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{"id":58420,"date":"2018-12-21T08:45:04","date_gmt":"2018-12-21T13:45:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webdesigndev.com\/?p=58420"},"modified":"2020-05-09T10:59:57","modified_gmt":"2020-05-09T14:59:57","slug":"how-to-become-a-better-web-developer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webdesigndev.com\/how-to-become-a-better-web-developer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Better Web Developer"},"content":{"rendered":"

A career in web development is surely as exciting as it is lucrative. According to Maryville University<\/a>, web developers earn a median salary of $90,000 per year, and overall job growth is projected to be 17% from 2014 to 2024. That is exciting news.<\/p>\n

As such, there has never been a better time to improve your skills as a web developer. The most obvious end results of improving your skills are better pay and improved competitiveness in the job market. And in this guide, we show you exactly how to become a better web developer<\/a> this year and beyond.<\/p>\n

With that preamble, get a mug of coffee ready and let\u2019s start.<\/p>\n

How to Become a Better Web Developer<\/h2>\n

Becoming a better web developer goes beyond improving your coding skills. It involves knowing the perfect tools to use for any given task. On top of that, becoming a better web dev involves knowing when to ask for help and keeping the clients happy among other things.<\/p>\n

In this section, we go over each of these areas (among others) in a bid to point you in the right direction as far as launching and improving your web development career goes. The tips in this post will come in handy whether you work within a company setting or freelance.<\/p>\n

That being said, let\u2019s get down to business.<\/p>\n

Learn and Learn Some More<\/h2>\n

The quickest way to become irrelevant in the web development field is to get comfortable in the skills you already possess.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that web development is a fast-paced environment. Technologies and techniques change day in day out. What worked a couple of weeks ago might be obsolete today, but you won\u2019t know this if don\u2019t spare time to learn the latest web trends.<\/p>\n

Or as Maryville University puts it,<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always something new to learn in the computer software industry. Companies need tech experts who can keep track of the trends in apps, agile systems, interface design and use it to their strategic advantage.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, we didn\u2019t have responsive web design<\/a> a couple of years ago, but today it\u2019s a standard technique for all web applications. Another good example is the recently developed REST API<\/a>, which allows you to create web apps in any language and run them on WordPress among other application frameworks.<\/p>\n

For this reason, the web developers of today and the future need skills in such technologies, something that wasn\u2019t a requirement for web developers of days gone.<\/p>\n

The same applies to other areas including web security best practices, SEO, design architecture and so on. To stay ahead of the curve (and become a better developer while at it), you must create time for self-development.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get comfy in the skill set you already have; experiment with new ideas, explore web development blogs, listen to podcasts and generally keep learning to improve your skills each day. If need be, invest in formal education, just ensure you sign up to modern-day web development courses.<\/p>\n

Plan or Fail<\/h2>\n

\u201cIf you fail to plan, you\u2019re planning to fail,\u201d goes a popular saying by Benjamin Franklin. And while the saying is self-explanatory and quite common, you\u2019ll be surprised to learn that a majority of web developers (including seasoned pros) don\u2019t plan their projects.<\/p>\n

Often times, you\u2019ll catch a developer saying \u201cplanning is boring\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t know how to plan\u201d or \u201cit\u2019s not my responsibility to plan\u201d among other petty and lazy reasons. Well, planning means all the difference between a mediocre and legendary developer.<\/p>\n

Do you want to become a better (read legendary) web developer? Boy oh boy, you must plan each and every part of any project that comes your way \u2013 from start to completion.<\/p>\n

Why is planning important? A sound plan helps you to manage time and other resources effectively. On top of that, you know where you stand at every stage of the project, meaning you can reduce stress significantly. And most importantly, planning helps you to keep the client happy.<\/p>\n

With a trillion project management tools such as RedmineUP<\/a>, Trello<\/a> and Workflowy<\/a> among others, you don\u2019t need to look hard to plan and manage any web dev project.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re old-fashioned, you can use a sketchbook. That\u2019s right; all you need to plan your projects is \u2013 wait for it \u2013 a pen and some paper!<\/p>\n

Staying organized is one of the best and easiest ways of becoming a better web developer. Having a plan (and a backup plan B) goes a long way in building a productive and highly rewarding career in web development.<\/p>\n

Keep the Client in the Loop<\/h2>\n

Your top-of-the-range web development chops mean nothing if your communication skills suck big time. And your god-level skills mean jack if the client isn\u2019t happy and end up leaving.<\/p>\n

See, things don\u2019t usually go according to plan. There is a billion reasons why your awesome plan can go wrong \u2013 and most of these reasons are beyond your control.<\/p>\n

At times, natural calamities in your neck of the woods might delay project completion. Other times, you might end up with a bug that takes way too long to fix. Anything can affect your project timelines and even budget negatively. It happens all the time and to everybody, including the pros.<\/p>\n

What matters is how you tackle the problem, and most importantly, keeping the client in the know. Will you need more time to complete a project because you need to research some more? Let the client know.<\/p>\n

Are you having a hard time fixing unexpected bugs? Let the client know! Need more money for a plugin or framework that would improve the project? Please, just let the client know. In other words, be proactive.<\/p>\n

If you want to delight your boss or client, keep them in the loop. Get in the habit of sending them daily updates of your progress and don\u2019t forget to highlight potential concerns, if any.<\/p>\n

Updating your client or boss on time makes sure everybody is on track, and there is enough time to find solutions to any problems that arise during the course of the project.<\/p>\n

Also, your client or boss will end up trusting you more since it shows you\u2019re a credible and professional person. Don\u2019t just sit and wait for the client to ask for progress updates. Nope, be proactive baby.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be a YES Man \/ Woman<\/h2>\n

Firstly, don\u2019t be desperate or greedy to the extent of accepting each web project that comes your way. Accepting every project is the quickest way to burn out and make peanuts while at it.<\/p>\n

Always choose your projects carefully keeping in mind:<\/p>\n