14 Web Development Trends You Should Look For in 2023

It was the year 1991 when the first web page was published, transforming our lives forever. Today, we spend hours on the Internet, earning money, spending money, listening to music, finding our soul mates, obtaining university degrees, watching movies, and investigating conspiracy theories, among other activities. The list is virtually never-ending.

From simple web pages to complex websites, web development has evolved to a great extent, allowing users to become immersed in certain topics and experience things.

Bill Gates once said, and we quote, “If your business is not on the Internet, then your business will be out of business.”

It’s now obvious that a web presence has a significant effect on a business’s performance. A properly functioning website allows companies to attract customers, learn about their behavior, suggest what they want, and, finally, break sales.

Apparently, it’s all about marketing, isn’t it? Given marketing is competitive in nature, things are bound to evolve, and that’s why web development is ever-evolving.

So what is cooking in web development nowadays? Let’s find out the latest trends in web development.

Let’s start with the one closest to marketing and customers —  the front end.

Front-End Web Development Trends

Although front-end development trends are always evolving, some remain popular for a long time. Here are some front-end development trends that will be prominent in 2023.

1. JS

In a Statista survey, 65% of respondents reported using JavaScript in their work as of 2022, making it the most commonly used web technology globally. But why is it so popular?

Here are some reasons why:

• Popular browsers, including Safari, Firefox, and Chrome, support JS.
• It is object-based and dynamic and can be used both on the server and client side.
• It makes web interactions smooth.
• Developers can use awesome libraries and frameworks for JS.

2. Jamstack

The Jamstack is an architecture in which dynamically generated content is displayed on a statically delivered website, such as serving HTML from static hosting or a CDN (content delivery network). The acronym JAM represents the components of a web page: JavaScript, APIs, and markup.

The combination of these three elements provides developers with a simpler, faster, and cheaper ecosystem. Furthermore, Jamstack-based websites are more secure because there is no database or server protection required. They are also scalable. The content delivery network (CDN) will change if a website goes viral.

3. Mobile-First Approach

People prefer smartphones and tablets over desktops, and statistics reveal the same. A whopping 58+ percent of all website visits in 2022 comes via mobile devices, and the numbers will continue to grow.

With the mobile-first approach, another term that’ll be in trend in 2023 is AMP.

Google’s open-source Accelerated mobile pages (AMP) initiative strives to improve the performance of websites for mobile users. In 2016, Google described the initiative in a blog post as a way to ‘accelerate rich content like animations, video, and graphics in conjunction with intelligent advertisements and have them load instantly.’

The “lightweight” AMPs use a stripped-down version of HTML and a lightweight version of CSS.

4. Headless CMS Architecture

Headless content management systems have become the preferred method for building easy-to-manage websites because of the flexibility and scalability they provide.

While conventional CMS are “heads-up” content management systems where the content repository, or “body,” is connected to the presentation layer, or “head,” headless CMSs permit you to store and manage content in one location and then deploy it across any front-end you like. This enables you to integrate content into any system, software, or website via the APIs provided by an omnichannel CMS.

When it comes to content delivery, headless CMSs make it simple and fast so that content creators do not need to become familiar with code.

With a headless CMS, the front-end and back-end are separate (decoupled) systems: One system handles content creation and storage, while the other handles presentation. Using API, a headless architecture delivers content once it has been created, making it look good on any device.

5. Server-Side Rendering

Google now considers server-side rendering (SSR) to be an important tool for SEO, particularly when it comes to ranking highly in search results. As a result, it has become a must-have feature for any website or application that wants to do well on Google.

Due to the way it handles cookies, server-side rendering also brings significant performance benefits to front-end development, such as decreased network latency and data security.

6. PWAs

Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) are a new method of web development. They combine the benefits of web and native apps to create fast, dependable, engaging experiences that work on all devices. With a PWA, you can do much more with your website than ever before. They can be made available in the App Store or Google Play Store while being available for the web.

In addition to working offline, PWAs support push notifications and background updates, making it simple for users to stay up to date on your organization or institution’s latest news.

We’ve discussed the top six front-end web development trends; now, let’s jump to the back end.

Back-End Web Development Trends

Back-end developers are constantly finding new ways to improve their codebases or raise the standard for code quality or infrastructure security. The following are a few of the hottest tools and applications back-end developers are and will be used to develop sophisticated online applications.

