The BBC is reporting that the UK government is asking for something dumb – access to encrypted data – but that is not how any of this works.

The UK government has demanded to be able to access encrypted data stored by Apple users worldwide in its cloud service.

Currently only the Apple account holder can access data stored in this way – the tech giant itself cannot view it.

The demand has been served by the Home Office under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), which compels firms to provide information to law enforcement agencies.

UK demands access to Apple users’ encrypted data, BBC News

There has never been a back door access to something that has not been used by criminals and mischief makers. Let’s say you do get a back door into encrypted content – what then? If you can get in, the hacker community can too.

Sure, you could be given a set of private keys but there are two problems:

1. You can’t be trusted with them. Government data is as leaky as it gets
2. Anyone who knows what they are doing would just revoke and regenerate the keys.

If strangers had copies of keys to my home, I would change the locks. This is because we live in a country where the police are not entitled to a copy of everyone’s front door key.

Let’s imagine someone figures out how to break encryption to give third-party access. Now every time I use public wifi, my social media accounts get hacked and – if I access my bank account – all my money is gone too. Screw that.

Listen up UK government people, the reason encryption protects people is because it stops actors – both good and bad – from getting in. That’s the entire purpose. Your lack of access is a sign that encryption works as intended.

TL;DR: If you somehow get access to encrypted data so too do the bad guys. So please, for the love of all that is good, stop asking for dumb and/or impossible things.

I put out a request for comments on what professionals see as the most significant developments in web development for professionals. Many of the answers include AI and let’s just say I do not wholly agree.

My quotes from experts come from featured.com where content creators like me can seek quotes from experts for their content. I have no personal connection with the experts that offered me quotes. I am not even certain all of them are real people. Nevertheless, all quotes were used because even the ChatGPT-looking ones have lessons we can draw (mostly about not using ChatGPT).

My question was, “What are some of the most significant developments/shifts in web development that professionals need to be aware of?” Grab a cuppa, this is going to be a deep dive. I have some doubts.

No-code AI tools?

Victoria Olsina (Web3 SEO Agency Founder, VictoriaOlsina.com) came out strongly in favour of “no code tools”.

I’ll get to what Victoria had to say in a moment. First I want to outline why I believe that overreliance on no-code AI workflow is a recipe for disaster. It all boils down to one word – understanding. For all AI appears to understand us, all the current LLMs are really doing is deriving the statistically most likely next word. Unlike a real developer, your AI has no way to comprehend the problem space or innovate game-changing solutions. Any agent that wholly runs with AI-powered tools and content generation is primed to have their lunch eaten by a smaller outfit with a few dedicated copyrighters.

Furthermore, at some point, Google and the other search engines are going to phase out your content for their AI or change the algorithm to filter AI-generated content. Maybe not now but sooner or later, it will be the only way for search engines to claim back the title of the one with the most reliable results. I predict that one day AI-content will be seen as spam. I see a lot of it that way already. (Outside of using it for meta-comedy).

FYI: What is a no-code platform? According to my brief and low-effort search no-code is a new way to say visual coding. Visual coding is not new and has its limits. Anyone who remembers Microsoft FrontPage and the horrors of what it did for web dev can tell you all about it.

One of the most significant shifts in web development today is the rise of AI-powered and no-code tools, making it possible to build not just websites but also custom tools, automations, and AI agents without coding expertise. At my Web3 agency, we embraced this trend a year ago by developing AI workflows and proprietary tools using no-code platforms combined with AI integrations. The results have been game-changing – our time to complete complex processes has decreased by up to 80%, allowing us to focus more on strategy and creative problem-solving.

These tools have enabled us to automate tasks like content generation, data analysis, and lead nurturing while maintaining a high level of quality and precision. The real power lies in how accessible and scalable these solutions are, empowering non-technical teams to build powerful automations without developer dependency. Moving forward, professionals should focus on leveraging no-code AI tools as productivity boosters while refining skills in advanced strategy and customization.

victoria olsina, Web3 SEO Agency Founder, VictoriaOlsina.com

I have to give it to Victoria, an 80% reduced time to complete is impressive but what is the cost in terms of quality? Perhaps in the head clouds of upper management, AI-generated content looks a lot like the corporate speak that gets slopped out by some corporations that shall remain unnamed to protect the guilty. In which case, AI might be the answer. Or it might be it might be a case of a self-reinforcing pattern waiting for an innovator to come in and mop up.

