What to Learn After Dreamweaver

Dreamweaver is an Adobe software program used for creating web pages. Suppose you already know how to use Dreamweaver. In that case, you might learn HTML and CSS if you don’t already know them, or you might decide to learn a new design program or improve your soft skills like communication and time management. We’ll cover some of these things below, so you clearly understand what skill you want to tackle next.

What is Dreamweaver?

Dreamweaver is a downloadable Adobe software program used for designing websites and webpages. It works with either Windows or Mac. Using Dreamweaver, designers can create their own websites from scratch or use the provided starter template pages. The program integrates with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications, making importing content from any Adobe app easy.

With Dreamweaver, there are two different ways to design. Users without any knowledge of HTML can use live view, where Dreamweaver generates the required code and displays the content as it will look in a web browser. Users who know HTML can type their code into the program’s code editor. These users will also be able to take advantage of Dreamweaver’s more advanced design options.

This application was created in 1997 and became a popular web design tool. However, in recent years, Dreamweaver has decreased in popularity, with many designers opting for programs such as Visual Studio Code or WordPress instead. It is still used by some Web Designers, though the overall percentage of websites created with Dreamweaver is estimated to be small. Dreamweaver is most popular among people who already have Adobe Creative Cloud or want to stay within the Adobe ecosystem.

Read more about what Dreamweaver is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Dreamweaver?

Web Designers create and maintain websites. In some cases, one person is responsible for an entire website, while in other cases, several team members may work on the job. Knowing how to use Dreamweaver or another web design program can help a designer get started in the field of web design. Web Designers are needed in almost every industry since the majority of businesses and organizations now have websites. US News ranked web design number six in its list of Best Technology Jobs of 2022.

There are many different specialties within the field of web design. Front End Developers specialize in creating the part of the website that users see and interact with, such as the overall layout and individual features like logos or links. Back End Developers work on things that the user does not interact with but are essential to the website's function, like creating and maintaining the database. User experience (UX) design is another job related to web design. A UX Designer ensures that website users have the best experience possible. This includes ensuring that a website is intuitive and easy to use and that the experience is enjoyable for the user.

People with web design knowledge can also work in many other jobs. For example, some Web Designers end up as Application Designers, who develop applications for specific devices such as computers or mobile phones. Information Architects help make information on a website easier to find and understand. Visual Designers are responsible for the aesthetics of a website and work on things such as making sure it engages users. Overall, there are many ways to utilize knowledge of web design.

Design Programs

Many Web Designers benefit from knowing how to use design programs. Programs like After Effects and Illustrator commonly create visual elements that will be used on a website and can thus be important tools for a Web Designer. Dreamweaver is an Adobe application, so Adobe design applications are often preferred by designers who use Dreamweaver because all Adobe applications integrate easily.

Programming Languages

Learning Dreamweaver without knowing any programming languages like HTML or CSS is possible. However, being fluent in these languages can make the overall process of web design much easier. For instance, Web Development with HTML and CSS takes just two or three days to complete and can be taken in person or live online. A Web Design Certificate is a more comprehensive option. In the certificate program, students learn JavaScript in addition to HTML and CSS. They also learn another web design program called WordPress.

Libraries and Frameworks

Libraries and frameworks are reusable code created by others and used by designers to simplify or speed up their design process. Bootstrap and jQuery are two popular ones. Bootstrap is helpful when programming for mobile devices. JQuery is a way for developers to add JavaScript to their websites.

Soft Skills

Soft skills can also be important for a career in web design because they help designers get their work done and maintain a good relationship with clients or employers. Time management is an important soft skill that allows designers to juggle multiple projects and meet deadlines. Communication skills are also vital whenever a designer interacts with clients or co-workers. Another good soft skill to master is teamwork. While Web Designers may often work alone, there may also be situations where they need to work well as part of a team.

Learn Dreamweaver with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop teaches hands-on web design courses in a variety of formats, with something to fit every type of schedule and learning style. Every class is small and led by expert instructors. Noble also offers a free retake for all of its courses. With the free retake, students can retake a course once within a year without paying for it again. This can be an excellent way to gain additional web design skills.

One popular type of class at Noble Desktop is a web design bootcamp. Bootcamps are intensive programs that teach skills quickly and focus on preparing graduates to use those skills in the workplace. In 2020, tech company HackerRank surveyed 116,000 developers from 162 countries about coding bootcamps and found that about a third of hiring managers hired developers who gained their skills from a bootcamp. Noble Desktop teaches many bootcamps related to web design, including Visual Design Portfolio Bootcamp.

Students looking for a more in-depth web design course can enroll in Noble’s Web Design Certificate. This comprehensive program takes six weeks full-time or five months part-time and teaches students to build websites using WordPress. Students in the certificate program will also learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript coding languages and Figma for webpage layouts.

Key Insights

If you’ve already learned how to use Dreamweaver and are wondering what to learn next, you have many options.

• Design programs are important tools for any designer.
• As a Web Designer, you’ll have a much easier time if you learn programming languages.
• Libraries and frameworks can help speed up or simplify your design process.
• In addition to learning web design tools, designers can benefit from learning soft skills.