In less than 70 years, websites, apps, and software developed from tools used by experts only into well-integrated commodities used by just about everyone. A mainstay of our technological world, these digital interfaces now serve as gathering places where billions of people come to shop, find entertainment, meet friends, and harvest new information. As an integral aspect of nearly every part of life, web products and software play a vital role in influencing trends and regulating economies. As a result, the field responsible for creating these digital platforms (web development) has become one of the fastest-growing industries in America and the broader world.
Web Developers are experts in just about everything required to build a website or app, from coding to formatting and layout organization. Though it’s often assumed that this field only tackles websites, web development is a catch-all term for many different development specialties and skills. To create high-performance digital interfaces, developers need a diverse skill set that includes both coding and familiarity with development software like WordPress.
Although just one person can build a web product, it’s more common that websites and apps are created by a multi-talented team of developers. Different Web Developers may choose to focus on different aspects of the development process, from perfecting the front-end facade that users see and interact with to maintaining the hidden architectural framework known as the back-end. In addition to teaming up with other developers, Web Developers may share projects with Web Designers, User Experience (UX) Designers, and User Interface (UI) Designers.
Is It Worth It to Learn Web Development?
Investing in a web development education is a valuable venture that offers a wealth of personal and professional benefits. In this age of meteoric technological change, knowing web development is practically a straight shot to lasting job security in a high-paying field. These jobs often come with major perks such as the option to work remotely and set your own schedule.
However, because this skill is in such high demand, even the slightest familiarity with web development can add to your professional success. If you don’t plan to pursue a full-blown web development career, web development proficiency gives you more tools to market yourself in your chosen career path. With the ability to create your own portfolio website or generate traffic to your small business, sharing your gifts with clients and employers becomes a piece of cake.
Web development doesn’t have to be only about your professional pursuits, however. Rather, you can use these tools to shine a spotlight on whatever you want, whether it’s your latest passion project, a hobby, or a topic you’re invested in. Moreover, web development is an important way to present your social campaigns, with an adaptable toolset that works just as well for local fundraisers as it does for major political campaigns.
If you thought that was all, wait until you discover web development’s potential for building communities. Want a place to gather with friends or connect with like-minded strangers on the internet? You can build a website or app for that. Need a platform that’s designed for the needs of a unique group? You can customize the specifications of your platform however you like.
What Can You Do with Web Development Training?
As easy as it is to imagine that web development is only about building websites, this ever-expanding skill set has many other applications that make it a highly versatile art. Using web development tools, brilliant coders have created apps, games, and complex software. Web development tools are also useful for adding pizzazz to professional emails such as newsletters and marketing emails.
These skills are in high demand across many industries, making web development a great place to start building a new career. In addition to forming the foundation of development careers, web development skills are so widely useful that when added to a resume, they can help you move up in your career no matter what industry you’re working in. Whether you include them on your resume or not, knowing web development gives you more tools to enhance your online presence. Being able to build your own portfolio website, create an ecommerce app for your small business, or keep customers coming back with visually appealing marketing emails can make positive waves in your career.
What Will I Learn in a Web Development Class?
Just like the industry, web development classes are incredibly diverse, meaning that what you learn in a class often depends largely on the focus of the class. While a front-end development bootcamp will cover a comprehensive set of skills appropriate for a career in front-end development, a Python course may only teach you how to code in Python. Among the most common class subjects are broad topics such as website development, web app development, mobile development, and software engineering.
Web Development Stacks
Many courses approach training using industry-standard skill sets, popularly known as “stacks.” These include front-end development, back-end development, and full-stack development, which combines the skills of front and back-end development into one comprehensive tool set. Each stack has strengths that can be applied to a variety of different development projects.
Website Development
Whether for business or personal reasons, creating high-caliber websites is one of the most popular ways to use web development tools. A beginner with limited skills can create a basic website using just one tool (such as Python), but achieving the best results typically depends on multiple technologies. Courses focusing on website development popularly provide front-end or full-stack development training. Vital skills include coding languages such as JavaScript, CSS, and HTML as well as specialized software like GitHub and WordPress. The best website development classes also cover helpful soft skills such as communication, organization, and teamwork.
