Launching a new career in web development can seem overwhelming at first. Not only do you have to learn all the foundational concepts and terminology, but you also need to know which programming languages, tools, libraries, and frameworks to adopt. Thankfully, the process of learning web development from back to front can be broken down into six basic steps to make it a bit more manageable. Here’s a brief guide to help walk you through the steps required.
1. Web Development Foundations: How Websites Work
Before you get too far into your education, it’s important to take some time to understand the origins of web development and establish a firm understanding of how websites work. Having this knowledge will provide you with some much-needed context, making you a better Web Developer down the road. So let’s take a closer look at how websites work and the role web development plays in their creation.
How Do Websites Work?
Websites are simply a collection of files and code that are stored on a server connected to the Internet and accessed through a web browser (also known as the client.) This type of framework is called a “client-server model.” In this model, the client and server interact with one another with the client typically requesting a service or resource and the server delivering it.
Here’s how it would work in a real-world example: Whenever you click on a link to watch a funny cat video (or whatever else interests you), the browser sends a request to the site hosting the video, the video is retrieved from its servers, then sent to your computer. That’s essentially how a website works — when viewed from a wide angle, it’s not nearly as difficult as you might imagine.
What is Web Development?
Web development is all the work that goes into building and maintaining a website. Web Developers use a wide variety of programming languages and tools to create websites that are attractive to the eye, user-friendly, and error-free. These sites can be used for practically any purpose and range in size from a simple, one-page website to multi-faceted social networking or ecommerce applications. Web development is broken down into three basic types: front end, back end, and full stack. Let’s take a look at each one of these.
What Is Front End Web Development?
Front end web development refers to everything that happens on the client side; it deals with all the website elements that users can see and interact with, such as the text on the page, drop-down menus, images, and forms. The job of a Front End Web Developer is to program the outward appearance of the website according to project specifications while making it responsive, easy to use, and error-free. The most common programming languages used in front end web development are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
What Is Back End Web Development?
Back end web development relates to elements on the server side of a website where data is stored and arranged. The role of a Back End Web Developer is to create, test, debug, and maintain all the technological components that support the front end of a website and allow it to operate. The primary coding languages used in back end development are JavaScript, Java, Python, Ruby, and PHP.
What Is Full Stack Web Development?
Full stack web development is the combination of both front end and back end web development; that means it deals with both the user-facing elements of a website plus all the technological components behind the scenes that users don’t have access to. A Full Stack Developer needs to have wide-ranging skills and knowledge of a variety of programming languages, including those listed above for front end and back end development.
What Are the Duties and Responsibilities of a Web Developer?
Full Stack Web Developers, who are responsible for both the front and back ends of a website, are typically responsible for the following:
- Creating servers and databases
- Designing website architecture
- Developing website design on the front end
- Utilizing user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) principles
- Ensuring website responsiveness
- Implementing protocols to secure data
- Ensuring the site is optimized for multiple platforms including mobile devices
- Writing technical documentation for the site
- Meeting the needs of both client and end user
- Seeing the project through from beginning to end
2. Tools and Equipment
Before getting started on your learning journey, you need to make sure you have the right tools and equipment. Here are some of the essentials you’ll need to get started:
Computer: This may sound pretty obvious, but considering most people access the Internet through their phones, it needs to be said: you must have a computer in order to learn web development. It doesn’t have to be super powerful or expensive, as long as it’s a laptop or desktop capable of running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Text Editor: It’s also necessary to download a text editor to write your code in. Thankfully there are several free options available including Visual Studio Code, Notepad++, Sublime Text, and Atom.
Browsers: You’ll also need access to at least one browser, but it’s even better to download several so you can check how your code runs in each one. Some of the most commonly used browser options are Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, Opera, and Brave.
Graphics Editor: The last tool you’ll need to get started is a graphics editor so you can create images and graphics for your website. The industry-standard is the Adobe Creative Cloud, but it does cost quite a bit. If you’re looking for free options, check out GIMP and Inkscape
3. Foundations of Front End Web Development
Once you understand the basic principles of web development and have the necessary tools, it’s time to dive into front end programming languages. There are three primary coding languages you’ll need to learn on the front end: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Each one of these programming languages can be learned through documentation on the official website, online guides, video tutorials, or web development classes. Let’s take a closer look at each language and what they’re responsible for.
HTML: Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the standard markup language used to create documents that will be displayed on a web browser. HTML instructs the browser on how to display data on the page. These instructions often cover the layout of the page, fonts, colors, headings, title, tables, and graphics.
CSS: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a language that’s used to style the text, color, buttons, and tables of a website plus structure how its pages are laid out. CSS allows for content and formatting to remain separate so webpages can adapt to different types of devices of various sizes.
JavaScript: JavaScript is a language used to program the behavior of web pages, making them more dynamic and interactive to engage the user. For example, JavaScript can be used to play audio or video, display animations, progress through a slideshow of various pictures, and alter a button’s colors when a mouse hovers over it.
