Web developer

What does a web developer do?

A web developer builds and maintains websites and web applications that run in a browser.

The job covers writing code, testing it across browsers and devices, and fixing faults after launch. Some roles also cover the server side and links to other systems.

Web developers work in banks, government agencies, e-commerce firms, media companies, digital agencies and start-ups. Some sit in an in-house product team. Others build sites for clients at an agency. Singapore's official job classification groups the role with mobile application developers.

You work with designers, product managers, backend developers and testers. You also deal with business owners who decide what the site must do. Clear communication matters as much as code, because you often explain technical limits to people outside IT.

What the work involves

• Read a ticket or design and turn it into working HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
• Review teammates' code, and have your own code reviewed before it goes live.
• Test pages on different browsers and phones, and fix layout or script faults.
• Check page speed and accessibility, then fix the slowest or least usable parts.
• Connect pages to APIs and other systems, such as payment, login or content tools.
• Update live sites, fix reported bugs and keep plugins and packages up to date.

Pay in Singapore

Back to top

Skills a web developer needs

Back to top

Web developer job description

We are hiring a web developer to build and maintain customer-facing websites and web applications.

You will turn designs and requirements into fast, accessible pages. You will work with designers and backend developers, and release changes through a tested, reviewed process. Working knowledge of JavaScript, React and Git is expected.

Responsibilities

• Build web pages and features from designs, specifications and tickets.
• Write clean, readable HTML, CSS and JavaScript or TypeScript.
• Make sites work on current browsers, phones and tablets.
• Connect front-end pages to APIs and back-end services.
• Improve page speed and fix slow or heavy pages.
• Meet accessibility standards such as WCAG in the pages you build.
• Write and run tests, and fix bugs found in testing or on the live site.
• Use Git for version control and take part in code reviews.
• Update and secure content management systems such as WordPress, including themes and plugins.
• Document your work and explain technical choices to non-technical colleagues.

Requirements

• Diploma or degree in information technology, computer science or a related field. Some employers accept a strong portfolio or bootcamp training instead.
• Solid HTML, CSS and JavaScript. TypeScript is often asked for.
• Experience with a front-end framework, usually React or Next.js.
• Comfort with Git and a pull request workflow.
• Basic knowledge of Node.js or another back-end language, and of REST APIs.
• About 1 to 3 years of experience for a mid-level role. Junior roles often take fresh graduates with projects to show.

Back to top

Web developer career path

Most web developers start in a junior role and reach senior level after several years of steady work.

From there you can stay technical or move into people management.

1. Junior web developer

   Entry

   You build small features and fix bugs under guidance. You learn the team's code, tools and review habits.

2. Web developer

   Mid

   You own features from start to release. You work with less supervision and review the code of newer colleagues.

3. Senior web developer

   Senior

   You make design choices for larger parts of a site, guide others and handle the hardest bugs and performance problems.

4. Tech lead or lead developer

   Lead

   You set technical direction for a team, plan work with product managers and keep code quality consistent.

5. Head of engineering

   Head

   You run several teams, set hiring and technology plans, and answer for delivery to senior management.

The titles are ones commonly used in Singapore; employers may name the levels differently.

Related jobs and their pay

Back to top

Web developer interview questions

We wrote these questions from the skills this job needs. They are not an official question bank.

1. What is semantic HTML, and why does it matter for a public website?

   What a good answer covers

   • Explains that elements like header, nav, main and button describe meaning as well as looks
   • Links semantic markup to screen reader support and keyboard use
   • Mentions search engines reading page structure
   • Gives a case where a div was replaced with a proper element

2. How do you decide between Flexbox and CSS Grid for a layout? Describe a page where you used each.

   What a good answer covers

   • Flexbox suits one-dimensional rows or columns, Grid suits two-dimensional layouts
   • Can describe a real example such as a nav bar versus a product listing
   • Mentions responsive behaviour and media or container queries
   • Knows how to debug layout problems in browser dev tools

3. Walk me through what happens in JavaScript when you call fetch and then run setTimeout with zero delay.

   What a good answer covers

   • Describes the call stack, task queue and microtask queue
   • States that promise callbacks run before timer callbacks
   • Explains that fetch leaves the main thread free
   • Shows how async and await sit on top of promises

