The way we build software has changed drastically in the last few years. Frontend frameworks like Angular or React have revolutionized the way we think about UI and UX, while new tools such as Node.js provide a solid foundation for backend development. With all these changes, there’s no better time to become a web developer in 2016! We know you are smart and brave enough to take up this challenge, but figuring out where to start can be tricky. There are so many different options: Java? PHP? .NET? Python? What do they all mean? Which one should you learn first? Do you need to know HTML and CSS first? How about APIs, SDKs, and other weird acronyms? Let us explain it all in less than 140 characters…
What is Web Development?
Web Development is the process of designing, building, and maintaining websites and applications that run on the web. It encompasses many different skills, including design, programming language, server configuration, database management, and user experience design. It is a very broad term that applies to anyone who is involved in designing, building, or managing websites. There are many different types of web development, including web design, server-side programming, databases, and client-side programming (e.g. building apps with JavaScript).
HTML: Know It Like The Back of Your Hand
HTML is the foundational language of the internet. It is the language that describes the look and feel of every website. While every language has its own way of doing things, HTML is the only language that exists in every programming language and on every website. Learning HTML is the first step towards learning web development. You only need to know some of the fancy design techniques or complicated programming languages before you learn HTML. You can start by writing basic HTML with the structure of a webpage and add more content to it as you learn more. If you are completely new to coding, you need to know HTML first. Everything else is dependent on it. Once you know HTML, you can start learning CSS and then JavaScript.
CSS: The Beauty of Clean Code
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the language used to describe the visual aspects of a website. It is the part of the web development process where you can be as creative as you want and show off your design skills. Good UI design is essential for any application. The user experience is what will keep your customers coming back for more. CSS is what makes that happen. It allows you to create a consistent design for your website and app by creating a style guide. Not only is CSS essential for creating a user-friendly UI, but it is also a necessary part of modern website development. These days, the look and feel of the application are often separated from its functionality. The visual design is kept in CSS while the functionality is kept in a programming language such as JavaScript.
JavaScript: The Heart of Modern Website Development
JavaScript is the programming language that makes modern website development possible. It is a programming language that runs in the browser and uses nodes inside the browser to perform operations. JavaScript is used to create interactive websites or build complex web applications. It is the programming language behind almost all the apps on the web. It’s even being used to power backend development and create serverless applications with frameworks like Serverless. JavaScript is what makes web development a truly different and exciting field. It has changed the way we think about creating software and given rise to the amazing phenomenon known as frontend development. Because of JavaScript, web developers have more control than ever over the user experience. We can create UI interactions that have never been possible before. For example, we can create complex layouts with CSS Grid or create a live chat feature with JavaScript.
Node.js and Backend Development
JavaScript is a frontend language, which means it is used to create frontend elements like the UI and website functionality. Backend development, on the other hand, is done on the server by using a server-side language such as PHP or Node.js. A backend developer uses a server-side language to create APIs, data manipulation, and other functionality that cannot be done with a frontend language such as JavaScript. The backend is what allows the application to communicate with the database and talk back to the server where it is hosted. Node.js is a runtime environment that allows you to run JavaScript code directly on the server. It allows you to create a full-stack JavaScript application by combining backend development with front-end development. That means you don’t have to work with two different languages and you can do everything in one language.
Build Responsive Apps with React and React Native
React is a front-end UI framework created by Facebook and used widely these days. It allows you to create complex and dynamic user interfaces. It uses a component-based approach that allows you to create reusable and modular code. Creating a single component first, and then using that component multiple times across your application allows you to create less code and design fewer pages. React is a great framework for creating responsive apps. It uses a declarative programming language that allows you to create complex user interfaces easily. Once you have created a component, it stays the same across platforms. You can use the same component on the web, Android, or iOS.
Confused About Which Framework to learn?
If you have read the above section on front-end frameworks, your head might be spinning a little bit. Every framework sounds better than the last and you are not sure which one to choose. Let us clear the haze for you. The technologies that are mentioned above are current and are the ones that most people would use for web development in the current year. Here is a quick summary of how each of these frameworks works, what their advantages are, and which industries they are used in.
Develop Apps Using Node.JS and JavaScript
If you are looking to build a single-page application that has a static design, with no need to create a website, then this is the framework you want to use. It is a perfect option if you are creating some back-end application like a CRM or an internal system. If you are building a full website with a mobile app, then it is best to go with a framework that provides a seamless experience on both platforms. React, Angular, and Vue are some of the popular frameworks that allow you to build websites and apps for all platforms. If you want to create an API, then you need to choose a framework that is good for creating APIs. Node.js is a good choice as it allows you to write server-side code. Ruby on Rails and Django are other popular options.
Conclusion
Web development has come a long way over the last decade. We have seen numerous new languages and frameworks come and go. This has made it difficult for new developers to navigate the space, especially with so many different acronyms being used. With this article, we hope to demystify some of the confusion around this ever-changing industry. We have provided a general overview of each major development concept, as well as highlighted how they relate to one another. Armed with this new knowledge, you should be better prepared to make an informed decision about which path to take when pursuing a career in web development!
