The Pros and Cons of Being a Web Developer

Web developers are currently in high demand. However, is it really worth it to become a web developer?

Web developers earn a high salary. The median web developer salary is $69,430 per year. Web development is a growing industry, jobs are always available, and many web developers have the opportunity to work from home. However, it is a time-consuming and sometimes tedious position.

Web developers, sometimes called programmers, are key to a business’s success because they program the code for different websites. It is a good job that is in high demand, but becoming qualified and dealing with clients can be difficult. As is the case with every career, web design has several pros and cons to consider.

Pros of Being A Web Developer

High-Paying Salary

Web developers are paid very well for their work because they are so important to a company’s success. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developers earn an average salary of $77,200 a year, or $37.12 an hour. There are many opportunities for raises and yearly bonuses, but the amount of the bonuses depend on the company or person that you work for.

The salary can also increase if you have a lot of experience writing code. The more experienced you are, and the more code that you know, the more you get paid. However, do not be surprised if your salary is less than reported if you are a beginning web developer at your first job position. The salary will increase with your job experience, which is a typical expectation in the job market, but also very nice. source

Low-Cost Schooling

When compared to other job positions, web developers do not need to spend a lot of money to get the schooling that is required to get a job as a web developer. Web developers typically need an “associate’s degree in web design or related field. However, for more specialized developer positions, such as back-end web developers, some employers prefer workers who have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, programming, or a related field.” source

However, degrees are not necessarily required in the web developing field. If you are unable to go to school full time, or your current job position would like you to know how to code, there are programs where you can learn about how to write code. The price varies depending on what program you choose, how much code they teach you to write, and how long the course is. Luckily, if your job is requiring you to finish the program, they will likely pay for it.

Although there are free programs where you can learn how to code, coding “bootcamp tuition[s] can range from $7,800 to $21,000.” source

Code is always changing as technology develops, so jobs may require you to do extra training to keep up with the changing industry. There are certifications that you can earn to show that you know languages such as SQL and JavaScript. These certifications can be earned through online courses. source

However, coding is hard to learn. It is full of complicated numbers and letters, so do not be discouraged if you find coding hard to learn and read. Once you get the hang of it, it will be easier to write and read code. You may even enjoy it, which is important if you want to become a web developer.

Work From Home

One benefit to being a web developer is that most of your work can be done anywhere at any time, so many employers allow you to work from home. This means no commute, and you can work in your pajamas, as long as you do not have a Zoom meeting to attend. Now, this may not seem like a big deal after the year 2020, since most people are working from home nowadays, but it is still a benefit to working as a web developer. It means that you will not likely have to go to the office, even after the Pandemic ends.

However, before you get your heart set on always working from home, remember that different employers require different things, especially when you are just starting in the job industry. You may need to work in the office for the first couple of years after you graduate or get your certificate.

Freelance Work

Many web developers can work as freelancers instead of working for a company. Many people are looking to create websites, and they want web developers to help them write the code that’s necessary to create a functioning website. Freelance work gives you more freedom than if you work for a company, and you can set your own prices. You may be able to get paid more than the industry standard, especially if you have a lot of experience writing code. This is a great option for people who want to travel, want more free time to spend with family, or want to become semi-retired.

However, if you become a freelance web developer you will have to do your own billing, and taxes will become more complicated. If you do not like figuring out that math, you can hire an accountant, and that can become expensive very quickly. You’re also responsible for your own hours and won’t have the structured workday that an office space provides.

Growing Industry

Web development is a growing industry, which means that more jobs are becoming available every day. As more companies move their services and products online, and as technology advances, the need for web developers and knowledge of how to write code is increasing. The number of jobs for web developers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029. This is a much higher growth rate compared to most other career industries. source

The job market is especially increasing for those who know about “IoT, AI, Data Sciences, ML, NLP and Cryptocurrency.” source

Every company needs to have a web developer, just in case their business’ website malfunctions. Even companies that host other websites, such as WordPress and Squarespace, need to hire web developers, especially as more and more companies move their business online.

