The article is devoted to the creation of applications for e-learning, the elements of which are implemented in the educational process of many universities of the Russian Federation, describes the problems that arise and demonstrates possible ways to overcome them. The authors share many years of experience in the development and use in the educational process of applications made in the form of a set of web documents using CSS, HTML and Java Script technologies. The article discusses as the methodological requirements for such applications, and so their format, which should correspond to the specifics of the electronic devices used. The main requirements that should be taken into account in the development of applications are given: both for the user's conveniencethe principles of usability, and for the implementation of the main tasks of training: the presentation of theoretical material, the development of skills in solving practical problems and the control of the level of knowledge gained by trainees. The paper demonstrates the electronic educational complexes in English and mathematics, which were developed by the authors on the basis of their own original shells (templates) and are used in the educational process of the St. Petersburg state Marine Technical University and the Mozhaisky Military Space Academy. The effectiveness of their application and methods of increasing efficiency are discussed.