Ben

Why a web developer?

There are plenty of programs that let you make your own website without code. They are wonderful tools, but sometimes you need the functionality only code can give you. (Let's face it, you can't really drag and drop to make a web application that sends filtered data to a SQL database.) So, you can either learn these languages yourself, or hire a web developer. I recommend only hiring one if you have a thriving business to expand upon.

Languages

• PHP

  PHP is a powerful server-side language. It slows down loading speed a little, but more than makes up for it in fuctionality and versatility.

• Javascript

  Another powerful language, only this one is client-side. Javascript is well suited for anything from validating a form to a web game. (Careful- not everyone's browser supports Javascript, and a heavy dependence on it could mess up the whole works.)

• HTML/CSS

  Yes, the afore-mentioned website design programs take care of these fairly well, but if I didn't know HTML, where would I be, and how would I use Javascript or PHP effectively? Besides, using HTML and CSS offers more versatility than most CMSes.

• SQL

  Of course, you may need a database to store user data like passwords. SQL is just the language for you. From storing and retrieving data to making the database itself, SQL has you covered. Best of all? The DBs are accessible from a PHP script or Node.js!