacles will help you to collaborate more effectively with your software development vendor.
Defining Clear Scope and Requirements in Rapidly Evolving Markets
One of the most fundamental challenges is ensuring scope clarity. While the market changes rapidly, the goals of businesses and the needs of customers shift as well, making static requirements ineffective. Without a structured approach to capturing and revisiting requirements, development teams risk building solutions that fail to address emerging priorities. Constant alignment between stakeholders, users, and developers is essential to prevent wasted resources and ensure that the final product delivers real business value.
Choosing the Right Tech Stack for Longevity and Flexibility
The next critical obstacle lies in selecting the proper technology stack. The wrong choice may lead to devastating consequences, including bottlenecks in scalability, talent scarcity, and dated frameworks and libraries, as technology evolves. It is always about striking a balance between current project and long-term sustainability, finding a balance between cutting-edge and proven tools and technologies. Flexibility is key here, as web applications must adapt to future integrations, user growth, and evolving business models.
Oleksandr Boiko
Delivery Director at SPD Technology
“The most advanced architecture or technology stack cannot compensate for differences in vision or lack of understanding among stakeholders. While exceptional code quality and technical proficiency are vital elements, clear communication and close collaboration between all parties involved are just as important.”
Balancing UX/UI With Performance and Accessibility
Designing a visually appealing and intuitive user interface is a good place to start. However, to make an application a success, performance should not buckle under high load and be accessible to all users. Rich and interactive design must be well-balanced with fast-loading, lightweight code, which is among the most consistent web app development challenges. Furthermore, accessibility standards such as WCAG must be addressed to ensure inclusivity.
Data Security and Compliance
For web applications that handle increasingly sensitive data, security and compliance are paramount. Regulations like GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA impose strict requirements on how data is collected, stored, and processed. Beyond regulatory compliance, businesses must also safeguard against evolving cyber threats, including data breaches, injection attacks, and account takeovers. So, to achieve all security goals, a mindset of technical precision and continuous data protection is vital.
Third-Party Integrations Without Creating Fragile Dependencies
Very rarely does a modern web app exist in isolation; more often than not, apps rely on third-party integrations and services. Most common integrations include analytics platforms, communication tools, and cloud services. While these integrations add value, they can also introduce fragility. A change or outage in a third-party service can disrupt user experience in an application. So, one of the emerging challenges in modern web application development is building systems that minimize dependency risks while maintaining integration benefits.
Modern Web App Development Challenges
Web applications have long since surpassed simple interfaces with static content, evolving into complex ecosystems. In this section, we will discuss more advanced challenges of web application development and provide our insights.
Handling Big Data and AI Workloads in Web Apps
Fraud detection and predictive analytics are more relevant than ever and are becoming increasingly popular features in modern apps. To implement them, as well as other trending functionalities, there is a need to store and process massive datasets without compromising user experience.
Web applications can integrate AI workloads by leveraging distributed data processing frameworks, optimized APIs, and scalable storage solutions. Edge computing and model compression can also significantly enhance the responsiveness of end users.
Building Real-Time Features (chat, notifications, IoT dashboards)
Instant updates are already a standard feature that users expect. Whether it happens through live notifications, messaging, or IoT dashboards, your app should deliver this. The implementation of this feature in real-time and at scale is technically complex, requiring nimble event-driven systems and data streams with extremely low latency.
The standard solution to this is the implementation of event-driven architectures, WebSockets, and pub/sub messaging queues can deliver real-time functionality reliably. Incorporating monitoring tools ensures that as concurrency increases, performance remains stable.
Cloud-Native and Multi-Tenant Architectures at Scale
As SaaS models become increasingly popular and yield excellent results, web applications must securely and efficiently serve multiple tenants. When multi-tenancy is implemented poorly, there is always a risk of compliance issues, data leaks, and performance degradation.
To achieve greater resource utilization, consider infrastructure-as-code, container orchestration, and microservices architectures for more precise isolation and scaling. With the help of governance frameworks and automated monitoring, tenants will have more consistent performance while remaining secure.
