When I started learning web development in 2020, I was overwhelmed with all the terminology.

HTML, CSS, SASS, JavaScript, React, Angular, Vue, Bootstrap, Tailwind, Svelte, Redux, Gatsby, Git, Express, NUXT, Django, Python, Ruby, C#, C++, PHP, Rust, NPM, HTTP

Frontend, backend, full-stack, terminals, databases, and the list goes on and on. Are you familiar with the many web development road maps that are out there?

It's enough to make your head spin. How does someone brand new to the world of web development know where to even start? The road maps are a great resource, but if you're anything like me they're an easy way to fall down the rabbit hole but first you'll find yourself stuck in some really tall weeds.

So what's a new web developer to do???

My first suggestion would be to decide if you want to learn frontend, backend, or full-stack development. For simplicity sake, I'll use the below examples from one of my favorite learning communities, Frontend Mentor.

• Frontend is the visual side of the webpage. It's what we see when we open up a website. A frontend developer produces the visual and functional pieces of a website. The below image visually shows the layout of the website. This would be created by a frontend developer. If you're interested in visual designs as well as the appearance and layout of websites, then this may be a good path to take.

• Backend is on the server side of the website. It's where all the data that is entered into a website is stored. A backend developer produces the mechanisms that process and store data from the website. The below image represents where a backend developer would be utilized. Each of the 'Login with GitHub' buttons directly links to data that you're entering (i.e. username and password) all of which is saved within a database to reference the next time you login. If you're interested in data as well as how to structure and manipulate data, then backend development may be your best path.

• A full-stack developer is one that has learned both frontend and backend techniques. If you're interested in both the visual appearance of a website as well as the data aspect, then full-stack might be the best path for you.

Once you decide which path in the road you want to take, then the next steps on the map become much easier to navigate. I am not a designer, but I've always felt like I had a keen attention to detail with regards to the layout and structure of things. I also enjoy data processes. For these reasons, I've chosen the full-stack route. Now that being said.....I have thoroughly enjoyed learning frontend development and have yet to begin learning backend. When I start my journey down the backend road I may find that I really don't like it. And in that case.....it will be easy enough to just back on up and jump back on the frontend road!