{"id":7542,"date":"2018-09-27T11:27:37","date_gmt":"2018-09-27T15:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=7542"},"modified":"2021-01-29T09:19:02","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T14:19:02","slug":"the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer","title":{"rendered":"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web developers \u2014 the people who build the websites and web applications we encounter everyday \u2014 are at the frontier of the technology landscape. According to the Bureau of Labour, web development has one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/data.bls.gov\/projections\/occupationProj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highest projected growth rates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of any occupation. This rise in demand is one of the main reasons <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/why-theres-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-web-developer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">why there\u2019s never been a better time to be a web developer.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although web developers are in high demand, that doesn\u2019t make it an easy position to land. This is most likely due to the advanced skill set companies expect developers to have. To help get you started, we\u2019ve created a list of the core skills and competencies that can help you pursue a career in web development.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Programming and Technical Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/what-is-web-development\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">earlier blog post<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we wrote about what\u2019s involved in the role of Web Developer. Web developers translate designs into working applications, coding the increasingly complex architecture of websites. Developers are responsible for building interactivity and responsivity, making sites go live, as well as troubleshooting, debugging, and maintaining site functionality. At the core of a Web Developer\u2019s job is actually writing code, and therefore, Web Developers must have advanced programming skills, and be fluent in a number of programming languages. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Programming languages<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HTML and CSS<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JavaScript<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SQL <\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Python<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Libraries<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">jQuery<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are the foundation of any web developer\u2019s knowledge. HTML is the standard markup language used to build web pages, while CSS enables you to program the appearance of the web page, with things like colours and fonts. Together, HTML and CSS are the building blocks for web development. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JavaScript is a crucial programming language, as it enables functionality of a web page. It\u2019s also beneficial to familiarize yourself with JS libraries like jQuery, which can help with the efficiency of JavaScript programming by providing &nbsp;a library of common tasks in a compressed, single-line format.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Structured Query Language (SQL) is a programming language that is designed to manage, query, and manipulate data stored in a database. Python is an object-oriented programming language used for many data science applications, including machine learning.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Additional Technologies<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Version Control<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Browser developer tools including Chrome DevTool<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond programming languages and libraries, becoming comfortable with commonly used tools like Git, or other version control software is a skill every Web Developer should have. Version control is a method of tracking different versions of code to ensure you can access it or restore it at any time. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress is a content management system that supports a great deal of web content; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/montymunford\/2016\/12\/22\/how-wordpress-ate-the-internet-in-2016-and-the-world-in-2017\/#7196b837199d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">75 million websites<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in fact. Chances are, you will come across WordPress as a Web Developer, so it helps to be proficient on the platform. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Browser developer tools are useful for Developers, as the web applications you create will be viewed through many different browsers. Ensuring that you are familiar with browser tools can enable you to see how your website will be rendered by browsers, and make any necessary adjustments.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>Design Skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Responsive Design<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perhaps the most crucial design skill developers can have is an understanding of responsive design. Responsive design is a method of web design that ensures a website responds to the screen size or platform used to view the content. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With over <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/gs.statcounter.com\/platform-market-share\/desktop-mobile-tablet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">52 percent of global web traffic<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> coming from mobile phones, 43 percent from desktop, and the remainder from tablets, the screen size used to view websites is extremely varied. To ensure that the experience is seamless across all platforms and screen sizes, developers must be fluent in responsive design. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>User-centric Design \/ Usability <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Web Developers are not typically tasked with the overall site design, it\u2019s an advantage for Developers to have a solid understanding of design principles. Front-end Developers, in particular, code the screens that users interact with; they can be far more efficient and effective team players with a good grasp of user-centered design.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Soft Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The role of Web Developer will always involve working with many others, such as UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience) Designers, Client Services Managers, Content Creators, Product Managers, and other Developers on the team. Working with diverse teams on complex projects makes the following \u201csoft skills\u201d important assets. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Communication<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaboration is key in web development as a typical project will be worked on by a team of people. From design, to marketing, to management, developers are in communication with a host of departments to create products and services. Many Senior Developers also manage and mentor Junior Developers. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strong communication skills \u2013&nbsp;think: active listening and clear explanations \u2013 can help a Developer work efficiently, eliminate unnecessary changes, and ultimately speed up project delivery time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Problem-solving<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because a portion of every Developer\u2019s day involves debugging and maintenance, problem-solving skills are high on the list of requirements. Developers need to find creative workarounds and solutions where others have failed, and to work independently when need be. You may want to hone your critical thinking and analytical skills if you\u2019re considering a career in web development.