Despite conventional wisdom, the core part of website development and design is not necessary for the coding process. Indeed, such technologies as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript give the web we know its shape and define the way we interact with the information.
But what usually stays behind the scenes and, at the same time, remains the crucial part of the custom website development life cycle are the stages of preliminary information gathering, detailed planning, and post-launch maintenance.
The process doesn’t end with choosing a domain name, so in this article, we’ll take a look at what the general process may look like. The overall number of web development stages usually varies from five to eight, but every time the whole picture stays pretty much the same.
In a time when web trends keep changing, it’s good to stay abreast with the basics for greater website success.
The Timeline for the Development of a Website
When considering web development, the primary concerns typically revolve around the factors of cost and time. The two aforementioned values are contingent mostly upon the magnitude and extent of the undertaking.
In order to comprehensively delineate the entirety of the web development process, it is advisable to construct a website development timetable that encompasses the inclusion of tasks and the establishment of milestones for the project. Tracking project implementation is considered the most effective approach for ensuring adherence to project deadlines.
The Website Development Life Cycle (WDLC)
The WDLC refers to the systematic process followed in the creation and maintenance of a website. It encompasses various stages, including planning, analysis, design, development, testing, and deployment.
From planning to launch, your team must complete numerous activities in order to design and construct a website that will attract clients. To ensure success, several businesses seek assistance from IT employment firms to supplement their in-house team with a dedicated team of developers.
Others attempt to build a website on their own. Regardless of the option, the entire website development life cycle will require time and resources, so let’s look at how to construct a website and what needs to be done.
Let’s look at the following steps to website development that’s common for most web developers:
1. Information Gathering
The first step of web development is, quite logically, gathering information. This stage requires asking a lot of questions to the customer and clarifying all types of requirements for the website’s purposes and design.
Every detail matters here – from colors to places for calls-to-action, so it’s important to speak with the customer about every tiny aspect of how they imagine their website should look and what functions it should perform.
2. Planning
After a comprehensive conversation with the client, you can move on to creating an outline for your future project. During this step, you need to think about such details as hosting needs, server requirements, payment processing systems, SEO optimization platforms, etc.
It’s also wise to plan out different navigation schemes if your website has more than a one-page structure or if you’re working on an eCommerce platform with specific product categories.
3. Design
Once you have collected and organized the necessary information, you can move on to the most creative part of web development – designing. It’s important not only to make your website look good but also to ensure that it is optimized for different devices and platforms.
4. Content Writing and Assembly
Content writing is a significant part of website design and website development. Here, you need to write both unique articles as well as basic descriptions of your products or services. The content should be SEO-friendly yet interesting for the target audience.
After that, all the materials have to be assembled in a way that won’t overload the page with unnecessary information but, at the same time, will let customers find out everything they need about your company or services without leaving without clicking any links.
5. Coding
After the preliminary works are done and all the components are prepared, you can start coding your project according to all technical requirements specified in step 2 (Planning).
This process may include using HTML/CSS languages for building a basic framework of your website as well as adding JavaScript elements for providing interactivity. Once you are done with coding, you should test the website on different devices and platforms.
6. Testing
A crucial step in the web development process is testing all the functions and features of your project. All links should work properly, all images should be displayed correctly, and forms should perform their tasks without any errors – that’s what clients expect from modern websites and that’s what you have to provide them with if you want to do a really good job.
7. Review and Launch
After the project is tested and approved by both developers and customers, it’s time to launch it live on the Internet! This process includes uploading all files to a hosting server, deploying them together with databases (if they are required), adjusting DNS settings, etc.
If everything goes according to plan, you can officially announce that your website has been launched – congratulations!
8. Maintenance
Although launching a website is a great achievement, it’s not the end of the process. In order to keep customers happy and bring more visitors to your project, you have to regularly maintain it.
This includes monitoring server performance, updating content, fixing bugs and errors, etc. Maintenance is essential for keeping your website up-to-date and attractive to the target audience.
To summarize, web development requires an extensive process of preliminary information gathering, detailed planning, and post-launch maintenance. The general process may include seven steps: Information Gathering; Planning; Design; Content Writing and Assembly; Coding; Testing; Review and Launch as well as Maintenance.
At each step of web development, new or professional web developers must ensure that all technical requirements are met as well as consider the customer’s desired look and feel of their website while adding interactivity elements using HTML/CSS languages along with JavaScript components.
It’s also important to test the website on different devices and platforms before launching it live on the Internet. Finally, website maintenance is essential for keeping the project up-to-date and attractive to the target audience.
8 Reminders for New Website Developers
- Learn the Basics of Web Development: Start by building a strong foundation in web development. Understand HTML, CSS, and JavaScript thoroughly, as these are the core technologies that power the web. These skills are essential for any web developer.
- Responsive Design: Ensure that your websites are responsive, meaning they adapt to various screen sizes and devices. Mobile-friendliness is crucial, as an increasing number of users access the web on smartphones and tablets.
- Stay Updated: The web development field is constantly evolving. Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, tools, and technologies. Follow blogs, and forums, and attend conferences or webinars to keep your skills current.
- Practice Regularly: Like any skill, web development improves with practice. Build personal projects or contribute to open-source projects. Practice is key to gaining expertise.
- Debugging and Problem-Solving: Debugging is an integral part of web development. Learn how to identify and fix issues efficiently. Problem-solving skills will be invaluable throughout your career.
- Version Control: Familiarize yourself with version control systems like Git. They help you track changes in your code, collaborate with others, and revert to previous versions when needed.
- Security Awareness: Understand the basics of web security. Learn about common vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. Implement security best practices to protect your websites and users.
- User Experience (UX) Matters: Good design goes beyond aesthetics. Focus on creating a positive user experience. Pay attention to navigation, load times, and accessibility. User-friendly websites tend to perform better.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a proficient web developer and creating websites that are not only functional but also user-friendly and secure.
READ MORE: Web Trends 2023: 8 Technologies Changing the Digital Age
Conclusion
Web development is a complex process that requires dedication and expertise from new as well as professional web developers. It includes seven steps: Information Gathering; Planning; Design; Content Writing and Assembly; Coding; Testing; Review and Launch, in addition to Maintenance.
Each step has its own importance, so it’s crucial to take care of every detail in order to create a successful website. With due diligence and a creative approach, you can provide your customers with the best experience while growing your business online!
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