About a decade ago, the web was completely different from what it is today. Back then, smartphones – as we currently know them – weren’t around. Internet Explorer was still the most popular web browser. The web design techniques were immensely different than they are today.
Over the years, we have seen the introduction and <a href=”https://www.statista.com/statistics/263437/global-smartphone-sales-to-end-users-since-2007/#:~:text=Smartphone%20sales%20worldwide%202007%2D2021&text=This%20statistic%20shows%20the%20number,end%20users%20were%20Apple%20smartphones.”>rapid adoption of smartphone</a> and tablet devices. In fact, mobile internet use has already overtaken desktop browsing worldwide. In order to keep up with this and other emerging trends, web development techniques have had to be adjusted and improved significantly.
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But the question still remains: why is this important to your business?
It is important to keep pace with the changing web development trends because of two key reasons:
To being with, the last thing you want is for your business to be stuck doing things the same old way. This not only makes your company seem backward-looking, but it also makes potential partners and customers have a negative impression of your company. For instance, I recently came across a company website that is only compatible with Internet Explorer. This type of requirement raises lots of questions among users. Nowadays, all serious websites and apps work across all browsers as well as devices.
Secondly, these changes come with certain advantages that you could be missing out on. For instance, changes introduced in recent years have brought about improved security, application speed, capabilities, and many more features. It is expected that future changes will bring even more advantages. This is definitely something that you can’t ignore.
This article takes a look at a few of these changes and the effects they produce on your web development. The following are some of the ways in which web development has evolved, and will transform in the coming future.
1. Adoption of <a href=”https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/btc-javascript-frontend-frameworks”>Javascript Frameworks</a>
The incredible growth of mobile internet use has influenced many aspects of web development. For one, it has altered the expectations of users forcing developers to develop web applications that behave like native applications.
Consequently, a trend has developed in recent years: Shift towards client-side development. Back then, the client-server model worked by having the server do most of the work, then sending the results to the clients.
However, things are now changing. Users want more powerful and responsive web applications that can match native desktop software and mobile apps. Due to this, more of the application has to be placed in the browser. We are now seeing more Javascript frameworks taking the place of traditional development techniques.
Alan N. Canton, a Managing Partner at NewMedia Create says that the biggest tranformation in the recent past has been the switch from the familiar and proven LAMP stack to dual data binding Javascript frameworks such as React and Meteor. He adds that even though these frameworks are supposed to simplify the development process, in reality, developers switching from LAMP still face a difficult time learning new concepts. However, after getting the jinx of things, the developer can accomplish the client-side things more efficiently.
There has been a significant increase in cyberattacks. Attackers have become more sophisticated than ever and this is only expected to get worse. As a matter of fact, 2014 saw a record rise in the number and scope of cyberattacks. And the trend isn’t showing any signs of letting up in 2015.
The underlying issue: As earlier stated, many developers are repeating the same security errors made more than ten years ago. This study has revealed that 96% of all web applications have at the very least one major vulnerability.
In 2014, HTML5 became the standard, however, it has been evolving ever since. New APIs and features are usually added on a regular basis. Even though there is still a lot of confusion surrounding HTML5, it is transforming web development in one crucial way: it is providing features that enable web applications to behave like native applications.
Why is this important? Some years back, websites or web applications comprised of several pages that link together. The issue with this method is that pages on mobile devices loaded much slower. Navigating a complex site on a mobile device quickly gets frustrating since the user has to wait for the pages to load. Due to this, applications are starting to switch to a single-page approach.
What does using the web actually mean? In the past, the answer was pretty straightforward. It simply meant opening a web browser on a computer and browsing the internet.
Today, the answer is more complicated as we now have mobile applications and browsers. There are all kinds of smart devices that can access the internet. Moving forward, the line will become even more blurred thanks to the Internet of Things. Nowadays, web development has become more about the data and experience delivered to users and less about the pages.