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Friday, September 3, 2010

How to learn the Web development skills that will keep you working–Part 2

Posted by Doug on October 27, 2008

(If you missed the first part of this two-part article, go read it now–it contains a wealth of links that you don’t want to miss!  –Doug)

Photo: takomabibelot

Photo: takomabibelot

In the first part of this article, we asked the question: are the most sought-after Web development skills really within reach for the average Web developer who may not have a deep programming background? The answer to that question is probably “yes,” if you know your way around HTML and CSS, and if you know enough Javascript and PHP to make minor changes to an existing script.  You also need to be willing to take your time, study and experiment.  It is also a good idea not to underestimate how long it may take you to learn something new.

The purpose of these articles is to assist you with the remaining piece of the puzzle–finding the online resources that can provide you with tutorials, references, sample code and tips to help you learn this stuff.  One thing we haven’t really mentioned thus far is that there are also many great books out there about most of these topics.  That’s great if you can afford $30 to $50 a pop; I can’t.  But I’ll include a brief bibliography at the end in case you can.

Last time we covered:

  • Framework knowledge
  • Widget development
  • Custom CMS themes
  • CMS customizations and plugin development
  • PSD to XHTML services

So in case you missed Part 1, please check it out.  In this second part we’ll cover:

  • Javascript plugin creation
  • Facebook/MySpace applications
  • iPhone applications
  • Ecommerce integration
  • Flash and Actionscript knowledge

6.  Javascript plugin creation

Today’s Web designers rely heavily on various types of Javascript plugins to add functionality to their sites without having to “re-invent the wheel,” so to speak, and without having to know much about Javascript to implement them.  While there are many existing plugins available, there will probably still be a need for custom plugin programming or modifications of existing plugins, and the Web developer who knows Javascript and a couple of Javascript frameworks, such as JQuery and Mootools, should have no trouble staying busy.

Photo: siomuzzz

Photo: siomuzzz

7.  Facebook/MySpace applications

8.  iPhone applications

The recent release of the iPhone SDK by Apple Computer has resulted in a tidal wave of iPhone apps, but there are many, many opportunities in this area.  You can download the software development kit (SDK) for free from Apple (if you register for a free developer’s account), but before you release your applications, you’ll have to pay to become a registered iPhone developer.

9.  Ecommerce integration

Ecommerce integration boils down to implementing a particular company’s ecommerce solutions into your client’s Web site.  There are many potential solutions out there, but Google Checkout, PayPal and Checkout by Amazon are good places to start.

Photo: furryscalyman

Photo: furryscalyman

10.  Flash and Actionscript knowledge

Update to Part 1 of the article:

Here are a couple of additional resources I’ve found concerning the Mambo CMS since I wrote Part 1 of this article:

Books

Here’s a brief bibliography of some titles to look for, with links to each one on Amazon.

Final thoughts

Web development is not rocket science.  The people who make it look easy got there by working very hard over a long period of time, so be patient, do your homework, try things out, don’t rush, and you can learn this stuff, and when you do, you’ll be in greater demand.

Filed Under: Web development

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