An Analysis of Front-End Technologies in Higher Education: A Comparative Study of the Largest Universities in the United States and Poland

This study investigates the front-end technologies used by the largest universities in the United States and Poland to understand how institutions use web technologies to enhance their digital presence. The research addresses a gap in literature concerning comparative analyses of technological adoption in higher education across different countries. The methodology involved analyzing the websites of 50 universities in each country using tools like BuiltWith and Wappalyzer. Key dimensions included the use of JavaScript frameworks, content management systems, and security mechanisms, highlighting adoption trends and differences between the two regions. The findings reveal a shared reliance on stable technologies like jQuery and PHP, with Bootstrap commonly employed for responsive design. Polish universities demonstrate a conservative approach, favoring advanced form-handling tools like Select2, while U.S. universities show greater diversity, adopting modern frameworks like Vue.js and advanced security measures such as HSTS and reCAPTCHA. Despite differences, both prioritize stability over cutting-edge innovation. These results highlight the influence of budget constraints and institutional priorities on technology choices, emphasizing the need for modernization in academic web development to meet evolving user expectations. This study provides a foundation for further exploration of strategies to enhance digital experiences in higher education.