With immense development in IT, distributed cloud computing, blockchain, AI, machine learning and other futuristic technologies, hyper automation and human augmentation are predicted to dramatically accelerate human capabilities. Year 2020 eyes immense use of diverse emerging technologies, techniques and best practices that promise to take the IT and web development to unexpected level. 

This article talks about the most significant and latest web development trends for 2020 that include unexpected development in web technologies.

1. Artificial Intelligence & Analytics

Fully automated applications, highly interactive apps serving the info or identify our areas of interests based on browsing history, analysis of data captured through browsers and apps installed on smartphones have facilitated businesses extend their reach globally and attain enhanced performance as well as productivity cost efficiently. With every new technological innovation, AI is occupying deeper space in our lives. AI has kinda hijacked the way we used to interact with businesses, find preferable products/ services and manage and control our daily life activities. Data analytics, AI and machine learning (ML) blended together has exposed an entirely different world of business solutions and opportunities. AI makes use of the data recorded by user behaviour while using a smart device/ browser, applies analytics to analyse the captured data and process the same to render intelligently collected information exclusively adhering to your requirements and this entire study is known as data science. 

AI forms an integral part of data science that works in conjunction with machine learning that signifies the capabilities of machines to learn from previous behaviour of the users and serve the user with intelligence imitating human intelligence capacities.

A range of JavaScript frameworks like React and Angular empower developers and software development companies render impeccable AI solutions effortlessly. Just a few lines of code and importing pre-defined libraries of code while developing an applicatio

n with React Native/ VR, AngularJS, or Node JS helps developing innovative business solutions leveraging artificial intelligence efficiencies effortlessly. JavaScript frameworks are easy and simple to use. 

2. Programming Languages

No application development is possible without any programming language. Since the inception, conventional programming languages like C have equipped the programmers with extensive control over executables and applications at the memory level. From with compiler-based languages to interpreter-based and now cross-platform development supporting programming languages have curated a long story of evolution. 

Web development can not be possible without a programming language. Various web development and programming languages such as Java, C#, Objective C, C++, R, Laravel, Python etc. have been adopted for developing native, hybrid and cross-platform applications.

Python  is one of the programming languages that has witnessed significant adoption by developers since last five years. An open source and a general-purpose programming language, Python is used in server-side programming that allow leveraging a range of pre-defined code libraries making scripts writing and plug-ins integration seamless and easy. With simple and easy to use business codes written in Python removes the complexity of syntax unlike other programming languages. 

Used in developing highly interactive, scalable and robust web applications, AI and machine learning business solutions, Python comes with a huge community support catering to all technical assistance requirements.

3. Internet of Things (IOT)

Just a command to a smart device- “Alexa, play my favorite song!” and there you start enjoying melodious compositions of your interest. Don’t say that you don’t enjoy controlling your TVs, ACs and other home appliances with your smart phones. Along with Alexa, home device control using the most embraced technology, Internet of Things (IOT) is gradually becoming an integral part of our lives. 

The home innovation ideas with IOT are skyrocketing and so is the development of various software applications that channelize full-functionality to manage and control home appliances. The Internet Of Things, IOT is a system of interconnected devices, objects, people or animals having assigned unique identifiers that facilitate exchange of data across a network without any human-to-machine or human-to-human or interaction. Initially started with RFID technology to locate vehicles and cattle with unique identifications using sensors, the IoT is widely used across industries including manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare among others for revolutionary development. 

IOT is undeniably one of the hottest development trends to be followed by development companies to stay ahead of the curve and 2020 is expected to revolve around extensive integration of IOT aspects to home and office infrastructure, clinical research and development, manufacturing and logistics industrial development.

4. Distribution Cloud

The boundless use of cloud platforms, infrastructure and software applications is driving cloud providers to introduce distributed cloud that would cater to soaring demand for data centres outside the physical scope of cloud providers. 

The distributed cloud is scattered across various public cloud locations outside the boundaries of the physical data centers devised by the cloud provides yet controlled and managed by the providers. The cloud providers are accountable for providing the cloud service architecture, service delivery, operational functions, compliance and governance along with updates. The data centre belonging to the distributed cloud can be located anywhere and efficiently address technical issues, regulatory concerns, and storage aspects while offering public cloud service leveraging potential of private cloud.

This year is expected to witness drastic shift from centralized public cloud to distributed public cloud to facilitate cloud computing.

5. Voice Search and NLP

Voice search is one of the most trending technology used in developing intuitive web and mobile applications. Assistants like Cortana, Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri, and Echo are embraced by users worldwide as they do not support voice search by making users feel more comfortable using search engines to gather the desired information. Already 40% of adults and 55% of teenagers use voice search features on their devices once a day. A report predicts that 50% of all the search queries on smart devices and browsers will be raised in voice format instead of text by this year thereby skyrocketing the development of voice search supporting web applications. (source: coredna.com).

