10 Things Web Developers Should Learn in 2024 [UPDATED]

Hello guys, if you want to become a web developer (both frontend and full stack developer)  and wondering which skills you should learn then you have come to the right place. In the past, I have shared free web development courses and The Complete Web Developer RoadMap,  which gave you a detailed overview of both frontend and backend skills, and today, I am going to list down the most essential web development skills for programmers and developers. These are the absolute must-have skill for a web developer and not only help you to find a frontend developer job but also help you to become a full-stack developer in the long run. 

Web development is generally divided into two categories - Frontend development and backend development. The front end is that part of the website that interacts with the users. A lot many skills are required to become an excellent frontend developer.

An individual needs to understand and master different programming languages, technologies, and tools. Some of the skills are essential and everyone who wants to be a frontend developer needs to understand such skills while some are optional. There is generally a choice among these optional skills.

Earlier, I have shared essential skills for coding interviews and software development and In this article, we will list the top ten skills which are required to become a frontend developer and I will also share the best online courses you can join to learn and master those skills. 

I have carefully chosen both comprehensive and affordable courses so that you can learn these skills and start your career at $100 our around 7000 INR and since Udemy is running this year's biggest sale, there is no better time to buy this course than now. Udemy provides lifetime access so you can buy courses now and start learning later this year or early next year. 

10 Essential Skills for Web Developers to Learn in 2024

without wasting any more of your time, here is a list of 10 essential skills for web developers to learn in 2024. Whether you are someone who wants to become a frontend developer or already doing frontend development learning these skills can boost your profile and help you to accelerate in your career. 

1. HTML [Hyper Text Markup Language]

HyperText Markup language is the basic building block of web development. According to many frontend developers, HTML is the easiest in frontend development. But it is also the most important skill. A web page starts with HTML only. 

If you are a complete beginner and want to learn HTML in-depth, I highly recommend the Build Responsive Real World Websites with HTML5 and CSS3 course by Jonas Schmedtmann on Udemy. This is a completely hands-on and up-to-date course to learn both HTML and CSS for frontend developers and web designers. Around 200K students have already joined this course. 

    

2. CSS [Cascading Style Sheet]

Apart from HTML, Cascading Style Sheets, or commonly known as CSS is another building block of frontend development. While HTML creates a basic structure, CSS transforms it into a presentable and attractive version.

CSS is vast. It is not tough to understand CSS but mastering it takes time. With enough practice, anyone can understand and master CSS. 

While the previous course is good to learn both HTML and CSS,  if you need another option to learn CSS in-depth, I highly recommend Brad Traversy Modern HTML & CSS From The Beginning (Including Sass) course on Udemy. Brad is another instructor on Udemy which I highly rate and this course are one of the main reasons for that.

3. JavaScript

HTML and CSS are two of the three core technologies of the World Wide Web (WWW). JavaScript is the third and the most challenging one.

JavaScript adds functionality to the structure created using HTML and CSS. The majority of the websites are built using JavaScript, not only at the frontend but also at the backend. Moreover, it is the most popular programming language. So it is always worth learning JavaScript. 

And, if you need a course recommendation, I highly recommend The Complete JavaScript Course 2024: Build Real Projects! , another gem of course by Jonas Schmedtmann. As the title says, it's a very hands-on course and you will learn JavaScript by actually building projects. 

4. JavaScript frameworks and libraries (Reactjs)

JavaScript has ready-made structures called frameworks and libraries. Learning frontend JavaScript and libraries are a must in modern frontend development. 

During the initial days of the web, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript were enough but today, frameworks such as Angular and libraries such as React.js are used in developing high-performing frontend.

Angular is the most popular JavaScript framework while React is the most popular library. To master frontend development, an individual should master such frameworks and libraries.  While you are free to choose between Angular and Reactjs, I suggest learning Reactjs as it's the most popular and used by both small and big organizations. 

If you need a course to learn Reactjs, there is no better course than React - The Complete Guide (incl Hooks, React Router, Redux)  by Maximillian Schwarzmuller on Udemy. More than 300K students have already joined this course. I bought in just $10 during the Udemy sale and I must say its valued far exceeds the cost. 

5. CSS PreProcessors

Understanding CSS is important but sometimes, it is limited. When a project grows, CSS grows with it and becomes tough to manage. CSS starts demanding more time and effort which can be avoided using CSS preprocessing.

