Do Web Developers build websites from scratch?

When you are planning to build a website as a web developer, you have the option of building it from the ground up, using a framework, starting with templates, or using a website builder. The option you pick depends on the size and purpose of the project.

Web developers can build a website from scratch if they want more control, extremely high customization or if the website is very small. Developing a website from scratch offers a lot of advantages even though it can take a lot of time.

There are many factors to consider when choosing how to develop a website. You need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of using a framework, a website builder, templates, or building from scratch.

HOW TO BUILD A WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH?

In order to build a website from scratch, you need to have a good understanding of

• HTML
• CSS
• Javascript
• server-side programming languages (PHP, Python, Go, C#, Node.js)
• APIs
• and databases.

Apart from that, you need to specify the goal of your website so that you can easily list all your requirements.

Further, you need to research what appeals to you visually, choose a domain, and choose the web host that fits your website needs.

To build a website from scratch, you need HTML for the structure of your website, everything that your visitors will see on your website is structured using HTML.

Then, you need CSS for styling your website. CSS is needed to make sure that your website is appealing visually. CSS allows you to style your HTML elements by adding colors, animations, font families, media queries, padding, margin, sizes, layouts, etc.

Further, you need Javascript to make your website dynamic and interactive. Javascript allows you to make a website that your users can interact with.

Using Javascript, you can add features such as pop-ups, modals, parallax, tabs, toasts, carousels, dropdowns, sliders, and many others.

Furthermore, you need a good understanding of server-side programming languages to help you build a fully-fledged website from scratch.

Some of the most popular server-side programming languages include PHP, Python, Node.js, Ruby, C#, Go, Java, Scala, etc.

Using any of these server-side programming languages, you will be able to interact with Databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, and many others.

You can also make your own APIs using any of the above server-side programming languages.

When you are done building your own website from scratch using the above technologies, you will need a domain name and web hosting for your website.

You can get web hosting from companies like Bluehost which comes with a free domain for one year.

IS IT WORTH BUILDING A WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH?

Although there are many frameworks, libraries, and templates to help you get started with your web project, building a website from scratch will offer you great flexibility, a unique design approach, and more.

Building a website from scratch is something every web developer should endeavor to do. It offers a lot of advantages and control over your code.

Here are some of the advantages of building a website from scratch:

EVERY LINE OF CODE COUNTS

when you build a website from scratch, you make sure that every line of code you write counts, you will not have extra code or extra files that your website will not use.

When you use a framework or website builder, it is going to generate a lot of files and code that you may not need.

Extra files and code will translate to extra loading and file downloading time for your website. Thus, writing a website from scratch will ensure that you have no unnecessary code or files.

UNIQUE DESIGN

If you build your website from scratch, you will not be limited by what the framework or website builder offers you.

Frameworks, libraries, and website builders have their own design philosophy and patterns, each trying to achieve one thing over the other.

 For example, if you are working with a framework like Python Django, you will have to do things the Django way.

This provides restrictions on how you can work with your code; it is important to note that frameworks have their own advantages that make them great for some projects.

When you build your website from scratch, you will be able to implement your own design pattern, your own file structure, and more.

You will have a unique design both in visual (how your website looks) and in code structure.

ENHANCES UNDERSTANDING

Building a website from scratch will enhance your understanding of web development and ultimately develop your coding skills.

You will be able to understand how to do much with your code without frameworks or templates doing the heavy lifting.

Rather than just using a Bootstrap template with the code already written for you and upgrading to the new framework, you will be able to learn new technologies and understand how they work when you develop projects from the ground up.

Building a website from scratch is worth it, it will help you to understand how code works without the abstraction of the framework or a library. This understanding is what makes you a better developer.

DISADVANTAGES OF BUILDING WEBSITES FROM SCRATCH?

Building a website from scratch may not be the best approach in some cases. There are some disadvantages that may deter you from building a website from scratch, here are some of them:

TIME

Building a website from scratch takes a lot of development time. You will have to write code for nearly every task, this takes a lot of time. With a framework, however, some functions for common tasks are already made for you.

MORE CODE

When you build a website from scratch, you will write more code that when using a framework or library. The more your codebase grows, the more difficult it becomes to maintain and debug.

EXPENSIVE

Building a website from scratch may be expensive, you may need professional developers for your website to be secure and reliable. On the other hand, Content Management Systems like WordPress are inexpensive and do not require in-depth technical skills.

SHOULD I BUILD A WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH OR USE WORDPRESS?

Choosing how to build a website depends on the size, type, and purpose of the website. If you want to build a sizeable website in a short period of time, WordPress will do wonders for you.

It is easy to set up and get started with. All you need is a domain and hosting; with just one click, WordPress will be installed and you will be good to go.

However, if you want more control and extreme levels of customization, consider building your website from scratch. Plus, building your website from scratch will allow you to go beyond the limitations of WordPress.

If you are working in a team for a big tech company or a startup that is working on a web application, you will have to build the web product from scratch and WordPress is not ideal in such cases.

Ultimately, the choice of building a website from scratch or using WordPress depends on the project, size, purpose of the website, and the company or team you are working with.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH?

Building a website from scratch can take anywhere from a day to years depending on the size of the project you are working on. Developing a beautiful one page static website from scratch will take just a few hours.

On the other hand, building an electronic business or a social network service can take months or years. Building a website involves a lot of processes, from discovery to design, development, modification, and deployment. Each of these processes can take some time.

CONCLUSION

Web developers build websites from scratch depending on the project they are working on. Building websites from scratch presents its own advantages and disadvantages. There are cases when it will make economic sense to use a website builder or framework.

As a web developer, you should not be limited by frameworks, libraries, templates, or web builders. You must concentrate on doing the work and doing it perfectly.

Whether you build a website from scratch or use a framework, make sure to make an effective, secure, reliable, and optimized web application.

If you would like to learn more about web development, check out our article BECOME A SELF-TAUGHT WEB DEVELOPER (STEP BY STEP GUIDE)