Though the internet was invented in 1983, the concept evolved till the late 90s, incorporating innovation and progressing towards early web development.
Though the lack of tools and resources at this stage made the web associations a bit slow, the introduction of a faster network allowed provisioning style and usability.
Besides, the introduction of mobile made way for a more feature-rich web experience transforming the web composition with mobile-first designs. Above all, the reduced load time enabled developers to take full advantage of the innovative technologies to emphasize aesthetics as well as functionality.
And talking about the previous decade, the web development concept has gone through a completely different era. From the use of chatbots to the integration of AI and intuitive user navigation, everything has completely changed the web.
The global consumer spending on mobile apps for 1Q 2022 stood at 33bn USD. Moreover, with over 6.3 billion smartphone users worldwide, it’s no surprise that the world is approaching a truly digital age. Since we have entered into the last quarter of 2022 and keeping ahead of the trends is vital to create impactful business journeys, here we bring you a list of 7 popular technologies that are going to change web development in 2023 and beyond.
From added customer engagements to improved conversion rate and greater revenue, let us quickly dig into what these technologies are:
Artificial Intelligence & The Web
Artificial intelligence has been a buzzword for the tech industry, but it has significantly improved in the last few years. Besides, the evolution of artificial intelligence has found its use cases everywhere, from web solutions to applications making it an essential element of the future of the web.
From ensuring the right product is served to the customer based on their choices and past purchases to simplifying conversations on websites using chatbots, artificial intelligence has simply changed how visitors interact with the websites.
Even though chatbots have significantly evolved, they are still running through their early childhood phase. For instance, the earliest versions of the chatbots were only designed to answer the most basic of user queries with the predefined answers fed to the system. However, the future of chatbots involves the use of AI to assist customers thoroughly, from finding the product destination to resolving complaints.
Adding to that, AI-based chatbots are now no longer limited to eCommerce platforms or shopping websites. Rather most tech service providers, as well as IT companies these days, are using AI and Chatbots to streamline their services and advance their response to customer queries while reducing stress on resources to handle them.
Besides, Artificial Intelligence has become a go-to tool for several industries like healthcare, media, and education, with an immediate need to add more sophistication and efficiency to operations. On top of that, social media platforms have also found great potential in AI and chatbots encouraging the growth aspect of business users.
Voice-Enabled Web
On the one hand, we have AI algorithms programmed to handle the most complex queries, the year 2023 will involve greater use of Artificial intelligence to transform the way customers engage with the web. Significantly, another big addition that is likely to hit the developers would be voice-enabled web.
According to Statista, it is projected that around 8 billion digital voice assistants will exist by 2024, while the voice recognition market is likely to reach USD 27 billion by 2027. While most people already know how voice search technology is taking over the traditional way of making searches, the future is all about space that can instantly answer people’s questions when they think of it.
The voice interfaces, therefore, are enabled to process vocalized queries and provide the most relevant answers to the users via popular voice technology platforms like Siri and Alexa. And therefore, it is natural for future websites to be inclined towards such tech where conversational relationships could be established through effective voice integration.
Voice interfaces will not only change the web but even have the potential to change the way people use their smartphones. A quick example of the same could be recollected from Google’s algorithms focusing on voice-enabled features where long-tail search keywords make up effective SEO.
Intelligent eCommerce Websites
As per Statista, “Mobile accounts for approximately half of the web traffic worldwide.” As smartphones are used more frequently than laptops or desktops to run any queries, creating a high-performing and responsive web design is vital.
And in 2023, we can expect web designs that will go beyond the experimented and explored concepts of web designs. This will include a greater shift towards functionality and the creation of websites that will be smartly crafted to overcome standard formats and tired-out layouts.
With time, we have already witnessed the beginning of such tech, where location, device, and other factors are used to create a bespoke experience for the user. However, the future web is all set to become more tech-savvy.
It might be anything that can enhance the existing marketing strategies where a user passing by a clothing store might receive a push notification on their device for an exclusive discount offer or link as a part of seamless digital marketing. Besides, the future holds the replacement of cookie-cutter templates with individualized content that can offer a more tailored experience.
API-first Development
With the objective of meeting user requirements, the developers in the near future could be seen pushing the code and completing their tasks to lower development expenses and speed up the delivery.
Besides, the current need for web solutions that are made to deliver essential connectivity requires the replacement of traditional practices that cannot keep up with the web development trends of 2022 and the introduction of API-first development.
An API-first development will not only replace the existing designs but will even allow developers to work on prototypes for app customizations. Moreover, API-based web development in 2023 will allow leveraging greater adaptability, enhanced load time, reduced development costs, and improved user experience.
Dark Mode Experience
Though it might feel strange to be here in the list of web development trends, the dark mode experience is rapidly gaining acknowledgment from users worldwide. From dedicated themes to brands like Apple and Samsung incorporating dark mode switches to their device interface, dark mode is all about the creative web.
Many websites allow users to switch to dark mode via a toggle icon through the web app settings or right from their screen. Dark mode focuses on using light colors for the text portrayed on dark background in order to reduce eye strain.
Besides, using a dark theme even improves the load time while making the app more suitable for use in low-light condition. More importantly, the dark mode saves 60 percent of battery consumption even at 100 percent brightness while minimizing the exposure to blue light. Above all, it makes the entire content more legible and accessible.
Single Page Web Applications
If it is going to be any major change that will be witnessed more prominently in 2023, it would definitely include single-page applications. Unlike the usual web apps, we use these days, single-page web applications will include dynamic content that can be accessed from the same page allowing users to load all the content in one go. Some of the most effective examples of such single-page web apps include Twitter and Facebook.
One of the most significant features of single-page applications is the extensive improvement in the loading speed of the website and reduced bounce rate. It means even if the user is browsing the web from a not-so-convenient location, the web apps could still load with cached data for the slowest or no internet availability.
In the end, the users on the web need straightforward access, and single-page web applications offer the ease of navigating while feeding on unhindered customer journeys for added revenue.
Serverless Cloud Architecture
Last but not least, serverless architecture will grab an important place in emerging web technologies of 2023. Especially when every business organization and web development company aims to overcome system overloading, data loss, and high cost of development, serverless architecture will shift developers to cloud technology.
From running any backend services to managing infrastructure, serverless architecture could allow testers to progress beyond growing data loads while allowing the cloud to take care of the entire system.
According to research made by markets and markets, the market for serverless architecture is likely to expand to $ 21.1 billion by 2025, with an expected CAGR of 22.7 percent. In other words, demand for serverless solutions is increasing, and therefore, 2023 is going to be a year for it.
The Crux
In the coming future,more businesses will likely align with technologies like voice search, artificial intelligence, serverless architecture, etc. It is not only important to pursue these trends from the user experience perspective but also consider the extensive competition in the digital space.
Besides, it is extremely crucial that developers, when working on any web development practices, must aim to align the integration process with web testing solutions and quality assurance initiatives.
After all, it is only the right combination of development, integration, deployment, and compliance benchmarks that can help foster the true meaning of digital transformation in 2023 and beyond.
Author
Kanika Vatsyayan is VP, of Delivery and Operations at BugRaptors, a certified Software Testing, and Quality Assurance Company. She is a QA professional with a grip on several leadership positions, such as test program planning, innovation, and process transformations. From quality control to test leadership, test practices, and assurance strategies, Vatsyayan is a seasoned expert with influential tech skills. Besides this, she has a knack for writing and therefore has published countless articles and blogs educating audiences across the software testing industry.
