To become a web developer, you must have an understanding of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It is also recommended to familiarize yourself with the CSS and CSS frameworks. Developing these basic web development skills will give you the foundation and logic for communicating with programming languages.
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How to become a web developer in five steps:
1. Learn the basics of web development
The best first step to becoming a web developer is to start learning the basics of web development, including an understanding of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript.
Many aspiring web developers are now using coding boot camps to speed up the learning process. Coding bootcamps have thrived because they are short, comprehensive, results-focused and employable - their goal is to develop work-ready skills as efficiently as possible, making them an increasingly worthwhile investment for a potential web developer. According to Job In fact, four out of five companies in the US have hired a graduate of a coding bootcamp.
In fact, the practical advantages of coding boot camps for newbies are becoming clearer over time. For one thing, the field of web development naturally attracts people from all other fields, many of whom are making transitions mid-career—people for whom a clear and effective path to expanding skills is a top priority. Furthermore, employers are increasingly valuing skills and experience over education, putting anyone who can demonstrate their abilities on par with developers with a college degree.
It is important to note that web developers - more than most other fields - must commit to continuous learning to stay current with changes in web development, programming languages, tools, and trends. This makes mid-career retraining a must whether or not this is the field of work you are starting in.
2. Choose a development major
As you continue to develop your skills, you will need to choose an area of specialization. But what are the types of web development? All web developers are categorized into three main types:
- Front end developer. A front-end developer works on the "client side" of web development, which means which part of a site or application users interact with. This can include the layout and design of the site and the way users interact with it.
- Back developer. The backend developer works on the 'server side' in web development. This focuses on how a site works and can include databases, servers, networking, hosting, and more.
- Full stack developer. A Full-Stack developer is familiar with front-end and back-end development and works with both sides of the website.
3. Learn basic programming languages for web development
Whatever your area of focus, you'll need to learn programming and know how to use a few different programming languages for web development and web design. So, what are the most popular programming languages?
Three families of programming languages make up the primary tools involved in nearly all aspects of web development:
- HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- JavaScript
Of course, the list goes on - this is just the beginning. In fact, web development is such a diverse and diverse field that the list of all the tasks you could include (and all the coding and markup languages you might use to get them done) is too long to fit in this space. Fortunately, as a specialist, you can find what works best for you and focus on it.
4. Build projects to develop your web developer skills
With an understanding of the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and a foundation of programming skills, you're ready to start building. As you progress, you will gain experience using an ever increasing set of web developer skills. Some of these are technical, or "hard" skills, such as programming in SQL or Python, using the jQuery function library for more efficient programming, or using tools like Git for version control. The best way to improve these web development skills is to simply start messing around - the more you use them, the better.
There are also a number of web design skills that are useful to web developers, with the realization that responsive design is perhaps the most important. While web developers are not usually tasked with designing the site in general, it is also helpful for developers to have a solid understanding of common design principles. Front-end developers, in particular, program the screens that users interact with - and they can be much more successful with a good understanding of user-centered design.
5. Build a web development portfolio
An attractive web developer portfolio that shows your strongest skills is your best tool when applying for web development jobs. There are three things to keep in mind when creating a wallet that stands out from the pack.
First, your Web Developer portfolio should include a variety of web development work. You don't want to use every project you've ever worked on - your professional portfolio should be a standout segment that not only showcases your best work, but shows your versatility.
You want to be selective and highlight your best work, but your choice should be diverse enough that it demonstrates a strong understanding of the different elements of the job.
When applying for web developer jobs, do a little research into the company and the role you're looking to fill - then improve your portfolio further, edit out irrelevant examples and highlight your most relevant work.
Second, think about what makes you and your business unique. Emphasize the web development skills that make you unique - not just in the work you include in your portfolio, but in how you present the portfolio itself. If you're applying for design-related jobs, for example, your business portfolio website should have a powerful front end - a great user experience with a beautiful interface. And if you are applying for a web developer job, make sure you showcase your portfolio on an impeccable site. This means no messy code.
Third, show your process. Employers look not only at the quality of the work you produce, but also at how you handle problems. Don't be afraid to frame each example as a case study, giving an account of your thought process and the problem you were trying to solve through the project. Showing the background on how you create your projects will help recruiters and hiring managers understand your business, and say more than just a standalone piece. This is also a great opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills - an important part of excelling in the position.
