We now live in a world of ever-changing and ever-advancing technology. It is unquestionable that technology is omnipresent and therefore plays a huge role in our daily lives. The rapid technological advancement that we are witnessing in the last few years has inevitably pushed the demand higher for more people with proficiencies and expertise in that particular sector. One area of expertise that is deemed vital in this era of technology is web development.

Everyday we rely on some form of technology, whether it is for the process of online purchases, checking the news, scrolling through social media applications, undergoing meetings digitally, visiting online stores and other similar activities that are done digitally. Every website or any piece of software that we encounter and able to access has been built by a web developer or most of the time, a team of web developers who have not only built it but attempts to regularly maintain it to ensure it remains accessible from time to time and works flawlessly with no room for error.

So, what exactly is a web developer and what do they do specifically? Do you need a formal education or a college degree to become a web developer? How can you master web development without a degree from formal education? What are the required skills that are of paramount importance as you try to gain knowledge in that particular subject and excel in web development? How much will be the salary if you get a job as a web developer?

These questions will be answered and explained more thoroughly in the following sections.

Can you become a web developer without a degree?

Yes, in order to become a web developer or get a job as a web developer you do not necessarily have to accomplish or need to attain any educational degree relating to the subject. This is primarily due to the fact that there is no specific path in formal education that studies web development. Hence, web development is mainly self-taught. While it is true that the attainment of a formal degree is not deemed important for the purpose of acquiring a job as a web developer, it is exceptionally useful to have a degree in computer science as it teaches you more advanced and in-depth concepts that you will not learn on your own.

What is a web developer?

According to computerscience.org, a web developer is a programmer whose main responsibility is to build technical front-end and/or back-end code that informs the site function of a website. In other words, web developers are the main actors behind the process of building websites and applications both for the internet and for a private network known as an intranet. This is done through the construction of codes and programming that will empower the website’s functionality. So, what does a web developer do? Web developers create websites by writing code and maintaining the functionality of websites. Read the explanation below for more details.

What does a web developer do?

There are several types of web development and thus can be broken down into three layers: front end developer, back end developer and full stack developer.

Frontend development or also known as client-side scripting is the practice of producing HTML, CSS and JavaScript for a website or web application that users can experience and interact directly, as explained on frontendmaster.com. Thus, the front end developer manages tools such as layout, fonts, colors, menus and contact forms that users see when they open a website. The primary objective of their job is to assure that the writings are readable and the format is easy and understandable on the website.

As for backend development or also known as server-side scripting, it is essentially the part that users do not actually see. As mentioned on the website udacity.com, a back end developer builds and maintains technology that powers components such as database, server and application. Thus, they are responsible for storing and organizing data as well as enabling the user-facing side of the website. In an attempt to make the server, application and database, they use server-side languages such as PHP, Ruby, Python and Java. Vital tools such as MySQL, Oracle and SQL server are also used to find, save and edit data as well as delivering back to the user in frontend code.

A full stack web developer is an individual who is capable of developing both client and server software, as explained on w3schools.com. The website also explains that a full stack developers masters and excel in HTML, CSS, and are able to program a browser (using Javascript, jQuery, Angular and Vue), a server (using PHP, ASP, Python and Node) and database (using SQL, SQlite and MongoDB). They are basically proficient in both frontend and backend languages and framework as well as in server, network and hosting environments.

What education do you need to be a web developer?

There is actually no need for an individual to acquire a formal education or degree to become a web developer as it is exclusively self-taught. However, some may still be eager to seek a formal web developer education with the hope of gaining more knowledge and receiving a legitimate web developer degree that will enable them to get more career choices later in their life.

From the website uopeople.edu, it is suggested that for those who strive for more in this particular subject, they may choose these types of degrees: 2 years of Associate’s Degree in Computer Science and information system or 4 years of Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Science and Web Programming.

While some web developers do not need a degree to become one, here is one’s unique story of a Head Engineer at Yellotek, a software development and design company based in Ubud, Bali and his journey in becoming a web developer. Budiharta initially wanted to become a game developer, particularly in virtual reality or VR game developer. In order for him to become one, he needed to purchase a game-making computer and a set of VR headsets that were very costly at the time. Nonetheless, he found another alternative to create a game by using Macromedia Flash, the multimedia software platform called Adobe Flash. This tool allows people to learn and practice the skills on making powerful animations by using interactive features and other complex elements that can be embedded in web pages. He also learned a programming language called ActionScript and how to make interactive media. But not long after, Adobe Flash became obsolete and no longer accessible from the web. At this turning point, he had a career shift and went to a vocational school majoring in Multimedia Studies and obtained his university degree majoring in Information Management. It was at this university where Budiharta trained to become a web developer, focusing on the front-end which allowed him to create something interactive and fun.