Another area where Victoria might be making a killing is content for pure SEO. Algorithmic robots making content for algorithmic robots sounds like a dead end in the long term but I bet it sends piles of traffic in the short term.

Harmanjit Singh, Founder and CEO of Origin Web Studios, agrees with Victoria. Harmanjit reports a more modest 40% reduction in time to completion.

AI-powered development tools have transformed our workflow dramatically. For example, we recently implemented AI-assisted coding tools that reduced development time by 40% on routine tasks, letting our team focus on more complex, creative aspects of projects.

Harmanjit Singh, Founder and CEO, Origin Web Studios

I remain sceptical of AI-assisted coding. In my experience, senior developers spend more time babysitting AI and correcting its hallucinations than is saved from using AI to start with. Perhaps for cookie-cutter corporate content AI is at the top of its game but creative copywriting is unlikely to be a job AI steals any time soon.

A quick aside about the Singhs I am quoting

We are heading into a section where I will be quoting Harman Singh who I am giving to understand is not related to Harmanjit Singh above or Gursharan Singh who we will meet later. I am not saying that there was a workaround for featured.com’s three free answers per month but I’m not saying it either. For all I know, these three (brothers?) all work in similar fields. Anyway, for clarity here are three handsome boys with things to say on today’s topic.

Adaptive experiences

Harman Singh, Senior Software Engineer at LinkedIn also praises the power of AI-driven development. I’ve already said I’m sceptical so to avoid me repeating myself, let’s hear from Harman Singh.

As a Senior Engineering Lead at LinkedIn overseeing our frontend architecture, I can confidently state that we’re witnessing a seismic transformation in web development that will fundamentally reshape how we build digital experiences in the next 18-24 months.

The most critical shift is the convergence of edge computing, AI-driven development, and hyper-personalized user experiences. Let me break this down with some concrete insights.

First, we’re seeing an unprecedented migration towards server-side rendering (SSR) and edge computing architectures that dramatically improve performance and user experience. Frameworks like Next.js and Remix are no longer experimental—they’re becoming enterprise-standard technologies that enable near-instantaneous content delivery.

Key developments professionals must track include:

• The rise of AI-assisted coding platforms that are revolutionizing software development workflows
• Increased emphasis on web performance and core web vitals
• Micro-frontend architectures that allow for more modular, scalable application design
• Enhanced focus on accessibility and inclusive design principles

One specific strategy I’m implementing at LinkedIn: We’re leveraging WebAssembly (WASM) to create incredibly performant, language-agnostic web applications that can execute complex computations directly in the browser with unprecedented speed and efficiency.

The bottom line? Web development in 2025 is about building intelligent, adaptive experiences that feel seamless and anticipatory, not just functional.

Harman Singh, Senior Software Engineer, LinkedIn

The AI-tools topic aside, there are some interesting insights here.

Server-side vs client-side processing (and where ChatGPT fits in)

Harmon Singh brings up server-side rendering (SSR). This is indeed an exciting area of development for the future of web development and at the same time something we have been doing for a long time.

Every WordPress blog out there, for example, is doing SSR to make the HTML for every page they serve. Facebook, Mastodon, Google, and every other site is doing server-side work. This is because the client side cannot be trusted and indeed should not be trusted. On the client side, you might have a well-behaved user or you might have a hacker with villainous aims.

Indeed, where Harmon talks about “web applications that can execute complex computations directly in the browser with unprecedented speed and efficiency”, it gives me pause. If we are talking about JavaScript libraries, then that’s something we’ve been using as a web standard for many years.

Perhaps, he is talking about off-loading calculations to the client’s mobile and the app it runs. That’s fine for a fast mobile but for consistency, you may want a little more of that good old server-side rendering.

Maybe I am wrong but perhaps certain AI-loving experts off-loaded to an AI for this quote? Maybe they did not. Maybe I have missed a whole bunch of tech stuff but this reads like website basics written with big words. Please, tell me in my comments, if I have misunderstood Harman Singh here. I’d hate to do a potential expert an injustice but I don’t especially want to platform someone who tries to pass AI summaries off as expert quotes.

The reason I bring this up is that ChatGPT tends to format its answers like the above quote. Let me know what I am missing or if this is some AI slop.

Truly, I want to learn and understand here. Right now, this sounds like a big nothing burger. If it is not, I do not want to miss out on learning about a new technology even if the burger theory is winning in my head right now.

