Web development refers in general to the tasks associated with developing websites for hosting via intranet or internet. The web development process includes web design, web content development, client-side/server-side scripting and network security configuration, among other tasks.

• Web development is also known as website development, while the professionals that maintain a website are called web developers or (more commonly) web devs.
• In a broader sense, web development encompasses all the actions, updates, and operations required to build, maintain and manage a website to ensure its performance, user experience, and speed are optimal.

• It might also, but not necessarily, include all those strategic actions needed to ensure its proper ranking on search engine results. Usually, those tasks pertain to a different specialization, namely search engine optimization (SEO)

  What are the different types of web development?

Front-end web development:

Front-end web development is responsible for the look and feel of a website. This means how colors, type, icons, and images appear. Increasingly, front-end development has to account for how a website looks on all devices, from desktop to tablet to phone. Typical programming languages include HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Front-end developers keep up with cutting-edge trends in web design and development to make sure websites are optimized for users and search engines — and with security best practices in mind.

Back-end web development:

Back-end web development is responsible for building and maintaining the code that runs a website. This code connects the website to the server and ensures that data flows properly to the website and that transactions are processed correctly. Typical programming languages include Java (different from JavaScript), PHP, and MySQL; newer tools include Python and Golang. Back-end web developers can keep up with changes in technology by participating in networking communities that share coding tips and support.

Full-stack web development:

Full-stack web development covers both front-end and back-end responsibilities. Depending on the complexity of a website, a full-stack developer may be responsible for all facets of its development, from the server side to the user interface. Many full-stack developers may still specialize in one aspect of web development, but their broad experience is useful in troubleshooting or speeding up a build or redesign.

Website Development:

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.

The Website 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.

1. Form a plan.

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:

• What is the goal of your website?
• Who is your audience, and what do you want them to do on your website?
• What content are you aiming to publish, and at what volume?
• What’s the purpose of this content?
• How will you structure your website for the best navigational experience?

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.

2. Create a wireframe.

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 https://www.invisionapp.com/, https://slickplan.com/, or https://www.mindnode.com/.

3. Draft up a sitemap.

Next, it’s time to create a https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/build-sitemap-website (not to be confused with https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/build-sitemap-website, which is an https://blog.hubspot.com/website/what-is-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:

• What individual pages do you want?
• What content will be on those pages?
• How can you organize those pages into categories?
• What is the hierarchy of pages on your site?
• How will the pages link together?
• What pages and categories are essential to your site and user experience?

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.