Start the Web Development Journey as a Professional
Imagine, you are scrolling through the internet looking for a product to buy and you come across a fascinating website. You end up scrolling through the website and buying the product. Not because it was fitting your description of your need but also the website enhanced your user experience.
Ever wonder who made it so easy for you to access the website? People working on the website are called web developers who walked through the path of web development to ensure. The stunning websites are the work of skilled developers.
Web Development Career:
Web development is a fascinating career path that includes not only the technicalities but creativity as well. A web developer’s demand is increasing because the industry is booming as businesses are turning their presence online. A website is the business’ face on the internet and a stunning website can help business grow rapidly.
A web developer can earn up to 3-7 LPA on an average. Worldwide the employment opportunities in the web development industry is expected to grow by 16% till the year of 2032. Such a growing industry would offer prosperous roles to people who are thinking about starting a career in web development. Web development is also a great career prospect for people looking to change their professional paths.
Understand web development:
If you are thinking about how and where to start, this is your thread to hold to start the journey of web development. Understand what web development is to get deeper into the subject.
So let’s start from the beginning-what is web development?
Web development includes designing, building and maintaining a website for the internet. In simple words, this process is also called website development which is essential for the business to set up their online presence.
A web developer is responsible for designing, building and maintaining the website. So, if you have a favourite website that enhances your experience of using it, all thanks to web developers. Web developers look after the functioning of the websites. They work on different web development domains as their are different types of web development:
- Front-end web development
- Back-end web development
- full-stack web development
Types of web development:
The website that you see is complete and web developers have worked on its front-end, back-end and working on both aspects simultaneously.
Front-end development:
Front-end development is the result of what a user sees on a website. It involved creating a user interface for the website that would be the face of the business. It will involve the information that resonates with business and it is useful to the viewer. A web developer works on the front-end to make the website look attractive, engaging and easy to access.
Web developers use HTML (HyperText Markup Language) that displays information in the form of images and text; CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) that add colours, margins etc to add style to the website; and JavaScript language to ensure functionality to the website.
Front-end web developers work with the designing team to enhance the look and feel of the website to give users an astounding experience.
Back-end web development:
Back-end development is an aspect that is not visible to the viewer. It is the optimisation of the website so it can work properly and users do not face issues like glitching, abruption in scrolling or error while accessing the website.
Web developers at the back-end write code to run the website smoothly. Back-end web development includes a database to store large amounts of information in a text file; a server for receiving requests and responding with the appropriate result; and an application to request, retrieve and respond through the server.
A back-end web developer uses Python, JavaScript, Java, Ruby, PHP as their programming languages. They are responsible for efficient functioning of the website.
Full-stack web development:
Full-stack web developer involves them in the process of developing both front-end and back-end of a website making him skilled for both the tasks. A full-stack developer is proficient with programming languages used for both front-end and back-end web development.
How to Start Your Career as a Web Developer?
Web development is a promising career choice that can take you a long way in your professional life. If you are looking to start a career in web development, here are some essential points to consider to kick start your journey as a web developer.
Learn the fundamentals:
The essential aspect of any subject is to know the basics. The fundamentals of web development comprises of:
- Understanding programming languages like HTML, CSS, Java, Ruby, JavaScript keeping your interest in mind. Learning programming languages is the first step towards your long journey of a career in web development.
- You can fast track your learning process by enrolling yourself in a course that teaches programming languages, or better- a course that provides comprehensive knowledge about web development.
- A course in web development can help you get the required knowledge about the programming languages and other stuff that a web developer should know about.
Choose a specialisation:
- As discussed above, web development is of three types: front-end, back-end and full stack. As an aspiring web developer, you have to choose your area of specialisation.
- Choose your area of specialisation with careful consideration of the resources available. This will include considering your interest, the languages that you have decided to learn and your creativity.
Learn programming languages:
- You have to pick a specialisation; no matter what you choose as your area of interest you would need to learn programming languages. Coding is the base of website development. Learning a coding language is where your career as a web developer begins. Here is a list of common programming languages used for web development:
- HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheet)
- JavaScript
- These three main languages make up the foundation of any website. Front-end, back-end and full stack web developers use the family of these three languages to get the best of their website.
- Apart from these mentioned programming languages, a web developer works with other languages as well including, Java, Ruby, Python, PHP among others.
Start with internships:
Web development is a field that requires practical application of your knowledge and skills. A fresher in this field needs a platform to practise and get knowledge of the field. An aspiring web developer can start their career by applying for internships.
An internship is a promising way to get hands-on experience and exposure to the industry. Practical application of your knowledge is necessary for you to see how much you can apply what you have learnt when faced in real time.
Build a website portfolio:
Once you gain the essential knowledge and skills to work on a website, consider making one for yourself. This will work as your website portfolio that represents your skills and how you apply your knowledge.
Make sure to add your work that clearly highlights your work. Place your emphasis on projects that highlight your skills in the most impressive way. Add your unique qualities that can help the business of your employer grow.
You should also add your approaches to work, the tools you use and problem solving techniques that you applied in your previous projects. This will help your potential employer to see not just the quantity of your work but quality as well.
Conclusion:
Web development is as cool as it sounds, all you need is a keen interest in the field. If web development fascinates you and your interests lie in it, you can easily learn the required skills. Focus on learning programming languages and with a pinch of creativity and understanding design principles, you can go a long way.
A course in web development can also be beneficial for getting a deeper understanding of the subject. The key to a successful web development career is to have a strong foundation. You have to keep up with the latest trends and advancements in the field by focusing on self-study as well.