My Unique Web Design History

My web design timeline, from hand-coded HTML in 1996 to AI-assisted web apps and coordinated agents in 2026. Scroll through all 18 original images in chronological order and download the PNGs for LinkedIn and Facebook.

By Michael Baker · 2026-10-06

I started with hand-coded HTML in 1996. This timeline follows the tools that have shaped my web design work since then: Flash, visual and code editors, forums, content management systems, WordPress, builders, ecommerce, and now AI-assisted web apps and coordinated agents.

1996 — Hand-coded HTML. The timeline begins with web pages built by writing HTML by hand. — **1996 · Hand-coded HTML**
The timeline begins with web pages built by writing HTML by hand.

1997 — Flash animation. Flash introduces animation and interactive experiences to the timeline. — **1997 · Flash animation**
Flash introduces animation and interactive experiences to the timeline.

1998 — Visual + code editors. Visual editing joins code editing as a way to build and arrange web pages. — **1998 · Visual + code editors**
Visual editing joins code editing as a way to build and arrange web pages.

2000 — vBulletin forums. The timeline turns to vBulletin forums and discussion-based online communities. — **2000 · vBulletin forums**
The timeline turns to vBulletin forums and discussion-based online communities.

2001 — Early CMS. Early content management systems offer tools for organizing and publishing website content. — **2001 · Early CMS**
Early content management systems offer tools for organizing and publishing website content.

2003 — WordPress arrives. WordPress enters the timeline in 2003 as a platform for publishing on the web. — **2003 · WordPress arrives**
WordPress enters the timeline in 2003 as a platform for publishing on the web.

2012 — WordPress dominance. This milestone highlights WordPress as a major platform for building and managing websites. — **2012 · WordPress dominance**
This milestone highlights WordPress as a major platform for building and managing websites.

2018 — Drag-and-drop builders. Drag-and-drop builders bring visual page assembly to this stage of the timeline. — **2018 · Drag-and-drop builders**
Drag-and-drop builders bring visual page assembly to this stage of the timeline.

2020 — Shopify and ecommerce surge. Shopify and the growth of ecommerce shift the focus toward online stores. — **2020 · Shopify and ecommerce surge**
Shopify and the growth of ecommerce shift the focus toward online stores.

2023 — Rise of AI assistants. AI assistants enter the timeline as tools for helping with digital work. — **2023 · Rise of AI assistants**
AI assistants enter the timeline as tools for helping with digital work.

2024 — AI writes the code. The focus moves from AI assistance to using AI to generate code. — **2024 · AI writes the code**
The focus moves from AI assistance to using AI to generate code.

2025 — AI web apps. AI-assisted web application development marks the next stage of the timeline. — **2025 · AI web apps**
AI-assisted web application development marks the next stage of the timeline.

2026 — Shopify with Claude. This 2026 milestone brings Shopify and Claude together in an ecommerce context. — **2026 · Shopify with Claude**
This 2026 milestone brings Shopify and Claude together in an ecommerce context.

2026 — Claude in every app. The timeline explores Claude across applications rather than within a single tool. — **2026 · Claude in every app**
The timeline explores Claude across applications rather than within a single tool.

2026 — Local SEO becomes AI search. Local search optimization meets AI-powered search and answers in this milestone. — **2026 · Local SEO becomes AI search**
Local search optimization meets AI-powered search and answers in this milestone.

2026 — AI is everywhere. This milestone highlights AI spreading across the tools used for digital work. — **2026 · AI is everywhere**
This milestone highlights AI spreading across the tools used for digital work.

2026 — The AI assisted 1 person agency. The timeline considers the model of a one-person agency supported by AI tools. — **2026 · The AI assisted 1 person agency**
The timeline considers the model of a one-person agency supported by AI tools.

2026 — Coordinated Agents. The final milestone focuses on multiple AI agents coordinating their work. — **2026 · Coordinated Agents**
The final milestone focuses on multiple AI agents coordinating their work.

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