Becoming a Web Developer: The Complete Guide for [2023]

Becoming a Web Developer: The Complete Guide for [2023]

Web development is one of the most in-demand tech roles. But what exactly is a web developer, and what do they do? This complete guide covers everything you need to know about the world of web development in 2023.

What is a Web Developer?

A web developer is someone who builds websites and web applications using coding languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. They take designs and ideas from web designers and developers and turn them into functional, interactive sites and apps that users see and interact with.

Web developers are in huge demand as practically every company needs websites and web apps to reach customers. This high demand makes web development a great entry point into the tech industry, even for total beginners. You can start small by building sites for friends, level up to advanced skills over time, and work anywhere from small startups to the biggest tech giants.

There are a few main types of web developer roles:

Front End Web Developers

Front end developers build the visible, user-facing parts of websites and apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They create the menus, pages, forms, and other interactive elements.

Front end development is the best starting point for beginners as you can learn enough to start doing freelance gigs in just a few months.

Back End Web Developers

Back end developers build the behind-the-scenes infrastructure and databases that power complex sites and ensure dynamic features work properly. This includes skills like Python, Ruby, PHP, and more.

Back end development generally requires more experience and so is better for intermediate to advanced developers.

Full Stack Web Developers

Full stack developers are proficient in both front end and back end skills. This versatility allows them to potentially work on any part of a web project. Companies like Facebook tend to hire full stack developers.

Becoming a full stack developer means mastering a wider range of complex skills. Many developers choose to specialize in either front end or back end work instead.

Why Become a Web Developer?

There are many great reasons to get into web development, including:

• High demand: Web developer roles are growing rapidly. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 22% growth by 2030.

• High pay: Web developers make a median salary of $77,200 per year in the US, with six figure incomes possible.

• Flexibility: Web development skills let you work remotely, be your own boss as a freelancer, have flexible schedules, and more.

• Entry level access: You can break into web development without a tech degree or years of coding experience.

• Creative freedom: Web developers get to build cool things for a living! You can let your creativity run wild.

• Fast-paced innovation: Web tech is constantly evolving with new languages, frameworks, and trends to learn. It stays exciting.

In short, web development jobs are fun, challenging, creative, and offer great pay as well as the flexibility so many people want from a modern career.

What Skills Do You Need?

The exact skills required depends a bit on whether you want to focus on front end, back end, or full stack work. But here is a general overview:

Front End Skills

• HTML: The basic building blocks of web pages
• CSS: Adds visual styling like colors, fonts, layouts
• JavaScript: Enables interactive functionality
• JavaScript libraries like React and jQuery
• Version control with Git and GitHub
• Responsive design principles
• Accessibility best practices
• UX/UI design basics

Back End Skills

• Python or Ruby: Popular back end programming languages
• SQL: For managing databases
• PHP: A common web scripting language
• C# or Java: General purpose programming languages used often in backend web development
• Node.js: Runs JavaScript on servers for building fast, scalable network applications
• APIs and REST: Allows apps to communicate with servers
• Cloud platforms like AWS
• Server management
• Security concerns like encryption

Full Stack Skills

Becoming a full stack developer means gaining a strong mix of skills from the lists above:

• HTML, CSS, JavaScript
• Python and/or Ruby
• SQL
• React
• Git
• REST APIs
• AWS
• Responsive web design basics

Very few developers will master absolutely everything across front end and back end, but aspiring full stack devs should be as well-rounded as possible.

How Can You Learn Web Development?

The great news if you want to become a web developer is that extensive previous coding experience is not required! Web development is one of the most beginner-friendly ways to break into the tech industry.

There are two main paths to gaining web dev skills:

Teach Yourself Web Development

Thanks to a wealth of high quality resources online, it's entirely possible to teach yourself everything you need via self-directed study.

For example, you can start by learning front end skills like:

• HTML and CSS
• Building website templates from scratch
• Implementing designs with CSS and JavaScript
• Version control with Git and GitHub
• Publishing finished sites

Many developers have used this self-taught approach alone to successfully transition into paid web developer roles.