One point I agree with from Harman/ChatGPT

I agree that we should all aim to build intelligent, adaptive experiences that feel seamless and anticipatory, not just functional. This has always been true of good web UI.

The other Signh quote

Rise of Low or No Code Tools.

Professionals just need to be aware and not afraid because these tools are not going to take over their jobs. Instead, they need to adapt to them to make their coding efficient and train new web developers.

Gursharan Singh, Co-Founder, WebSpero Solutions

Thank you, person who sounds like ChatGPT.

This is exactly why AI-driven content is still a giant ball of fail. A human wearing all three of these hats could have said something a bit less generic and a bit more insightful. ChatGPT and others have nothing they can add on the subject of innovation because they are built entirely on what has already been said. Often as said by other AI. AI feeding AI is a race to the bottom.

In the unlikely event that all these similar-looking brothers are really different people, might I suggest woking on developing your own voice as an expert?

Is AI really a threat to web developers?

Barkan Saeed, CEO of AIFORMVP seems to think so. Is Barkan Saeed a real person? I certainly hope so. But that’s the problem. AI can make really good fakes that seem real on the surface. This undermines unknown experts because all AI has really done is muddy the waters.

As a CEO of a web application development firm, I have observed a major shift in web application development with the use of AI-driven tools and frameworks to accelerate the development process. These tools are allowing business leaders to design prototypes and MVPs for their solutions even before engaging web development teams. These tools are reducing the value of development work focused on database-related CRUD operations. Web developers will need to fast-track their learning and training of AI development tools, debuggers, and co-pilots to remain competitive. This will increase productivity and will also open doors to new opportunities.

Barkan Saeed, CEO, AIFORMVP

I disagree. Not only do I disagree because it feels like ChatGPT wrote this but because it just is not true. At least not the whole truth.

I’m not the only one who disagrees.

There is a body of opinion that AI is not the great programming tool that managers think it is. That’s because LLM AI can only repeated words they have seen but do not understand the language they are outputting. At best, AI is highly accurate guessing.

The copy-paste programmer will always be worse than the programmer who builds a mental model of the system.

LLMs are just a faster and more wrong version of the copy-paste stackoverflow workflow it’s just now you don’t even need to ask the right question to find the answer.

User faizshah, hacker news

It’s not just the geek forums saying this.

Here is an excerpt from an article that is worth reading in full. This is what ??? found when testing artisanal coding vs AI:

I spent some time building the same project twice. Once with pure self artisanal coding, once with AI. And yes, the AI version was faster… at first. But then something interesting happened.

The AI-only version was like a house of cards. It looked good, but:

• Dependencies were outdated
• Security vulnerabilities everywhere
• Performance was terrible …and sometimes it generated garbage code.

Will AI replace Web Developers?, Flavio Copes

And here’s another similar take:

With AI able to automate many web development tasks, does that mean that human web developers are increasingly at risk of being made redundant?

Not entirely.

Web developers should not get caught up in the hysteria surrounding AI too much; it is not an imminent risk of being a replacement, but rather, an aid.

While AI can automate several tasks, it cannot replace the creativity, thought processes and problem-solving skills of human web developers. While you may be able to tell an AI machine to generate code for a website, the output will still need a skilled, creative, and competent human web developer to craft a design that appeals to a business’s target consumer.

Is AI a threat to Web Developers?, Dakota Murphey, shecancode.io

The only web developer who should fear AI is the truly mediocre nepotism hire. The rest of us are good.

AI vs Experts – The Future of Web Content and Development

The truth is that AI is not going to take away jobs from true experts. It will muddy the waters. It will mislead or make us cynical and sceptical. It will make more work for the real humans.

In 2025 human experts will have to work harder. Both by being more accurate than AI and by establishing their credentials. Just sticking up a blog and filling it full of articles good enough to impress beginners will no longer be enough. Any idiot with access to AI can do that.

Instead, we will have to do the hard bit – write the advice only humans can give and interact and be sociable in a purely human way. AI can fake this but only to a point.

Make better websites – performance and accessibility

The future of web development is better websites – more accessibility, more need-focused, and more real-human-oriented content. We are talking web accessibility and inclusivity here.

Shehar Yar, CEO of Software House offers this quote (which starts with fluff about AI).

