What Is Web Development?

Some people believe that web development is a bunch of nerds tapping away at a keyboard and using characters that make absolutely no sense at all. However, that picture you’ve imagined doesn’t quite share the truth. Don’t get me wrong, oftentimes it is a nerd in front of the screen but we aren’t tapping away at the keyboard, and there aren’t any uncommon characters being used. In fact, it’s usually a slow, tedious process that involves a lot of problem-solving, finicky setting changes, adjustments, various implementations, and moving around a lot of parts. Pretty vague description, right?

Web Development: What Is It?

Web development is often a term used to describe the developmental process of a website on the Internet. It refers to developing a website, rather than the main design of building a website. The term can typically be used as a reference to the many structural parts of a website, its layout, content, imagery, and even functionality. From the way you navigate a site to the way you sent away to a third party to make a payment, then teleported right back. There are many ins and outs that make up these homes on the Internet, and without the development of it all, it would never be possible.

Web development can be compartmentalized into two categories, Frontend Development, and Backend Development. Allow us the time to explain the two:

• Frontend Development: Often referred to as the “client-side” of a website, frontend development is ultimately the part of the website where the user interacts with. It is the front end of the site and is the part that the user will see.
• Backend Development: Often referred to as the “server-side” of a website, backend development is the part of the website that the user doesn’t see and doesn’t interact with. The backend of the website is software that is used to make things tick, store, and arrange various data.

What Do Web Developers Do?

Web developers are responsible for developing and maintaining websites. Web developers are responsible for creating and using products that meet both the consumer’s needs and their needs. Full-stack developers specialize both in the front end and back end. The majority of web development also revolves around identifying and fixing bugs in hopes of continuously optimizing/improving the system. Different developers can work with different languages depending on their specific occupation and expertise.

The Difference Between Web Development and Web Design

Web design is a term used to describe professionals who work on the design aspect of a website. However, with Content Management Systems (CMS) readily available, true web design (coding and markup) is rarely used by most professionals today. A web designer today can simply be someone who adjusts a theme, utilizes modules, or installs a plugin to help create a layout or look. While the process may be more complex than what we lead on, the point is, using a CMS has made web design much easier for professionals.

Web development, on the other hand, is a term used to describe professionals who work throughout the developmental stages of a website—everything beyond web design. While CMS has made the task easier, web development is still very tedious and requires many hours of work. It can range anywhere from creating pages to content development to the maintenance of a website. There is a lot that goes into it, even if it’s refacing a theme, content development, and adjusting various aspects to make something your own.

What Is A CMS?

A content management system for web content and website software is a web application and software program used for managing and creating web content. Using a CMS also makes the process easier. A CMS is used most commonly for e-commerce and blogging but they are useful for all types of websites, including portfolios, branding, and more. Where developers, or even designers, were once forced to write code to display an image, create a title or something as complex as creating sections within a page, a CMS can allow them to simply drag-and-drop modules, use templates, and insert ‘short code’ to complete tasks much faster and easier, and without user error.