Even the most proficient experts find it difficult to make forecasts. Despite having well-proven tools at their fingertips for tracking market trends, it is impossible to predict upcoming events with 100% accuracy. Unexpected factors often float up that change the web landscape.
Just recall some of the most notable forecasts of the past, and you will see that not all predictions have come true. For example:
- Facebook was expected to collapse due to the rapid development of instant messengers.
- Many hopes were pinned on Apple TV, but it’s popularity fell short of expectations. However, Apple plans to reveal a new streaming service in the fall to rival Netflix.
- Google, Bing, and Wolfram Alpha were expected to merge into a search engine giant, but that never happened.
- People believed that all paper resources would be replaced by electronic databases. However, newspapers, books, and traditional correspondence are still alive and well.
At the same time, some forecasts have evolved from a bold idea into real-life technology. For instance, the mobile Internet has been a long-anticipated invention. Its advent has been discussed for years, and now it is ubiquitous throughout the world. In this instance, people asked, “When will this happen?” rather than, “Will this happen?”
At the same time, the mobile Internet has undergone many collateral changes, including responsive web design. Web developers did not pay much attention to responsivity until people shifted from PCs to smartphones. The value of responsivity increased exponentially when sites that were formerly viewed on desktops could now be accessed from compact gadgets. Thanks to forecasters, the industry had ample time to prepare for the upcoming boom, and it was ready to satisfy the needs of consumers when they started to actively use the mobile Internet.
If you are an entrepreneur with long-reaching plans or a startupper looking for the most promising niche, you undoubtedly want to know what to expect from the world of web development in the future.
Experts from Clever-Solution have analyzed the latest trends, distinguished the most viable ones, and estimated the projected time for their realization.
1. Artificial intelligence
AI is often associated with killer machines from movies like “Terminator,” viewed as something very distant and fictional. But in fact, AI is already here. We are talking about computers responding to our actions and environmental factors. AI scans the surrounding world and adjusts its own operations based on collected information.
Apple’s Siri and Google’s Search are great examples of how AI works. These systems analyze human speech, track patterns, and optimize user experience to meet the individual user’s needs.
Several years ago, speech recognition technology was underdeveloped and fell short of its promises. Since that time, significant breakthroughs have been observed. Programs with high-quality voice input have become more accessible and are beginning to play a significant role in web and mobile development, making it one of the fastest growing AI trends.
Many other helpful programs are being released on a regular basis. These innovative products make user’s lives easier and save them time. For example, it is possible to call Uber without opening an app and manually entering a query. Geolocation determines where the client is and sends a driver right to that location. All the passenger needs to do is wait for a notification of the driver’s arrival.
In the business environment, successful use of voice recognition programs is closely intertwined with thoughtful search engine optimization. Many website owners develop their SEO campaigns based on voice queries. To get high traffic, it is critical to cover all the key phrases that potential clients may use. Be aware that queries “restaurants in New York” and “where to eat in New York?” would be indexed in absolutely different ways, even though they have similar meanings, so it is worth using both.
As for other AI niches, gaming has also proven promising. Software memorizes gamers’ choices and tailors the digital space to their behavior.
Forecast: By the early 2020s, AI will enter all industries and become an indispensable part of our lives.
2. Interactivity
With heated competition among websites, it has become increasingly challenging to impress your target audience and retain its attention. A great way to outpace your competition is to make your online platform interactive and user-friendly. It is important to track and satisfy your users’ needs so they enjoy using your services.
Today’s web developers pay a great deal of attention to reducing the number of actions needed to find information or goods. For example, quick search eliminates the need for visitors to flip through dozens of pages, and offers of accompanying products, saves clients from having to conduct a new search.
Also, some platforms invite customers to personalize their purchases. Users can upload a photo and try on accessories or make-up, create a 3D model of their dream home, assemble a car from spare parts, and countless other tasks that customize their shopping experience. These creative experiences give clients the pleasure of “owning” different items, even before buying them. This approach is very inspiring and directly impacts sales.
Until recently, custom features were not widely used due to long loading times and the complexity of adopting them on websites. But the technology is now in its heyday.
Forecast: Throughout the coming decade, web developers will continue to supplement their products with interactive features and make the navigation of online platforms more responsive and user-friendly.
3. Internet of things
Just like AI, IoT has long been a bold but distant concept that is finally claiming its place in the sun. IoT technologies allow us to collect and store the data of physical objects in the web space, requiring us to retain less information in our heads so we can use real-life resources more efficiently. In many respects, IoT was made possible thanks to Cloud connectivity.
Fitness trackers provide a good example of IoT application. Smart bracelets scan their owners’ physical activities, store and process data on health optimization platforms, and provide recommendations for improving workouts. Also, there are special devices for tracking sleep cycles and compiling nutrition plans. Some models can even diagnose a user’s state of health and reveal illnesses based on biometric data.
Also, Cloud connect is currently used to analyze car performance. Data collected on the move helps service centers to conduct more accurate diagnostics. Experts predict that vehicles will soon be able to exchange data. Just imagine that one car hits a pothole and warns other approaching vehicles about the threat.
Forecast: IoT will continue developing and reach its full potential in 2025-2030.
