As of June 2024, there are more than one billion websites globally, and an additional 252,000 sites are created each day. These sites are designed and developed by an estimated 27.7 million web developers worldwide. While these developers are generally highly skilled, many still make common mistakes when launching new sites. We’ve outlined the top 10 of these below.
1. Performance Optimization
Slow loading is one of the most significant issues for millions of sites. Pages that take too long to load frustrate users and can easily cause them to switch to another website. Extended loading times often come from web developers failing to optimize the performance of the pages they publish.
This optimization process involves compressing images, shrinking CSS and JavaScript, and using browsers to cache common site resources. Various tools, such as Google PageSpeed, are available to aid in this process.
2. Leaving Messy Code
While messy code might have minimal impact on website visitors, it can have serious repercussions for developers. When something goes wrong, trying to sift through cluttered code can delay finding a solution or patching a known issue.
By ensuring that coding standards are followed from the beginning, future code revisions and problem-solving can be streamlined. Adhering to these coding standards includes using proper indentation and leaving comments in the code that explain the purpose and functionality of how each snippet affects the site’s usability.
3. Not Utilizing Version Control
Git is among the development industry’s most well-known version control software (VCS) systems. It allows web developers to create a snapshot of their website each time a new version is launched. This can help reload or revert a website to its previous version should something go wrong with a new launch.
Many developers don’t feel the need to use VCS in the initial stages of launching a site and may only opt to utilize it after multiple revisions. Doing this could result in the loss of a working version of the site when a new one is launched and frustration caused by having to redo previous work.
4. User Input Validation
User input validation is back-end programming that verifies the data or information that visitors submit to a site via a contact form, support query, or a file upload portal.
Implementing proper input validation protocols can go a long way in protecting against injection attacks. These attacks include SQL injection in sites that use a database, command injection, and cross-site scripting (XSS).
5. Using Minimal Security
Online security is essential for every website. With almost 30,000 websites hacked daily, not using proper security measures can be detrimental. This is particularly true for popular websites that handle high traffic or sector-specific websites that host sensitive processes, such as online casinos with RTP tables that refer to the percentage returned to a player.
Therefore, all web developers should ensure proper security measures are installed and that common entry points are secured. Important steps include monitoring which ports are open to the public, ensuring that stored information is encrypted, and forcing a minimum password complexity for admins and users.
6. Forgetting About Accessibility
While much focus is placed on the design and usability of a website for regular visitors, web developers can often neglect thinking about those with disabilities. As a result, many websites aren’t fully accessible to these individuals.
Websites should adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) during the design and development process. Doing this will allow disabled users to use the website freely, resulting in a better user experience that could improve SEO (search engine optimization) performance.
7. Too Little Testing
In the race to publish and the dread of looming deadlines, many new sites go live without thorough testing. Sites published without a complete and comprehensive testing process could launch with dead links, inaccessible features, and overall poor performance.
To combat this, web developers should follow a testing guide that outlines various manual and automatic tests to check the site’s performance and usability. It should also include rigorous testing on any core function of the website. Only once all these have passed should the site be made live.
8. Reliance on Plugins
Reliance on external plugins is a trap that many developers easily fall into, particularly those who use content management systems (CMS) like WordPress. With a variety of fantastic plugins available, it could be cheaper and quicker to use a plugin rather than code the functionality.
While doing so isn’t necessarily a problem, overusing them while developing a website could lead to future problems. Should a plugin be discontinued or an issue occur after an update, it could have a material impact on the site that could have been avoided if it used native programming instead.
9. Failing to Update
Websites, coding languages, hosting platforms, plugins, and even specific scripts experience many updates each year. These updates are made to plug any identified security holes, publish new features, and allow for greater service performance.
Web developers may not be in the habit of ensuring published websites are updated with the latest versions of all these processes. Since this could create security risks and prevent a site from performing as it should, performing regular updates is essential.
10. Neglecting Compatibility
The final pitfall that plenty of developers fall into is neglecting to ensure proper compatibility, such as ensuring that a website is properly responsive and compatible with multiple screen sizes. It also means ensuring that the site works correctly in various browsers.
Using the mobile-first design technique and ensuring proper testing on all the industry-leading browsers can ensure a website works correctly across user agents. Failing to do this could result in some visitors not experiencing a site as it was designed, leading to irritation and decreased return traffic.