Optimizing for Mobile-First and Multi-Device Experiences
Nowadays, the majority of the user audience interacts with applications across various devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. At the same time, delivering seamless performance across different screen sizes, bandwidth conditions, and operating systems is a complex task.
There are multiple approaches to help bridge device diversity, including Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), responsive design, adaptive image delivery, and offline-first capabilities. Additionally, mobile-specific performance optimizations, such as lightweight APIs and efficient caching, ensure consistent usability across all devices.
Personalization Engines and AI-Driven Recommendations
Over recent years, personalization has become a customer expectation, and not a nice-to-have feature. However, the mechanics underlying this feature are complex, requiring sophisticated algorithms, robust data pipelines, and continuous model tuning, all while preserving user privacy.
The solution is recommendation engines powered by AI that can analyze user behavior in real time, while differential privacy and ethical AI practices ensure compliance. Hybrid models, which combine collaborative filtering and content-based approaches, enable scalable and adaptive personalization.
Technical Problems in Developing Web Applications
On the path to creating web apps, complex technical challenges arise that impact everything from trust to scalability. Let’s talk about the most important ones.
Managing State and Complexity in Large-Scale SPAs
Single-page applications (SPAs) provide seamless user experiences, but introduce complexity in managing state across components. As features grow, state mismanagement can cause performance issues and unpredictable behavior. The most effective approach to this is the implementation of structured state management libraries and modular architecture, which helps maintain consistency and scalability.
API Reliability and Versioning Over Time
We already established that APIs are essential to modern applications; however, changes to endpoints or data contracts often break client integrations. To maintain reliable communication across all evolving services and ensure backward compatibility, it makes sense to adopt thoughtful versioning strategies and leverage automated frameworks.
Ensuring Observability, Monitoring, and Error Handling
It is challenging to identify points of failure when working with a complex ecosystem comprising multiple distributed microservices. The lack of transparency leads to unfortunate scenarios, in which issues are detected and reported by end users, lowering their experience. The solution here is proactive detection that can be achieved by integrating alerting systems, tracing, and centralized logging.
Legacy System Migration Without Downtime
There are still plenty of businesses that fail to meet modern standards of security requirements and performance by using outdated platforms. Migrating data from these systems has several risks, including service downtime and data loss. The best practices to achieve a gradual transition include database replication, phased rollouts, and API gateways.
Cost Optimization in Cloud-Heavy Architectures
While the cloud offers flexibility, unoptimized deployments can result in massive expenses for cloud usage. FinOps approach is a great way to achieve the best cost optimization, sharing accountability for cloud expenses among operational, finance, and engineering teams. It is possible to scale efficiently while keeping expenses under control by using real-time cost visibility tools, serverless functions, and employing autoscaling.
How to Overcome Challenges in Web Application Development
Based on our experience, we are fully aware that delivering web applications requires a combination of technical excellence and a strategic approach. When done correctly, this process not only helps overcome challenges in web development but also delivers lasting business value.
Over the course of several decades in software development, we have refined our methodologies, encompassing everything from writing software requirements to scaling enterprise-grade solutions in production. Let’s explore how we solve problems in developing web applications.
Agile Discovery and Continuous Validation of Business Needs
Changes or lack of clarity in requirements can derail the most promising projects. Fully recognizing this fact, we always begin our process with a rigorous discovery phase, collaborating closely with stakeholders to align on goals, user expectations, and technical feasibility. We avoid any misaligned expectations by defining and signing a Service Level Agreement for product development.
However, the discovery only begins there, as we apply methodologies for continuous validation of business needs throughout the entire development lifecycle. Detailed communication and iterative delivery ensure that the product evolves in sync with the market situation and the client’s priorities.
