Web developers are essential to the success of schools, hospitals, non-profits, tech giants, and other community organizations. Your computer programming skills are necessary for the success of any company.
Are you curious about where your C++ and Python skills could take you? These are the potential job titles, growth paths, and career opportunities you can create if your coding skills become a permanent career.
Web development job titles
There are many specializations in web development. You can learn the subtle differences and use them to guide your career search and studies.
Programmer vs. Developer – Both terms can be interchanged. It doesn’t matter if you call yourself a Programmer or a Developer; it simply means that you can write in multiple languages.
Web Developer and Software Engineer – These terms can be used interchangeably but denote distinct roles. Website developers use code to create websites. Software engineers develop programs, software, and applications. They need to be more involved in customer-facing websites. Engineer positions are typically more senior than developer positions and require more experience.
Front End Engineer “Front end” refers to all features customers see on a website or app, including text fields, images, and buttons. These engineers program the interfaces that users use. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are all front-end coding languages.
Back Engineer –Back engineers design the mechanisms of how a website processes information. They decide how the site communicates with servers and how users can store, retrieve, and manage their data. Back-end development languages that are most popular include Python, PHP, and Ruby.
Full Stack Engineer – If you are proficient in multiple languages and can successfully build both the front and back end of a website, you are a complete stack engineer. These programmers can guide users and transmit data to servers.
Software Architect – A skilled programmer who heads the development team. They are responsible for making high-level design decisions and creating standards and tools for their department.
Career Paths in Web Development
Depending on your work style and experience, web developers can choose between two career options. You can choose to work in a steady, salaried job or be more independent as a contractor.
A full-time position appeals more to those who enjoy working in a team and appreciate stable income. Your team will be able to learn from you and other programmers. You’re likely to have the opportunity to grow, especially in larger companies, if you can prove to your senior leadership that you are reliable and committed. Developers are highly sought-after and can earn high salaries, generous employee perks, and bonuses.
The freelance route is for you if you like the challenge of working with clients and the freedom to choose your projects. You will be responsible for creating your own business. You’ll be able to set your schedule, manage each project, and not rely on a corporate structure.
After many years of learning your craft, you can work as a consultant. To find out if potential clients are a good match, web consultants interview them and then build websites or apps that meet their needs. Their clients’ websites are often maintained and managed by them, which can lead to a steady income.
Web development offers a long-term career. Programming skills are always in demand. You can build a rewarding career by combining your programming skills with a strong work ethic.
Developer’s Responsibilities
Web developers often have responsibilities that go beyond the writing of scripts. You could be responsible for any or all of these duties, in addition to the programming part.
Meeting with clients: You may need to meet with customers face-to-face to understand their needs and to communicate with them throughout the project, especially if they are small or freelancers.
Customer research: You should first look at the data from your company’s customer research and surveys before you can start building the project.
Work with other teams: Your company will likely be comprised of UX designers, data analysts, project managers, and product designers. You will most likely end up working with all these teams to ensure that the site is visually appealing and collects the correct user data.
Quality Testing: Testing plays a significant role in the development process. Before your app or site goes live, you’ll need to troubleshoot and test your work on different browsers and devices.
Your day-to-day routine will be very different whether you are a web contractor or part of a 30-person engineering team. You should think about the things that give you the most satisfaction before you sign a contract. Programming is a flexible skill that can lead you down many different paths. Choose the one that suits you best.
Four Skills that Make a Developer a Success
A strong portfolio and a solid understanding of HTML can help you land the job. However, many other skills can help you advance your career. They cannot be taught in an hour-long Youtube tutorial.
These four skills will help you excel in web development. These skills may come quickly to you, but if not, you can sharpen your eye for detail and logical problem-solving, creativity, and communication with every website you create.
Pay attention to details: Even the slightest typo could redirect a page to 404. Programmers are taught to read their code several times to find efficiencies. It takes patience, laser focus, and the ability to see your work objectively.
Logical Thinking: Programming languages work on definitions and rules. These languages will be easier to learn if you can think logically and solve problems naturally. You’ll be able to break down statements and predict logical outcomes as you experience them.
Creativity: Developers are responsible for finding the best solution for the end user. You’ll discover that there’s rarely one solution to complex problems. Instead, you have many options, and you need to be creative to see how each will work.
Communication: Whether you are part of a large engineering team or a contractor working alone, you must communicate with stakeholders and other members during your projects. Keep your mind open to the ideas of clients and designers. Be bold and speak up when you encounter roadblocks. Open communication is vital to better products and a better developer.
Opportunities for Growth
An experienced developer can lead a team and may even be promoted to the technical director or CTO. This means a higher salary, more challenges, greater responsibility, and less time programming on the front lines.
Senior developers still program, but they are more able to take on the most difficult tasks and have greater autonomy. They are the leaders of team meetings and the experts available to answer questions from new team members.
You can expect a new level of responsibility if you reach Technical Director. The technical directors direct the department’s direction, which can mean tough decisions about budget, staff, and tools. If you made it this far, you’ve probably already demonstrated your programming skills. You now need to be able to lead, delegate and manage projects.
You may be looking for a leadership position. Your programming skills could lead to Chief Technology Office. The CTO role will not require you to program. You will spend time creating policies, procedures, goals, and other tasks for the development teams. You will be responsible for significant investments, new features, and other company-related matters.
Web Developers: Job Outlook
Programmers are in high demand around the world. The market for web developers is expected to rise 13% between 2028 and 2028. This will surpass average job growth.
Both small businesses and large corporations are open to investing in online tools that make their business more efficient and user-friendly. This is particularly true in retail, where more companies focus on e-commerce. With a click of a button is much cheaper than a full-staffed store.
Web development isn’t going away. It is impossible to replace a skilled programmer who can envision the ideal solution and bring it into reality. Developers’ problem-solving, creativity, and prediction abilities cannot be automated. You’ll be able to secure a stable career, even in a changing market. You’ll also have more options if you speak multiple languages.
There will always be an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve your skills. Get set your goals high and prepare for a long career in code.