Introduction
A well-designed and seamlessly running website plays an important role in generating brand awareness and establishing a strong online presence. Starting from the startups to the top-notch companies, every company has special development teams, which comprise several experts having different technical jobs.
A web development company hires different tech experts who know various programming languages, testers who will test the developed application or functionality, find errors, etc. However, it is the software developers that form the backbone of every development team.
Even though most people think that by pursuing a software programming course one can become a web developer, it requires a lot of focus, hard work, and practice. To become a successful developer, one needs to know several concepts about web development and the role of a developer. In addition, a person needs to learn different programming languages and develop other soft skills needed for building websites successfully.
The article below has discussed everything you need to know to become the best web developer and grab a lucrative job opportunity in the market.
What does a web developer do?
A web developer is a professional who codes to build web applications and websites. To develop these, the professionals need to work on either or both client and server-side models.
Front-end developers work on client-side development to create the user interface of a web application or website. They use programming languages like HTML, JavaScript. Back-end developers integrate applications at the back end. They use programming languages like Python, Ruby, etc.
Any developer concerned with server-side web development handles the functionalities of the application or website, whereas. In contrast, anyone on the client-side will focus on developing and designing the interface. Now, since you have an understanding of who a web developer is, it’s time to learn the roles of such a professional in more detail. In the below section, we have listed down some major job responsibilities.
- Designing web interfaces using scripting languages that work on the client-server such as JavaScript, Angular JS, React JS, HTML, CSS, Node JS, and so on.
- Developing the functionalities of a web application or website like navigation between different pages, opening a new page by clicking on a drop-down option, fetching details from an integrated database, and so on.
- Upgrading the website or web applications dynamically without taking down the entire platform from an active server.
- Redesigning the codes written previously for changing the functionalities or the interface design according to the market trends.
- Integrating both textual and multimedia contents to the website or application interface.
- Testing the developed prototype, both manually and automatically, to find the errors or discrepancies in the prototype as compared to the business needs.
- Troubleshooting and debugging the errors noted by the testers or the end-users.
- Migrating different datasets from one database to another like legacy system migration, data migration between different environments, and so on.
- Providing support to the client’s post-development in terms of solving production issues, upgrading the new business functionalities, and designing intuitive user interfaces.
Types of web developers
In the above sections, we have discussed the major roles and responsibilities of a web developer. Now, based on these roles, there are different categories of full-time and part-time jobs, each has a specific set of responsibilities and is concerned with various aspects of website or web app development. In the below section, we have discussed the various web developers you can find in the IT industry.
Full-stack developer
A full-stack developer is a professional who can handle both server-side and client-side developments using a wide range of applications and frameworks. He has knowledge about developing different functionalities using hardcore programming, coding different design elements, and developing their functionality on the user interface. The demand for a full-stack developer is the highest in the IT industry since these individuals have the highest skills and a wide array of knowledge.
Backend developer
One of the most common types of developers you will find in the market is the server-side developer. They handle the functional part of a website or web application. In back-end development, the experts are concerned with coding programming language platforms like Java, C, C++, JavaScript, etc.
Frontend developer
You can understand from the name itself that a front-end developer is responsible for coding/ developing the user interfaces and their functionalities. In simple words, frontend development is concerned with everything which the users will see and can work with on the interface. They are more concerned with constantly upgrading the interfaces as per the changing market design trends. Some front-end developers also know graphic designing.
JavaScript developers
These developers work along with front-end developers. They solely focus on JavaScript and the related platforms, which are concerned with web development. JavaScript is one such language that can be used for both frontend and backend development, that is why there are many JavaScript developer jobs. The demand for these professionals is high. In addition, several professionals specialize in certain aspects of JavaScript like ReactJs developers, NodeJs developers, AngularJs developers, etc. They work on implementing the front-end logic, which eventually impacts the visual elements of the website.
Middle-tier developers
Only a handful of professionals are experienced working on both back-end and front-end developments, but not like a full-stack professional. They work on developing codes on non-UI platforms, which helps them manage both sides to a small extent.
DevOps developer
DevOps is a new branch of technology that allows web developers to work on both development and deployment side by side. They not only work on creating codes for developing the web functionalities but also focus on web design. They play an important role in application maintenance, combining code, and application management.