Web App Development
In addition to generating mobile apps, web development tools can be used to create web applications such as Facebook, Google Docs, Uber, and eBay. Unlike websites, which are designed as relatively static platforms, these applications respond dynamically to user-generated data. Most commonly, you’ll create these applications with coding tools such as Python, Ruby, JavaScript, Java, Kotlin, PHP, and Swift. However, you’ll also learn how to plan and test apps using UI/UX design concepts such as user research and information architecture.
Mobile Development
Mobile apps share much in common with web apps but also incorporate additional security measures and scaling capabilities to ensure safe functionality on many different devices. In addition to mastering a handful of coding languages (namely HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, Kotlin, Java, Swift, Dart, C++, and C#), Mobile Developers need to be familiar with multiple operating systems. Most mobile development bootcamps only provide training for IOS-compatible apps, but with 70% of smartphones using Android, it’s becoming more important to develop broader software literacy. In a similar vein, many mobile apps are now being designed to scale for use on computer desktops alongside handheld devices.
Software Development
Creating complex software such as an operating system or antivirus software necessitates a more advanced skill set than other types of web development and prioritizes scientific strategies over agile methodologies. Known as software engineering, this specialty requires familiarity with numerous full-stack development coding languages including JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Python, Java, Ruby, and PHP, along with the capacity to acquire new coding skills spontaneously. While learning software engineering, you’ll also master math, algorithm coding, database administration, debugging, cloud computing, source control management (SCM), and object-oriented design (OOD). In addition, you’ll want to be comfortable using tools like Flexbox, Grid, Bootstrap, Linux, Atom, and Agile.
Where software engineering is concerned, it also pays to develop soft skills like adaptability, detail orientation, and problem-solving. Attending a computer science or software engineering bootcamp is the best way to develop these skills quickly.
HTML Email Development
It only takes basic web development skills to begin creating dynamic emails that utilize layouts and graphics to add visual appeal to content. Beginner-level coding languages such as HTML and CSS make it possible to format emails so that email-embedded images are never too big or too large, with scalability for every screen size. Additional skills that contribute to high-quality HTML emails include communication, visual composition, and content marketing.
How Hard is It to Learn Web Development?
If learning web development intimidates you, know that it’s considered one of the most beginner-friendly coding niches to break into. You don’t need any coding knowledge to get started, but if you’re lucky enough to have a bit of experience under your belt, think of this as an opportunity to build on your existing skills.
The important thing to remember is that while it doesn’t take long to become acquainted with basic web development, it can be harder to become a genuine expert. To fully master web development skills, you’ll not only need a nuanced understanding of coding languages, agile methodologies, and current techniques; you’ll also need plenty of real-world experience that enables you to develop relevant soft skills and understand how and when to apply each skill for best results.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning Web Development?
While web development is incredibly beginner-friendly, the amount of information you need to absorb while learning can also lead to overwhelm and confusion. This difficulty is often compounded when you attempt to learn without the guidance of an instructor. Because internet sources frequently muddle web development with web design, it’s surprisingly easy to end up learning the wrong skills. Fortunately, however, you can avoid this problem by taking a web development course where you’ll receive time-tested instruction and opportunities to get help when needed. In addition to ensuring you learn the most up-to-date information, instructors can encourage you, making it easy to get past any initial overwhelm.
In general, learning to code is the most trying aspect of web development, and can be made more difficult if you skip learning beginner building blocks. For instance, learning JavaScript is easier if you learn simpler coding languages such as CSS and HTML, first.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Web Development?
The length of time each person devotes to learning web development is unique and depends largely on their goals. Learning the basics to begin writing HTML code or experimenting with WordPress may only take a few days, but gaining career-level expertise often takes several months of thorough study.
Other circumstances that can impact how long you’ll need to commit to learning web development may include:
- Whether you’re starting out with no development experience or building on past experience.
- Whether you have an instructor to turn to when you encounter difficulties.
- The pace of your training course.
- Financial circumstances that restrict how frequently you can take classes or certification exams.
- Prerequisites you need to work through to qualify for classes.
- Work, family, and other commitments outside of class.
- Disabilities that delay you fast you can learn or require you to skip classes.
- Poor self-confidence and mental illness.
Should I Learn Web Development in Person or Online?
