Talently
Talently
Web developer

Web developer

Builds and maintains functional, accessible, and high-performance digital presences that connect organizations with their users.

A Web Developer designs, implements, and maintains websites and web applications ranging from landing pages and corporate sites to e-commerce platforms and content portals. Unlike a Frontend Developer specialized in complex web applications, the Web Developer has a broader view of the web ecosystem: they are proficient in both front-end and back-end fundamentals, work with CMS platforms, optimize for SEO and performance, and ensure sites work correctly across all devices and browsers. They collaborate with designers, marketing teams, copywriters, and clients to deliver web experiences that meet business objectives.

HTMLCSSJavaScriptWordPressTechnical SEOWeb Performance

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Main Responsibilities

  • •Develop and maintain responsive websites that work correctly across all devices, browsers, and screen sizes.
  • •Implement and customize CMS solutions (WordPress, Drupal, Webflow) so that content teams can manage the site autonomously.
  • •Optimize web performance by measuring and improving Core Web Vitals, load times, and user experience metrics.
  • •Implement technical SEO best practices: URL structure, metadata, sitemaps, schema markup, and speed optimization.
  • •Integrate analytics tools, marketing platforms, and third-party services (payments, forms, chat) into sites.
  • •Ensure basic site security: SSL certificates, CMS and plugin updates, and protection against common vulnerabilities.

Key Skills

Technical Skills

  • Semantic HTML5, advanced CSS3, and modern JavaScript for web development without exclusive reliance on frameworks
  • CMS and page builders: WordPress with theme and plugin development, Webflow, or equivalents depending on the project context
  • Performance optimization: image compression, lazy loading, minification, CDN, and caching strategies for Core Web Vitals
  • Technical SEO: semantic content structure, metadata, structured data with schema.org, and crawlability optimization
  • Web analytics tools: Google Analytics 4, Search Console, Hotjar, and equivalents to measure site performance
  • Version control with Git and deployment on platforms like Netlify, Vercel, or traditional hosting via FTP/SSH

Soft Skills

  • Communication with non-technical clients to understand their business objectives before proposing technical solutions
  • Judgment to choose the technically appropriate solution for the context: the most advanced one is not always the most suitable
  • Attention to detail in visual consistency, error messages, and loading states that define the site's perceived quality
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with different priorities and deadlines
  • Proactiveness in identifying performance or security issues before clients report them
  • Adaptability to work with the client's technology stack rather than imposing one's own

Real use cases

Context

Corporate sites and landing pages are frequently users' first point of contact with a brand. Load speed and message clarity directly impact conversion rates.

Real examples

  • Conversion-optimized landing pages with load times under 2 seconds
  • Multilingual corporate sites with autonomous content management for the marketing team
  • Product pages with schema.org rich snippets for better search visibility
  • Campaign microsites with integrated conversion tracking

Context

E-commerce requires an implementation that combines performance, payment security, and a user experience that minimizes cart abandonment.

Real examples

  • Custom WooCommerce or Shopify stores styled to the client's design
  • Checkout funnel optimization to reduce cart abandonment
  • Payment gateway integration with correct webhook and confirmation handling
  • Conversion tracking and attribution implementation for marketing campaigns

Context

Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor. A site with high LCP, elevated CLS, or poor INP loses search positions and users frustrated by slowness.

Real examples

  • Full audit with Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights identifying the highest-impact improvements
  • Image optimization with modern formats (WebP, AVIF) and correct dimensions for each breakpoint
  • Elimination of render-blocking resources and critical rendering path optimization
  • Lazy loading and preloading strategies implementation to improve perceived speed

Context

A technically well-implemented site for SEO generates sustainable organic traffic without exclusively relying on paid advertising. Marketing tool integration enables measuring and optimizing every channel.

Real examples

  • Structured data implementation (JSON-LD) for articles, products, and organizations
  • Google Tag Manager setup for flexible tag management without code deployments
  • Technical SEO audit and remediation: duplicate URLs, canonicals, redirects
  • CRM and email marketing tool integration for lead capture and nurturing

Context

Websites require ongoing maintenance to function correctly, remain secure, and take advantage of performance improvements available in newer versions of their dependencies.

