A web developer’s job is to create websites. While their primary role is to ensure the website is visually appealing and easy to navigate, many web developers are also responsible for the website’s performance and capacity.?
Web developers usually fall under one of three categories: back-end developers, front-end developers, and full-stack developers. Some web developers also work as webmasters. Let’s take a closer look at each of these roles.
- Back-end web developers create the website’s structure, write code, and verify the code works. Their responsibilities also may include managing access points for others who need to manage a website’s content.
- Front-end web developers work on the visual part of the website—the pages visitors see and interact with (also known as the user interface). They design the physical layout of each page, integrate graphics, and use HTML and JavaScript to enhance the site.
- Full-stack developers do the work of both back-end and front-end developers. These developers have the knowledge to build a complete website and may work for organizations that don’t have the budget for a large website team.
- Webmasters are essentially website managers. Their primary responsibility is to keep the website updated, ensuring that the links and applications on each page work properly.
As a web developer, you could work for a company or agency, or as a freelancer taking on projects for individual clients. Your tasks will vary depending on your work situation, but day-to-day responsibilities might generally include:
- Designing user interfaces and navigation menus
- Writing and reviewing code for sites, typically HTML, XML, or JavaScript
- Integrating multimedia content onto a site
- Testing web applications
- Troubleshooting problems with performance or user experience
- Collaborating with designers, developers, and stakeholders