With so many ways to learn web development, having a great learning experience often depends on whether you take the time to identify which class style is best suited to your needs. Although online and in-person classes can offer an equally positive experience, each has strengths that can optimize learning for different people.
In-person web development courses offer a socially engaging experience built on reciprocity and feedback. Having full access to your instructor makes it easier to ask questions, and professional experience is often integrated into the curriculum. However, because these classes take place at a physical location, you’ll need to schedule additional time for traveling to and from class.
Virtual web development training comes in two varieties that offer significantly different experiences. On-demand (asynchronous) courses are the most flexible option as they require few scheduled commitments. These courses work by supplying you with self-study materials and don’t include much instructor support or experience-building opportunities.
Alternatively, live online courses offer experience-based training that mimics an in-person class without entailing a commute. Interactive platforms such as Zoom and Google Meets enable you to interface with instructors and peers in real-time, making it possible to work on team assignments and participate in live discussions. Now the most popular way to learn web development, live online classes are remarkably effective at providing skills training and professional experience.
Can I Learn Web Development Free Online?
The internet certainly has plenty of web development resources, including coding instruction by Khan Academy and high-quality video training from Noble Desktop’s YouTube channel.
However, it’s important to be aware of their limitations before diving in. While self-studying, it’s easy to mix web development with the related field of web design, leading to frustration in the long run. Additionally, learning web development from free online resources won’t provide the real-world experience or comprehensive knowledge you’d need to obtain a job in the industry. Despite the economic appeal of free learning tools, taking an expert-led class is ultimately the fastest and least frustrating way to master web development. In a class, an instructor can help you problem-solve challenging skills, earn experience, and develop a professional skill set.
What Should I Learn Alongside Web Development?
Web development is a marketable and versatile skill just by itself, but it becomes even more useful when combined with complementary skills. Depending on how you plan to use web development in your personal and professional life, the skills that best complement it may vary. For instance, if your goal is to create digital products that are optimized for accessibility, you might enjoy exploring UX design, but if you want to create visually appealing websites, web design might be more appropriate.
To give you some ideas to get started, skills that mesh well with web development include:
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Web design doesn’t involve as much coding as web development and mostly tackles the visual design portion of website building. To determine features such as layout, color palette, and images, web design utilizes skills such as UX/UI design, WordPress, and basic coding (CSS, HTML, and JavaScript).
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UX design focuses on creating a positive experience for users of digital products. Making sure that websites and apps are both engaging and user-friendly, UX design relies on skills like information architecture, user research, and Figma prototyping.
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UI design also deals in digital products and focuses mainly on ensuring that interactive features function properly. These features can include animations, search fields, links, buttons, icons, menus, tabs, scroll bars, and sliders. Among the top UI design skills are Figma prototyping, user research, and visual design knowledge.
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Graphic design adds visual flare that can’t simply be coded into websites, apps, and software. Essential skills for graphic design skills include Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and a working knowledge of design principles.
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Digital marketing is an important way to bring traffic to websites and apps and is a staple in web content. Web products can benefit from marketing skills like content marketing (including email marketing and social media marketing), digital analytics, and SEO/SEM.
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SEO is the most important tool available for drawing traffic toward websites and apps. By optimizing digital products for search engines, SEO makes it easier for users to find your platform. Popular SEO techniques include publishing high-value content, conducting keyword research, and link-building.
Industries That Use Web Development
These days, clients and customers connect with businesses largely through digital interfaces, leaving web development in high demand. More each day, people turn to websites, web apps, and mobile apps for entertainment, shopping options, and local business recommendations. As a result, web development is now crucial to many of Washington DC's most important industries, including finance, education, tourism, transportation, and healthcare.
Retail and Commerce
Washington DC is one of the leading retail markets in America and an international shopping destination with numerous shopping neighborhoods offering anything you could want. Historic Georgetown School of Continuing Education is full of eclectic boutiques, while the Shaw offers on-trend items, Book Hill is the place to antique, and downtown DC supplies plenty of apparel shops and supermarkets. Both ecommerce businesses and in-person retailers like DC’s Apple flagship store depend on websites and apps to facilitate traffic to their stores, keep customers shopping, and provide customer service.
