How to Become a Web Developer

If you want to create a consistent income source and aren't afraid to explore a few easy to understand programming languages, web development can be the perfect job for you. It may not be a foolproof way to get rich quickly, but it can be used to build a sustainable, growing business for many people. More than this, you won't need a degree in computer science to achieve this goal; there are lots of free tutorials on the Internet.

In a nutshell, web developers create, edit, and maintain other people's websites and Internet-related projects. The developer will begin his or her work by creating a website mock-up. Then, the client will suggest changes, which will be incorporated in the first prototype. As soon as that prototype is okayed, the developer will start to convert it into a fully functional site.

There are three types of web coders: front-end developers, back-end developers, and full-stack developers. A front-end developer programs the visible aspects of the website: its structure, menus, pages, etc. - in a nutshell, what the end users see when they load the website using their Internet browsers. Back-end developers program the server-side sections of the web applications, creating databases and the source code that connects to them, edits their data, and so on. Finally, full-stack developers can tackle both jobs, being able to create complex web projects from start to finish.

If this sounds too much for you, don't worry; most web developers only take care of front-end projects (mostly website design), and they manage to earn a good living. Not only that, but many people are able to work remotely from the comfort of their own homes, or from any other place in the world.

Here's another incentive: as you learn the craft, you may be able to come up with a great project idea, implement it in your spare time, and then sell it for a lot of cash, retiring in your 30s ;). Alternatively, if you are a skilled web developer, you are guaranteed to find a well-paid job that will help you live the good life.

To embark on your web development journey, you will need to learn HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Visit https://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp to get started; the site includes over 200 examples, as well as an interactive HTML editor, which allows you to test the code in the browser and see how it will look in real life. W3 Schools will help you learn about HTML editors, elements, attributes, headings, paragraphs, styles, formatting, quotations, colors, links, images, tables, lists and so much more! I know that all these programming features may sound intimidating at first, but trust me: they are really easy to understand, learn and use.

Once that you've mastered HTML, it's time to tackle CSS, which can be learned from the same site, using this link: https://www.w3schools.com/css/. And yes, W3 Schools is an excellent source for JavaScript tutorials as well; check out https://www.w3schools.com/js/DEFAULT.asp for more information. One thing to note, though, is that JavaScript coding is a bit more complex, but much more powerful in comparison with HTML and CSS. Lots of companies hire JavaScript coders, paying them great salaries. And if you master JavaScript, you will be able to learn other programming languages easily, becoming a sought-after/well-paid coder.

Let us assume that you went through all the training, and you are comfortable with HTML, CSS and JavaScript - what's next? You will need to find your first client, of course! So, start building something to create a decent-looking portfolio, or get hired as a freelancer on Upwork by working for a low hourly rate. You need to do that because companies don't want to work with inexperienced web developers, unless they're getting something out of it. Then, after you have successfully completed a few projects and you have gotten a few great reviews, you can increase the prices.

As you can see, starting a career in web development is not an effortless task, but the effort is well worth it. I am familiar with web coding, so drop me a message if you run into trouble, and I will try to help. Good luck!