Today, technology not only surrounds us but also inhabits us. Technology is everywhere, right from basic applications to breakthrough revolutions such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Robotics and others. 

The content that we all consume daily on social media sites and search engines are byproducts of technological innovations. Be in any part of the world, in London or Sydney, web development is essential among businesses and brands today. Every renowned corporation today has a website that stems from web development. If you are an aspiring technocrat looking to foray into the building and designing websites, you should get on the bandwagon of UX web design. Hiring a web design agency and a great web development team is a good idea to ensure your website is the best it can be.

Before getting into the three types of web developers, first, you should understand the basics of web development.

Introducing Web Development

Web development is the practice of crafting websites and applications. It entails the entire scope of work that goes into building a website. Be it a single text-based webpage to a complex application or website; the basics are the same. Every website stands upon the pillars of markup and coding.

To decode web development further. It includes client-side scripting, server-side scripting, security configuration, content management system or CMS and others. Web development is paramount for both open-source networks backed by the Internet and private or corporate Intranet networks. 

Whatever be the type of webpage, it boils down to coding and programming of sites. More so, web development comprises three different layers – frontend, backend and database technology. These are in the subsequent sections. 

Types of Web Development

As mentioned above, there are three unique branches to web development. Frontend development caters to client-side coding, whereas backend development revolves around server-side coding and database technology entails overall management and operations. 

Front End Development

Front end development comprises features that are directly visible and accessible by end-users; that is, user-friendliness and aesthetics. These are the things that one experiences upon the loading of websites. But have you ever wondered what determines user-friendliness and aesthetics? It is the UX web design. 

A quick run-through into UX design; UX or User Experience is the process of creating products that render meaningful and relevant experiences. It entails the acquisition and integration of the product. It also considers the aspects of branding, usability and function. Often interchangeably used with terms such as User Interface Design or Usability, they are not the same as UX Design. Both these aspects are subsets of UX Design. 

In simpler words, front end development incorporates visual components such as buttons, navigation and others. If this is an area that captivates you, learning HTML, CSS and Javascript are paramount and make for an excellent starting point. Also, you require know-how about design responsiveness, testing and debugging. Moreover, play around and attain hands-on experience in this area with tools such as CMS, APIs or Application Programming Interfaces and Frameworks. 

Back End Development

Now that you are familiar with what encapsulates front end development, next up is back end development. Back end development lies at the other end of the gamut as it involves behind-the-scenes of websites. The advent primarily focuses on server-side logic and integration for web applications. In simpler terms, it revolves around customer-facing products and programs. 

An idea to note here is that the customer is not the same as the end-user. The customer is another business or client; it is a B2B service. The end-user includes surfers and visitors that form part of the general public. Backend developers take charge of the digital fortitude for websites, including servers and databases. These aspects are unseen and hidden to the end-user. 

Aspiring backend developers or avid pursuers can begin with languages and frameworks such as Java and Ruby on Rails. These are paramount. Secondly, getting acquainted with additional skills such as database management, framework utilisation, and security compliance help produce a turnaround in backend development. 

Database Technology

Database technology is the lifeblood of web development. It makes for the backbone or support system. Cometh a serious online mishap or mishandling, and when activity resumes, the said website is up and running. Ever wonder how that happens? It is because of database technology. 

Database technology serves as a repository for storing and managing multiple contents such as codes and files that render optimal functionality to the websites. Most websites today operate through some of the other forms of Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The system reinforces this triumvirate of web development, such that the elements seamlessly blend to create fully functional websites. 

For those looking to foray into this realm of web development, the following should come in handy. Learning the Structured Query Language or SQL makes for an ideal starting point. This language is relatively easy compared to others as it mimics the English language. It is easy to read, write and comprehend. Also, consider learning about relational database management systems such as MySQL and Db2, among others. 

Web Design versus Web Development

Often used exchangeably, there is a huge difference between these two phenomena. Web design revolves around the aesthetics – look and feel – of websites and entails working with colour schemes, fonts, scrollbars and touchpoints. Web development caters to the functionality of websites, including servers and applications.

Final Words

Today, technology not only surrounds us but also inhabits us. This is evident from the spectrum that ranges from basic applications to path-breaking innovations such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Robotics and others. The content that we consume is driven by web development. 

Web development is the process of creating applications. Such is the prevalence of web development that it comprises the three branches of frontend developers, backend developers and database technology. 

Also, web development is not the same as web design. Web development deals with functional aspects such as servers and applications, whereas web design with aesthetics such as colour schemes, fonts and scrollbars.