Real examples

  • Maintenance plan with regular CMS, theme, and plugin updates
  • Periodic security audits: malware detection, permission verification, and access review
  • Site migration between hosting providers with minimal downtime and post-migration verification
  • Automated backups with periodic restore verification

Basic questions

Define a browser support policy based on the site's analytics data or target market data (browserslist). Use CSS autoprefixing tools (PostCSS, Autoprefixer) for automatic compatibility with properties requiring vendor prefixes. For the most critical rendering differences, use services like BrowserStack or LambdaTest to verify against a prioritized subset of combinations. Write CSS with a mobile-first, progressive enhancement approach so the site works correctly on the most limited browsers and improves progressively on modern ones.
The Critical Rendering Path is the sequence of steps the browser executes to convert HTML, CSS, and JS into pixels on screen: HTML download, DOM construction, CSS download and processing (CSSOM construction), render tree construction, layout, and paint. Resources that block this path (CSS in the head, JS without async or defer) delay the first visible render. Optimizing it means: inlining the critical CSS for above-the-fold content, loading non-critical CSS asynchronously, using defer or async on scripts not needed for the first render, and prioritizing the loading of fonts needed for initially visible content.
Build or configure the theme with a page builder such as native Gutenberg or ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) so that page editing does not require any coding knowledge. Document custom content types with clear instructions. Restrict user permissions so editors cannot modify the site's technical configuration or install plugins. Create an editorial style guide with required image formats, correct dimensions, and naming conventions. Implement a staging process so major changes can be previewed before publishing.
LCP measures the time until the largest element in the viewport is visible. To reduce it: identify which element is the LCP (frequently a hero image or a large text block) using Chrome DevTools or PageSpeed Insights. If it is an image: optimize its format and compression, add correct dimensions, preload with , and do not use lazy loading on above-the-fold images. If it is text: ensure the font loads quickly with font-display: swap and preloading. Also verify TTFB (Time to First Byte): a slow server affects LCP regardless of front-end optimizations.
Use JSON-LD as Google's recommended format, inserted in the head of each page. For product pages: the Product schema with name, description, image, price, availability, and AggregateRating if reviews exist. For category pages: BreadcrumbList for structured navigation. For the business: Organization with address, phone, and social profiles. Verify the implementation with Google's Rich Results Test and monitor in Search Console which rich results are displaying. Incorrect structured data can result in penalties — always validate before publishing.
Active SSL certificate with forced HTTP to HTTPS redirect. Regular and automatic updates of WordPress core, themes, and plugins. Strong passwords and two-factor authentication for all administrators. Changing the database prefix from the default wp_ and hiding the WordPress version from the HTML. A security plugin (Wordfence or iThemes Security) with a firewall and IP blocking on multiple failed login attempts. Automated daily backups stored off-server. Correct file permissions: 644 for files and 755 for directories.
Reduce DNS TTL to 300 seconds at least 24 hours before the migration so propagation is faster. Fully clone the site to the new hosting: files and database. Verify the site works correctly on the new hosting by accessing it via IP or editing the hosts file before changing DNS. Once verified, update the DNS records to the new hosting. Keep the old hosting active for at least 48 additional hours for users still resolving the old DNS. Post-migration verification: forms, payments, emails, analytics, and redirects.
Separate cacheable from non-cacheable content. Public static pages (home, blog, product) are aggressively cached with a plugin like WP Rocket or with server-level caching (Nginx FastCGI cache). Pages with personalized content (cart, user account, checkout) are fully excluded from cache. Implement object caching with Redis or Memcached for database queries. For high-traffic sites, a CDN (Cloudflare, BunnyCDN) in front of the server serves static assets from nodes geographically close to the user, reducing global latency.

