What Should You Look for in Web Application Development Training?

Most people use the terms web design and web development interchangeably; however, design relates to the visual aspect of a website. Designers learn how to coordinate color combinations, design user-friendly interfaces for the site's visitors, prepare images and study the effect and impressions that these things can have on audiences. A web developer is a programmer who usually handles back-end development such as coding applications in a server-side programming language such as PHP. He or she might also have to handle client-side scripting in JavaScript if required by the workplace or a private client. Basically, front-end development consists of coding in extensible hypertext mark-up language((X)HTML), cascading style sheets (CSS), work in an image editing program such as Photoshop or the GIMP for the preparation of images and templates, light scripting in JavaScript, and the creation of user-friendly interfaces. Back-end developers handle functionality--the behind-the-scenes operations such as user registrations, logins, e-commerce, etc. Attempting to learn both at the same time can be frustrating and often ends in failure.

It's a good idea to decide which type of development you'd like to do and focus on those operations. Web developers usually work in teams on which each member is responsible for specific operations. Those who freelance usually cannot survive very long if they don't know both front and back-end development or at least partner with someone who knows the end they don't.

Evaluating Web Development Training

There are definitely some things that should be taught in any program labeled as "web development training." Remember, if it says "web design," you might or might not learn back-end development; however, you should learn the following: XHTML, CSS, the basics of JavaScript, best practices for choosing color combinations, template designs, and strong skills in Photoshop or the GIMP which is available free of charge. If these things aren't taught, you aren't being prepared for employment in the real world. Real web development training should actually consist of web application development training because that's pretty much what's needed in today's world. If your studies don't cover the following, you won't be very employable: object oriented programming in one of the widely used languages for web scripting such as PHP; instruction in the model view controller programming architecture which is steadily growing in popularity, and good exposure to at least one framework such as Cake or Symfony for rapid development.

You should also receive instruction in search engine optimization (SEO), selecting a web host, and using a file transfer protocol (FTP) program. Many of my classmates graduated from web design and web application development training having no clue of what a programming framework is, no understanding of SEO, never having heard of the model view controller (MVC) architecture, having no idea what object oriented programming is, having no idea how to select a web host or even register a domain. Needless to say, they weren't prepared to work as web designers or web developers in the work world nor had the skills required to succeed as freelance web developers. Most gave up on ever earning money, much less a living as a web developer. I greatly enjoy the work; so, I had to learn from real-world developers the things that my poor quality web application development training left out.

Sources:

AAS in Web Development
real world experience as a web developer