The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Seattle Web Developer
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to become a Seattle Web Developer? Well, you’re in the right place. Seattle is packed with Web Developers. These developers help create the websites of many beloved businesses.
These websites help the people of Seattle and people globally access information about these businesses. Of course, they wouldn’t be able to have these websites without the help of Web Developers. We owe a lot to these Web Developers. They’re basically the backbone of an excellent website.
Now you might ask, “How Do I Become A Web Developer?”. The road to becoming a Web Developer isn’t easy, and many crucial steps are required to become one. This guide to becoming a Web Developer in Seattle will show you how to become one and why you should.
What Is A Web Developer?
To start your adventure to becoming a Web Developer, you first need to understand what a Web Developer is. Not to get confused with Web Designers, A Web Developer is someone who develops the structure of a website.
To create these websites, developers write long lines of code using various programming languages. The languages that they use are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. All three languages form together to create a functioning website.
Now many people believe that there’s only one type of Web Developer. That’s not true! In fact, there are many types of different Web Developers that work on specific types of development.
Front-End Developer
When most people think of Web Developers they think of Front-End Developers. A Front-End Developer is someone who implements all of the visual elements of a website. This includes all of the things that the user is able to see and interact with on a website. These various elements are things such as images, texts, colors, etc. Front-End Developers make sure that the website is aesthetically pleasing and functioning normally for the user across various platforms.
If you’re still confused about what exactly a Front-End Developer does, let’s use an example. Imagine that you have a fully furnished house. A Front-End Developer is responsible for deciding the interior design of the house.
So essentially, Front-End Developers are like interior designers. They’re the essential parts of the way a website looks.
Back-End Developer
Most people seem to forget about Back-End Developers, even though they’re one of the key roles of developing a website. A Back-End Developer writes all the code on the server-side of a website. They’re the ones who write the code that stores all the data of a website.
The type of data that is usually used in the back-end is user information like emails and passwords. Back-End Developers also make sure that data from the front-end of the website flows back and forth to the back-end.
What exactly is the back-end of a website you may ask? Well, the back-end of a website usually comprises the server, application, and database. It’s responsible for storing and organizing data and ensures that everything on the client-side is working.
As you can see, Front and Back-End Developers work closely together as they both need each other for a website to function properly.
Full-stack Developer
If you think Front and Back-End Developers have a tough job, just look at Full-stack developers. Full-stack developers focus not only on one part of a website but all parts of a website. This means that they’re capable of creating both the user interface and back-end process of a website.
Although Full-stack developers can create both sides of a website, that doesn’t mean they’re writing all the code themselves. They usually focus on one side of the website. However, because they know enough about both ends of a website, they’re able to dive in wherever is needed. Whether that be creating the user-interface of a website or creating the data in the servers, they’ve got it covered.
Why You Should Become a Web Developer
So why exactly should you become a Web Developer? Well, becoming a Web Developer comes with many benefits. Over the past few years, there has been a huge increase in the use of technology.
This results in a higher demand for people who have knowledge of computer science and tech. Because of this high demand, companies are willing to pay more and offer more benefits/perks. Of course, there is much more on the table than just money and job offerings.
High Demand
When you look at the demand for jobs from back then to now, there’s a huge difference. Let’s look at the ’80s for example, which was before technology and the web took over. The different jobs that were popular back then were related to mining or manufacturing.
These jobs aren’t as popular as they were back then. In the new age, jobs related to computers and other tech are in higher demand, such as Web Development. It’s even claimed that employment of Web Developers will increase by 8% from the U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics.
When you go on the web, there are millions of different websites. This is because almost everyone has their own websites. Hospitals, schools, restaurants, and other businesses are bound to have their own websites. According to a statistical study by World Wide Web Size, there are about 5.33 billion indexed web pages as of 2021!
Huge Earning
Since Web Development is in such high demand right now, it’s also a high-paying job. A study from Pay Scale shows that the median salary for Web Developers is $71k a year! That’s about 43% higher than a regular paying job which is about $49k a year.
