Want to learn web development but don’t know where to start?

Becoming a web developer has many benefits: it’s a fast-growing field, has good potential for ongoing success, and lets you embark on a career path that can be highly satisfactory and profitable. But how, exactly, can you get started in web development?

Whether you are already dabbling in the web and digital, or if you are a complete newbie to this world, this article is for you. Keep reading and discover more about web development.

Set Yourself a Clear Goal

The first step you want to take is to establish a clear goal. Consider why you are looking at web development as a potential career.

Are you a recent graduate simply wanting to explore new and different things? Do you already have some experience in web development and wish to build on that? Or, maybe, what you want is a complete change of career?

Identifying your goal is fundamental, as it helps you understand what specific path to take on your journey to becoming a web developer. For example, if you want to learn web development purely as a new skill to add to your skill set but not make a career out of it, you might be okay with taking a shorter, more condensed, higher-level course.

If, on the other hand, you are serious about turning this into your full-time profession, then you’ll need to look at different and more in-depth courses that aim at forming future web developers.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The “development” part of “web development” doesn’t just refer to building websites – it also means that you are expected to keep developing those skills throughout your career. And what better way to achieve this than by getting plenty of practice?

Once you have understood your goal and enrolled in the right course for you, you will need to put a lot of effort into practising some web development every day – including practising outside your class.

For example, ensure that you set aside at least one hour of coding every day instead of not doing anything for a whole week and condensing the entire coding work over the weekend. This will help you spread your practice more evenly and keep it more consistent while helping you familiarise yourself with web development daily.

Use Templates to Your Advantage

As a first-time web developer, don’t shy away from templates. Yes, one day, you will be able to ditch them for good, but until then, you can – and should – take advantage of them.

Start by using some of the many free or cheap options that you can find online, and work on a code that is already well-developed, structured, and formatted. By getting exposed to professionally-made codes and templates, you will be able to, eventually, run your own code – and create your own website.

While templates don’t make for stunning websites, they do help you get a framework to use for building a good website in the future. And hear this: many web development agencies use templates, so why shouldn’t you?

The Takeaway

Becoming a web developer is much easier than you think, especially if you follow the top three tips in our article. Remember to identify your goal, select the right web development course, practice coding daily, and use templates to your advantage.