When people think of web developers, a familiar, recurrent stereotype most often pops into their head. A slightly geeky, poorly groomed, glasses-wearing skinny guy, who carries his keyboard to work each day. Some web developers do look like this. But there are many that don’t.
There are, however, some qualities that all great web developers share.
We’ve compiled a list of the qualities all great web developers possess.
Thinking about becoming a web developer?
If you're wondering whether you have what it takes to enter and enjoy the world of web dev, here are some key interpersonal skills that will bolster your opportunities.
- Time management and planning
- Great at working in a team
- You have the ability to also work solo
- Forward-thinking approaches will be needed to stay ahead of the game
- Natural curiosity
- Enthusiasm to make the web a better, more functional place
What makes a great web developer
- A general interest in technology (obviously)
- An undying flair for troubleshooting
- Persistence and drive, not to give up when code wants to test your patience
- Confidence in their own abilities but with a willingness to learn
- Web development is like being multi-lingual; you need to be able to work with different languages, some of which may differ greatly in purpose and structure
- They are generally internally motivated, yet know when to stop
- Adapts willingly to the changes that are thrown at them by changes in position, job role, or the industry in general
- They possess a passion for what they do and dedication to making it work
- The ability to devise alternative strategies when the most desirable one doesn’t integrate well into the solution
- Working with timeframes is something that differentiates a good developer from a great developer
- Not stumbling under pressure, because a career in web dev is not for the faint-hearted!
If you're a web developer and don’t possess all of these traits, don’t fret. Each and every one can be worked on! Also, they’re fairly dependent on the nature of your role, and are most certainly subjective.