Web Developers

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.9), with simple added tooling (β 0.9), and including AI-powered software (γ 1.0). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Tasks

All 29 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

• Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites. Core · importance 4.6
• Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media. Core · importance 4.4
• Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems. Core · importance 4.3
• Select programming languages, design tools, or applications. Core · importance 4.2
• Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems. Core · importance 4.1
• Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites. Core · importance 4.0
• Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision. Core · importance 4.0
• Perform or direct Web site updates. Core · importance 4.0
• Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups. Core · importance 3.8
• Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements. Core · importance 3.8
• Monitor security system performance logs to identify problems and notify security specialists when problems occur. Supplemental · importance 3.7
• Renew domain name registrations. Core · importance 3.7
• Respond to user email inquiries, or set up automated systems to send responses. Core · importance 3.7
• Confer with management or development teams to prioritize needs, resolve conflicts, develop content criteria, or choose solutions. Core · importance 3.6
• Communicate with network personnel or Web site hosting agencies to address hardware or software issues affecting Web sites. Core · importance 3.6
• Collaborate with management or users to develop e-commerce strategies and to integrate these strategies with Web sites. Core · importance 3.5
• Document test plans, testing procedures, or test results. Core · importance 3.5
• Establish appropriate server directory trees. Core · importance 3.5
• Recommend and implement performance improvements. Core · importance 3.4
• Document technical factors such as server load, bandwidth, database performance, and browser and device types. Core · importance 3.4
• Develop or implement procedures for ongoing Web site revision. Core · importance 3.3
• Create Web models or prototypes that include physical, interface, logical, or data models. Core · importance 3.2
• Provide clear, detailed descriptions of Web site specifications, such as product features, activities, software, communication protocols, programming languages, and operating systems software and hardware. Core · importance 3.2
• Evaluate or recommend server hardware or software. Core · importance 3.1
• Install and configure hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) servers and associated operating systems. Supplemental · importance 2.9
• Research, document, rate, or select alternatives for Web architecture or technologies. Supplemental · importance 2.8
• Develop system interaction or sequence diagrams. Supplemental · importance 2.7
• Design and implement Web site security measures, such as firewalls and message encryption.
• Incorporate technical considerations into Web site design plans, such as budgets, equipment, performance requirements, and legal issues including accessibility and privacy.

Work activities

• Design websites or web applications.
• Update website content.
• Collaborate with others to resolve information technology issues.
• Create electronic data backup to prevent loss of information.
• Test software performance.
• Update knowledge about emerging industry or technology trends.
• Analyze project data to determine specifications or requirements.
• Create databases to store electronic data.
• Collaborate with others to develop or implement marketing strategies.
• Write computer programming code.
• Provide technical support for computer network issues.
• Provide customer service to clients or users.
• Develop specifications or procedures for website development or maintenance.
• Configure computer networks.
• Recommend changes to improve computer or information systems.
• Monitor the security of digital information.
• Develop models of information or communications systems.
• Evaluate utility of software or hardware technologies.
• Provide recommendations to others about computer hardware.
• Document design or development procedures.
• Conduct research to gain information about products or processes.
• Document network-related activities or tasks.
• Install computer hardware.
• Develop diagrams or flow charts of system operation.
• Implement security measures for computer or information systems.
• Develop computer or information security policies or procedures.

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Transferable skills

Abilities

Essential skills

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

• Deductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Critical Thinking Common Skill
• Reading Comprehension Common Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Common Skill
• English Language Common Skill
• WordPress Specialized Skill
• Vue.js Specialized Skill
• TypeScript Specialized Skill
• Spring Framework Specialized Skill
• Spring Boot Specialized Skill
• PostgreSQL Specialized Skill
• Node.js Specialized Skill
• NoSQL Specialized Skill
• MySQL Specialized Skill
• MongoDB Specialized Skill
• Linux Specialized Skill
• Kubernetes Specialized Skill
• JQuery Specialized Skill
• Information Ordering Specialized Skill
• Inductive Reasoning Common Skill
• GraphQL Specialized Skill
• Github Specialized Skill
• Apache Kafka Specialized Skill
• Active Listening Common Skill
• Active Learning Common Skill
• Speech Recognition Specialized Skill
• Mathematics Common Skill
• Writing Common Skill
• Visualization Specialized Skill
• Systems Analysis Specialized Skill
• Unix Shell Specialized Skill
• Unix Specialized Skill
• Transact-SQL Specialized Skill
• Time Management Common Skill
• Shell Script Specialized Skill
• Redis Specialized Skill
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Specialized Skill
• Microsoft Windows Common Skill
• Microsoft Visual Studio Specialized Skill
• Microsoft Visio Specialized Skill

Showing the top 40 of 132.

Tools & technology

Showing the top 40 of 251.

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

How to get in

Job zone

Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Education

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Typical entry-level education

Bachelor's degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement

Related experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Preparation level

SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

What to study: Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Interest areas

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Work styles

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Related occupations

Part of the Arts, Entertainment, & Design and Digital Technology career clusters.

• Web and Digital Interface Designers · 15-1255.00 Compare →
• Web Administrators · 15-1299.01 Compare →
• Software Developers · 15-1252.00 Compare →
• Computer Programmers · 15-1251.00 Compare →
• Database Administrators · 15-1242.00 Compare →
• Computer Systems Engineers/Architects · 15-1299.08 Compare →
• Database Architects · 15-1243.00 Compare →
• Search Marketing Strategists · 13-1161.01 Compare →
• Blockchain Engineers · 15-1299.07 Compare →
• Computer Systems Analysts · 15-1211.00 Compare →
• Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers · 15-1253.00 Compare →
• Network and Computer Systems Administrators · 15-1244.00 Compare →

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Web Developers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
• Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-role-15-1254-00,
  title  = {Web Developers},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-15-1254-00}
}