Key web development trends to watch out for in 2021.

 

Even after nearly two decades, innovative ideas in web development have not stopped. Every year we see different technologies and trends that make websites more interactive, faster, and dynamic.

 

There have also been dramatic changes in web browsers over the years. Not all browsers display your website the way you want them to, so testing compatibility between browsers is a fundamental aspect of the web development process.

 

With this in mind, in this blog, we will discuss current web development trends that will evolve in 2021. So buckle up and dive in.

 

| User experience in dark mode

 

The dark mode is one of the latest web development trends that has become popular worldwide and is here to stay. A dark theme website makes it easier for the user to enjoy the web regardless of the device they are using.

 

Accessing websites in dark mode on mobile is easy on the eyes. Even in low light conditions, shady theme websites require low brightness, which reduces battery consumption. In addition to being pleasing to the eye, dark themes provide an elegant user interface for an app or website.

 

With technology giants such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Reddit already adopting them, the dark mode UI will be one of the most popular aesthetic developments in web development trends for 2021.

 

| Greater accessibility with the voice interface

 

Ever since the W3C introduced accessibility standards and guidelines, web developers have been striving to develop websites that are accessible to everyone, including users with hearing and vision impairments.

 

In recent years, voice recognition technology and the use of smart speakers developed by Amazon, Apple, or Google have become increasingly widespread.

 

The market for smart speakers is estimated to grow by 21% worldwide to 163 million units by 2021. That's huge! Voice recognition and artificial intelligence assistants like Alexa and Siri have revolutionized the way people search online.

 

According to Adobe Analytics, 47% of users conduct voice searches online, which speaks to the rise of voice search over typing.

 

By 2021, businesses, especially those in e-commerce, will be adding voice search functionality to their websites. So, it's safe to say that if you're new to web development, the voice user interface is one of the fastest-growing web development trends to focus on.

 

| Progressive web applications

 

If you've seen the Uber or MakeMyTrip websites, you should know that progressive web apps are all about faster load times, easier operations, and a linear user experience. However, the concept is not that new. Nevertheless, it has become a buzzword since its release and will dominate the web development space in 2021.

 

Many companies are working on it as it could replace the need for a smartphone app. PWAs develop using modern APIs to be reliable and offer advanced features. Thanks to a unified code base, anyone can access it from anywhere on any device.

 

In addition to a rich user interface, PWAs also allow users to work offline and offer all the functionality of a native mobile app. It makes PWAs one of the strongest contenders for web development trends in 2021.

 

| User experience with virtual reality and augmented reality 

 

With augmented and virtual reality on websites, web development has changed completely. According to research, the mixed reality industry will grow to over $9.982 billion by 2024.

 

With VR projects such as the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard, industries such as tourism, architecture, or retail allow users to see what the service or product they want to buy looks like in reality.

 

Outside of retail, now that most companies allow employees to work from home, by 2021, more and more websites such as Spatial will offer virtual meeting rooms where they can interact with their colleagues.

 

| User experience

 

While augmented reality and virtual reality work well on applications, technologies like WebAR allow us to experience them in web browsers. However, there are limitations such as cross-browser compatibility and browser performance that will only improve over time. Ultimately, it's all about creating unique experiences and user convenience, which is why augmented reality is one of the web development trends that will only continue to ignite in the future.

 

| Mobile-first development

 

If you think a mobile-first development approach is pointless, you need to rework your strategy. After all, user experience has always been the most crucial aspect for businesses in retaining customers. 74% of customers will return to your website if it is mobile optimized.

 

Mobile phones have revolutionized the way we live our daily lives. Whether it's shopping, ordering food, learning, consuming media, and much more, mobile phones have made us even more dependent on technology. It's essential to the first plan and understands how web technologies can work well on both desktop and mobile to better adapt to users.

 

From May 2021, Google's Core Web Vitals update will consider page experience as a ranking factor for search engines. It's clear why mobile-first development will be essential in the future and the most significant web development trends in 2021.

 

In addition, today's massive list of devices makes mobile testing websites on different devices and platforms challenging. Developing a testing strategy on other devices is equally important to ensure a seamless user experience.

 

Tools like LT Browser can make the process of mobile web development more straightforward. The developer-friendly browser has more than 45 device resolutions and can create custom screens to scale site testing across devices. It also helps faster debugging, efficient collaboration, and performance test reports that guide to improve site performance.

 

| Using AI-based chatbots

 

Organizations are already using artificial intelligence in various departments to increase efficiency. But customer service is one area where AI-based chatbots can be very useful.

 

AI-powered conversational chatbots can mimic human conversations using technologies such as deep learning and machine learning. According to Juniper Research, the adoption of chatbots by organizations in the retail, banking, and healthcare sectors could mean cost savings of $11 billion by 2023.

 

Now that's something to consider! We've already seen Covid 19 informative websites and new businesses using chatbots to help users with all the information they need.

 

Chatbots answer users' questions without delay, reducing the dropout rate of users. With the guidance of speech recognition and cognitive intelligence, the bots solve user questions reliably and faster. However, they cannot claim to replace humans, as people want to interact with people who understand their problems personally. So the existence of AI chatbots is excellent, but a hybrid strategy needs to implements.

 

| Motion UI - Making your website smoother

 

As mentioned earlier, advanced web applications will commence the app-less revolution. Furthermore, Motion UI will hold one of the popular web development trends in 2021. Motion UI allows developers to make a site more interactive with smooth animations, scrolling, hovering, backgrounds, and other dynamic elements.