Finance
Among the top 10 international finance hubs in the world, Washington DC supports more than,000 internationally-owned businesses and 180 embassies. When measured by employment, finance is the second largest industry with 45,000 residents working for local finance companies. While in-person services still play an important role in the finance industry, apps and websites enable financial clients to safely conduct transactions, save money, get information about their credit, and more.
Tourism
Every year, millions of travelers come from around the globe to visit DC for leisure and business, resulting in a booming tourism industry. It takes roughly 80,000 workers to keep hundreds of hotels running, and almost 30,000 to maintain public transportation systems. That’s not even accounting for workers employed at DC’s 2,000+ dining establishments, 70+ museums, and 40+ performance art venues. Travel apps and data analytics are vital cogs in DC’s tourism infrastructure, enabling travelers to book accommodations, find activities to enjoy, and get where they need to go.
Education and Healthcare
Both healthcare and education rely on finely-tuned apps and websites to provide information, safely process records, and transmit digital data. In Washington DC, where 50% of locals have a college degree and one in every six is a current student, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that there are a total of 11 higher education institutions in the city. In addition to providing education, schools like Gallaudet University, George Washington University, and the University of the District of Columbia are a significant source of employment, with nearly 94,000 workers in tow. Thanks to a high concentration of academic institutions offering medical services, the local healthcare industry is deeply interconnected to education.
Web Development Job Titles and Salaries
When you learn web development, your job options improve significantly, particularly in Washington DC, where over 24,000 businesses rely on developers. This high demand makes it significantly easier to make a living in DC, where the cost of living is 39% greater than that of other US cities. Despite over 13% of the city’s population struggling with poverty in 2022, local developers typically earn at least $20,000 more than the average local salary. Additionally, consistent demand across all DC industries means that developers can choose from a wide selection of specialties, making it easier to find fulfilling work in a niche that you’re passionate about.
Web Developer
Web Developers are responsible for coding websites, webpages, and web applications. Depending on their unique interests, they may specialize in several areas, namely front-end, back-end, or full-stack development. While most DC residents earn around $79,000 each year, Web Developers bank between $99,000 and $126,000, putting them among the top-paid professionals in the city.
Local Front-End Developers build the visible components of a web product for an average salary of $95,000 to $151,000. For an even higher sum of $121,000 to $179,000, Back-end Developers take responsibility for creating the logical scaffolding and databases that keep websites running backstage. Meanwhile, DC-based Full Stack Developers earn between $109,000 and $155,000 for providing both back-end and front-end development services.
Mobile Developer
Mobile Developers create digital applications and games that are compatible with mobile device operating systems (such as IOS and Android). In the DC area, most Mobile Developers earn between $113,000 and $145,000 annually.
Software Engineer
As the job title suggests, Software Engineers produce software that’s more complex than the average web or mobile application and generally earn between $104,000 and $162,000 per year in DC. If they so desire, Software Engineers can further specialize in application engineering (emphasizing complex applications) or systems engineering (emphasizing operating systems).
Python Developer
Rather than being defined by the type of product they produce, Python Developers work on a variety of different projects that call for Python coding. For instance, a Python coder may focus on data science, data analysis, developing the server-side of web products, or generating automation scripts. DC-based Python Developers typically raise an income of $123,000 to $159,000 per year.
In addition to Python, developers can also choose to specialize in other unique coding languages. Other popular language-specific web development jobs include JavaScript Developer and Java Developer.
Web Development Classes Near Me
While there aren’t many in-person web development classes in Washington DC, the city is as good a place as ever to learn this skill. There is a huge variety of online learning options touching all subjects under the web development umbrella. In addition to getting ready for a career with bootcamps and certificates that cover a comprehensive skill set, you’ll find plenty of one-subject classes on topics like JavaScript, CSS, Python, and WordPress. You can also customize your training to fit your skill level thanks to the bounty of beginner to advanced classes available.
If you’re open to flexible online study, Noble Desktop’s interactive Full Stack Web Development Certificate is a comprehensive way to prepare for a career. This live online course offers one-on-one mentorship to ensure your training is tailored to your unique needs. Hands-on team assignments will give you plenty of app development experience and help you master skills like CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and the MERN stack. As you flesh out your web development portfolio, you’ll also receive feedback and career counsel from your dedicated mentor. To give you an even better shot at reaching your professional goals, you’ll also have access to Noble Desktop’s career support team, who can help you optimize your resume, prepare for interviews, or create a career game plan.
