Once I have graduated the web design course, when applying for a job I need to ensure that I stand out by being really good at one specific thing. The one thing that I would like to research into to make me stand out is web components, how good they truly are and whether they are truly the future of web design.
Web components are able to connect pre-build elements into the website. This is something that Google has invested in heavily and their own explanation is really good;
“From <a> to <select>, elements are the building blocks of HTML. But modern applications have outgrown these built-in elements, forcing app developers to rely on JavaScript frameworks to provide dynamic, custom behaviour. The resulting apps are frequently complex and monolithic; a component developed for one may not work in another.”
“Polymer puts elements back at the center of web development. With Polymer, you can craft your own HTML elements and compose them into complete, complex applications that are scalable and maintainable.”
The cons
The biggest issue with web components is compatibility with older browsers. While Google and Mozilla have both added web components ability to their browsers, as usual internet explorer is stuck in the past. It be at least 2017 before developers ca start to abandon developing for that browser.
Minification of the html file is also quite difficult as it can loose the custom elements you have created