Web development is changing for good. Artificial intelligence is the major contributor to this change. The way we write, review, debug, and implement code is evolving. AI is at the center of it all.
Barely anyone codes by themselves these days. It's either partially or fully automated, thanks to AI. From code suggestions to bug detection, AI tools have become an essential part of every developer's toolkit.
AI is more than just a buzzword in web development. Whether you strive to create a simple website or a complex web application, AI is part of the development workflow, one way or another.
In this post, we'll look at a few noteworthy ways AI is influencing the future of web development.
1. Coding Workflows
Remember the time we zoned out and endlessly listened to our favorite playlist while trying to make our codes work? That's history now. AI has redefined the whole process and made it easier for us to develop apps that offer a seamless user experience.
You don't have to spend hours trying to create something from scratch. With the right tools at your disposal, you can easily build websites and interactive applications.
You don't have to write unending lines of code all by yourself. You can take AI's help to finish what you started. It looks at your existing code, understands what you're trying to build, and provides you with the guidance that you need.
You can also use AI as your brainstorming partner. You can share your vision and ask AI to provide you with meaningful suggestions. It can help you shortlist ideas, cutting down a significant amount of time on your research activities.
You can also ask AI to review your code. Think of it as an experiences coding companion. You can use its help to fix potential bugs and improve your code. If you use it well, it can save so many hours of painful debugging that you may encounter down the road.
It's a hassle to update your old code and manage dependencies. AI can help you pull it off with ease and even clean up complex code sections, making it effortless for you to keep your codebase healthy.
2. Productivity
You don't need to have multiple tabs open and countless coding community threads to read through to make your code work. AI can explain what's wrong with your code. It's like having a conversation with a veteran coder who understands your problem and guides you to the solution.
As I said earlier, you don't have to start building things from scratch. You can describe what you want to build, and AI will lay out a foundation for you. It's like having a head start on every project you begin, which significantly improves your development speed.
Documenting errors and developments in your code is a time-consuming task. Now, you can use AI to create those documents for you while you focus on coding. You can always review and modify them, but AI does the heavy lifting for you.
AI also speeds up your learning process. Instead of going through lengthy tutorials or videos, you can ask AI to explain complex concepts in simple terms and show you how to create a stellar website or app effortlessly. The same goes for you trying to fix problems with your code.
AI cuts the time that you spend on repetitive tasks. It frees up your head and to-do list so you write a clean code rather than be caught up in mundane things.
3. Skill Gap
Being a web developer today is different from what it was a few years ago. You need to add a few additional skills to your arsenal along with the standard ones, as it's not just about knowing programming languages anymore.
You need to understand how to work with AI effectively. Think of it as learning a new language. Knowing how to use the right prompts is an art on its own. You should know when to use AI for help and when to rely on your coding skills. Getting this balance right can make you more efficient at your job.
Don't get me wrong. Just because AI can help you with coding, it doesn't mean that your coding knowledge has lost its significance. AI is helpful, but it's not always right. It can make huge blunders. So, without your coding knowledge, you won't be able to leverage AI effectively.
No more working in silos. You need to work on how effectively you communicate and collaborate with other teams or concerned stakeholders. Your communication skills also help you be clear about what you want when working with AI tools. As a result, you get an optimal output from your prompts.
Your role as a developer is evolving. You don't have to be a master at every skill, but you should have a basic understanding of business, user experience, and product research.
4. Project Cost
Time is money. Every hour you spend researching, coding, debugging, and maintaining websites or applications adds to the project cost. AI saves it. So, it won't be wrong to say that it reduces your project costs.
AI helps you conduct your research effortlessly and minimizes time incurred in data collection. It answers all your questions, helps shortlist your ideas, and enables you to gather valuable information for your project.
What used to take an hour takes a couple of minutes now unless you're working on a complex project.
AI also reduces debugging costs. You don't spend days trying to find what broke your code. AI helps identify issues quickly.
It's a Wrap
There you go: the four ways AI is transforming the future of web development and the way we work.
AI isn't going anywhere. It's evolving and here to stay. However, it's a wrong assumption that it'll replace humans. It sure has a massive impact on the way we work, but it still has a long way to go to be flawless and replace human coders.
So, let's just appreciate the positive contributions of AI to coding workflows. It's an efficient productivity booster and cost saver if you know how to use it the right way.
