The field of web development is always evolving and making progress. Just thirty years ago, web pages were simple, text-based documents linked by hyperlinks. Today, websites are vibrant and feature-packed, almost unrecognizable from their earlier counterparts. With fierce competition between companies vying for users’ attention, developers are driven to improve technology to meet users’ needs.
This article discusses the trends in web development that are expected to shape website development in 2023, including general trends in the field, anticipated changes in web design, the latest Frontend and Backend development practices, and outdated technologies that are no longer relevant.
Trends in web development 2023
Ecosystems and platforms
Digital ecosystems and platforms are currently in high demand, but what sets them apart? Platforms bring together various companies and provide them with a technological infrastructure to support their business growth. Amazon’s cloud platform, AWS, is a prime example of this. It hosts millions of users from around the globe, offering a wide range of services.
On the other hand, digital ecosystems enable one company’s services to operate within a unified space. This integration promotes efficient client interaction and allows for the sale of additional services alongside the main product. By utilizing an ecosystem, the user gains access to a single account for all services.
Omnichannel
Omnichannel has been steadily developing for a few years, but it’s poised to become a significant trend in 2023. This is because users are becoming increasingly demanding, and companies must prioritize providing high-level service and customer focus to stay competitive. Omnichannel is a marketing model that combines different communication channels into a single system, enabling companies to interact with customers across multiple platforms and gather data about them.
This system enables detailed engagement channel planning for each user, as Gearheart says. For example, if a person clicks on a search ad but decides not to share their contact information, we don’t necessarily lose them as potential clients. Instead, we can use retargeting in social media, video ads, and other formats to engage them repeatedly. When the user finally shares their contact information, sales departments and messenger newsletters come into play.
Building an omnichannel strategy around the customer’s needs is key to achieving user loyalty and brand awareness.
Voice search
A recent report by Microsoft revealed that mostly 70% of internet users employ a voice assistant to search for information online. If your website doesn’t offer voice search functionality, you’re potentially losing out on customers.
To help you optimize your site for voice search, we’ve put together some tips:
- Utilize colloquial language when describing products.
- Structure keywords around questions and answers.
- Include a comprehensive range of keyword phrases and words that address all relevant queries, while also using conversational language.
Metaverse
Augmented reality (AR) is a crucial part of the emerging meta-universe. The digital world has gained immense popularity in recent years, especially after Facebook’s rebranding to Meta. However, the potential of the meta-universe is not limited to marketing alone. The ultimate goal of this development is to create a seamless connection between the physical and digital worlds. By utilizing AR to display virtual objects, businesses, and consumers can benefit from exciting opportunities in the real world.
For those who wish to integrate digital experiences into the real world, AR is an excellent starting point. With advancements in body and facial tracking, as well as improved scene depth detection, various corporations are creating camera filters to achieve desired effects. Companies like Geenee AR and Ready Player Me are working together to develop avatars that represent real people in meta-universes. By using the Geenee WebAR Builder software, users can add avatars to their camera feeds, complete with accessories and details that are represented by NFTs.
While the concept of using avatars in the digital realm is not new, the innovation lies in the ability to transfer characters used on other platforms to the AR app for further use. In the future, this will greatly enhance virtual meetings and other activities. For example, if one participant uses a VR headset to attend a meeting while another participant does not, the avatar can represent the absent attendee. This technology has the potential to revolutionize how people interact and collaborate in both the physical and digital worlds.
Augmented reality and artificial intelligence
Here are the listed points rewritten:
- AI and augmented reality have seamless interaction, including support for face detection software and the necessary space for AR to operate.
- AR and AI can collaborate to offer innovative solutions.
- AI has improved AR performance by providing algorithms to comprehend sensor data, resulting in better accuracy than human-only models.
Cross-platform augmented reality
Developers face challenges with cross-platform apps for augmented reality. Although they may not match the quality of native apps, they can be high-quality if developed carefully. Cross-platform AR is easier to code, making it a good entry point for the market.
However, performance can suffer if the app requires high performance. Cross-platform AR is suitable for simpler applications, while native apps are better for more complex tasks such as AR navigation or 3D scanning. The choice of cross-platform or native AR depends on the required functionality, as Gearheart explains.
Data security
With the ongoing development of the Internet and various applications, the number of cybercriminals and their nefarious activities has been on the rise. It is of utmost importance for companies to prioritize the protection of sensitive information belonging to both their customers and the company itself, in order to prevent data theft and other forms of malicious attacks.
To ensure security in 2023, companies should follow these tips:
- Test web resource security during development to eliminate leaks.
- Monitor sites using algorithms to detect suspicious actions and respond quickly.
- Choose third-party services wisely and verify their trustworthiness.
- Encrypt sensitive information to prevent cyber criminals from benefiting from stolen data.
Summing it up
What are the key recommendations for following trends in web development in 2023?
Here’s a summary:
- Focus on trends that will stand the test of time, so your site remains current for years to come.
- Choose trends that align with your business and its objectives. For instance, a playful design with informal geomorphic shapes may be ideal for a children’s entertainment center but it may not resonate with potential clients of a serious IT firm.
- While incorporating current trends is important, it’s also crucial to make your site unique, recognizable, and aligned with your project’s concept.
