26/10/2017
2017 is almost over and web development trends are changing rapidly. So I'll tell you the future web development trend in 2018:
Progressive Web Applications:
The world first heard about progressive web apps in 2015. The next year we met the pioneers of this technology, and in 2017 progressive Web Applications seem to have become the major competitor of native mobile apps.
Progressive web apps (or PWAs) are websites that feel like native mobile apps. Thanks to service workers, they can work offline, delivering an extraordinary user experience.
Online customer support:
2016 was the year of chatbots. 2018 will be the year of helpful chatbots. Since there are thousands of bots out now, the quality of their services will be the next web development trend.
The prediction is that 85% of all customer interactions will proceed without human assistance till 2020.
A customer service chatbot becomes a must on almost every website. Whether you are selling electronics, crocheted toys or software development services, you should have a chatbot.
Static websites:
You definitely remember the concept of a static website from the early years of the World Wide Web. All the first websites on the Internet were static.
But then the era of dynamic websites began.Websites became more functional and easier to update even for people with no technical background. At the same time, the development process became more complicated, as the extended functionality required communication with the server, so backend development got involved. Modern CMSs are the actual dynamic websites
Nowadays, the web is returning to its roots. Static websites are becoming the web development trend of 2018 again.
Single-page websites:
Another web development trend for simplicity is single-page websites. This solution allows putting all the content onto one long scrollable page, removing any clutter.
One-page websites have a bunch of advantages. They don’t challenge the visitor with complex navigation, multi-level menu, and tons of text. The essential information is all on one page. The user only has to scroll to it.
Of course, the use-cases of single-pagers are limited. This type of website will not suit e-commerce projects and blogs. At the same time, businesses can significantly benefit, presenting their services in a simplified and more engaging manner.
Push notifications for websites:
Mobile apps notifications turned out to be a highly efficient means of user re-engagement. And recently this idea has been implemented for websites and is becoming new web development trend.
The workflow looks quite simple: the user visits a website and is offered to enable push notifications. The user will then be notified of any changes on the website (like a new blog post or a private message), even after he has closed the tab with that website.
The major benefit of such a technology is obvious - you can keep the user engaged without big efforts.
Flash to HTML:
In 2010 Steve Jobs published his thoughts on Flash and its future. It became clear that this technology won’t last long. Jobs’ statement about the death of Flash is quite popular for around two years now when YouTube defaulted to HTML5 players.
The major weakness of this technology is the incompatibility with mobile devices. An enormous amount of traffic is lost just because of the outdated technology.
Motion UI:
Simplicity is the trend in recent years. This is also true for web design. Users are already tired of crazy GIFs and flashing ads, that’s why websites with moderate design get more appreciation.
At the same time, sophisticated motion UI is becoming more popular. Animations allow to add more style and enable you to distinguish your website from the thousands of others with the static UI.
There are several ways to add some life to your minimalistic website. Consider page header transitions, nice hovers, animated charts, background animations and modular scrolling. These and many other elements may make your web presence much more enjoyable for users. The true artwork!
JavaScript - Angular 2 and Angular 4:
JavaScript is the number one programming language for web applications. With dozens of JS-related technologies already existing and still in development, it will even strengthen its positions. The highly anticipated release of the last years Angular 2 becomes highly appreciated in modern web development.
We met Angular 2 in 2016. It is a complete rewrite of the AngularJS framework. The main advantages are improved modularity, app architecture scalability, improved dependencies injections, etc.
PHP 7.x - Laravel 5.x:
PHP remains the popular choice for website backend development. This programming language has improved its positions even further after the release of version 7.x. The latest update of the PHP framework Laravel 5.x is a recognized web development trend in 2018.
Laravel is the most popular open-source PHP web framework. All the benefits of it can be fully experienced on dynamic websites with complicated backend.
Laravel offers ready solutions for complex tasks. The variety of existing packages makes the development process faster and more reliable. Regular updates ensure that the framework complies with the current needs of the website owners and the requirements of the time.
Also I decided to describe the anti-trends of the year as well. In this article the technologies, approaches, techniques that are very popular among website owners, but are rather annoying and unfriendly for the users or negatively affect website conversions.
And of course you should remember that nowadays having a website is more important for the company than having an office.
