10 Tips to Become a Better Web Developer

Which plugins are better? Should I plan for my next project or should I just dive right in?

Sounds familiar?

A little too familiar right?

If you’ve been a web developer long enough, you will agree that being the cream of the cream in web development isn’t a walk in the park. Truth be told, web development employs technologies that tend evolve rather quickly. As a matter of fact, the success of any web developer totally depends on how much they’re willing to put into keeping up. And before you start freaking out; we are not suggesting that leading the pack is beyond the bounds of possibility. Of course not! But it takes work to keep up. You will have to constantly learn to remain relevant.

Luckily, there’s help to be had. In this blog post we’ll delve into 10 tips on how to become a successful web developer.

Sounds good?

Let’s dive right in…

• Borrow Ideas from Other Designers

It sounds obvious but many developers miss the point. The web development industry is flooded with a thousand and one experts each endowed with different unique abilities. For instance, there are developers who possess a remarkably keen eye and can make great designs from literally anything thrown at them or nothing at all; other developers find it difficult to do so. In order to become a better at your game, you need to learn what makes a good design. And that means borrowing ideas from other designers’ creativity to see what you need to do differently.

• Plan Your Projects Ahead of Time

Benjamin Franklin supposedly once said, “If you fail to plan you plan to fail” He was right! And it’s no different in web development either. If you don’t plan ahead of your web development project, you are planning to falter when the time to work on it comes. Yet surprisingly enough, failing to plan is probably one of the most common mistakes that most web developers make; veterans and novices alike. And while we often brush it off and feel it’s too tedious to plan, good planning comes with many undeniable perks, including the fact that it allows you to complete your projects in good time.

• Invest in Your Skills

“You have to spend money to make money” You’ve probably heard this phrase a dozen times. Well, it couldn’t be truer. Web development is a career skill that should be learned and relearned continuously. And you don’t have to break the bank to keep up with the trends. In fact, it could be as simple as investing an hour or two in advancing your skills to match industry requirements. You also need to practice your skills. The goal here is to block off a few hours every day to practice and sharpen your craft.

1. Keep up with the trends

The saying “change is the only constant in life” is industry-defining. Web development technology is ever-changing. New programming languages and development are coming up with every passing second. That is to say you need to keep up with what is happening whether you are a veteran or novice developer.    

• Do Not Neglect the Soft Skills

The best person for the job is one who will confront issues articulately and with an undeniable character. Simply put, having self-discipline will go a long way in making you a winner in your craft. Being productive is not synonymous with hard work but being efficient is. Create good work habits, develop great organisational skills. That way, you will have an easy time achieving productivity. However, don’t be too hard on yourself. Keep in mind that developing discipline and good character takes time. Take one step at a time.

• Organize Your Work

In order to lead the pack; ensure that you are organized at what you do. This is probably easier said than done especially if you barely have enough time to get all your work done. However, there are a few simple steps that you could take to make things a lot easier for you. For instance, you could make your desk and workstation as neat and organized as possible. This will ensure that you are working with minimum disruptions. Next up, save and label your computer files and folders systematically in such a way that they are easy to retrieve. It will make your life a whole lot easier.

• Get the Right Tools
  

Abraham Maslow put it plainly that “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Becoming a better web developer is equated with having the right tools for the job. Sure there are other web design elements that come into play but having the right tools helps fast track your success. Plus there are handy tools that help you get your work done in the shortest time possible.

• Embrace new Challenges

There is no shortage of development tutorials on the web. And while some don’t stick around long enough, there’s no reason why you should ignore learning new skills. So if you are wondering how to become a good website developer, web tutorials are a great place to start.

• Schedule Regular Downtime

If you work every day all day, you run the risk of burning out which can result in missed deadlines, sloppy coding and plenty of other mistakes. Not to mention, your health will also ultimately suffer. So scheduling regular downtimes is without a doubt extremely important

• Contribute to Open Source Projects

Contributing to open source projects helps you to improve on your skills, acquire new ones, and gain valuable experience while you work on a collaborative project.

Summing it up

And there you have it folks, the ultimate cheat sheet on how to become a good web developer. If you are still wondering how to become a successful web developer, these 10 tips will help you get started.