The evolution of web design

The evolution of web design – 1990 – 2020

France Web-Design helps businesses and professionals in France develop their online visibility through custom website creation and digital communication for small and medium-sized enterprises

«The current architecture of Web design reflects the place of the Web in the digital age.

Web design – web creation today has nothing to do with what it was in its beginnings in the late 1990s. A paradigm shift occurred at the turn of the century, and while some saw this as a positive evolution of Web design, others lamented the disappearance of classic forms such as long-form content and the crafting of «handmade» websites.

A notable transition

The biggest change was surely the emergence of JavaScript. Since HTML and CSS were originally written in the early 1990s, the experience of using and accessing the tools available at the time meant they were largely adapted to Microsoft Windows. In the 2000s, when the rise of the web gave developers access to rich technologies for creating smoother, more intuitive websites, designers increasingly focused on user experience: UX/UI design. To achieve designs usable across multiple devices, with small screens and slow Internet speeds, developers increasingly adopted practical web design practices relying on JavaScript and AJAX technologies to fetch relevant data and display it in a user-friendly way.

Javascript and Ajax

JavaScript, AJAX and their associated technologies were adopted and integrated into the design process, and the web browsing experience changed radically: pages could now react «intelligently» to user actions such as clicks, hovers or even the mouse moving closer to an element!

From a originally fairly static design, web creators were encouraged, thanks to the arrival of JavaScript, to incorporate interactive elements such as sliding navigation bars and/or contextual menus to give users quick access to desired information.

The turn of the 20th century

A new concept began to take root at the start of the 21st century: page production could require not only technical skills but also graphic design experience. Since the late 1990s, CSS2 spread, enabling the essential principle of separating ’appearance« from »content«. Page designers thus gained much greater control over the placement and appearance of every element.

Web creators eventually realized that too much content on a page or too much text in an uninterrupted block is a burden for the reader. They began splitting content across multiple pages, with navigation menus and tables. The landing page became increasingly important, often at the expense of diminished content, but to the benefit of a smoother user experience.

Greater availability of fast connections, higher-resolution monitors and faster computers has created (and continues to create!) new opportunities for web designers. The enthusiasm for animations and responsive graphics became an example of this. 

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