When it comes to modern career paths with high demand, the growing need for web developers is evident. Businesses in practically any field require full-time web developers on staff in order to create and maintain their digital presence in an innovative, professional way.

Web developers build websites from the ground up, and many different skills go into this process. Here, we explore some best practices for breaking into this field and achieving success.

Learn the Language

Websites are built with authoring or scripting languages, so to excel at web development, it is important to learn many in order to be versatile. Some of the most popular scripting languages for front-end developers are JavaScript, HTML5, and PHP. For back-end developers, Python and Ruby are incredibly useful for building sites with excellent functionality.

When web developers learn to code, they set themselves up to be incredibly self-sufficient in the workplace. Building landing pages and improving a website’s search engine optimization (SEO) becomes a breeze, and those with in-depth coding knowledge gain credibility in their field.

Be a WordPress Expert

WordPress was once a simple blogging platform, but it has evolved into one of the most popular ways to build a website. In general, web developers with WordPress expertise increase their chances of being hired.

What makes WordPress so special? Most notably, it is an open-source content management system (CMS). This means that anybody is able to use or modify WordPress. It is also known for being incredibly user-friendly, offering the opportunity for those without programming knowledge to master it as well.

But of course, programming knowledge is an ideal companion to WordPress—and the more you know about programming, the more likely you are to become a great web developer.

Master Usability

Understanding programming languages and WordPress are essential skills, but once websites are created, a web developer also needs to understand how sites are used and navigated. Ultimately, a website should be as user-friendly as possible, so web developers should have a solid grasp of proper usability approaches.

It all starts with creating a clean and simple navigation menu and site map, setting the user up for a positive experience. Remember that it should be easy for the user to achieve their objective. Information should never be buried deep within a website.

If web developers want feedback, they can pursue usability testing. By watching a first-timer navigate a new website, valuable insights can be gained.

Study Responsive Design

While usability is essential for successful web development, an additional component of equal importance is responsive design. Responsive design is the process of creating flexible layouts that can easily be viewed and navigated on virtually any device, such as a phone, tablet, or laptop.

Responsive design doesn’t just make a website aesthetically pleasing—it also helps boost visibility on search engines, which is truly a win for any business. Web developers with responsive design knowledge are often at the top of their field as this knowledge is highly sought after by many businesses.

Keep an Open Mind

Working in a technical field like web development means that you will be working in an ever-evolving industry. Even if your technical skills are already top-notch, you must be willing to continuously learn and evolve them as technology continues to improve and advance. Stay ahead of the game by keeping a pulse on what’s new and what’s next in your field.

In Summary

Pursuing a career in web development is an excellent choice, as many companies have an increased demand for those in this career path. Web developers can find success by understanding programming languages, mastering WordPress, learning about usability and responsive design, and having an overall willingness to lear