It’s Creative
Skill-wise, being a Web Developer allows you to be creative. Designing is an essential part of being a Web Developer, which allows for an enormous amount of creativity. Not all Web Developers write the same code, each developer’s code is unique. Because of this uniqueness, this allows developers to learn code from each other.
Web Development takes a lot of creative problem-solving. The header of your website doesn’t look the way you want it to look? Well, you can use your creative muscles to try and fix it.
You’ll Have a Fun and Thrilling Experience
Many people believe that Web Development isn’t fun because you just sit in front of a computer all day. However, being a Web Developer isn’t just sitting in front of a computer all day. You gain so much knowledge and skills from that experience. When you see your code running the way you imagine it, you’ll gain so much excitement.
As you get more and more into Web Development, you’ll learn so many things you didn’t know before. And with your new Web Development skills, you’ll even be able to create any ideas that pop into your mind! That’s the whole thrilling experience of becoming a Web Developer.
Before becoming a Web Developer, you have so many questions about how a website works. But as you gain these new skills, you’ll be able to put everything together. You’ll say to yourself, “Oh! So that’s how that works”.
Skills Required to Become A Web Developer
Since Web Development has many benefits, it also requires many skills. Here are some examples of what skills you should have to become a Web Developer:
Understand HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Knowing basic programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is a critical aspect of being a Web Developer. You need to understand how these languages work and how to implement them in creating your website.
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It’s the markup language that defines the structure of your website. In HTML, there’s a series of various elements that are used to create the structure of a site.
For example, if you wanted to add the main header to a website, you would use the tag <h1></h1>. By using these elements, it’ll tell a web browser how to display various content.
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. It describes how the elements of a website will look and be interacted with. These elements include the color of text, font, background image, etc. Basically, if we didn’t have CSS, the entire website would look boring.
JavaScript is a programming language that allows you to implement unique elements on a website. It’s how behaviors are added to a website. A couple of examples of these behaviors include displaying animations, photo slideshows, interactive forms, etc.
Testing/Debugging Skills
When you first start writing your code, it’s not gonna be 100% perfect. This is why you need to be able to have good skills in debugging/testing your code. It’s important that you constantly test your webpage and check for any errors. Having good testing skills makes sure that your code is running smoothly and working the way it should be.
Back-End Basics
If you decide you want to become a front-end developer, you can’t just know about the front-end. You also need to know the basics of the back-end of a website. This is because you’ll need to collaborate with back-end developers or even do some back-end development.
The back-end of a website is what allows the front-end of a website to function. The basics that you’ll need to understand include databases, servers, API, and security.
Detail Oriented
While writing your code, even the smallest mistake can affect the way your website looks. So, you need to have a keen eye for detail when coding.
Having these detail-oriented skills allows you to produce high-quality work on the job. Not only does it allow you to produce high-quality work, but it also makes good impressions on yourself. Take the time to look at this article about how to become more detail-oriented.
Know What the Trends Are
Since you’re developing a website, you need to know what the trends are. Technology is constantly evolving, so that means the trends are also changing. If you develop a website that’s archaic and retro-looking, you won’t get a lot of customers. The web is highly competitive, so you need to learn to foresee these changes and learn to adapt to them.
Good Under Pressure
Being a Web Developer isn’t easy. You have to handle all of these different deadlines and deal with many code bugs and errors. However, it’s completely expected to make these mistakes. We’re all human and everyone makes mistakes.
So instead of getting too overworked with your project, try taking a deep breath and changing your perspective.
Education Required to Become A Web Developer
Education-wise, the requirements for Web Developers may vary from their job setting and what they focus on. For a majority of companies, many prefer that you have either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Employers also prefer that developers have a good understanding of other languages besides HTML and CSS like Python and SQL. It’s also recommended that developers have coursework in graphic design.
You may think that you can just teach yourself to code online. While that is true, there’s WAY more to web development than just coding. Getting a formal education will not only strengthen your skills but also prepare you for the real world of working.
Now you’re probably thinking, which schools in Seattle provide the best Web development education? Here’s a list down below talking about which schools in Seattle provide the best Web Development programs:
Seattle Central College
Seattle Central College provides Web Development degrees.
