Career in Web Development: Ultimate Guide [2024]

What is web development?

The effort that goes into creating a website is referred to as web development. This might apply to anything from a simple plain-text webpage to a large web application or social network development.

The scope of web development encompasses all related development activities, such as client-side scripting, server-side scripting, server and network security settings, e-commerce development, and content management system (CMS) development, in addition to web markup and code.

Web development skills are in high demand and pay well all across the world, making it a fantastic career choice. It is one of the most easily accessible higher-paying fields because it does not require a typical university degree. To master your skills, you can also take up free web development courses where you can get an online certificate.

The scope of web development is divided into two parts: front-end (the user-facing side) and back-end (the server-side). 

Let’s get into the specifics:

Front-end

Everything that the end-user interacts with directly is referred to as client-side scripting or frontend development. Client-side code runs in a web browser and affects what visitors view when they visit a website. The frontend is in charge of things like layout, fonts, colours, menus, and contact forms.

Back-end

Backend development, also known as server-side scripting, is all about what happens behind the scenes. The section of a website that the user does not view is known as the backend. It’s in charge of data storage and organization, as well as making sure everything on the client-side operates well. It accomplishes this via interacting with the front end. The browser sends a request to the server whenever something happens on the client-side, such as when a user fills out a form. The server-side “responds” by sending pertinent data to the browser in the form of frontend code, which the browser may interpret and display.

How do web development and web design differ?

Albeit the terms web development and web design are now and then utilized conversely, they are not tradable.

Imagine a web designer and a web developer working together to build a car: the developer would be in charge of all the functional components, such as the engine, wheels, and gears. The designer, on the other hand, would be responsible for visual aspects. How the car looks, the layout of the dashboard, and the design of the seats as well as the user experience provided by the car, so whether it’s a slam dunk or not.

A website’s style and feel are created by web designers. They create the layout of the website, making it logical, user-friendly, and entertaining to use. They think about all of the visual elements: what colour schemes and fonts will be used, for example. What types of buttons, scrollbars and drop-down menus should be included, and where should they be placed? To travel from point A to point B, the user interacts with which interactive touchpoints? Web design also considers the information architecture of the website, selecting what material should be included and where it should be placed.

Web design is a vast profession that is sometimes separated into more specific jobs such as User Experience Design, User Interface Design, and Information Architecture.

It is the work of the web developer to turn this design into a live, fully functional website. The visual design provided by the web designer is built by a frontend developer utilising coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. The site’s more advanced functionality, such as the checkout mechanism on an e-commerce site, is built by a backend developer.

In other words, a web designer is an architect and a web developer is an engineer.

Who is a Web Developer?

A web developer is a programmer who specialises in or works on developing client-server World Wide Web applications. In most cases, the applications use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on the client, PHP, ASP.NET (C#), Python, Node.js, Go, or Java on the server, and HTTP for client-server communication. Web applications are frequently developed and maintained using a web content management system.

What do web developers do?

Let’s start with the fundamentals. You undoubtedly already know that web developers create websites, but there’s a lot more to it. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developers must also examine user demands to ensure that the appropriate content, images, and underlying structure are employed to meet both the user’s and the website’s goals.

Coming up next are the absolute most regular duties:

• Building websites with scripting languages
• Writing, developing, and modifying webpage content, or directing others to do so.
• Identifying and resolving issues discovered through testing or user input.
• Converting text, visual, audio, and video elements into web-friendly forms

A web developer has to design and maintain websites. Frontend, backend, and full-stack web developers have different roles and tasks depending on whether they work in-house or freelance. Full-stack developers are specialists in both frontend and backend development.

Web developers are in charge of creating a product that fits both the client’s and the customer’s or end user’s needs. To comprehend the vision: how should the final website look and work, web developers engage with stakeholders, clients, and designers.

Also Read: How to Become a Software Developer

Frameworks for Web Development That Are Most Popular

On the market today, there are a plethora of web development frameworks to choose from. Note that community members’ contributions to these frameworks can be seen on Github repositories.

