Web development is constantly evolving, and nothing looks, feels, or functions the same way it did 20 years ago, not even 10 or 5 years ago. We have witnessed a shift from, clunky websites to interactive, vibrant, and fast ones. However, this transformation didn't happen overnight; it has been a gradual process of trial and error. Sometimes users and organizations embraced the right trends, while other times the choice we made wasn’t towards the right direction. That's why it's crucial to expand your knowledge and experience, enabling you to discern what is truly valuable and what is not. It's not about having an exhaustive grasp of all available information but rather focusing on the essential concepts to learn.
In this article, we will learn about the current and future significant web development trends to watch out for. The demand for feature-rich websites and mobile apps remains high. Consequently, new website technologies continue to emerge regularly to ensure top-notch user experiences. Both web developers and companies must stay updated on the latest developments and trends in this field. So, where is web development heading now, and what are the most recent trends you should pay attention to?
Blockchain Technology
Blockchain technology is poised to become a powerful tool for web development in the future. Its decentralized nature makes it less susceptible to attacks and errors. By enabling internet users to transact without third-party interference, blockchain enhances security and reliability. The use of consensus algorithms in blockchain makes hacking extremely difficult. Major companies like Barclays, Walmart, Amazon, and Microsoft have already adopted blockchain technology, with many more likely to follow suit.
Progressive Web Apps
Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) offer a website that looks and behaves like a mobile app but can be accessed through a browser, eliminating the need to visit an app store for downloading. PWAs work on any device with a standard browser and provide a high-quality user experience at a comparatively lower development cost. Additionally, PWAs offer features such as push notifications and offline access to cached content. This technology's popularity stems from its ability to deliver excellent user experiences without the need to develop native apps for multiple mobile operating systems, making it a promising choice for future web development.
JAMstack
JAMstack is an architectural approach for building websites, where JAM represents JavaScript, APIs, and markup. With JAMstack, websites are served as static HTML files, as all markup and assets are pre-built. This allows easy serving of websites by a Content Delivery Network (CDN), resulting in improved performance and scalability. The JAMstack architecture eliminates concerns about server or database vulnerabilities, as third-party services handle server-side processes using APIs. The web server only needs to serve static files, eliminating the need for managing complex database servers, plugins, or dependencies. This architecture enables read-only hosting, reducing vulnerabilities and making hosting less expensive. These advantages contribute to the creation of simpler, faster, and cost-effective websites, leading to its widespread adoption by many companies.
Headless CMS Architecture
A traditional CMS includes both front-end and back-end components, whereas a headless CMS solely focuses on the back end. It serves as a content management system that stores and manages content without concerning itself with how the content is presented. In headless CMS, the communication with front-end systems occurs through APIs. This architecture offers fast editing experiences and enhanced security, as content is separated from the presentation layer. Developers have the flexibility to choose their preferred front-end language and switch frameworks without affecting the back end. Due to this flexibility, the demand for headless CMS architecture is growing, and many companies are adopting this approach for future web development.
Server-Side Rendering
To understand server-side rendering, let's first discuss client-side rendering. In client-side rendering, a website is rendered in the browser, with JavaScript fetching and assembling the content. As the rendering occurs on the client-side, the burden falls entirely on the client, leading to longer page load times. Client-side rendering also has a negative impact on search engines, as they crawl and index the HTML before rendering the JavaScript. Some search engines struggle with rendering JavaScript, including Google. This is why server-side rendering is gaining popularity. In server-side rendering, the website is rendered on the server, resulting in faster page experiences for both search engines and users. Search engines receive the fully rendered page, enabling them to crawl and index the HTML easily.
AI-Driven Development
With the recent surge in AI tools for web development and technology as a whole, the question arises: will AI eventually replace humans? The answer, at least for now, is no. However, what we can expect in the coming years is more technology designed to assist developers. GitHub Co-Pilot is a prime example of this. It is an AI pair programmer that makes developers' lives ten times easier by generating lines of code and even complete functions based on contextual comments. This is just one example, and we must also acknowledge the power of chatGPT, a chatbot that can answer any question. While these AI helpers sound impressive, they do have their flaws. They may occasionally be incorrect, lack conciseness, or even introduce new bugs while fixing existing ones. That's why it's important to combine personal knowledge with these tools. Without it, you may end up doing more harm than good. Nonetheless, AI-driven development is here to stay, and it's worth exploring further.
End-to-End Type Safety with TypeScript
Type safety ensures that all value types in a program are known at build time, helping to eliminate bugs before the program runs. This feature comes standard when using TypeScript in any project. However, achieving end-to-end type safety takes it a step further. It involves ensuring that the entire application interacts in a type-safe manner. Why is this important? When you explicitly declare types for variables, it becomes easier for you and other developers on your team to understand the intended behavior of the code. Additionally, it saves a significant amount of time by catching errors early in the development process. This becomes particularly relevant when working on large or complex codebases. Type safety was one of the main concerns developers had with JavaScript, and TypeScript seems to address this issue for those seeking type safety.
Meta Frameworks
A meta framework can be described as a framework of frameworks. It provides everything you need to build an application, including routing, server-side rendering, data fetching, serverless architecture, and more. In the past, I learned the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js), which was great but lacked cohesion. Meta frameworks like Astro, Redwood JS, Svelte Kit, and XJS, for example, allow you to build full-stack applications in one place. This concept has captured the interest of many developers, and we can expect to see more meta frameworks emerging.
Serverless Architecture
Serverless architecture provides developers with a way to build and run applications and services without the need to manage the underlying infrastructure. Traditionally, developers had to worry about setting up and hosting servers to run their applications. However, with serverless architecture, this burden is lifted. Cloud providers, such as AWS Lambda, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Netlify, take care of provisioning servers, databases, and storage systems for running your applications. The servers are still there, but you no longer have to manage them.
One of the advantages of serverless architecture is the global scalability it offers. As this approach gains popularity, companies are expanding their data centers worldwide. This means that instead of deploying your application to a single data center, you can deploy it to multiple locations around the world. This proximity to your clients or users creates a smoother experience with reduced client-server communication delays.
The serverless architecture movement optimizes the development process. In a world where everyone is seeking an edge for their applications or websites, serverless architecture provides a significant advantage.
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals is a technology introduced by Google in 2020 and has quickly become the standard for measuring site performance and identifying areas for improvement. Playing nicely with Google tends to result in better SEO rankings, leading to increased visibility in search results.
A Core Web Vitals report is based on three key metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
- LCP measures the time it takes to render the largest content element visible in the viewport from the moment the user requests the URL. It provides insights into the loading time of your URL.
- FID measures the time between a user's first interaction with your page, such as clicking a link, tapping a button, or playing a video. This metric reflects how engaging and interactive your page is for users.
- CLS evaluates the cumulative layout shifts that occur within the viewport during a page's life cycle. It assesses the visual stability of your page, which greatly impacts the user experience.
The Core Web Vitals report offers valuable information, making it an essential tool in the web optimization space. It is expected to become even more prevalent in the future.
How Solwey Consulting Can Help Your Business
As technology continues to advance, staying updated with the latest trends in web and mobile development will be crucial for businesses and developers alike, enabling them to create immersive, seamless, and impactful digital experiences for their users.
At Solwey Consulting, we have a deep understanding of technology and we specialize in identifying and using the most effective tools to help businesses like yours achieve their growth objectives. Whether you have questions about our services or are interested in learning more about how our custom-tailored software solutions can address your unique needs, we invite you to reach out to us. Our team of experts is dedicated to providing you with the guidance and support you need to succeed in today's competitive marketplace.
