A web developer should have expertise in the three core programming components: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They should also learn about CSS and CSS frameworks such as Backbone, Bootstrap, and Foundation.
More Information To Be A Web Developer :
1. Learn the Basics of HTML, CSS, and Javascript
These are the nuts and bolts of all website development that you’ll work with daily if you decide to build websites for a living.
- HTML dictates the structure
- CSS will make it look pretty
- Javascript will make it function
2. Learn the Basics of WordPress
To become a web developer, you’ll have to get familiar with WordPress. After all – 63% of all websites are powered by this free, open-source software that you can install on basically any web host.
Once you set up a WordPress site, it’s fairly easy for your clients to add content by themselves (even if they don’t have any web development experience).
3. Learn SQL and PHP (Optional)
We’ll lump these two together because they’re like two sides of the same coin.
SQL is a database technology (see SQL cheat sheet) that stores information. PHP is a ‘scripting’ language that places or pulls stuff from a database (see PHP cheat sheet).
Think about WordPress, for example.
It uses MySQL to store and manage information (blog posts, page content, comments, user information, etc.) in a database ‘table’. PHP is what makes a WordPress website dynamic, interacting with all of these different elements and properly updating the database as you go.
Learning more about how SQL and PHP work together can help you master WordPress site development, which literally hundreds (if not thousands) of people are looking for every day on job and project boards across the internet.
Additional resources for learning PHP and SQL:
It’s not easy. You won’t master all of these over a week or two. But over time, becoming familiar and then good at these skill sets means that you will always have a profitable career ahead of you.
4. Learn the Basics of SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. This refers to the process of improving a website’s rankings within a search engine like Google. It’s one of the most important skills in online business.
You may be thinking, “If I’m a developer, why do I need to worry about how well a site ranks in the search engines? Isn’t that the job of the bloggers and content creators?”
Well yes, a large part of a website’s SEO has to do with the content. So as a web developer you should learn this too. But the actual structure and code of the website play a role as well.
For example, heading tags (HTML) are extremely important for SEO. They tell search engines what’s really important on a website.
Now, do you need to be an SEO expert? Absolutely not. But you should learn the basics of SEO, and keep SEO in mind while you’re creating each website. In doing so, you’ll give the website a much greater chance of success, and make your web development client that much happier.
Here are a few SEO tips for web developers:
- Get your meta tags optimized. On the search page, the meta tag tells browsers what your site is about – the better it is, the more likely they are to click through to the site.
- Make sure your heading tags are in a specific order. H1 should be the main heading, and then you should descend through lower-level headings through the page (i.e., H2, H3, H4, and so on). This makes it easier for search engines to navigate the site.
- Make sure your title tag properly describes the web page. The title should emphasize what the page is about.
Here are some resources for learning the basics of SEO:
- The Beginner’s Guide to SEO
- How to Learn SEO: 10 of the Best Resources to Bookmark
- How to Increase Website Traffic
Dedicate at least 3-5 hours to reading through resources and learning the basics. This will prepare you to develop websites with SEO in mind.
5. Make Sure Your Site is Responsive
When you’re creating your own website (which will be a good idea if you want to get more clients) – you should make sure your site is responsive.
Responsive means that the elements of the website adjust according to the screen size. This means that your website will look good whether the visitor is on a laptop or mobile device.
In 2018, responsive design was crucial. All of your clients will expect it – lead by example and make sure that your website is responsive.
6. Learn to secure a website
You can secure your website by following website security best practices, such as having a website firewall; using the latest version of the website CMS, plugins, themes, and third-party services; enforcing strong password requirements; only granting the type of access that someone needs to accomplish a task. It’s the most and foremost duty of a web developer.
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Okay, so once you go through these 5 steps, you’ll have a basic understanding of web development. You’ll know how to do it (at least at a basic level).
Take your time with these steps – the demand for web developers isn’t going down anytime soon, so you have time to learn.