Web Application Development Service (WADS)

A full-stack and complete lifecycle option for research focused websites with bespoke requirements building upon a centrally hosted framework and content management system with custom components.

Service Description

As a part of the Research Software Engineering (RSE) team our goal is to enhance the University’s capacity to produce high quality research software by collaborating with researchers to create correct, efficient, readable, reliable and sustainable code. Our RSEs will work with you through design, development and deployment of the website, for components ranging from database, forms, API, presentation, filtering and visualisation. Hosting is currently provided centrally using the Research Virtual Machine Service (RVMS). Our sites are usually developed using Django (a Python based web framework), Wagtail CMS (a content management system built on Django) with custom functionality added as required. As with any other RSE project, duration can vary between a few days and several months as needed and RSEs assigned flexibly.

Exclusions

Our service does not include the provision of basic websites hosing static content for researchers. Instead, these requests can be handled by faculty web teams with technologies such as WordPress and T4. Instead, this service is for web applications that have a bespoke requirement e.g., interactive map of stories, COVID/Cancer diagnostic tool with visualisation.