What Are the Top Skills a Web Developer Needs?
Nowadays, every business needs to have their own website. There are lots of reasons why, but primarily it is down to the fact that more people are spending more time on the internet, and it is one of the main ways that people discover new brands, products and services. A great example is how lots of businesses look for IT support services in London via search engines.The quickest way to find brands is usually through search engines, and if a brand doesn’t have a good website, people will be less inclined to trust it.
This is exactly why web developers are in such high demand. So, if you are interested in web development, continue reading to learn more.
What do web developers do?
Web developers are specifically concerned with how a website functions and operates. They work closely with web designers (who are focused on the visual design of a site), and they make sure that a website works properly on all the main web browsers and platforms (both mobile and computer).
Website functionality is very important – because if a site is hard to navigate or operate, it won’t instil trust with the customer. For instance, thetop companies providingIT support services London businesses partner with will all have high-quality websites with good functionality.
What are the essential skills?
To become a web developer and create high quality work, there are certain skills that are important to have. Below are 5 essential skills for web developers:
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HTML/CSS
One of the most fundamental skills that a web developer needs to have is a working knowledge of the HTML markup language, and CSS. Together these languages are used to create webpages and styles them with various fonts, colours and layouts.
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JavaScript
Once the foundations of a webpage have been laid with HTML and CSS, a web developercan start adding more complex visual elements – including video, graphics, etc. –using JavaScript. This is a very common language used for a lot of websites.
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Data Analysis
The ability to analyse data create by a webpage is very important. There are lots of online tools that make data analysis easier, but you do need to know how to use them.
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Search engine optimisation
As a website gets indexed on search engines, and discovered on there by users, it is important for a website to be optimized for search engines. SEO will help a website get discovered by users, but targeting specific keywords that are being entered into a search engine. SEO also encompasses other practices, such as formatting a webpage to appeal to the search engine’s algorithm.
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Graphic Design
While web development is primarily concerned with the functionality of websites, and the visual design of a website is the responsibility of the web designer. However, it is very useful to have a working knowledge of graphic design and web design. As a web developer, you will be working closely with designers, so understanding the field will help with collaboration.
Soft skills
As well as having some good technical skills, there are also some valuable soft skills that one should consider developing, if they are aiming for a career as a web developer.
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Numeracy Skills
Having a mathematical brain will be very useful for web developers. You don’t need to be a full-blown mathematician to be good as web development, but it will definitely lend itself to the core skillset.
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Communication Skills
Web developers have to work with lots of different people – from clients to colleagues; web designers, marketing managers, etc. Therefore, being able to communicate clearly and concisely is important.
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Problem-solving Skills
A website will often experience a range of technical difficulties, and so a web developer needs to have creative problem-solving skills.
