Web Development and COVID-19: A Look at the Changes and Trends

The COVID-19 pandemic that took the world a few years ago caused irreparable changes in many areas of the industry, and web development is no exception. After the transition to remote mode, web developers had to accept the challenges of new realities and develop new algorithms and solutions that would meet the needs of people in their homes. After all, when the physical companies’ offices were temporarily closed, the only solution to provide people with the services of the companies was the websites.

Fortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has gone and quarantine restrictions have long since lost their relevance. Nevertheless, some solutions introduced in the digital space remain relevant. What changes did the quarantine challenges in the early 2020s in web development and how the industry will continue to develop – more details in a new blog post.

How COVID-19 Changed Web Development Forever

Since many physical offices and retail outlets had to be closed during the quarantine restrictions, the demand for online services has increased significantly. For example, in Europe during the pandemic, the number of online purchases increased by 50%, and among the most demanded goods at that time were clothes and household appliances – things that could previously be purchased offline. Also, due to the closure of offices, many work conferences have switched to video mode, and the Zoom app has become one of the most important solutions for providing work video conferences and remote video lessons. 

So, with the high demand for web solutions, there has been a corresponding increase in the demand for web developers who can write, deploy, and provide technical support for the solutions themselves. In addition, the level of developers had to be high enough to develop such an application, platform, or website that could adhere to several criteria. First, web solutions must withstand a high load level due to the large number of users on the platform simultaneously. Secondly, the page loading speed should be acceptable enough for the user, because according to Forbes, 47% of Internet users won’t wait for a site to load for more than two seconds. Thirdly, this web solution should have an interesting and attractive interface, which should have an aesthetic appearance and be as functional and intuitive as possible. This is the quality work of not only the web developers themselves but also designers and testers who do everything to make the web project as perfect as possible. 

The Impact of COVID-19 on Different Industries

How the Pandemic Boosted Web Dev for Video Conferencing and Recording

As mentioned above, web platforms and video conferencing applications have become the leading tools for conducting business during the coronavirus pandemic. Of course, one of the first leading applications is Zoom, which in the year before 2019 had only 10 million users, and two years later, their number increased to 300 million. This platform, in general, is used not only for work meetings and interviews but also for conducting online training courses.

In addition to Zoom, Google Meet, and other video conferencing platforms, the following have also gained popularity are platforms where you can submit resumes and even record audio answers to recruiters’ questions. A clear example of such a case is the Autoscreen platform, where recruiters and companies looking for employees. And those who are looking for a job can submit a resume and record a video message and they have only one attempt to record the video. With the help of video applications, it will be much easier for employers to understand the candidate, and their qualifications and to select the right candidates for the position faster.

Entertainment in Isolation: Web Development’s Role During COVID-19

Online entertainment like home theaters has become especially trendy during the pandemic. The quarantine in the early 2020s caused serious financial losses for the film industry when people not only did not go to cinemas (and if they did, but in very limited numbers) – but the film industry itself paused, with the shooting of new films, for obvious reasons. That is why web solutions that offer watching movies and series online came in handy. The leading services, of course, at that time were Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and others.

Online cinemas retain their popularity and not only because you can watch your favorite movies and series at home. They can be viewed not only at home but also anywhere at any time through smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other types of devices.

Pandemic-Driven Growth in Telehealth Web Solutions

Telehealth has become one of the leading drivers of web development during the quarantine for one simple reason – to isolate patients who may be infected with the coronavirus and at the same time to speed up the consultation process for doctors. Such decisions helped to avoid long queues in medical institutions. And the patients, who could go to the doctor for any reason, did not expose themselves to the danger of infection from other people.

Today, web solutions from the field of telemedicine retain their relevance even after the lifting of quarantine restrictions. With the help of platforms like Tarka Health, many cities and towns around the world have open access to the most qualified specialists. Second, medical institutions that have implemented web-based telemedicine solutions have significantly improved the quality of their services, as doctors can spend 5 minutes on a patient with a less serious problem, and then focus more on patients with more severe cases.

To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected web development is an understatement. Qualitatively developed web solutions in education, medicine, entertainment, etc. have become a lifesaver for people who, due to quarantine restrictions, were forced to transfer their work processes to remote mode: from work video conferences to online cinemas.

Web developers were forced to quickly adapt to the new demands of reality, and make their projects more efficient and more resistant to high loads. An online presence has become a key element for various businesses before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital space makes the company itself more accessible to the user, who can order goods or services directly from home, office, or any other place.

Due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, web development companies are now able to adapt more quickly to change to better meet the needs of customers and remain competitive in the market.