 

The UX of the site becomes more accessible and more enjoyable. In addition, essential elements such as CTAs become the focus of the user's attention. Motion UI allows developers to adjust the content and hierarchy of the page so that they are not distracted by gradients and other heavy elements. It will enable users to enjoy the browsing experience.

 

| API-first development

 

By 2021, web development will become increasingly complex. Companies will focus on creating a single web solution for multiple purposes, such as connecting to a product's application, voice search, or even interacting with connected devices. So, why API first development?

 

An API-first approach puts the needs of the user first. Using web APIs, development teams can get their work done and push code simultaneously when a user accesses a website. It reduces development costs and increases delivery speed.

 

In addition, the API first approach allows new sites to become a source of content delivery. For example, a CMS developed using an API first approach can be accessed from browsers and smart cars or kiosks.

 

With the widespread adoption of 2k and 4k displays, 3D design is one of the latest trends in web development. Blocks and faceted borders are no longer mainstream! We've seen 3D visual elements with shadows and sharp edges that weave seamlessly into the user interface.

 

Take a look at Sennep's website, for example. You'll see that the initial home page is very minimalist. To create a visually aesthetic user experience, added 3D elements and 2D fonts with basic animation.

 

Sennep's website

 

In 2021, we will use more and more static and interactive 3d elements on our websites. If you are into web development, you better start honing your illustration skills.

 

| Web applications will become more efficient with web assembly

 

Performance is what we think about before we launch a website. We all know that a website with heavy JavaScript operations or CSS libraries tends to be slow. Thus affecting the overall user experience.

 

It is where WebAssembly plays a vital role. With WebAssembly, we translate code into bytecode that runs in the browser. It is highly secure, language and platform-independent, fast, and hardware independent.

 

A website developed using WebAssembly is faster and allows the developer to build scripts on multiple platforms. Therefore, WebAssembly will be a significant part of the web development trends in 2021.

 

| Blockchain technology - changing the game everywhere

 

Cryptocurrency brought a revolution when it first appeared. In addition to currency trading, blockchain technology has revolutionized the field of web development.

 

Blockchain has a peer-to-peer architecture. It offers enhanced security features, transparency, decentralization, and a distributed ledger. Developers have realized the impact of blockchain on enterprise systems. Contracts running on a blockchain network cannot be manipulated and are therefore reliable and secure.

 

In addition, the technology makes contract administration much more accessible. According to research, blockchain technology will reach $57.64 billion by 2025. And with companies such as Spotify, Mythical Games, and IBM leading the way, we can say that 2021 will be a big year for blockchain technology in web development.

 

Well, there is a reason for the popularity of Typescript.

 

It helps to avoid errors caused by the type of variable ( string or characters).

 

You communicate less code to achieve the same goal.

 

Regardless of the programming language, you are currently using, and if you are familiar with object-oriented programming, TypeScript is easier to learn.

 

It's JavaScript on steroids. If you're familiar with JavaScript, Typescript is just the icing on the cake, with many great features.

 

For these reasons and research, we can conclude that if you're new to web development, TypeScript is the language you should learn in 2021.

 

Which development framework will remain at the top?

 

According to the StateOfJS and Stackoverflow surveys for 2020, React remains the most popular web development framework, with Angular following close behind. However, Svelte is quickly proving to be a serious contender for the crown. Vue.js is also growing in popularity, as it allows developers to write simple HTML, CSS, and JS code.

 

Alongside Svelte, new technologies like Alpine.js are trying to make developers' jobs easier. Angular and React, however, are still popular due to their robust developer forums, and to date, they offer solutions to all the problems developers face.

 

What's new in the field of CSS?

 

In recent years, CSS libraries have become increasingly popular. With these libraries, developers had everything they needed at their fingertips and could give a website a look they wanted by simply adding a few predefined classes. Now, let's catch a glimpse at the latest CSS trends in web development.

 

Responsive CSS Grids: Using a flexible layout, creating a grid system, and using a fractional module to allow the control you want over the grid design.

Changing fonts: Have you seen the current BBC Doctor Who logo? It's nice. Using the same static font across the entire site is boring these days. Variable fonts consist of a single file containing all the font versions the user needs to display the page design.

Text movement: You can start with simpler ones, such as dynamic movement after the user hovers over a text. If it resonates well with users, you can move on to more complex animations, such as hovering over text or completely changing the text in response to the user's hover, click, or other interactions.

Scroll Capture: CSS scroll capture allows developers to provide users with a controlled scrolling experience. How. Well, it does this by declaring scroll breakpoints. Common examples of scroll trapping are image carousels and scrollable articles.

 

| GitHub security change

 

GitHub has already announced that it plans to remove account passwords for authenticating user actions on GitHub. As of August 2021, GitHub will only accept token-based user presentation means. As I've noted in the past, the threat of cyberattacks is growing by the day. Having a password only means the possibility of a password breach and could lead to a leak. While multi-factor authentication has become popular in recent years, token-based authentication makes it difficult for an attacker to access a GitHub account. It makes your code more secure.

 

In summary!

 

As voice search becomes the new norm, businesses need to adapt quickly to stay ahead of the competition. Convenience is critical for customers, and you don't want to miss out on that. Similarly, with Google's Core Web Vitals update, mobile website development and site experience should be top priorities for better search rankings.

 

AI is thriving across the board, so it will only reduce manual intervention and increase your team's overall efficiency. The advances we see in top web development companies in India are closely tied to improving the user experience. However, to validate whether or not these technologies are working, testers.