Profession Web programmer

A web programmer develops web applications (any sites that have interactive elements), that is, in fact, most of the Internet resources: search engines, online stores, social networks, video hosting, ordering and booking services, online calculators, etc. The profession is suitable for those who love mathematics.

Short description

Modern web applications tend to be client-server. The client part is developed by a front-end programmer, and the server part is developed by a back-end developer. Professionals who can fulfill both of these roles are called full-stack programmers.

Despite the fact that now a designer can create a website using the constructor, the demand for web programmers is not decreasing, but only increasing. Most often, ready-made solutions are enough for small businesses, but if you need business process automation or complex applications (websites) on the Internet, then you cannot do without a web programmer.

The term “web-programmer” is very broad, as the web-sphere is diverse, it is divided into profiles for which narrow specialists work.

What kind of web programmers are

One person cannot be a professional in everything, so web programmers specialize in narrow areas:

• frontend (client part) developers;
• backend (server part) developers;
• full stack developers.

Frontend developers are responsible for displaying information in the browser. These are the people who work in conjunction with designers and are responsible for the correctness of the layout, the smoothness of animation, infographics on the site – for everything that users see, for the frontend part (side) of the product. And it interacts with the browser and uses it to perform certain tasks. The technologies (languages) that the browser understands are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. All this should be known to a web programmer working with the frontend part. If your text “floated” or the button “runs away” from you on hover, know that the front-ender is to blame.

The front-end programmer develops the visual representation that the user interacts with (the website). As a rule, it works with JavaScript or TypeScript (an add-on for JS). There are other languages for the frontend, but the code written in them is still interpreted in JavaScript, since it is the only one capable of executing in web browsers. Also, the front-end developer must know CSS and HTML and at least one of the currently popular frameworks – React, Vue or Angular.

A backend developer is responsible for implementing the logic that is hidden from clients. This can be user authentication, load balancing on the server, sending a frontend request from the database. Backend developers sometimes interact with system administrators, as server health is very important. Now there are many general purpose languages that are used on the server. The most widely used at the moment is PHP, for enterprise solutions, the standard solution is Java (not to be confused with JavaScript), as well as Python, Ruby, and Golang is gaining popularity. If you filled out the form and when you click on the submit button, a message suddenly appears that something went wrong, then most likely the backender is to blame.

A backend developer deals with a server application that is accessed by the frontend or another client (part of the site, etc.). On the backend – the main logic of the program and the data is stored in the database. A backend programmer must know at least one backend language (for example, PHP, Python, JS, Java, C#, Golang), be able to work with databases, and have some understanding of algorithms.

And a full stack programmer. This is a person who is responsible for all stages of developing a web application, that is, he combines the duties of both a frontend and a backend developer. You can be a jack of all trades, or you can be very diligent and grow from a backend/frontend developer to a higher level. In small businesses or freelancing, a fullstack developer is sometimes also a system administrator and a designer all rolled into one. Such specialists are usually called a webmaster. Often fullstack programmers become architects. This is the highest post.

Requirements for web programmers

The level of complexity of the software product is different. It’s like in construction: you can build a country cottage, or you can build skyscrapers. It’s the same in development: conditionally, in Yandex, the requirements for technical knowledge are much higher than for servicing the site of some local plant. Accordingly, the requirements for web-programmers are different.

In general, the duties of a web programmer include the development of new functionality and support for existing ones. In more detail, then:

• decomposition of tasks into subtasks;
• assessment of the timing of implementation;
• design development (not for the backend);
• writing code;
• creating backups – backup copies (if there is no system administrator);
• elimination of errors;
• ensuring fault tolerance (the ability of the system to remain operational even if one or more of its components fail).

Accordingly, the main requirement for a web programmer is that he must have the knowledge and skills necessary to cope with his direct duties. In this he will be helped by such personal qualities as:

• perseverance;
• attentiveness;
• good memory;
• the ability to withstand severe mental stress;
• ability to work well in a team;
• desire and ability to constantly learn.

Employers treat the presence of higher technical education differently, as many understand that in the profession of a web programmer, not having a diploma plays a big role, but programming skills and the ability to quickly learn new things.