Top Misconceptions About Web Development in 2020

Web development is a field with many potentials. There is no single set of rules that developers can follow for a successful website. But there are trends and patterns in development that developers must be aware of when creating a website because they change every year.

Many developers, however, tend to follow the trends without understanding what the company requires. Even though the trends are popular, they may not work for all sites, and this leads to some misconceptions.

Here are Some of the Common Misconceptions About Web Development this Year:

Web Development is Dying: This is perhaps the most common misconception that people have today. With the improvement in technology and the increasing importance of artificial intelligence and automated development, many developers and non-developers think that developers have no future. They will lose their jobs because AI will replace them. While AI can facilitate development and make it more efficient, it is not always possible for it to function without human intervention. Besides, AI cannot understand human emotions, which is necessary to provide customer satisfaction. Web developers are required for this and other such functions. Therefore it is a false belief that web developers will soon become obsolete and that AI will take over development entirely.

Web Development is All About Coding: Another huge misconception that people, especially non-developers, have is that website development is all about coding. It is true that it primarily involves coding, programming languages, and frameworks. But technology has progressed enough to make it possible to build a site without any of that. Several platforms enable users to create complete websites without writing a single line of code. Some of these platforms include WordPress, Squarespace. These website builders are primarily meant for people who do not have any interest or experience in coding.

Further, website development for developers is also not all about coding. They have other functions as well. For instance, when developers work in a team, they have to communicate with the design team and help them in their work. Sometimes they also have to create design prototypes. They have to communicate with their clients throughout the process of development and keep them updated at every stage. Some developers specialize in data science and work on Big Data Analytics. The field of web development has many opportunities, even for people who do not want to learn to code.

Web Development is Expensive: Web development is expensive depending on the website and the needs of the company. Not all websites require much money. You can build a site with a free website builder at a minimal cost. You can also use free plugins and templates on your site to avoid paying developers to do the work for you. Further, there are both experienced and inexperienced developers that you can hire. It is possible to find an amateur developer who will work at a little cost. It is also possible to outsource developers from remote locations who work at minimal rates.

Web Development is a One-Time Investment: Before creating a website, it is essential to understand the amount of expenses required to do so. Many believe that it is a one-time investment and that the money is needed only to create the site. But the truth is that having a website involves other expenses as well. For instance, a website needs to be maintained to ensure its smooth functioning, a developer is required from time to time, and he/she works for money. One may hire a web developer freelance to reduce costs. Similarly, a website also needs to be updated from time to time to ensure its security and also to ensure that its features are not outdated. All of these various requirements must be considered while calculating the overall budget on a site. It will help to determine where the cost can be reduced for a cost-effective website.

Native Applications Have No Future: Most websites these days are mobile phone responsive and cross-browser compatible. So it is a common belief that native applications have no place, that developing a native application is useless. It may not always be true because many large companies worldwide have their native apps, sometimes even when their site is responsive. Companies like Facebook, Amazon, Google have been successful at running their native applications for a long time. So other companies can do so as well. Native apps may not work for everyone, but it does not imply that it has no future.

The Fancier the Website the Better: There are many ways to make a website look fancy. Developers can write a few lines of code or even add extensions on the site to achieve this. But a fancy website need not always be the best. The impression a site creates on the user is indeed crucial to determining whether he/she will check out. But at the same time, it is also essential to keep it functional. An ideal website is a balance of both and considers both these factors equally well. A functional site that is not visually impressive will not be successful just as a visually impressive site without functionality will not.

A Minimalist Website is Sure to Succeed: Minimalism is in trend right now. So many people are choosing minimalist lifestyles, and when this is recreated on a website, they prefer it over other sites. However, minimalism is not feasible for all websites. If you have much content and you cannot cut down on it, creating a minimalist site will make it less informative. If your site fails to inform the users because it caters to minimalism, then minimalism is not suitable for it. The site will never succeed.

Popular Web Designs are Sure to Succeed: Why are some web designs popular while others or not? Because it depends on the users and what they like. When the majority of website users like a design, it becomes popular. But should you stick to popular designs alone? No. A professional web designer or developer should go beyond stock ideas and explore new ones. If users like a new design, it has the potential for popularity. A website with a new, innovative design has as much chance at success as one with a popular stock design.

The Client’s Decision is Final: This misconception is almost always on the part of the client. The client believes that a developer should do exactly what they want and nothing more. He/she should follow all their ideas even when it comes to web design. However, this is not true and is not always practical. The client may have ideas, but they may not have the skills required to build a site. So it is essential to discuss them with the employee. The employee will be able to work on those ideas and improve on them so that they can be put on the site without affecting its functionality. The ideal client should always give his employees some freedom to work on his own and use his skills and expertise well.

Having a Website, Will Bring New Customers Immediately: A website indeed is one of the primary tools of marketing and lead generation. But it does not mean that you will have many new customers immediately after you launch your website. It is because a website can only have new customers when it is visible to people in popular search engines. Further, you also have to work on data analytics and understand your leads to convert them into customers. All of these tasks take time and effort. You will have many new customers only when you succeed in satisfying them by meeting their demands.

Web development is a field where you can go beyond a given set of rules to create something new. If you are willing to learn and like to experiment with different languages and frameworks, your success is guaranteed. Here are some commonly asked questions about a career in the field:

What Programming Languages Should I Learn?

Becoming a developer means you have to learn programming languages. The more you learn, the better you will be. Some of the commonly used languages include Java, JavaScript, C#, and so on. Some of the widely used frameworks include Laravel, Ruby on Rails, Joomla, and so on. But it does not mean you only have to stick to these. There are many new programming languages that you can learn. Depending on your interest, you can learn any language or framework that you like and put it to use.

Should I Be a Front-end, Back-end, or Full-stack Developer?

Almost all developers are in demand at any point in time. It does not matter if you are a front-end, back-end, or full-stack developer because different companies and industries have varying preferences. While one firm may prefer separate developers for the front-end and the back-end, another may hire someone in full-stack. To be a Full stack developer you have to know the languages of both the front-end and the back-end. But if you want to learn only the languages of one end, you can do so without risking your career.

Should I Work for Startups Even at Minimal Payment?

Yes. It is not always easy to get hired by a big firm. So the best thing to do is work for startups and hone all your skills. Web development is more about how you can apply in your project all the skills that you acquire. To do this, you may even have to work for no payment at all. Working for startups and small companies will give you the experience you need to get hired by the company of your dreams.