Do you have an interest in building a career in website development? That is a smart decision. Website development is one of the high-demand tech skills in the tech industry. Why? You ask?
For one, business owners are switching from traditional brick-and-mortar stores to eCommerce business and SaaS business models. According to the US Bureau of Labor, the demand is expected to rise by a whopping 8% in the coming year.
What this means is that a lot of businesses will need a website developer to build their business websites. They’ll also need them to manage their digital storefront, and troubleshoot their digital product website.
Web developers get paid handsomely. Of course, the level of expertise is a factor in how much you are paid to do what they do.
So, what are the steps to becoming a website developer? This article is a step-by-step guide to help you achieve your goals.
What is a Web Developer?
A web developer is a professional who specializes in the development of mobile applications, eCommerce websites, and web-based software. Web developers are responsible for creating the code that dictates the functionality and design of a website or web application.
Their work involves a combination of programming, design, and problem-solving skills.
Web developers can be broadly categorized into two main types:
- Front-end Developers: Front-end developers focus on the client side of web development, which involves creating the user interface and user experience. They work with technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build the visual aspects of a website that users interact with directly. Front-end developers need to ensure that the website is visually appealing, responsive, and works well across different devices and browsers.
- Back-end Developers: Back-end developers deal with the server side of web development, managing the server, databases, and application logic. They work with server-side programming languages like Python, Ruby, PHP, Java, or Node.js, and interact with databases to store and retrieve data. Back-end developers are responsible for the functionality and performance of the website, as well as handling security and server-side optimizations.
In addition to front-end and back-end development, some developers specialize in both areas and are referred to as full-stack developers. Full-stack developers have expertise in both the client-side and server-side aspects of web development, allowing them to work on all parts of a web application.
What Does a Website Developer Do?
Have you ever wondered how your favorite music application came to be? What about that school website?
Yes, they were built by website developers.
Website developers build websites and applications from scratch and maintain (defend against bugs, glitches, and upgrading) existing ones with the use of CODES. Music applications, gaming sites, social media applications, and much more are all created by a task force.
This task force usually consists of UI/UX professionals, web designers, and web developers.
Do I Need a Degree to Become a Website Developer?
Having a degree is a nice achievement but it isn’t necessary to pursue a career in website development.
Below are tips on how to become a website developer without a degree:
- Step 1: Understand Website development
- Step 2: Get the necessary skills
- Step 3: Start practicing
Step 1: Understanding Website Development
Website development can be likened to a building with different rooms in it.
There are 3 different types of website developers which are:
- Front End Developers
These work on the user end of a website or application. Colors, layout, pop-ups, and everything the user experiences when logged onto the application are designed by the front-end developer.
- Back End Developers
Behind the pretty face of a website, there is a complex background weave of codes, server management, security, integration, database storage, etc. These are the backroom of the website.
Back-end developers are in charge of these.
- Full-stack Developers
These developers can build an entire website, both backend and frontend aspects. They have skills specific to both backend and frontend developers which is a result of working in the industry for several years.
Step 2: Get the Web Developer Skills
Web developers employ many skills in the execution of their jobs, which range from basic skills such as programming to soft skills like attention to detail, communication, time management, etc.
So, what skills should a web developer have? Let’s find out!
Coding
The primary skill needed by a website developer is CODING.
What is coding?
Coding is the fancy name for programming. As an aspiring website developer, you need to know how to instruct and command your computer.
Your instructions should be able to tell the computer to create the specifics of the website or application you want to build using codes which are machine languages. This is called PROGRAMMING.
Programming languages differ in their uses. Some languages are flexible, that is, they can be used for a wide range of purposes. Let’s call them GENERAL LANGUAGES. Examples are Python and Java.
There are also languages made for specific tasks such as SQL.
To make programming easier, web developers make use of libraries and frameworks. A library is a small collection of codes. On the other hand, frameworks are a larger version of libraries. They can be described as the skeleton, which enables developers to code within.
As a beginner, you must carve out a niche for yourself and identify which part of web development you want to focus on. This will help you learn the right skills. As the languages needed by a frontend developer are slightly different from those needed by a backend developer.
To help you, here are some important languages to learn:
- HTML
- JavaScript
- Python
- Java
- PHP
- Ruby
- SQL
- Git
- CSS
- C/C++
Experienced web developers often say “more is better” when it comes to the number of machine languages learned.
Attention to Details
To pursue a career in web development, you need to hone your attention skills. You will soon learn that your computer will give you exactly what you command it to and the tiniest error in coding will be reflected.
So, you will need to pay a hundred percent attention to the details of the codes you write.
Communication
Having great communication skills plays a huge role in web development. Web developers have to work in collaboration with many other professionals, such as web designers, UI/UX professionals, and the administration.
The task force is a mix of masters and novices. This means you’ll have a lot of people to communicate with – and communicating with each person will differ from another.
For example, a graphics designer is not expected to understand the intricacies of website development. Meaning they will need a clear explanation without the “jargon”.
This is one of the times an awesome communication skill comes to the rescue.
Time Management
As a website developer, freelancer or not, you will often find yourself juggling numerous projects at once. This can be tedious.
Setting a priority list and allocating the necessary time to each project makes you flexible.
What Skills Should a Web Developer Have?
These are some other skills you might want to learn, depending on the branch of website development you choose.
- Graphics design
- Server management
- UX(user experience) design
- SEO (search engine optimization)
- API integration
Step 3: Start Practicing
If you are asking this question “Can I get a job with just a certificate in web development?”
Practice makes perfect! Becoming a professional is impossible without practicing. But, you cannot practice without knowledge.
How do you learn how to become a website developer?
Take an online course, there are a great many courses at your fingertips. Sites like Coursera, Hubspot, and Udemy offer quite several courses on website development both free and paid which are designed to suit you.
If you need to have guidance, get a mentor. Pick out a project for yourself and start practicing. This also serves as an awesome way to build your portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of your accomplished projects which is presented to potential clients/employers.
There are several methods of creating a portfolio and it would be better if you researched how to make a great website-developing portfolio. While you are learning how to become a web developer, you should also consider the working modes available to you.
Do you want to be a remote worker or do you prefer on-site employment? Freelancer? You can find out more information on how to start a successful freelancing career.
Get to it!
Learning how to become a website developer is a great way to be a part of the new world. Website developers are indispensable to the digital world.
Sign up for that online course, go for that boot camp, and get coding! Although it takes about three months to cover the basics, learning is continuous and on the job.
Start now!