Cloud developers
Cloud developers are specialized professionals who deal with various cloud operations. For example, they develop web applications using different cloud technologies like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. In addition, some cloud developers are also concerned with cloud security and deploying the developed prototype on the cloud servers to make it accessible for the targeted users. Cloud database management also falls within one of the responsibilities of these professionals.
WordPress developers
From the name itself, you can understand that the WordPress developers are concerned with working on the WordPress platform and use its plug-ins, library functions, and other attributes to design and develop a website run on the WordPress hosting platform. They specialize in handling every aspect related to WordPress, be it the internal upgrades, managing the load time and downtime, speed of the web pages being hosted on WordPress servers, etc.
Security developers
This is a special class of web developers concerned with maintaining the security protocols of the web applications or the sites. They handle everything related to cybersecurity, starting with developing authentication and security layers algorithms while using different protocols set by the security companies.
Steps To Becoming a Web Developer
We have discussed the different types of web developers, their responsibilities and roles, and the types of web developers currently working in the IT industry; it’s time to focus on the main highlight of this discussion – how to become a web developer after completing a bachelor’s degree.
This section will introduce you to the skills that a professional needs to develop to become a successful web developer because knowing different coding languages is not the only skill that the professional needs to have. So, below we have explained and listed down the skills that one will need to join a company as a web developer, regardless of which type of role he/she is looking for.
Programming languages
The first thing that a professional need to learn is how to write codes, debug, and execute codes using different programming languages. To grab a proper developer job, one needs to learn web development along with one or more programming languages depending on the type of developer he or she wants to be There are many programming languages, like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Java, JavaScript, Python, R, Swift, and so on. Learning these languages is not enough, you need to master them with lots of practice. They are quite technical and have several functions, library packages, Cascading Style Sheets, and other aspects which need to be learned.
Several coding boot camps and online courses will help a professional upgrade the technical skills in a software language, which will help you learn in-depth about the various programming skills and thus helping you grab the best job opportunity as a web developer.
Key soft skills
Since a web developer needs to work with other team members and needs to deal with clients, it is important for them to develop certain soft skills which will help them in building their career properly and achieve their dream. For example, a manager is mainly concerned with managing a team and solving their issues, so he needs to have soft skills like good communication, conflict resolution capabilities, understanding the business requirements properly, etc. This section will describe the soft skills that a professional will need to become a perfect web developer.
- Communication: The developer’s work is not only to create a website, but they also need to communicate the idea to their team and client, and hence, good communication skills are paramount. A web developer needs to have good communication skills so he/she can easily communicate with the clients to understand the business requirements and convey the same to other team members as and when required.
- Flexibility: The IT industry works 24×7. A web developer should be flexible to work in any schedule. Normally, there are two main work schedules – the first is based on the country where the company’s branch is, and the second is based on the timeline of the client’s business location.
- Project management: Even though a web developer is not a manager, they will be responsible for managing their assigned tasks. They should know which work is of high priority and which is of low priority and based on this judgment, they need to plan properly.
- Creativity: Another most important soft skill that is needed to become a web developer is creativity. A web developer should be creative enough to think out of the box and provide the best solution to serve clients’ business requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What courses should one take to become a web developer?
A. There are many certifications, diplomas, advanced courses, and degrees in computer programming. Choose a course based on the credibility of the institution, the value of the certification, faculty, curriculum, duration, and most importantly your interest. Just gaining theoretical knowledge is not enough. You must focus on hands-on training as well.
Q. Is a web developer responsible for testing?
A. A web developer is responsible for doing self-testing and debugging the issues while executing the codes and developing the prototype. Once done, they send the work to the Q&A department for final quality testing that includes usability testing, regression testing, etc.
Q. Does a web developer need to develop apps for a particular browser?
A. Usually, web developers nowadays develop codes so that the website or application can run anywhere, irrespective of the web browser.
Q. What kind of jobs are there in web development jobs?
Jobs can be Junior/Senior Computer Programmer, Web Developer, Database Administrator, and Software Developer, Front End Developer, Software Architect, Stack Developer, etc.