Web Developer Skills Checklist Vital for 2023

With an average salary of over $67,000 in the US, web development is one of the most attractive and fulfilling career paths out there. And big tech companies pay literally in the six-figure range. That got you interested. Well, here is a complete web developer skills checklist for 2023.

Web development is a growing field. And things change fast. You’ll always need to keep yourself updated if you want to compete. So, whether you’re looking to start your career in web development or a professional trying to see what new tech is hip, this guide is for you.

We’ll deep dive into what are the essential skills you need to know to land that coveted web developer role at a big tech company. And to sweeten it, even more, we’ll also add some soft skills along with important technical skills.

The Essentials Web Developer Skills

If you want to thrive as a web developer, you should be fluent in the essentials. These are the technologies that are sort of the building blocks for a skilled and employable developer.

The greatest developers know these like the back of their hands. This will give you a solid base. Which you can use to build upon. We are talking about the classics:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• JavaScript Framework

HTML

There won’t be any websites without HTML. This is one of the oldest web technologies out there. And it’s still running strong. That just goes to show how crucial it is. HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language.

So, yes, it’s not a programming language per se. But is still a very important skill you’ll need to know.

CSS

Whenever web developers are looking for a glow-up for their websites, CSS is their go-to. And it also falls on our essential checklist. While HTML is used to define the structure of the website, CSS is used to make it pretty.

Without CSS, the world wide web would be a dull place. You’ll need to use CSS comfortably to build professional-looking websites. But raw CSS isn’t that useful by itself in today’s world. You need to learn a framework like Bootstrap or Tailwind alongside it.

Don’t forget responsive design. Today a lot of things are mobile-first. And if you want to be employable in today’s digital and mobile-first world, responsive design is important. Very important.

JavaScript

Ah, JavaScript. The OG. We can’t have a web developers skill checklist without it. JavaScript is the most popular programming language according to Stack Overflow. So, it makes it to our essentials list. JavaScript or JS for short breathes life into your websites.

Honestly, modern web development is hard to imagine without JavaScript. It handles all the logic behind websites and web apps. From what happens when a visitor clicks a button to the animations as well.

JavaScript isn’t the clunky hard-to-learn language it once was. It evolved into a super popular modern programming language that’s essential for web developers. Without JS, there would be no Netflix, Facebook, or Amazon. Hard to imagine a world without these tech companies and JavaScript.

JavaScript Framework

Speaking of how JavaScript has evolved, there are tons of front-end frameworks available now. The most popular one is React. If you want to play it smart, you can learn React. But honestly, you won’t regret learning Angular or Vue.

All three are super popular. And with all learning, you need to ensure that you understand the core concepts. Picking up a new language would become a piece of cake after that. But having a solid foundation in at least one front-end JavaScript framework is one of the must-have skills in 2023.

Becoming An Indispensable Web Developer

If you want to become indispensable as a web developer, then master the back end as well. The front end of the website refers to the part of a website/web app that visitors can see. Where the back end is everything under the hood that’s keeping things running.

So, that means servers, APIs, and databases. The users and visitors don’t see these working. A web developer that can work on both the front-end and back-end is called a full-stack developer. And these guys are the superheroes of the web. To become a full-stack developer, you’ll need to master the backend:

• A backend language
• Databases
• APIs
• Servers

Learn a Backend Programming Language

For the backend, you’ll need to learn an optimized backend programming language like Java, C++, or Python. Don’t faint just yet. You don’t need to know all three. Fluency in any one of these would do the trick.

Here’s a cool tidbit. JavaScript can run on the backend! Enter Node. It’s a cross-platform JavaScript backend runtime that you can use to create full-stack applications. So, you can transfer all your JavaScript knowledge to the backend as well.

Node.JS is awesome. But just like the front end, you’ll also need one for the back end. And as far as backend frameworks go, you can’t go wrong with Express JS.

Databases

Then we have databases. All those trillions of data need to be stored somewhere, right? Every real-world and serious web application or project will need to work with data. Tons and tons of data.

And you’ll need to learn how to manage this beast. That some kind of database knowledge is crucial. You can either go with time-tested relational databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL. There are also NoSQL databases like MongoDB. Both are pretty popular.

But we would nudge you towards MySQL or PostgreSQL. These have been around for a long time, and they’ll give you a solid understanding of databases in general. Besides, just because you’re learning MySQL, it doesn’t mean you’re married to it. You can always shift and learn other databases if your work requires it.

APIs

API stands for Application Programming Interfaces.  In simple terms, APIs are used to establish a connection between applications. Don’t worry about learning it in-depth from this guide. You’ll have to learn it anyway because it’s very important for a backend engineer. You’ll need to learn JSON, REST APIs, or SOAP.

Servers

Hard to imagine the back end without servers. Servers are a back-end developer’s playground. You should have good command over servers. Hint, knowledge of backend languages and frameworks will help.

And when we’re talking about servers, things like Docker (Containerization), and Kubernetes will automatically be included.

The Home Run

You should be well on your way to becoming a back-end or full-stack developer with these skills. But if you want to hit a home run, you can brush up your skills in Data Structures and Algorithms Version Control like GitHub and also Git.

Data Structures and Algorithm

DSA or data structures and algorithms will become important when you’re working with a high-profile tech company. You’ll be unstoppable if you’re good at data structures and algorithms.

Knowing these will make you a much more well-rounded developer. You’ll be able to think like a web developer. You see a web developer’s skills aren’t just coding. The main job is problem-solving. The languages, frameworks, and server-side knowledge are just the tools. Solving problems efficiently is the important bit.

Version Control

Version control tracks changes made to the source code of production software. You’ll need to get comfortable with it. GitHub is a very popular one. When you’re working in the real world as a web developer, Git and GitHub is a skills that you’ll be thankful for knowing.

Beyond The Technical Skills

Contrary to what many might think, web developers don’t just spend all their time cooped up in a dark room coding away. You’ll need to work with a team to solve real-world problems.

And that means you’d need to have some crucial soft skills. The thing about technical skills is you can just learn them when the job demands it. But having the right soft skills will allow you to show companies that you’re the right culture fit.

Communication

Communication as a web developer is very important. As we mentioned that you’d be working with a team of other talented web developers. Having the ability to explain any challenges you’re facing at work. And having the ability to clearly express your ideas and point of view is a crucial skill.

Teamwork

Another must. Teamwork makes the dream work. As a web developer, you’d be working with different departments across the company. That means you would need to collaborate with product managers, the marketing team, UI and UX team, and more. Being good at teamwork will take you far in this role.

Management

We’re using the term management as a catchall to mean everything from time management to people management, and also project management.

While how much ‘managing’ you have to do depends on your specific role and seniority, it’s still a good skill to develop. A junior developer with great management skills surely stands out. And will be probably the first in line for a promotion.

FAQs

Wrapping Up

With the right skills, you can be well on your way to becoming a successful web developer. Remember while the techniques are very important, you can’t ignore the soft skills. At the end of the day, you’ll be working with people. Today we have discussed Web Developer Skills Checklist for 2023 and also we have mentioned all the important skills you should learn.