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About Web Developer Jobs in London
In a world ruled by e-commerce and online shopping, businesses are now seeing the value of having their own website. Web developers play an important part in this process. Combining their knowledge of web design and computer programming, web developers help create online platforms for businesses.
In addition to making them visually appealing and functional, web developers have to ensure that the site is secure and meets their client’s requirements. It’s not surprising that with our increasing dependence on technology and digital tools, the demand for this profession is steadily growing.
What Is the Basic Web Developer Job Description?
Web developers handle many different tasks, depending on their industry, skills, experience level, client needs, and job description. They can be in charge of a specific part of a website or handle the whole site. In bigger companies, these roles tend to be more specific and specialized.
The web developer jobs the UK has to offer consist of turning a client’s vision into reality when it comes to their website while also keeping the technical aspects in mind. These jobs also entail working on site speed and traffic.
Some web developers work solely on background processes and databases, while others tackle only visual parts and the user interface. Additionally, there are developers on both.
Duties in Web Developer Jobs in London
Some of the general responsibilities of a web developer include:
- Knowing coding languages, such as PHP, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS
- Prototype new software and apps
- Devise app components
- Test application functionalities in different environments
- Benchmark app performance
- Correct errors and bugs
- Develop APIs for data exchange
- Work on different open source projects
- Gather inputs from clients to turn them into a functional website
- Work with databases
- Collaborate with graphic designers
- Follow trends in tech and advancements in web development
- Readjust the problematic parts of the website
- Maintain and update websites
Types of Web Developers in the UK
Web developers have a lot of career paths to choose from depending on their skills. For instance, some developers are unable to perform tasks that others can, despite the somewhat blurred lines between the roles. With more experience, these lines become thinner. However, specializations are still around and require specific experience, such as game development.
Front End Developers
At the end of 2018, there were around 6,350 advertised front end developer jobs in London and the UK on Glassdoor, which says a lot about the growing demand for this line of work. Front end developers handle the visual components of a website and UX/UI. They deal with the client side of a website, creating apps and codes that allow users to interact with a website.
These developers are knowledgeable in UX/UI, HTML, UI Frameworks, JavaScript, and CSS.
Back End Developers
In this web developer career path, employees implement the functional elements and background logic of a website. It’s often referred to as the server side of web development — maybe because it comprises a server, database, and application that the back end developer creates and updates. As a result, these processes keep the client side running.
Back end developers are skilled in Java, Ruby, Scala, Python, and C++.
Full Stack Developers
With these web developer jobs in London, front end and back end responsibilities are combined. Full stack developers can create a fully functioning website by themselves — both the client and server sides. They’re generally more skilled and experienced.
Full stack developers are generally skilled at Linux servers and client side JavaScript. They can also write server side APIs and use CSS for design.
Game Developers
Embarking on this web developer career involves planning, designing, and producing video games that users can play on computers, smartphones, or game consoles.
The skills they possess include working with frameworks like OpenGL, WebGL, DirectX, and programming languages like Java, C, and C++. For mobile game developers, knowledge of Java and Swift come in handy.
Mobile Developers
After the mobile boom in the 2000s and the rise of smartphones, the career path of mobile developers was born. Nowadays, a lot of freelance web developer jobs in the UK revolve around developing mobile software. Mobile developers specialize in applications that run on mobile devices like tablets and smartphones. Typically, they work in environments and frameworks focused on iOS and Android and create software for these systems.
Those who work in this specific web developer job in London are knowledgeable in API, web development languages, Java, Swift, cross-platform mobile suites, and Objective-C.
Data Scientist
Analysing data is of utmost importance today. Hence, data scientists also have a high significance in the web development space. These professionals write codes to analyze sets of data.
Some of the most relevant skills among these professionals are programming languages like Python and R, machine learning methods, calculus, and linear algebra to help in data analysis.
Work Environment
Web developers typically work in an office setting. However, with the rise of remote web developer jobs in the UK, they are now able to work from virtually anywhere if they wish to. You only need a reliable computer and a good internet connection.
Currently, most online opportunities for web developers are in London, Edinburgh, and Manchester. Similarly, most office-based jobs are in London, Manchester, and Leeds.
Work Schedules
Full-time in-house web developers have a regular work schedule that consists of working 40 hours per week. On the other hand, a part-time web developer works fewer hours.
Lastly, those working in agencies and freelancing jobs have more irregular hours. If you prefer to manage your own time, then freelancing is a good option. There are a lot of freelance work-from-home web developer jobs in the UK that need to be filled.
Freelancers get to manage their own time, but their work sometimes involves a lot of overtime work and tight deadlines. They also need to go above and beyond to keep their clients happy so that they can get good reviews and build their portfolios.
How to Be a Web Developer
To get started as a web developer, the first thing you need to do is learn the fundamental concepts in web development. Once you understand these concepts, you need to choose a specialization. Are you going to be a front end or back end developer? Perhaps you’d like to do both and be a full stack developer.
The next step is to learn programming languages, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Once you gain this knowledge, you can then start looking for clients, taking projects, and building your web development portfolio.
Important Qualities
Aside from formal education and training, you need to have certain qualities to land a web developer job in the UK. In particular, some basic soft skills are required, including:
- Multitasking skills
- Solid communications skills
- Team management abilities
- A problem-solving and logical approach to tasks
- Good attention to detail
- Sufficient project management experience
Education
Although formal education is not a prerequisite for web developers in the UK, some companies require a technical degree. In that case, you can get a bachelor’s degree in informatics, software engineering, web design and development, or computer science.