Architecture Decisions Driven by Scalability and Security
The list of roadblocks of web development would be incomplete without mentioning poor choices concerning the architecture. Every wrong decision here increases the risk of expensive redesigns and performance bottlenecks. We prevent this scenario by designing nimble application architectures that prioritize scalability, security, and maintainability from the very beginning. Leveraging our broad cloud migration experience, as well as proficiency in microservices and effective design patterns, we create systems that can adapt to growing user loads and complex integrations. At the same time, we implement security best practices at the architectural level to minimize vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with industry standards.
Oleksandr Boiko
Delivery Director at SPD Technology
“Aiming for fast delivery in software development is excellent; however, the sustainability of products should never be overlooked. At SPD Technology, we never sacrifice long-term maintainability for the sake of expedited delivery. We adhere to clean coding practices and provide thorough documentation, along with scalable design patterns, to future-proof our products.”
Embedding DevSecOps and Automated Testing in CI/CD
When the testing process is handled exclusively manually and the development process is siloed, it can slow down delivery and significantly increase risks. Our company relies on integrating DevSecOps principles into our CI/CD pipelines, ensuring that security and quality checks are automated and continuous. The experts in our team skillfully conduct automated testing, detecting critical issues early.
At the same time, we work with highly efficient monitoring tools that keep systems reliable long after the deployment. This approach accelerates time-to-market without any compromises on robustness or security.
Leveraging AI for Testing, Personalization, and Analytics
To be competitive, modern apps should combine intelligence with user-centricity. We know how to use AI-powered tools for detecting hidden defects and improving quality assurance. In addition to testing, using AI allows us to introduce more personalized user experiences and more efficient analytics that drive an informed decision-making process.
Using Data-Driven Roadmaps to Guide Product Evolution
Web apps can’t remain stagnant and should evolve in line with the organization. SPD Technology always provides data-driven roadmaps that guide product evolution in the long run. By analyzing performance metrics, user feedback, and business KPIs, we prioritize enhancements that bring measurable value. This ensures every release drives ROI and keeps the product aligned with strategic objectives.
Looking for product development companies capable of tackling the challenges of web application development?
Read our digest of the most competent vendors that will help you build outstanding software products!
SPD Technology’s Approach to Solving Challenges in Web Development
At SPD Technology, we understand that every business has unique web app development challenges and should be treated with an individual approach. That is why we avoid one-size-fits-all templates and instead deliver solutions that are tailored to each client’s workflows, objectives, and growth strategies. Whether you are a startup in need of a scalable foundation or an enterprise undergoing complex application modernization, we will provide a tailored approach that emphasizes adaptability, quality, and long-term impact.
We excel at integrating AI and data analytics into web applications, enabling outstanding personalization and seamless digital experiences that users across different industries already expect. Our teams have extensive experience in embedding machine learning models, predictive analytics, and recommendation engines into web solutions, helping organizations to create applications that evolve with their users. This not only dramatically improves engagement but also drives measurable business outcomes, from higher customer retention to operational efficiency.
Our company strikes a perfect balance between compliance and innovation, as evidenced by our track record in highly regulated industries:
- In fintech, we have nearly two decades of experience developing prominent web solutions for market leaders. For example, scaling Morningstar’s financial platform with AI and Cloud resulted in a 10x reduction in data storage costs and optimization of data processing time compared to previous web solutions.
- In healthcare, we have delivered numerous HIPAA-compliant solutions that handle sensitive patient information responsibly. Our partnership with a pharmaceutical and BioTech leader, involved developing and testing software for a DNA-sequencing machine. In this project, we were responsible for reducing the possibility of damage to the client’s DNA-sequencing hardware and software during the testing of edge cases, as well as achieving 3x-4x testing time savings. This partnership has been ongoing for over six years, and we anticipate even greater results to come.
- In manufacturing and construction, we have built versatile systems that streamline operations while integrating with industrial data sources. In one of the notable examples of this, we have provided advanced AI and data engineering for HaulHub’s platform, developing web and mobile applications that empower the workforce in the transportation and construction industries with enhanced operational processes and the capability to process millions of data points in under two seconds.
