Web Development
Web development is the process of building, programming, and maintaining websites and web applications. Website developers use various programming languages, like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, .net, php, java and python, to develop websites and web applications.
Web development skills are in high demand worldwide and well paid too - making development a great career option. It is one of the easiest accessible higher paid fields as you do not need a traditional university degree to become qualified.
Types of Web Development
There are three main types of web development: front-end, back-end and full-stack.
Front-end development: Front-end development is responsible for the aspects of a website that users see and interact with: the user interface (UI). Front-end developers are well-versed in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, often working closely with design and UX teams to capture both the intended look and feel of the site, while also creating a quality user experience across multiple device types.
Back-end development: Back-end development is responsible for all the aspects of a website that users do not see. This is also known as server-side development because back-end developers focus primarily on the behind-the-scenes logic, APIs and database interactions that power the site.
Full-stack development: Full-stack development is a more holistic approach where the developers responsible for the site or app take care of the entire development stack, from the inner workings typically performed on the back-end to the presentation layer normally handled by front-end developers.
Front-End Development
Front-end development involves the “client-facing” side of web development. That is to say usually, front-end web development refers to the portion of the site, app, or digital product that users will see and interact with. A Front-End Developer, therefore, is responsible for the way a digital product looks and “feels,” which is why they are often also referred to as Web Designers.
Front-End Web Developers focus on translating website design and visual ideas into code. A front-end Software Developer takes the design ideas created by others on web development teams and programs them into reality, acting as a bridge between design and technology.
Front-End Developers will usually need to possess a solid understanding of programming languages, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as frameworks like React, Bootstrap, Backbone, AngularJS, and EmberJS. Responsibilities of a Front-End Developer would include creating responsive websites (that look and function well on any device), conducting website testing and fixing any bugs detected along the web development process, and ensuring site structure follows SEO best practices.
Back-End Development
If Front-End Developers are responsible for how a digital product looks, Back-End Developers are focused on how it works. A Back-End Developer creates the basic framework of a website before maintaining it and ensuring it performs the way it should, including database interactions, user authentication, server, network and hosting configuration, and business logic. Working behind the scenes - or server-side - Back End Developers are concerned with the systems and structures that allow computer applications to perform as desired.
The primary responsibility of Back-End Developers is to ensure the functionality of the site, including its responsiveness and speed. To do that, Back-End Developers have to know how to build servers with modern frameworks (while developing custom APIs and serving static websites and files), and how to manage databases and data on a web server.
Typically, Back-End Developers use server-side programming languages, including PHP, Ruby, and Python, as well as tools including MySQL, Oracle, and Git.
Full-Stack Developer
Full stack development is the process of developing both the frontend and backend of applications. Any application has a frontend (user-facing) component and a backend (database and logic) component. The frontend contains the user interface and code related to user interactions with the application. The backend contains all the code required for the application to run, including integrations with data systems, communicating with other applications, and processing data.
Software developers require slightly different skills, tools, and software knowledge for frontend and backend development. However, full-stack development combines both disciplines-meaning teams can build applications from start to finish in an integrated and cohesive manner. A full-stack application is a software application that encompasses both frontend and backend in a single code base.
Organizations adopting full-stack development strategies experience the benefits like Efficient resource utilization, Flexibility and speed and Enhanced problem-solving.
