The World Wide Web is often categorised into three generations: Web 1.0,
Web 2.0, and
Web 3.0 (or Web3). It was invented in 1989, and released to the public in 1993. In the early years of the web,
restrospecitvely referred to as Web 1.0, websites were simply a collection of static
HTML files, and had limited interactivity. After the introduction of
JavaScript in 1995, websites could contain logic, allowing for interactivity. The following year
CSS was released, allowing greater control over the styling of web pages. The term later resurfaced in the early 2000s, as websites started to increase in complexity, requiring
server-side services in addition to JavaScript. This led to the emergence of various new
programming languages and
frameworks designed for
backend services, such as
PHP,
Active Server Pages, and
Jakarta Server Pages. This enabled websites to do additional server-side processing, such as accessing
databases. Another shift in web development was the release of the
iPhone in 2007. This created a new medium for accessing the web, requiring a new approach to web development, and resulting in
responsive web design, which allows a single website to appear different depending on the device running it. Later,
progressive web apps were introduced, allowing websites to be installed on a device as an independent application. In the 2010s,
JavaScript frameworks began to emerge, creating new ways to manipulate web pages, and increasing compatibility between
web browsers. In the mid 2020s, use of
AI became prevalent among web developers, with the 2025
Stack Overflow survey showing over 80% of developers saying the use AI at least monthly in their development process. ==See also==