State of Web Development

Progress in HTML, CSS, and JS

JavaScript

JavaScript Version	Notable Features
ES3 (ECMAScript 3)	Introduced standardized JavaScript Support for regular expressions Improved error handling
ES5 (ECMAScript 5)	Strict mode Array methods (forEach, map, filter, etc.) JSON object Function.prototype.bind() Object.defineProperty()
ES6 (ECMAScript 2015)	Arrow functions Let and const declarations Class syntax Template literals Default parameters Destructuring assignment
ES7 (ECMAScript 2016)	Exponential operator (**) Array.prototype.includes() Async functions Object.values() and Object.entries()
ES8 (ECMAScript 2017)	String padding methods (padStart, padEnd) Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptors() Async functions enhancements Shared memory and atomics (Web Workers)
ES9 (ECMAScript 2018)	Asynchronous iteration Rest/spread properties Promise.prototype.finally() RegExp improvements
ES10 (ECMAScript 2019)	Array.prototype.flat() and Array.prototype.flatMap() Optional chaining (?.) Nullish coalescing operator (??) BigInt data type
ES11 (ECMAScript 2020)	Nullish coalescing operator (??) Optional chaining (?.) BigInt data type GlobalThis object
ES12 (ECMAScript 2021)	Logical assignment operators (&&=, ||=, ??=) String.prototype.replaceAll() Numeric separators Promise.any()

HTML

HTML Version	Key Features
HTML 1.0 (1993)	Basic structure, Text formatting, Hyperlinks, Lists
HTML 2.0 (1995)	Tables, Images, Forms
HTML 3.2 (1997)	Frames, Text-level semantics
HTML 4.01 (1999)	Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Improved forms, Scripting
HTML5 (2014)	Semantic elements, Multimedia, Form enhancements, Offline and storage, Geolocation, WebSockets

CSS

CSS Version	Notable Features
CSS1	Basic styling properties (color, font, background, etc.) Box model (margin, padding, border) Positioning (static, relative, absolute) Float and clear
CSS2	More selectors (child, adjacent, attribute, etc.) Advanced positioning (fixed, z-index) Pseudo-classes and pseudo-elements Media queries
CSS3	Flexible Box Layout (Flexbox) Grid Layout Transitions and Animations Transformations (scale, rotate, translate) Multiple Backgrounds Border-radius and Box-shadow Custom Fonts (@font-face)
CSS3 Modules	Responsive Web Design (Media Queries) Transitions and Animations Transformations Flexible Box Layout (Flexbox) Grid Layout Multiple Backgrounds Custom Fonts (@font-face) Box-shadow and Border-radius Advanced Selectors (nth-child, :has, :not, etc.) Variables (custom properties) Scroll Snap Logical Properties and Values (flex-start, inline-end)

Web Servers and Dynamic Web Applications

The 2010s witnessed a significant evolution in web applications, marked by the proliferation of responsive design, the rise of single-page applications (SPAs), and the emergence of powerful front-end frameworks. The focus shifted towards creating seamless, user-friendly experiences across devices and platforms. Responsive design became a standard practice, allowing websites to adapt fluidly to different screen sizes. SPAs gained popularity, enabling faster and more interactive applications by loading content dynamically without full page reloads. Front-end frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.js revolutionized web development, providing robust tools for building complex and scalable applications. Additionally, the widespread adoption of APIs and the growth of cloud computing facilitated seamless integration with third-party services and the development of cloud-based applications. The 2010s marked a turning point in web application development, paving the way for more dynamic, engaging, and user-centric experiences on the web.

Open Source Repositories

Open source repositories like GitHub have played a pivotal role in shaping the modern landscape of software development and collaboration. During the 2010s and beyond, GitHub emerged as the go-to platform for hosting, sharing, and collaborating on open source projects. It provided developers with a centralized and accessible hub to contribute to projects, explore codebases, and collaborate with a global community of developers. In fact this page is hosted on Github

JavaScript Frameworks

And of course, I think the #1 biggest development regarding web in the 2010s and what seperates modern web development from the 2000s is the massive shift from programmers to use JS frameworks.

A JavaScript framework is a pre-written collection of code and libraries that provides developers with a structured way to build web applications. It offers a set of tools, functions, and components that streamline the development process and help developers solve common challenges in web application development.

The primary purpose of a JavaScript framework is to simplify and accelerate the development of complex web applications. It provides a foundation that includes essential features and functionalities, allowing developers to focus more on the application logic and less on writing repetitive or boilerplate code.

JavaScript frameworks typically offer features such as data binding, DOM manipulation, routing, form validation, and more. They provide a structured architecture or design pattern to organize the codebase, making it easier to manage and maintain as the application grows.

One of the key advantages of using a JavaScript framework is the ability to build interactive and dynamic user interfaces. Frameworks often provide a component-based approach, allowing developers to create reusable UI components that can be easily composed and updated based on user interactions or data changes.

Additionally, JavaScript frameworks promote code reusability, modularity, and separation of concerns, which leads to more maintainable and scalable codebases. They also offer robust community support, extensive documentation, and a wide range of third-party libraries and plugins that further enhance the development experience.

Overall, JavaScript frameworks aim to simplify and standardize the process of web application development, improve developer productivity, and enable the creation of robust and feature-rich applications.

Framework	Released	Latest Version	DOM Manipulation	Component-based	Routing	State Management	Community Size
React	2013	17.0.2	Yes	Yes	Yes	Redux	Large
Angular	2010	12.0.0	Yes	Yes	Yes	NgRx	Large
Vue.js	2014	2.6.14	Yes	Yes	Yes	Vuex	Large
Ember.js	2011	3.27.0	Yes	Yes	Yes	Ember Data	Medium
Backbone.js	2010	1.4.0	Yes	No	No	Custom	Medium

Conclusion

In conclusion, the evolution of the web from the 1990s to the 2020s has been nothing short of remarkable. From its humble beginnings as a simple collection of static websites with basic HTML and limited interactivity, the web has transformed into a dynamic and interactive platform that powers countless applications and connects people across the globe. During the 1990s, the web experienced rapid growth and the birth of essential technologies like HTTP, HTML, and hyperlinks. The introduction of web browsers and search engines made it easier to navigate and discover content. The 2000s saw the rise of social media, blogs, and interactive web applications, paving the way for user-generated content and online communities. The 2010s witnessed the emergence of JavaScript frameworks and libraries, revolutionizing frontend development and enabling the creation of highly interactive and responsive web experiences. The focus shifted towards mobile-first design and responsive layouts as the use of smartphones and tablets became widespread. In the 2020s, the web continues to evolve with advancements in technologies like Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), WebAssembly, and serverless architecture. Accessibility, performance optimization, and security have become major considerations in web development. Overall, the web has evolved from a static information-sharing platform to a dynamic ecosystem of interconnected applications, offering rich multimedia experiences, real-time communication, and personalized content.

Check out the next page, The 2020s