The newly emerging technology Neuro-Linguistic programming, NLP is one of the development trends that ranks high in the list of trending technologies for 2020. NLP refers to a pseudoscientific approach that facilitates communication and is used in personal development and psychotherapy. 

NLP refers to accumulate the subjective experience captured by our five senses including vision, olfaction, audition, tactician, and gestation to the language. NLP follows the notion of diverging consciousness into conscious and unconscious components. A simulated learning method known as modeling is used to codify and render performance-centric solutions involving ideal expertise across domains. NLP applications are extensively used in industry verticals like psychotherapeutic, medicine, sports, sales, public speaking, and many others.

6. Motion UI

Motion UI is another emerging technology that aims to evolve web development in 2020. With diverse range of fascinating tools supporting animations and transitions to develop user interface, Motion UI focuses to boost conversion rates with highly interactive web UIs.

Motion user interfaces enable developers create transition and motion effects within native apps. The recent version of Motion UI offers flexible patterns of CSS with a broad array of JavaScript libraries while allowing seamless animation integration into the websites. Developers can access predefined motions Motion UI and enormously transform the way or interacting with websites effortlessly. More intuitive user interfaces developed using Motion UI promise to advance user activity by engaging users emotionally.

7. Blockchain

Initially launched to be used in developing cryptocurrencies to be used over the internet, Blockchain has found its way to the web development due to its unique capabilities. 

A kind of distributed ledger consisting of a comprehensive list of irrevocable transactional records signed cryptographically by the user and placed in chronological order in the network. A typical blockchain model is comprised of a shared ledger that is distributed over network, an immutable ledger that is traceable and process to encrypt and tokenize in addition to a distributed method for public consensus. 

Till date, blockchain development has not been able to attain hype due to lack interoperability and scalability concerns. But, the coming years are expected to witness blockchain following a practical approach and gain momentum in the practical implementation of few blockchain elements. The ledger being used in the blockchain would be designed to be used independently by participating applications and participants and would be replicated for creating authoritative records of events occurring across distributed networks. People having specific permissioned would be able to access and view the information and a single blockchain would simplify the integration with sharing properties.

8. Single Page Applications (SPA)

Single-page applications are gaining more popularity as they cut down the development resources, load faster and most importantly such sites let users find short, crisp and precise information without wandering here and there on unnecessarily developed pages. With a single page site, the data is placed carefully on the correct places so that it could captivate potential customers quickly. Integration of more interactive elements and futuristic technology such as voice search allow businesses attain higher rate of conversion and hence SPA ranks high in the top trends of web development for 2020.

9. Chatbots and Customer Support

It gives us immense pleasure when unlike previous times our call or message is not answered for long and a human-like character keeps us engaged with important information and support till the real human workforce available to attend to our queries and concerns. These human-imitating characters are Chatbots intelligently programmed with pre-stored information so that they can extend utmost support to prospective clients, help boosting existing customer relations and provide extensive technical as well as non-technical support in the absence of skilled human personnel. 

The overall motive of deploying chatbots is to enhance business performance while making the customer conversations more interactive to keep the customers feel bonded with business significantly contributing to enhance online sales, address customer queries and provide extensive customer support. For instance, the Echo is a home assistant deployed by Amazon that is developed for executing specific commands that assist in buying things on Amazon and parallel adding to the shopping experience for users. 

It is predicted that by 2020 the chatbots and AI-enabled technical customer support will be implemented by more than 80% of businesses. (source: dzone.com)

10. Human Augmentation

Human augmentation refers to the implementation of various technology elements that bolster cognitive and physical experiences in humans. Human augmentation revolves around diverse implications culturally and ethically such as use of CRISPR technology for augmenting genes is one of the significant ethical implications.

Physical augmentation involves implantation of a technology on the human body that immensely changes the inherent physical capabilities. For instance, wearable devices used in automotive or mining industries help improving safety in working environment and other industries like retail and travel, these wearables are used for enhancing productivity of the workforce. 

Physical augmentation can be categorised as:

• Sensory augmentation that improves hearing, vision, perception capabilities.
• Appendage and biological function augmentation that augments human capacities with exoskeletons, prosthetics.
• Brain augmentation that involves implanting technology for treating seizures.
• Genetic augmentation used in cell and somatic gene therapy.

Cognitive augmentation contributes in accelerating ability of humans in thinking and decision making. Cognitive augmentation also leverages technology for brain augmentation by implanting certain physical components improving cognitive reasoning capabilities. 

Summing Up

To gain a competitive edge in developing state of the art solutions worldwide, make sure you watch and follow the above listed trends in 2020. This year is all set to encounter huge scale developments that would take the web development to the next level of leading to more communication and responsiveness.

Chapter247 believes that using varied JavaScript frameworks like AngularJs, Node JS, and React JS will be extended more to enhance the UI/UX experience of the websites. Python, AI, IOT, chatbots, SPA, blockchain, human augmentation, motion UI, distributed cloud, voice search and NLP are here to stay at least for the next few years as the hottest trend of IT technologies.