5 Skills You Need to Become a Full Stack Web Developer

What skills do you need to become a full stack web developer? A lot of people are hesitant to pick up programming, thinking it’s too complicated or abstract to get started on their own. The truth is that anyone can learn the basics of HTML, CSS, SQL, and JavaScript, and from there on out it’s just practice to really master the craft. Follow these five steps below to start developing your skills and build your portfolio as you move towards becoming a full stack web developer.

Frontend Skills You Need

To become a Full Stack Web Developer, these skills are required.

1. HTML and CSS
2. JavaScript
3. SQL
4. Git & GitHub
5. React JS
6. Find an online coding community to join

Let us discuss them deeply.

1. Learn HTML and CSS

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is used for coding web pages, while CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used for creating different page layouts. If you’re starting out, focus on learning HTML and CSS basics. Knowing how to code your own websites will help you get started in creating everything from single-page blogs to complex landing pages.

2. Learn JavaScript

JavaScript is one of those languages that’s become so ubiquitous on modern websites it’s now hard to imagine an internet without it. If you want to be a web developer, JavaScript should absolutely be one of your top skills. If you don’t know much about coding yet, learning JavaScript is probably your first step. Luckily for beginners, there are hundreds of free resources available online.

3. Learn SQL

Structured Query Language (SQL) is an essential component of most relational database management systems. Without knowing SQL, you can’t create databases or retrieve and update data stored in them. And if you want to build web applications that read and write database records, there’s no avoiding it—you have to learn how. Fortunately, there are many free resources available on SQL; an excellent starting point is W3Schools’ introduction tutorial.

4. Learn Git & GitHub

The ability to collaborate with other developers is key in today’s job market. Whether you’re working on small projects or building something large with a team, being able to effectively use Git & GitHub will make life easier for you and your fellow developers. Fortunately, they both have pretty straightforward interfaces and are simple enough that anyone can learn them within an hour or two.

5. React JS

If you want to build dynamic and interactive websites, or develop rich user interfaces, you’ll need to learn React. As one of 2017’s most popular frameworks, it’s perfect for designing large-scale applications (e.g., Facebook) or small ones. React JS is created by Facebook to increase the speed of a web page. It uses a unique approach called unidirectional data flow that breaks down complex UI into more manageable chunks— and it’s in high demand across all freelance platforms and also big corporations like Google, YouTube, Amazon, Yahoo, etc.

6. Find an online coding community to join

The best way to become a better web developer is by surrounding yourself with peers who are also serious about their craft. Look for online coding communities where you can offer and receive feedback, as well as share resources. These communities can be formal (like Slack channels or meetups), or informal (such as social media groups).

Conclusion:

With everything you’ve learned in this guide, you’re ready to build beautiful, dynamic web applications. A strong understanding of web development fundamentals will set you up for success when it comes time to begin your own projects. I sincerely hope that my advice has been helpful and wish you all success as a skillful web developers! Good luck out there.