8 Essential Web Development Trends to Watch in 2024

Technology is evolving at an ever increasing rate-this is no secret, but it is not limited to Artificial Intelligence and quantum computers. A field that is of increasing importance is the field of digital advertising and marketing; ‘The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads”. This quote from ex Facebook Data Scientist Jeffrey Hammerbacher demonstrates the immense importance that businesses are placing on digital marketing, in an era where attention spans are decreasing and consumers are becoming desensitised to many traditional marketing techniques. To maintain the advantage, companies are adapting their online presence continuously, leading to incredible leaps in website development technologies. This article will bring you up to speed on 8 recent developments in the web development space, so that you can ensure your business isn’t being left in the stone age.

1. The Rise of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
As websites became more complex and content-heavy, many devices began to struggle to cope with the increase workloads. Companies with sites that relied heavily on batches of images loading, such as Pinterest, noticed users struggling to use their web services, combined with the fact that consumers are increasingly refusing to download apps. To combat this issue, companies such as Uber, Forbes have shifted to Progressive Web Apps. What’s the difference? These sites leverage modern web capabilities to delivery app-like experiences from within the web browser, making the user experience feel fresh and responsive (like an app) whilst taking advantage of the safety, discoverability and linkability of websites. It is likely we will see a dramatic increase in these sorts of sites in the coming months and years as they are incredibly useful for businesses trying to maximise reach and efficiency without the significant overhead of developing and maintaining distinct apps for multiple platforms.

2. Increasing Emphasis on Mobile-First Design
If you are already managing a website, you are likely aware of the yearly increasing rate of mobile users on the web (now making up 50-60% of all internet traffic). Search engines now prioritise sites that are mobile-optimised above those that don’t, with Google even pioneering the mobile-first policy for site sorting, which demonstrates the impact that mobile devices are having on the internet at large. With this in mind, website development has been forced to adapt to this change in the user-base, with most designers following Google’s lead with a mobile-first policy. If you are thinking of setting up your own website soon, this is a major factor to keep in mind.

3. The Impact of AI on Web Development
It goes without saying that Artificial Intelligence is becoming a major part of our lives- whether that is directly with frequent use of chatGPT or indirectly, with purchase recommendations and internet search suggestions being curated by AIs. Every aspect of society is likely to feel the ripples of this technology, and Web Development is no exception. AI is allowing users with little to no coding experience the ability to create sites, making it easier than ever for businesses to build a presence online. Experienced developers are also embracing the technology, integrating chatbots into sites, using AI-driven user interface design and implementing automated testing to test the effectiveness of variations in design- the impact that this is going to have on websites is truly difficult to express. Soon, small businesses will be able to implement sophisticated technologies, hopefully bridging the competitive gap between them and the larger platforms. Keep an eye on this field of technology to make sure you catch on quick before the market becomes oversaturated- as one of my favourite movie quotes goes ‘There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat. Well, I don’t cheat. And although I like to think we have some smart people here. It sure is a hell of a lot easier to just be first!’.

4. The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity
Alongside working for TearabyteSS, I teach programming to teens at a local high school. A lot of my students begin the course with high expectations for their future careers and what learning to program can do for them; a distinct example for me is a young lady who plans, due, in part, to her mother’s foresight, to work in cybersecurity, not in the least because of how lucrative this industry is becoming. As AI is improving in sophistication and complexity, so is the threat it poses to digital security- increasingly large botnets are being collated for the infamous DDoS attacks, and models are demonstrating the ability to adapt to systems and environments, hinting that they could be a serious weapon in malicious hands. Experienced and knowledgeable professionals are going to be required in droves but, before we start shelling out for cybersecurity consultants, it is crucial to focus on the basics of website security; HTTPS, data encryption and secure coding practices are more important than ever. Need help ensuring that your site uses best practices? You know who to call!

5. Sustainable Web Design Practices
Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘There’s no paper involved in web design, surely it’s already eco-friendly!’. Yes, but that’s not quite what I mean; estimates place the internet as consuming from 2-8% of the world’s total electricity output, which is a truly gargantuan amount that it is truly difficult to express. With this in mind, it is clear that, in a time where we are more aware of the consequences of global warming than ever, we should do what we can to reduce our electricity consumption. Now, there are development choices that can be made to assist in this (such as reducing file sizes, minimising code and compressing images), but here at TearabyteSS we think focus should shift to a slightly different avenue.
Eco-friendly web hosts (such as ourselves) use renewable energy sources to host their web servers, thereby offsetting the consequences somewhat. We use solar energy to power our web servers, in an effort to do more for the planet. Agree with our outlook? You know where to find us!

6. The Role of Augmented Reality (AR) in Web Experiences
In the last couple of years, we have seen the onset of the Augmented Reality experience with devices from companies as prolific as Meta and Apple (despite the warnings of Stephenson’s Snowcrash and Gibson’s Neuromancer). It would be futile to hope that these technologies aren’t going to play some role in the future of communication, so readying ourselves for interactive and immersive websites is a must-do here at a web development company. The first iterations of these sites have functions such as ‘View in My Room’, allowing users to see furniture and art in their home before they purchase it, or clothing stores allowing customers to digitally try on clothes. The possibilities are truly endless, and I, for one, am looking forward to window shopping for Aston Martins in my living room.

