What Does Web Coding Entail?
If you’ve gone down even the shallowest Google rabbit hole when it comes to tech jobs, you’ll likely have seen the title “web developer.” And if you’re a beginner looking into programming as a career path, you may be wondering what that actually entails.
Web coding is the process of creating websites and online applications that can be accessed through web browsers. It involves writing code in a variety of languages, including HTML, CSS and JavaScript. It’s also important to understand the difference between front-end and back-end development.
Aside from knowing how to use a coding language or two, web developers must have excellent attention to detail. This is because a single misplaced character can bring an entire website down. A strong understanding of how to debug a website is also crucial.
There are several training programs that can help you get started in web coding. One of the most popular is Treehouse, which has a focus on web development and is recommended by many of the industry’s top coders. The program includes video courses, hands-on exercises and live projects to give you the skills to build your own website.
Another option is to learn on your own, which can be done by tweaking a website template and inspecting the source code of other websites. A lot of beginners do this to get an idea of the basics of coding. It’s important to note, however, that learning to code on your own isn’t as fast or easy as taking a structured course from a qualified instructor.
Web coding requires knowledge of a number of tools to make the coding experience more productive. Integrated development environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio Code, Atom and Sublime Text help with code editing by providing features such as syntax highlighting and autocompletion. Version control systems like Git enable developers to track changes and roll back to previous versions of a file when necessary. Collaboration tools are also a necessity for web development, with communication platforms like Slack and project management tools such as Jira enabling team members to collaborate seamlessly.
Finally, it’s essential for web developers to know how to use the latest security measures to protect against cyber threats and ensure that user data remains secure. This can be achieved through encryption, secure coding practices and regularly conducting security audits. It’s also important to stay up-to-date on the latest security vulnerabilities and patches, and to be aware of common security risks such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. This knowledge can be gained through self-study, training programs or by attending professional conferences and workshops.