>Will web development still be a thing (I'm doubtful)? If so, what does web development look like in 2024? 2034? Even today, the 'web' is simply a general-purp

>Will web development still be a thing (I'm doubtful)? If so, what does web development look like in 2024? 2034? Even today, the 'web' is simply a general-purpose software platform (or atleast should be thought of one). It might be helpful to rephrase your question as "will general-purpose software development be as important/exciting/profitable (etc). in 10 to 20 years?". I think there are two major, related and in some respects "opposing" trends. One is using software to make hardware obsolete (virtual reality, augmented reality, telecommuting and converting physical solutions to non-physical solutions). On the hardware front, production of physical products is becoming more and more algorithmic and software-defined. There are also opportunities to decrease manufacturing costs by orders of magnitude (mainly nanotechnology). If we get there, then the utility of simulating reality becomes less and less interesting, if we can just do what we want in reality for sufficiently cheaply.