It is relatively easy to find a job as a web developer, which is something that not many people can say. Once you have worked at your first position as a web developer, you will easily be able to find another position when you choose to do so. However, there are not very many beginning web developer positions, so it may be hard to get into the industry at first. However, once you get some experience in the field, you will have an easier time.

There are three types of web developers, although the number may increase as technology changes and the job market grows.

The front-end developer is the front-end engineer and is responsible for working with the web designer. They are responsible for writing the code for the designs that the designer wants to use. If a company is choosing to use a hosting website, such as WordPress or Squarespace, they may not require a front-end developer to be on staff at all times.

The back-end developer is someone that no one really thinks about when they go to a website. They create and maintain everything that is needed to keep a website running smoothly. When a website breaks or goes under maintenance, they are the ones who are called in to help. They write the server-side code, which ensures that the data flows back and forth from a website’s front-end to the back-end. source

The full-stack developer is a versatile worker who can program and work on both the front-end and back-end parts of a website. source They are the ones who can program an entire website by themselves. Luckily for them, they don’t often do it by themselves, and typically work with other people to create a website.

Cons of Being A Web Developer

Required Knowledge of Code

If you do not like writing code, or you do not understand how to create programs, then web development is not for you. If you enjoy designing websites rather than writing code for them, then consider becoming a web designer rather than a web developer.

Coding is complicated, but once you understand it, it gets easier to write. A web developer writes the code necessary to create a functioning website that can handle the traffic a business receives, so they work with codes all day, every day.

Long Hours

Writing code takes a long time. It takes a long time to write the code, test the program, test the website, and so on. If you are looking for a job that sticks to the typical 9-5 workday, web development is not for you. Web developers are often on call, just in case the website of the company that they work for breaks, and the workday sometimes runs long, especially if the project that the web developer is working on has a timeline that is quickly approaching.

This means that sometimes a web developer has less time than they expected to spend time with their friends and family. The long hours that a web developer works tends to bleed into their free time. source

Monotonous

Web development can become very monotonous. Looking at a screen all day that is filled with tiny numbers and letters can become tiring very easily. The job can also become monotonous when you are attempting to fix a program that you wrote so that it functions properly. You tend to feel like you have changed the necessary codes, but when you test the website, the issue is still not fixed. This can become very frustrating very quickly. The numbers and letters start to bleed together.

However, the level of monotony changes depending on your environment and the projects that you work on. If you are working from home, you may feel the monotony influence you much faster than if you are working in an office and have coworkers to interact with.

Teamwork

This brings up another issue: teamwork. Working with other people can be very difficult, especially if you do not get along with your coworkers. However, coding typically is a job that you can do solo, so you can limit your interactions with people. However, you will have to work with others when working on a large project. It may become especially difficult when you are attempting to merge the different codes you have written with ones that others have written to create one smooth program.

“Web developers are often pretty opinionated– you’ll hear a lot of people debate stupid things that don’t matter that much… examples include precompilers, preferred JavaScript frameworks, and decisions that can cost (maybe) 100ms of load time. Although, I’ve been in a few situations where these decisions do matter.” source

You will also have to work with the web designers and help them create different designs for the parts of the website that other people will see. This requires a knowledge of how to code different designs, and it requires you to work with someone who is trying to implement things that you may not fully understand how to do.

Workplace Pressure

As a web developer, your employer is counting on you to create a functioning website that will support their business. If you fail, then they fail as well. That is a lot of pressure to put on one person, which is why many companies hire a team of web developers. When the website breaks, it may be your fault, and it may be your responsibility to fix it, even when you are not at work. This is a lot of pressure to put on one person.

Workplace Responsibilities

Web developers design and create websites. They are responsible for the look, although web designers are mainly responsible for that aspect, and function of the site. They are also responsible for the site’s technical aspects, such as its performance and capacity, which are measures of a website’s speed and how much traffic the site can handle.

Web developers need to be good at: