Becoming a web developer is an interesting career option that you can consider. How not, almost all job search sites always display vacancies for this profession. That is, the fans are quite large.
Interestingly, web developer salaries are also quite high, you know. You are interested? But don’t really know what a web developer is?
Well, this is the right article for you. We will explain in full what the duties of a web developer are and how to become a reliable web developer.
Without further ado, let’s start by understanding the meaning of a web developer first.
What is a Web Developer?
A web developer is a person in charge of creating and developing websites. To do so, they write code with various web programming languages according to their expertise. For example, Python, JavaScript, and HTML.
The code they write is what produces a website or application, both in terms of appearance or various features in it. So if you see menu buttons, search boxes, forms, and other features on a site that are functioning well, there’s a good web developer behind them.
Of course, their task does not stop at the appearance and features. Web developers are also responsible for the performance of websites, databases, and other things that support website performance.
A good developer will be able to produce a website that is able to work optimally.
Well, because in making a website there are many scopes of work, web developers usually work in teams with their respective types and tasks. What are they?
What are the Types and Duties of a Web Developer?
After knowing what a web developer is, you also need to know the types of web developers, namely:
1. Front End Developer
The task of a front end web developer is to design a website interface. The goal is that the website has a good appearance and features that are easy for visitors to use.
To be able to carry out this responsibility, developers must master at least three programming languages, namely:
- HTML: serves to build the structure of web pages and insert content into pages, such as paragraphs, headings, and images.
- CSS: needed to define the appearance of text, buttons, and other elements on web pages.
- JavaScript: used to create fluid and interactive content, such as image sliders, animations, and pop-ups.
Apart from creating website designs using the three programming languages, front end developers also have other tasks, including:
- Ensure the website has a responsive appearance so that it looks neat on computer screens, smartphones and tablets. To do so, developers need to be proficient with frameworks like React and Angular.
- Conduct usability testing regularly to maximize user experience or visitor experience. With a good user experience, visitors will be happy when visiting your website.
- If you work for a small website creation business, front end developers are also expected to have graphic design and content writing skills. These skills are needed so that clients get the final result of the website with the appearance, features, and content of the finished website.
Quite a lot for the front end developer to do, huh? Therefore, it is not surprising that the income of this profession is quite high. Reporting from Indeed, a job search site, the average front end web developer salary is $528.88 per month.
2. Back End Developer
A back end developer is a web developer whose work has a lot to do with servers in their function to support website performance.
They are responsible for ensuring that websites are always fast, secure, and functional for their intended use.
In accordance with their responsibilities, the duties of a back end web developer include:
- Designing a website flow according to the type of website created. For example, for an online store, developers can create a flow so that each visitor is directed to create an account or log in, before finally choosing a product and making a payment.
- Create a database to store website data, such as various photos and product information, visitor accounts, and order data. In addition, developers must also manage the database so as not to burden website performance
- Look for security holes in websites and servers and fix them. This is done so that the website is always safe from hacker attacks and the trust of visitors is maintained.
To carry out some of these responsibilities, back end developers must master the programming language for the server-side. Some of them are PHP, SQL, and Python.
Just like in front end development, on the back end, there are also frameworks that developers must master. Among these are CodeIgniter, Django, and Rails.
Back end developers need to master the framework to make programming easier thanks to the additional features it has.
With a variety of responsibilities, of course, the salary of a back end web developer is also tempting. If you check on Indeed, the average back end developer earns $619.34 every month.
3. Full Stack Developer
A Full-stack web developer is a developer who does front end and back end work at the same time. In other words, it must be able to make the appearance and features of the website while optimizing its speed and security from the server-side.
Because they have more complete capabilities, full-stack developers can work on websites alone. Not infrequently, a full stack developer is appointed as the leader of the developer team to oversee the entire website project.
Therefore, full stack developers can be said to have better career opportunities than front end and back end developers. The salary offered is also higher, which is around $640.22 million per month.
Well, if you are interested in becoming a full-stack developer, you must understand more programming languages and frameworks that support it. Besides that. You also have to understand website design and how to manage servers.
You can start a career as a front end or back end developer first. As experience increases, you can expand your skills to become a reliable full stack developer.
What are the Benefits of Being a Web Developer?
With a large enough responsibility for website development, what are the advantages of being a web developer?
1. High Salary
The average web developer salary is IDR 7.6-9.2 million per month. This is certainly a major consideration if you want to pursue this profession.
In fact, the nominal can certainly be higher depending on the company you work for and its location. For example, according to data from Indeed, the average monthly salary of a front end developer in DKI Jakarta is IDR 10.2 million.
In addition, your experience in the world of website creation also affects the amount of income offered. The more flying hours and your portfolio in various projects, the greater your income possibilities.
2. Web Developers Are More Needed
You certainly not only consider salary when looking for a job but also career security, right?
The good news is that web developers have a bright future because they will continue to be needed. In fact, the need for web developers is predicted to increase by 15% between 2020 and 2030.
This is not surprising given the increasing awareness of the importance of websites as online identities. Businesses, organizations and individuals will continue to need web development services in order to reach their audience.
3. Flexibility in Work
Do you enjoy the atmosphere in the office? Or, maybe you prefer to work from home because you want to have a work-life balance?
Web developers have the convenience of doing the work as they wish. Armed with the main needs in the form of a connection and a capable computer, web developers can work from anywhere.
Interestingly, a web developer also does not have to work for a company alone. You can become a freelancer working on various projects for clients, including those from abroad.
4. Encourage Creativity and Problem Solving
When you become a web developer, most of your work is related to coding and technical matters. However, this job also demands creativity and problem-solving skills, you know.
For example, front end developers need creativity when designing website interfaces. They must be able to determine the colour combination that matches the colour of the client’s brand.
Then, when they find errors or bugs in the website code, developers must have problem-solving skills to deal with them effectively.
5. Have a Fun Job
Web development is a fun job. In fact, a Stack Overflow survey in 2020 showed that 65% of developers are happy with their work.
Why is that? In addition to work routines that match their skills, and the freedom to work according to their wishes are also the reasons. Not only that, the success of helping clients get their online success is also the answer.
How to Become a Web Developer?
Wow, there are also many benefits when you become a web developer? Then, how to become a web developer? Here are some tips that you can do:
1. Determine Your Specialization
You can become any web developer and master the various programming languages needed. However, determining your speciality is the best option.
We recommend that you choose the type of developer that suits your interests. For example, if you are interested in design, you can start focusing on being a front end web developer. Or, if you like things related to server management, learn to be a back end developer.
By determining the type of developer you want, you will be able to achieve your goals without worrying about being discouraged from learning because of the difficulties of living it.
2. Get Official Qualifications at the University
The next way to become a web developer is to decide where to study. To learn to be a web developer, there are at least three options, namely college, online courses, and bootcamp.
Ideally, you should still aim for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in web design or computer science. While it may take some time, you can earn a college diploma which is essential to applying for jobs at the best companies.
Not only that, but now many universities offer internship programs. That way, you can put your web development knowledge into practice. Your experience during the internship can be a provision for your future career.
3. Expand Knowledge with Online Courses
Even though college is the main choice, there is nothing wrong with studying independently. The proof, quite a lot of people who become web developers of choice are armed with the ability to learn on their own.
In making a website, the main thing is the end result of the work. So, as long as you have enough ability to produce a good website, you can definitely be accepted for work or get a lot of projects.
However, keep in mind that online course structures are not as structured as university curricula. So, you have to be observant in choosing the one that suits your skill needs. In addition, one course usually only focuses on one topic.
Well, for that reason, you should be able to figure out what to learn to become a certain type of web developer.
So, where can you get online courses? There are many platforms that can be used, both free and paid. Starting from websites like Codeacademy and freeCodeCamp to e-learning platforms like Coursera and Udemy.
4. Take Bootcamp to Get a Certification
If you feel that self-study is less effective, join a more intensive Developer Bootcamp. In a few weeks, you and the other participants will learn under one or more tutors, so you can ask questions and discuss more often.
Like online courses, bootcamps also focus on one topic only. The difference is, that this training program teaches the basic knowledge needed in the website creation industry. So, you are ready to work after graduation.
Not only that, the certificate from Bootcamp is credible enough for you to use when applying for jobs. If you don’t have the opportunity to go to college, this certificate can be your key to starting a career as a web developer.
The advantages of attending a bootcamp don’t stop there. Some bootcamps have partnerships with IT companies, so they can help you find work. In fact, there are also those who guarantee you to work immediately after completing the education program. Interesting, right?
The way to join a developer Bootcamp is similar to an online course. You just have to look for online training that you can follow the schedule.