4. The continuing growth of Python
All the newest and coolest things are based on flexible, scalable, and resilient programming languages such as Python. Even though it originally emerged in 1991, its life cycle is not going to end anytime soon. On the contrary, Python’s growth is in full swing, with more and more interesting applications being invented each year. Its popularity in IT is similar to the omnipresence of the English language in the business world.
Java was once a rising star in programming, but it has now been overshadowed by Python, which is actively used by Google, Facebook, NASA, Youtube, and many other international companies. Python programming language provides a great platform for artificial intelligence, API integration, machine learning, and other high-tech trends.
Forecast: By 2020, Python will gain the status of the #1 programming language.
5. Self-creating sites
Not long ago, it was necessary to use HTML for the manual creation of websites, which demanded tremendous investments of time. Helpful tools like WordPress and Dreamweaver have greatly simplified these processes, and web developers continue to invent new custom CMS programs that allow retailers to create their own online stores without writing code.
Thanks to CMS development, it is simple to create useful content for potential buyers and insert it into special fields of a CMS engine. Apart from some minor design issues, CMS allows business owners to relax and enjoy the results provided by the software.
Advances in software development will decrease the need for front-end developers. The most proficient technicians in this niche will perform more customized work, and shift to back-end, consulting, and service platforms. It may be more challenging for front end developers to prove their qualifications and find good jobs, but the upside is that robust competition should stimulate best practices.
Forecast: Manual front-end coding will reach its limit and eventually die off. Business people will be able to create almost all website elements without assistance, and make well-informed decisions without the expertise of tech specialists. Special website shops selling ready-made platforms for online retail will become omnipresent in the 2030s.
6. PINs and passwords will disappear
Most people hate passwords because they are hard to memorize, especially since most websites require users to come up with lengthy combinations of characters, letters and numbers. For anyone who has multiple online accounts, it is nearly impossible to commit every password to memory. Simple passwords are often rejected, and many websites require periodic password updates.
As more and more vital industries including education, politics, and business, shift their processes to the web space, it is important to find reliable but user-friendly access control technologies for ensuring security. Many experts believe that the use of biometrics will provide a way out. Data scanned from our faces, fingerprints, and even gait can be used for online transactions and to confirm identity.
The first steps in this direction have already been made. The latest smartphones demand the user’s thumbprint prior to providing access, and the latest iPhones feature face ID. But this is only the beginning! Advanced gadgets can even use data collected by accelerometer and GPS to determine whether the right user is holding them.
What is biometric authentication of the future? This technology means that people do not have to take any actions to establish identity. Just imagine that you enter a store, take what you need, and simply leave. There is no need to use your wallet, credit card, or phone because the prices of goods purchased will be automatically summed up, converted to a bill, and withdrawn from your account via the smart system.
In such cases, security is very high. No one will be able to use your personal data to hack a bank account because it is impossible to forge biometric data. Also, shops will be protected from thieves. If the system detects that there are insufficient funds in the customer’s account, it will not let them leave the store.
Forecast: In the 2030s, identity will be self-evident. People will stop using log-ins and passwords and fully rely on biometrics.
7. Use of components as a model
Components allow developers to build complex web applications from custom made elements. Many experts view components as the basis of progressive web development. Their native implementation improves user experience and solves many other challenges that previously prevented components from being widely used beyond the enterprise level. Platforms such as Bootstrap, React, and Angular allow developers to successfully leverage this approach on the server side.
Forecast: In the 2020s, the component concept will grow into an obligatory web development standard.
8. React will face competition from Vue and Svelte frameworks
Most frontend developers use React and Vue, with React being the leader in this niche. After prolonged competition with Angular, it has at last edged ahead. In contrast to Angular, React is seamless and versatile, which attracts the attention of large companies. Convenient installation and setup commands allow developers to easily implement web applications with minimal effort and time. React is universal, since it is synced with popular JavaScript frameworks, programming languages, and backend tools.
As for Vue, it is a rising star in web development that promises to rival React in the very near future. Xiaomi is one of the large brands supporting this framework.
Svelte.js. is also worth noting. This framework is still not as popular as React and Vue, but an increasing number of developers are beginning to leverage it, so we can expect an uptick in popularity in the coming years. The main advantage of this platform is economy of memory. There is no need to save the framework’s code to make the finished product work. Due to this feature, Svelte is often called a “disappearing” framework.
Forecast: In the 2020s, React will maintain its strong position, while other promising frameworks (Vue and Svelte) will rival its popularity.
9. GraphQL will become the leading query language
GraphQL is a flexible query language that provides boundless opportunities for API call optimization. The technology has inspired a number of interesting experiments with search queries and results on a GraphQL Playground, solving a number of problems specific to REST (Representational State Transfer), revolutionizing data consumption in web development, and easily syncing with React, TypeScript, and other popular JavaScript frameworks.
Forecast: In the coming years, GraphQL will become the leading query language.
We cannot claim that all our forecasts will come true with 100% accuracy. As mentioned above, unexpected twists can change the flow of things. But one thing can be said for sure: most future trends will center around artificial intelligence, fast operation, interactivity of web applications, and improved user experience.