End-to-end delivery is a cornerstone of our approach, guiding our clients through every step of the web application development process. Starting from initial consultations and discovery workshops, all the way to iterative development and ongoing optimizations, where we leverage our MLOps and FinOps expertise. Our company ensures the successful launch of a product and lays a resilient foundation for future growth.
Our experience is backed by over 460 successful projects spanning 19 years on the market. From building a leading security solution and developing a global white-label eCommerce platform to creating advanced e-learning software and launching a billing system for an insurance pioneer, we’ve done it all! Our distributed software development teams worldwide know how to overcome challenges in web application development and achieve tangible results.
Explore our work on our case study page, and discover how we successfully delivered projects in your industry, driving competitive advantage and innovation for our clients. One of the most prominent case studies is our partnership with NimbleCommerce, where we developed a custom B2C and B2B software platform that surpassed the client’s expectations, exceeded the standards set by the client’s competitors, and established a new benchmark for white-label features in the industry.
Conclusion — Web Development as a Strategic Enabler in the AI Age
Today, the conversation about web application development risks and solutions often centers on AI-assisted tools and low-code platforms that offer the speed and automation necessary to keep up with modern demands. These technologies definitely provide some value, specifically accelerating prototyping, streamlining routine tasks, and unlocking problem-solving in web development for non-technical teams.
However, when it comes to building robust, business-critical applications, they are only part of the picture. Success in complex projects requires long-term strategic planning, a proven software product development process, and thoughtful architecture that secures scalability, security, and stability, extending beyond the initial launch.
Enterprises face a dual challenge. On the one hand, there is a demand for rapid innovation; on the other, the complexity of integrating, maintaining, and securing web applications is higher than ever. Web development has already become a strategic business enabler, covering anything from ensuring seamless interoperability to designing resilient and scalable infrastructures. And that’s where the actual value comes in, as organizations that treat web development as a strategic discipline unlock long-term advantages and explore new opportunities with confidence.
Here, at SPD Technology, we consider web development to be a bridge between technological potential and tangible business outcomes. We see our role as a partner that helps organizations navigate various challenges in web development, from integration and testing complexities to ongoing maintenance and modernization. Our company combines the engineering excellence of our dedicated software development teams with the strategic insights of our business teams.
Let’s discuss how SPD Technology can help you turn web application development challenges into a competitive advantage!
FAQ
- Why is web app maintenance considered a challenge?
Maintenance challenges in web application development are more extensive than simply fixing bugs. After deployment, web apps must constantly adapt to evolving technologies, user expectations, and security threats. Ensuring compatibility with the latest operating systems, device types, and browser versions poses a significant challenge. Scalability adjustments and performance tuning are required to prevent downtime and ensure an optimal user experience. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, making proactive monitoring and patching essential. The complexity and costs of integrating new features make web app maintenance an ongoing commitment, rather than just a one-time effort.
- What are the main integration challenges in web applications?
Integration is at the forefront of web application development challenges, which should be discussed:
- One major challenge is dealing with heterogeneous systems and APIs, especially when third-party services utilize different protocols, authentication methods, and data formats.
- Ensuring consistent data flow and synchronization across multiple platforms is often a complex task, particularly in real-time applications.
- Security is also a significant concern here, as poorly managed integration can expose additional vulnerabilities.
- Another integration challenge lies in versioning: when external services update or deprecate APIs, applications must quickly adapt to avoid functionality breakdowns.
- It is also critical to optimize performance, as poorly designed integrations can create latency and bottlenecks that undermine the user experience.
- What are the key testing challenges in web application development?
Testing also contains issues faced during web app development. Properly testing web applications is an inherently complex process due to the differences in environments in which these applications operate. Cross-browser and cross-device compatibility testing is one of the most pressing challenges, as users access apps on desktops, tablets, and smartphones running different operating systems. Another key challenge is ensuring that security testing is comprehensive enough to uncover vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and authentication flaws. Moreover, continuous deployment practices require that testing cycles be both fast and thorough, which can be challenging to balance.