Web developers have the unusual ability to think creatively while working with very structured information. If you enjoy exploring websites and want to work with both design and technical skills, web development may be the career for you. Web developers design the look and function of a website. They may develop content, and work with customers or company leaders to define a website’s purpose, audience, and the needs it should meet. They often work in teams to determine how to organize and lay out the website. Developers use programming languages to build the website and integrate graphics, audio, and video. Some developers handle all aspects of a website’s construction, while others specialize in a certain aspect of it. Specialized web developers include web architects, who create the basic framework of the site and ensure that it provides users with the intended experience; web designers, who create the site’s layout and integrate graphics, applications; and webmasters, who ensure that websites function correctly and keep them updated. Most web developers enter the field with an associate’s degree in web design or a related field, but skills in programming languages may be more important to employers than education credentials. Throughout their career, web developers must keep up to date on new tools and computer languages. A significant percentage of web developers are self-employed.
What they do:
Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.
On the job, you would:
Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems.
Engineering and Technology
computers and electronics
Arts and Humanities
English language
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Communications
multimedia
Basic Skills
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
reading work related information
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Ideas and Logic
use rules to solve problems
notice when problems happen
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
read and understand what is written
Visual Understanding
see hidden patterns
quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Analytical Thinking
Persistence
Dependability
Adaptability/Flexibility
Initiative
You might use software like this on the job:
Web platform development software
Bootstrap
Vue.js
Data base user interface and query software
Blackboard software
GraphQL
Development environment software
Apache Subversion SVN
Oracle Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition J2EE
bachelor's degree or certificate after high school usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.
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