What does it take to build a cloud-based SaaS Web app?

[neville.solomon2]

Hi everyone, I joined this forum because I was hoping to learn from experts in programming. I know next to nothing about it.

I want to develop a web app for lawyers, and plan to outsource it's development to a programmer. But I have no idea what I should look for, what language I want it to be programmed, what things I need to start a SaaS company. Can anyone help please?

I didn't know what topic to post this in so I posted it here, please let me know if you would like me to post this somewhere else.

I guess I'll organize this into a number of questions

1) What requirements are needed to have a SaaS website? I heard I need a server so I was planning on using Amazon's cloud service. But I hear I need something like an SSL (don't know what that is).

2) Should I look for a specific language that I want my programmers to program in? If so what would be the best language to save on time for it to be built?

Thank you guys.

I want to develop a web app for lawyers, and plan to outsource it's development to a programmer. But I have no idea what I should look for, what language I want it to be programmed, what things I need to start a SaaS company. Can anyone help please?

Do you have any idea about what you want to do? It seems that you have a lot of research to do and I don't think you'll find all the answers here or in any forum for that matter.

This app of yours? You want it to work on which platforms?
Will it have to access online dynamic data (e.g. stored in DB) or will it be based around static html pages? I'm assuming dynamic.
Are you looking to develop a native app for iPhone and Android too or perhaps a desktop app in addition to a browser interface?

I don't think you need to worry about which language as this could be done in java, asp, php... But native apps will require specifically ObjectiveC (iPhone) and Java (Android). Desktop apps (e.g. for windows) could be in a variety of flavours, e.g. c++, c#, vb...

Before you approach any programmer-for-hire, ensure that you have firm targets and realistic funding. This probably won't be cheap.

Are you going to design it or are you going to outsource that too?

A million things to ponder and you'll need to get it right before you start - or you could be looking at paying for the work to be done over again (and again). My 2p.

BTW - this made me laugh - about hiring a programmer - http://www.enterprisenation.com/blog/techtuesday-how-to-hire-a-web-design-company/

There are plenty of other 'advice posts' out there.

[chrishea]

I guess that the first question to ask is why you want to do this. Are you doing it because you have a business need that you can't find an app for; or, is it because you believe that there is a market for whatever it is that you will develop?

If it is because you have a business need, then you should define your requirement in some detail and then try to find an existing app that does most of what you need. You may need some help to do the research. Developing something from scratch should be the last resort.

If you think that there is a business opportunity then you should still start with the first step because you need to understand the market and the competition. You may find that someone has already developed something that is pretty close to what you are thinking of. If so, what is the edge that your app would have? If you truly came up with something innovative, how much time and effort would it take for the competition to add the same feature(s)? It seems that it would be foolhardy to jump into a business that you know nothing about and expect that you can get it right and compete with experienced people/companies who do know what they are doing.

Development isn't cheap, not just because of the hourly rate but because of the significant number of hours that it takes to develop anything meaningful. Your first challenge would be to find a capable and reliable developer. Given your lack of knowledge of the programming business, it may be very difficult for you to evaluate the candidates. If you hire the wrong person, you could spend a lot of money to get nowhere.

If you have an expert legal knowledge, then what you probably need is a partner who is a developer or has a very good knowledge of the business. That is probably the most practical way to get the complete skill set needed to seriously consider this.