4. Front End Tools, Libraries, and Frameworks
After you’ve learned the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, it’s time to turn your attention to essential front end tools, libraries, and frameworks that will help speed up your programming.
Version Control
Version control systems help you manage the changes made to your code and even allow you to return the document to a previous state if you make an error. The most popular version control system by far is an open-source software called Git. Many Web Developers prefer Git over other options because it’s fast, scalable, decentralized, and available at no cost. Git also allows a team of programmers to work together on the same code without overriding each other’s changes.
Package Manager
Package Managers make it easier for developers to install libraries and other dependencies (also called packages) used for front end development. The most widely used package manager is currently Node Package Manager (npm), which was originally created for use with Node.js, an asynchronous JavaScript runtime environment. Npm is considered an indispensable tool for Front End Developers because it simplifies the management of multiple code versions and quickly resolves dependency conflicts between various code packages.
Libraries and Frameworks
Libraries and frameworks are bundles of reusable code that provide solutions to some of the most common problems developers face. Though the two terms are often confused, there’s a key difference between them: the amount of control the developer has over the flow of the application. With a library, the developer gets to choose how to structure the application but with frameworks, that structure is already built-in.
Regardless of how they’re used, both libraries and frameworks are essential tools to the Front End Web Developer. They help automate common activities involved with web development, which reduces the amount of coding needed and speeds up the web development process by making it more efficient. The most popular library in use today is React, which was created by Facebook. Some of the most commonly used front end frameworks include Vue.js, Angular, and Bootstrap.
5. Website Design
After learning the technical side of front end web development and how to use its most essential tools, you can move on to the next step, which is learning about the design aspect of website creation. Web design involves constructing the overall look and feel of a website through the use of various colors, fonts, and layouts. The overarching goal of web design is to create a site that’s responsive, engaging, aesthetically pleasing, and user-friendly so people are more willing to remain on the website longer.
6. Foundations of Back End Web Development
The next step in your educational journey is to learn how to work on the back end. This means learning essential back end programming languages in addition to working with servers and databases.There are five programming languages that you need to know as a Back End Web Developer. They are:
JavaScript: One of the three core programming languages for front end web development, JavaScript is also used on the back end. More specifically, Back End Developers use a JavaScript Runtime Environment (RTE) called Node.js to handle updates from the client side of the website and build expandable network applications capable of processing multiple user requests simultaneously. Node.js has become a popular tool for the back end because it’s fast, efficient, lightweight, and capable of managing heavy workloads.
Python: Python is an extremely versatile object-oriented high-level programming language. Its simple syntax, libraries, frameworks, and adaptability makes Python a popular choice for back end programming where it’s used to build desktop, mobile, and gaming applications. Python is also frequently used in emerging fields like machine learning, AI, data analytics, and task automation.
Java: Java is a high-level programming language that’s widely used on server side projects. Java is a versatile language and can be used in a variety of contexts, including desktop, mobile, and numerical computing plus business applications and games. Its most common usage is in the creation of applications, which can then be run on any computer with a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed on it.
Ruby: Ruby is a high-level, object-oriented language that’s most commonly used to build web applications. A flexible, general-purpose programming language, Ruby can also be used in a variety of other ways such as prototyping, DevOps, data analysis, proof of concepts, web scraping, automation, static site generation, and more. Ruby is one of the easiest programming languages to learn and works across multiple operating systems including Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.
PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) is a general-purpose scripting language that’s often used to add functionality to interactive web pages. One of the first languages that could be embedded directly into HTML, PHP is also used for managing databases, performing system functions, encrypting data, handling forms, setting cookies, and restricting page access. Most notably, WordPress—the most popular content management system in the world—is written in PHP.
Customize These Steps to Match Your Goals
The process described above is for those who are interested in becoming Full Stack Web Developers. Knowing the web development process from back to front makes Web Developers more versatile and could open up a wider variety of jobs. But becoming a Full Stack Web Developer may not be your goal; if you don’t want to learn the full stack, the list above can be tailored to meet your needs. For those who want to work in front end web development, you only need to complete the first five steps. If your primary interest is working on the back end, you just skip steps four and five then remove CSS from step three.
Bootcamps: The Fastest Way to Learn Web Development
Are you ready to start your career in web development? The best way to do this is by enrolling in a web development bootcamp. Bootcamps are specialized skills-focused programs that operate on an abbreviated schedule; they’re considered an excellent alternative to university education because they can get you career-ready in several months as opposed to the 4 years required to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Depending upon your location, you may be able to find a web development bootcamp in your area. If there are none available, a viable alternative would be enrolling in an online web development bootcamp. By taking your bootcamp online, you get the same expert instruction and live feedback as you would from an in-person class except you don’t have to deal with troublesome traffic.
If you’re not quite ready for an immersive bootcamp, another possibility would be enrolling in individual web development classes. That way you can get started on your learning journey while testing your interest in pursuing web development as a career. If you’re trying to fit your education in with a full-time job or busy home life, then online web development classes might be the best choice for you. They offer you maximum convenience with the same high-quality curriculum as in-person classes.