Web Applications…..where are we heading?

At the early stage of my career, I was involved in a project using Microsoft Active Server Pages 1.0. It was the time, when there were no rich controls, no data grid kind of stuff. We used to write lots of scripts (client as well as server). It was purely processing the stuff on server and sending back the HTML to the requesting client.

Last seven years down the line, I can see tones of improvements in web applications. These changes are in terms of rich User Interface, faster processing speed on the server, faster response, from simple ISAPI filters, interpretations to compiled versions. I must say that ASP.NET has revolutionized the web applications completely. Look at the way, programmers are writing the code. The classic separation of presentation and business logic layer; also the incorporation of MVC pattern just amuses me sometimes.

The birth of ASP.NET 1.0 gave us lots of rich user controls. Look at the datagrid control. These controls have in-built capabilities like paging, sorting, customization etc. This saves lot of time for the developers and also makes rich end-user experience. And now, we have ASP.NET 2.0.

With the concepts like web parts, navigation controls and of course AJAX, these web apps are exceeding our expectations. And if we add DHTML, flash / flash remoting to this list then we get awesome results. With increased bandwidth and high-end servers, are we going to replace the desktop applications? I think that though it will not replace the desktop apps completely, it will reach close to it. Users can access the web apps from browsers, pdas, cell phones, smart phones, blackberry etc. The usage of thin client was always the plus point for web applications. And it will remain so. Over all, the future of web applications looks promising. There will be lot of new approaches in the way we use web applications. Some of the applications will eventually lead to somewhat FAT client.
Ability to go offline, do the stuff and again go online to upload the changes. I think Asynchronous programming (AJAX) is going to be the key technology in future for web applications. Rich graphics, web-based office solutions and web-based development/ IDEs is also a possibility.

Cheers,
Amol