Creating websites is an art. If you want to create the best website, you will have to master the art of website development. This would only happen when you know how to use all the tools and technologies at your disposal to good effect. With so many web technologies out there, web developers are finding it tough to decide which web technologies they should master and which ones they should avoid.
In this article, you will learn about seven useful web technologies that every web designer must master.
- HTML and CSS
If you are a web developer who is learning web development from scratch, the first two web programming languages you should learn is HTML and CSS. It will lay a solid foundation that you can build upon. HTML tells browser what to show on screen when rendering web pages and CSS add colors, fonts, transitions and animation into the mix. In short, HTML is used to create your website structure and CSS adds visual appeal to it. HTML and CSS works hand in hand so you will have to learn both to get a clear understanding of how websites are created.
- React JS
If you want more control over different elements on your website, then you must learn React js. In React js, every component has its own state and is reusable, offering more control over components and freedom to use the same components multiple times without writing a single line of code. What’s more, you can even update single component without refreshing the whole page with React. It uses a virtual DOM for this purpose, which synchronizes with real DOM in real time. Companies like Netflix and AirBnB are using React for many years now and many more will join the fray very soon.
- JQuery
jQuery was one of the most popular JavaScript library for quite some time but now it is slowly losing some ground to other emerging JavaScript libraries such as React JS and Angular JS. Modern come preloaded with some jQuery functions, denting the popularity of jQuery.
GitHub, one of the biggest repository for coders have also replaced jQuery with JavaScript. With more than 300,000 downloads every day, jQuery is still going strong. Most of the top sites will continue to use jQuery. The choice of library usually depends on the project but you should learn jQuery irrespective of whether you use it or not.
- Ruby
Ruby is a programming language that is used by Ruby on Rails framework. Ruby on rails is a server side web technology and a full stack web framework that makes app development more efficient and faster. What makes this programming language stand out is its ability to reuse code. It also adds some cool features helping you to develop websites and mobile apps faster. This makes website development and maintenance more cost effective thanks to rapid development.
- Responsive Web Design
With digital devices outnumbering humans by a huge margin, internet users have multiple devices at their disposal and they use them to access the web. This means that you cannot relax after creating a website for desktop because most people will access the web through their mobile devices. That is where responsive web design can come in handy. Responsive website design helps businesses deliver a smoother user experience irrespective of which device you are using. The design of your website will adjust according to screen size, resolution and orientation. As a web developer, you should excel in creating responsive web design as future belongs to responsive websites. Professional web design agency in London is now offering responsive web design services as well.
- Databases
Did you know that all your website data is stored inside a database in the forms of files and folders? In order to retrieve that information and project in on user screen, different query languages are used. Two of the most popular ones are SQL and NoSQL. SQL is a great option for those who wants more structure and accuracy of data and validation while NoSQL is a better choice for those users who wants flexibility for building applications and keep them well maintained. You can also choose from wide range of database applications such as MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB, SQL server to name just a few.
- Protocols
Protocols are set of rules that govern how different devices such as a web server and user computer communicate with one another. Additionally, it also controls how the information is processed. Some of the most popular web protocols are HTTP/HTTPS, REST and DDP. HTTP protocol is used when sending request to a server and get HTML, CSS and JavaScript on websites. DDP is a new protocol that ensures uninterrupted connectivity between a client and server by establishing a constant connection. This can come in handy especially when you have to update the website without refreshing the page.
REST protocol is used for exchanging information between different applications and APIs. By understanding how these web protocols work, you can ensure smoother communication between client and server, different applications and components which would help you ensure that your website functions as it should. Poor understanding of these protocols will result in half backed website that continues to malfunction from time to time. Take some time to understand these protocols and it will help you in the long run as web developer.
Conclusion
If you want to pursue a career in website development, then you will have to stay in the learning mode all the time as the web continuous to evolve at a rapid pace. Failing to master new programming languages, tools, techniques and technologies will slowly make you irrelevant and you will be left far behind the race. Master some of these web technologies and create websites that both clients and their users love.
