what skills are required of a web developer

[azdrian21]

hey could anyone briefly identify what skills are required of a web developer please. 

[spiderwell]

french, well maybe lol

 

i assume you would be going down the php route or you would not be here, so thats a good one for a start.

tie it in with mysql, html and css, you can do a lot with those, you would also benefit with javascript, xml and probably some others I have missed.

 

 

[KevinM1]

hey could anyone briefly identify what skills are required of a web developer please. 

 

This is something of a loaded question, as developers often start wearing many different hats but tend to specialize as they continue and are hired for certain roles, or when they become freelancers who can hire others to do the tasks in the areas they're not quite as strong in.

 

Generally speaking, the list which will cover your bases is:

 

1. HTML and CSS.  These are the technologies which bring sites to the screen.  You don't need to necessarily need to be a design guru, but you should know how to display things.  Otherwise, what's the point?

 

2. Server side language and database.  These technologies make websites dynamic.  Since you're coming here, to PHP Freaks, the defaults would be PHP and MySQL.

 

3. JavaScript.  JS is exploding in popularity and use right now, and will only become more necessary as HTML 5 is adopted.  If you want to be a professional developer, you'll need to learn JavaScript.

 

With those three main categories, there are a bunch of complimentary skills you should work toward:

 

Understanding how the web, itself, works.  The difference between server side and client side langauges, the difference between GET and POST, how HTTP requests work, how HTTP header redirects work, what HTTP status codes actually mean, etc.

 

Understanding web design.  Layout, typography, navigation, image/graphic manipulation and creation, useability, accessibility.

 

Programming methodologies and best practices.  Object-oriented programming, Separation of Concerns, DRY, the MVC pattern, tiered/layered applications, etc.

 

JavaScript techniques.  Unobtrusive JavaScript, Ajax, jQuery and/or other frameworks.

 

It may seem like a lot to learn, but since these technologies all interact with one another the overall picture isn't hard to grasp with some experience.

[azdrian21]

thanks alot guys. things pretty much cleared up now in my mind.

[atrum]

hey could anyone briefly identify what skills are required of a web developer please. 

 

This is something of a loaded question, as developers often start wearing many different hats but tend to specialize as they continue and are hired for certain roles, or when they become freelancers who can hire others to do the tasks in the areas they're not quite as strong in.

 

Generally speaking, the list which will cover your bases is:

 

1. HTML and CSS.  These are the technologies which bring sites to the screen.  You don't need to necessarily need to be a design guru, but you should know how to display things.  Otherwise, what's the point?

 

2. Server side language and database.  These technologies make websites dynamic.  Since you're coming here, to PHP Freaks, the defaults would be PHP and MySQL.

 

3. JavaScript.  JS is exploding in popularity and use right now, and will only become more necessary as HTML 5 is adopted.  If you want to be a professional developer, you'll need to learn JavaScript.

 

With those three main categories, there are a bunch of complimentary skills you should work toward:

 

Understanding how the web, itself, works.  The difference between server side and client side langauges, the difference between GET and POST, how HTTP requests work, how HTTP header redirects work, what HTTP status codes actually mean, etc.

 

Understanding web design.  Layout, typography, navigation, image/graphic manipulation and creation, useability, accessibility.

 

Programming methodologies and best practices.  Object-oriented programming, Separation of Concerns, DRY, the MVC pattern, tiered/layered applications, etc.

 

JavaScript techniques.  Unobtrusive JavaScript, Ajax, jQuery and/or other frameworks.

 

It may seem like a lot to learn, but since these technologies all interact with one another the overall picture isn't hard to grasp with some experience.

 

 

That is good information to have. I am kinda surprised now that I read over and compare to my own skill sets. I have learned a lot in the few short years I have been programing