Did you know that the first website came out in 1991? It's been over 30 years and the need to have well-performing websites have become of utmost importance for businesses. With a rapid shift towards a digital presence, having feature-rich websites, and optimized, and enhanced websites has become critical. With this need in place, web development has become extremely popular. What exactly is web development?

Web development includes developing and maintaining web pages, scripting, server configuration, network security, etc. It focuses on the need for proper functionality and a great user experience. It is a comprehensive process that involves analysis, design, development, testing & review, deployment, and maintenance.

Developing a website is a complex process but comes with a multitude of rewards. It encompasses 3 types of web development namely:

1. Front-end development

   It involves designing and developing the visible elements that users see and interact with. It includes the website's colors, fonts, icons, and images. It is the client side of the website. It also includes developing a website that is friendly on all devices. As a front-end developer, you need to be sound with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

   • HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. It is the standard markup language used for creating web pages and applications. HTML is the backbone of the World Wide Web, as it provides the structure and presentation of content on a web page. It uses a set of tags to define the elements and structure of a web page. It's important to note that HTML describes the structure and content of a web page but does not handle the page's behavior or interactivity.

   • CSS is primarily used for styling and visually formatting web documents written in HTML or XML. It provides developers with a powerful set of rules, properties, and values that define how the elements within a web page should be presented and displayed.

   • JavaScript is primarily used for adding interactivity, dynamic behavior, and functionality to websites and web applications. It is a client-side scripting language, meaning it runs on the user's web browser rather than on the server. Besides these, it is also used for DOM Manipulation, Event Handling, Client-Side Data Storage, AJAX, API Integration, etc.

2. Back-end development

   Backend development refers to server-side development. It involves handling behind-the-scenes functionality, data management, and interactions between the server, database, and client-side components. Backend developers focus on designing, implementing, and maintaining the server-side code, databases, and APIs that enable the application to function. Backend development typically involves Server-side programming, Database management, API development, Security and authentication, Performance optimization, and Integration with external services. As a backend developer, one needs to be well-versed with

   • Programming languages like Python, PHP, Java, C#, and Go.

   • Database Management Systems like MYSQL, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Oracle Database.

   • Version Control Systems like Git, GitHub, and SubVersion.

   • Server management skills like handling Apache, Nginx, IIS servers, and Microsoft IIS.

   • Knowledge of web hosting platforms like Amazon Web Services(AWS), Google Cloud Platform(GCP), and Microsoft Azure.

   Overall, backend development focuses on building the underlying systems and logic that enable the frontend components to function, ensuring data integrity, security, and efficient data processing.

3. Full-stack development

   It includes all facets of development. It covers aspects from the server side to the user interface. It includes working with both frontend and backend tools and applications. Ā full-stack developer needs to be proficient in front-end and back-end technologies. You need to be well-versed in these front-end and back-end libraries and frameworks:

   • Front-end frameworks and libraries like React, Angular, Vue, Lodash, Moment.js, and Axios.

   • Back-end frameworks and libraries like Ruby on Rails, Laravel, and Node.js.

   • Popular stacks like the MEAN stack that consist of MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js, and the MERN stack that consists of MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js.

   • Another popular stack is the LAMP stack which includes Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.

Website development life cycle

Website development is a process that involves developing different parts and modules that help in making the website user-friendly. A proper process is followed in developing a website to align the development resources, stakeholders, and team members with the timeline. Although the process can vary from each website, here's how the life cycle usually looks -

• Gathering information and analysis - The first and the most important step of the web development process is to gather information, process, and analyze it. This step is to understand the goals and requirements of the website being developed. The process also includes understanding the needs and determining the best way to meet those needs. So, in this step, you need to research user personas and create a user persona, gather information, and analyze it.Once you gather all the information and analyze it, defining the scope of the project becomes an easy task. As every website differs from one another in terms of functionality, a well-described plan eliminates any hurdle further in the development process.

• Planning and strategy - In this step, you need to plan and strategize how the entire website will look like. A site map is developed in this stage where all the important and main information is listed. The sitemap is developed for the users to understand how the content is on the website and its navigational structure. It also helps you visualize and understand how the user can jump from one page to another, however, it does not describe the user interface. Later, a wireframe or mock-up is created which is the visual representation of the user interface. It contains all the design elements that will be used on the page. The functionality and responsiveness of the design also begin in this stage of the development process.

• Designing the page - Now, comes the part that will define how the website is actually going to appear to the end user. All the information gathered in the previous stages about the audience and personas needs to be put into use. It's important to make sure that the user experience is highly intuitive and the pages are easy to navigate is of utmost importance. The pages are usually designed based on the approved wireframes to retain the page layout. A website layout needs to be developed that includes the colors, logos, images, and typography that give a basic outline of the look and feel of a website. While designing the page, mobile friendliness needs to be taken into consideration.

• Content writing - In this phase, everything related to what needs to be on the website in a written format should be ready. Any elements such as interactive content should be ready to be deployed on the website.

• Coding and development - In this stage, the code is written. Usually, the structure listed in the sitemap is used to create the pages on the website. This can be done through various programming languages also depending on the functionality of the website. You are either required to code from scratch or use frameworks and tools that can ease the process of coding. As a developer, you need to set up server-side functionality, site plugins, and security integration. You also need to remember that all the design elements, mock-ups, and layouts also need to be embedded in the website via the code. Once all this is done, it's time for the website to be tested.

• Testing and deployment - Once the coding is complete, testing is done to check if there are any bugs that need to be eliminated. It is a critical stage in the website development process as a single error can lead to the website crashing. In this phase, you can test how the website is performing on its intended tasks, its security, performance, and usability. Several tests like unit tests, integration tests, and system tests are conducted before the deployment.

  • Unit testing is the first level of software testing where the smallest testable parts are individually tested for any flaws or errors. If done correctly, unit testing can detect errors early in the development stage. Software developers follow a 3 step process that includes - planning, writing the test case, and performing the test.

  • Integration testing is the process where modules are integrated logically and tested as a group. It is done to check for errors while integrating the software modules. There are 2 strategies mainly used while executing integration tests which are: the Big Bang approach and the incremental approach. Integration testing is also known as String Testing and sometimes Thread Testing.

  • System testing is the process that validates the fully integrated software module. End-to-end system specifications are evaluated in system testing. It also helps in evaluating the user experience with the website. Two strategies are usually used in system testing which includes Black box testing and White box testing.

  Once the final test is complete, the website is finally ready and uploaded to a server.

• Maintenance and updation - After the successful launch of the website, it's upon the developer to constantly maintain and update the website. Regular maintenance is required to ensure the optimum performance of the website. You also need to keep the website up-to-date for its smooth functioning. Regular maintenance also helps you fix bugs immediately and does not damage the user experience. Constant maintenance will also improve the usability and discoverability of features.

How is Content Management Systems helpful?

The content management system is software that allows developers to create and maintain websites without having to code from scratch. It also allows developers to access multimedia elements of the website easily. We understand that website development is a time taking process and hence, developers can also consider using CMS that will easily allow them to change the style and functionality of the website by just downloading the plugins. It also saves time as it simplifies the website development process. There are various CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, Magento, Webflow, Sanity, and many more.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we would like to add that website development is a continuous process which means it doesn't end the day the website is launched. After the launch as well, there are certain criteria that must be kept in check like usability, functionality, and performance. We have provided insights into website development and we hope you find this article resourceful and insightful.