Simplifying the Workflow and Elements of Modern Web Development
Web development has been going through major changes since the popularity of the internet for commercial use has come into view. Modern web development has become a polarizing experience for every person where some love it while others despise it. Those who have admired the idea of modern web development have learned the way it works. In order to stop hating its presence, one needs to know about the workflow and elements that are used for the development of the modern web.
Workflow of Modern Web Development in 2021
Nowadays, web developers get the code from their local machines and deploy it to the servers so that users can easily access their web application or website in the browser. So, let’s get into a bit more detail here.
At the time web developers start working on web apps or websites, they initiate it on their local computers. The code here is split into two divisions: backend and frontend.
The backend refers to the side of the application that runs on the server end. The scripts on the backend are written in Python, Java, .Net, PHP, Node.js and so on. Not only that, but one can also find databases like MS-SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL that stores information of users, content on websites or products in the backend.
On the other hand, frontend is something that uses CSS, JavaScript and HTML to send that part of the application through which users interact on web browsers.
The source code on the local machines is often stored in a Git repository also known as a version control system. It helps developers to keep track of their code while building different versions of the project branches. It has become the standard in the modern web application development process.
The Git repository that we use to track code really glows when it’s pushed and stored in the cloud services, namely, Bitbucket, GitLab and GitHub. With source code in the cloud, one can gain access to the latest code version from any system that is connected to the internet. By saving the code in the cloud, the deployment process of the code also becomes easier.
After storing code in the cloud, we can use continuous integration and continuous delivery services for the automation of source code deployment. The CI/CD tool can help in using the stored code from Git, check the code and deploy it to the hosting environment.
Hosting is where the code ends from the local repository to Git in the cloud and CI/CD tools. Having the reserved domain name configured as our website will allow the user to view the project in the web browser.
Another important part of the modern web development workflow is FTP that is used by the developers sometimes to directly transfer their code to the server online. It is less used nowadays and is not recommended for code deployment.
Once the code is live on the server along with the valid domain name, any internet user will be able to open and use the services of our website or web app. Any request will be sent to the server from the browser while triggering scripts at the backend to run the page and then it will return the frontend to the display of users.
Core Elements for Modern Web Development
Many components are evolved from the industry changes for modern web development. Some of these are ideas, approaches and tools. They are based on the need to maintain a balance between complex requirements, performance and simplicity. But what are these components we are referring to, let’s check it out!
React has beaten Angular in being the most wanted element of ‘modern’ web development because it does everything Google had wanted Angular to do. React easily handles scalability with its unidirectional flow.
With the growth of React, web developers have been thinking about the statefulness of the application. And libraries like Redux and Flux act as an object that can store all the values of an application's states. State management can make the app state tangible in the form of a data structure that can be read or written while making the state clearly visible to work upon.
Web components are the essential elements to characterise modern web development. Web components provide a set of custom elements that makes it efficient to build web applications and pages without the need to write additional codes to add codebase complexity. Moreover, web components also increase the encapsulation and consist of three major elements: HTML templates, shadow DOM and Custom elements.
Another most essential element that hasn’t been mentioned in the list yet is the rise of microservices and APIs in web development. This trend is reinforcing the requirement of encapsulation and modularity. Where microservices are simplifying the process of development, APIs helps in connecting different services to make it efficient for the users to access different information or services from the web application or website from their web browser.
Takeaway
The web development toolset is continuously evolving from the beginning and the rise of smartphones have brought significant changes. And one thing’s for sure, even if the code gets easier to write, the complexity of modern web development never will. It will be important for developers to understand the way components in an application fit together. Moreover, web development will never be a boring task that needs to be done. However, to make a modern web application, it will always be beneficial to hire a developer who has years of expertise with it in a cost-effective manner.
