Web Development Trends 2022

Technology is ever-changing, and if you’re a beginner Web Developer or someone who’s already been in the field for several years, you already know this as a fact. So, whoever you are, it’s especially crucial to study and follow the upcoming year’s trends if you don’t want to fall behind everyone. Now, let’s look at some of the upcoming front-end and back-end Web Development Trends that are gaining momentum in preparation for 2022.

BACK-END

Progressive Web Applications (PWA)

Have you ever opened up Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or any other popular website on your smartphone or tablet and gotten a notification that said something in the lines of “Add to Home screen”? Well, if you’ve ever used that option, you’ve been using a Progressive Web App or PWA.

PWAs are websites that are suitable to be opened and installed as apps on mobile devices. A decade ago, there were rarely any desktop websites offering the same mobile functionalities. At that time the first smartphones were still hitting the market and changing users’ lives. But now, with the rise of smartphones and software like iOS and Android, developers have been shifting to transitioning their platforms to be Progressive Web Applications.

These apps offer more stability and faster loading times across all platforms, and most modern browsers support them. Just a quick FYI, your PWA could then be eligible for the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

There’s a tool you can use to do this fairly quickly, and Google Chrome even offers an option in its WebDev Tools where it scores your site and tells you what it needs to become a PWA. So as you can notice, this will be one of the web development trends this year, and probably years after!

WebAssembly

WebAssembly is a tool that makes learning all kinds of languages a thing of the past. For example, suppose you have a game made in Unity, but you want to convert it to a browser game? Well, previously, you would have to code it all over again but in a different language. But now, with the use of WebAssembly, you can convert your Unity game to run on any modern browser with just a few clicks.

How does it work, you may ask? Well, whatever code you have written, when you compile it through WebAssembly, it converts your code to binary that the browser can read. In many cases, it’s a lifesaver for developers who are looking to create cross-platform apps.

It’s not meant to replace JavaScript, of course, and actually, many platforms use a mix of both. For example, Figma, the UI/UX design platform, uses JavaScript for its interface elements and C++ compiled through WebAssembly for its designing tool.

Voice Interaction

We’ve seen a recent shift to voice-related searches across the world. According to Google, 27% of the global online population uses voice search, and that number seems to be growing even quicker. With numbers as high as 1 in 6 Americans who own a smart speaker, it’s no surprise that they would prefer and have grown accustomed to speaking commands and even online shopping without even touching their phones. So naturally, more and more companies want to take advantage of this and make their platforms voice-search friendly.

Artificial Intelligence

The future is Artificial Intelligence, and there’s no way around that fact. More companies and developers implement some kind of AI, and there’s no surprise that many users love it. If someone has a question or problem, they don’t have to wait for an actual employee to contact them; they can just talk with a Bot! They work around the clock 24/7 and find simple solutions for users. 

Also they can collect data from users, what they like, dislike, click on, and a plethora of other information. This data can be crucial to a platform’s success. For example, you can see AI implemented on many shopping sites with a customer service bot through Facebook, Messenger or their native one.

AI can’t replace real people, of course, but for minor problems and tasks that you can solve with just a few interactions, it’s logical that you might want to implement some sort of Artificial Intelligence to handle all those things.

FRONT-END

3D and Augmented Reality (AR)

With the constant progression in camera and processor technology, big companies such as Google, Apple, and Facebook have started utilizing those powerhouse components to implement AR into their apps.

For example, you might’ve noticed that Google lets you see different animals, human processes, cultural sites, and objects all in 3D and then put them in your space with AR! Apple does this, too, with their products when you go buy them online. 

There are also other emerging apps related to architecture and design, where they let you measure, draw and project your projects in your living room, studio, or wherever you might need them!

Minimalism

We should preface this by debunking a common misconception—minimalism isn’t the same as making everything flat and lifeless (like most big brands have been doing with their identities the past few years).

Minimalism in Web Development is about cutting all the unnecessary stuff from your User Experience! For example, make everything less than two or three clicks away, and don’t add anything that the user wouldn’t ask for.

Making a decision, like what’s necessary and what’s not, needs a lot of time to master. That’s why it’s crucial to involve a professional UI/UX designer when creating your website or app. The structure of your platform should never be at the expense of a user’s experience. This is one of those web development trends that will never go out of style.

Motion

While using motion isn’t for everyone, we’ve seen many companies use it to complement their sites. For example, take a look at a product page on Apple’s website—things move on their own. Some elements even activate when you scroll. This is an example of good motion design on websites. But it can easily step over and become too much if used in places where it isn’t needed.

Overall, motion comes with the growing trend of making everything feel organic—like how Google, Apple, and Microsoft have been making their operating systems more and more “life-like” by implementing natural elements with fluid motions and interactions.

Asymmetry

This one’s controversial, and that’s why it’s last, but centering things to the tiniest pixel is, to put it lightly, boring and overdone. As humans, we’re all accustomed to items that are from the real world. If you want to achieve a more natural feeling with the design of your website or app, you should know how to break the rules of symmetry.

Like with all things, this can be overdone. That’s why it should be reserved to elements that can handle it, and you should never use it with important things like, for example, the user interface and menus.

To Sum up the Web Development Trends Topic

Studying trends is vital for many reasons because it gives you the foresight for popular technologies. But it also allows you to plan your projects in time. In addition, it’s always good to know what people will want ahead of time. And if you hear them out, they’ll surely gravitate towards your apps instead of the competition.