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For a modern person, using web technologies has become an integral part of life: social networks, applications, and web pages. But have you ever thought about who is responsible for these resources’ display, operation, and functioning? Who can answer which type of web applications are more suitable for angular? Or who knows how to redesign your site? It is the work of web programmers, namely frontend, backend, and full stack developers. Let’s figure out who they are, how their activities differ, and what functions they perform.
Web Programmers: Who Are They?
Web programming is a promising and highly paid activity, which includes creating and developing dynamic web pages and applications based on a specific web app tech stack for each project.
A web developer often creates web projects that use a client-server model. To communicate between these components, a specialist uses a standard set of tools:
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript – on the one hand (client side);
- Java, PHP, Python, Node.js – on the other (server side).
As a rule, the set of technologies on the client side remains unchanged, but the server components are much more diverse and variable.
Who Is a Frontend Developer?
The front end of web applications is the simplest thing a web programmer does. However, there is an impressive list of skills, knowledge, and technologies that the frontend should know:
- The structure and principles of the database operation and the corresponding query languages. First, this is SQL and its variations, as well as MongoDB.
- HTML. This is the basis on which the central part of the front rests, and therefore the developer must know it perfectly.
- Specialized software – for example, version control.
- Styles. They are also one of the essential parts of the front, so you need to know not only the bases and main CSS frameworks but also preprocessors and also delve into other style components.
- Debugging tools.
- JavaScript. The third whale on which the modern web is based. Without JavaScript, pages will be static and not interactive.
- At least the basics of servers and how the relevant technologies work (.NET, Node.js, Ruby, and of course, the good old PHP).
- Some of the most popular frameworks, for example, backbone, react.js.
A valuable bonus for a front-ender will be knowledge of raster and vector graphic editors. For example, Photoshop, analogs of Canva, and Figma.
Who Is a Backend Developer?
This specialist focuses on developing components under the hood of a website or other web application. These components are invisible, but the same site can only work with them. The backend ideally needs to know the following:
- Server technologies. A good specialist must understand precisely how the client and server interact, the features of such an architecture, and how to configure this chain for different use cases. In addition, communication with third-party web applications is often required.
- The most popular frameworks, especially Laravel and Yii, React, and Vue. The more of them in the baggage of a specialist’s knowledge, the better.
- Several languages. Python, PHP, and Java are still on the top.
- The principle of operation of the database.
- Various specialized software for developing, debugging, and testing code.
- Browser programming interfaces. They allow you to implement non-standard functionality in a web application through interaction with the browser.
Who Is a Full Stack Developer?
A full-stack web developer specialist quickly takes on the duties of front and backend developers. Such specialists are rare, so they often work on large projects, responsible for all development stages from the client side to the server logic.
What skills and knowledge should a Full stack have?
- Components of frontend development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
- Languages for backend development (for example, PHP, NodeJS, and others).
- Knowledge of frameworks (React, AngularJS).
- Database knowledge (MySQL, MongoDB, and others).
- Knowledge of Web servers (Apache, Nginx).
Web Developer Qualifications
In web development, there are 3 categories of specialists, depending on their knowledge, work experience, and degree of responsibility: junior (junior), middle (middle), and senior (senior). Let’s talk more about each level.
Junior
A junior web developer is a novice programmer with 6-12 months of experience who knows OOP at a basic level, one of the programming languages , and 1-2 frameworks. His responsibilities include writing a simple script or program, minor code improvements, fixing bugs, and adding elements to the interface.
A beginner works under the control of a more experienced web programmer, who always gives feedback at all stages.
Middle
A mid-level specialist has experience in development of 3 years. He knows the syntax of several programming languages and knows how with the Git system, libraries and frameworks, and with design patterns.
Middle understands the functions and structure of the future website, writes clean, concise code, and can solve typical tasks without outside help.
Senior
Senior is a PRO-level web developer with at least 5-7 years of experience, who is not only a technical lead, but also knows several programming languages, can implement the project architecture from scratch, and choose a technology stack following those. Task independently solves problems of any complexity and takes responsibility for the final result and other developers.
Conclusion
Creating websites and applications is a highly demanded activity that will be preserved in demand for an extended period due to the growth and influence of the Internet environment in our lives.
There are many courses on web development for people who want to become skilled specialists in the world of web development and take their lives to a new level. It is challenging to learn how to create websites of any complexity and become a qualified specialist under the strict guidance of experienced web programmers.
