Web development is the work of creating and maintaining websites and web applications. It can include the content and code a browser displays, software running on a server, and the practical work of making a site usable, accessible, and available online. You can start with a simple page using HTML and CSS; you do not need a framework or a custom back end to build your first project.
What web development includes
Web development is broader than writing code. Depending on the project, it can involve planning what a site needs to do, building its pages and features, testing navigation and behavior, improving performance, and publishing it so visitors can reach it. A small site might consist of a few files served directly to a browser. An application with user accounts, stored information, or content generated from changing data may also need server-side software and a database.
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The web runs on the internet, but the terms are not interchangeable: the internet is the underlying network infrastructure, while the web is a system of linked resources accessed through that infrastructure. MDN’s overview of how the web works explains the basic relationship.
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These three browser technologies are a practical place to begin because they let you build and see a working page early.
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| Technology | What it does | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| HTML | Structures content and gives it meaning. | Headings, paragraphs, lists, links, forms, and images. |
| CSS | Controls how content looks and is laid out. | Typography, colors, spacing, and layouts that adapt to different screen sizes. |
| JavaScript | Adds behavior and interactivity. | Responding to a button press, checking form input, or updating part of a page. |
A useful shorthand is: HTML gives the page structure, CSS presents it, and JavaScript can make it respond. MDN’s beginner module describes HTML as the code used to structure a web page and its content, and CSS as the code that styles web content. See MDN’s Your first website for a guided introduction.
How a web page reaches your browser
In the simplest model, a visitor enters a web address, and the browser uses DNS to find the server address associated with that domain name. The browser and server exchange messages using HTTP. The server responds with resources such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and images; the browser uses them to assemble the page.
That is a useful starting model, not a description of every request a modern site makes. Redirects, caches, content delivery networks, APIs, and other infrastructure can also be part of the path between a visitor and a page.
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Front end and back end: which do you need?
The front end is the part of a website or application that runs in the browser and presents its interface. The back end is software running on a server—for example, software that retrieves data from a database or prepares a response before sending it to the browser.
| Path | Fits projects that need | What to learn first |
|---|---|---|
| Static front end | Pages built from files delivered to the browser, without custom server-side behavior. | HTML, CSS, and then JavaScript as needed. |
| Application with a back end | Server-side processing, stored data, accounts, or changing server-generated content. | Browser fundamentals, followed by server-side programming and the project’s data needs. |
You can begin with a static page and learn back-end development when a project calls for it. Technologies such as ASP.NET, Django, Laravel, and Next.js are examples of server-side options, not a required starter stack. MDN’s web standards model explains how browser technologies, server-side development, standards, and related tools fit together.
Build and publish a first web page
MDN’s first-website module assumes no prior knowledge of web technologies, but does expect basic comfort using a computer, its file system, and a browser. A code editor and browser are enough for a first page; a framework, paid course, or specialized device is not a prerequisite.
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- Plan the page. Choose a small subject, decide who the page is for, and list the information it should contain.
- Structure the content. Write HTML with meaningful elements, a clear heading hierarchy, and links that work.
- Style the page. Use CSS to make text readable, create clear spacing, and ensure the layout works at different viewport sizes.
- Add behavior only where it helps. Use a small JavaScript feature, such as responding to a button, if it serves the visitor.
- Inspect and revise. Open the page in a browser; check its links, layout, keyboard use, and any interactive behavior.
- Publish it. Put the finished files somewhere they can be served so another person can visit the page.
This small project teaches the whole loop—plan, create, inspect, revise, and publish—without requiring you to learn an entire application stack first. MDN’s first-website guide walks through planning, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and publishing.
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Keep improving the fundamentals by building pages and debugging problems in the browser. Browser developer tools help you inspect a page and investigate issues. Version control helps track changes to project files. Learn server-side development when your goals involve behavior that a browser-only page cannot provide.
Frameworks can help organize larger projects, but they do not replace understanding how the browser works with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. For a structured self-directed path, MDN’s Learn web development curriculum is designed to take learners from beginner to comfortable with the subject—not to promise expertise after a fixed course. MDN also provides subject-specific web development tutorials.
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Make accessibility part of the build
Accessibility is not a final polish reserved for later. Start with meaningful HTML structure, make core interactions usable with a keyboard, label form controls, and provide text alternatives for meaningful images. Check that content remains understandable when enlarged or used with assistive technology such as a screen reader.
- Use headings and other elements according to their meaning, not only their appearance.
- Check that links, buttons, and forms can be reached and used with a keyboard.
- Give controls clear labels and meaningful images text alternatives.
- Test the page at larger text sizes and consider how assistive technologies will interpret it.
These checks improve a first page, but they do not by themselves establish conformance with an accessibility standard. The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative’s WCAG 2 Overview identifies WCAG as an international standard and lists versions 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2; its overview was updated through May 6, 2025. Conformance requires evaluating content against the applicable criteria.
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Web development as a career
Web development can be a job, a way to build personal projects, or a skill used when collaborating on digital products. Job titles and responsibilities overlap: web developers create and maintain websites, while digital designers work on interface layout, functions, and navigation for usability. Educational requirements vary, and demonstrated skills through work experience or projects can matter.
For U.S. occupational categories, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2025–2035 projection is 5% employment growth for web developers and digital designers combined, with about 13,600 openings per year on average. BLS separately projects 4% growth for web developers and 6% for web and digital interface designers over that period. Its May 2025 median annual wage figures are $92,650 for web developers and $104,000 for web and digital interface designers. These U.S. national figures describe occupational categories, not a global outlook or a promise of an individual result. See the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Web Developers and Digital Designers outlook for details.
Standards help the web work across browsers
Web standards are technical specifications that help developers and browser makers implement technologies consistently. Organizations including W3C, WHATWG, and TC39 contribute to standards work. Interoperability—features working consistently across implementations—and backward compatibility are important aims.
Specifications are primarily written for implementers. Beginners will often find tutorials more approachable for learning how to use a technology, then can consult standards documentation when they need precise technical details.
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