Website development is a catch-all term for the work that goes into building a website. This includes everything from markup and coding to scripting, network configuration, and CMS development.
While web development typically refers to web markup and coding, website development includes all related development tasks, such as client-side scripting, server-side scripting, server and network security configuration, eCommerce development, and content management system (CMS) development.
The Internet isn’t going anywhere. It’s become a portal and primary method of research, connection, education, and entertainment in the world. As of 2021, there were 4.66 billion global Internet users — more than half the world’s population.
Given the rapidly increasing number of Internet users, it’s no surprise that web development is a rapidly expanding industry. Between now and 2030, the employment of web developers is expected to grow by 13%, much faster than most other technology careers.
See why thousands of customers use CMS Hub to build an optimized website that integrates with their HubSpot CRM data and full marketing suite.
In the next section, we’ll tackle web development basics with answers to some common questions.
Now that we've defined web development, let’s review some web development basics.
Websites are files stored on servers, which are computers that host (fancy term for “store files for”) websites. These servers are connected to a giant network called the Internet.
Browsers are computer programs that load websites via your Internet connection, such as Google Chrome or Internet Explorer, while the computers used to access these websites are known as “clients”.
To access a website, you need to know its Internet Protocol (IP) address. An IP address is a unique string of numbers. Each device has an IP address to distinguish itself from the billions of websites and devices connected via the Internet.
You can find any website’s IP address by visiting a site like Site 24x7 or by using Command Prompt on Windows or Network Utility > Traceroute on MacBooks.
To find your device’s IP address, you can also type “what’s my IP address” into your search browser.
While you can access a website using its IP address, most Internet users prefer to use domain names or by going through search engines.
HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) connects you and your website request to the remote server that houses all website data. It’s a set of rules (a protocol) that defines how messages should be sent over the Internet. It allows you to jump between site pages and websites.
When you type a website into your web browser or search for something through a search engine, HTTP provides a framework so that the client (computer) and server can speak the same language when they make requests and responses to each other over the Internet. It’s essentially the translator between you and the Internet — it reads your website request, reads the code sent back from the server, and translates it for you in the form of a website.
Coding refers to writing code for servers and applications using programming languages. They’re called “languages” because they include vocabulary and grammatical rules for communicating with computers. They also include special commands, abbreviations, and punctuation that can only be read by devices and programs.
All software is written in at least one coding language, but languages vary based on platform, operating system, and style. All languages fall into one of two categories: front-end and back-end.
Front-end (or client-side) is the side of a website or software that you see and interact with as an Internet user. When website information is transferred from a server to a browser, front-end coding languages allow the website to function without having to continually “communicate” with the Internet.
Front-end code allows users to interact with a website and play videos, expand or minimise images, highlight text, and more. Web developers who work on front-end coding work on client-side development.
Back-end (or server-side) is the side that you don’t see when you use the Internet. It’s the digital infrastructure, and to non-developers, it looks like a bunch of numbers, letters, and symbols.
There are more back-end coding languages than front-end languages. That’s because browsers — at the front-end — only understand HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but a server — at the back-end — can be configured to understand pretty much any language.
A content management system (CMS) is a web application or a series of programs used to create and manage web content. (Note: CMSs aren’t the same as site builders, like Squarespace or Wix.)
While not required to build a website, using a CMS makes things easier. It provides the building blocks (like plugins and add-ons) and lets you create the structure with your code. CMSs are often used for e-commerce and blogging, but they’re useful for all types of websites.
There are always malicious actors looking to find vulnerabilities in websites to expose private information, steal data, and crash servers. Cybersecurity is the practice of securing data, networks, and computers from these threats.
The methods used by hackers are constantly evolving, as are the security measures taken to defend against them. Failing to understand how your site could be targeted could result in disaster.
As a result, a basic understanding of cybersecurity best practices is critical for effective web development. You should also carry out security audits on a consistent basis.
Next, let’s take a look at the types of web development a developer could specialise in.
Whether you’re looking to hire a web developer or become one, you should understand the different types of web development that developers can master.
These different types of web development primarily refer to the different sectors of the profession in which web developers can work. Some of these distinctions overlap, and web developers will often master multiple types of web development.
Front-end developers work on the client- or user-facing side of websites, programs, and software — in other words, what users see. They design and develop the visual aspects, including the layout, navigation, graphics, and other aesthetics.
The main job of these developers is to build interfaces that help users reach their goals, which is why they also often have a hand in the user experience aspect of their projects.
If the front-end is what users see, the back-end is what they don’t. Back-end web developers work on the servers of websites, programs, and software to make sure everything works properly behind-the-scenes.
These developers work with systems like servers, operating systems, APIs, and databases and manage the code for security, content, and site architecture. They collaborate with front-end developers to bring their products to users.
Full stack developers work in both the front-end and back-end sides of a website. They can create a website, application, or software program from start to finish. “Stack” refers to the different technologies that handle different functionalities on the same website, like the server, interface, etc.
Because full-stack developers require years in the field to build the necessary experience, this role is often sought after. Their all-around knowledge helps them optimize performance, catch issues before they occur, and help team members to understand different parts of a web service. This comprehensive skill set is typically covered in a full stack developer course.
Website developers can be front-end, back-end, or full-stack developers. However, these professionals specialize in building websites, as opposed to mobile applications, desktop software, or video games.
Desktop developers specialize in building software applications that run locally on your device, rather than over the Internet in the web browser. Sometimes the skillset of these developers overlaps with that of web developers if an application can run both online and off.
