As technology undergoes continuous evolution, it becomes imperative for Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) to remain well-informed about the most recent developments in web technology. With the ongoing progress in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), coupled with the emergence of novel platforms and tools designed for website and application development, the domain of web development is in a state of perpetual transformation.
Within this article, we will explore the fifteen foremost contemporary trends in web technology, knowledge of which is essential for every CTO in the year 2023.
1. PWA or Progressive Web Apps
First of all, what is a PWA? Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are the future of web development. They offer websites and apps a way to enhance their users’ experience without needing to open up multiple platforms or pay for large investments in order to improve performance. PWAs are designed to be more swift, more reliable, and offer offline functionality that is usually only available on native apps. With advances in technology like service workers and improved caching strategies, PWAs are putting an end to slow loading webpages and outages that were once common with web apps.
Businesses across industries have already jumped onto the PWA train, using them as a way to increase user engagement, conversions rates and lower development costs. Companies like Twitter, Uber, Pinterest and Starbucks have successfully implemented PWAs into their online platforms resulting in significant improvements for their users. Moreover, with the ever-increasing shift towards mobile use for various activities online – from using search engines to making online purchases – it is more vital than ever that businesses look into transforming their web applications into PWAs if they want to stay relevant.
2. Accelerated mobile pages
AMP, which stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages, represents an open-source initiative collaboratively crafted by Google and Twitter to enhance user web browsing encounters on various devices. The core concept behind AMP technology involves the pre-rendering of web pages, ensuring their lightweight nature and seamless loading through efficient web caching mechanisms.
Remarkably, this optimization process typically concludes within a mere 0.7 to 2 seconds, presenting a significant advancement in comparison to conventional loading times, especially when accessing websites on mobile devices. Notably, empirical investigations have indicated the existence of approximately 884,954 active websites that have implemented AMP technology, contributing to the acceleration of internet navigation, even when using smartphones or tablets.
3. Responsiveness in design
Responsive web design has gained significant popularity in contemporary web development. Its appeal lies in its capacity to deliver an enhanced user experience across an array of devices, encompassing desktop computers, laptops, and mobile phones.
Employing RWD equips websites with the ability to seamlessly adjust to varying screen dimensions, resolutions, image proportions, alterations in orientation, and more. Notable examples of websites that employ responsive design techniques are Dropbox, GitHub, Magic Leap, Shopify, Slack, and WIRED.
Responsive web design primarily leverages Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to tailor the visual aesthetics of websites for diverse devices. Techniques like adjusting color schemes and optimizing text size contribute to ensuring a positive user experience across all devices. Importantly, this approach eliminates the need for creating and maintaining additional versions or templates of a website.
4. Voice search optimization
This trend gaining significant traction in the digital landscape, thanks in large part to the growing prevalence of voice-activated assistants like Alexa and Google Home. These smart devices employ advanced AI technology, enabling users to convey their queries verbally, offering unparalleled efficiency and convenience.
Voice search optimization encompasses the practice of fine-tuning website or application content to ensure discoverability by these voice-recognition systems. As the usage of digital voice assistants is projected to reach a staggering 8 billion by 2023, the imperative for companies aiming to boost their web traffic and app engagement will be to prioritize the optimization of content for voice search.
5. API-first development
With the online world becoming ever-more interconnected, developers are increasingly turning to an API-first approach when creating products. This way of developing offers a number of advantages over other methods. Firstly, an API-first strategy allows for easy integration between multiple applications and devices. This enables users to do things like use voice search or even interconnect different tech pieces together. Secondly, it puts user needs at the forefront by having development teams code simultaneously while a user is accessing a website. This ensures that content is promptly available and reduces costs in the long run.
Indeed, APIs have been around for over two decades now; however, they’ve gained more significant traction recently as they’re the most popular and accessible method for web development on the market today. Thus, an API-first approach allows for fast responses and corresponds with standards which make working with them much easier down the line. Therefore, integrating this into your workflow can be beneficial when working with modern web solutions as well as constantly evolving due to every day’s digital advancements have become crowding within today’s technology driven sector.
6. Push notifications
Push notifications are a great way to keep customers in the loop on new and relevant updates in regards to your service or product. Using push notifications can create an increased engagement with users, as they have the opportunity to receive timely updates from your business. Not only that but by having push notifications turned on, potential customers will be more likely to soon become loyal followers of your brand.
7. AI-based chatbots
Artificial intelligence chatbots have a history spanning several years, but recent times have witnessed a substantial surge in their popularity and sophistication due to notable enhancements in accuracy and user-friendliness. As a result, it is highly likely that, by the year 2022, this technology will find even broader applications than ever before. According to SEMRush, a remarkable year-on-year growth of 33.2% is anticipated in this domain from 2020 to 2027.
Beneath the surface, there are abundant opportunities for backend developers, as AI chatbots demand intricate language processing and machine learning systems for effective operation. Web developers with expertise in languages such as Java, R, or Python will discover a multitude of engaging projects within this burgeoning technological field. It appears that this trend will endure well beyond 2022, given its considerable potential and adaptability over time.
8. Cloud-computing
Cloud computing has emerged a primary component of web development in recent times, owing to its myriad of advantages and versatile options. Its adaptability empowers enterprises and developers to broaden their endeavors and enhance productivity without necessitating substantial upfront expenditures. Moreover, cloud-based solutions offer ubiquitous accessibility and faster performance compared to conventional techniques. The outbreak of the worldwide pandemic prompted a surge in remote work practices, compelling numerous businesses to adopt cloud technology for web development and testing endeavors.
