5 Key Steps To Learn Web Development On Your Own

If you have always wanted to learn web development but haven’t known where to start, this article will give you several useful tips. We have outlined 5 steps that can help you to start a web design career or create a website for your personal needs. Either way, these tips will be useful to everyone interested in web design or online business.
Since most services and companies are going online, the need for professional web design is immense. Therefore, if you learn web design and web development, you will have highly valuable knowledge. So let’s get started!

Quick Tips on How to Learn Web Development

#1 Understand Your Interests

To be better motivated and survive the long learning process, you need to know WHY you have decided to do that. A studying approach may differ depending on whether you want to change your career, gain a new skill, or just have fun. Regardless of the reasons, you will need to create a roadmap with the learning stages and continuously stick to it.

The world of web development is huge and has numerous opportunities. To avoid getting lost and going in the wrong direction you must, first of all, understand your goals and expectations. In this respect, it may be useful to clarify the difference between back end and front end development.

• Frontend is about the final look of a page, its design, layouts, elements, and everything that creates a user experience. The most common technologies: JavaScript, jQuery, HTML, and CSS.
• Backend is about the processing and storage of data. It ensures the actual work of a web resource. The most common technologies: Python, PHP, and Ruby.

Embrace your strengths to choose the direction you are most interested in, learn how to code, and get the ball rolling.

#2 Look For Free Resources And Start Learning Website Development

In case you are on the initial stage of learning website development, you should consider numerous free resources available online. Again, there are high chances that you still don’t know what you really like and may change your mind shortly after starting an online course. The web offers a bunch of great free courses that perfectly help to learn web development basics and master coding.

Google which resources are freely available and recommended by other beginners. Also, if you have someone who already works as a web developer, do not hesitate to ask their professional advice. The most common choices are Udemy or Codecademy.

Once you have chosen a course, roll up your sleeves and start learning website development. Be consistent and patient. Make notes and summarize everything you have learned. In case something is unclear, try to find the necessary information right away. This will help you to build a solid basis for future learning.

#3 Try Building Your Own Website

Practice, practice, practice. To code and design a website, theoretical knowledge is not enough. Generally, programming is a pretty practical discipline that can be mastered only through the completion of step-by-step tasks.
Fortunately, most decent online courses mix theory with practice to help their students grow into real professionals and build their careers. Yet, we recommend supplementing these tasks with DIY practice. Once you gain some basic skills, try building your own website. This will give you a chance to gradually engage in web development and see what are your strengths and weaknesses.
Also, many professionals recommend using templates as a learning resource. In particular, they may help to understand how a structured code or a good design looks like. These are practical samples that will definitely come in handy to anyone who is starting their web development career.

#4 Read As Much As You Can And Analyze Other Websites

Since the demand for web development is constantly growing, in addition to online courses, there are tons of other supplementary resources. After you start developing your own DIY website, you will definitely face the lack of some knowledge. Don’t get discouraged and perceive this as an opportunity for self-development and as the guidance on what to dig into.
Read as much as you can and make sure to select quality resources. The information should be up-to-date, relevant, and offered by professionals. If you want to learn web development, note that the learning process will last during your whole career due to regular technological advances and constant updates.
Here is another great tip you may often hear from professionals: Use existing websites as a learning source. Find a page you like and try to understand what solutions make it that good. The projects created by professional developers and designers often include the best industry practices which can teach you a lot.

Use them as a basis but don’t plagiarize. Once you are skillful and knowledgeable enough, you will inevitably find your own style and solutions.

#5 Keep Up The Great Work

If you have completed the mentioned above steps, you have most probably achieved a lot and significantly improved your skills. But don’t rest on your laurels and keep up the great work. Renowned professionals learn web design and development during their whole careers and search for new ways to excel themselves and implement innovative technologies.

When you feel that you have mastered the web development basics, subscribe to more complicated courses to expand your knowledge. Alternatively, you should also learn more about some other fields important in web design, including SEO or usability. Such expertise will help you find out how end-users perceive websites and understand how to satisfy their needs more effectively.
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