Our Blog

By Steve Torres | November 06, 2020

How Long Does It Take To Become A Web Developer?

As of recent times, there are 23 million web developers, and according to estimates, there will be around 27 million developers in the next five years. On average, a web developer makes 69 thousand dollars a year in the USA. Considering these facts, it feels like web developers are for hiring and make a good living.

But, many questions pop up in our minds when we think of something like it. Is web development the ideal way to enter the IT industry? What does a web developer do, what does it take to become a web developer, and how long does it take to become one?

Well, a collective answer is that not only is web development the ideal way to begin your IT career, but it is also a great way to make a decent amount of money in the initial stage itself. So, let us take a look at some essential things about web development.

What Do Web Developers Do?

A web developer does many things, but one thing that is in common is building and maintaining websites. Developers can be freelancers or a part of an in-house team. But their tasks broadly vary if they are a front-end developer, back-end developer, or a full-stack developer.

The simplest way to understand this is by knowing that a front-end developer focuses on how the website looks. A back-end developer concentrates on how the website works. A full-stack developer must be familiar with each of the parameters.

Furthermore, web developers also have to identify and repair bugs to improve the performance of a website
. It is also why they are efficient in problem-solving and keep coming up with solutions quickly. Let’s look at each of their roles.

What Role Does A Front-end Developer Play?

As the name suggests, they work on the front-end of the site. It is the part that the users interact with and see for themselves. Their job is to take the back-end data and make it user-friendly. Here are some other things that they do:

• Bringing the web designer’s design to life with the help of CSS, Js, and HTML.
• Implementing the website’s layout and taking care of navigational and interactive elements like buttons, images, and links.
• Carrying out usability tests to catch hold of and fix bugs.

What Role Does A Back-end Developer Play?

A back-end developer handles more behind the curtains. They create a code that ensures the functionality of what the front-end developers build. They also take care of maintaining and developing the tech that they need to support the front-end.

It consists of three parts, namely: Server, database, and application. Back-end developers need to ensure that all three are in sync and working together optimally. But how do they do it?

• They make use of server-based languages like Python or Java to build an app
• They then use MySQL tools to save, find, or edit data and send it back to the front-end code user.

Their main tasks include managing the database, using back-end frameworks to build server-side software, developing CMS, testing, and debugging.

What Does A Full-stack Developer Do?

A full-stack developer understands both sides well enough. Not only are they experts in each stage of the developing process, but they also guide and suggest the best strategies to get the best results. They are well-versed in front-end and back-end, and they also have experience with UX and standard business logic.

How Much Time Will You Need To Become An Ideal Web Developer?

Considering web development, going for full-stack development is one of the best options because it is a highly versatile job, and they have a higher demand. Now, web development jobs, especially for full-stack development, don’t need a college degree. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get one, because formal education is always essential.

And it will help more if you have a college degree, but the point is that you can make it a full-stack developer without a college degree. Anyhow, if you want to pursue it through formal education, a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science is the best option here.

If we are talking about the time it takes to become a web developer, a web developer Bootcamp, can be anywhere from a few weeks to a year. The time needed will majorly rely on the intensity of the course. After you complete it, and if you also have a bachelor’s degree, it will add significant weight to your portfolio. You will be having decent qualifications to submit a considerable number of applications and get a satisfying job.

But, it is not instant. It takes time to find a development job, that too the ideal one, after graduation. It would be best if you always were patient enough to wait until you can show your skills to the required people to work with you.

In What Ways Is Web Development Different From Web Designing?

Most people might hear both the names together, but it is essential to know that they are two different things, although they go hand-in-hand. For instance, let’s assume that a web developer and a web designer are working to build a bike.

The web developer would be focusing on building the functionality, like the engine and gear system. The web designer would be focusing on the visual arts, like the colors and the seat design.

Similarly, a web designer focuses on the looks, design, and layout of the website. A web developer takes it and enhances it into a working website.

What Does It Take From Your End To Become A Web Developer?

Web development is difficult, but it is financially satisfying with decent security. As per rankings, a web developer’s job is the 8th best job in the tech world, considering the pay grade and employment scale.

The first step to becoming a web developer is learning the necessary programming languages with the libraries and frameworks. It also varies with what you want to become.

There are different languages and frameworks you should focus on to become a front-end developer. And similarly, there are other languages and frameworks you should focus on to become a back-end developer. Here, you must also select a specialization. Developers can be proficient in various areas like JavaScript, CSS, and HTML. Thus, before beginning, it would be best to get an in-depth understanding of what you find to be interesting, like front-end, back-end, or mobile app development.

After that, the completion of education would be of great help, even if it is not compulsory, because it adds on and gives you an edge over the competition. But it is not the only thing that gives you an advantage. Good technical skills are a must in web development, and it provides a more significant edge than formal education does.

Why Should You Consider Being An Ideal Web Developer?

Web development is an area that has a bright future, unlike many sectors that are living on the edge and might die soon. Not only that, but according to a study, there will be a 13% growth in the total available web developer jobs in the next eight years.

Read Also: Future of Web Development In 2020

What Are Some Pros Of Being An Ideal Web Developer?

As we know, what do web developers do well enough? Let us take a look at a few pros of being an ideal web developer.

• You can put your skills to use to build the best apps and sites for yourself. Usually, it is something that requires much money. But since you are a web developer, you can do it for free yourself.
• You can work in remote areas. It is one of the best benefits of being a web developer. You can work from any place at your convenience for a project.

• You can work on your terms, and you don’t need to work under a boss if you don’t feel like it. Web developers can always start working independently, start their business, or start freelancing. You can take that step too if you match that level of knowledge, skill, and web development experience.
• If you want to make it big in the tech industry, being a good web developer can pave the way for you. The career also acts as a ticket and a pathway to the tech sector. There is an inclining need for web developers, be it for startups or big enterprises.

Some Essential Things To Know To Become A Web Developer

• HTML, CSS, and JS: These are three of the most important things to know to become a good web developer. It is like the building block for web development. You will be working with these three things daily if you are a web developer. HTML dictates the structure, CSS makes it look good, and Js makes it function.
• WordPress: WordPress is probably the most famous CMS, powering over 63% of all websites. Therefore, developers must be good at the basics of WordPress, at least.
• UI and UX: These two are the essential elements of perfect user experience design. Although most web developers aren’t expert designers, it is crucial to learn its basics because you will be working in proximity to web designers.
• SEO: It involves the method of bettering the overall rankings of a website in certain search engines. It is the most vital skill in the online world.

Conclusion

These were all the essential things you must be aware of to become an ideal web developer. Becoming a web developer requires patience and improvisation on skills, so you must keep going.