Coding Languages to learn to become a better Web developer in 2021

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Building a website today is easier than ever. All you need is a working computer and coding software. Hell, you do not even need a coding software, a Content Management System (e.g Shopify, Squarespace, WordPress) would do just fine — although they would cost you some extra cash.

But I’m not here to talk about how Content Management Systems (CMS) work, I’m here to talk about Coding languages that will help you (an aspiring web developer) hone and maximize your skill and efficiency when building websites.

As a web developer, there are 3 (main) coding languages you’ll need to master in order to build amazing sites. These languages include:

1. HTML
2. CSS
3. JavaScript

If you’re just getting started learning web development, then I’ll advise you don’t worry too much about understanding JavaScript. Understanding HTML and CSS on the other hand is inevitable. Except you plan to use CMS platforms to build your websites (which I also highly recommend), then I’d advise taking some time to understand HTML and CSS.

HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language. It is considered the entry-level and most basic coding language every web designer has to understand. It is used in specifying instructions for the data in a document. It is also used to define how properties such as text, images, hyperlinks, etc get displayed in the web browser. It is important to note the HTML is not necessarily a programming language; this is because it doesn’t have conditional statements such as “if” statements.

CSS stands for Cascading Stylesheet. Just as the name implies, CSS is used in styling webpages — not just to make them presentable but also responsive. CSS defines how an element will be displayed. Properties such as fonts and colors are added to the layout of a website through CSS. CSS is particularly fundamental for the fluid rearrangement of elements on the webpage when viewed in different screen widths — This is what makes the website RESPONSIVE.

How to Learn HTML and CSS

I previously wrote a more detailed article on this — you can check it out here, but in this article, I’ll try to give a more summarized idea of the entire learning process. Like I mentioned earlier, HTML and CSS are basic coding languages, thus, they are not so hard to understand.

On average, it should take a person 3–4 months to get a very solid knowledge of how both languages work. Although, this value may vary. It all depends on how much time you are willing to sacrifice in order to learn both languages. For most people, daily activities such as work or school might make the learning process difficult; this is why I usually recommend taking 30minutes to an hour daily to practice and read about web design.

There’s a lot of resources (both free and paid) that can be used to learn more about HTML and CSS. Some of these resources include:

1. Youtube
2. Khan Academy
3. Free Code Camp
4. Codeacademy
5. Udacity
6. Coursera
7. Udemy
8. Skillshare

You could also read a book. I highly recommend reading books because there is less risk of distractions while learning. Some of the books I highly recommend include:

1. HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites — John Duckett
2. Don’t make me Think — Steve Krug
3. Adaptive Web Design: Crafting Rich Experiences with Progressive Enhancement — Aaron Gustafson
4. Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS — Ben Frain

I also recommend checking out these Youtube Tutors:

1. Flux
2. Design Course
3. Coder Coder
4. Charli Marie TV
5. Free Code Camp

It is necessary to understand both languages if one has the thought of beginning a career in Web Development. Both languages are easy to learn as long as you can put in the effort to read and practice them. After learning both languages, you can move on to learn other web and app development languages like JavaScript, Python, etc.

Good luck!