Web Development Tools for Beginners

Though web development—that is, the creation, engineering, and design of websites—has been around since the dawn of the internet, the work involved has become increasingly complex and high-level. Websites are expected to be highly responsive, sleek, and fast; the same can be said for web developers. These professionals need to be highly adaptive, not resisting changes but instead taking advantage of new opportunities to build safer, faster, and more intuitive websites. This is a tall order even for the most experienced web developers, and for those just getting started in learning, it may feel overwhelming just to keep up.Thankfully, web development is made much with the variety of tools available to anyone building websites on the front or back-end. Web development tools allow for greater efficiency and improved workflow throughout the site building process. Not only is this greatly beneficial for professionals, it also can help beginners by organizing and anchoring the different skills needed to be a web developer. These tools can vary in complexity, but let’s take a look at a few web development tools for beginners and what they can do to boost your path to a professional career.

Adobe Dreamweaver

By far the most basic and simple tool on this list, Adobe Dreamweaver is used to create websites from the ground up. This software does not require an extensive knowledge of coding, but instead relies on a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to move elements of a site and see how they fit together in real-time. Additionally, the program allows for the usage of HTML and CSS for further customization, both of which are foundational for web development work.Dreamweaver does include features for code validation, file management, and browser accessibility checks. While it is fairly basic, and advanced web developers will choose tools that give them greater control and variability, it is truly the definition of a beginner’s web development tool.

Sublime Text

Web development can involve writing a large amount of code, both on the front and back-end. Code editors are incredibly useful in these undertakings because of the built-in understanding of web development languages. Though many code editors are available on the market, Sublime Text has become a favorite among programmers. Much of this has to do with the fast and responsive interface, which also appeals to beginners as it can help guide them through coding tasks without being distracting or confusing. It also auto-completes coding phrases and has tons of easy shortcuts, which cuts down on time and the possibility for mistakes.Whether you’re writing in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, or any other applicable language, Sublime Text and other similar code editors are the stuff of dreams for web development beginners.

jQuery

While HTML and CSS are used to design the more basic elements of a website, JavaScript is where things get more complex. This scripting language is used to implement non-static elements of a site, including things like interactive forms, video, and advanced graphics. But, with so much possibility provided by JavaScript, learning the language can be equally complex. That’s where JavaScript libraries like jQuery come in. This framework stores millions of JavaScript commands in its library, and then condenses these into simpler and easier to write methods of code. That means what would normally take a large number of lines to complete in JavaScript is wrapped up in smaller packages that can be deployed into a site’s source code.jQuery is specifically helpful because it also makes more complicated JavaScript functions easier, such as HTML/CSS manipulation and AJAX calls. But for the purpose of web development beginners, using jQuery or another similar JavaScript library simply means a less-steep learning curve when it comes to this important but daunting coding language.

Chrome Developer Tools

Another important aspect of web development is ensuring the site displays and functions the same across all browsers. For instance, testing an interactive order form only on Firefox might mean that hitting “Submit Order” causes the site to behave differently on Chrome or Microsoft Edge. With that need in mind, Google’s Chrome Developer Tools were created. This plugin allows programmers to edit code and webpages on the fly. Changes that are made to HTML, CSS, or JavaScript are all viewable in real-time. This means no more running code, looking for errors, and then returning to the code editor to figure out where things went wrong. Instead, you’re able to see exactly what that slight change could do, and fix bugs more quickly.Though it’s designed for Chrome, the Dev Tools bundle is intended to edit and test code for any major browser. It also features additional tools to help improve load times, and a host of other cool features that will be of greater use as you progress in your mastery of web development.

GitHub

When it comes to web development, one thing is for sure: mistakes are going to happen. Even the most seasoned pros are prone to mistakes, and sometimes these errors can cause far-ranging problems throughout the site. That’s where a backup service like GitHub comes into play. GitHub allows you back up your previous builds and code bases if you ever need a “rewind” button.More than that, though, GitHub is an open-source platform for all things web development. You’ll find a community of online users happy to help answer questions, as well as helpful features for tracking code errors, Wikis on relevant subjects, and even whole blocks of code so you can see how others accomplished the same task.

Re-Code Your Future with Eleven Fifty Academy

At Eleven Fifty Academy, guiding you through web development tools and techniques are only part of what we do. Our full-time 12-week and part-time 24-week web development course will take you all the way from foundational lessons on HTML and CSS, through more complicated back-end processes, server and database management, and the most cutting-edge practices in the industry today. If you’re ready to step into a life-changing field, speak with an admissions specialist today.