A Web developer is a term that can refer to an individual or a company that provides services to build and maintain high-end websites. The skills of a Web developer are more expansive than that of a webmaster, who might be a simple end-user utilizing ready-made scripts to patch together a personal website. A Web developer is generally capable of writing custom scripts to accommodate a client’s needs, and is either professionally trained in, or has ample personal experience working with various scripting languages.

A Web developer builds a Web presence from the bottom up, fashioning everything from the home page to site layout and function. A good Web developer takes into account the client’s products or services along with the target market to create a website that will have specific appeal to that market. The site should also showcase the products or services in such a way that is not only promotional, but dynamic, stressing advantages over the competition.

Websites should look great and remain fully functional regardless of the Web browser being used to view the site. A Web developer typically checks pages and forms using the top browsers to check for interoperability. These browsers might include Microsoft™ Internet Explorer™, Mozilla™ Firefox™, Netscape™ Navigator™ and Opera™.

Easy navigation is a key element in any high-traffic website. Few things are more frustrating to visitors than sites that are laid out illogically, or products that are time consuming to find. Implementing a visually appealing webscape that is user-friendly along with an effective search engine, is one way the Web developer ensures visitors will enjoy their visit and quickly get to products of interest. Interactive pages that display items of related interest dependent on click values, helps to entice visitors to stick around while potentially boosting sales revenue.

The Web developer must also make sure that forms work properly. Various scripting languages exist in which to create surveys, contests, and sales mechanisms — the means to securely transfer information between visitors and the website. Browser settings for cookies and scripts can hamper the proper functioning of some Web forms. A Web developer takes all of this into consideration so that when a visitor fills in a form, they are sure to get satisfaction, and not have the form “hang” or “reappear blank” upon clicking the “Send” button. A site that is broken doesn’t bode well for business.

In many cases today Web developers are firms with teams of professionals that specialize in different areas of Web development and online commerce. While the humble webmaster is a good fit for yesteryear’s websites and continues to work for smaller sites, a corporation desirous of a custom Web presence and slick applications written with the newest scripts utilizing the latest technology are best served by a qualified Web developer.