Becoming a Web Developer is one of the best positions out there for job-security, enhancing your analytical and creative thinking. There’s plenty of opportunities for professional development on top of feeling fulfilled, happy and receiving a first-rate salary in your job!
While learning to become a Web Developer, you’ll attain a broad range of skills to grasp the fundamentals, elevate your career growth and establish yourself as a fully fledged Web Developer.
Here are the core elements of learning to become a Web Developer:
First off, pick your speciality
Front-end: Responsible for creating the UX (user experience) features on a website such as the graphics, menu and buttons.
Back-end: Covering the server side, you would be focused on the data presented on the website, storing data. Not to mention, handling hosting, networks, algorithms and maintaining databases.
Full-stack: The best of both worlds! Working cross-functionally on both front and back-end, being able to work on the server side whilst being adept with front-end language capabilities.
Mastering programming language
Becoming proficient in code is an absolute essential. The core three building blocks for building websites and evolving web design would be: HTML, CSS and Javascript. These are the most common programming languages that feature heavily in all things web development! HTML provides structure for a given website - ensuring how text, images and links appear. CSS focuses on the finer aspects of a website's aesthetic, from fonts, colours and layout.
Javascript concentrates on function, interactive elements as well as building servers and preserving back-end infrastructure. Essential server side languages are: Ruby, Python and PHP. Learning these coding languages within your area of development will cover all bases and provide the ideal foundation to get you started.
Learning Git and GitHub
Git is a version control system. It allows you to log and track changes made to code. It allows users to preview, view and even restore earlier versions of code - an incredibly important tool to monitor and change programming language and mitigate any potential issues that might crop up! It also provides a platform for code to be shared effectively between developers.
GitHub acts as a cloud-based hosting service for Git repositories, it contains more extra features for collaboration which allows multiple developers to work on a specific project and a host of project management and organisational features.
Utilising BrowserDev tools
Every web developer needs to know how to operate web browser tools. Chrome DevTools (closely followed by Firefox) is the most used web browser for development - designed to test, debug and preview the website being worked on. BrowserDev tools allow you to overview the JavaScript, CSS and HTML uploaded on a webpage to make any necessary tweaks to your website's code and overall appearance. Using multiple BrowserDev tools gives web developers the opportunity to view how their website appears and is fully-functional to all online visitors.
Understanding APIs
APIs (Application Performance Interface) are an accumulation of communication protocols that handle third party data. Some examples of handling APIs would be when uploading a YouTube video or embedded Instagram photo onto your webpage. Essentially, granting two applications to share data with each other - gaining a particular functionality without sharing any of your code too. Recommended APIs worth reading up on are: Rest APIs, HTTP request methods and CRUD operations.
How to find solutions (e.g. problem solving and searching)
Another integral part of working as a web developer is expanding your abilities to recognise, tackle and combat any unforeseen error or problems that will likely occur from time to time. You’ll need to develop quick instincts, finding solutions and pathways to fix these issues. It could be sorting workflow loopholes, syntax errors, a bug crop up in your software or problems with UX. It takes mental mapping, creativity and reasoning to effectively resolve any of these types of complications. Exploring web developer forums is an invaluable source for looking for solutions.
Looking to become a Web Developer today?
Are you technically savvy, resourceful and seeking a new role in web development? We’ve got a fantastic range of web development e-learning courses that will train you in the fundamentals.
Our online tutors are outstanding and are dependable giving you the best online learning experience. We’ve also launched our brand-new 8 week long Microsoft Bootcamp courses. Check out our full-range of e-learning courses to excel your career!