Due to the intricacy of the programming at the time the internet was originally developed, IT departments constructed and maintained the mass of websites. Today, website design has grown into a separate business. Technology advancements are frequently connected to trends in web design. Some companies have benefited from excellent site designs, while others have suffered from poor online presences. Your website is a lot more than just a tool for validation. Web designs of today demand more than just effective picture arrangement. In addition to taking several displays into account, designers also need to think about loading time, content placement, user experience, and SEO optimization.
1990s – The beginning
The global web is where the history of websites starts. In November 1992, CERN, the first website, went live. On August 6, 1991, the Web was publicly introduced. The first website was entirely text-based. The only colour was the usual blue hypertext. Getting a page online was thrilling in the early days of the internet. To design a website on that time, the only way is using <table> tag from the HTML. By using this tag, it not only able to create a structure for numbers but also used to create site structure.
Perhaps the first Web search engine was launched in 1993 with the introduction of Search functionality (ALIWEB - Archie Like Indexing for the WEB). This is done to make it easier for people to find useful information. Then, in the years that followed, advertising—or, as most people imagine it, online marketing—is brought to web design. When compared to the earlier version, the website's design is considerably more complex. It is often positioned at the top of the banner and engages users with design elements.
In the middle of the 1990s, CNN introduced a conventional online design with text, photos, and advertising as the number of internet users began to substantially increase. Flash is employed during that period, which is also known as the "golden era" of web animation. With only one tool, the designers could use any form, add motion, and build more engaging webpages than before. The last page would condense all the data into a single file that could be loaded. However, since the majority of online users do not have Flash installed, pages may take longer to load.
After the development of Flash, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) was created to help designers and developers create web designs more quickly and with less effort. This makes it easier to separate the material. As of right now, CSS is a language that designers should be familiar with.
2000s - The learning curve
The typical website design that everyone is used to nowadays really took off in the early to mid-2000s. Websites were frequently created at this period with top navigation and left bar categories. Web designers have begun to understand that users were starting to dislike sites with excessive amounts of text and that users were more inclined to interact with website material if it was specifically organised for them.
During this time, Flash-only websites gained enormous popularity since HTML had such restricted functionality. Flash gave websites the ability to create in ways that HTML just could not. Web pages were also short and narrow, and scrolling was immensely disliked.
Website design was considerably more of a technical discipline handled by business IT prior to 2003. Even now, the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world is WordPress. With the help of the plugin, anybody with no prior experience may quickly create their own website.
In order to make connecting to the Internet and using it more convenient, smartphones and other mobile devices were created in 2007 and here is when adaptive web design (AWD) comes in place. The majority of the website is still not mobile-friendly, though. Around 2010, responsive design was created, which makes it easier for designers and developers to create websites that automatically resize and adapt to any device. Responsive design is becoming more than just a fad; it's a must. Web designers must optimise for all devices if they want to make sure that websites seem professional, reputable, and truly provide consumers with a good browsing experience.
2010s - The advancement
Websites developed distinctive designs and styles during this time as brands competed for consumer attention. The extensive use of mobile websites and responsive design are both results of the popularity of mobile device usage. Additionally becoming popular were website designs that resembled magazines, with columns and textures instead of solid-color backgrounds. The usage of infographics, which arrange information through digital visuals, was also emphasised. At the same time, other design trends becoming popular as it allows users to more engage to the particular website. For example, parallax scrolling and video backgrounds.
In 2016 to 2019, as websites adapt to the device they are viewed on, responsive design has gained popularity over the past few years. Design revolutions have persisted in dazzling and inspiring us. The best websites are those that respond to different screen sizes. Owners of websites want to be certain that visitors will have a good experience on their sites no matter what device they are using.
The majority of websites today include less text, huge fonts, distinctive navigational panels, simple forms, and high-resolution photos to better suit the demands of mobile consumers. Websites today aim to create a simplified user experience and suit users' demands rather than cluttering your screen with pointless material.
2020 onwards
Naturally, it is challenging to predict how websites will change over the coming years. But according to experts, the focus will likely move from being strictly useful to websites becoming pieces of art. In terms of layout, the navigation buttons have dispersed around the website and are now farther away from the page's top. That pattern is most likely to persist. Users no longer need to click as much when surfing. Future websites may have even more straightforward and minimalistic designs.
