What is web development?

Thinking of jumping and making a career in the fastest growing industry? Yes, you heard it right. Web development is one of the fastest growing industries around. In fact, it’s projected to grow by 13% between 2016 and 2026.

Normally, web development term is used to refer to the tasks associated with developing websites for hosting via the internet or intranet. The web development process includes web design, web content development, client-side/server-side scripting and network security configuration and other tasks.

Many people use these two terms- web design and web development interchangeably, but they both have two different meanings. A web designer is a person who designs the layout of the website and concerns with how the site will look. Whereas a web developer is a person who is either a front-end developer or a back-end developer that takes that design and turns that static design into a fully working website and makes the website available to the world.

Skills required to become a great web developer

• Setting up your Base

  Technologies on the web change very fast that’s why you need to learn/know some basic concepts of the web and fundamentals of some core languages like C, C++, Java, Ruby. A maximum number of new frameworks or technologies are built around some core languages like PHP, Ruby, Java and core concepts like Model-View-Controller and OOPS concepts. If you think about it, things don’t really change or move so fast, they are just rearranged. Like that only if you learn Javascript it will be easier for you to move between two different libraries. So try to learn Javascript rather than JQuery. It doesn’t change.

• Beyond the Base

  HTML and CSS can be the base of everything, but you need to think beyond the base. You need to know the skills that enable you to meet the needs of your client. This may include HTML, CSS, PHP, but you have to look forward. For instance, if you want to build an online store, you need to know some e-commerce platforms like Magento, Shopify, etc. When you decide what to learn next, do focus on developing skills that help you to build specific types of websites.

• Be a Code Optimizer

  Code optimization is any kind of method that improves code quality and efficiency. An optimized code means a smaller size code that consumes less memory and executes more rapidly with fewer i/o operations. Hence you must have these skills to optimize the functions, methods and queries. You need to evaluate your code by yourself first. Good code is its own best documentation.

• Be a Master Researcher

  Another important skill for a web developer is to do the necessary research and to find the information about the programming language quickly. You don’t need to be pro in that language but you need to know how to find the information you don’t have at your fingertips. Sometimes, a well-phrased Google search can get you to your answer faster. You don’t need to memorize all the programming syntax. Learn how to master the searching.

• Be a Team Player

  If you can work together with your co-workers and can be a valuable part of the team, you can be successful. Being a good team player will help you to develop worthy relationships with them and will make you stand out as a great employee to your managers.

• Be a Learner

  One of the most important skills to learn is to be a learner. A web developer needs to know new technologies and tools and should be able to implement them. Learning is the treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Developers who say ‘yes’ to new things stay relevant and engaged as well as don’t get stuck in rut.

• Stay Sharp

  Stay sharp, find competition. Without any competition, it becomes a habit to see yourself above average. Join projects that you feel can challenge your ability and contribute your inputs. Seek out feedback and criticism from managers/leaders. The people who accept criticism are the ones who are genuinely interested in self-improvement.

• Basic Testing Knowledge

  Don’t build something if you’re not prepared to make sure it works properly. You need to learn both the things, that is, problem-solving as well as debugging the code. A web developer must have basic knowledge of testing tools to ensure the quality of code.

• Basic Deployment knowledge

  Deployment means the process of getting your website available to people. A newly created website may work fine on your computer, but that doesn’t mean it is ready for others to use. There are many other tasks involved to prep your website for end-users. And, a web developer must have core knowledge of deployment tools and resources.

• Some Design Sense

  Developers nowadays need to have some designing knowledge. Those days are gone when you say “I don’t know, I’m not a designer”. But it doesn’t mean that you need to be a design expert. But you need to understand typography, color sense, grid system, etc. It will help a developer in many ways. Most importantly, you won’t get frustrated when you can’t find a designer next to you when you need his help with a small task.

• Non-Technical Skills

  Non-technical skills contain communication skills, time management, stress management, leadership qualities, motivation, etc. This is more essential when you work in a team or with clients. A web developer must have the ability to understand the client's requirements. He should take more responsibilities and leadership. Developers who focus on ways to save time and money will move to the next level. Having these non-technical skills not only just provides you a good job but also a great career.

We hope this gives you a clear picture of what skills you need to know to become a great web developer. If you choose this career path, you have to embrace the fact that you will never stop learning. Are you now ready to discover the possibilities in a web development career? Explore more career opportunities at Complitech.