Sass, Stylus, and LESS are some of the most popular CSS preprocessors. No website today is complete without CSS and learning CSS preprocessors will surely increase your frontend development skills.  

And when it comes to CSS Pre Processor, Saas is the most popular CSS extension. If you need a course to learn SaaS and CSS Preprocessing, you can check out Geroge Lomidze's SAAS- The Complete SAAS course (CSS Preprocessor) on Udemy. 

If you need more courses to learn CSS Preprocessor then you can check out my list of advanced CSS courses where I have mentioned many useful courses to learn CSS pre-processor. 

6. CSS frameworks [Bootstrap]

As mentioned earlier, CSS is a very important part of frontend development. Every front-end developer should know at least one CSS framework like Bootstrap or Tailwind CSS. These frameworks are similar to JavaScript frameworks but less complicated and with ready-made CSS files.

Bootstrap is the most popular CSS framework. Understanding bootstrap is not that tough but implementing is.  

That's why a good knowledge of Bootstrap is important for any skilled Frontend developer and I highly recommend you join a comprehensive course like Bootstrap 4 From Scratch With 5 Projects by Brad Traversy to learn Bootstrap using hands-on projects. 

7. Responsive Design

Today, websites are not limited to the desktop. In fact, more people access websites on smartphones rather than traditional desktops. The size of the screen varies from device to device. So responsive design is designing the layout of a website in such a way that it automatically adjusts itself according to the size of the screen.

It is very important for a frontend developer to have responsive design skills, and if you need an online course to learn Responsive web design then you should check Web Design for Beginners: Real World Coding in HTML & CSS course by Brad Schiff on Udemy. 

8. Testing and debugging

In modern development, a developer not only develops but also test. Well, most of the teams always have a separate testing team but a frontend developer should also be capable of testing. A frontend developer should be aware of different testing techniques such as functional testing and unit testing. Moreover, it is also recommended to know testing frameworks.

It does not matter what kind of developer a person is, debugging skills are always necessary. So always work on your debugging skills. Such skills are enhanced only when you code carefully.  

If you need an online course to learn JavaScript debugging, I suggest you check out this JavaScript Debugging crash course on Udemy which tells both classic and modern ways of debugging JavaScript programs using Developer tools. 

9. Version control systems (Git)

Tracking the code is important. Sometimes you may need to make changes, or revert the code or track the developer who worked on a part of the code. The version control systems are used for such tracking.

Knowledge of version control systems is necessary when working on a real-time project with a team. Git is the most popular version control system. Git has various commands and it is not tough to understand it. 

And, if you are a beginner to Git and Github, there is no better course to start with than Git Complete: The definitive, step-by-step guide to Git on Udemy. You can buy this course for $10 and master Git, an essential skill for any coder. 

10. Chrome DevTools

Working on the front end means you are often going to use a browser. Google Chrome is the most used web browser. It is very popular among frontend developers because of its DevTools. These tools are very useful in various ways, most importantly, for debugging. 

As mentioned earlier, debugging is an essential part of every kind of development, so understanding Chrome DevTools helps a lot while looking for bugs. While there are not many courses to learn Chrome developer tools, I found Devtools Pro: Beginner to Expert w/ Chrome Developer Tools a good one to start with. 

That's all about 10 things every web developer should learn in 2024. These are also the top ten front-end skills you will need to become a successful web developer in 2024. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript come at the beginning and these three are the core skills of every frontend developer. CSS is a bit complicated. A brilliant frontend developer not only understands CSS but is also skilled in CSS preprocessors and frameworks.

JavaScript frameworks and libraries are essential today. It is a challenge to master one of them but it is necessary. Responsive design is another important skill because websites are accessible on smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.

Then comes testing and debugging. A frontend developer should know how to test and debug the code. Other important skills are version control systems such as git and Chrome Development Tools.

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Thanks for reading this article so far. If you like these essential web development skills for 2024 then please share them with your friends and colleagues. If you have any questions or feedback, then please drop a note.

P. S. - If you are keen to become a frontend web developer but looking for free online training classes or courses to start your journey then you can also check out this HTML5 and CSS3 Fundamentals course on Udemy to start with.