Discover the Best Web Development Classes Near Me
Web development refers to the processes of coding, designing, and maintaining websites and web applications. However, typically when someone refers to “web development”, they mean the coding process responsible for building and sustaining web applications and sites. Some of the most popular web development programming languages include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but there are several others, like Python, that can be worthwhile to learn as well. If you are looking to become a Web Developer, Web Designer, JavaScript Programmer, or are interested in any career involving web development, you may be interested in learning web development skills. You may also be interested in learning web development in order to take your own website, web app, or personal project further.
One reason someone may wish to learn web development is to gain the ability to turn ideas into reality. Web development shapes the digital landscape we interact with every day. By learning web development, you can build anything from a simple blog or website to a complex web application. Maybe you want to create a platform for your own business or for personal fulfillment.
Web development is a highly useful collection of skills you can use for your own purposes, but is also a skill highly in demand among employers. Businesses, organizations, and governments all rely on their online presence to serve as a first impression, a means of ongoing engagement, and to guide visitors to take desired actions such as gathering information or purchasing a product. This means that skilled Web Developers are in high demand and will continue to be for many years to come. Web Developers not only build websites and web applications, but are critical to protecting, updating, and maintaining them. Companies in nearly any industry need Web Developers to ensure their online platforms run smoothly so that organizations can reach clients, provide services, and conduct operations. This allows those with web development skills to explore many different career paths in almost any industry they wish. The ever-evolving landscape of web development also makes related careers interesting and engaging, especially for those who possess strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills along with a desire to continuously learn.
Read on to learn more about what you can do with web development skills and about web development classes near you.
Best Web Development Classes & Schools
In-person web development classes offer a great way to learn from an expert instructor, network with other locals interested in web development, and get hands-on experience while building your professional portfolio. An in-person class also allows you to ask questions and receive answers immediately and get personalized feedback from your instructor. In-person classes are also great for those who prefer to learn in a traditional classroom environment, meeting face-to-face with classmates and instructors. Major metropolitan areas offer some of the best in-person web development classes and schools.
Noble Desktop is a New York career development center offering classes and certificate programs in a variety of fields including web development. They offer in-person classes at their Manhattan office and online classes that allow students to enroll from anywhere in the world. These classes connect expert instructors with students, providing real-time feedback and guidance. Beginner-friendly classes in New York such as Noble Desktop’s Web Development with HTML & CSS course teach you how to create websites using HTML and CSS, two critical languages used in web development. If you are new to coding, it is especially helpful to have a teacher to answer your questions and offer real-time guidance as you work through hands-on assignments. Another programming language useful to aspiring Web Developers is Python. If you understand the fundamentals of the Python programming language, then you can take your skills further with Noble Desktop’s Python Web Development with Django class. This class teaches the fundamentals of the Python framework Django, then builds upon that foundation to teach you Django REST. You can take this class remotely or in person at Noble’s Manhattan location.
ONLC is the largest IT training company in North America, offering learning centers in over 200 locations. They have also provided computer training since 1983, making them longtime experts at teaching the skills needed to help students launch new careers. If you are looking for in-person web development classes in Los Angeles, ONLC Training Center’s computer labs in Santa Monica and LA provide all the equipment and tools you need for their web development courses. Beginner-friendly classes include their HTML 5 and CSS Content Authoring: Level 1 class and their WordPress Level 1 class.
If you’re looking for in-person coding classes in Chicago, Computer Training Source, Inc. is located in the Near North Side. Computer Training Source, Inc. has been teaching students since 1991 and offers classes in software like Excel and Illustrator, as well as coding classes. In the JavaScript Introduction class, students learn how to create, execute, and add comments to basic JavaScript scripts, manage the browser menu and document, manipulate data and functions, calculate numerical values, use regular expressions, and understand the basics of Ajax.
If you can’t find an in-person class near you or you prefer to learn online, live online classes and programs can offer many similar benefits to in-person classes, including the ability to connect with an expert instructor in real time. Classes are taught through online training platforms using software like Zoom for video conferencing and screen sharing. Remote web development classes also offer some advantages over in-person classes. You can choose to take classes offered by schools and instructors anywhere in the world, maximizing your options and allowing you to pick the classes that most suit your goals, schedule, and budget. You also save time not having to commute to a physical location.
Becoming a Full Stack Web Developer requires a thorough understanding of both front-end and back-end web development. Noble Desktop’s online Full-Stack Web Development Certificate program teaches those new to web development the essential skills needed to start a career as a Full-Stack Web Developer. Students learn how to code a website from scratch using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more. With small class sizes of just 15 students or less, instructors are able to provide personalized feedback, answer questions in real-time, teach best practices, and guide students through hands-on projects. The certificate program comes with a free retake of each course and one-on-one mentoring.
