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july, 2024
7 Web Development Trends
in 2024
in 2024
Discover the key web development trends for 2024: new styles, AI integration, the SSR vs. SSG battle, the blurring of front-end and back-end boundaries and the importance of accessibility.
According to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, change is the only constant in life. This statement is true for our personal lives as well as for the professional sphere. Especially in frontend development, where new technologies, trends, libraries and frameworks often lead to change. For example, the release of Angular 17 with support for server-side rendering, the introduction of Next.js v14, and the popularity of TypeScript.
While keeping up with changes in the ecosystem can be challenging, staying current is important for professionals. Want to know the hottest trends for 2024? Keep reading.
The emergence of new styling solutions and component libraries
When it comes to website design, developers have many tools at their disposal. There are over 40 CSS frameworks, over 40 CSS-in-JS libraries, and many component libraries for Angular, React, and Vue.
In 2024, we see styling solutions such as Shadcn UI, Ark UI, Panda CSS and StyleX from Meta. There is also the emergence of the open source React UI Wedges library from Lemon Squeezy.
Expect more solutions to emerge as open source developers and creators offer unique approaches to interface design and website development.
Expect more solutions to emerge as open source developers and creators offer unique approaches to interface design and website development.
Using AI to Optimize the Development Process
It’s no exaggeration to say that generative AI has taken the world by storm, impacting many industries, including web development.
For instance, Vercel v0 is a UI creation tool that takes a prompt and returns a ready-made user interface. You can instruct V0 to create an e-commerce dashboard, for example.
For instance, Vercel v0 is a UI creation tool that takes a prompt and returns a ready-made user interface. You can instruct V0 to create an e-commerce dashboard, for example.
Vercel also supports AI integration through its AI SDK, helping developers build AI-based applications. Currently, the SDK is downloaded over 85,000 times per week, with the second most significant reason people subscribe to Vercel being the creation of API applications.
While AI won’t replace our jobs, developers are increasingly incorporating it into their workflows. According to the Retool AI report for 2023, 57% of developers use Stack Overflow less since 2022, and 10% have stopped using it altogether, turning instead to ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot.
While AI won’t replace our jobs, developers are increasingly incorporating it into their workflows. According to the Retool AI report for 2023, 57% of developers use Stack Overflow less since 2022, and 10% have stopped using it altogether, turning instead to ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot.
The Battle Between SSR and SSG Continues
Server-side rendering (SSR) and static site generation (SSG) are two rendering methods that have gained attention due to their SEO and performance benefits. As more developers and businesses adopt SSR and SSG, the competition among platforms to support these rendering methods continues.
The best tool depends on the specific task. However, it’s safe to say that Next.js is currently ahead of its competitors.
An example of this is the recent comparison of Next.js and Remix on Tech Twitter. Kent C. Dodds published an article titled "Why I’m Not Using Next.js," while Lee Robinson from Vercel responded with "Why I’m Using Next.js."
When it comes to choosing technology, there is no one-size-fits-all tool.
According to the Stack Overflow survey for 2023, Next.js is the sixth most popular web framework, surpassing Nuxt.js, Gatsby, and Remix, which rank 21st, 24th, and 30th respectively. Next.js’s popularity has increased since the 2022 Stack Overflow survey, where it ranked 11th.
When it comes to choosing technology, there is no one-size-fits-all tool.
According to the Stack Overflow survey for 2023, Next.js is the sixth most popular web framework, surpassing Nuxt.js, Gatsby, and Remix, which rank 21st, 24th, and 30th respectively. Next.js’s popularity has increased since the 2022 Stack Overflow survey, where it ranked 11th.
The Lines Between Front-End, Back-End, and Full-Stack Development Are Blurring
In the early days of web development, developers adhered to the principle of task separation. Front-end, back-end, and full-stack development were divided into different systems and folders.
Over time, these boundaries have become blurred. Next.js provides routers that allow handling HTTP requests, fetching data from databases, running server logic, and performing tasks like database queries.
Over time, these boundaries have become blurred. Next.js provides routers that allow handling HTTP requests, fetching data from databases, running server logic, and performing tasks like database queries.
React Server Components (RSC) further blur the lines by allowing pre-rendering of applications and executing database queries on the server rather than on the client. This means you can write database queries directly in React components. Next.js is also releasing server actions, enabling the definition of functions called on the client to manipulate data on the server.
In addition to these developments, the emergence and popularity of Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions like Supabase, Appwrite, and Xata have made it easier for front-end developers to build fully functional applications. With these new tools and technologies, we can expect more cross-domain expertise as front-end developers delve into server and full-stack development.
In addition to these developments, the emergence and popularity of Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) solutions like Supabase, Appwrite, and Xata have made it easier for front-end developers to build fully functional applications. With these new tools and technologies, we can expect more cross-domain expertise as front-end developers delve into server and full-stack development.
Growing Appreciation for Accessibility
With over 1 billion people living with some form of disability, accessibility cannot be an afterthought in the development process. Here are some benefits of focusing on accessibility:
- 1Wider Audience ReachAccessible websites can be used by people with various disabilities, significantly expanding the potential audience.
- 2Improved SEOMany accessibility practices can enhance SEO, helping content rank higher and be more easily found.
- 3Legal ComplianceMany regions have laws requiring web accessibility, so creating accessible websites can help avoid legal issues and fines.
- 4Enhanced User InterfaceAccessibility features often improve the overall user experience for all users, not just those with disabilities.
- 5Positive Brand ImageCommitment to accessibility demonstrates social responsibility and inclusivity, positively impacting an organization’s reputation.
While web accessibility has improved over the last few decades, we are still far from achieving a fully accessible web. As of 2022, only 3% of the web is accessible to people with disabilities. Although this ratio is shockingly low, there is gradual but steady improvement in accessibility.
VS Code Remains the Top Code Editor
Released in 2019, VS Code has become one of the most popular code editors, competing with IDEs like Vim, IntelliJ, and WebStorm. Data from the Stack Overflow survey for 2023 shows that VS Code remains the preferred editor among developers. The Software House’s State of Front-End Development report for 2022 also indicates that VS Code is the most beloved code editor among developers, with a 74.4% preference rate.
More People Are Using TypeScript
While opinions on using TypeScript vary in the developer ecosystem, the majority support it. In fact, you’re more likely to see companies and open-source creators migrating their codebases to TypeScript. An example is Stripe, which migrated its largest codebase from JavaScript — 3.7 million lines of code — to TypeScript.
The field of front-end development is constantly evolving, with new technologies, frameworks, and trends emerging. Adapting to rapid changes can be challenging, but staying informed about the latest trends can enhance your career and keep your skills up to date.