Becoming a web developer can be an overwhelming task, especially with so much information out there and ever-changing technologies. In this post, I will provide you with a structured approach to becoming a web developer in 2021. Follow these steps to kickstart your journey:

  1. Learn the basics:

    • Understand the fundamentals of the web, including the Internet, the Web, and how network requests function.
    • Gain knowledge on how HTTP works and how HTML pages are transmitted from a server to a browser.
    • Familiarize yourself with the concept of servers and understand how browsers operate.
    • Master the basics of HTML by learning how web pages are structured.
    • Start building simple web pages using HTML. Codepen is a great platform to begin with.
    • Download and get comfortable using Visual Studio Code (VS Code) as your code editor.

  2. Version control with Git and GitHub:

    • Learn the importance of version control with Git and how to utilize GitHub.
    • Track changes in your HTML files using Git.
    • Create a GitHub account, set up repositories, and host your work there.
    • Download the GitHub Desktop app and learn how to push new code revisions.

  3. Styling with CSS:

    • Learn the basics of CSS and its role in web development.
    • Apply CSS to style the HTML pages you have built.
    • Keep practicing HTML and CSS until you feel confident.
    • Explore advanced CSS concepts such as typography, colors, fonts, box model, CSS grid, flexbox, responsive design, dark mode, and semantic HTML.
    • Learn how to deploy your websites to Netlify.

  4. Master JavaScript:

    • Begin your journey into JavaScript by learning the fundamentals.
    • Create numerous small projects and applications to strengthen your understanding.
    • Cover important topics such as functions, objects, arrays, loops, conditionals, callbacks, promises, async/await, closures, recursion, and modules.
    • Learn about the Document Object Model (DOM) and how to interact with it using JavaScript.
    • Understand the Fetch API for making network requests.
    • Familiarize yourself with Node.js and create a REST API for browser-to-server communication using GET and POST methods.
    • Deploy this API on the internet and integrate it into one of your applications.
    • Gain knowledge on handling data effectively.

  5. Embrace Frontend Frameworks:

    • To handle more complex web applications, start learning a frontend framework.
    • React is a popular choice, with plenty of tutorials and job opportunities.
    • Apply your JavaScript skills to build applications using React.
    • Explore Next.js, a framework built on top of React, to create websites efficiently.
    • Deploy your Next.js sites on Vercel.

  6. Database Integration:

    • Learn how to work with databases for storing and retrieving data.
    • MongoDB and PostgreSQL are widely used options.
    • Interface the chosen database with Next.js and Prisma for seamless database integration.

  7. Authentication and Security:

    • Gain an understanding of authentication concepts.
    • Implement authentication in your Next.js applications.
    • Learn how to create private pages that are accessible only after login.

  8. Continuous Growth and Projects:

    • Keep creating different websites and applications to practice your skills.
    • consistently improve your skills by learning new tools, libraries, and frameworks.
    • Begin working on a project that sparks your interest, whether it’s a potential paid app or a free offering.
    • Always start working on something, no matter how small, to put your knowledge into practice.

By following this structured approach, you can become a professional web developer in 2021. Remember to continuously update your skills and keep up with the latest trends in web development. Happy coding!

Tags: web development, web fundamentals, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Next.js, Git, GitHub, databases,authentication, project development