App Development Vs Web Development: Which is the Best Career Option?

Looking for a career option in the IT industry?

Unable to decide whether to become an app developer or a web developer?

The market of these fields is evolving and making a choice between the two is difficult.

We understand that you might not want to make any wrong choices with your career. Therefore, it becomes difficult to choose between the two as each of them possesses different skills.

To help you with the right career path, we have made a quick guide of app development vs web development.

Let’s get started with the differences between web development vs app development.

App Development vs Web Development- 8 Key Comparison

There are certain factors that define a mobile developer and a web developer. In this section, we will discuss the 8 differences between both types of development. Whether you want to develop mobile applications or web applications, the following table will show you how they differ from each other.

Now that you are aware of the key differences between web development vs app development, let us give you more information on what skills are required to become mobile app developers or web developers.

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Which Skills are Needed to Become a Web and Mobile App Developer?

Are you confused with the roles of a web developer and an app developer? Though the roles are often similar, the skills needed to become a successful developer differ. You need to know about web and mobile app development strategy to develop apps as per requirements. Let us have a closer look at each of the fields.

5 Must-have Skills to Become Mobile App Developer

Not any computer savvy can become a mobile developer. You need these 5 important skills if you are looking to pursue mobile app development as your career.

1. Skill of Using Programming Language like Java, Kotlin, and Swift

   An aspiring mobile developer should have knowledge of programming languages. Basic programming languages like HTML5, C++, JavaScript, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, iOS, Swift, and Objective-C will make a developer eligible and competitive candidate to create an application. Read our blog on top best app development languages to get an in-depth idea about the apps used for app development.

2. Understanding of UI/UX Design for Visual Representation of Mobile App

   The most important aspect of developing a mobile application is designing as it helps to improve the interaction of the users with the business. However, designing tools like Adobe, Wix, Figma, Squarespace, Dreamweaver, will help in creating appealing designs. A developer helps in preparing a mockup or a wireframe that helps an app to run smoothly with an appealing visual front-end development.

   Ensure that the application runs with the least loading time and performs flawlessly. Employees who have knowledge of both front end and back end are known as full stack developers. If you want to become a full-stack developer, check how to become a full-stack developer.

3. Cross-Platform App Development to Develop Applications Faster

   It is important to understand the different platforms of the industry where an application can be built. As per the market, there are three mobile platforms,

   • Android apps
   • iOS apps
   • Hybrid applications

   As an emerging mobile app developer, you should be well-versed with the above three platforms and their languages like Java, Kotlin, Dart, and React Native. Having cross-platform skills like reusability of codes, service support, and simple testing will help you become an efficient and skilled developer in the industry.

4. Back-end Computing Skills to Solve System Issues

   Having back-end computing knowledge will give you an edge over identifying the system issues before deployment. There are certain back-end computing concepts to study for a developer. Let’s check them.

• Database management– Database management is important to learn to store the information of the users. You need to be well versed in Oracle, PostgreSQL, and MySQL
• App development framework– App developers can develop a functional app with the help of top app development frameworks like Ionic, Xamarin, React Native, Flutter, and many more.
• Hardware integration– Recognizing how software development and hardware interact will help developers fix equipment bugs and errors.

5. Knowledge of App Security to Secure Portable Applications

   Mobile app security is a measure to secure applications from threats and cyber attacks. You should be well-versed in mobile app testing security tools to track bugs and vulnerabilities in the source-code.

   Most mobile app development companies require the above skills to get the job.

Now, let’s understand the skills to become a web developer.

5 Must-have Skills to Become Web Developer

Do you think if you have the skills of an app developer you can also build websites? Well, you need in-depth knowledge to become a web developer. Here are 5 key skills to excel as a web developer.

1. Skills of Programming Languages

   What do you need to create a website?

   You need to know about HTML to create web pages on the internet and CSS language to style elements on the website such as fonts, layout, themes, and color to give a unique look.

   Through knowledge of JavaScript you can add interactive elements to make the website engaging. Apart from these basic languages, a web developer should be aware of PHP and Python. These languages will be useful if you want to become a full-stack web developer.

2. Version Control to Manage and Track the Various Changes Made

   A web developer should know how to control the changes made in the code. This is done through a control system software like Git. Using a software version control is essential as it helps to track, and fix changes or errors. With version control, if you have made any minor changes, you can revert to the last functional code of the work and start from there, instead of finding the mistake in the code.

3. Through Knowledge on Libraries and Framework

   To become a skilled developer, you need to learn about frameworks and libraries that are used for web development. These are used to simplify and speed up the development process.

   You need not learn all the modern frameworks and libraries that are released. However, it all depends on what you are working on, for example, if you are a front-end developer, React and jQuery are the libraries widely used. Vue and Angular are the frameworks that you need to learn. On the back end, the popular frameworks include Express, Django, .Net, and Flask.

4. Testing Skills to Prevent Bugs and Errors

   Web developers should have the ability to test the code. Verify to make the web bug-free. Testing is a time-consuming process but it is worth the process as the users will have a bug-free website to use.

5. Responsive Design for the Users to View Web Pages From Any Device

   It is always the look and layout of the website that attracts a user no matter which device they use to open a website. Responsive design skills are to develop a website that adapts to different screens. If you create a website that is not responsive it won’t work on a mobile or tablet. This will reduce the number of visitors.

Now by reading the skills, have you decided what to pursue? Still confused? Let’s understand the responsibilities of a web and mobile app developer.

What Does a Web Developer Do?

A web developer’s tasks will vary from project to project but their tasks remain similar on a daily basis. Let’s find out.

• Writing and reviewing the HTML code, CSS and JavaScript for websites.
• Integrating media content on the site.
• Testing web applications to free from bugs and errors before launch.
• Troubleshooting issues in terms of user experience.
• Coordinating with designers to design the user interface and navigation menu.

What Does a Mobile App Developer Do?

An app developer is responsible for the technical feasibility and consults the team to ensure the functionality of the application. Let’s find out the task requirements of a mobile app developer.

• Coordinating with UI designers, UX designers, and programmers.
• Integrating APIs to support mobile functionality.
• Ensuring the connection between frontend and backend.
• Having updates on the latest concepts, terminologies for coding modern mobile apps.
• Working on customer needs to convert them into technical requirements.

These were the basic tasks allocated to developers. Let us now find out what are the advantages and disadvantages of mobile and web development as a developer.

What are the Advantages and Limitations of Web Development?

Let’s understand the 4 advantages and limitations of web development to get a clear idea.

Since we understand the pros and cons of web development, let’s understand further about mobile app development.

What are the Advantages and Limitations of Mobile App Development?

Let’s understand the 4 advantages and limitations of mobile development to get a clear idea.

So, after reading the above advantages and disadvantages of each, you will have understood that they serve different purposes and may require different skill sets, so it’s important to consider which field aligns best with your interests and abilities. No matter what field you choose both mobile apps and websites are in demand.

Businesses who have a website also seek to build a mobile app as this will help them reach a broader audience. Apart from creating a new mobile app a business can also hire developers to convert an existing website into mobile app. As this save them time and efforts without having to start from scratch.

Do you still have a few questions unanswered? Let us help you answer them all.

Choose the Best Career Path That’s Right for You

Web development and app development both share similar grounds but both the careers are different. Both require different skills, roles, and responsibilities.

With the above information, you have got an idea which is the right career choice for you.If you enjoy designing or UI/UX opt for app development and develop amazing apps for your clients. You can also develop an app of your own and launch it in the market. If you enjoy technical and also like to be creative at the same time, you can choose web development to create functional and dynamic websites.