If there is something that is ever-changing, it is web development. If you look back at the web sites and web apps we used just a few years back, you will be amazed by how much has changed. This is largely due to the fact that technology is rapidly evolving and with that enabling web development to reach heights that were previously unthinkable.
Technology evolving is one of the aspects that dictate web development trends; the other aspect is people, their needs, and preferences at a particular point in time. People today are the pickiest they have ever been when it comes to web sites and apps, expecting them to be able to fulfill all their user requirements and give them the best possible user experience. Exactly this is what leads to the creation of new trends in web development and why there seems to be a new web development trend popping up every few months.
Keeping up with all the trends is not an easy task, but if you don’t, you risk not seeming up to date and not fulfilling all the expectations the visitors of your web site/app had for it. To help you not get yourself in that sort of situation, at least in 2020, in this article, we will talk about the web development trends that are expected to be quite popular, and by collaborating with a proper software development company, it could be the decisive factor of enhancing your business.
Progressive web apps
Development can sometimes be quite costly, especially today when it is expected of every service or business to have both a web and mobile app, but the investment is basically guaranteed to return. You might be able to save a few bucks by performing some tasks on your own, but if you get carried away and start swimming in unknown waters, it can have a countereffect and get you in quite some trouble. That’s why it’s always a good idea to let the pros run the show in certain aspects such as design and seek out an app design company.
Progressive web apps might make this a thing of the past. They are websites that can give a user experience a dedicated mobile app gives without actually being one.
This eliminates the need for the development of both a web and a mobile app since a progressive web app can be used as both. It also comes in very handy in cases when people are reluctant to download and install a dedicated mobile app for whatever reason. Regardless of the fact that the app is delivered through a browser, it can be used even offline and will easily adapt to the screen size of any device.
Single-page apps
Single page apps are something that was inspired by the game development industry and had been gaining momentum recently. Creating a single page app works by rewriting one page, and not loading any other ones. This way, a person using a single-page app doesn’t deal with navigation in the classic sense or has to wait for a new page to be loaded from the server.
The great thing about SPAs is that they work great on any screen size and only load the currently necessary parts of the app, with the rest being loaded as the user moves through the app.
It is expected that SPAs will be more and more prominent on the web as time moves on since they are quite practical, and people seem to enjoy the user experience they give.
Voice search
When voice search and virtual assistants like first appeared on the market, it felt like we were in a sci-fi movie. Today they are normality with around 50% of people using voice search on a daily basis mostly through their phones and devices like Amazon Echo and Alexa. Besides the way voice search has been used thus far, it could also become a staple for searches done on websites internally. That can be easily enabled by simply adding an API that is fully supported by most major browsers. Voice search can be an extended feature of a site or a standard for all the searches being done on it. Whatever the case might be, it is definitely something we expect to be on the rise in 2020.
Extensions
Depending on the type of service a site provides, it being in the form of a browser extension can be a great way for the visitors to have it on hand every time they are using a browser. Spell checkers, coupon companies, translation services, and other types of websites have already created a browser extension for their services, and many others are starting to follow suit. Even though your site might have a ton of other features, packing the most popular ones in a browser extension can be of great convenience for your visitors and can possibly make them want to explore the other ones you have on offer as well. Extensions are not a new thing, but in the future, making one will surely become an essential part of most web development projects.
Artificial intelligence
A few years back, AI was thought of as something a bit scary, mysterious, and potentially threatening. But Artificial intelligence is far from that. It is slowly but surely becoming a normal part of our lives, especially the part of our lives we lead online. Developers are beginning to integrate AI in web sites/apps that are not just intended for NASA, but in sites/apps that are intended for the everyday user.
A great example of its integration in web development is through one in customer service. Chatbots powered by AI are starting to be a key part of any site dealing with customers. What makes AI more suitable than humans for this role is the fact that AI is able to work 24/7 at the same pace and with the same level of concentration. Although it is still not able to fully replace humans in this role since some customer related issues need the understanding and empathy only humans can provide, AI can definitely take care of the more basic issues customers have.
AI is starting to have a more prominent role in the eCommerce industry as well. Its ability to do image recognition can be of great use for searching purposes.
It is also able to give customers personalized offers by analyzing their previous purchases, searches, interaction with advertisements, etc.. Besides being useful for your visitors, it can be useful for you in the process of optimizing your site because it can analyze visitor interaction and offer possible suggestions on how you can make your site better tailored for your audience.
The last, but certainly not least way of using AI in web development that we will mention is in cybersecurity. It is common knowledge that cybersecurity is one of the pillars of web development, and AI is able to take the cybersecurity of a web site/app to another level. Like in customer service, AI can fulfill this role better than humans can because it is able to be on the lookout for cybersecurity threats 24/7 and stop them before any damage has been done. For this reason, it is no surprise that AI is becoming one of the main components of cybersecurity and web development.
Conclusion
These were some of the trends we expect to see in web development all throughout 2020. The thing with trends is that they are unpredictable, especially when it comes to this industry. The biggest trends often pop out of nowhere, taking the world by storm. So the only thing we can do is give reasonable predictions of what trends might be in the mainstream for the next 12 months, and besides that, just expect the unexpected.
