Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/702600
10 July, 2016 l Working World l WorkingWorld.com W eb developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look of the site. They are also responsible for the site's technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website's speed and how much traffic the site can handle. In addition, web developers may create content for the site. DUTIES Web developers typically do the following: • Meet with clients or management to discuss the needs and design of a website • Create and test applications for a website • Write code for websites, using programming languages such as HTML or XML • Work with other team members to determine what information the site will contain • Work with graphics and other designers to determine the website's layout • Integrate graphics, audio, and video into the website • Monitor website traffic When creating a website, developers have to make their client's vision a real- ity. They build particular types of web- sites, such as ecommerce, news, or gam- ing sites, to fit clients' needs. Different types of websites may require differ- ent applications to work right. For example, a gaming site should be able to handle advanced graphics, whereas an ecommerce site needs a pay- ment-processing application. The developer decides which applications and designs will best fit the site. Some developers handle all aspects of a website's construction, and others specialize in a certain aspect of it. The following are examples of types of spe- cialized web developers: Back-end web developers are respon- sible for the overall technical construc- tion of the website. They create the basic framework of the site and ensure that it works as expected. Back-end web developers also establish procedures for allowing others to add new pages to the website and meet with management to discuss major changes to the site. Front-end web developers are re- sponsible for how a website looks. They create the site's layout and integrate graphics, applications (such as a retail checkout tool), and other content. They also write web-design programs in a variety of computer languages, such as HTML or JavaScript. Webmasters maintain websites and keep them updated. They ensure that websites operate correctly, and they test for errors such as broken links. Many webmasters respond to user com- ments as well. HOW TO BECOME A WEB DEVELOPER Developers often have both programming and graphic design knowledge. The typical education needed to become a web developer is an associate's degree in web design or a related field. Web developers need knowledge of both programming and graphic design. EDUCATION Educational requirements for web developers vary with the setting they work in and the type of work they do. Requirements range from a high school diploma to a bachelor's degree. An FEATURE ARTICLE Career Path: Web Developers EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS DATA FOR WEB DEVELOPERS , 2014-24 Occupation Title SOC Code Employment, 2014 Projected Employment, 2024 Change, 2014-24 Percent Numeric Web Developers 15-1134 148,500 188,000 27 39,500 SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Web Developers