We’re well into 2019 now, and the web development world is in many ways different from the 2018 edition. While all of the front-end technologies and practices that piqued people’s excitement in the last twelve months or so are still here, new trends are gradually cropping up. 

The key principle that all web developers, including the Site Slinger experts, strive to follow, though, remains unchanged. It’s the need to engage users and personalize their digital experience. We’ve prepared a rundown of the most notable web development trends in 2019 that focus on these goals exactly.

Progressive Web Apps Versus Responsive Websites: Meet the Winner

First, there were static websites with just HTML and not much else. Then came CSS, Javascript, and other technologies that made websites more dynamic and responsive. These days, however, responsiveness has transformed into a much broader notion.

Just a responsive website is no longer enough to meet the users’ growing demands in 2019. On certain devices, it may not look as attractive as you might expect. That limitation gave rise to an alternative solution: Progressive Web Apps (PWA).

A PWA is a website that perfectly adapts to the specifics of the device where it gets displayed: screen resolution and size, browser, and hardware features. As a result, it’s almost impossible to notice any differences between a PWA and a native app.

Here are the key benefits that PWAs give web developers and users: 

• Since they can access the device’s hardware, you can use PWAs offline. 
• They’re fast, even on outdated or poor-quality devices with a weak signal. 
• They’re a step up in security compared with responsive websites 
• They are cost-effective and less time-consuming to create. 

Your main takeaway? Lower bounce and higher conversion rates. 

“How may I help  you?” — AI and Chatbots

According to a recent report from Gartner, 37% of organizations have implemented Artificial Intelligence in various forms, and this trend is going to continue in the foreseeable future.

Almost every business website uses a live chat as a permanent point of connection with consumers. Now, this feature has become more sophisticated. No more need to hire a human support agent waiting for a customer to text a question at 3 a.m. 

Just get a chatbot made and keep it running day and night. Thanks to the breakthrough in Natural Language Processing, chatbots no longer resemble mechanically speaking toys. They’re now able to answer typical questions from the Q&A page in a much more meaningful way and even solve simple issues that users may encounter. 

So, expect chatbot development to remain in high demand in 2019 and years to come.

Push Notifications: Everywhere, Anywhere 

Email newsletters are still a popular way to inform consumers of new services or update them on company news. However, they are slowly but steadily being replaced by push notifications. 

In the past, these unobtrusive messages used to be limited to mobile devices. In 2019, an increasing number of website owners regard push notifications as a more valuable tool to stay in touch with their users. 

Which is better: the inbox drowned in hundreds of newsletters or a tiny notification icon on the toolbar? We would choose the latter. You can add the push notification feature to a website by subscribing to a service like PushWoosh. WordPress website owners can also take advantage of various dedicated plugins like PushEngage. 

The Site Slinger has implemented thousands of WordPress projects over the years. We are providers of all the services related to this most popular CMS in the world, including theming, customizing existing or building custom plugins from scratch.

No More Coding! Use Blocks

New versions of content management systems provide more powerful features to their users than ever before. Know nothing about CSS rules or HTML tags? It’s OK. You can still put together a sleek web page just like a professional web designer does (well, almost). 

Simply take ready-made blocks or modules and mix them together. The website module building is only expected to grow in popularity in 2019 and beyond. That’s particularly true for WordPress users, who can use Gutenberg to “make adding rich content to WordPress simple and enjoyable.” 

Smooth Website Navigation: Motion UI

Websites with visually appealing and simple navigation elements are likely to hold users’ attention for a longer span. When they know where to go and find surfing a website enjoyable, they will keep returning to it. 

Creating smooth and straightforward navigation by using CSS animations/transitions is a trend that shows no signs of stopping in 2019. Motion UI is one of the best web development libraries for that purpose, flexible and customizable.

The Site Slinger web developers are skilled in creating dynamic and modern-looking interfaces by using a range of cutting-edge tools and libraries. 

Concluding Thoughts 

There’s no doubt: the web development industry is going to keep on flourishing. Websites and web apps are going to be faster, more secure, interactive, and AI-wise. Whatever modern technologies you select for your website, the top-of-the-line developers from The Site Slinger are always at your service.