One significant shift in web development is the rise of AI-driven development tools, which are transforming the way websites and applications are built. These tools leverage machine learning to automate repetitive coding tasks, improving efficiency and allowing developers to focus more on creative problem-solving. In addition, AI is being increasingly integrated into websites for personalized user experiences, from dynamic content recommendations to chatbots offering real-time support. As web development evolves, professionals need to understand how to harness these technologies to stay competitive.

Another important development is the growing importance of web accessibility and inclusivity. With more emphasis on universal design, developers must ensure that websites are usable by people with disabilities. This includes not only ensuring compliance with legal standards but also enhancing usability through features like voice navigation, keyboard accessibility, and customizable interfaces. As a result, web developers are adopting a more user-centric approach, where inclusivity isn’t an afterthought but an essential part of the development process. These shifts are reshaping the web development landscape and must be closely followed to create future-proof solutions.

Shehar Yar, CEO, Software House

Shehar my dude, you are spot on about accessibility, usability, and legal compliance. However, someone has sold you a lie about AI. Seriously, talk to your best experts – actual developers not fellow managers – and listen to what they have to say. AI is not the magic bullet you say it is.

Air Canada had to honour a refund policy its chatbot made up. The airline tried to argue that it shouldn’t be liable for anything its chatbot says. The court disagreed. AI cannot yet be trusted not to reply with confident fiction.

Getting back on the topic of building better websites, Vikrant Bhalodia, Head of Marketing & People Ops at WeblineIndia offered this quote.

One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen in web development is the growing focus on accessibility. It’s no longer optional. Designing for users with disabilities has become essential, and it’s something we’ve made a priority in our projects.

For example, we now integrate screen reader testing early in development instead of treating it as a final checklist item. It’s helped us spot usability issues before they become major roadblocks. Collaborating with accessibility specialists has been eye-opening too; they often catch things the team might miss.

Another area we’ve worked on is performance. With mobile users dominating, people expect fast-loading websites. Lazy loading images, compressing resources, and using modern frameworks like Next.js have made a huge difference. These techniques aren’t complicated to implement but can significantly improve speed and user satisfaction.

For web professionals, the key is simple: test how real users interact with your site. Whether it’s accessibility or speed, understanding user behavior makes all the difference.

Vikrant Bhalodia, Head of Marketing & People Ops, WeblineIndia

Yes, Vikrant gets it. Build websites for people and meet people-based needs.

Here’s the rest of what Harmanjit Singh had to say which is far more important than the AI hype. We’re talking solutions that scale, technical skills, understanding user behaviour, solving problems, and business acumen – all things AI cannot do for you.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are becoming increasingly crucial. We converted a client’s traditional website into a PWA, resulting in a 35% increase in mobile engagement and significantly faster load times. The ability to work offline and provide app-like experiences has become a game-changer for user experience.

The shift toward headless CMS architecture is another key trend. For a recent e-commerce client, implementing a headless approach allowed us to create a more flexible, scalable solution that improved their site performance by 50%.

But here’s the real key – while technical skills matter, understanding user behavior and business objectives has become even more critical. The most successful web developers aren’t just coding experts; they’re problem solvers who can translate business needs into technical solutions.

I’ve seen firsthand how developers who combine technical expertise with business acumen consistently deliver better results for clients. It’s no longer enough to just write clean code – you need to understand why you’re writing it and how it impacts the end user.

Harmanjit Singh, Founder and CEO, Origin Web Studios

Algorithmic product recommendations (RecSys) – are they the future?

If you shop on sites like Amazon, you’ve seen tailored recommendations. Products the “AI” thinks you might like to buy. We used to call this algorithmic and there were developers who knew how the algorithm worked. Now we call it AI and the whole thing is a black box. Do you call that progress? I don’t.

The most notable change in web development is the emergence of AI and Machine Learning techniques. These developments are changing the way websites work, giving you more tailored experiences. For instance, AI-powered product recommendations, natural language processing, and automated decision-making could help create smarter, more engaging websites. Web developers should be aware of how these technologies can be incorporated into websites to enable better interactions and more engaging experiences.

Matthew Goulart, Founder, Ignite Digital

Matthew (fine name BTW) has a point. In the world of selling things online, AI and algorithm-driven sales are going nowhere. That’s why companies like Meta (Facebook), Google, and Amazon spend so much effort gathering user data. User data can be used to target adverts (product recommendations) and drive sales.

If the service you use is free, you are the product.