Express

One of the best backend frameworks available now is Express. The platform’s success among major businesses can be explained by its flexibility and minimalist feel. Furthermore, Express is an open-source framework for the Node.js environment, which is currently in high demand and built-in JavaScript.

Django 

Django is a Python framework. It is another dependable open-source backend framework. It’s written in Python, which enables quick development and scalability.

Because security is a top focus for Django, you can rest assured that your web applications will be secure.

Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails (RoR or just Rails) is an open-source backend web application framework based on the MVC architectural pattern and developed in the Ruby programming language.

Laravel 

Laravel is another open-source backend framework worth considering. It is built on the MVC concept and written in PHP, the most popular programming language.

Laravel has a straightforward syntax and a plethora of packages that extend API support out of the box. The educational website Laracasts, which has hundreds of useful videos, may help you learn Laravel quickly.

Spring

Spring is a popular open-source backend framework for building enterprise-level applications. In terms of functionality and size, it is pretty small. Spring will not lose traction in the future because it is built in Java.

Angular 

One of the most popular frontend open-source frameworks. It is one of the greatest platforms for developing websites, mobile web applications, native mobile applications, and native desktop applications.

AngularJS was formerly available; the Google team rewrote it entirely in TypeScript, and the framework is now called Angular 2+ or simply Angular.

Vue

Vue, a relatively new open-source front-end framework based on JavaScript, is one of the most promising technologies for creating user interfaces. It is much lighter than Angular, making it ideal for dynamic projects and single-page apps.

Ember

Ember is another open-source framework to keep an eye on. It can assist you with creating modern user interfaces for web solutions, mobile and desktop apps, and cross-platform apps. Ember follows the MVVM pattern.

React

In reality, React is an open-source JavaScript frontend library, not a framework (it can use TypeScript as well).

You can use React to construct complex user interfaces and bespoke components. It also enables the creation of mobile apps. It’s adaptable, simple to master, and SEO-friendly.

jQuery 

In addition, jQuery is a popular JavaScript library for creating user interfaces. It’s popular among developers because of its ease of use and cross-browser compatibility. jQuery’s clear and simple syntax makes it easy to deal with DOM components on web pages. You can also create stunning effects and animations without having to spend years learning how to do it.

 What is the average salary for a web developer in each country?

According to SalaryExpert, which is provided by the Economic Research Institute (ERI), web application developer salaries vary by country:

United States:

The average web developer pay is $91,625 (USD) per year, with an hourly rate of $44.05 (USD) per hour. The typical entry-level web developer salary is $64503 (USD). The average compensation for a senior web application developer is $1,13,626 (USD).

United Kingdom:

Web developers earn an average of £52,503 (GBP) a year, with an hourly rate of £25.24 (GBP) per hour, a junior web developer income of £36,961 (GBP), and a senior website developer income of £65,110 (GBP).

India:

A web developer’s annual income is ₹8,49,729 (INR). A web developer’s hourly rate is ₹408.52 (INR). A junior web developer’s salary is ₹6,07,426 (INR) and a senior web developer’s salary is ₹10,70,018 (INR).

Also Read: Top 5 reasons to work in tech

Why should you pursue a web development career?

Enjoy resolving issues:

The scope of web development is a fast-paced, demanding job that requires creative problem-solving and constant innovation. To complete your projects as a web developer, you’ll collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of designers, other developers, and marketers.

Come from a variety of backgrounds:

While many web developers come from a more analytical or technical background, we have discovered that with enough effort, anyone can become a web developer. For example, we have many successful graduates who have worked in marketing, sales, education, customer service, finance, architecture, human resources, and information technology.

High demand:

Employers are having a difficult time finding qualified web developers, and the demand is growing. 

Always learning new things:

Web developers are continually learning and advancing in their jobs as the technology sector advances swiftly.

As a web developer, there is virtually no limit to how much you may enhance your skills and advance in your profession.

Future Scope of Web Development

With technologies like Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, and others becoming more prevalent in terms of necessity and application, they can greatly assist in the field of Web Development, hence expanding Web Developer opportunities. Web Developers will always be in demand, regardless of future changes in needs. Web development is one of the most stable and promising occupations today, with a wide range of job options.