Take a moment to look at the screen around the words you are reading. Look at the colors, designs, images, video capsules and how they’re placed. You are looking at a webpage made by a professional web developer. Web development is a growing field where you can flex your creative muscles and yet not be a starving artist.
Thousands of business websites launch every year but not all of them gain traffic. As a web developer, your job is to make your clients’ websites stand out from the crowd. You want to get as many eyeballs as possible to look at your clients’ websites. This is not only an art but an evolving science.
What Does a Web Developer Do?
Web developers do a wide variety of jobs for their clients, but basically it comes down to:
- Making new websites
- Revamping existing websites
- Maintaining websites
Although those are the main three jobs of a web developer, a lot of steps go into creating, revamping and maintaining websites. Specific jobs include:
- Running websites on different browsers
- Website security and general bug fixing
- Choosing graphics, colors and fonts
- Adding new content and any links to that new content
- Finding the right web applications for websites
- Learning various mark-up languages like HTML, XHTML, PHP and CSS
- Learning design software like Photoshop or Dreamweaver
- Making the website function smoothly on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones.
Where Do Web Developers Work?
Web developers encounter many different job environments. Some web developers work from home while others work in a traditional office. You may get paid a regular salary or only get paid after each job. Web developers may work with an established internet marketing company or do solo work as a freelancer. Anywhere you can find an Internet connection can turn into your workplace.
Some web developers may have to travel extensively, depending if their bosses or their clients require it. Web developers working as consultants may do the most travel. Even in this age of Skype and videoconferencing, there’s nothing like being able to meet a client face to face.
Required Training
Although you do not have to have a degree in order to work as a web developer, degrees make you more attractive to employers. Major in any computer-related field like computer science or information technology. You can take online courses for a certification in web design and development.