7. Voice Search Optimisation
A conversation I have been having on and off with a colleague of mine recently revolved around the topic of Rabbit OS; the hands-free AI tool for life-automation that has been doing the rounds on social media recently. This brings to mind the increasing trend towards voice searching in many devices, with almost all smartphones having some form of voice activated assistant capable of performing web searches. The ease-of-use of these tools is extremely useful to users trying to make a quick search for information, and this is an fact that many are trying to capitalise on. Search Engine Optimisation companies are beginning to adapt to this trend, with keywords being catered towards conversational language. Honestly, I’m not sold on the idea of voice-activated everything, but one thing is for certain: it’s here to stay, so it is something to bear in mind for those of us working on the internet.

8. Server-less Architectures
Cloud computing has become a bit of a buzzword for many companies looking to leverage a bit of VC money, but it’s uses are, genuinely, extensive, particularly for web hosting. The term ‘server-less architectures’ is a little misleading, as there are servers involved, they’re just not your servers. In this structure, developers do not worry about the infrastructure of the server at all, solely focusing on code development and deployment. Applications are broken down into individual functions and are then allocated, by the service provider, to servers which manage the load of the web traffic. These services are ultra-efficient, and scale automatically, so are an immense asset to fast-growing companies with significant amounts of data on their site. Billing is also scaled automatically, so that the users pay based on the amount of resources consumed by an application (beware of DDoS attacks, however!). Whilst these aren’t effective for all cases, they are certainly useful for small to medium sized e-commerce and service sites experiencing aggressive growth, so they are likely to become a permanent fixture of the internet. Definitely an option to consider for those considering how they are going to host their new site! If you’re still unsure, we’re always here to offer our (expert) opinion!

All in all, it is an exciting time to be on the internet, and we are sitting in what I feel is going to be an age of increasingly rapid growth and development of products and services online. Keep your ear to the ground and you might just keep up, but, if you need a helping hand keeping your site up to date, TearabyteSS is here for you! Don’t be shy, slide us an email and watch your website traffic and engagement skyrocket!

Contact us!

© 2024 Tearabyte Software Solutions

8 Essential Web Development Trends to Watch in 2024

Technology is evolving at an ever increasing rate-this is no secret, but it is not limited to Artificial Intelligence and quantum computers. A field that is of increasing importance is the field of digital advertising and marketing; ‘The best minds of my generation are thinking about how to make people click ads”. This quote from ex Facebook Data Scientist Jeffrey Hammerbacher demonstrates the immense importance that businesses are placing on digital marketing, in an era where attention spans are decreasing and consumers are becoming desensitised to many traditional marketing techniques. To maintain the advantage, companies are adapting their online presence continuously, leading to incredible leaps in website development technologies. This article will bring you up to speed on 8 recent developments in the web development space, so that you can ensure your business isn’t being left in the stone age.

1. The Rise of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
As websites became more complex and content-heavy, many devices began to struggle to cope with the increase workloads. Companies with sites that relied heavily on batches of images loading, such as Pinterest, noticed users struggling to use their web services, combined with the fact that consumers are increasingly refusing to download apps. To combat this issue, companies such as Uber, Forbes have shifted to Progressive Web Apps. What’s the difference? These sites leverage modern web capabilities to delivery app-like experiences from within the web browser, making the user experience feel fresh and responsive (like an app) whilst taking advantage of the safety, discoverability and linkability of websites. It is likely we will see a dramatic increase in these sorts of sites in the coming months and years as they are incredibly useful for businesses trying to maximise reach and efficiency without the significant overhead of developing and maintaining distinct apps for multiple platforms.

2. Increasing Emphasis on Mobile-First Design
If you are already managing a website, you are likely aware of the yearly increasing rate of mobile users on the web (now making up 50-60% of all internet traffic). Search engines now prioritise sites that are mobile-optimised above those that don’t, with Google even pioneering the mobile-first policy for site sorting, which demonstrates the impact that mobile devices are having on the internet at large. With this in mind, website development has been forced to adapt to this change in the user-base, with most designers following Google’s lead with a mobile-first policy. If you are thinking of setting up your own website soon, this is a major factor to keep in mind.

