The origin of software development solutions dates back to the 90s . Before this date, the concept of web programming as we know it today did not exist. However, we did find systems that allowed the presentation of information, which can be considered as antecedents of the modern web.

Initially, website creation used to be done primarily through servers and rudimentary communication protocols .

In the 1980s, modern web development began to define its foundations with the invention of the concept of hypertext without HTML and the development of the SGML markup language . This methodology allowed for the creation of “stacks” of interconnected cards, but they were not linked to the web and ran locally on the user's computer.

With its background defined, it is time to evaluate how web development has progressed since its creation and what its most popular technologies have been.

Birth of web development: Arrival of HTML in the 90s

In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee invented HTML ( HyperText Markup Language ). With his arrival, web development really took off and began to transform the way we interact with information online.

In its early versions, it only allowed basic content markup . Web pages were presented statically, with little emphasis on design and interactivity. For example, early web browsers, such as NCSA Mosaic, displayed HTML content in a linear fashion, with underlined links and unstylized text.

Over time, HTML has been updated with new versions that add more advanced functionality and layout capabilities .

First web development technologies in the 2000s

From web pages as simple static documents to interactive and content-rich applications. This is achieved through a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript programming languages.

As we have seen, HTML is a markup language that provides the basic layout of web pages, while CSS ( Cascading Style Sheets ) began to be used to design and structure these pages

 Which, along with JavaScript , which handles dynamic behaviors in the client browser, laid the foundation for modern web development. In the early 2000s, both CSS and JavaScript became popular.

It is also important to mention how PHP ( Personal Home Page ) which was presented to the public in 1995. A language used to create dynamic websites and documentation is now run on the server side (backend). its control logic.

That same year saw the release of Java, a technological revolution that allowed text to be used anywhere once. Additionally, it can be used both backwards and forwards, although this has more to do with server-side application development.

Likewise, frameworks and libraries gradually emerged that simplified and accelerated web development. One of the first to stand out was jQuery , in 2006, which made it easier to manipulate the DOM ( Document Object Model ) and interact with JavaScript.

2010s: The Rise of Web Applications

Frontend

AngularJS – Now Angular, it is developed by Google and uses HTML for the UI and to build SPAs.ReactJS : Created by Facebook for building web applications.js : Written in JavaScript, it gained popularity for its ease of learning and its ability to be gradually integrated into projects.

Additionally, CSS frameworks such as Bootstrap emerged , offering pre-built toolkits for responsive web design .

Backend

js : Emerged as a JavaScript runtime environment for developing high-performance and scalable web applications. Since its launch it has gained more and more popularity.Laravel : Established itself as a popular PHP framework for the backend, although it also provides tools and functionalities to work on the client side..NET : Introduced by Microsoft and used to create robust and secure web services and development.Python: Widely used for web development in 2010, thanks to frameworks like Django and Flask. Python is used to create fast and flexible web applications.

Without forgetting existing software product development services such as PHP or Ruby on Rails, which became popular options for dynamic and scalable web development.

Progressive Web Apps

Likewise, new trends emerged as a result of the wide range of languages ​​and frameworks. We are talking about progressive web applications (PWAs), developed by several companies since 2011.

However, it was Google who introduced this term throughout 2015 and 2016 and from there they were promoted. These stand out for the ability to work offline, installation on the home screen, push notifications and fast performance.

 

Twitter, Starbucks, Forbes, The Washington Post and many other companies launched their PWAs in the 2010s. 

The Full Stack Era

With the growth in demand for versatile developers capable of working on all layers of web development , the concept of full stack emerged. These programmers manage both front-end and back-end well, using a wide range of tools and technologies.

This trend peaked in mid-2010. With this, automation and dependency management tools became essential. For example, NPM ( Node Package Manager ) for Node.js and Composer for PHP . These tools simplify the management of packages and code libraries, facilitating development and collaboration in teams.

The current state of web development technologies

Adapting to the latest trends and tools will be key to staying relevant in this ever-evolving industry. In addition to those already mentioned, we continue to find additional frameworks whose popularization, although later, is also worth mentioning:

Ionic Framework: Usually used for hybrid mobile and web applications. It’s based on standard web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, so it also works for developing PWAs.js : In 2020, Node.js established itself as one of the most popular frameworks, for developing web applications and APIs quickly and efficiently.js : Like the previous two, it gained popularity in the 2020s, but this time as a React framework for building static and dynamic web applications.

The Latest Trends

What can we expect from web development technologies? What systems can they influence?

 

As for web browsers, Chrome, Firefox and Edge remain the leaders in the industry, without forgetting Safari.

 

These are developed by combining different technologies and languages, such as JavaScript, C++, HTML and CSS . Likewise, they have regular updates to guarantee an optimal user experience and offer support for the latest web technologies.

For this reason, developers must ensure that their applications are compatible with the latest versions of these browsers to ensure accessibility and performance.

At the same time, open source continues to gain notoriety and plays a fundamental role. This allows free access, modification and distribution of the software, promoting collaboration, transparency, innovation and collaborative community development.

The main technologies for a project written in open source include languages ​​such as Python, JavaScript, Java, C++. Also tools like Git, Docker or Kubernetes, and databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL. WordPress, Joomla, PrestaShop or Drupal , among others, are open source CMS used by multiple types of users.

Web accessibility for all people, including those with visual, hearing or motor disabilities; Artificial intelligence ( AI) and virtual reality (VR) are other trends resulting from the evolution of custom enterprise software development that must be taken into account. Which shows that, without a doubt, this progress will continue to be an exciting journey .

From the first steps in PHP, HTML, CSS and JavaScript to the most sophisticated back and front end frameworks such as Node.js, Angular, Ionic or React. There are multiple languages, tools and libraries that developers can use in their web development projects or PWAs. Only the desired functionalities should be analyzed to determine which technology is best with an expert like us