We are past the age when just plain HTML was needed for web development but times have changed and so have the requirements of the user. The user of today demand applications which offer them dynamic web experience and are user friendly too. With web standards crossing the bar web development projects of today cannot simply depend upon outdated languages which need to be left behind for sure.
Creating a web application is no simple task as of today and you need to use a combination of several technologies to get the best of results and meet the requirements of future. So at the end of the day you would require to implement various databases, graphic design, OOP and scripting knowledge to put your web development project into shape.
As a web developer you need to be multi skilled and you cannot just rest on the basis of knowledge of a particular language or skill only. Even for a miniature project you would be required to possess considerable knowledge if you would like your project to turn out well.
Though the Web development tools have made life pretty easier for developers but it has also made them dependent on it hence rusting their skill base since nobody writes code from scratch these days which saves time but at the cost of your knowledge. Also you need to know more than one IDE as nowadays complexity of project tends to vary.
Nowadays you just cant rest after creating a web application as you will have to consider several other aspects such as testing, security and usability without which a Web development project may hold no importance.
Web development is not as easy as it used to be several years back. The rapid change which it has undergone has enabled it to offer a lot to the end users but has made life pretty complex for developers involved with web development projects.
The trends are also changing with respect to the pay packages for developers. Today an experienced web developer with vast skill base can easily command a salary in six figures as there is a shortage of knowledgeable web development professionals in the industry.
On the whole the changes can be termed as something very enthusiastic for the Web development industry which has not only made the field very attractive but also enabled the end users to get a more satisfying experience on the whole.