Mobile developers build applications for mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. Mobile apps operate much differently than other websites and software programs, thus requiring a separate set of development skills and knowledge of specialized programming languages.
Game developers specialize in writing code for video games, including console games (Xbox, PlayStation, etc.), PC games, and mobile games — which means this specialty overlaps somewhat with mobile development.
Embedded developers work with all hardware that isn't a computer (or, at least, what most of us imagine as “computers,” with a keyboard and screen). This includes electronic interfaces, consumer devices, IoT devices, real-time systems, and more.
With a recent rise in interconnected devices as seen with smart appliances, Bluetooth technologies, and virtual assistants, embedded development is becoming an in-demand practice.
Security developers establish methods and procedures for the security of a software program or website. These developers typically work as ethical hackers, trying to “break” websites to expose vulnerabilities without intending harm. They also build systems that discover and eradicate security risks.
Now, let's dive into the web development process.
The process of creating a website isn’t as easy as 1-2-3. Each development path is different based on the type of website, programming languages, and resources.
The following section serves as a brief overview of the web development process and a short introduction to the most common languages and CMS options.
Before laying pen to paper or hands to keyboard, it's vital to first connect with teams and personnel across your organization to develop a plan for your website.
Here are some questions to consider before your first site draft:
Answering the questions requires interfacing with your web development, marketing, and financial teams to determine your priorities and make informed decisions.
Put simply? It’s much easier to create a roadmap at the beginning of the process than reverting your progress at a roadblock.
All good websites start with a blueprint. Developers call this a wireframe. It doesn’t have to be an official document; it’s simply a vision for your site that’ll give both you and your developer(s) direction and a place to start. You can draw it on a whiteboard or use a tool like Invision, Slickplan, or Mindnode.
Wireframes are strictly visual tools that will help you understand where text and images will go on individual webpages. You can use blank boxes and “dummy text” to get an idea of how your content will show up on the front-end. Work with your developer to create wireframes so that they have an idea of what you’re picturing.
Next, it’s time to create a sitemap (not to be confused with sitemap.XML, which is an XML file that helps search engines crawl and find your site). Just like a business plan gives a potential investor insight into your goals and deliverables, a sitemap gives a developer the information needed to meet your vision. You can create your sitemap on your own or work with your developer(s).
Here are a few questions to ask yourself when planning your site:
Again, it’s a good idea to consult with other teams within your organization. If you have an SEO and/or content strategy team, their input will be critical in the linking structure and categorizing of your pages.
Writing code might be one of the more complicated parts of web development, but it’s hardly the only component. You also have to build your back-end and front-end site structures and design.
Let’s start with the back-end.
The back-end handles the data that enables the functionality on the front-end. For example, Facebook's back-end stores my photos, so that the front-end can then allow others to look at them. It’s made up of two key components:
These components work together to build the foundation for each website.
As for building your website, backend developers will establish three things.
With these components and decisions in place, your website will be ready for front-end development.
Note: The back-end is slightly tangential to web development because you don't always need a back-end if you're not storing any data. “Data” in this context means any user-entered information that you need to save and persist. Think about logging in to a website. If they don't have a back-end, how could they remember your login information? Or what your profile settings are? To get this information, you need a back-end.
Facebook, as an example, needs to know what people are in your Friends list, what events you have joined, what posts you have created, and more. This is all "data" that lives in a database. If they didn't have a back-end with a database, none of that data would be accessible to them.
On the other hand, a website that’s purely informational and doesn’t require the users to enter any data wouldn’t need a back-end.
So, if you have no data, you don’t necessarily require back-end development. But that’s not saying you shouldn’t learn the basics. You never know when you might need it.
If you’ve ever dabbled in web design or toyed with a website in WordPress, Squarespace, or Google Sites, you’ve touched front-end web development.
The front-end stuff is important — it’s what your visitors, customers, and users see and how they’ll use your website.
Front-end (or client-side) development includes a combination of JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. It also controls components such as typography and fonts, navigation, positioning, and browser compatibility and responsiveness. This part will reflect more of your initial site vision and what you included in your wireframe.
As technology and consumer preferences change, client-side coding tends to become outdated much faster than back-end development. This is where coding resources (like the ones we’ve included below) come in handy.
Why would someone choose a CMS over coding “by hand” or “from scratch?” It’s true that a CMS is less flexible and, therefore, gives you less control over your front-end. However, a CMS is easier to use (you have to write less code), and it often has tools for hosting the site, storing user information, creating a blog, publishing landing pages, capturing leads, and even building an email list. As a result, you’ll be able to make your website more profitable with less than half the work.
See why thousands of customers use HubSpot's CMS to build an optimized website that integrates with their HubSpot CRM data and full marketing stack.
CMS options often include plugins that remove the need to write a back-end. For example, there are WordPress plugins for eCommerce so that, instead of building a complicated back-end to charge customers’ credit cards, you can just use an existing plugin and avoid the need to deal with databases and server-side code.
Popular content management systems include HubSpot, Joomla,
At this point, your website will have an IP address. It also needs a domain name, a memorable website name that your visitors can use to find your site.
Perhaps you’ve heard of sites like GoDaddy and Hover. These services help you purchase a domain name and register with ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Most domain registrations are good for a year before you’re required to renew.
Website builders and hosting services, like WordPress and
Once you’ve set up a domain name and linked it to your host, you’re almost ready to unveil your work to the web.
But not so fast — there are still a handful of things you’ll need to check before an official launch. These include planning out responsibilities on your team, testing your site thoroughly for any glitches, optimizing for SEO, and a final check before “flipping the switch” and making your site live.
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