From Coding To Design: The Modern Role Of A Web Developer

Web development has come a long way in the last decade. What was once just about coding and programming is now very much design oriented.

As new technologies are introduced, so too are new requirements for web developers to meet the demands of their clients. Web developers have had to learn how to code, create aesthetically pleasing layouts, plan marketing campaigns online, and more.

This trend doesn’t seem like it will be changing anytime soon either; with each passing year there seems to be another incremental change that makes it clear where web development is headed.

As more companies pop up with a more advanced level of web development services, it’s mind-boggling to consider where the role originally came from.

The Old Ways

In the advent of the internet, the role of a web developer was a little more defined and structured.

Simply put, a web developer was the person who coded up a website, using HTML and CSS. This may seem like an archaic way to develop a site but it’s important not to underestimate the importance of these programmers.

The role itself has undergone major changes from its original conception as being someone who codes websites into existence, to a more modernised team member who is instrumental in the user experience, often having a larger influence on the design aspect than you may think.

From Coding To Design

As time went on, the role of a web developer morphed into a hybrid of design and programming. Complementing the two became a skill to master unto itself. This came with an increased demand for a specific standard of creativity.

How many times have you heard someone say “I could do that in Photoshop” when they see the design work done by web developers? That’s actually an inspirational signifier that the role is being taken more seriously and garnering a level of note in the community.

The lines are becoming more blurred between front-end and back-end development, pushing them ever further into innovative fields of expertise. This makes some aspects easier than before because there isn’t any need to switch from Photoshop over to Coda just to edit a few lines of code or jump on Overflow for debugging purposes. Though this may seem like a great advantage at first glance, it also means that the role is becoming more demanding in a variety of ways.

There’s no doubt about it: being a web developer means creating digital experiences, and this includes an incredible amount of creativity as well as attention to detail. The whole process has become much easier with workflow-oriented tools like Grunt or Gulp which streamline processes by reducing human errors and allowing for automation when necessary. It also makes testing faster than ever before, paving the way towards clean coding practices through high quality standards set out by providers such as GitHub.

The job can be both fun and challenging at the same time because there are always new obstacles ahead to look forward to solving. This makes it even better because you get paid for doing something you actually love! With