Irrespective of what’s going on around the world, technology is omnipresent in our lives today. We are using collaboration software and tools in almost everything we are doing today— either we are scrolling through our favourite social media apps, checking the news updates, playing online games, or connecting with fellow colleagues. Almost all of these rely on some form of technology and behind this technology is a team of web developers who have built it and constantly work for its flawless maintenance. As per a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of web developers in the U.S. alone is expected to increase by 13% from 2020 to 2030, which is above the national average of 8% across all professions. This clearly indicates, that today’s digital world needs web developers, and they are in high demand. Who are web developers? Web developers build and maintain websites and web applications. They write the code to create the function and appearance of online experiences. Any kind of website, online application, social media sites, video, and music streaming, and business software — are either created by one or a team of web developers. Web developers are full stack developers who work closely with stakeholders, web designers, product managers, and user experience (UX) designers and researchers to understand what they need to build and how the end product should look and work. These stakeholders include. Generally, designers handle how the functioning website looks, and developers turn the designs into a product. In addition to building web browsers and applications, web developers are responsible for maintaining them, catching and fixing bugs that affect the program, implementing new features and computer science to enhance the product, integrating third-party software, and improving usability, speed, and security. Tips on how to become a web developer in the UK Explore the way to becoming a successful qualified web developer. Know the tips and practices on how to become a web developer without a degree. Listed below are web developer required skills should you know and the tips for building a web development career. Coding Languages Coding language is the primary tool for building websites and applications. Developers use languages to instruct the computer on what to do, styling a web page, storing items in a database, or performing mathematical operations on data. Out of the many, many computer scripting languages, Python and Java are general-purpose easy to learn languages, while SQL is for more specific tasks. All aspiring web developers should know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as these are the building blocks of web pages. HTML and CSS HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) are two languages of what web pages are made of. HTML sets the content and structure of the web page and is written in English. This content could include text, hyperlinks, images, menus, buttons, and any other visual element you see on a website. CSS is used for the styling of web HTML and to create visually engaging pages. CSS control things like colours, fonts, borders, backgrounds, page position, and even animations. JavaScript JavaScript is a high-level programming language for web pages. It handles the dynamic aspects of pages, including user interactions, advanced animations, and any other features beyond static content with help of JavaScript libraries. Python Python is a popular general-purpose programming language used on the back end of web applications. It is easy to use, beginner-friendly, and has powerful capabilities too. Java Java is another powerful popular back-end programming language to learn, which is more code-heavy than Python, and difficult to learn, but still prevalent. PHP PHP is a server-side programming language, commonly used to construct dynamic web pages that display different content depending on the visitor. PHP can accomplish many other server-side tasks including data manipulation. C/C++ C is one of the oldest still popular programming languages. C and its extension, C helps students learn programming fundamentals. Ruby Ruby is yet another widely used server-side general-purpose programming language made for building web application framework Ruby on Rails that helps developer to build web applications quickly using Ruby high-level syntax. SQL SQL is a common skill used by successful web developers to add items to and pull items from databases, organise and modify database items. Git Git is a widely used command-line tool for version control which helps web developers to push changes to a centralised location — a repository — and view history of previous changes to track file versions. Git is also the foundational software for GitHub, a platform for sharing open-source software projects. Problem-Solving A major part of any developer’s job is first figuring out how to solve problems computationally. When learning to code, you’ll train yourself to approach common issues. Every web developer must know how to think logically with a computer scientist’s mindset, how to break down technical problems, and how to resolve these problems with their languages of choice. Keen eye for detail When developers encounter bugs, it’s their job to scan the code for the source of the error and understand both the big-picture of their projects and the minutest details of program. Great Communication Skills Entry- level Web developers need effectively communication and collaboration skills to work with fellow stakeholders, fellow developers, designers and researchers, management, and leadership team. This type of communication is necessary for an aligned and efficient product team. Time Management If you desire a career path in this, you must excel in balancing many projects simultaneously and quickly. You will need to be disciplined to allocate your time properly in a high-pressure environment, pursuing your responsibilities within the deadlines. Other Important Skills Plan to specialise in any of these skills to keep you ahead in this field: Visual/graphic design User experience (UX) design or research Search engine optimization (SEO) Technical or UX writing Server management and knowledge of server architecture Knowledge of APIs and integrations Steps to become a web developer 1. Start with an intro course to see if web development interests you. We recommend you first try free or cheap low-commitment course to explore basic concepts in web development like HTML and CSS which are relatively easy to pick up or lesson in to get a taste of programming 2. Enrol for more advanced courses. If you enjoy like coding, enrol in more advanced and comprehensive popular coding languages courses suiting your interests. Start with some of the popular languages we’ve recommended depending on their areas of expertise. Figure out whether you’re drawn to front end developer profile or back-end web development. 3. Create projects. Projects are something to show in place of work experience. They prove to tech recruiters that you have the skills, perhaps try a simple web game or a basic website. 4. Create a portfolio. Now create a web development work portfolio on your personal website showcasing your best work and highlighting your strengths for employers. 5. Start networking. Take help from mentors who can help you with communities where you can connect with new and experienced developers alike. Simultaneously you can also look out for online communities on social media, meet-ups, and hackathons in your area. 6. Start job hunt Begin your job search, however, consider full-time work versus freelancing, weighing the pros and cons of both work format at a company. Key takeaways: Want to become a qualified web developer? Start today. Not just a promising career — Web developer role is an opportunity to shape the digital world that affects so many lives. Whether it is a front-end interface or server configuration, these web developers positions frame and mock-up into technologies we use in our everyday life. Is it a good time to become a web developer professional? Are web developers in demand right now? Web developers can build and maintain websites, apps, and software that play a crucial role t in today’s technology-driven world—and this has reflected clearly in the web development job market. Most studies indicate web developers will continue to be in high demand in this post Covid-19 phase and in the next coming years. References Stevens, E., England, E. S. O. from, Stevens, E., & England, O. from. (2022, January 19). How to become a web developer in 2022 [Complete guide]. CareerFoundry. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/web-development/what-does-it-take-to-become-a-web-developer-everything-you-need-to-know-before-getting-started/ What does a web developer do (and how do I become one)? Coursera. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2022, from https://www.coursera.org/articles/web-developer GET IN TOUCH: Name * Company * Phone Email * Subject Message *