A similar live online training program is also available through George Washington University, where anyone can participate in classes regardless of whether they’re a full-time student. The GW Coding Boot Camp utilizes real-world team assignments to teach website and app development skills. It includes full-stack development skills such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, and the MERN stack along with bonus training on computer science and data topics like Python, Java, SQL, C#, and Amazon Web Services. To verify their participation in the course, graduates receive a certificate of completion.
If you want to upscale your training to include even more web development skills, you can learn a wider range of full-stack development skills alongside data science and machine learning by earning a software engineering certificate. In Noble Desktop’s mentored Software Engineering Certificate course, you’ll receive experiential training in a diverse selection of coding tools, including object-oriented Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, SQL, and the MERN and AWS stacks. You’ll also gain practical experience working with a handful of software tools, including WordPress and GitHub. The class will walk you through the process of developing a variety of digital interfaces, including websites, web applications, and mobile applications.
Students who want to learn front-end development without wasting time on back-end tools can sign up for live online training from General Assembly. Created with accessibility and career prep in mind, the Front-end Web Development: Let's Break It Down course is beginner-friendly while maintaining a comprehensive curriculum. Before diving into more skills training, the course provides students with a helpful overview of important industry lingo. From there, students can begin building coding skills with projects focused on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. While most of these skills can be applied to app development, this course is primarily aimed at those interested in web development.
NYC Career Centers also offers a Front-end Web Development Certificate that comes with career counseling and one-on-one mentorship. In this interactive virtual course, you can learn how to build dynamic websites that scale for any screen size. As you engage with practical assignments, you’ll learn to wield HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In addition, you’ll practice working with WordPress, the CMS software used in over 40% of today’s websites. Your hands-on assignments also provide the perfect environment for gaining real-world experience and developing soft skills like teamwork and communication.
Students can also start with easy coding tools that will prepare them to learn JavaScript by joining The Knowledge Academy’s CSS Course. This course has no prerequisites and covers basic HTML and CSS, making it an easy step for hesitant beginners who want to get started coding for web development. Students in this course will learn how to apply CSS for digital styling, from formatting text on a webpage to manipulating the fonts. In addition, learners will pair HMTL for use in selecting and formatting pages. Although instruction is delivered live online, participants are welcome to make use of The Knowledge Academy’s in-person Washington DC classroom, which is fully equipped with video software, free wi-fi, and IT support services.
If you know a youth who’s interested in coding or app development, you can gift them the experience of a lifetime by signing them up for training at NextGen Bootcamp. In addition to their other web development courses for teens, NextGen offers a UX and UI Design Summer Program with a curriculum designed for youngsters. To help them prepare for careers, this course gives high school students hands-on training in Figma prototyping, user research, and other UX/UI design skills. In addition to building apps, teens can participate in a resume workshop where they’ll create their own portfolio website. The program’s summer schedule and live online format make it 100% doable for teens to complete their training without missing any school.
Students who need extra flexibility built into their training may prefer a self-study program with few deadlines or commitments. The on-demand Web Development Certificate at Washington Technical Institute explores HTML, JavaScript, and C++ interactive websites as an endgame. However, keep in mind that this course takes a front-end approach and includes fewer skills than most live courses. To help learners through difficult concepts, the course includes live sessions with a learning counselor. In addition, they’ll receive complementary access to career tools like MyPlan and Résumé Builder.
If you’re still not seeing a class that feels right for you or simply want to compare all your options before committing, you can browse additional web development courses on CourseHorse or Noble Desktop. There are a wide variety of options available through schools like Practical Programming, Certstaffix, App Academy, The Flatiron School, and Fullstack Academy.
Web Development Corporate Training
Companies wanting to invest in-house web development without hiring anyone new can benefit from employee-focused web development. Noble Desktop offers virtual and onsite corporate web development training in Washington DC that can be personalized for your team. Skills-focused courses can be held in-person or fully live online, making it possible to find the perfect training solution for businesses of all stripes. By purchasing class vouchers, employers can also empower workers to participate in training in whatever format they like. To learn more about corporate web development training or get your group discount, send a brief email to Noble Desktop.