9. Low-code/No-code development
Low-code and no-code tools empower users to create extensive web and mobile applications through intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, allowing for the construction of entire webpages without any coding expertise. This democratizes the ability to generate valuable products across diverse backgrounds and significantly shortens development timelines. Notably, users can easily make adjustments without requiring technical knowledge or the need to deploy code, similar to the conventional usage of software programs.
Despite these advancements, the adoption of no-code approaches has yet to achieve mainstream status and is not yet a fundamental element of application development. However, industry experts anticipate a surge in its adoption as we progress into 2022, with a growing consensus that no-code will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of application development.
10. Serverless architecture
Serverless architecture is rapidly gaining prominence within the web development sector. Presently, an overwhelming 99% of businesses have adopted this approach, underscoring the critical importance of incorporating a public or private cloud solution in contemporary operations. An essential aspect to deliberate within this realm revolves around the economic viability of Serverless Computing, given its utilization of an on-demand, pay-as-you-go framework, where costs align with actual usage.
11. Dark mode employment
Dark mode is rapidly gaining popularity as the go-to standard for website and app design in the industry. This feature offers numerous advantages, particularly when it comes to user well-being, making it a highly favored choice in development. In situations with limited lighting, dark themes prove to be gentler on the eyes, enabling users to comfortably read text during the nighttime or in challenging lighting conditions.
Moreover, the option to reduce exposure to “blue light,” a potentially detrimental segment of visible light spectrum, has further encouraged its adoption. Beyond the health-related benefits, dark mode outperforms other designs in terms of energy efficiency, thanks to its smart utilization of the device’s backlight. This leads to extended battery life for portable devices and an overall boost in performance.
12. Enhanced digital security
The demand for cybersecurity is on a significant upswing due to the rapid advancement of technology. Recent years have witnessed a notable surge in the sophistication of DDoS attacks, making them capable of infiltrating networks that were previously well-protected. Consequently, to maintain the trust and confidence of their customer base, organizations must maintain vigilance and keep abreast of the most current cybersecurity developments while taking a proactive approach to mitigate potential security threats.
13. SPA or Single-Page Application
Single Page Applications (SPAs) have transformed the landscape of web development, presenting innovative and contemporary solutions that elevate the quality of user interactions. Unlike traditional website applications, SPAs comprise a solitary webpage that loads initially with the complete website content. This approach significantly enhances responsiveness and expedites page loading across various devices, as all essential assets are preloaded within the browser window.
SPAs have empowered the seamless delivery of dynamic content to users without necessitating alterations to the main webpage. The utilization of HTML5 and AJAX serves to enhance the responsiveness of SPAs, along with the integration of client-side JavaScript frameworks such as Vue, Ember, React, and Angular. These frameworks further elevate the user experience by enabling interaction with webpage elements without the need for page refreshing. Moreover, SPAs offer offline support, ensuring a continued and improved user experience even in situations where internet connectivity is unavailable, yet some data must still be presented.
14. Internet of Things (IoT)
IoT has significantly evolved in recent years, driven by the expansion of robust data networks, affordable sensors, and a proliferation of interconnected devices. This trend has made IoT a highly profitable and coveted technology in our increasingly interconnected global landscape. According to IDC predictions, it is anticipated that there will be 55.7 billion interconnected devices worldwide by 2025.
The growing prevalence of IoT presents numerous business opportunities, offering improved communication and the potential for new competitive advantages when integrated into various aspects of business operations, marketing strategies, and customer service processes. For instance, IoT-enabled devices like smart thermostats have the ability to efficiently lower energy costs through automated adjustments.
The complexity of these connections is also evident in the rising availability of consumer-oriented automated services, such as self-checkout systems in supermarkets and automated pizza ordering kiosks. Major industry players like Google, Apple, and Amazon are increasing their investments in IoT research and development, which is poised to disrupt online business markets and enhance their competitiveness against traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.
15. 5G support
5G networks are most likely to become a prevailing standard due to their capacity for accelerated data transmission and minimized latency. This forthcoming shift is expected to exert a significant influence on the field of web development, granting developers the ability to craft intricate applications that rely on instantaneous data processing. An added advantage of 5G networks lies in their enhanced scalability, accommodating a larger user base while maintaining optimal performance and reliability.
Moreover, 5G networks introduce a heightened layer of security when contrasted with traditional 4G networks, rendering them exceptionally well-suited for the development of cutting-edge applications, such as automated processes and autonomous vehicles. With their impressive combination of speed and minimal latency, 5G networks are anticipated to usher in a revolution in web development during 2023. This transformation will open doors for developers to create innovative applications endowed with unparalleled functionality and performance capabilities.
Summing Up
2023 will definitely bring substantial transformations to the web development tendencies, courtesy of the rapid advancements in technology, including single page applications (SPAs), the Internet of Things (IoT), and the advent of 5G Networks. SPAs have emerged as a pivotal innovation, enhancing user experiences with heightened responsiveness and faster loading times. IoT, on the other hand, is paving the way for novel connectivity among devices, opening up fresh avenues for business opportunities.
Notably, the arrival of 5G networks is set to be a game-changer in web development, offering developers the capacity to craft intricate applications that rely on real-time data. As these technological trends continue to progress in the coming years, Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) must remain at the forefront of this evolution to ensure their organizations are well-prepared to harness their full potential.