5. Take an Internship Program
A degree or certification is indeed important to get a job as a web developer. However, the experience of the internship is no less important. So, take advantage of the internship program that you can join.
This program is usually offered by many companies for final year students with a duration of several months. During this time, you can experience the web developer profession firsthand.
To find an internship program, you can look for it on the website or job vacancy channel. Apart from that, you can also apply for programs that your university offers.
6. Create a Portfolio
A portfolio will showcase your best work as a web developer. The content can be a personal project, a website that you worked on during your internship or work at your previous workplace.
Whatever it is, a portfolio can show your skills and specialization as a web developer. If possible, show different types of websites as your work. This can open up opportunities to join a wider web development project.
Bonus Tips: How To Be A Successful Web Developer
If you later become a web developer, you still have to hone your skills to continue to grow and be successful. Well, how? Following are some of them:
1. Don’t Miss The World Of Web Development
Your knowledge of website creation must be kept up to date. This is because industry trends such as types of websites and programming languages are constantly changing.
For that, you need to follow websites about web development, such as StackExchange, freeCodeCamp, and SitePoint. Alternatively, you can also subscribe to newsletters such as HTML5 weekly, CSS weekly, and JavaScript Weekly.
2. Find New Inspiration
Web developers must have a lot of inspiration to be creative. Because this profession requires you to be able to work on various types of websites with predetermined standards.
If you run out of inspiration, you don’t know what design to make so the website creation process can be hampered. You don’t want that to happen, do you?
That’s why you need to diligently look for references from websites like Behance and Dribble. Also, keep an eye out for interesting open-source projects on GitHub.
3. Document Your Coding Trials
Whether for a personal project or to meet a client’s needs, there are times when you want to try a different web development process. Well, if the experiment is what you wanted, you’ll want to repeat the process again, right?
That’s why documenting the experiments performed is an important step. That way, you can know what worked and what need to be fixed again.
It’s easy. You can record it in the form of a personal journal or blog post. That way, you can remember anything from the coding process that should be a lesson.
Another way to be successful as a web developer is to share your knowledge. By teaching a variety of programming skills, you can help others learn and further strengthen that knowledge for yourself.
In addition, if the knowledge shared is useful, people will know your credibility as a web developer.
To get started, you can make regular posts on your blog or make tutorial videos on YouTube. Who knows, from the audience’s difficulties, you might actually find new knowledge that can be learned. Later, it can be shared with them again.
5. Learn from Other Developers
You will not be able to develop alone as a web developer. That’s why learning from other web developers can help you become a good developer faster.
You can learn a more efficient way of coding, or a different perspective on creating a feature.
For this reason, too, working for a company can make it easier for you to continue to grow as a web developer.
If you prefer to work freelance, make sure you connect with other developers through communities or events. That way, you can continue to learn from communication to solve problems together.
6. Use Quality Hosting for Your Clients’ Websites
A well-made website will be useless if it can’t be accessed properly, right? That’s why reliable server hosting support has an important role in the work of a web developer.
If the client’s website is slow or even down, you as a web developer must certainly help provide the best solution for your client. Before that happens, you need to use the best hosting for an online ready website.
Generally, good hosting can be seen from the fast and stable servers offered, having a high level of security with various excellent features, and customer support that is always ready to help if there are technical problems.
Well, Bluehost is a hosting service that offers all those reliable hosting needs.
You can choose various types of hosting that suit your needs with uptime of up to 99.98% so that the website can be accessed 24 hours a day. Not to mention the LiteSpeed server technology used to make websites faster.
Even then, it is added with the support for the Imunify360 feature which protects the website from malware and makes it easy to contact Customer Success at any time via live chat, email, WhatsApp, and telephone.
Interested in Becoming a Web Developer?
Now you know what a web developer is, right? This is a profession with great prospects, either now or in the future. Because many need expertise from them.
The advantages of being a web developer are many, ranging from high salaries and bright future jobs to be free to choose to work from anywhere.
The most important thing if you want to become a web developer is to choose the field of interest first. Do you want to be a front end, back end, or full-stack web developer?
That choice will determine which programming language should be learned first. For example, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for the front end, or PHP, SQL, and Python for the back end developers.
Are you interested in learning web developer skills in creating top-notch websites without any knowledge of coding? My course contains a collection of web design tutorials that can help you create a website without you having any knowledge of coding. That way, you don’t have to bother looking for learning references one by one.
Come on, Buy this course and increase your knowledge to become a web developer!