Technical questions

Automate optimization in the upload process: lossless compression with tools like Sharp or Squoosh API, automatic conversion to WebP with a JPEG fallback for browsers that do not support it. Serve images at the correct size for each breakpoint using the srcset and sizes attributes. Implement native lazy loading (loading='lazy') for images outside the initial viewport. For category thumbnail grids, use low-resolution placeholders that are replaced with the real image as they enter the viewport (blur-up technique). Implement an image CDN like Cloudinary or imgix that handles transformation and delivery automatically.
Use the WPML or Polylang plugin for multilingual content management. Implement hreflang tags on all pages indicating the available language variants: the hreflang attribute in the head or in the XML sitemap tells Google which version to show based on the user's language. Define a clear URL structure: language subdirectories (/es/, /fr/) is the most recommended option for sites with substantially different content per language. Verify the XML sitemap includes URLs for all languages. Never use only IP or browser language detection to serve different content from the same URL: Google cannot index other language content.
CLS measures unexpected layout shifts during page load. Identify the elements causing the shift with the Layout Shift Regions tool in Chrome DevTools or the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console. Common causes: images without declared dimensions that resize as they load (solution: always declare width and height in HTML), ads or embeds inserted without pre-reserved space, and web fonts replacing the fallback font with different dimensions (solution: font-display: optional or size-adjust). For third-party iframes and embeds, reserve space with aspect-ratio in CSS before they load.
Use a robust form plugin (WPForms, Gravity Forms, Contact Form 7) for form construction and management. Implement a honeypot anti-spam field: a hidden field that bots fill out but human users never see. For high-value forms, add reCAPTCHA v3 which evaluates behavior without adding friction for the user. Configure a dedicated transactional email service (SendGrid, Mailgun, SES) instead of the hosting's mail server to ensure reliable delivery. Always validate server-side in addition to client-side. Save all form submissions to the WordPress database as a backup independent of email delivery.
The invalidation strategy depends on the frequency and type of update. For blog pages with sporadic updates, a 24-hour cache TTL with automatic purging on publish or edit is sufficient. For product pages with changing prices, a shorter TTL (15-30 minutes) or event-driven purging when the product is updated. Implement a selective purge API that invalidates only the affected URLs on each change rather than flushing the entire cache: the home page, the modified product's category, and the product page itself. Use cache tags to group pages that must be invalidated together when a specific entity changes.
Adopt an organizational methodology: BEM (Block-Element-Modifier) for class naming that describes structure without DOM dependency, or utility-first with Tailwind CSS which eliminates the specificity problem by using functional classes directly in HTML. Avoid using IDs for styles and minimize use of !important. Organize CSS in layers with @layer (base, components, utilities) to control specificity explicitly. Use CSS custom properties for design system values (colors, spacing, typography) so that global changes require modifying a variable, not a find-and-replace operation.
Implement Google Tag Manager as the tag container to manage tracking without code deployments. Configure conversion events in Google Analytics 4 and in the relevant ads platforms (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn) using their respective pixels. Implement consistent UTM parameters across all campaigns so GA4 correctly attributes traffic. For e-commerce, use GA4's Enhanced Ecommerce to capture the full funnel: product views, add to cart, checkout initiation, and purchase. Verify events are firing correctly with Google's Tag Assistant before activating them in production.
Implement accessibility as part of the delivery standard even when the client has not explicitly requested it. Correct semantic structure: headings in hierarchical order, semantic HTML elements (nav, main, article, button instead of div), and correct landmarks. WCAG AA color contrast as a minimum for text. Descriptive alternative text on all informational images. Functional keyboard navigation on all interactive elements with visible focus. Forms with labels correctly associated with their inputs. Audit with axe DevTools or Lighthouse before delivery. Communicate the site's accessibility status to the client as part of the quality report.

