How is web development structured for mobile apps and desktops?

Typically, web developers use a single codebase that employs responsive design techniques, which means that the same site can adapt its layout differently depending on screen size. If the site is a web application that also has a mobile version, technologies like Capacitor allow developers to maintain just one codebase. When updates are made, they automatically sync across both web and mobile versions, while still allowing for some code that’s specific to either platform.

When you access a website, whether on a desktop or mobile, it's essentially fetching the same content, but the layout is adjusted thanks to CSS rules for responsive design. However, if we're talking about mobile apps, they're often built using different technologies, like React Native or Swift, to run directly on the phone’s operating system. Unlike a website, they don’t operate in the browser, which means their structure is quite distinct.

Most modern websites can adapt their display based on the device used, so a single version can handle everything from small phones to large screen desktops. Some mobile apps simply act as a 'wrapper' for a website that’s designed to accommodate multi-touch features. Still, there are instances where separate codebases are necessary, such as with high-performance applications like video games, which need intricate adjustments to work optimally on different platforms.