These algorithms are called recommender systems (RecSys). They can be your friend (such as helping you find music you will love) or your master (keeping you on-site for one more scroll). None of this is new. It existed before LLMs and other modern AI. There’s a reason some of the big technical companies fear TikTok – the TikTok algo is frighteningly effective – possibly the best of breed right now.

Stay up to date on… Hey, this sounds suspiciously like ChatGPT again

Vishal Shah, Sr. Technical Consultant of WPWeb Infotech has a subject adjacent list that has strong ChatGPT vibes. The question, in case you need reminding is, “What are some of the most significant developments/shifts in web development that professionals need to be aware of?”

In my years as a web developer, I’ve witnessed several significant shifts that are reshaping how we build for the web. Here are the key trends every professional should know: 

1. JavaScript Ecosystems Frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular have become essential, with tools like Next.js enabling server-side rendering and static site generation for faster, SEO-friendly apps. 

2. Headless CMS and API-First Architecture Headless CMS platforms like Contentful and Strapi offer flexibility, enabling developers to connect APIs to various front-ends, including websites and mobile apps. 

3. Web Performance and Core Web Vitals Google’s Core Web Vitals have made performance a top priority. Metrics like LCP, FID, and CLS directly impact SEO, making tools like Lighthouse indispensable. 

4. DevOps and CI/CD Automated pipelines using tools like GitHub Actions or GitLab CI ensure error-free testing, building, and deployment, integrating DevOps into day-to-day development. 

5. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) PWAs deliver app-like experiences on the web, including offline functionality and push notifications, powered by service workers and Web App Manifests. 

6. Serverless and Edge Computing Serverless platforms like AWS Lambda and Vercel simplify scaling, while edge computing processes data closer to users, reducing latency for global applications. 

7. AI and Automation AI tools like OpenAI enhance workflows, automating tasks, powering chatbots, and enabling smarter application features. 

8. Accessibility and Inclusive Design Accessibility is now integral, with tools like Axe and WCAG guidelines ensuring the web is usable for all, going beyond mere compliance. 

9. Privacy and Security With GDPR and CCPA, privacy is critical. Secure authentication, HTTPS, and Content Security Policies are must-haves in development workflows. 

10. Web3 and Decentralization While still emerging, blockchain and decentralized apps (dApps) are gaining traction. 

Familiarity with these technologies may prove valuable. Staying updated with these shifts ensures we’re building robust, user-friendly, and future-proof applications. Adaptability is key in this ever-evolving field.

Vishal Shah, Sr. Technical Consultant, WPWeb Infotech

AI and blockchain? Really. Those are the most significant developments/shifts in web development that professionals need to be aware of? Of all the answers, these two give me the biggest doubts.

Erm, please explain “Privacy and Security With GDPR and CCPA” – surely that’s just two bits of legislation that developers need to comply with? These are not tools. Nor are they significant new developments.

Saaaay… Are you a ChatGPT user Vishal? If you are not, you might want to read more widely to develop a more human-sounding writer’s voice to stand out alongside an avalanche of AI-written mid-tier content.

An aside about generative AI

These people do not exist. All four headshots come from thispersondoesnotexist.com.

This is exactly what I mean about the role AI has played in casting doubt over information you get online. I, for example, have no way to know if the users of featured.com exist and, if they do, if they used AI to generate their quotes.

Don’t get me wrong. I’ve had some fantastic content from Featured. While not all questions garnered quality responses I’ve been quite excited by some of the replies I got.

And with that, let’s get back to exploring what the experts say are significant developments in web development.

Am I a Luddite for not wanting to use AI-dev tools?

Am I just a grumpy old man who refuses to move with the times when I say I’d rather not have AI in my IDE?

If you think I am an old fossil who needs to get with the AI revolution, let me know in the comments (or via reply or WebMention).

Meanwhile, Derrick Boddie, Senior Web Developer & Executive Director from Mango Innovation loves AI, React, and Next.js.

One of the most significant shifts in web development recently is the rise of AI-powered tools in code editors like GitHub Copilot and AI integrations in Visual Studio Code. These tools are game-changers, offering intelligent code suggestions, auto-completing complex functions, and even flagging potential bugs in real-time. They’ve transformed the way developers approach coding, allowing us to focus more on problem-solving and architecture while AI handles some of the repetitive or time-consuming tasks.

