DEVOPSdigest

With the growing adoption of tablets and smartphones, companies are constantly seeking new web technologies that support multiple device types in addition to traditional desktops. At the same time, they are continually adding capabilities to their web applications that help users visualize and analyze data regardless of the platform or device used. To keep up in this changing technology environment, organizations must deliver these complex applications quickly, with high quality, and yet find ways to maximize their investment in these apps over the long haul.

Late last year, Sencha and Dimensional Research conducted a global survey of web development professionals revealing that data visualization is one of the most important capabilities in web application development. Of the 1,300+ respondents, 78% confirmed the need to visualize and analyze complex datasets is expanding.

Below are some other key survey findings, which were released in a December 2017 report titled Trends in Web Technologies.:

Web Technologies are More Critical than Ever

The research clearly shows the importance of web applications for businesses of all sizes and industries. 94% said web technologies are critical to their organizations, while 79% expect to increase web technology investment in the coming year.

In addition, 74% believe the criticality of web technologies has increased in the past year, with 44% characterizing this evolution as “significantly more critical.” These results overwhelmingly confirm web applications are here to stay as a top IT priority for modern business.

Respondents also confirmed that the top reason web technologies continue to be such an important part of their application strategy is because they allow developers to support multiple browsers and screen sizes (72%), up slightly from 2016 data (68%).

More and more organizations are under intense pressures to develop high-quality, complex cross-platform web applications faster. 61% reported faster time-to-market as a secondary response for the need for web technologies, and 59% reported improved development efficiencies.

Mobile on the Rise, but Desktop is Still King

According to the study, companies increasingly view smartphone apps as a long-term solution for critical business processes, with 41% of respondents saying they are absolutely essential, up from 37% last year.

There has also been a 20% increase in the number of mobile apps with an expected lifespan of more than five years. That said, desktop apps continue to be the top ranked platform in the category, with 79% of respondents considering them absolutely essential, a 2% drop from a year ago.

With regard to building applications for the long haul, study data also confirmed how important it is to invest in an application framework that can endure the test of time in terms of quality and maintenance.

79% of desktop apps are expected to be in use for three years or more, followed by 62% of tablet apps and 59% of smartphone apps.

The results of this survey confirm that web technology is now the backbone of application development for most companies. These apps, distributed across multiple devices and browsers, provide businesses the performance and flexibility they need to meet quickly evolving market realities.