Going through the process of finding what's right for you can be one of the most daunting things. You may find yourself trying out several things before landing where you belong. Like anyone else, I went through this search. I stumbled upon web development and settled, at least for now.
It took me a lot of research, experimenting, reading, and engaging with other web developers to make this critical decision. The process has been quite extensive, but I have enjoyed the process.
After being in the process for two years, I now know why I became a web developer.
Who is a Web Developer?
A skilled web developer crafts and brings to life captivating websites. A developer ensures the website is visually appealing, optimally functional, and easy to navigate by users. Web developers also ensure a website's functionality.
There are three types of web developers. They are front-end developers, back-end developers, and full-stack developers.
Front-end web developers specialize in the visual aspects of a website. They create the pages users see and interact with, commonly known as the user interface (UI). Back-end developers focus on building server-side applications and managing access points for people to manage a website's content. Full-stack developers do the work done by both front-end developers and back-end developers.
Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash
What Led Me to Choose a Path as a Developer
Unknown to many, my primary career interest was in the Aviation industry. If anyone told me I would later work with computers or in the digital environment, I would have found that laughable.
Aviation eluded me, and here is why my search ended when I discovered the exciting world of coding!
1. Coding is Challenging
"How is this a motivation to learn to code?" you may ask. I love a good challenge.
In the world of coding, the learning journey is continuous. There's always something new to learn. Every day, new technologies and programming languages are constantly being developed. It is an opportunity to add to your knowledge and skills.
When learning to code, my first project was based purely on HTML and CSS. I excitedly showed this project to everyone who knew I was learning to code. I thought I was ready to start applying for jobs. To my amazement, that was just the tip of the coding iceberg. Lying beneath the surface of the web development ocean was the core language of the web, JavaScript.
The same thing happened when I learned the basics of JavaScript. I needed to grasp a front-end framework afterward and how to use web development tools and resources such as Git and GitHub. As if that was not enough, when I landed my first internship as a junior developer, the project I was working on required me to have NextJS and TypeScript knowledge on top of React. The first order of business was to learn these technologies.
Coding has fostered in me a growth mindset. I have learned to see challenges as opportunities to grow. It has made me believe that there is no limit to what I can achieve.
2. It Satisfies my High Creative Drive.
If you want a creative career path, then web development could be it. You can use your creativity skills to design and create page layouts that users enjoy navigating.
Coding is a multifaceted discipline that combines the technical intricacies of Science and the creative allure of art. It allows you to use your imagination to 'breathe life' into something.
Creativity was one of the main things that informed my pursuit of a career path. As a web developer, I have produced unique effects for websites, allowing me to create something beautiful.
By learning to code, I joined the vast group of innovators who work to improve the now overly digitalized world.
3. Creative Problem-Solving
Besides being a creative venture, it is a creative process that requires out-of-the-box thinking to solve a problem.
There are many ways to tackle a programming problem. Some solutions are more effective than others. I have learned to weigh the possible solutions I have at hand to choose the best.
Coding has given me an endless opportunity to explore my creativity and come up with solutions to complex problems. I use this simple four-step method to solve programming problems. I critically analyze the issue from different angles and break it into smaller manageable pieces.
The approach I used to learn code strengthened my problem-solving muscle. I learned through practically solving coding challenges, most of which modeled real-life problems that programmers solve daily in the real world.
Creative problem-solving is part of coding. It often involves collaborating with others. Programmers may need to brainstorm with other team members to decide the best approach to tackling a problem.
Photo Headway on Unsplash
4. Exposure to Multiple Disciplines
I conducted extensive research on web development and the tech world, and this is one of the things I came across that piqued my interest.
Chief among the perks of becoming a web developer is the opportunity to work cross-functionally with various stakeholders. In your day-to-day life as a developer, you're likely to work with a UX designer, a UI designer, or a product manager, among others.
Developers should work collaboratively with people of various backgrounds to create satisfactory products and solutions. That way, they create user-friendly solutions that run smoothly and meet customer needs.
In my first role as a developer, I joined the marketing team as a content writer and strategist. I had worked as an article and blog post writer in the Real Estate niche for five years, so this wasn't such a leap. I didn't plan to pick up technical writing but developed the skill while working as a developer. I owe this to my thirst to learn new things. I just realized I had a knack for technical writing besides coding.
If you are looking for a career with exposure to lots of business functions, web development could be a great fit.
5. A Sense of Community
As a web developer, you will never walk alone unless you've chosen to, in which case you won't succeed as a developer.
There is an expansive web development community, and therein are supportive people. Countless Discord servers and Slack groups bring web developers together to chat and share ideas. They even help each other solve problems.
The communities that built my developer skills include the Front-end Mentor Slack group. Being part of this community helped me improve my front-end skills by building real-world projects. I also joined an African tech community called SpaceYaTech, through which I networked with many developers and stakeholders in the tech industry. I recommend SpaceYaTech to anyone who wants to join an African open-source tech community.
At every step in your web development journey, you will have a community of people who openly share ideas. These folks will keep you motivated and encourage your learning.
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Final Thoughts
Besides the prospect of making large amounts of money, which is almost every aspiring developer's motivation, web development has several other perks.
Coding can give you access to worldwide opportunities through remote work. Learning to code and working as a web developer can be fun. It's artistic and beautiful.
To mention a few, I was motivated to become a developer since it presents the chance to be a creative problem solver. Coding has also exposed me to various disciplines and a pool of talented and highly motivated folks.
Many resources are available to anyone who would like to learn coding. It is an excellent choice with numerous benefits.
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