Web development, usually referred to as website development, describes the activities involved in developing, constructing, and managing websites and web applications that are used to access information online using a browser. However, it could also involve database management, web development, and web design.
Web development and the task of creating the features and functioning of applications are closely connected (web design). Development often refers to the process of actually building these things (that is to say, the programming of sites).
Programming languages called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript are the fundamental tools used in web development. The creation of sites that would normally need to be done "from scratch" by writing code is made easier by a variety of additional tools that are used to "manage" or ease the process. These include, among others, WordPress, Joomla!, Drupal, TYPO3, and Adobe Experience Manager, as well as a number of other content management systems (CMS).
What Exactly is Web Development?
Although the task of creating the features and functioning of websites and apps (commonly referred to as "web design") is closely connected to web development, the phrase "web development" is often reserved for the actual creation and programming of websites and apps.
Consider all the websites you have used over the years. Web developers created those sites, ensuring that they worked properly and provided a wonderful user experience. Depending on the activities they are carrying out and the platforms they are working on, web developers use different programming languages to write lines of code.
Web Development Vs Web Design
Though there is overlap, there are also key differences between web development and web design. Let’s take a closer look:
Web Designers:
- Create every aspect of a website or software product that a user will view, including all visual, graphical, typographic, and usability components.
- Work one-on-one with a client to generate designs or collaborate with a team to achieve a client vision
- A programming language or some coding abilities, or at the very least some acquaintance with commonly used languages like HTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript, may be required.
- To test design concepts, create wireframes and prototypes and provide feedback on design logos, branding, and business style guidelines.
Web Developers:
- Write the code necessary for a website to run, whether it is the front end or the back end (server-side)
- Create or put into practice designs that a customer or design team has requested.
- Various programming languages, including as HTML (HyperText Markup Language), CSS, PHP, and JavaScript, as well as frameworks, libraries, and additional languages (such as Ruby, C/C++, and Python), must be known at an expert level.
- seldom choose fonts, make mockups, or choose color schemes
What are the Most Common Programming languages?
The most often used programming languages for creating websites are:
- HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- JavaScript
Types of Web Development
Front-end development, back-end development, and full-stack development are the three primary subtypes of web development.
What is Front-End Development?
The "client-facing" portion of web development is covered by front-end development. In other words, front-end web development often refers to the area of a website, app, or digital product that people will view and interact with. Therefore, a front-end developer is in charge of how a digital product "feels," which is why they are frequently also referred to as web designers.
Front-End Web developers concentrate on converting visual concepts and website designs into code. A front-end software developer serves as a link between design and technology by implementing the design concepts developed by others in web development teams.
Programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as frameworks like React, Bootstrap, Backbone, AngularJS, and EmberJS, are often essential skills for front-end developers. A Front-End Developer's duties would include developing responsive websites (that look and work well on any device), doing website testing, resolving any issues found throughout the web development process, and making sure the site structure adheres to SEO best practices.
Front-End Developments Jobs
In contrast to back-end development, front-end development has a variety of job titles that encompass various skill sets and levels of expertise, such as:
- Front-End Developer
- Front-End Engineer
- CSS/HTML Web Developer
- Front-End Web Designer (this usually denotes a role that involves more visual and interaction design requirements)
- Front-End User Interface Developer (covering interaction design skills)
- Mobile Front-End Web Developer
- Front-End SEO Expert (usually denoting a Developer with experience incorporating SEO strategy)
- Front-End Accessibility Expert
- Front-End Dev Ops
- Front-End QA (involving unit testing, functional testing, user testing, and A/B testing
What is Back-End Development
Back-End Developers are concerned with how a digital product functions whereas Front-End Developers are in charge of how it looks. A back-end developer builds the foundation of a website, including database interactions, user authentication, server, network, and hosting settings, and business logic, before maintaining it and making sure it functions as it should. Back end developers are concerned with the mechanisms and frameworks that enable computer programmes to function as intended while working behind the scenes, or "server-side."
Back-end developers' main duty is to guarantee the site's operation, including its responsiveness and speed. Back-end developers must understand how to handle databases and data on a web server, as well as how to design servers using contemporary frameworks (while creating unique APIs and providing static webpages and files).
Back-end developers typically work with MySQL, Oracle, Git, and server-side programming languages like PHP, Ruby, and Python.
What is a Full Stack Developer?
An expert in both front-end and back-end programming is referred to as a full-stack developer. Since they are more versatile than developers who specialize, full Stack Developers frequently have access to a wide range of programming languages and may even be given greater leadership responsibilities on projects. They are experts at wearing both hats, generalists, and knowledgeable about every stage of growth. Full-Stack Developers are the fourth-most in-demand career in the digital industry, so it goes without saying that organizations want to recruit them.
The generalist character of the role is the cause of any controversy around the designation. The idea that someone may be equally skilled at both jars developers who specialize in front-end or back-end development; the saying "jack of all crafts, master of none" comes to mind.
Front-end developer Andy Shora remarked, "When I hear that magic word ('full-stack'), my defensive inclinations are generally placed on high alert." "Stacks are much larger now than they formerly were, and it is surely no modest boast to say that one has developed polished abilities at every layer of web building. Do you specialize in everything or do you have a wide variety of skills?
Even while that notion still exists, the number of software workers who identify as Full-Stack Developers is rising. 48.2% of developers who responded to a recent Stack Overflow survey identify as full-stack developers.
Uncertainty exists around whether developers are currently required to have a wider range of abilities or if developers are taking it upon themselves to comprehend both front-end and back-end operations. Having a foundation in both is become more and more crucial for prospective developers.
Software Engineer and Tech Writer Muhammad Anser advised anybody looking to get into web development to focus on building up a foundation in both front-end and back-end development first. You might then drift in the direction of a later claim to fame.
There might not be a better time to jump in and learn more about all the layers of web development given that demand for developers is predicted to increase by 15% by 2026 (for 24,400 new jobs), which is much faster than the country's average rate of job growth.
Additional
If you want to expertise in web development field, then I highly recommend you to own this online web development course as thousands of students have already owned this course to skyrocket their knowledge in this field. So become an expert in the field of web development by owning this!
Thanks for Reading!
Keep Learning!