Is web development a growing field?
Yes, the field of web development is booming. There are more than 1.3 million developer jobs available in North America, more than 47,000 new development jobs have been created in the past two years, and the market is expected to grow an additional 15% in the next five years. For these reasons, Mondo has found "Web Developer" to be the most in-demand job title in the tech field and one of the highest paying jobs.
What is the salary of a web developer?
According to In fact, the average salary for web developers in the US is $71,531 and the average salary for senior web developers is $95,325. This makes web development one of the most lucrative jobs that do not require a degree.
How can I become a web developer fast?
Coding bootcamps are becoming an increasingly popular option for aspiring web developers because they provide a hands-on learning experience and the opportunity to develop work-ready skills - in as little as 12 weeks.
Traditionally, many web developers started with higher education in software engineering, computer science, or related fields. However, it is also possible that you come from a completely different industry.
In fact, an increasing number of professionals are taking steps later in their career to learn development from scratch by either becoming self-made or pursuing a diploma with a coding bootcamp.
In fact, BrainStation's Digital Skills Survey found that 55 percent of development respondents have started their careers in a different field and 58 percent have worked in programming for five years or less.
What is required to become a web developer?
Here are some of the things you will need to learn to become a web developer:
- Foundations: To become a web developer, you must develop a thorough understanding of how the web works. This will deepen your knowledge of HTML and CSS to build and design more advanced static web pages, using frameworks like Flexbox. It will also help you establish practices and problem-solving logic to understand advanced programming concepts.
- Programming Basics: A foundational knowledge of JavaScript and object-oriented programming should be a starting point for aspiring web developers, as you will improve your ability to write and build components.
- Front-end frameworks: It is important for aspiring web developers to learn how to use React, the JavaScript framework, to build complex, dynamic web pages and user interfaces at a professional level.
- Web Servers: To become a web developer, you will need to know how to build servers using a modern back-end framework and how to develop custom APIs and serve websites and static files.
- Server-side programming: It is important for web developers to have an understanding of server-side rendering engines and templates, which are used to create blank page templates filled with dynamic data, such as a series of product pages for an e-commerce store.
- Databases: Aspiring web developers will also have to understand basic concepts about data and know how to manage databases and data on a web server.
As in other technical fields, it is important for web developers to communicate with each other and keep learning, as programming languages and technologies change frequently. Aside from coding bootcamps, web development courses, team discussions, and workshops, you can also keep abreast of developments by contributing to open source commons, such as GitHub or Bootstrap.
And of course, to become a web developer, you will need a portfolio of completed projects for your job search. Regardless of your specific interests, it is important to highlight your versatility to ensure that clients from different industries are aware of your capabilities.
How many programming languages should I know?
A simple question with a complex answer. It's complicated because, like many things in life, it depends on multiple variables. Are you a beginner or a professional web developer? What types of projects do you work on or want to work on? And what does the future hold?
If you're a new web developer, it makes sense to start with the basics - but on the other hand, a certain amount of specialization can set you apart from your competition. Ultimately, the solution lies in identifying which languages are useful in your field, with your degree of specialization, and which are growing in popularity rather than declining.
To get a sense of these trends, BrainStation has surveyed the current digital landscape. Based on the answers of thousands of professional respondents, we have put together an overview to help guide you towards the programming language you should start learning right now.
The more programming languages you know, the better
If you are a web developer, feel free from the fact that you work in a growing industry. The web developer market is expected to grow another 15 percent by 2026, according to the US Labor Bureau. Due to this rapid growth, the field has seen an influx of relatively new talent; 58 percent of survey respondents said they have been in development for five years or less.
Our survey also revealed that the more experience web developers have, the more likely they are to work on full-stack development, and the broader their specializations are. Conclusion: In order for a web developer to move forward in their career, it is necessary to keep learning new and more specialized languages - which ironically make them less specialized and a better ability to collaborate with or manage teams working in phases more than a larger scale. group of projects.
Most popular programming languages
Another paradox: when it comes to languages, a small number appears almost everywhere - yet the long tail of highly specialized and esoteric languages is just as important.