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Time Management<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developers are frequently tasked with multiple short-term and long-term projects, and must know how to prioritize tasks and accurately gauge time to completion. Having excellent time management skills also makes working with large teams easier and results in timely project delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Starting to Develop Your Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While many Web Developers do come from various educational backgrounds, any development position requires the technical chops. At a minimum, you\u2019ll need to demonstrate your fluency and experience with various programming languages and core development tools. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an aspiring Developer, you may want to consider establishing a digital portfolio that showcases your projects \u2014the web pages or applications that you\u2019ve programmed \u2013&nbsp;to demonstrate your skill.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re just getting started in web development, you may want some training to help lay the foundation. BrainStation offers full-time and part-time <a href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/course\/online\/remote-web-development-bootcamp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Web Development programs<\/a> that can give you the skills to launch a career in development. &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To help get you started in web development, we&#8217;ve created a list of the top skills you need. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":7543,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[533,97],"tags":[189,238,101,100],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v18.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? | BrainStation\u00ae Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Looking to break into web development? With one of the highest projected growth rates of any occupation, many people are making the jump into development. Here are the skills you need to help you launch your career as a web developer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? | BrainStation\u00ae Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Looking to break into web development? With one of the highest projected growth rates of any occupation, many people are making the jump into development. Here are the skills you need to help you launch your career as a web developer.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BrainStation\u00ae Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-09-27T15:27:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-01-29T14:19:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/d2re7sjnpekmig.cloudfront.net\/prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jefferson-santos-450403-unsplash.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1158\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"BrainStation\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"BrainStation\u00ae Blog\",\"description\":\"The Digital Learning Company\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/d2re7sjnpekmig.cloudfront.net\/prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jefferson-santos-450403-unsplash.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/d2re7sjnpekmig.cloudfront.net\/prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jefferson-santos-450403-unsplash.jpg\",\"width\":1158,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"web developer\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer\",\"name\":\"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? | BrainStation\u00ae Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-09-27T15:27:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-01-29T14:19:02+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9f37983a6c4da6cf5dd422481ac8cf11\"},\"description\":\"Looking to break into web development? With one of the highest projected growth rates of any occupation, many people are making the jump into development. Here are the skills you need to help you launch your career as a web developer.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9f37983a6c4da6cf5dd422481ac8cf11\",\"name\":\"BrainStation\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/80c14b8388838ae1453aec36606b232d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/80c14b8388838ae1453aec36606b232d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"BrainStation\"},\"description\":\"BrainStation is a global leader in digital skills training, empowering businesses and brands to succeed in the digital age. Established in 2012, BrainStation has worked with over 250 instructors from the most innovative companies, developing cutting-edge, real-world digital education that has empowered more than 50,000 professionals and some of the largest corporations in the world.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/author\/brainstation\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? | BrainStation\u00ae Blog","description":"Looking to break into web development? With one of the highest projected growth rates of any occupation, many people are making the jump into development. Here are the skills you need to help you launch your career as a web developer.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? | BrainStation\u00ae Blog","og_description":"Looking to break into web development? With one of the highest projected growth rates of any occupation, many people are making the jump into development. Here are the skills you need to help you launch your career as a web developer.","og_url":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer","og_site_name":"BrainStation\u00ae Blog","article_published_time":"2018-09-27T15:27:37+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-01-29T14:19:02+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1158,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/d2re7sjnpekmig.cloudfront.net\/prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jefferson-santos-450403-unsplash.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"BrainStation","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/","name":"BrainStation\u00ae Blog","description":"The Digital Learning Company","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/d2re7sjnpekmig.cloudfront.net\/prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jefferson-santos-450403-unsplash.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/d2re7sjnpekmig.cloudfront.net\/prod\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/jefferson-santos-450403-unsplash.jpg","width":1158,"height":400,"caption":"web developer"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#webpage","url":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer","name":"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer? | BrainStation\u00ae Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#primaryimage"},"datePublished":"2018-09-27T15:27:37+00:00","dateModified":"2021-01-29T14:19:02+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9f37983a6c4da6cf5dd422481ac8cf11"},"description":"Looking to break into web development? With one of the highest projected growth rates of any occupation, many people are making the jump into development. Here are the skills you need to help you launch your career as a web developer.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/the-skills-you-need-to-be-a-web-developer#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Skills Do You Need to Be a Web Developer?"}]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9f37983a6c4da6cf5dd422481ac8cf11","name":"BrainStation","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/80c14b8388838ae1453aec36606b232d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/80c14b8388838ae1453aec36606b232d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"BrainStation"},"description":"BrainStation is a global leader in digital skills training, empowering businesses and brands to succeed in the digital age. Established in 2012, BrainStation has worked with over 250 instructors from the most innovative companies, developing cutting-edge, real-world digital education that has empowered more than 50,000 professionals and some of the largest corporations in the world.","url":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/author\/brainstation"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7542"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7542"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12694,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7542\/revisions\/12694"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}