15 Myths & Misconceptions in Web Development

Web development is a very vast field with a lot of myths and misconceptions. In this article, we are going to talk about and debunk some of the most common myths and misconceptions when it comes to web development. This is geared toward the beginners who are just starting out learning to code that see a lot of this stuff and see things that conflict with one another and may have questions on what is true and what isn't.

Some of this stuff can be debatable. My goal isn't to claim absolute authority on what's true or not. Most of us usually go off of our own experiences, but I also did do a bunch of research, so it's not just my experience. My goal is to provoke thought, encourage a more nuanced understanding, and provide clarity based on both personal experience and thorough research.

Here is the video version of this article

Myth 1: Once You Build Your Website, You're Done

Many people think that building a website or any software project is a one-time thing. They think that once the website is built, it's done. But that's not true. Launching your site is just the beginning. A website is a digital representation of your business, and as your business grows and evolves, so should your website. This can pertain to design, functionality, content as well as security.

This is a good thing for web developers because it means that there is always work to be done. You can always go back to a client and offer to update their website. When I was freelancing, I would always offer a maintenance plan to my clients. This would include regular updates to their website, backups, and security checks. This is a great way to keep a steady stream of income coming in.

Myth 2: You Need to Learn Everything

Another common myth is that you need to know everything to be a web developer. Technologies that are used for web development are always changing and evolving. It's impossible to know everything. I actually recently did a whole video on this topic. You can check it out here.

In that video, I talk about specialization, which is what I suggest. You pick a stack to learn and specialize in that. This will make you more valuable to employers and clients.

Myth 3: You Need a Degree

While a degree in computer science or a related field can be beneficial, it is not a strict requirement to become a web developer. Many successful web developers have built their careers through alternative paths, such as self-learning, online courses, bootcamps, or practical experience. The tech industry values traditional education, but it also values skills, portfolios, and practical experience many times over traditional education. Demonstrating your ability to build and maintain websites or applications through a strong portfolio can be just as effective, if not more so, than having a degree. However, there are some companies that require a degree, so it's not a bad idea to get one if you can.

Myth 4: Web Development is Easy

Some other types of programmers look down on web developers and say its not true software development. Which is ridiculous. Web development is not easy. Of course, there are other roles that are more complex when getting into low-level code, but web dev is still a complex field that requires a lot of knowledge and skills. There are many different technologies and languages that you need to learn. In addition to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, including front-end frameworks and tools, you have backend languages like PHP, Python, Ruby, or Node.js. You also need to know how to use databases, version control, and other build tools. You need to know how to optimize your code for performance and security. You need to know how to test your code and fix bugs. You need to know how to deploy your code to a server and maintain it. There is a lot to learn and it's always changing.

I see this particularly with front-end development. People think that front-end development is easy because it's just HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But it's so much more than that. You need to understand design principles, user experience, accessibility, performance, and security. You need to know how to work with APIs and HTTP. Back in the day, sure you could get away with just knowing HTML, CSS, and vanilla JavaScript, but now you need to know more tools than you do with back-end development. That line between front-end and back-end is also getting more blurred and that brings me to my next myth.

Myth 5: Front-End & Back-End Are Totally Separate

While front-end and back-end development are distinct areas of web development, they are not entirely separate. The two sides of web development work together closely to create a seamless and functional web experience. Even if you're creating an app with completely separate front and back end with a SPA framework like Vue.js or React, you need to understand both front-end and back-end technologies. You ned to understand how REST APIs and HTTP requests work. You need to understand how to pass data from the front end to the back end and vice versa.

I also think that SSR is the future with frameworks like Next.js, Remix, Sveltekit, Nuxt, Astro, etc. You can build full stack apps with a single codebase. I just updated my Next.js course and we ditched API routes and did everything within server components and actions. So that line between front-end and back-end is getting blurrier and blurrier.

Also, if you work with PHP and tools like Wordpress, you are doing both front-end and back-end development. You are creating themes and plugins which require both front-end and back-end knowledge.

Myth 6: Web Development is Dead & AI Will Replace Web Developers

Some people think that web development is a dying field and I think AI causes a lot of this fear. It's true that AI is getting better and better at creating websites and web applications, but it's not going to replace web developers anytime soon. AI can be used to create simple websites, but it can't replace the creativity and problem-solving skills that a human web developer brings to the table. Web development is a creative field that requires a lot of problem-solving skills. It's not just about writing code. It's about understanding the needs of the client and the end-user and creating a solution that meets those needs. AI can't do that better than humans. It can't understand human emotions or create unique designs. Yet, at least. I do think this may be a possibility in the future, but it's a possibility for many fields, not just web development. You can't base all of your career decisions on what might happen in the future. You have to focus on what you can do now and what you enjoy doing.

Myth 7: Web Development is Just About Writing Code

Web development involves much more than just writing code. While coding is a critical component, it is part of a broader process that includes various aspects of design, planning, and user experience. Obviously there are different roles in web development. Front end devs need to understand design principles, user experience, and accessibility. Back end devs need to understand databases, server-side logic, and security. Collaboration and communication are also key skills in web development. You need to be able to work with designers, project managers, and clients to create a successful website or application. There's a huge social aspect to web development that many people don't realize.

