Web Development Skills

Website Development Careers & Skills Needed

Website development careers aren’t just limited to one specific area. They are categorized according to the type of project being pursued. For example, front-end developers turn an idea into a website. They would use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These developers are responsible for the front end of websites.

Back-end developers use server-side languages such as PHP, Ruby, and ASP, to name a few. Also, back-end development ensures the websites run as smoothly as possible on the server. Making sure everything is in place and working together simultaneously.

Full-stack developers are known to work with both front-end and back-end. They can construct a fully functional website independently without having an individual front-end developer and a back-end developer build a website piece by piece.

Website Development Careers as a Web Developer

Their main goal is to ensure the user gets an optimized experience by coding a well-functional and appealing website for a web developer. Web developers always plan the server technology and program languages most suitable for the intended website. Front-end developers ensure that the sites they have created operate similarly in different browsers considering that all browsers consist of various features and operating systems.

For sites to be appealing, they must have the right technology to help them function correctly. A front-end developer would undoubtedly create a site appealing to its users with careful planning. With the right components, a back-end developer will ensure the server, application, and database work together to flow through a website.

Full Stack Development

No matter which area of web development you are interested in, one thing is sure. As technology advances, the need for web developers continues to climb. For people in a full-stack developer career, it opens up a wide-open door of opportunities instead of just front-end and back-end developers working together.

Website Development Skills & Job Growth

However, job growth hit a high in 2010 but descended in 2011 and 2012. Six months into 2012, job growth shot up 20 percent only to head back down at the beginning of 2013, then rebound, heading back up 10 percent—the number of web-related jobs is expected to continue to climb. A web developer’s ultimate goal is to optimize the user experience by coding a functional and compelling website. Here are some of the responsibilities expected of a web developer:

Setting up the server and deciding what technology, including programming language, will be the best fit, creating a practical design and navigation that will grab the user’s attention and return to the site multiple times. Some developers use scripting languages to make code snippets, custom plugins, and open-source script alterations.

The job market in Seattle for web developers is rewarding and thriving. Web development jobs are real from small businesses and companies like Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon!

 

Life of a Web Developer

The life of a web developer typically involves working long hours. On average, a web developer with 1 to 2 years of experience can expect to take home $40,000-$60,000. Job opportunities can be found anywhere, such as within an organization, an agency, consulting firm, or a contract.

Web developers with more than five years of experience can earn up to $70,000 to $90,000. Learning about web development can be done in the classroom or on your own. If you choose the classroom, certifications, two and four-year programs specializing in web design or e-commerce are available. Also, there are training companies in many major cities, such as The Starter League, Treehouse, or Codecademy (plus many others), that offer intensive 6 to 12-week courses.

A web developer must know scripting and markup languages such as HTML5, XML, CSS, and JavaScript. Website Development Careers are undoubtedly promising in salary, where developers can earn more than 100k provided they have the correct skill sets and experience.

Education & web skills

Whether or not you choose the education route for website development careers, web developers must learn new skills because technology keeps evolving—for example, SQL, responsive web development, social media, SEO, and new frameworks.

There are many different types of careers in web development. Classes, trade shows, seminars, and periodicals can help them keep up with the ever-changing computer world. The need for web developers will always be in high demand as technology tends to get outdated. Enterprises are hugely embracing web technologies. It used to be that corporate applications were all desktop apps. In the last ten years, they have moved heavily towards the web.

Nowadays, every company needs web developers to expand or get their business known and out there since everyone uses the internet. Many traditional native programs, or mobile apps, rely on technologies used to build web applications. Most web page designs seem to fit together in graphics, colors, images, and special effects like animation. We all know how to navigate web pages even if we have never visited that particular web page before.

Web Development Skills & Careers at big retail companies

Website development careers for big retail companies will require visually appealing websites and easy navigation to catch the attention of all the customers online shopping on that site. You would also want to make it as informative as possible for all the products and merchandise being sold to give whoever is on that site searching for a better understanding.

A web developer could also work under private contractors to create a web page to meet specific standards and criteria and not be tied to one company. If web development isn’t your career, you can still use it as an on-the-side job for some extra cash. Remember, website development careers will provide you income to support your family or supplement income as a part-time gig.

Importance of Web Development Skills

What does a web developer do? Web development skills are needed if you wish to work as a web developer. We’ll let us start with the basics of web development skills.

You are probably well aware that web developers make websites. But there is much more to it than just that. Web developers must have specific web development skills and look at the user needs to provide the appropriate content and graphics to meet the goals of websites. For example, web developers’ skills could be a strong foundation of content management systems such as WordPress development.