Another big development is the growing emphasis on performance optimization, especially with Google Core Web Vitals becoming a critical SEO factor. It’s not just about building websites that look great—it’s about ensuring they load fast and offer a smooth user experience across devices.

Additionally, advancements in frameworks like React and Next.js are pushing the boundaries of server-side rendering and static site generation, making it easier to build fast, scalable applications. Developers also need to stay on top of trends in accessibility and inclusive design as these are becoming non-negotiable in the industry.

The bottom line is, staying adaptable and open to new tools like AI-powered editors and embracing modern best practices is essential to staying competitive as a developer today.

Derrick Boddie, Senior Web Developer & Executive Director, Mango Innovation

Derrick is right about performance optimization as a key part of SEO. This is not new. Google has been using site responsiveness as a ranking factor for some time now. A fast and responsive website is better for user experience which is why I think Google is right to do this.

I disagree about AI involvement in my code development. I don’t need or want it. Does that make me a Luddite? Does it make me a backwards dinosaur? Does it make me a fool who is being left behind? OR does it make me a dev that has better things to do?

Reply or comment – I’d like to know what you think.

They don’t want a revolution they want improvements

Niall McCarthy, CEO of Aire No-Code makes a more rounded case for AI as a tool of incremental improvement.

It’s a big question and I’m only qualified to answer one part of it! We’ve recently heard Satya Nadella’s prediction that “SaaS, as we know it, is dead”. In our new reality of Agentic AI, Nadella is referring to business applications such as CRM, ERP, and BPM. His central argument is that Agentic AI sees each of these applications as just yet another CRUD (YACRUD!) application.

One of the superpowers of LLM based Agentic AI is that it has the processing power and knowledge base to size up just about anything in front of it. It is literally designed to interpret the world as a set of interacting components and events. This makes YACRUD’s low-hanging fruit in some respects because they are highly structured in how they treat data.

However, Nadella’s observation glosses over how the software world evolved before large language models:

1. AI can only size up what it can see. Most of the world’s SaaS offerings and business applications might have open or standardized APIs but are based on proprietary/black box code. While YACRUD’s typically do similar things on the surface, the devil is usually in the details, be that clever UX or unique handling of processes.

2. Having a knowledge base is not a replacement for on-the-ground decision-making. There’s a good reason so many YACRUD’s exist. They’re often heavily productized, targeting all manner of niche markets i.e., the global demand for out-of-the-box solutions is sky-high.

3. The thirst for on-the-fly code generation is unclear. While there are benefits to having an AI Assistant for development, customers demand accountability. They want to know code has been tested for security and road-worthiness. They often want to know that software has been widely adopted as proof that this is the case.

There will be an increasing embrace of AI (duh…), but old realities are not about to disappear overnight. Agentic AI and its underlying LLM’s are fundamentally based on probabilistic models, which often leads to inspiration or frustration in equal measures.

The most significant shift in web development in 2025 will be in the minds of software professionals themselves, who will recognize that the world doesn’t want a revolution, but rather demands incremental improvement through AI. They’ll code faster and maybe have more time for UX considerations, but that’s about it – nothing replaces doing the job properly.

Niall McCarthy, CEO, Aire No-Code

Niall makes a strong point here. Nothing replaces doing the job properly. AI alone cannot (right now) even come close to doing that. AI might offer some incremental improvement and I am okay with this as an idea. It remains to be seen if AI can help make incremental improvements or if humans doing a good job are still the way of the future.

In security, is AI the problem?

In the next quote we are going to hear from Harish Chander, Web Developer for Digital4design. While they clearly think AI chatbots are better than they really are (I refer you again to the story of an airline being held liable for bad advice from the AI chatbot), they do make a strong point that a safe and smooth experience is what we should focus on.

There are some really cool things happening in web development right now that we all should be aware of! First, AI is making a big splash – think chatbots and smart tools that make websites feel like they really get you. It’s like having a personal assistant on your site! And with everyone on their phones, making sure your site loads super fast and looks great on mobile is a total must. But here’s the big one: Security. With so much personal info online, keeping sites safe is more important than ever. It’s all about creating a smooth, safe, and personal experience for users.

Harish Chander, Web Developer, Digital4design

No code tools for designers (a good use case argument)

In our last quote, Jm Littman, CEO of Webheads, explains why no-code tools might be the future. Especially JavaScript animation libraries.