If you’re just starting out and applying for entry-level web developer jobs in London, having a bachelor’s degree is not necessary. However, you may be asked to take online courses and get certifications as you move up the corporate ladder.
Some companies are also looking to fill junior web developer jobs in London for people with no experience. In these cases, the company provides training so employees can effectively do their job. The salary may be lower for junior web developer jobs, but they give you an excellent opportunity to gain experience and someday move to better positions.
If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, having relevant job experience can give you an advantage. For example, you can apply for a web developer apprenticeship in London to gain experience. A lot of them are available through Young Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships, and Advanced Apprenticeships.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
It’s always helpful to obtain different certificates that confirm your skills and knowledge, but you’ll be happy to know that you don’t need certifications and licenses to work as a web developer.
However, some companies require their employees to be certified before promoting them or giving them a raise. You might also be asked to get certified on software and technologies that you will use in your work. For example, to land one of the many PHP web developer jobs in London, you may need to have PHP training and certification.
You can take online courses and get certified from the following institutions:
- The Chartered Institute for IT
- Microsoft
- Adobe
- Udemy
The courses you can take vary from agile project management methodology to software testing and IT security.
Advancement
Like any other career path, you’ll likely start in trainee web developer jobs in London if you’re not experienced yet. However, as you gain more experience, skills, and certifications, you’ll likely advance until you become a senior web developer, project manager, and eventually, become a chief technology officer.
In smaller companies, the advancement in a web developer’s career path may look different since they don’t have the same structure as bigger organizations. It may be limited, but they may make up for it with a pay raise. Anyway, working as a web developer for small companies is not as stressful as it is when you work for corporations. You can also advance from part-time web developer jobs in London to a full-time post.
Additionally, if you work as a freelancer, there isn’t a lot of room for advancements in terms of position and role since you’re basically self-employed. However, as you gain more knowledge and experience, you will have more leverage when negotiating for a higher payment for your services.
Web Developer Salary
The salary of a web developer depends on the company, location, type of job, expertise, and experience, among other factors.
The latest available data shows that the median salary of web developers in London is £31,055, with the bottom 10% earning around £20,000 and the top 10% earning nearly £50,000.
The salary range also varies on your level of experience. For example, the junior web developer salary in London ranges from £19,000 to £25,000 annually. On the other hand, senior web developers earn somewhere between £35,000 and £75,000 annually.
Job Outlook
According to employment trends, when it comes to web developer jobs, the UK is expected to see a steady increase in the next 10 years. Around 17% of the web development graduates work as programmers and software developers. Furthermore, the same percentage work as web designers and developers. Lastly, 10% work in graphic design jobs in the UK.
Currently, 76.9% of web development graduates have jobs, while only 5.6% are unemployed. Furthermore, nearly 50% of those who are employed work in information technology.
Typically, the progress from junior web developer jobs in London to intermediate and senior roles takes around five years. Once you reach the highest position, you will probably work on significant projects and manage teams of web developers.
Needless to say, web developers are in demand in the UK and everywhere else. Tech is only going to continue to be on the rise, and with it, the need for web developers will rise as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
With almost everything shifting online, government institutions and businesses are building their online presence by the use of websites. Since 2000, the total number of websites built has increased exponentially.
From 17 million in 2000, there are now 1.6 billion websites as of 2018. With the increasing need to create and maintain websites, web developer jobs are on the rise. Statistics also show that software development alone will grow by 10.1% next year in the UK.
The average salary of a web developer in the UK ranges from £30,000 to £33,000. The highest paying cities are London (£46,861), Leeds (£35,239), and Manchester (£34,608).
Salary varies based on your level of experience and expertise. The junior web developer salary, for instance, is around £19,000 to £25,000 per year. On the other hand, some senior web developers in London earn an average of up to £75,000 annually.
The salary of a software developer starts at around £21,000 and can increase to £64,000 with experience. The national average, however, hovers at around the same amount as the website developer salary, which is £31,000.
Both professions are tightly connected and equally lucrative. However, web developers can sometimes earn more, particularly in London. For instance, senior software developers in the capital earn £55,000, while some senior developers in London earn up to £75,000.
As a web developer, you only need a good internet connection and a heavy-duty computer. Therefore, it’s very easy for you to work from home or from some other remote location.
That’s why many web developers are freelancers and work on a per-project basis. Additionally, working as a freelancer allows web developers to manage their time, so they’re more productive. They can also maintain a healthy work-life balance and save time by eliminating the need to commute to work.
Web developers typically work standard hours, starting from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and have a 40-hour workweek. However, they often work overtime due to tight deadlines.
There might also be some issues and bugs on the website that need urgent fixing, so web developers may have to be on call even during the weekends.
In the case of freelancers and consultants, their work hours depend on the client’s business needs and deadlines.
Even though you don’t have formal higher education and relevant work experience, you can still be a web developer. You just need to be tech-savvy and have the skills companies are looking for in a web developer.
For example, you don’t need formal experience, but you can still obtain relevant skills and knowledge by taking online courses and getting certified. From there, you can build up your portfolio by taking on small projects, such as building websites for small businesses. Over time, your portfolio and knowledge will grow, allowing you to take on bigger projects and work with bigger clients.
Web development is a rewarding career in many ways. First, it’s very dynamic and so you have to learn to adapt. There’s always a chance to learn new tools and software and keep yourself abreast of the latest technologies.
Secondly, it’s a lucrative career that you could make a huge income off, and the hours are not bad — with freelancing jobs allowing you to create your own schedule in most cases. There is also a wide range of specific career paths you can choose from.
Finally, web developer jobs in London and the rest of the UK are in high demand, so finding a job in this field won’t be so difficult.