Advanced questions

Separate static from dynamic content: static content (HTML, CSS, JS, images) is served from a global CDN with geographically distributed nodes. For dynamic content (real-time prices, personalized content), use edge functions that execute logic close to the user, reducing round-trip latency. Implement ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration) with Next.js or equivalent for pages that change infrequently: served as static but regenerated in the background when there are changes. For the CMS, separate the content layer (headless CMS) from the presentation layer (front end) so front-end deployments do not depend on content changes.
SEO migration is the primary risk: every URL that changes or disappears can lose years of accumulated ranking. Inventory all URLs with Screaming Frog before starting, exporting the current rankings from Search Console as a baseline. For every URL that changes, implement a permanent 301 redirect to the new equivalent URL. For the content, evaluate whether to migrate to headless WordPress + Next.js or a more modern headless CMS, starting with the most frequently used templates. Launch in phases by site section to limit risk and allow reverting if significant traffic drops occur. Monitor Search Console daily for the first two months post-migration.
A structured checklist per dimension, executed in a staging environment identical to production. Functionality: all forms, payments, internal and external links, and critical user flows. Performance: minimum Lighthouse score of 90 on mobile, Core Web Vitals in green, and load testing at expected traffic levels. Technical SEO: correct sitemap, robots.txt, canonical tags, hreflang where applicable, structured data validated with the Rich Results Test, and no errors in Search Console. Accessibility: axe DevTools audit, full keyboard navigation, and verified contrast. Compatibility: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge on desktop; Chrome and Safari on iOS and Android at the three main breakpoints. The output is a signed quality report before launch.
Standardize the tool stack across all clients: the same backup plugin, the same security plugin, the same uptime monitoring system. Automate low-risk updates (security plugins, WordPress minor versions) with tools like ManageWP or MainWP. Major updates are executed on staging first with an automated verification process. Implement centralized alerts that notify when a site goes down, has an SSL certificate nearing expiration, or detects malware. Team time is spent resolving alerts and handling updates that require manual verification — not on repetitive tasks that can be automated. Document each client's status in a centralized dashboard.
Evaluate four dimensions. Technical debt: does the current code allow the business changes it needs in a reasonable time, or does each change require rewriting unrelated parts? Performance: can incremental improvements bring Core Web Vitals to green, or are there architectural limitations preventing it? Security: does the current stack have active support, or are there unmaintained dependencies that represent a growing risk? Scalability: can the site handle expected traffic growth, or does it require architectural changes to do so? If the answer to more than two of these dimensions is negative, a refactor is justified. If the limitations are manageable with incremental investment, it is safer and cheaper to iterate than to rewrite.
Start with a keyword opportunity audit: identify terms with search volume and difficulty appropriate to the domain's current authority, prioritizing informational searches (guides, comparisons, tutorials) as top-of-funnel entry points. Structure content in thematic pillar pages with related cluster content that links back and forth to build topical authority in the domain. Implement the correct technical structure for each content type: Article schema for posts, FAQ for frequently asked questions, HowTo for step-by-step guides. Measure impact in Search Console by content cohort to identify which type of content generates the most organic traffic, and adjust the strategy with that data.

Common interview mistakes

A Web Developer who proposes a React + headless CMS + GraphQL stack for a 10-page corporate site that the marketing team needs to update periodically demonstrates a disconnect between the technical solution and the client's real needs. Appropriate technical judgment for the context is as important as technical knowledge itself.
A slow website or one that is technically invisible to search engines does not fulfill its business purpose even if it works correctly. Interviewers at agencies or digital marketing teams expect a Web Developer to treat performance and technical SEO as part of the delivery standard — not as optional enhancements.
WordPress is the world's most frequently attacked CMS precisely because of its popularity. A Web Developer who delivers WordPress sites without a security strategy, automated backups, and a maintenance plan is creating a risk for their client. Interviewers experienced with WordPress projects specifically ask about these aspects.
Web accessibility is not optional in most contexts: it is a legal requirement in many jurisdictions for public-sector sites and a professional quality standard in all contexts. A Web Developer who does not mention it spontaneously when discussing quality demonstrates a significant blind spot in their practice.
A website that was delivered correctly but that the client cannot use to achieve their business objectives was not a successful project. Interviewers ask what happened to traffic, conversion, or performance metrics after each project. A Web Developer who does not measure the impact of their work cannot improve their practice.
A Web Developer has a broader scope that includes SEO, CMS platforms, hosting, security, and web performance — areas that a Frontend Developer specialized in SPAs typically does not cover. Presenting as a Web Developer but only being able to discuss React and TypeScript without knowledge of WordPress, technical SEO, or Core Web Vitals suggests a profile closer to Frontend Developer than Web Developer.