Some daily responsibilities of a web developer include using scripting languages to make websites. Another primary responsibility is designing, writing, and editing a web page’s content or directing others to produce content for a website. Identifying and correcting uncovered problems by testing a website or user feedback.

Also, converting written, graphic, video, and audio components into compatible web formats is a regular task you will be performing as a small business web developer. It doesn’t end there. Web developers must be familiar with businesses, whether startups or established ones.

Common misconceptions about web developers

Now that you have a general idea of what a web developer does, it is vital to know what a web developer does not do. Let us clear up any misconceptions about what a web developer does and does not do.

1. Web Development Skills vs. Web Design

Website development is not the same as web design. Generally, web development skills will be different from web design skills. The most significant misunderstanding people have with web development is that web development is the same as web design, which is invalid. Web development takes a web designer’s work and makes it a functional website. Designers are creative people who focus on improving the overall look and feel. In contrast, developers focus on the site’s general performance.

2. Evolving Web development skills

Web development skills never stop. Your training will generally continue throughout your career. This also implies to websites, just like when you think your website is all good and done, you will find that an enhancement is needed. Technology is constantly evolving, so website improvements will always be made.

3. More than just writing code

Web developers do more than write code. Hence why, web development skills don’t end with the bare minimum. The truth is that web developers do not just sit and look at a computer screen all day. Knowing that writing code is a big part of the job, you also have to work with other designers, copywriters, illustrators, and others involved in the planning process. Web developers also look at website performance, making updates and improvements. On top of that, a web developer must spend a great deal of time researching and looking into new technologies and techniques.

 

The soft side of web development.

What are a few characteristics of a good web developer? There are a few qualities that many successful web developers share. Soft skills play a massive role in the day-to-day operations of a web developer.

1. Communication

Web developers must work with many people and members of an organization to ensure that everyone’s goals are met through website development. Maintaining open communication lines with other people and translating technical terms into regular terms for other people and team members is essential.

2. Love to Learn

You must want to love to learn and be a constantly curious student looking into new things. Subsequently, show an interest in the new items, techniques, and technologies and can not wait to get to them! Web developers are never done learning. New scripts, designs, and widgets are released daily, so web developers must stay updated to remain relevant in the web development industry. 

3. Be Patient

A website is never finished. Often, the work will go back and forth, and minor details will require tedious nurturing. When changes or updates are requested, it is vital to remain patient.

4. Perfectionist

Maybe you have been called a perfectionist. Even the slightest coding mistake cannot get by you. Most web developers look closely at their code when checking and double-checking it. Web developers must have this extreme attention to detail when looking at their code. One small mistake can break an entire website, so web developers have no margin of error.

5. Adapt and continue to learn

Website development skills are never complete, and you must adapt and learn.

 

Technical Web Development Skills

Knowing that you may have the natural characteristics to be a web developer is excellent. But you will not find success with just those qualities alone. To excel in such an astounding technical profession, you must master the skills to complement the soft ones. Some of the top 5 technical web development skills for web developers to have is to work with JavaScript, jQuery, Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), HTML5, and finally, Java. Nowadays, web developers need to be full-stack developers. For example, understand both the front-end and back-end of website development. (front-end vs. back-end web development)

Job Outlook and Website Development Careers

You will be happy to hear that web developers have an extensive job outlook. That is right; the total employment in this field is projected to grow. Websites have become a significant and big component for businesses to stay competitive. A company can not simply use a generic online template to provide a custom experience for its consumers. Hence, there will always be a high demand for web developers who can design custom-coded websites, which is also why website development skills are imperative.

 

Education and Web Development Skills

Now that you know the skills needed to succeed as a web developer, let us talk about the education to help you land a great job in the field. The educational requirements vary depending on the work that you will be doing. The most common need is an associate degree in web programming. You can teach yourself to code online, but remember that web development has much more than just writing coding. A formal and good education will help you master your programming skills, prepare you to work successfully with others and find creative and excellent solutions to your challenges.

Takeaway on Web Development Skills

It would help if you had the proper education for whatever you will be doing in web development. Web development skills, both hard and soft, will be advantageous. You need to be patient, have excellent communication skills, have a precise eye looking out for mistakes that need correcting, added, or removed, have a creative way of thinking, and love to learn more and more every day. You need to know these many things to be a knowledgeable and successful web developer.

These are a few good things to know about being a successful website developer. Notably, web development skills are an investment for anyone considering web development as a career.