The world of web design is constantly evolving and innovative development trends emerging rapidly while some fade with the time and some lasts forever.
Web developers recognize this better than most that the ever-improving tools bring freedom in designing interfaces and interactions to make website cooler than ever before.
Below mentioned is a list of six development trends that have already picked pace across the world and gain wider popularity in 2016 and are expected to continue to be in common use for new websites launched in 2017.
1) Ruby on Rails
Ruby on Rails is a language stronger than Perl and more object-oriented than Python and even more versatile and flexible than java or PHP.
The framework is 100% free and runs on Linux and developers can effortlessly modify or improve the code according to their specifications.
The codes written with Rails are easily recycled, reused and also altered for other projects since it is a part of open source collaboration.
Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of gems and plug-ins are available for free that allows extra functionality and wide-ranging customization.
In addition to being a cost-saving technology, Ruby on Rails allows you to move from the planning stages to actual development very swiftly.
The latest version Rails 5.0.1 is released on 21st December, 2016.
Ruby on Rails is an ideal solution for startups or local businesses as well as some world renowned websites are using it; just to name a few.
Hulu | Groupon | LivingSocial | Twitter | Basecamp | Airbnb | SoundCloud
2) Artificial intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) demands sincere consideration when the future of web development trends is discussed as it can create powerful websites that provide value to both brands and their customers.
Some of the biggest tech companies, such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook, have been releasing their AI technology to be used by the public.
It is even used by large applications, either to improve search engines, like in Google’s case, or in Wikipedia’s case to identify inaccurate or damaged articles.
AI based application is most helpful for eCommerce platforms, for example after logging into website, you fill your options to select product, price, brands, color, layout and content and then based on pre-programmed algorithm automatically create a aesthetic website for you and been modified as many times you can.
Wix and Grid are the leaders in the AI based technology and they offer a process that asks users a few questions and then uses an AI-based platform to provide the user with web designs in just two minutes flat.
3) Material Design
Material Design was originally known by the codename Quantum Paper.
Google launched material design for web interfaces that uses shadow effects and the concepts of movement and depth in order to create designs that appear more realistic to the user.
Bigger backgrounds give a distinct look to the selected theme as minimalism is the trend using those components with an interactive background in the center can be attention-grabbing for the viewers.
This technology creates one prototype design that allows for a unified experience across platforms and device sizes and offers lot of free resource available such as icon, color pallets, templates and wire frames.
Google even announced Material Design Lite that uses vanilla CSS, HTML and JavaScript and is intended to make it simple to add the look and feel of Material Design to websites.
Material Design is mobile-centric and Google is centering its entire design philosophy on the mobile experience adds weight to the idea that mobile will continue to take precedent as our preferred way of access the web.
4) Page-less Format
Page-less design is a form of website formation where all the necessary details like email address, phone number, a map, contact form and information about the company or product or service are stuffed on a single page.
It also creates uniformity across platforms where users are already used to scrolling content, interactive elements and intuitive navigation.
Traditionally, it’s been quite an expensive endeavor for both businesses and individuals to create beautiful and custom websites.
A single page design is often cheaper to buy than a larger site as the designer does not need to be concerned with large volumes of content or page-specific requirements that are common with larger sites.
One more important thing is that concise and relevant content is one of the best means to keep Google on your side.
In brief, one page website is all about showing off, boasting a little, bragging about what you’re good at and conveying that you’re at the right place.
A photographer would showcase some of his best assignments.
An antiques shop might show off some of their vintage products.
A singer might show the dates and venue of his upcoming show.
5) Parallax effects
Image source: webdesy
The visual appearance of a website becomes more significant as our prospect towards the web enhanced.
Website nowadays is not a big deal and plain usability is not adequate any longer to make the difference.
So, It’s vital to engage your visitors on an emotional level to make them more positive and more open for your messages.
Parallax technique is a method when elements in your website move in different direction and speed in response to user navigating the website or mouse scrolling.
Parallax technique can present product in new and engaging ways and enable designers to create vivid and interactive stories that encourage the visitors to take an active role in their interaction with your site.
It gives websites a great opportunity to create interaction using only native browser technologies like HTML5, CSS3, jQuery and graphic design.
In fact, it keeps your online audience glued to their computer screen and focused on what is essential for them from your business perspective.
6) Bots
Bots will increase online sales, decipher customer problems, and offer help when it’s needed. Sounds great, right?
Bot is a computer program which conducts a conversation via auditory or textual methods and known by different names like chatterbots, talkbots, Chatbots, bots, chatterboxes, Artificial Conversational Entities etc.
There are numerous ways on how bots can already take over easy tasks and as technology continues to get better, these bots are going to get smarter, more sophisticated, and can embody an array of abilities.
More and more businesses think about ways on how to make use of bots for their customer support and commerce bots will be a bit hit for transactional interactions where you already generally know what you want to order (e.g., Amazon, Uber, eBay).
We’ll also see an explosion of new bot-based stores that push product to you via messaging and engage with you like a person and will witness significant number of roll-your-own-bot publishing platforms — from bot content management to bot ecommerce to bot customer service and more in year 2017.
Author Bio:
Tarang Vyas is a Head of Development Team at Perception System, the Leading Website Development Company. He has been in the industry for last 15+ Years.