7. Django

Developers can build complex, feature-rich web apps using Django, a Python-based framework. This framework allows them to handle a larger number of users without constructing back-end, JavaScript, APIs, or sitemaps. It contains many common web development modules, including user authentication.

Django also helps developers avoid common security mistakes, providing them with some of the most popular websites in the world, including Mozilla Firefox, Instagram, and Pinterest.

8. Elixir

According to Stack Overflow’s 2021 Developer Survey, Elixir is one of the most popular programming languages due to its simple syntax and concurrency, which makes scaling web applications simple and easy to maintain.

Elixir, created in 2011, is a fault-tolerant language that developers love due to its simplicity and concurrency. Companies across a range of industries, such as PepsiCo, Discord, and Mozilla, use Elixir.

9. Serverless Computing

Serverless applications allow back-end developers to run applications on cloud servers. Because the applications are cloud-native, developers don’t have to worry about server availability, infrastructure management, or idle capacity. AWS Lambda, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure Function all provide serverless computing services.

10. Enhanced Cyber Security

It is no secret that companies care a lot about data security. According to Gartner, Inc., the cyber security market is predicted to reach $170 billion by 2022.

Google’s senior vice president for global affairs and chief legal officer, Kent Walker, recently emphasized that “we will invest $10 billion over the next five years to enhance cyber security, including safeguarding the software supply chain, expanding zero-trust programs, and enhancing open-source security.”

In the coming years, cyber security will remain to be a highlight in the back-end ecosystem.

Other Technology Trends for Web Development

11. Chatbots and AI

Chatbots automate processes, can provide users with an excellent experience, and keep people engaged with your brand without needing to get in touch with people from your company. The technology is already advanced, allowing us to ask a chatbot for almost anything without ever needing another person’s help.

Using such conversational AI applications, you’ll be able to accomplish a variety of tasks, such as identifying pictures, translating text from one language to another, predicting future occurrences (e.g., whether someone will survive the next year), and much more. The possibilities are endless!

12. Dark Mode Experience

When we’ve discussed almost every aspect of web development, let’s not keep UI UX absent. And one most popular trends in this field is — Dark Mode.

Many tech giants, including Apple and Android, have integrated dark mode into their products, and dark mode is rapidly becoming popular with smartphone users.

The dark mode uses light text on a dark background in order to reduce eye strain, especially in dark environments.

Moreover, some web apps have made this mode optional, allowing web users to switch between light and dark modes via a toggle icon on the device screen, in the menu, or in the app’s settings. Still, it’ll be in popularity in the coming years.

13. Motion UI

An expertly designed and implemented motion UI can provide a visual appeal that really grabs users’ attention. It is because a sequence of animated elements is simply easier and quicker to view than text, instructions, and other static information.

Motion UI communicates a sequence, transition, next step, or action for a digital product, thereby making navigation easier. It also directs the user’s attention to the areas of hierarchy on a web page as it directs the user’s attention throughout the process.

14. Augmented and Virtual Reality

By 2024, the global market for AR, VR, and MR is expected to reach $300 billion. Those technological breakthroughs have already permeated our daily lives —  consider all the filters and amusing masks you see on Instagram and Snapchat. They’re possible thanks to augmented reality (AR).

The applications of AR aren’t just limited to the camera filters for social platforms; the eCommerce, architecture, manufacturing, tourism, and beauty industries can all benefit from these innovations, which have the potential to enhance the client experience and help connect the consumer to the item or service.

With Ikea as a case study, you can put a three-dimensional model of a sofa in your own space that is true to scale. You may also virtually wear your favorite shoe with Wanna Kicks, an app that lets you virtually wear your favorite shoe. These are examples of mobile apps, but the technology can be used on your website, as well.

Are You Ready for the Future?

The trends change every year, and the technology ecosystem isn’t an exception. For example, there was a time when content management systems were a new trend, and they’re still the pillars of the modern digital world.

However, the new year brings new possibilities for web developers to accelerate development and deliver futuristic web experiences to people.

If you’re a business wanting to keep in sync with the latest trend in the technology field, you’d need a technology partner that can keep your tech stack futuristic.