Every day, what we do on the internet evolves. The web development field is always changing. While we may not be able to see the day-to-day changes as they occur, it’s easy to look back over the last few months and realize that many of the things we do now are vastly different from what we did previously.
Because we work in one of the most fast-paced businesses, it’s critical that we anticipate and learn about what’s coming up, or we’ll be left in the web development dust. While this may appear difficult at first, it’s actually quite simple to predict where we’ll go in the coming months/years. Let’s have a look at some of the things I believe will occur in the near future.
PSD to XHTML/CSS Conversion Services are in Lower Demand
I’ve already noticed this tendency as a developer who specializes in PSD to CSS/XHTML conversions. While I’m not losing business, I’m not getting as many PSD to XHTML/CSS projects as I used to. The majority of my current work entails WordPress development or specialized server-side programming (e.g.
PHP). In other words, web developers are starting to focus more on specialized tasks like open source software customisation. Developers like me, who demand a premium over “PSD to HTML” chop shops, will need to continue to change our niche as the months pass.
I believe this type of job will always be in demand, but you’ll need to set yourself apart from the $50-per-PSD-conversion companies, especially if you’re charging substantially more than the “market price.”
Web Standards Appreciation
With so many devices and browsers on the market, standards have become even more vital in order to build flexible and interoperable goods. With more online browsers supporting open web standards and enterprises abandoning proprietary software in favor of open technologies, web standard-savvy coders are in high demand. This tendency will benefit developers who produce compliant code.
Less client work, more self-work
A lot of developers have quit working for clients and begun working on their own projects. With the popularity of the iPhone and iPad, and public APIs, I expect this to increase in the coming year. Working on my own apps is a lot more entertaining than working on client sites.
Making the next Twitter is also possible with the tools and expertise our maturing business has gained. Working on your own projects has additional advantage. Because the Web is constantly evolving, you’ll discover new skills to apply to client work.
I’m now studying PHP and Cocoa, and hope to be able to develop iPhone apps for clients shortly. Making your own projects keeps you informed. (Learn more about working on personal projects.)
Internet Explorer Is Going To Be Really Cool
That’s exactly what I stated. For various reasons, I’m looking forward to the new Internet Explorer 9. The most important argument is that it will finally be a true modern browser that supports HTML5 and CSS3 standards.
Another advantage of IE9 is that IE6 will now be three browsers old. While I was fortunate enough to be able to drop support for IE6 due to my client base, I understand that some of you are still trapped with it. Because Internet Explorer 6 will soon be three browser versions old and almost ten years old, large organizations that have been reticent to upgrade their systems may be obliged to do so.
People are starting to realize that they need to upgrade their browser for safer browsing as a result of the discovery of multiple security vulnerabilities in obsolete versions of IE. And, in the UK and the rest of Europe, Microsoft will be required to provide a variety of browser options, which will (hopefully) reduce the use of IE6 even further.
The Need to Be Multilingual and Tech-Savvy
It’s not uncommon for web developers to be fluent in multiple languages and use them on the same page or site. I feel that in order to be among the greatest at what you do, you must have a broad range of knowledge while also specializing/nicheing on something relatively specific. I’ve been able to do this successfully by focusing on CSS/HTML and only working with other freelancers and web design firms.
However, I quickly began receiving requests for WordPress work, so I dove right in and learnt the API from the ground up. WordPress has now become one of my specialties, and I like using it on nearly every site I create. This is a vital notion in a continuously changing sector like ours, and one that is sometimes overlooked in college education.
Many of my classmates are now unemployed since all they can (and want) to do is print design. Because our markets are continually diminishing, it’s critical that we continue to study and develop new talents in case we need to make a swift changeover. Knowing multiple languages and technologies keeps things interesting and keeps you from becoming burnt out.