Web Developer Skills

What skill do you need to be a web developer?

There is more than one particular skill that an individual has to master in order to become a fully-fledged web developer. According to Indeed.com, there are two different types of skills that can be counted as web developer qualifications: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills or technical skills are the proficiencies that an individual has acquired or gained from life experiences which also include the ones received through formal education and legitimate career experience. These include: bilingual or multilingual, database management, adobe software suite, network security, SEO/SEM marketing, statistical analysis, data mining, mobile development, user interface design, marketing campaign management, storage system management and programming languages such as Perl, Phyton, Java and Ruby.

As for soft skills, it is the personal habit and personality traits that shape how an individual works and interacts with others. So, what soft skills are needed to be a web developer? According to two sources, indeed.com and tutch.co.uk, soft skills of a web developer include: attention to detail, strong communication skill, excellent problem-solving skill, a logical approach to work, the ability to explain technical matters clearly, a keen interest in technology, creativity, teamwork, integrity, dependability and empathy.

How to become a web developer without a degree?

Some people may choose to skip formal education and immediately focus and work on getting a career out of web development. So the solution on how to become a web developer without a degree is to undergo a three-months long coding bootcamp or enroll in a web development course, as explained in degreeless.com. However, some also may choose not to undergo any courses or bootcamp due to financial or other reasons. They therefore must learn on their own by practicing and mastering skills such as HTML/CSS skills, analytical skills, responsive design skills, Javascript skills, interpersonal skills, testing and debugging skills, back-end basics and search engine optimization, as suggested on indeed.com.

Additional suggestion from uopeople.edu, is to make good use of resources for self-teaching such as Google Web Development Tools, GitHub, Web Field Manual, Front End Developer Handbook, Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Brackets by Adobe and CodePen.

Web Developer Salary

How much does a web developer make? This is the often asked question and surely the answer varies depending on which country or region the individual applies the job to. According to glassdoor.com, a web developer in Indonesia, specifically in the Jakarta area makes around IDR 16.000.000 on a monthly basis.

Additionally, according to danacita.co.id:

• frontend developer makes IDR 9.050.000 - IDR 17.000.000 per month
• senior frontend developer makes IDR 15.000.000 - IDR 28.000.000 per month
• backend developer makes IDR 10.000.000 - IDR 17.000.000 per month
• full stack developer makes IDR 11.200.000 - IDR 20.000.000 per month
• senior full stack developer makes IDR 14.000.000 - IDR 25.000.000 on a monthly basis

However, there are more specific information regarding web developer salaries based on regions within Indonesia as written on aqi.com.id. In Batam the salary is IDR 6,991,577 per month on average, Bandung salary is IDR 4,358,705 per month on average, Tangerang web developer salary is IDR 4,207,598 per month on average, Denpasar stands at IDR 4,167,682 per month, Surabaya at IDR 3,862,086 per month, Semarang at a rate of IDR 3,599,790 per month and lastly Yogyakarta which is IDR 3,313,239 per month on average.

So can you actually become a web developer without a degree?

Web development or website development is the practice of building, creating and maintaining websites. The individuals behind the construction and maintenance of such websites are called web developers or website developers. There are three types of web development; frontend developer, backend developer and full-stack developer. Frontend development deals with tools that users experience directly while backend development focuses more on behind-the-scenes aspects such as data storage and functionality that enables the frontend to work smoothly. As for full-stack development, it is basically the combination of both frontend development and backend development, hence a full-stack developer must excel and have high proficiencies as well as capabilities of managing both. Web development is essentially a self-taught profession and it does not require a formal education nor a degree.

However, there are two types of degrees that can help an individual better understand and succeed in getting more career options in the related fields. Those two types of degrees include 2 years of Associate’s Degree in Computer Science and Information System or 4 years of Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Science and Web Programming. Apart from that, the individual can also attend coding bootcamp, enroll in short courses or find materials online if the person wants to learn on their own. The salary of a web developer varies depending on region, types of developer and level of seniority.