What is a web application developer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Brian Law,

Kevin Treu Ph.D.

A web application developer is an individual who designs, develops, and maintains web-based software applications. They are responsible for creating user-friendly interfaces, writing code using programming languages, and integrating databases to ensure that the applications function smoothly. They also collaborate with other teams to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. Web application developers stay up-to-date with the latest trends in technology to create innovative applications that meet client needs.

What general advice would you give to a web application developer?

Brian Law

Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Illinois Wesleyan University

i) Explore your options thoroughly. Too many students get bewitched by Big Tech companies, with their bold promises, their fancy campuses, their big recruitment events, and their nice swag. Nowadays, this also happens to students with start-ups. But those jobs are not only highly competitive, but they also have very similarly exacting work cultures and very little work-life balance. These are cutthroat environments that are, frankly, not suited for everyone. Instead, many graduates would probably be happier working at, say, medium or small-size companies where they can find a workplace culture that fits them rather than the other way around, or non-tech companies where the pressure is lower because the goal is more stability and support rather than rapid innovation. Of course, this is the exact same dynamic that plays out with young consultants, accountants, lawyers, and doctors, who are also often initially attracted to high-powered, high-pressure environments but often end up deciding it's not for them, especially as they get older and start thinking about families.

ii) Specialize. There's no job out there with the title, "Computer Scientist." Employers are looking to hire you for a specific set of skills and knowledge. If you can identify the area of Computer Science you're interested in and the work you want to do in that area, you can again get a big leg up over your competition if you can demonstrate that you actually want to do what your future employer wants you to and that you're good at it. If you want to work with databases, then take those extra database electives and learn some other database technologies on your own time, and your resume will stand out amongst all the others for any DBA job.

iii) Don't sweat it too much. You've probably been alive for 22 years or so, so you'll probably be in the labor force for 50+ years. Your first job is not going to be your last job, and you may easily find your career path taking unexpected turns that you never even knew existed. Just like you didn't know what the areas of computer science were as a freshman, there are many many CS-related job types out there that you're not even aware of, and 50 years from now, there will probably be even more. While it may seem like your first job will set you on one path for the rest of your life, really it starts you towards 5000 possible paths out of millions in total. No, you don't get the stability of a "job for life" anymore, but that can also be freeing in a way. Don't worry about finding that "perfect" job; even if you did find it, you and the world around you will change over time anyway, so just take your first step confidently and always keep an eye out for your next one.

ScoreWeb Application DeveloperUS Average

Salary

6.7

Avg. Salary $85,840

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.2

Growth rate 13%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.42%

Asian 16.11%

Black or African American 6.48%

Hispanic or Latino 12.08%

Unknown 6.52%

White 58.39%

Gender

female 19.08%

male 80.92%

Age - 36

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36

Stress level

5.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.8

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a web application developer?

Pros

High demand for skilled developers
High earning potential
Opportunity for creativity and problem-solving
Frequent opportunities for learning and professional growth
Potential to work with cutting-edge technology

Cons

High pressure to meet deadlines
Long hours and tight deadlines can lead to burnout
Constant need to stay up-to-date with new technologies and trends
Clients or management may not fully understand the development process
Challenging and complex problem-solving required on a daily basis

Key steps to become a web application developer

Explore web application developer education requirements

Most common web application developer degrees

Bachelor's

70.8 %

Master's

16.0 %

Associate

9.0 %

Start to develop specific web application developer skills

Skills	Percentages
JavaScript	7.59%
Web Application	7.12%
CSS	5.84%
HTML	4.88%
Java	4.41%

Complete relevant web application developer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New web application developers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a web application developer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real web application developer resumes.

Gain additional web application developer certifications

Web application developer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific web application developer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for web application developers include Microsoft Certified Application Developer (MCAD) and Certified Web Professional - Web Developer.

More About Certifications

Research web application developer duties and responsibilities

Manage full-life cycle development of windows services and web-base applications.
Manage intranet updates while administering user access to corporate projects.
Manage, develop, integrate and implement relate applications components, including front-end development, server-side development and database integration.
Create and implement user interface solutions for complex web applications using JSP, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.

Prepare your web application developer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your web application developer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a web application developer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable web application developer resume templates

Build a professional web application developer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your web application developer resume.