A Guide to Learning Magento Website Development

If you are looking at becoming a specialist eCommerce developer then getting into Magento website development is not a bad idea. Unlike content management systems such as WordPress, Squarespace or Wix, Magento is a CMS that was actually built from day one to be a dedicated eCommerce platform, making it one of the best platforms to build a eCommerce website with.

On top of being a built-for-purpose eCommerce CMS, Magento is also open-source which means that every character of code is available and editable by anyone, allowing Magento web developers to infinitely customize the functionality and features of their eCommerce development projects.

All of these details make Magento an extremely attractive platform for eCommerce coordinators and project managers to pick when they want something serious built. Something that is fast, secure and can scale quickly and easy. So becoming a whiz at Magento website development can put you in a position to accept big projects and ask for big money for doing so, which makes becoming an Magento developer very appealing!

So how do you go about becoming a Magento website development whiz then? Let’s have a look…

Get to grips with the building blocks of Magento website development first

As with all things technical, it’s best to learn to walk before you try to run. Becoming comfortable with all the standard web languages like HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript and JQuery as well as PHP for backend is vital. You should have a good understanding of MVC architectures as well as being handy with dealing with databases using SQL.

I know, quite technical, but if you want to play with big boys and make the big bucks then you gotta have the big skill set to earn it.

Most of Magento website development is in the back end, so get comfortable

You’ll want to set up a Magento server locally and get comfortable playing with how everything works out of the box. Become familiar with all the standard settings regarding things like shipping, adding and editing products, configuring shopping carts and payment screens etc. Only once you are proficient with your basic install and making it work for the majority of prospective clients do you want to start looking into really customizing things.

Consider doing a Magento website development course

Once you have become familiar with Magento, or maybe even to help you do so, it is worth checking out courses you can do that will hold your hand through it all. Udemy is always a good place to invest in a cheap but decent course with lots of reviews to help you pick the best one for you.

For those cheapskates, there’s always dedicated Magento developer blogs, guides and YouTube channels that will no doubt help keep you on track.

Start a Magento website development project

The best way to learn is to do. I know I mentioned playing around with a local server up the page but why not look into getting a live site up and running for real-world experience that will not only help you feel more comfortable, but also get your portfolio started.

Maybe you have something that you can sell or want to try selling, in which case finding a subject for your Magento developer live training course shall be easy. If not, you can always offer to friends or family to build or upgrade their eCommerce website for them for free. If that isn’t fruitful then you can team up with someone from your favorite Facebook group, sub-reddit or eCommerce forum to work on a project together and help you boost your skills and resume.