If going the self-taught route, be sure to build a portfolio of websites you've created to showcase your skills to employers. Having real projects to show is critical.

Take Web Development Courses

One great way to take your self-directed learning to the next level is to enroll in web development courses and programs. This more guided, structured form of education ensures you don't have knowledge gaps and helps you build projects.

There are now many web development bootcamps and online courses to choose from. Coding bootcamps allow you to intensively learn skills full-time, while online courses let you learn at your own pace. University degrees are another option, though costlier.

When researching programs, be sure to check student outcomes, teacher qualifications, and genuine student reviews.

Getting Web Developer Jobs

Once you've honed employable web dev skills, it's time to land that first web developer job or freelance gig!

Junior and mid-level positions generally value demonstrated coding proficiency from portfolio projects, communication skills, and cultural fit. languages.

Here are tips for getting hired:

• Have a portfolio site showcasing at least 3 complete web projects built from scratch. This is truly mandatory.

• Learn popular frameworks like React, Django, Ruby on Rails which show you can deliver real products.

• Network and make connections with people at companies you want to work at through LinkedIn, Meetups, and more. Many jobs come through personal referrals.

• Practice coding interviews so you can effectively demonstrate technical knowledge when tested.

• Contribute to open source projects to gain experience collaborating with development teams

• For freelancing, identify a profitable niche and actively market your services throughmultiple channels to find clients. Web development side hustles can grow into successful web design businesses.

The key is showcasing hands-on ability over just theoretical knowledge. With employable coding skills that match job requirements, developer jobs can absolutely be obtained within 12 months of focused study for those with the drive.

Salaries for Web Developers

Web developers earn well above average salaries in the US:

• Entry level front end developers: $55k per year
• Mid-level front end: $100k per year
• Entry level back end coders: $70k
• Mid-level backend engineers: $120k
• Full stack devs generally range from $75k to $115k

Salaries rise higher based on factors like specialization and demand (e.g mobile developers tend to earn more), leadership capabilities, and high value skills like security expertise.

Of course salaries vary by region, role, and company. But overall web developers are handsomely compensated due to continually growing demand.

Job Growth and Future Outlook

The web development field has excellent long term prospects. Employment of web developers in the United States is projected to grow 13 percent from 2021 to 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s faster than average job growth across other occupations.

This continued strong job growth for web developers is fueled by demand from every kind of industry needing online presence and software:

• Tech startups needing new apps and infrastructure
• Ecommerce retailers optimizing shopping experiences
• Banks requiring secure digital platforms
• Governments improving civic services
• Traditional businesses digitizing operations
• Much more

And this demand rises practically every year as more business functions move online.

Emerging technical specializations like machine learning, blockchain development, Internet of Things programming, etc are areas to monitor carefully for future opportunities. But traditional web development skills will continue powering the lion's share of sites and apps for the foreseeable future.

Getting Started with Learning

Becoming a professional web developer requires dedication and consistent hard work, especially if coming from a non-technical background. But web development knowledge also builds up cumulatively - each concept you learn makes picking up the next one a little easier.

For total beginners looking to start the journey today, focus first on acclimating yourself to how the web actually works under the hood by studying the foundations:

• Internet and web basics
• How browsers, servers, and databases enable websites
• HTML fundamentals
• CSS selectors and properties
• JavaScript variables, functions, conditionals and loops
• Git and GitHub essentials

Armed with these fundamentals, you can then advance towards building real websites, completing coding challenges, and executing projects that apply your budding expertise. Allow at least 6 months from beginning as an utter novice before seeking a paid role.

Be patient with yourself, focus on daily improvement over perfection, and stay motivated towards your career goals. Web development success absolutely can be achieved with consistent, long term effort.

You now know everything you need to get started on this incredibly rewarding career path. So what are you waiting for? It's time to begin your journey towards becoming a professional web developer!