Are you interested in web development but you’re not sure what career paths are available to developers? Thanks to exponential growth in the field, Web Developers are in high demand with numerous roles to choose from. In this guide, you’ll learn more about web development, the type of positions that are available to Web Developers plus skill requirements, job outlook, and more.
What is Web Development?
Web development is all the coding work that goes into the creation and maintenance of a website. The job of a Web Developer requires using a variety of coding languages to make websites that are functional, user-friendly, and visually appealing while also meeting additional project specifications. The websites that Web Developers create can vary in complexity from a simple, plain-text webpage to a complicated ecommerce or social networking site plus practically anything in between.
There are three primary specialties within the field of web development: front end, back end, and full stack development. Front end web development deals exclusively with the parts of a website that users interact with. Front End Web Developers use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to code all of a website’s visual elements, ensuring that the site is both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly.
Back End Web Developers use advanced programming languages such as Java, Python, PHP along with frameworks like Django, Ruby on Rails, and Express.js to code and maintain the website’s database, server, and applications. Full stack web development is a combination of both front end and back end development, incorporating aspects of both types. Web Developers can also specialize in a specific language to work as Python, JavaScript, or Ruby Developers.
What Jobs Can You Get as a Web Developer?
There are a variety of jobs you can get as a Web Developer. Here are a few of the most common:
Junior Web Developer
Junior Web Developer is a term used to describe someone who’s just starting out in the industry and has less than three years of experience. Web Developers with the “Junior” designation will typically work with a team of other developers under the guidance of a Senior Web Developer.
Web Developer
Once a Junior Web Developer has gained several years of experience and learned the ins and outs of working in web development, they can move up the career ladder to work as a Web Developer. The role of a Web Developer can be pretty broad since it’s not focused on one specific area of concentration, like the front end or back end.
Senior Web Developer
To become a Senior Web Developer, you need to have at least ten years of experience working in web development. Senior Web Developers will typically have more responsibility, including overseeing the work of others and providing guidance to less experienced developers, helping them learn the trade.
Front End Web Developer
Front End Web Developers deal 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, making sure that it’s responsive, easy to use, aesthetically pleasing, and error-free.
Back End Web Developer
Back End Web Developers take care of everything 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.
Full Stack Web Developer
The Full Stack Web Developer role is a combination of both front end and back end web development; that means the developer 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 is a jack-of-all-trades; they need to have wide-ranging web development skills and knowledge of a variety of programming languages.
Python Developer
A Python Developer is a Web Developer who specializes in programming using Python. Python Developers typically work on the back end of projects and are responsible for designing, coding, deploying, and debugging server-side web applications and other various back end components.
JavaScript Developer
JavaScript Developers are specialists who work primarily with the most widely-used programming language in the world, JavaScript. Though JavaScript Developers may work on the back end, most of their work is focused on the front end where they develop interactive webpages, create a responsive front end design, and improve user experience.
Ruby Developer
A Ruby Developer is a back end developer who uses the programming language Ruby to create the databases, libraries, and logic that make up a web application. Ruby Developers often rely on the popular framework Ruby on Rails to help them develop back end components, connect the application with web services, and integrate front end work with the application.
And More
These are just a few of the most common roles Web Developers pursue once they complete their education. Other related career paths include QA Developer, .NET Developer, WordPress Developer, Product Manager, Software Developer, and Mobile App Developer.
What Skills Are Required to Work in Web Development?
In some ways, the skills you’ll need depend upon whether you choose to work as a generalist or focus your career on the front end, back end, or a specific programming language. But there are some basic skills that apply to all potential Web Developers, including:
- Computer literacy
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving
When you look at the different specialties within web development, the skills required do vary a bit. Those interested in working as Front End Web Developers should have (or learn) the following skills:
- A solid grasp of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- An understanding of user experience (UX) principles
- An interest in creating websites that are beautiful and functional
- The ability to test code, find bugs, resolve issues, and track changes to the code
- Familiarity with front end tools such as libraries, frameworks, and content management systems (CMS)
Anyone who’s considering a career as a Back End Web Developer should have or acquire these necessary skills:
- A capacity for writing high-quality code using Python, Java, JavaScript, and PHP
- The ability to create and manage web applications
- Knowledge of database, hosting environment, and server management
- The ability to analyze problems, find solutions, and make corrections to the code
- An understanding of accessibility and security compliance
If you’re wanting to work in full stack web development or as a generalist, then you’ll need to acquire all of the skills listed above. JavaScript Developers should learn all the front end skills and add to that a deeper understanding of the JavaScript language. Similarly, Python and Ruby Developers must acquire all of the skills listed for the back end in addition to learning all the ins and outs of their chosen language.
