Belgium Campus ITversity Articles

Surfing the internet has become an intrinsic part of modern life and with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are spending even more of our lives online. We browse through a multitude of websites for a number of different reasons daily – to find news and information, for entertainment, and increasingly for social interaction. But how many of us stop to think about the work that goes into creating the websites we so leisurely browse through?

Web developers are the talented individuals who work behind the scenes to construct and maintain the websites we make use of every day. They use a range of programming languages to make sure that these websites are not only aesthetically pleasing but are also user friendly and perform optimally. In this article, we will give you a crash course on the 3 types of web development and the advantages of completing a course in this field.

Front-End

Front-end developers are responsible for creating the visual and interactive components of a website. They use a variety of programming languages to control how the information on a site appears to users via a browser or mobile device. This includes where the images and text are positioned, the website layout, as well as the fonts and colours which are displayed. A good front-end developer is able to create a platform which is not only interactive but is also visually appealing and easy to navigate.

They are able to achieve this by making use of the following languages:

• HTML
• React
• CSS
• AngularJS
• JavaScript
• JQuery

Back-End

Back-end developers are responsible for a website’s functionality. They write and maintain the code that keeps the user-facing side of a site running by maintaining a constant flow of information between a website’s front- and back-end. They are also responsible for database and server management. They must ensure that the information received from users is safely stored on a database where it can easily be retrieved when necessary.

They are able to achieve this by making use of the following languages:

• Java
• PHP
• Ruby and Ruby On Rails
• C#
• MySQL
• MongoDB

Full-Stack

As the name suggests, full-stack developers are experts in both ends of web development and as such, are capable of creating a fully functional website on their own. In order to achieve this, these developers must be proficient in multitude of programming languages used in both front- and back-end development. The extensive knowledge that these developers possess, and their ability to see the bigger picture, greatly accelerates the development process and gives them an edge over front- or back-end developers.

Advantages

Completing a web development course comes with a number of advantages, some of which are briefly outlined below: High demand: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment within this field is predicted to increase by 13 percent from 2018 to 2028. High income: With an average salary of R 339 011 per year, you can rest assured that you will be paid well in this field, regardless of the specialisation you choose. Workplace flexibility: As long as you have a laptop and are connected to the internet, you can perform this job from anywhere, at any time. Growth and creativity: This field provides plenty of room for you to creatively express yourself on the internet and at the rate that technology evolves, there will always be a new tool or language for you to master. We hope you enjoyed this crash course. Are you interested in completing a course in web development? You should definitely consider an information technology course at Belgium Campus iTversity. We offer a variety of world-class diploma and degree programmes that will transform you into a sought-after professional, regardless of the type of web developer you would like to become.