Web design may be seen as a modern and high-tech industry, but its old-school roots are still evident. Even in cutting-edge websites, you can find traces of decades-old technology. These technologies have evolved over time, but they still play a significant role in shaping the web development industry.
One example is the Apache HTTP Server, which may no longer be the top web server but still holds a significant market share. It has been around since 1995 and has adapted to handle large amounts of traffic and support next-gen technologies like HTTP/2 and IPv6. Apache is also responsible for popular technologies like .htaccess, gzip compression, and URL rewriting.
Another old-school technology that continues to thrive is jQuery. Despite claims of its decline, it is still used on over 77% of all websites. Its familiarity and ease of use make it a go-to library for many developers. jQuery is also actively developed and optimized for performance.
JPEG images, introduced in 1992, have managed to hold their ground against newer formats like SVG and WebP. With a usage rate of nearly 78%, JPEG remains a viable choice for photographs due to its compatibility with image editing apps and web browsers.
The command line interface (CLI) is another old-school technology that has stood the test of time. While web hosting companies have attempted to replace or supplement it with visual control panels, the CLI offers speed, efficiency, and fine-grain control over commands. It continues to be incredibly useful in web development.
Of course, no discussion of old-school web technologies would be complete without mentioning HTML. It has been the foundation of web development since its release in 1991 and continues to evolve to meet the needs of the modern web. HTML can be combined with other languages like CSS, PHP, and JavaScript to create complex web applications.
These old-school technologies, along with many others like CSS and FTP, play vital roles in the web development industry. Despite the ever-changing nature of the industry, their continued presence brings comfort and stability to developers.
