From your favorite blogs to the apps on your phone, the web is constantly changing to meet our needs. Behind the scenes of all those updates are web developers. They use a combination of technical and creative skills to build the foundations that make the Internet work for us.

If you’re considering a career in web development, the field might seem a bit intimidating at first. There are a lot of languages and tools to learn, but the process is actually easier than you might think. With the right resources and a little patience, you can be on your way to a new, exciting career in no time.

Web development encompasses all the processes involved in building a website, from designing to coding to hosting and optimizing. It’s a massively important job that helps make the entire Internet function. Web development isn’t just for computer programmers, either; it can also be a good fit for creatives who enjoy problem-solving and working with their hands. It’s possible to find full-time employment as a web developer in large corporations or digital agencies, but many choose to go freelance and juggle multiple clients at once.

The web development process can take place either by hand-coding or using a content management system (CMS). Hand-coding allows for more customization, while CMS systems speed up the design process and provide a lot of templates to get you started. In either case, the process should follow a certain set of steps for optimal results.

To start, it’s best to lay out a plan for your site. Web developers call this a “wireframe.” It’s simply a sketch of what you want your website to look like, and it will give both you and your developer(s) a direction to proceed. It can be as simple as a whiteboard drawing or something more complex, such as a tool like Invision or Slickplan.

Next, you’ll need to pick a programming language. The most popular option for beginners is HyperText Markup Language (HTML). This is the bare minimum that you’ll need to create a webpage, and it’s what makes sites visible on the Internet. Other programming languages, such as Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript, are used to enhance the basic code by adding design elements like fonts and colors.

Once you have your design and coding in place, it’s time to host and optimize the back-end of your website. This involves deciding where to store your data and how to organize it so that users can retrieve it. It’s crucial to have a strong back-end to any website, particularly if you offer any kind of user-inputted information, such as a login page or form.

Finally, you’ll need to test your site before it goes live. This can be done by setting up a local server on your computer or by downloading a text editor such as Notepad ++ or Atom for Mac, Windows or Linux. You can also use a cloud-based service, such as Netlify or Webflow, to test your website and make changes before they’re published on the Internet.