What’s the Job Outlook for Web Development?
Regardless of which job role or specialty you pursue, the outlook for web development careers is excellent. The field of web development is expected to expand at a rate of 13% between now and 2030—that’s significantly higher than the average job growth rate of 8% for all occupations. Such a high rate of growth means there will be lots of open jobs that are ready to be filled by newly trained Web Developers; that 13% equals roughly 17,900 positions becoming available every year over the next decade. If you’re looking for a future-proof career, web development is it!
How Much Can I Earn as a Web Developer?
How much money you make as a Web Developer largely depends upon what area you choose to specialize in. If you look through job listings, you might see positions advertised for Web Developers, which is a broad term used to describe anyone who creates or maintains websites or web applications. People who work under the job title “Web Developer” typically earn just $68,500 per year on average in the United States. Of course, how much experience you have also plays a role in your salary; Junior Developers with less than three years of experience earn around $60,000 on average while Senior Developers make closer to $99,000 per year.
The earning potential is much higher when you start looking for jobs that target the three main specializations within web development: Front End Web Developer, Back End Web Developer, and Full Stack Web Developer. Though there’s some variation in salary between the three specialties, people working in these positions tend to earn significantly more than those working in a general “Web Developer” role. For example, Front End Web Developers earn an average yearly salary of $102,000 in the U.S. with Back End Web Developers earning $115,000 and Full Stack Web Developers making $107,000 on average.
You can also specialize in specific programming languages, which will change your earning potential. If you’re well-versed in Ruby, you could choose to work as a Ruby Developer earning more than $131,000 per year on average. Java Developers earn a bit less, making just over $100,000 every year while Python Developers earn an average of $108,000. Those who prefer working with JavaScript could earn a bit more; the average salary for JavaScript Developers runs around $111,000.
How Do I Choose A Web Development Specialty?
There are several ways you can go about choosing a specialty. You could start by reading through job descriptions of the various career paths to see if one of them resonates with you, but the danger is that you’ll limit your options too soon, before really experiencing what all that specialty entails.
A better approach would be to choose between front end, back end, and full stack development, acquire the skills you need, and gain some experience in the field first. Then if you find you prefer working with a particular language, you can make that your specialty.
So the first step would be to decide whether you want to focus on the front end, back end, or full stack. All three are lucrative career paths that are in high demand, so you really can’t go wrong with any of them. But how do you know which one is right for you?
People who work in these three areas typically have different strengths and interests. To find out which specialty is right for you, just ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you a creative, visual person?
- Do you want to improve how users experience a website?
- Are you interested in creating websites that are beautiful, functional, and dynamic?
Answering “yes” to these questions indicates that front end development is a good match for you. If you mostly answered “no,” then let’s determine if back end development is a better choice by answering the questions below:
- Are you detail-oriented?
- Do you like solving problems and overcoming challenges?
- Are you interested in working with servers, databases, and applications?
Positive responses to these questions are an indication that you’re better suited for back end development. If you answered “yes” to both sets of questions, then you might consider working in full stack development, which combines elements of both front end and back end development. If you’re still not sure which specialty best suits you, another suggestion would be to take a few web development classes in various topics such as HTML & CSS, JavaScript, and Python to figure out which area or programming language you like best.
How Can I Start a Career in Web Development?
The best way to start a career in web development is to enroll in a bootcamp. Often viewed as a viable alternative to university education, these skills-focused programs operate on an intensive, abbreviated schedule to get you career-ready in just a few months. That’s especially good news when you consider how many open positions there are in the field of web development; you can start to earn back your financial investment shortly after graduating from bootcamp.
Noble Desktop offers a variety of web development bootcamps including a front end web development bootcamp, full stack web development bootcamp, Python bootcamp, and JavaScript bootcamp. You can even take these web development bootcamps live online from the comfort of your own home; that’s much more convenient than having to navigate to an in-person school through busy rush-hour traffic. Whichever specialty you choose, there’s never been a better time to start a career in web development!