Web Developer
What the work is
Plans, produces and maintains websites using web programming languages, software applications, technologies and databases together with specifications of user needs, often in conjunction with other ICT Professionals such as ICT Business Analysts, Web Designers and network and usability specialists.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Designs, develops and maintains websites using various programming languages
- Collaborates with other ICT Professionals to plan and produce websites that meet user needs and requirements
- Builds responsive and accessible websites that comply with web accessibility guidelines
- Uses content management systems to manage website content and data
- Ensures websites are optimised for performance, security and compatibility with different devices and browsers
- Develops and tests code to ensure that it meets industry standards, is properly structured, and is compatible with different platforms and operating systems
- Creates and manages databases to support the functionality of web applications and websites
- Designs and develops web applications such as online forms and e-commerce platforms, that provide value to users
- Creates and updates website content such as text, images and multimedia
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a small studio that builds websites and games for clients, with a handful of developers and a designer. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A game you built runs smoothly and someone you have never met tells you they love it
- A page that confused people gets a quiet fix and suddenly works
- A bug that stumped the team for two days turns out to be a single missing character
Hard days
- A launch deadline, a late change and a bug that only shows up on one kind of phone
- A client who says the site should be easy to use but can't say what that means
- Long hours at a screen with a deadline pressing and a problem you cannot find
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 273132, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.