No BS Web Development Roadmap for 2025

Over the past 10 years, I've earned significant income from web development by building websites for actual clients, not just selling courses. I've learned that with the right approach, you can achieve 10x more with half the effort. This video aims to clear up misconceptions and bad advice surrounding web development, specifically in the context of 2025, discussing job prospects, evolving trends, and the optimal approach to learning web development.

What NOT to Learn in 2025

Avoid outdated technologies like Bootstrap and jQuery. While they still function, modern JavaScript offers equivalent or superior features. Today, functionalities previously requiring libraries like jQuery can be achieved directly with JavaScript and related web technologies.

The Power of Understanding Client Needs

Recently, a friend referred me to a client with a poorly built travel website on WordPress. By identifying their pain points related to SEO and offering a stepbystep solution, I secured a deal for a reasonable fee based on my expertise. This illustrates the demand and earning potential within web development.

This kind of practical advice isn't typically taught in schools or colleges. I learned it through experience after graduating from IIT Kharagpur. Now, I'm sharing my knowledge to help you navigate the field more effectively.

Web Development Roadmap: Front End, Back End, and Database

We'll break down the roadmap into three sections: front end, back end, and database.

Front End Development

Start with HTML, the fundamental building block of websites. It provides the basic structure.

Then learn CSS, which is responsible for styling and making your website visually appealing. With modern CSS, you can create animations and other advanced effects. Don't try to master every CSS property; focus on learning enough to build functional and attractive websites. Trying to master CSS completely could take years.

Next, dive into JavaScript. JavaScript is crucial for acing interviews and adding interactivity. Focus on modern JavaScript concepts like async/await, promises, and the event loop. Understanding these concepts is key to passing web development interviews. Many interviews focus primarily on JavaScript knowledge, omitting HTML and CSS questions.

After mastering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, build intermediatelevel projects such as simple games using HTML and CSS and apps that store data using JavaScript's local storage features.

Consider learning a CSS framework like Tailwind CSS. Tailwind is a utilityfirst CSS framework widely used in the industry, making it an excellent choice for those entering the professional world. Focus on learning one framework unless you have a specific reason to choose another.

Back End Development

A common mistake is jumping into frameworks like Next.js or Remix without a solid foundation. If you're coming from JavaScript, begin with Node.js and Express. This approach allows you to deepen your understanding of how JavaScript functions, especially in serverside execution. Avoid frameworks initially until you've built projects using Node.js and Express.js.

After that, move on to React.js. While Angular and Vue.js are options, React has a larger job market. Unless you have a specific reason to use Angular or Vue (e.g., working on an existing project that uses them), React is generally the best choice for beginners.

Database

Once you start building backend applications, you'll need a database to store data on the serverside. A popular choice is MongoDB. Since you already know JavaScript, MongoDB is easier to learn because it uses a JavaScriptlike syntax. Consider using an Object Relational Mapper (ORM) like Mongoose or Prisma. Initially, you can develop without ORM. ORM acts as a bridge between your application and the database, facilitating seamless data interaction.

After learning React and MongoDB, you'll become a Full Stack Web Developer. You'll be able to build dynamic web apps using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, and Vite.

Tools to Enhance Your Developer Experience

Use tools like Clerk for user authentication. Implementing your own authentication system can be timeconsuming, but Clerk simplifies the process by providing prebuilt components for signup, login, and user account management.

Clerk offers a generous pricing model, allowing you to use it for free for up to 10,000 users. If your app scales beyond that, you can upgrade to a paid plan. Clerk is a great tool that significantly enhances the developer experience. I've put the link in the description, do check it out.

Object Relational Mapping (ORM)

When developing applications with frameworks like Angular, React, or Vue, direct database connections can become complex. Therefore, ORMs are invaluable tools. Mongoose and Prisma are two popular choices and I recommend beginners start with Mongoose and then move to Prisma.

Important Considerations for Beginners

Avoid getting bogged down in scaling, sharding, and horizontal/vertical scaling for large production databases. As a web developer, your primary focus should be on building websites, not becoming a DevOps engineer.

SQL vs. NoSQL

SQL (Structured Query Language) databases like PostgreSQL and MySQL are useful when read/write operations are intensive, data is structured in tables, and complex joins are required. However, MongoDB can handle many of these tasks effectively and is highly scalable. In my opinion, focus on MongoDB first unless you are required to use SQL in an existing codebase.

MustKnow Technologies

TypeScript introduces type safety to JavaScript, enforcing strict rules and preventing unintentional bugs. While it may seem daunting, it's relatively easy to learn and widely used in companies. I suggest you learn it ASAP.

Next.js, a framework by Vercel, is popular among developers building SaaS products. I recommend you learn it after React. Next.js offers filebased routing, easy middleware integration, automatic Tailwind CSS integration, and builtin SEO features, simplifying the development process. Next.js automatically handles caching, improving application performance.

Other Technologies

Many other technologies exist for building websites, such as Django, Flask, Streamlit, Java, and Ruby on Rails. If you're building data scienceintensive applications, consider Django or Flask, which are Pythonbased frameworks.

Once you've learned one backend technology, learning others becomes easier. The core concepts are the same, so don't be afraid to switch frameworks if needed. Complete app rebuilds are common in the development world.

PHP is still a solid choice, particularly for blogs using WordPress. WordPress is welloptimized for blogs and is easy to install and use. Therefore, If your aim is to create blog only, then go ahead and use Wordpress, no need to reinvent the wheel.

Essential Technologies

Git and GitHub are essential for version control. Learn how to use Git for managing your code.

Deployment is another crucial skill. While you don't need to master all AWS services, learn how to deploy your apps to platforms like Vercel and DigitalOcean. Vercel offers easy deployment, while DigitalOcean provides app platforms and database services. You can consider MongoDB Atlas, a managed MongoDB hosting solution.

Changing Trends

AI will play an increasingly important role in web development. Learn how to use AI tools to build websites and components. Check out tools like v0 by Vercel, Bolt, and Cursor AI.

Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) are also gaining popularity. PWAs allow users to install websites as apps.

Serverless computing will become more mainstream. Utilize serverless architectures for your applications.

Utilize GitHub Copilot to enhance your productivity.

Break down problems to a smaller scale and then ask for help from AI tools. Also, don't ask AI tools to create apps for you, but break the requirements into smaller tasks.

Salaries

The average salary for a frontend developer is around 6 lakh per annum, while backend developers can earn significantly more. Many good backend developers with a few years of experience earn around 20 lakh per annum. Next.js developers leading projects often earn around 15 lakh per annum. Some remote developers can earn even more by working for US companies.

Ultimately, your earning potential in web development depends on your skills and creativity. Don't focus solely on salary; focus on gaining expertise, and the money will follow. As a skilled web developer, you'll find opportunities to generate income through various avenues.

Conclusion

I hope this roadmap provides a solid foundation for starting your web development journey in 2025. Thanks for watching!