4. What does TypeScript add over plain JavaScript? When would you use unknown instead of any?

   What a good answer covers

   • Explains static types catching errors before the code runs
   • Says any turns off checking while unknown forces a check first
   • Mentions typing API responses and props
   • Admits the trade-off in setup time and learning effort

5. A page scores badly on mobile speed tests. How do you find the causes and fix them?

   What a good answer covers

   • Measures first with Lighthouse or browser performance tools and looks at Core Web Vitals
   • Checks image size and format, lazy loading and font loading
   • Reduces JavaScript bundle size with code splitting
   • Looks at third-party scripts and caching
   • Re-tests after each change to confirm the gain

6. In a Next.js project, how do you choose between static generation, server-side rendering and client-side fetching?

   What a good answer covers

   • Uses static generation for pages that rarely change
   • Uses server-side rendering when content depends on the request or must be fresh
   • Uses client-side fetching for user-specific data after load
   • Mentions the effect on speed, search visibility and server cost

7. How would you build a dropdown menu that works with a keyboard and a screen reader?

   What a good answer covers

   • Uses native elements where possible, such as button and select
   • Manages focus and supports Tab, Enter, Escape and arrow keys
   • Adds ARIA attributes only where native HTML falls short
   • Checks colour contrast and visible focus states
   • Tests with a screen reader and an automated checker

8. Describe how you would build a small Node.js endpoint that accepts a form submission. What do you check before saving the data?

   What a good answer covers

   • Validates and sanitises input on the server as well as in the browser
   • Returns clear status codes and error messages
   • Guards against injection and cross-site request attacks
   • Avoids logging personal data
   • Adds a test for bad input

1. You release an update and the checkout form stops working for some users. What do you do in the first hour?

   What a good answer covers

   • Confirms the fault and its scope using error logs and reports
   • Rolls back or switches off the change if the impact is high
   • Tells the product owner and support team early
   • Finds the cause, fixes it and adds a test
   • Writes a short review so it does not repeat

2. A client's WordPress site is slow and has been hacked twice. How do you approach it?

   What a good answer covers

   • Takes a backup and works on a staging copy
   • Removes unused plugins and themes and updates the rest
   • Checks user accounts, file permissions and login protection
   • Adds caching and image optimisation for speed
   • Sets up regular updates and monitoring

3. You pull the latest code and Git shows a merge conflict in a file a colleague also changed. What do you do?

   What a good answer covers

   • Reads both changes and understands the intent of each
   • Talks to the colleague if the intent is unclear
   • Resolves the conflict, then runs the app and tests
   • Commits with a clear message
   • Suggests smaller branches or more frequent merges to cut conflicts

4. Your team uses Copilot or Cursor. A junior colleague submits AI-generated code that works but looks odd. How do you review it?

   What a good answer covers

   • Checks that the author understands every line
   • Looks for security gaps, unused code and wrong assumptions
   • Runs tests and adds missing ones
   • Checks it follows team style and accessibility rules
   • Treats AI output as a draft that still needs checking

1. Tell me about a time a designer or product manager asked for something you thought was a poor idea. What did you do?

   What a good answer covers

   • Describes a real case with context
   • Shows listening first and asking why
   • Presents evidence such as speed data or user needs
   • Reaches a decision both sides can accept

1. You are adding a sign-up form that collects names, mobile numbers and NRIC details. What do you consider under the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA)?

   What a good answer covers

   • Collects only the data the business needs for a stated purpose
   • Obtains clear consent and shows a privacy notice at the point of collection
   • Treats NRIC numbers with care and checks current guidance on collecting them
   • Stores and sends data securely and limits who can see it
   • Asks the data protection officer or legal team when unsure

2. A Singapore retailer wants its website in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. How do you plan the build?

   What a good answer covers

   • Uses an internationalisation library or CMS feature instead of copied pages
   • Plans for text length changes and fonts for each script
   • Sets language attributes and handles URLs for each language
   • Designs mobile first, since many local users browse on phones
   • Tests with native speakers before launch

Common questions about a web developer job

Sources