When asked which programming languages they currently use, respondents overwhelmingly indicated JavaScript (80 percent), with SQL (47 percent), Python (35 percent), and Java (27 percent) nearly as high on the leaderboard. Keep these basics in mind: If you're a web developer, one or more of these are a default, no matter your area of expertise.
Respondents also identified JavaScript and Python as the most interesting languages to work with, which not only explains their popularity, but also indicates that their future popularity is reasonably guaranteed.
Most amazing, even with a list of no fewer than 17 programming languages to choose from, 33 percent of respondents checked out Others - making it the third most popular response, and proving that while the industry may be preferred, it's still There is a lot of asking for more obscure languages.
The fastest growing languages
With the emergence of new applications, we should expect the list of most used languages to change. When asked about the biggest impact on their industry over the next five to 10 years, the majority of respondents (78 percent) chose artificial intelligence and its subset of machine learning as the biggest opportunities for growth.
They expect other trends: Internet of Things (54 percent), augmented reality (53 percent), and blockchain (41 percent). But while they expect these technologies to gain prominence, only a minority of developers have worked with them directly — 83 percent of respondents have not yet worked on AI platforms or blockchain technology, and 80 percent have no experience with IoT hardware.
In fact, blockchain technology is still so new that mid-level respondents were more likely to have experience working with it than high-level developers - but that's still only one in four. These numbers suggest that blockchain technology is an area that beginners must hone to improve their chances of advancement — and senior developers must learn to ensure they stay relevant.
What languages should a new web developer learn?
Given the "Big Five" areas where growth is expected to occur - artificial intelligence and machine learning, the Internet of Things, augmented reality, and blockchain - which languages should you learn? While the answer depends, to some extent, on which of these five areas you choose to focus on, the same three names have appeared over and over again: C++, Java, and Python.
Within each of the above concentrations, more languages appear in addition to these three. In Blockchain: Ruby and Solidity. In IoT: C, JavaScript, and PHP. In Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: R, Lisp, and Prolog. And in AR: C#, JavaScript, and Swift. But in each case, C++, Java, and Python are among the pioneers.
These are the languages that people use today to work in the areas that they identify as the most prosperous area of development. How about tomorrow? There is no sure way to predict the future, but we can look at the fastest growing languages in use. One way to do this is by comparing search queries - a proxy for measuring the languages people are currently learning. On Github, a batch of queries indicate that the fastest growing languages are relatively new - as you'd expect.
In 2018, the fastest Java-compatible Kotlin language grew year on year, more than doubled. HashiCorp Configuration Language (HCL) for the cloud infrastructure, TypeScript for the supergroup JavaScript, the automation framework from Microsoft PowerShell, and the systems programming language Rust come into the top five.
But not far, in eighth place, Python. Despite its popularity, Python still manages to post 50 percent year-over-year growth - a sign of a real tyrant power on the rise.
What makes a good web developer?
According to BrainStation's Digital Skills Survey, 50 percent of CEOs say they would make the most employment in development. Interestingly, though, survey respondents found development to be the most difficult area to hire for, and as the demand for these skills increases, it will only become more difficult.
What should companies look for? And how can aspiring developers stand out when entering the market?
To get started, consider the following definition, which provides a comprehensive picture of a good developer:
They write working code, which has been validated, on time, following accepted best practices, in a manner that can be easily maintained and enhanced, in collaboration with their team, and constantly improve their knowledge and skills throughout their career. "
Let's take a closer look at these ideas to see what makes a good developer.
A good web developer should:
Type the work code
Computers are highly accurate digital machines. The slightest deviation from what the computer expects means that the code will not compile, not run, or crash. The whole point of programming and building software is to write code that a computer successfully processes, producing the desired result. In other words, a good web developer must write code that works.
He has an insight into the details and is constantly scanning the code for anything that looks 'disabled'. They write clean, well-structured code and use tools to identify potential errors before running the code.
Write the code that works correctly
Just because the code works, doesn't mean it works correctly. Getting the code to work is only the first hurdle.
Code that doesn't work properly is just as useless as code that doesn't work at all, and potentially more dangerous. False results can have consequences, from mundane (and sometimes funny) user interface annoyances that frustrate end users and dampen their productivity - to the loss of life or business revenue.
All bugs that developers miss will cause software crashes, system failures, data corruption, security breaches, or alienate users who expect reliability. The cost of fixing these bugs increases as they find their way into production and are discovered by end users. Just as physical structures require extensive testing to ensure they are "up to code level", software requires the same stringent standards.