A significant shift in web development is the growing integration of Figma’s design tools with code export capabilities and animation libraries like GSAP. These advancements are giving designers more autonomy in bringing their ideas to life, bridging the gap between design and development in exciting ways. While Figma itself doesn’t natively export to HTML/CSS, third-party tools like Anima, Figma-to-Code, and Figma-Low-Code allow designers to convert designs into usable code. Pairing these exports with GSAP’s animation capabilities empowers designers to create dynamic, interactive web experiences without fully relying on developers.

This is part of the broader no-code/low-code movement, which is enabling designers to step deeper into development processes. For example, designers can now deliver interactive prototypes and functional layouts, incorporating animations like smooth scrolling or hover effects using GSAP. These tools not only streamline workflows but also allow for quicker iterations and more seamless collaboration between design and development teams.

However, these tools aren’t perfect. Exported code often requires refinement to meet professional standards, and no-code solutions struggle with scalability and customization for complex projects. Developers remain essential for optimizing code, ensuring scalability, and implementing advanced functionalities. These tools complement, rather than replace, developers by automating repetitive tasks and speeding up prototyping.

This shift is redefining the roles of designers and developers, encouraging closer collaboration and making the design-to-development process more efficient. For web professionals, it’s an opportunity to embrace tools that enhance creativity and productivity, while still recognizing their limitations. By combining these tools with traditional coding expertise, professionals can create more engaging, polished websites that push the boundaries of user experience.

As the line between design and development continues to blur, staying ahead in web development means mastering these new tools while maintaining the depth and flexibility that only skilled developers can bring to a project. It’s an exciting evolution that’s reshaping how websites are created.

Jm Littman, CEO, Webheads

And finally, over to you

Phew, we made it to the end. I’m several layers of tired of writing about AI. Like done entirely for now. I’m turning the conversation over to you now.

Have the experts, ChatGPT, and I combined forces to make a case for the most significant developments in web development for professionals? Have I made the case that it really is not AI in any significant way?

Have I missed any innovations? Do you disagree with me, the experts, or my claims about AI?

Who is right? Who is wrong? What did they miss? What did I miss?

I want to hear from you and what you think the future of professional web development is. Reply, comment, or WebMention with your thoughts.

In case you missed it, the #WordPressDrama is a giant hoohaa where it seems the founder of WordPress has gone off the deep end burning everything down around him. All that really has happened is the guy has had a series of tantrums and is now facing lawsuits resulting from his actions.

There are far better summaries of the WordPress drama by WPBeginner and The Verge if you want all the hot gossip. This behaviour has not been without consequences. This is why I invited CEOs, business founders, and other experts to help me answer how the drama with WordPress will impact open-source software.

These are the replies I received.

Decentralization Is the Future of Open Source

As CTO of a platform serving 100K+ users, the recent WordPress drama taught me a crucial lesson: decentralization is the future of open source. While maintaining our WordPress-based products, we’ve already shifted our new projects to a federation-based development model where no single entity has complete control.

Build governance protocols before they’re needed. We now require a 75% consensus from our core contributor community for major architectural changes, preventing the exact situation WordPress faced. The WordPress drama isn’t about updates or testing-it’s a wake-up call that open source needs democratic governance as much as it needs open code.

Jessica Shee, Tech Editor & Marketing Manager, M3datarecovery.com

Redefine Innovation and Community Cohesion

I think the #WordPressDrama will force open-source projects to redefine the intersection between innovation and community cohesion. As I’ve witnessed, incidents like these illustrate how easily trust gets damaged when contributors aren’t treated well. It will probably push open-source communities to formalize decision-making, such as contributor councils or weighted voting.

These frameworks guarantee that key decisions are made by the masses and not the few, which would help avoid conflict and strengthen feelings of ownership. This would, I believe, lead to a higher adoption rate for releases and enhancements because both developers and users feel more engaged in the direction of the project.

Most open-source projects are heavily based on volunteers and thus cannot scale as effectively. This drama, I believe, will drive more initiatives to do hybrid funding, with a mix of community and paid services or sponsorships. This would provide predictable resource usage for important releases without sacrificing the open-source community feel.

Anders Bill, Cofounder/CPO, Superfiliate

Balance Between Commercial and Open-Source Ethos

The #WordPressDrama highlights the ongoing tensions between commercial interests and the open-source ethos, which could fundamentally reshape the future of open-source software. As WordPress continues to evolve, the increasing corporate influence might push the platform toward more closed systems, challenging the community-driven ideals that initially made open-source software so successful. At Software House, we see this as an opportunity for developers and companies to innovate in a way that emphasizes transparency and collaboration, ensuring that the spirit of open-source remains intact despite external pressures.

