The 5 Most Excruciating Aspects of Website Maintenance

The complexity of websites has risen in tandem with the evolution of the internet. Why? We can now do more than ever before thanks to technological advancements.

High-end functionality is at our fingertips thanks to content management systems (CMS), code frameworks, and other technological breakthroughs. This has pushed the boundaries of not just what we can do, but also what our customers demand of us.

While this development has had many benefits, it has also made website maintenance more challenging. It’s the outcome of putting so many diverse parts together. In other respects, it’s also the cost of using the most cutting-edge procedures.

Let’s take a look at five of the most annoying website maintenance-related challenges that many contemporary websites experiences (in no particular order).

The Web Designer Toolbox

APIs that are always changing

In today’s world, many websites rely on third-party APIs. They allow us to link with services like Google Maps, Mailchimp, and almost every social media network.

Each API is distinct and, as one would assume, has its own peculiarities. They also issue new versions, which may be considered a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, it’s exciting to watch an API mature and gain new capabilities. However, there is a drawback. These modifications may need updating our own implementations. Failure to do so may result in a malfunctioning feature.

For example, Twitter made an API modification a few years back that caused a slew of problems for third-party providers. Instagram’s revised API required users to reauthenticate their applications in order for feeds to appear on their website.

Keeping up with all of these changes for even one website may be a significant burden. You may not notice a change until it’s too late if you administer many websites that utilize different APIs.

Also read: 5 SEO Techniques That Are Underappreciated

Plugins that have been abandoned or are poorly maintained

Part of what makes an open-source CMS survive is a broad diversity of plugins. When developers are busy adding new features to a platform like WordPress, it becomes more appealing to new users.

Variety, on the other hand, does not ensure quality or even longevity. Because anybody may submit a plugin, there is a lot of risks involved. It’s possible that a specific plugin may become obsolete as platforms progress.

This forces web designers and their customers to re-invent the wheel every now and again. A replacement must be sought if the plugin we picked is buggy, no longer supported by its creator, or both.

The more difficult it is to change a plugin, the more difficult it is. But it’s not simply about finding a new plugin. Any adjustments made in the prior version must be refactored.

The whole procedure may become costly and time-consuming.

Nightmares of Web Hosting

We rely on web hosting a lot. How much is it? Consider this: no matter how well-designed a website is, it will be unable to overcome poor hosting.

And when hosts fail to keep their half of the contract, things may swiftly spiral out of control. Our jobs are made more difficult by frequent outages, security flaws, and poor assistance. Especially because site designers are often caught in the midst.

We’re the ones that usually act as a liaison between our customers and the hosting company. It may entail spending a lot of time in a chat room or (worse) waiting for responses over the phone.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned website may or may not be accessible. It was a good time.

Taking Care of Old Websites

The longer you work in this field, the more likely “old” projects will still be floating on the internet. It’s usually for a customer on a tight budget or who doesn’t see the need for a makeover.

While having an older site isn’t always an issue, the manner it was created maybe. Designers and developers often learn by doing. Five years ago, the methods we employed were probably miles from how we’d approach it now.

As a result, when one of these golden oldies requires maintenance, it might resurrect whatever errors we may have committed throughout the project. It might make you feel bad about yourself for not being able to foresee the future.

Digging over old code, on the other hand, may help you realize how far you’ve come.

An Inherited Site’s Mysteries

The movie Forrest Gump’s “box of chocolates” analogy might easily be applied to websites we acquire from previous designers. Until you inspect every line of code, you have no clue what you’re working with. Even then, there may be some surprises.

What’s even more entertaining is that an inherited site may need you to do each thing on this list. Plugins that have been abandoned, API calls that have been obsoleted, a bad hosting environment, and other concerns might be hiding under the surface.

Working on these projects requires a certain amount of daring as well as a great deal of patience. As a result, it’s critical to charge appropriately for the task.

How Can Pain Help You Grow?

The “pains” listed above have a few features in common. First and foremost, they are just a part of our profession – enjoyable or not. While entirely static websites still exist (and are making a return), interacting with third-party applications and services is still necessary. And no website is exempt from hosting issues.

Furthermore, each of these elements offers web designers the chance to learn and improve. Our past experiences may aid us in better understanding how to cope with similar problems in the future.

That’s fortunate since the web’s complexity isn’t going away any time soon.

Author Signature

My name is Ahmad Sultan a professional content writer and digital marketing expert at Mighty Warners a company based in Dubai, UAE. I am an exceptional and the most reliable employee of Mighty Warner. I can help you to generate more business and profit through your business website.