Web development changes quickly, with new systems, frameworks and methodologies regularly replacing older ones. The things that are “in” today can quickly turn into tomorrow’s outdated technology.
Advancements in tooling and development practices have provided web developers with better user experiences that make their work easier. However, progress comes faster than anyone anticipated.
In just the last two years, the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, an increased focus on security, and other shifts that were — at most — a blip on anyone’s radar before 2023 are now the norm. The pace of how the world of web development evolves often leaves many developers feeling like they’re falling behind.
With so much change happening in the blink of an eye, how can they stay on top of modern practices? Looking at current trends to spot what’s on the rise can help us keep a finger on the pulse of web development, explore new areas and prepare for what’s ahead.
This post covers some of the latest trends in web development that could soon change how tech-driven companies operate.
1. AI Fatigue Setting In
You’ve probably noticed many generative AI tools popping up almost every day. However, most of the new tools that appear are wrappers around existing APIs, like ChatGPT. While these services can provide targeted use cases to make it more convenient for specific tasks — like suggesting and refactoring code for developers — they’re quickly reaching a saturation point. And many web developers are beginning to get tired of seeing so many tools that don’t provide any new features over existing solutions.
The issue with having so many new tools flooding the market is that they rarely advance the potential of artificial intelligence. Instead of looking at how AI can boost our daily productivity and free us to do the essential critical thinking that we can perform better than computers, we see the same recycled functionality in different packaging. As we reach a saturation point around AI services, we’ll see the more dominant platforms — with their deep pockets — offer more significant advancements and force the rest to either keep up or fade away.
2. More Interest in No-Code and Low-Code Solutions
Tools that promised to deliver fully built software without knowing anything about coding or development were met with a lot of warranted skepticism. For years, these products would offer a few preset web designs and a limited range of functionality that would only work for a narrow group. Most organizations that tried to develop web applications using these tools eventually looked for a custom solution, wasting a ton of time in the process.
However, these tools have advanced considerably in recent years. Current offerings in the no-code/low-code space have almost everything a team needs to create a complete application in no time by just clicking a few buttons. For organizations that don’t have the technical expertise to build custom applications, these tools are an incredible cost-saver. While these tools aren’t a silver bullet and won’t replace web developers any time soon, expect to see more no-code and low-code solutions appear and more companies using them to their advantage.
3. Increased Adoption of Development Containers
Containers are a package containing everything needed to run a specific piece of software. Instead of installing dependencies, you can simply download a container that can spin up an application and work the same anywhere with a single command. Thanks to its portability, containers are typically used for deploying software when built but rarely used for web development. It adds a layer of complexity, especially with developers unfamiliar with tools like Docker. Nowadays, web developers are discovering the benefits containers provide for development work.
The benefit of using containers for web development is that developers won’t have to worry about all the moving pieces that power modern applications, and they can start, stop and recreate full development environments in minutes. Containers can also work locally and remotely, which lets developers run their development environments anywhere. As we see new specs and improved tooling advances, such as Development Containers by Microsoft, more developers will shift to using these environments for their daily work.
4. Performance Finally Gets the Attention It Deserves
Most web applications start simple, growing over time with additional moving parts added to the mix. If not careful, those updates will gradually slow down the app’s performance, making everything feel sluggish and providing a less enjoyable experience for users. Multiple studies have demonstrated that even the most minor perceivable drops in response times lead to fewer customers, lower conversion rates and lost revenue. Unfortunately, most web developers treat application performance as an afterthought.
We’re now seeing more engineering teams realize performance is not only nice to have, but also a necessity. Web developers are beginning to treat performance as a first-class citizen, making it part of the completed product instead of something to tack on later. Besides the increase in user satisfaction, optimizing for speed can be the difference between someone choosing your application over a competitor. This trend will continue to grow in importance, while online users continue raising their expectations on how modern web applications should work and feel.
5. The Arrival of the “Shift Left” Movement
The typical development process nowadays focuses more on shipping fast, making web developers focus on feature building and deploying. Because of these rapid development cycles, many essential tasks — like automated testing, performance, security and more — get pushed further down the pipeline. As a result, many web developers need to spend more time fixing buggy and slow releases instead of adding new features that provide more value to the organization.
To combat this, many organizations now adopt a “Shift Left” philosophy. Saying a team is “shifting left” means the activities that often occur after development now happen earlier in the software development process. This step helps teams expose potential problems earlier, where it’s quicker and cheaper to address. It does require a fundamental change in existing web development processes. But still, this trend should continue to expand as teams fully understand their benefits.
Wrap Up
This article explored a few trends shaping the current world of web development, covering ways that will make web developers do better work in less time. Areas such as low code/no code solutions, focusing on application performance, and doing it earlier in the development process show how we might change our existing work habits in the near future.
Not all of these trends will have a significant impact or longevity; some will fizzle out just as quickly as they showed up on the scene. Some may even raise an eyebrow about whether or not they’ll ever become something to pay attention to.
But even if they don’t pan out, these areas are still worth exploring for web developers as they can offer insights into what’s next for us to grow and do our best work.
