Web development is an ever-changing field that is concerned with the creation of websites and web applications. It contains web designing, coding, testing, and deployment of the website.
One must have knowledge of various programming languages, frameworks, database systems, etc. to be an efficient web developer. And if you are already in this field, you must keep on upgrading your knowledge to be on the front foot.
As technologies are changing day by day, the requirement for web developers is increasing as well. A web developer must possess the following skills to be a part of this industry and stay in competition:
Skills Every Web Developer should Have:
- Proficiency in Programming Languages:
Proficiency in various programming languages is the main requirement for being a successful web developer. These programming languages include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, etc.
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are client-side programming languages. HTML is used to create the structure and content of the webpage, CSS is used for styling the webpage and giving attractive looks to the website, and JavaScript is used for providing functionality to the web page elements. The web developer must have knowledge of at least one JavaScript library to make its work easier.
Languages like PHP are used for server-side programming. The client-side functionality and server-side functionality, both are used together to make a website work properly. So having knowledge of both kinds of languages is a must.
- Knowledge about Server Architecture and Databases:
A web developer must have knowledge about the architecture of the server and the structure of the database because web applications operate on the server and work along with databases.
The web application has to deal with the data stored in the database. There are various databases available in the market like MySQL, MongoDB, etc. Moreover, a web developer must know how the web applications are deployed on the web server and how to get the best performance from the server.
- Responsive Web Design:
So many devices are available in the market with different device resolutions. A web developer must know how to create a responsive website so that users of all kinds of devices can view and use it. He/she should know the making of flexible layouts, usage of fluid images, and media queries.
- Latest Development Tools:
The market of web development is ever-changing and daily latest development tools keep on arriving in the market. The web developer must upgrade himself/herself to have the knowledge of working with these tools. Some of these tools are Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Grunt, etc.
- Application Programming Interfaces (APIs):
Application programming interfaces help the websites in interacting with other systems and services. The web developer must have knowledge about the usage of these APIs and their integration into the websites they are developing. The APIs include social media integration into the website for posting content, Google Maps for location information, etc.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
A website is of no use if no one visits it. It must show up in Google rankings so that it is able to attract a good amount of traffic. So, a web developer must have knowledge of those features that must be incorporated into the website so that Google and other search engines are able to crawl it and index the pages.
- Version Control Tools:
Various version control tools are used to keep track of the changes done to the website. Git is one such tool. A web developer must have knowledge about such tools because they come in handy when some changes are needed to be undone.
- Project Management Tools:
A project cannot be handled as a whole. It needs to be divided into various modules. Each module is handled by a separate person or team. Various project management tools are used to manage the projects, such as Agile, Scrum, etc. These tools help in dividing the project into smaller parts and managing them efficiently.
By acquiring these skills, the web developer can give his/her best to the company and also improves the chances of his/her growth.