Myth 8: Wordpress Developers are Not Real Developers

Speaking of Wordpress, I've seen a lot of people say that developers that use Wordpress or any CMS for that matter are not real developers. I've worked with a lot of Wordpress devs and some of them were the most talented people that I've ever worked with and could create just about anything in record time. Most professional Wordpress developers know PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and SQL. They know how to create custom themes and plugins. They know how to optimize a site for performance and security. They know how to work with databases and APIs. They know how to deploy a site to a server and maintain it. They know how to test their code and fix bugs. They know how to work with clients and project managers, designers and other developers. They know websites inside and out. They are real developers. Sure, you may have a beginner that just installs themes and plugins, but if they keep working with Wordpress, they will eventually learn how to create custom themes and plugins. Otherwise, they won't be able to make a living.

Myth 9: You Need a Fancy Design

While a visually appealing design can enhance user experience, it doesn't even come close to being all the most important thing in a successful website. A website needs to be functional, easy to use, content-rich, responsive, consistent and accessible. It needs to load quickly and be optimized for search engines. All of these things are more important than a pretty design. You can have the most beautiful website in the world, but if it doesn't work properly, users will leave. You can have the ugliest website in the world, but if it works well, users will stay. Look at some of the most popular websites such as Google, Craigslist, StackOverflow, Reddit, and Wikipedia. They are not the most visually appealing, but they're some of the most popular websites in the world because they're functional and easy to use. User experience is much more important than design. Although a good design can enhance user experience. But never give up functionality for design.

Myth 10: The More Features, The Better

Many people think that the more features a website has, the better it is. But that's not true and in fact, in many cases, it's the opposite. A website should only have the features that are necessary to meet the needs of the client and the end-user. Adding unnecessary features can make a website bloated and slow as well as as confuse the user.You should focus on creating a website that is simple, intuitive, and easy to use. This will make the user experience much better and keep people coming back. You can always add more features later as the needs of the client and the end-user change.

Myth 11: You Need A Team to Build a Successful Website

Many believe that creating a successful website requires a large team of designers, developers, marketers, and project managers. This myth can make aspiring solo entrepreneurs or small business owners feel that they lack the resources to build a high-quality site on their own. I'll be realistic and say that a single person couldn't build Google and maintain it on their own for years and have the same success. However, a lot of those platforms started with a single person or a small team. I'd say that you can start on anything by yourself. You just need to be able to expand as the project scales.

There's also many types of projects that you can run on your own forever. Anything from a simple blog to a powerful SaaS or eCommerce company. Especially with all of the tools that are available from frameworks to no-code tools.

Myth 12: Not All Websites Need to Be Responsive

I've been doing this for a while and I remember when a mobile version of a website was an addon. Now, it's a requirement. Mobile usage is increasing every year and it's not going to stop. You need to make sure that your website is responsive and looks good on all devices. This is not just for the user experience, but also for SEO. Google ranks mobile-friendly websites higher in search results. CSS frameworks like Tailwind and Bootstrap make it easy to create responsive websites even if you're not great with CSS and design. In my opinion, the only time you don't need to worry about what your site looks like on Mobile, is if you're building an internal tool that will only be used on desktops by certain employees or something like that.

Myth 13: A Website Needs To Be Perfect Before Launching

This is something that I have seen over and over and have done myself. You don't want to launch your project until it is 100% complete. But the truth is, a website is never complete. There is always something that can be improved. You should launch your website as soon as it is functional and then iterate on it. You can always add new features, improve the design, and fix bugs after the launch. In fact, it's better to launch early and get feedback from users so you can make improvements based on that feedback. This is called the MVP or Minimum Viable Product. You launch the smallest version of your product that is still functional and then build on it based on user feedback. This is a much better approach than trying to build the perfect website before launching.

Myth 14: SEO Is Just About Keywords

SEO is a complex field that involves much more than just keywords. While keywords are important, they are just one piece of the puzzle. SEO also involves technical aspects such as site speed, mobile-friendliness, and security. It also involves user experience, content quality, and backlinks. SEO is always changing and evolving, so it's important to stay up to date with the latest trends and best practices. There are many tools available to help you with SEO such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, SEMrush, etc. You can also hire an SEO expert to help you with your website's SEO. I'd also say another misconception is that SEO is a one-time thing. SEO is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and updates.

Myth 15: You Need To Use The Latest Technologies

The choice of technology should be based on the specific needs of the project. Older, stable technologies can be just as effective if they meet the requirements and are well-supported. I'd also say that prioritizing stable, proven technologies and frameworks can be more beneficial in terms of long-term maintenance and compatibility. I see people get wo worked up because the framework version they're using is two versions behind. If it works, it works. You can always update later. I've seen people rewrite their entire project because they were using an older version of a framework. That's just a waste of time and money. In many cases you only need to update if there is a security issue or a feature that you need in the new version.

Those are the 15 myths that I have for you. Of course my own opinions and experience influence everything I've said, but I think that these are pretty common myths that I've seen over the years. Hopefully, you found this article helpful and it cleared up some misconceptions that you may have had.