University of Washington
The University Of Washington doesn’t provide degrees but has a great program where you can earn a certificate.
Highline Community College
Highline Community College allows you to get your AAS in Web Development and transfer to a university.
What A Web Developer Does on A Daily Basis
Now that you know more about the skills and education required to become a Web Developer in Seattle. You might wonder what exactly a Web Developer in Seattle does on a daily basis. Here’s an example of what a typical day is like in the office for Web Developers.
Morning
Before heading to the office, you might start off your morning by going to a nearby Starbucks for coffee. After that, most developers start heading into the office between 8–9 AM. To start off the working day, you would get time to yourself to make sure your day is organized.
Once you’ve got some time for yourself, it’s time to get to the real work. Here’s where the meetings begin. Usually, in these meetings, every person on the team talks about what they’ve been working on. They also talk about their tasks for the week and brainstorm any ideas they have.
After collaborating with your team, it’s time to get to the project at hand. This could be developing a company or client’s website or implementing new platforms and functions. Web Developers also may take the time to connect with clients to talk about their progress with their websites.
Afternoon
Most Developers then have lunch around 12–2 pm. You may think that most developers eat their lunch in front of the computer. It’s actually the complete opposite! It’s actually best to eat lunch outside the office to take a break from the whole workload.
Time to get back to the work grind. Work here usually varies, there could be more meetings to attend or get back to working on the project. This could also be a time to see any new exciting features you could add to the website.
Evening
Now the sun is finally setting, it’s time to head home.
Before heading home, it’s important to review your website for any bugs and check in with your colleagues. After leaving the office and heading home, it’s time to finally get a break.
While work is very important, it’s also important to take a break from doing work, especially if you’re coding. Looking at a computer screen all day can be an eyesore!
As you can see, A Day in the Life of a Seattle Web Developer is pretty busy. Being able to communicate well with other people and having good time management will ensure that you’ll succeed.
How Much Web Developers in Seattle Get Paid?
According to indeed.com, the average salary for Web Developers in Seattle is $90,725 a year! That’s %18 than the national average, which is $76,737 a year. Now, of course, this varies between companies and user experience. For example, if you were to work at a big company, you would potentially have a higher income.
Seattle is also ranked #2 according to Zippia, in Best Cities for Web Developers. This is likely due to the number of big companies in the Seattle area such as Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft.
Opportunities for Web Developers in Seattle
Various Types of Jobs
There are a TON of opportunities for Web Developers in Seattle. If you have great knowledge in Web Development, you’re not only limited to Web Development but many other jobs. These different jobs include multimedia programmer, UX designer, applications developer, etc. Since there’s also such a high demand for these jobs, many companies are seeking people in the Web Development field.
Job Offerings from Various Companies
Besides having a long list of different job options, you’ll also have many different companies to work for. Companies such as Bilberry, Sayenko Design, Lunarbyte.io, and Truu Digital are all great Web Development companies to work for.
Of course, you’re not only limited to companies that focus on Web Development. Big Companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are constantly looking for Web Developers.
Freelance Developer
If you decide that you don’t wanna work for a company in Seattle, you can become a freelance developer. A freelance developer is a web developer that is self-employed. They create websites for several clients and get paid for each project. Unlike staff web developers, freelance developers are independent contractors, meaning that they choose who they wanna create websites for.
Since freelance developers are independent, this means that they have to advertise themselves so they can be found. Most freelancers use websites such as Upwork and Top total as they’re the most common websites to find developers.
Takeaways
After reading this, you’re probably thinking “Wow! Web Developers go through a lot!” Now they certainly do. It takes LOTS and LOTS of practice to become fluent in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
But with these hardships, it’ll all be worth it in the end. Web Development comes with many benefits in return.
The city of Seattle is a great place for people aspiring to be Web Developers. Having a career in a city that’s in high demand, high-paying, and many job options? What more could you ask for? Hopefully, this guide inspires you to get into Web Development and pursue a career in the field.
