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What a web developer does
A web developer creates and maintains websites and web applications. The role covers writing code, building features, fixing issues and making sure pages work across devices and browsers.
Work can lean toward the front end, the back end, or both, and usually sits within a team that follows a shared process. The specific languages, frameworks and tools vary by employer, project and platform.
Core responsibilities
- Building web pages and features to meet requirements.
- Writing clean, maintainable code.
- Testing across devices and browsers.
- Fixing bugs and maintaining existing sites.
- Working with designers and other developers.
- Following accessibility and performance good practice.
- Using version control and reviewing code.
Skills and qualities
- Knowledge of relevant web languages and frameworks.
- Understanding of how the web and browsers work.
- Familiarity with version control and testing.
- Attention to detail and an eye for quality.
- Problem-solving and methodical debugging.
- Communication for working in a team.
- Willingness to keep learning new tools.
Typical employers and settings
- Digital and web agencies.
- In-house web and product teams.
- Technology, retail and media companies.
- Start-ups, scale-ups and freelancers.
- Public sector and not-for-profit digital teams.
How the role is recruited
- Roles are advertised directly or filled through technology recruiters.
- Screening reviews a CV, portfolio or code samples, plus right to work.
- Interviews combine technical discussion with a practical exercise.
- Some processes include a take-home task or live coding.
- Onboarding covers the codebase, tooling and ways of working.
Documents involved
- A job description listing the stack and focus.
- A CV, portfolio or links to live work and code.
- An employment contract including confidentiality terms.
- An offer letter confirming role, level and start date.
- Right-to-work and identity checks as required.
- An onboarding checklist for access and tooling.
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