One of the problems with talking about careers in IT (Information Technology) is not just the technical jargon that gets in the way of clarity. Those terms can be defined and standardized. The terms that continue to cause confusion are relatively simple ones, like "web developer," that have taken on the wrong meaning. Web developer, web master, web designer - aren't these just different names for the same thing? Well, no.
The first thing you should do to find out what you need to know about a career as a web developer, then, is get the right definition. A web developer is not a designer, although design sense and some software knowledge in that area both help. Neither is a web developer a hardware specialist, cabling servers together. A web developer is, simply, a software engineer that creates, develops and implements applications for the World Wide Web. These applications generally bring the content of a particular server into contact with a client or end-user, via a web browser. Making all the parts work together, as well creating and/or customizing some or all of the parts, is the challenge web developers face daily, around the world.
Education and preparation
Web developers typically have formal, college-level educations as well as important industry certifications from such standards-focused firms as Cisco, Microsoft, Novell and Oracle. They are also committed to ongoing training as they realize that the technology changes on a daily basis or faster. Coming out of college with a B.S. in Computer Science or a similar field is a common entry point for these positions. Additionally, the best web developers are expected to have training in a number of specific, state-of-the-art programming languages, an area of study that many IT professionals commence long before college.
After college there are some important career-preparatory moves to make, as well. Some companies will offer on-the-job training for new hires, but one way or another entry-level web developers need to start accumulating the industry certifications that employers want to see. The most important are from Cisco and Microsoft.
Into the workforce
Therefore, the foregoing path is the most straightforward one to becoming a web developer: Formal training and a degree followed by the major industry certifications. Newly graduated software engineers without web development experience may find positions with firms willing to use them for developing small components of more complex web applications, under the guidance of more senior employees. However, web developers who can come on board with a certification or two, and the practical experience gained in those courses, will get off to a flying start in their new careers.
Because broad expertise is so important, internships and contractor positions are an excellent way to start a web development career. The more hands-on training, of course, the better, and the reality of IT is that this training will never end. Technology continues to evolve, standards change and tools are updated on a continuous basis, so the "student mindset" is always a positive thing to maintain as a web developer.
Tools in the toolbox
The programming languages and development environments that web developers currently use are separated into the two basic territories of the IT landscape, the server side and the client side. For the server side, there are Java, C and VB.net, along with such scripting languages as Perl, VBScript and PHP. Client side work entails the use of JavaScript, HTML, XHTML, XML and CSS. Although web developers are not designers, familiarity with such high-end web building applications as Adobe Dreamweaver, the on-its-way-out Front Page and the on-its-way-in Expression Web 2 (both from Microsoft) can help a lot.
In that give-and-take zone between the servers and the users, relational database programs are used to collect and disseminate information. MySQL, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server are used in this capacity. Server-side XML is also drafted for document and data transfer in a wide range of instances. Finally, a decent level of knowledge and experience with the three major microcomputer Operating Systems (OS) ? Windows XP/Vista, Linux and Macintosh OS X ? is required, and reaching the "guru" level in all of them is a common trait of the most successful web developers.
Career paths a-plenty
Web developers have excellent, diverse and constantly growing career path possibilities. One path takes them farther along in a development role, meaning they remain very much involved in hands-on coding and tailoring web services to the specific needs of clients and their site visitors. Another option would have them move into software architecture, a role that is just as demanding but revolves less around customer actions and interfaces, and more around the R-D of high-level, complex software design.
Both of these paths can lead to project management positions, where web developers can expand their vision to encompass large, complex and enterprise-wide endeavors. Some web developers may simply want to hunker down in offices or cubicles and concentrate on coding, because that's what they love to do. Others will find a challenge in making that code work in difficult and/or highly focused ways, while still others will want to manage the people and the processes that will produce a successful, finished project. No one has a crystal ball, but as far as anyone can foresee, there will be no lack of work for web developers in the future, as the world continues to embrace the Internet with undiminished optimism.Amy Armitage is the head of Business Development for Lunarpages. Lunarpages provides quality web hosting from their US-based hosting facility. They offer a wide-range of services from linux virtual private servers and managed solutions to shared and reseller hosting plans.
