github.com
Track the web's top pain points over time · Issue #15 · web-platform-dx/developer-research
Excerpt
1. Having to support specific browsers (e.g., IE11). 2. Avoiding or removing a feature that doesn’t work across browsers. 3. Making a design look/work the same across browsers. 4. Testing across browsers. 5. Discovering bugs not caught during testing. 6. Outdated or inaccurate documentation for frameworks and libraries. … I'd love to also add something to ask if any new pain points emerged, and Philip's questions about whether things have improved over the past 12 months. Interoperability - Having to support specific browsers (e.g., IE11). - Avoiding or removing a feature that doesn’t work across browsers. - Making a design look/work the same across browsers. - Lack of support for progressive web apps (PWAs). … Web capabilities - Lack of device APIs allowing for access to hardware. - Capability of the web to support a specified layout. - Achieving visual precision on stylized elements (e.g., buttons). - Getting users to grant permissions to Web APIs (e.g., geo-location). Compliance with laws, regulations, and best practices - Managing user data to comply with laws and regulations. … - Having to support specific browsers. - Avoiding or removing a feature that doesn’t work across browsers. - Making a design look/work the same across browsers. - Achieving visual precision on stylized elements (e.g., buttons). - Lack of capabilities to implement specific use cases. - Making web sites/applications accessible.
Related Pain Points
Data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance
9Organizations struggle to handle sensitive data (PII, financial records, medical histories) while maintaining compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and the EU AI Act. Challenges include securing data during collection/transmission, anonymizing records without losing analytical value, ensuring robust data governance, and navigating overlapping regulatory requirements across different jurisdictions.
Inadequate and outdated documentation
7LangChain's documentation frequently lags behind framework releases, contains outdated code snippets, and omits critical explanations of default parameters. Official guides lack consistency, with tutorials becoming obsolete within weeks due to rapid updates.
Limited web platform capabilities for hardware access
6Web APIs provide insufficient device access for hardware capabilities, limiting the ability to implement certain use cases that native applications can support.
Cross-Browser Compatibility and Testing Challenges
6Making designs and experiences work consistently across different browsers remains a significant challenge (26% of developers in Q1 2021). Browser testing is time-consuming, polyfill management is complex, and developers struggle to identify reliable, high-quality polyfills.
Overlooked accessibility requirements excluding disabled users
6Developers fail to implement accessibility features like screen readers, voice commands, and high-contrast text, excluding people with disabilities from using the app. This is not just a nice-to-have but a critical requirement for inclusive design.
Confusing and user-hostile authorization prompts
5Authorization prompts can confuse users or appear as phishing attempts, causing them to reject legitimate authorization requests. This negatively impacts conversion and user trust.
Vendor-specific prefixes and browser inconsistencies
4Developers must write browser-specific prefixes and hacks to handle inconsistent CSS rendering behavior across different browsers, particularly for advanced features.