However, this also presents a chance for the broader open-source community to reflect on its sustainability. If more proprietary elements are introduced into core platforms like WordPress, other open-source projects may need to adopt new business models to remain viable without compromising their values. As we look ahead, businesses and developers will need to be proactive in preserving open-source principles while adapting to the evolving landscape. The future of open-source could depend on finding a balance between innovation, community involvement, and financial sustainability.

Shehar Yar, CEO, Software House

Offer Diverse CMS Solutions

At Maplin.com, we’ve been closely watching the WordPress situation since many of our tech-savvy customers use it for their online stores and blogs. Just yesterday, I had a long chat with our development team about possibly offering more diverse CMS solutions in our business services package, especially seeing how this drama has made some of our clients nervous about relying too heavily on one platform. I think this whole situation will actually lead to more innovation in the open-source space, with smaller players getting more attention and potentially better funding.

Ollie Marshall, CEO, Maplin

Contribute More to Open-Source Communities

The saga is stirring up some big questions about the future of open-source software and how companies should contribute to the communities they benefit from. It’s basically about the tension between staying true to open-source values and dealing with the realities of businesses making money off those platforms without giving much back. This isn’t just a WordPress thing, it’s a wake-up call for how open-source projects are run and how they can stay sustainable.

It’s clear that companies using open-source tools need to do more than just take; they need to contribute in meaningful ways, whether that’s code, funding, or support. At the same time, these communities need better rules and systems to keep things fair and balanced. Honestly, it’s a tough but necessary conversation, and it might push the whole open-source world to step up and figure out how to handle these relationships better. If anything, it’s proof that the open-source ecosystem is evolving, and hopefully for the better.

Inge Von Aulock, Founder & COO, Penfriend

Over to you

I am extremely grateful for the time this post’s contributors took to give me answers. I think they offer a lot of hope that this is neither the end of WordPress nor of Open Source as a whole.

Now I would love to hear what you think. How will this drama shape the future of WordPress and Open Source projects?

I added a few improvements to my blog.

Changes

• Comments are nicer to look at
• Bullets from the list removed
• Left padding eased
• Box border and padding added
• Metadata dimmed

Overview

I noticed that my comments looked quite ugly. So I slapped some quick and dirty CSS in to tidy them up a bit. It had been a while so I had to google how to remove bullets from a list.

Before and After

The CSS

Here’s the CSS for feedback, comments, and suggestions. Feel free to use if helpful.

.comment-body {
	margin-top:1em;
	border: 1px solid #888;
	padding:1rem;
}
.comment-metadata {
	font-size: 0.90em;
	margin-bottom:0.5em;
	color:#888;
}
.comment-metadata a {
	color:#888;
}
.comment-author {
	font-size:1.25rem;
}
ol.commentlist {
	list-style-type: none;
	padding-left:0;
}
ol.commentlist ul.children {
	list-style-type: none;
}

Give my comments a test – I hope you agree that they look nicer now.

My dad mentioned he wanted a new calendar for the new year. How hard could buying him one be?

Very…

To start with, Amazon’s search results for 2025 calendars were mostly out of date 2024 and 2023 offerings.

Staples was not much better.

They had one in date (boring calendar).

Argos though I wanted to buy advent calendars or support one of the only two football teams that exist.

Apparently, it was too much to ask that there be a stock of date-appropriate offerings with cats or sci-fi or something.

You can get a cats pooping calendar though.

There’s no picture for this but when I Googled more widely, there were so many NSFW calendars. So many. Who knew?

I should not have been surprised that the first decent one I found (RSPB) was sold out.

This was going to be one of my posts with tables and side-by-side comparisons but there is literally nothing to standardise against. So you are getting my sarcastic comments as I take screenshots looking for a wall hanger for my dad.

This one wanted me to subscribe by email. I guess it is out of stock or something. It took me longer than I care to admit to see the little grey circle saying “out of stock”. Because grey is the universal colour for “there’s a problem you need to know about”.

At least cardfactory.co.uk knows what they are doing with a listing of 68 products.

I’m going to talk to the family about making him a custom calendar with family photos in it. At least that way it will have the right year on it.

Why must shopping be so much hard work?