Web development does not only refer to developing websites for the World Wide Web. Web engineering, web content development, web designing, web server and network security configuration, and e-commerce development are some specific tasks under web development.

Web developers are responsible for producing and managing the content on a particular website. They work with different programming languages to come up with a website application then they connect it to a database for web management systems. In a more simple explanation, web developers work behind the sites and applications which people use everyday. Looking for the right developer for a specific work could be tricky, which is why it is important to ask the important questions to assess their capabilities as a web developer.

1. What is W3C?

This is a general question for web developers. The mission and vision of W3C need not to be recited, but web developers should know their contribution to the Web.

2. Do you work well with a team or by yourself?

Being a web developer, some projects may require close interaction with other developers. It is not required but it is a big advantage if they have an experience in this kind of projects. On the contrary, there are developers who prefer to work alone and deliver successfully so find the right developer who can adapt with the needs of the company.

3. How do you handle pressure and deadlines?

Web developers are frequently given multiple projects with overlapping deadlines. This is a good opportunity to weigh the ability of the web developer in terms of project management and task prioritization skills.

4. What technical challenges have you experienced in your previous work and how did you solve it?

Since web development requires skill in problem solving, it is best to ask the interviewees about the problems they have encountered while working on a project and how they approached the problem. The optimality of the approach they used shall matter because it will serve as the basis of their problem solving skills.

5. As a developer, how do you test your applications?

Although there is a specific job for application testing, web developers should test their applications first. Web developers who do not have a quality assurance process tend to develop buggy applications and websites, which can lead to late-night sessions of fixing problems. Look for a developer who has a good balance in testing applications using automated or manual testing.  

6. What website or websites do you frequently visit and as a developer, what can you say about the site?

An excellent website for some people may not be excellent from the perspective of a web developer. Since web developers are in line with the design, as well as security, they should be keen in observing websites.

7. Can you describe your workflow when you are creating a web page?

Creating a web page requires planning on what language, framework, and library to use. Web developers, especially front-end developers, should be organized in building web pages to arrive in a more user-friendly, efficient, and secured page.

8. How do you ensure the speed and security of your code?

Optimization of code and security of the application should be the main concerns of a web developer. If they find that their application is slow, they should look for the bottleneck of it then think of a way on how to improve it. Ensuring the security of a site or an application will lessen future problems of website security vulnerabilities.

9. Which do you think is the biggest and the most expensive part of an application’s life cycle? Why?

Getting their opinion about the life cycle of an application is a preview on how they perceive its long term usage. The system that will be built will be over production for several years. During those times, defects that will rise will need fixing, business rules will change, or some features will be added or updated.

10. What is prime essence of working as a web developer?

Since they are applying for a web developer position, it is important to assess if they know what they are applying for. They should be aware that the idea behind being a web developer is to design, implement, test, and maintain systems to improve the efficiency and provide good business services.

These are some of the questions that web developers should keep in mind during job interviews. It is important to know the basic concepts, logic, and creativity for potential career growth.

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