Web Design & Development
Take a look at the beginnings of web design in the 90s and how it compares to modern practices shaped by today’s high standards for functionality, aesthetics, and user engagement.
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Then vs Now: The History of Website Design from the 90s to Today
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The first website, created in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee, was a simple page of text and links, designed to share information about the World Wide Web. Website design has come a long way since those early days, evolving from basic text and links to a sophisticated digital ecosystem filled with interactive, responsive, and immersive experiences.
This article takes a look at the beginnings of web design in the 90s and compares it to modern practices shaped by today’s high standards for functionality, aesthetics, and user engagement.
In the early history of web design, web designers didn’t have much to work with. So, the first web pages had no real layout other than headings and paragraphs. As the industry grew, they moved to table-based layouts that were boxy and rigid, which left very little room for creativity.
Many designers at the time crammed information into every corner and left very little white space between design elements. They also tried to fit everything "above the fold” because scrolling was a nuisance, internet speeds were slow, and screens were small. While this flat design made sense at the time, it often resulted in cluttered, overwhelming web pages that internet users today would find difficult to navigate.
With the evolution of web design, new websites are now incredibly adaptable, using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to implement a responsive design that adjusts seamlessly to various devices and screen sizes. Web designers employ fluid layouts and flexible grid systems, allowing content to flow naturally across different displays.
We now strategically use white space to improve readability and guide user focus. All in all, modern design showcases our deeper understanding of user behavior and the diverse ways people access the World Wide Web today.
The first website on the World Wide Web (info.cern.ch) was simple, text-based, and designed for a single screen size. This is because initial versions of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) only allowed very basic content structure. There was limited use of images or multimedia, primarily because of slow internet speeds and limited bandwidth.
Design considerations and aesthetics were basic out of necessity, with a restricted color palette often dictated by system limitations. Typography options were slim, usually confined to a handful of web-safe fonts. Designers sometimes used WordArt and other early graphic design tools to add visual interest, but these were often rudimentary and limited in scope. Despite these constraints, these first websites laid the groundwork for the rich visual experiences we enjoy today.
When you compare that to the dynamic websites we have today, we can clearly see the evolution of web design. With improved internet speeds and bandwidth, designers began to leverage high-resolution images, videos, and animations to engage users. We now have access to an extensive array of web fonts and other design elements, allowing for more expressive and brand-specific typography or even GIFs.
Color usage has evolved from basic palettes to sophisticated schemes that evoke specific emotions and reinforce brand identity. Advanced CSS designs and JavaScript libraries enable intricate design elements like parallax scrolling, micro-interactions, and dynamic content loading. Today, web content is filled with immersive, interactive visual feasts that early web pioneers could only dream of.
In the early history of web design, navigation was often an afterthought. Old website designs typically featured simple, linear navigation menus—a single bar across the top or multiple bars cluttering the left side and top.
This approach mirrored the directory-like organization of pioneering search engines like Yahoo! and the structural limitations of early browsers like Internet Explorer. The concept of user experience was in its infancy, and web design primarily aimed to satisfy search engine crawlers rather than human users. At this point in the evolution of web design, the focus was on including all possible options rather than creating intuitive user pathways.
These days, the answer to “What is web design?” is practically synonymous with user experience (UX). As the World Wide Web became more accessible, user behavior also evolved and now we can say that a website's success hinges on how well it serves its users' needs and expectations.
That’s why the evolution of web design led to the rise of UX design principles and sophisticated, multi-level navigation systems. Designers now prioritize user flow, accessibility, and mobile responsiveness when creating web page navigation structures. Intuitive layouts, clear visual hierarchies, and easy-to-use menus are expected, with interactive elements like mega menus, breadcrumbs, and predictive search functionality often serving to enhance usability.
In the early days of the World Wide Web Consortium, responsive web design wasn’t a concept people were familiar with. Early sites from Web 1.0 had primarily static content, resembling digital brochures more than interactive platforms. We had fixed pages that only changed when manually updated by a webmaster.
Interactivity was limited to basic elements like hyperlinks and simple forms. This static content meant that entire sites functioned as one-way communication tools, with users passively consuming information. While revolutionary for its time, this approach now feels dated in our increasingly dynamic and mobile era.
The evolution of web design from static to dynamic has brought complex designs to life. Today's websites are vibrant, living entities that respond to user actions in real time. Rich interactivity is the norm, with features like animated transitions, infinite scrolling, and interactive elements like sliders, carousels, and forms.
Dynamic content adapts to user preferences and behaviors, creating personalized experiences. Technologies like AJAX allow for seamless updates without page reloads, while HTML5 and CSS3 enable sophisticated animations and layouts. These advancements have transformed websites from static pages into immersive, app-like experiences that engage users and keep them coming back for more.
In the early history of web design, creating and maintaining a website was a specialized skill. One could only develop entire sites with extensive knowledge of HTML because each web page was usually coded from scratch.
At the time, web maintenance was a constant challenge for businesses and organizations. Content updates, no matter how small, involved directly editing HTML files—a time-consuming process often needing a skilled developer. With infrequent updates, old websites couldn’t provide fresh, timely content to users.
The advent of Content Management Systems like WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify has changed the game for web developers and content managers. With their user-friendly interfaces, customizable templates, and drag-and-drop tools, even those who've never coded a line in their life can create and manage stunning websites.
They enable rapid updates, frequent content refreshes, faster development cycles, and greater flexibility in design and functionality. Businesses and organizations can now maintain an active online presence without constant developer intervention.
Old websites may be obsolete in today’s dynamic and user-friendly digital landscape, but they set the stage for the evolution of web design and the innovations we see today. As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, we can expect bigger and better advancements that will push the boundaries of design even further.
AI-driven personalization, voice-activated interfaces, and augmented reality (AR) are just a drop in the bucket of what the future of web design has in store. Curious about what’s next? Take a look at our top web design trends for 2025 to stay on top of the evolution!
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