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Web development

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Web development is the work involved in developing and maintaining a website for the Internet (World Wide Web) or an intranet (a private network).[1] Web development can range from developing a simple single static page of plain text to complex web applications, electronic businesses, and social network services.

Overview

Among web professionals, "web development" usually refers to the main non-design aspects of building websites: writing markup and coding.[2] Web development may use content management systems (CMS) to make content changes easier and available with basic technical skills. Web development includes many different tasks, such as web engineering, web design, web content development, client liaison, client-side/server-side scripting, Web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development.

For larger organizations and businesses, Web development teams can consist of hundreds of people (web developers) and follow standard methods like Agile methodologies while developing websites.[3][dead link] Smaller organizations may only require a single permanent or contracting developer, or secondary assignment to related job positions such as a graphic designer or information systems technician. Web development may be a collaborative effort between departments rather than the domain of a designated department. There are three kinds of web developer specialization: front-end developer, back-end developer, and full-stack developer.[4] Front-end developers are responsible for behavior and visuals that run in the user browser, while back-end developers deal with the servers.[5] Since the commercialization of the web, the industry has boomed and has become one of the most used technologies ever.

History

Further information: History of the World Wide Web
Timeline of web development

The World Wide Web was invented in 1989, and released to the public in 1993.[6] In the early years of the web, websites were simply a collection of HTML files, which were completely static. After the introduction of JavaScript in 1995,[7] websites could contain logic, allowing for interactivity.[8] The following year CSS was released,[9] allowing greater control over the styling of web pages.[8]

In the early 2000s, website began to be more complicated, requiring server-side services in addition to JavaScript. This led to the emergence of various new programming languages and frameworks designed for backend services, such as PHP, Active Server Pages, and Jakarta Server Pages. This enabled websites to do additional processing, such as accessing databases.[8][10]

Another major shift in web development was the release of the iPhone in 2007. This created a new medium for accessing the web, requiring a new approach to web development, and resulting in responsive web design,[11] which allows a single website to appear different depending on the device running it.[12] Later, progressive web apps were introduced, allowing websites to be installed on a device as an independent application.[13]

In the 2010s, JavaScript frameworks began to emerge, creating new ways to manipulate web pages, and increasing compatibility between web browsers.[11] JQuery was popular in the early 2010s, but was later surpassed by other frameworks such as React and Vue.js.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Corbo, Anthony. "What Is Web Development? (Definition, Types, Career)". Built In. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
  2. ^ Campbell, Jennifer (2017). Web Design: Introductory. Cengage Learning. p. 27.
  3. ^ "What is Web Development? - Definition from Techopedia". Techopedia.com. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  4. ^ Northwood, Chris (2018-11-19). The Full Stack Developer: Your Essential Guide to the Everyday Skills Expected of a Modern Full Stack Web Developer. Apress. ISBN 978-1-4842-4152-3.
  5. ^ "Discover The Difference Between Front-End Vs. Back-End Developer – Forbes Advisor". forbes.com. May 30, 2023.
  6. ^ "World Wide Web (WWW) launches in the public domain | April 30, 1993". HISTORY. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 6 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
  7. ^ "Chapter 4. How JavaScript Was Created". speakingjs.com. Archived from the original on 2020-02-27. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
  8. ^ "Cascading Style Sheets, level 1". World Wide Web Consortium. Archived from the original on 2014-04-09. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  9. ^ Shukla, Devendra Kumar; Maurya, Akash; Pal, Madhav; Shivahare, Basu Dev. "A Survey on Exploring the Evolution and Trends of Web Development". Authorea Preprints. doi:10.36227/techrxiv.23976048.
  10. ^ a b Momunaliev, Adilet (31 October 2025). "How has web development transformed in the last 20 years?". cuinsight.com.
  11. ^ Marcotte, Ethan (May 25, 2010). "Responsive Web design". A List Apart.
  12. ^ "Progressive Web Apps | Software AG". techradar.softwareag.com. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  13. ^ Morehead, Jason (2026-01-22). "jQuery Turns 20". Opus. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
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