Therefore, a good developer adopts a test-driven mindset, actively imagining all the scenarios where errors can occur, how they should be dealt with, and writing tests that validate the code.
Respect schedules and deadlines
Computers represent a promise of efficiency and productivity. They allow users to achieve and understand more. In this fast-paced world, developers work with computers to make this productivity and efficiency a reality.
A side effect of this world is to expect everything to be done now. This pressure comes from managers, customers, users and the business climate to get to market first. It can create a lot of pressure, and developers are only human.
Estimating the time spent on projects is a difficult task, as there are many unknown and unexpected issues that arise when building complex programs. There is always a temptation to underestimate and overlook the real details required to complete tasks. However, underestimating delivery time is dangerous, and creates stress and fatigue, pressure to cut corners, and negative feelings from all project stakeholders.
It is important to identify all possible details of a project, have a realistic perspective of how much work can be accomplished, and reasonably overestimate timelines to account for the unknown and unexpected. Communication is key when schedules start to slip and making sure everyone is aware of difficulties ahead of time helps deal with and avoid deadlines.
A good developer sets reasonable expectations, communicates openly about unexpected roadblocks, and maintains the trust of his team and other stakeholders.
Follow web development best practices
Once the code is working (and working correctly), it should be written in the best possible way. Whatever approach the developer took in writing the code, it must be weighed against the solutions of the larger developer community. A unique and new approach may be an innovative solution - or it may lack considerations that other developers have discovered over the years.
Writing software is a complex process and has a rich history of many minds thinking about the best way to solve common problems. The result is many best practices.
Following best practices saves time because problems don't have to be fixed (instead, existing solutions just need to be properly implemented). This allows developers to build "on the shoulders of giants". Furthermore, since different developers contribute over time, there is a common understanding that any developer new to the project can easily understand.
There are two levels of best practice: at the industry level and at the company level. Firm-wide practices will generally be a subset of industry-wide practices but adapt to the specifics of the firm's software domain and developers' preferences.
A good developer learns their company's best practices and applies industry best practices to save time and improve overall code quality.
Write code that is easy to maintain and improve
The code compiles, runs, and tests its correctness. Things look good, but... how easy will it be to change the code in the future? What happens if a new feature needs to be added?
Engineer and author Martin Fowler says, “Any idiot can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.”
While a computer can run any valid code, in the end the code is kept by humans. At some point, the developer will have to read, understand and modify the code that may have been written by another developer (which may no longer be part of their team or company).
Software development is a social endeavour, with many people working and dependent on the code base. Questions like “How obvious is the code? How much does it need to be explained? How quickly can the code be scanned and understood?” all help the developer to remember that they are not writing code themselves.
A good developer writes high-quality code that other web developers can easily understand and modify.
Collaborate with their team
While a web developer spends a large portion of his time interacting with a computer, the reality of his work environment is social. It is important to respect the team and know the roles and responsibilities and what is expected. Big picture questions ensure the developer is properly aligned with the company and its role: “What is the company’s vision/mission/values? What product range does the company offer? Who are the customers? To whom are problems reported?”
Knowing these details allows the developer to grow within the context of his or her specific company or situation. Therefore, a good developer will spend the necessary time to understand the company's best practices and standards. They will also improve the development process in ways that save time and increase productivity. Most importantly, they must have a positive attitude that makes the workplace more productive and supportive.
A good developer understands that his or her career and reputation is his responsibility. They strive to be happy working with them, and they always find ways to make the workload of their team lighter and more efficient.
A good web developer is constantly learning
Technology is always evolving, and that's part of what makes it so exciting. While some principles and approaches to computer science have remained for decades, the areas of software development are constantly changing. Some areas of software are more stable, others are more volatile. Legacy software is cemented with legacy technology that requires more maintenance with little innovation, while emerging fields may require frequent rewriting every few years as things change.
This is not necessarily a problem if it is adopted. Knowledge in areas such as data science, UX design, product management, digital marketing, and search engine optimization can enhance a developer's general understanding of technology, helping them communicate and work with colleagues and clients across departments and industries.
In short, a good web developer is a lifelong learner who is always looking to expand his knowledge and skills, year after year.