You can also learn about the Python programming language through Noble’s Intro to Python Programming class. By gaining an understanding of Python programming fundamentals, you will gain the skills needed to take more advanced Python classes. You can also use this class to assess your interest in Python programming before committing to a longer class or certificate program.
If you are interested in specializing in JavaScript, Practical Programming’s online JavaScript Programming Bootcamp teaches you the skills to create web applications. Students learn about functions, variables, data types, and more.
Industries That Use Web Development
The necessity for websites and web applications in the digital age ensures that web development touches all major industries including retail, healthcare, education, finance, entertainment, government, travel, and tech.
Retailers use websites to provide online shopping to customers and to allow some processes related to physical locations, such as having items shipped to a store or searching whether a store has a product in stock. E-commerce refers to retail that takes place entirely online, allowing website visitors and web app users to shop, order, and receive their goods all through online interactions. Digital storefronts require web development to manage product inventories, shopping carts, user accounts, and secure payment processing. Web design also shapes the user experience and impacts whether visitors convert to customers. For this reason, it is helpful for aspiring Web Developers to gain an understanding of design basics since design and development are often intertwined. Good design is also essential to boost sales online.
The healthcare industry uses web development to provide essential services to patients like appointment scheduling and online consultations. A Web Developer in healthcare must understand how to create and maintain a highly secure platform in order to protect patient information including patient records. Telemedicine is also an increasingly popular function in the healthcare industry as busy patients can make virtual appointments, message care providers, and more without needing to go to the doctor’s office.
Web development is used in education to create and maintain university websites, online learning platforms, and educational resources. Good web development enhances remote learning, course selection, student registration, record keeping, and other digital functions. Web Developers in education must consider the age of the users when considering user experience as the capabilities of an elementary-age student will differ greatly from those of a college student. They must also consider the needs of parents, professors, administrators, and anyone else requiring access to the platform. In addition, good user experience (UX) planning accounts for the volume of users the platform can support.
The finance industry depends on web development to provide online banking, financial planning tools, and to power trading platforms. These platforms prioritize reliability and security in order to protect users’ financial information. Good UX in finance strives to balance necessary security with easy access for users so they can monitor transactions, research investment opportunities, and take other actions through their accounts.
In the digital age, web development plays a critical role in providing services for entertainment and media. Streaming services, social media, digital news platforms, and online gaming all depend on web development to deliver content quickly and easily to large volumes of users. These platforms must be able to support large volumes of data, as well. Web Developers in the entertainment industry must therefore understand how to build and manage complex digital platforms which may require significant customization.
Governments and other public sector organizations depend on web development to disseminate information, provide public services, and engage with citizens. Users access government websites to perform important tasks such as applying for benefits, filing taxes, and paying utilities. These websites also provide voting information, contact information for public officials, and more. Web Developers working for government and public sector organizations should therefore understand how to make websites accessible, user-friendly, and secure.
Web Developers in the travel industry manage online booking platforms, hotels, travel guides, destination websites, review apps, and more. These platforms enable users to book vacations, tours, and accommodations, leave reviews, submit contact forms, and review travel information. Websites and web applications also play a crucial role in providing airline services. Airlines use web development to provide ticket booking, check-in services, customer service, flight service updates, loyalty programs, and to deliver information such as cancellation policies and more.
The tech industry is also a huge employer of Web Developers. Software companies use Web Developers to build their products, manage their websites, and oversee the user interface. Mobile apps are also increasingly used to provide users with a superior experience while on their mobile devices. Web Developers also help to ensure the safety and security of digital platforms to protect sensitive data.
Web Development Jobs & Salaries
With a projected job growth of 30% between 2021 and 2031 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), now is an opportune time to consider a career as a Web Developer. Generally speaking, Web Developers build and maintain websites and web applications. There are, however, many job titles that fall under the web development umbrella including titles like Front-end Developer, Back-end Developer, Full Stack Developer, JavaScript Developer, Web Application Developer, WordPress Developer, and more. Read on to learn more about the responsibilities associated with these job titles and what to expect regarding salaries and cost of living in different areas.
A Front-end Developer works with the client-facing components of a website or web application. They use coding languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, along with front-end frameworks like Vue.js and React to build and manage the parts of a website or web application that users interact with. A Back-end Developer handles the server-side components such as database operations, server configuration, and user authentication. Back-end Developers use languages like Python, Ruby, Java, and Node.js along with databases like MongoDB and MySQL. Full Stack Developers are those who manage front and back-end aspects of the website or web application.