3. The Impact of AI on Web Development
It goes without saying that Artificial Intelligence is becoming a major part of our lives- whether that is directly with frequent use of chatGPT or indirectly, with purchase recommendations and internet search suggestions being curated by AIs. Every aspect of society is likely to feel the ripples of this technology, and Web Development is no exception. AI is allowing users with little to no coding experience the ability to create sites, making it easier than ever for businesses to build a presence online. Experienced developers are also embracing the technology, integrating chatbots into sites, using AI-driven user interface design and implementing automated testing to test the effectiveness of variations in design- the impact that this is going to have on websites is truly difficult to express. Soon, small businesses will be able to implement sophisticated technologies, hopefully bridging the competitive gap between them and the larger platforms. Keep an eye on this field of technology to make sure you catch on quick before the market becomes oversaturated- as one of my favourite movie quotes goes ‘There are three ways to make a living in this business: be first, be smarter, or cheat. Well, I don’t cheat. And although I like to think we have some smart people here. It sure is a hell of a lot easier to just be first!’.

4. The Growing Importance of Cybersecurity
Alongside working for TearabyteSS, I teach programming to teens at a local high school. A lot of my students begin the course with high expectations for their future careers and what learning to program can do for them; a distinct example for me is a young lady who plans, due, in part, to her mother’s foresight, to work in cybersecurity, not in the least because of how lucrative this industry is becoming. As AI is improving in sophistication and complexity, so is the threat it poses to digital security- increasingly large botnets are being collated for the infamous DDoS attacks, and models are demonstrating the ability to adapt to systems and environments, hinting that they could be a serious weapon in malicious hands. Experienced and knowledgeable professionals are going to be required in droves but, before we start shelling out for cybersecurity consultants, it is crucial to focus on the basics of website security; HTTPS, data encryption and secure coding practices are more important than ever. Need help ensuring that your site uses best practices? You know who to call!

5. Sustainable Web Design Practices
Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘There’s no paper involved in web design, surely it’s already eco-friendly!’. Yes, but that’s not quite what I mean; estimates place the internet as consuming from 2-8% of the world’s total electricity output, which is a truly gargantuan amount that it is truly difficult to express. With this in mind, it is clear that, in a time where we are more aware of the consequences of global warming than ever, we should do what we can to reduce our electricity consumption. Now, there are development choices that can be made to assist in this (such as reducing file sizes, minimising code and compressing images), but here at TearabyteSS we think focus should shift to a slightly different avenue.
Eco-friendly web hosts (such as ourselves) use renewable energy sources to host their web servers, thereby offsetting the consequences somewhat. We use solar energy to power our web servers, in an effort to do more for the planet. Agree with our outlook? You know where to find us!

6. The Role of Augmented Reality (AR) in Web Experiences
In the last couple of years, we have seen the onset of the Augmented Reality experience with devices from companies as prolific as Meta and Apple (despite the warnings of Stephenson’s Snowcrash and Gibson’s Neuromancer). It would be futile to hope that these technologies aren’t going to play some role in the future of communication, so readying ourselves for interactive and immersive websites is a must-do here at a web development company. The first iterations of these sites have functions such as ‘View in My Room’, allowing users to see furniture and art in their home before they purchase it, or clothing stores allowing customers to digitally try on clothes. The possibilities are truly endless, and I, for one, am looking forward to window shopping for Aston Martins in my living room.

7. Voice Search Optimisation
A conversation I have been having on and off with a colleague of mine recently revolved around the topic of Rabbit OS; the hands-free AI tool for life-automation that has been doing the rounds on social media recently. This brings to mind the increasing trend towards voice searching in many devices, with almost all smartphones having some form of voice activated assistant capable of performing web searches. The ease-of-use of these tools is extremely useful to users trying to make a quick search for information, and this is an fact that many are trying to capitalise on. Search Engine Optimisation companies are beginning to adapt to this trend, with keywords being catered towards conversational language. Honestly, I’m not sold on the idea of voice-activated everything, but one thing is for certain: it’s here to stay, so it is something to bear in mind for those of us working on the internet.

8. Server-less Architectures
Cloud computing has become a bit of a buzzword for many companies looking to leverage a bit of VC money, but it’s uses are, genuinely, extensive, particularly for web hosting. The term ‘server-less architectures’ is a little misleading, as there are servers involved, they’re just not your servers. In this structure, developers do not worry about the infrastructure of the server at all, solely focusing on code development and deployment. Applications are broken down into individual functions and are then allocated, by the service provider, to servers which manage the load of the web traffic. These services are ultra-efficient, and scale automatically, so are an immense asset to fast-growing companies with significant amounts of data on their site. Billing is also scaled automatically, so that the users pay based on the amount of resources consumed by an application (beware of DDoS attacks, however!). Whilst these aren’t effective for all cases, they are certainly useful for small to medium sized e-commerce and service sites experiencing aggressive growth, so they are likely to become a permanent fixture of the internet. Definitely an option to consider for those considering how they are going to host their new site! If you’re still unsure, we’re always here to offer our (expert) opinion!

All in all, it is an exciting time to be on the internet, and we are sitting in what I feel is going to be an age of increasingly rapid growth and development of products and services online. Keep your ear to the ground and you might just keep up, but, if you need a helping hand keeping your site up to date, TearabyteSS is here for you! Don’t be shy, slide us an email and watch your website traffic and engagement skyrocket!

Contact us!

© 2024 Tearabyte Software Solutions