JavaScript Developers specialize in the JavaScript programming language, which they use to build web app applications. JavaScript Developers may work on the front-end or back-end and will sometimes work across both. They frequently use JavaScript frameworks and libraries such as React, Vue.js, and Angular.
Web Application Developers build dynamic web applications rather than static websites. They generally need to understand both the front-end and back-end and know relevant programming languages and frameworks including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, Python, Java, Ruby, and Node.js.
WordPress Developers specialize in building WordPress websites using HTML and CSS. They may also use JavaScript, PHP, SQL, and jQuery. WordPress Developers might work for a marketing agency building clients’ websites, but often work as freelancers. A WordPress Developer might choose to work with clients in a variety of industries or may choose a particular area to focus on in order to stand out from the competition.
One important consideration when deciding to pursue web development is what you can expect to make depending on your job title and location, and how that compares to the cost of living for that area. The median annual salary for Web Developers is $80,000 according to BLS. BLS defines a median wage as “the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.” In other words, if you lined up all salaries of Web Developers in the United States from lowest to highest, the median salary would be the one found at the halfway mark. The actual salary depends on factors like experience, the type of organization the Web Developer works for, and the location of the job.
Indeed.com estimates the average Web Developer salary in Los Angeles to be around $90,000 per year. This is not far off from the average base salary of web development jobs in New York City, which is around $95,000 annually, according to Indeed. Both of these salaries reflect the salaries paid in major metropolitan areas and both areas have a fairly high cost of living, especially compared to other parts of the United States. Although major metropolitan areas do come with a higher cost of living, they may also provide more job opportunities based on which industries and organizations are based in the area. These are factors to consider when researching where you may wish to pursue a web development career.
What Will I Need to Learn Web Development?
The materials you need to learn web development will vary depending on the classes you take, however there are some tools commonly used throughout the web development learning journey.
To learn web development coding languages, you will need a text editor such as Visual Studio Code. VS Code is an open-source code editor that is free to use. It supports multiple programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Features like syntax highlighting and auto-completion save you time when coding and help you to avoid mistakes.
Other helpful tools for learning web development include developer tools built into internet browsers, like Chrome's DevTools or Firefox's Developer Tools. These tools let you inspect and modify your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code live on the webpage for testing and debugging.
Next comes JavaScript frameworks and libraries such as React.js, Angular.js, and Vue.js. These help to structure your JavaScript code in a modular, organized, and maintainable way. They can also provide performance benefits and help you build complex user interfaces more easily.
For backend development, you need to pick a server-side language. Some popular choices are Python (with frameworks like Django or Flask), JavaScript (Node.js), Ruby (Ruby on Rails), and PHP. Your choice of backend language will depend on what you're most comfortable with and the specific needs of your projects.
Databases are also an integral part of web development. SQL-based databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL or NoSQL databases like MongoDB are commonly used. Understanding how to create, query, and manipulate data in these databases is crucial.
To manage versions of your code, you'll need to use a version control system like Git. With Git, you can track changes to your code, switch to different versions, and work collaboratively with others. Many Web Developers use GitHub, which is a web-based hosting service, for version control.
Understanding how to work with APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) is also important. APIs allow your application to interact with other applications and services.
Lastly, you'll need some sort of environment to run and test your code. This could be as simple as your personal computer or a more complex setup involving virtual machines or containerization platforms like Docker.
If you are taking an in-person class, you will likely use a computer provided by your school or learning center. This computer will have the software, tools, and setup you need to take your courses so that you can simply log in and get started. If you are taking an online class, you will need to have the proper tools and setup completed prior to the start of class. Many classes offer free setup assistance to make sure you have all the materials that you need. You may also need to download class files and workbooks prior to class so you can follow along with hands-on projects.
Is it Difficult to Learn Web Development?
Learning web development can feel overwhelming at times due to the many skills you will learn such as coding with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This can be especially true if you are new to coding or you are taking on a particularly lengthy curriculum such as learning full-stack web development rather than just front-end web development. To keep your motivation, it helps to keep your end goals in mind and to have a supportive community. Having an instructor allows you access to an expert that can offer guidance, feedback, and encouragement. Learning alongside classmates also provides you with a group to learn alongside.
Despite the challenges that come with learning web development, the skills gained are well worth the effort. Learning web development can lead to a new career or enable you to take the next step in your current career. You can even start your own business as a freelance Web Developer or use your web development skills to create websites and web applications related to your passion projects. Also keep in mind that it takes time to learn any new skill, so creating a realistic timeline as you map your web development learning journey can help to pace yourself. Taking a certificate course is another way to pace your learning since such programs follow a structured learning path with classes that meet regularly. In the end, learning web development is a rewarding process that can lead to great things including a fulfilling career.
