Since 2008, Magento has been a major presence in the eCommerce space. A tool made for businesses to create their own online stores, Magento allows developers to design both the aesthetic and functionality of online marketplaces.
Magento is incredibly popular – the platform code has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times, more than 100,000 stores have been created on the platform, and goods whose collective value totalled $155 billion have been sold via Magento systems in 2019. Magento also accounts for nearly 30% of the total market share.
In this blog, we will discuss the key skills every Magento developer needs to make it on the world-renowned platform and get hired in countries like India. These skills fall under two broad categories, namely soft skills and hard skills.
While soft skills deal with a developer’s ability to coordinate between the needs of the client, the organization he/she is a part of and his/her own work, hard skills include the necessary certifications, technical skills and service skills that form the core of any Magento project.
- Magento (Adobe Commerce) Certifications
Developers can demonstrate their proficiency in Magento bypassing the Magento 2 (Adobe Commerce) Certification Exam. The difficulty of the exam is designed for people with enough technical knowledge and experience in the field. In addition, the problems are more easily solved by the most creative and innovative test-takers. A common practice among developers is to specialize extensively in specific categories to build a more impressive skill set.
- Programming Knowledge
While a computer engineering degree is not a must-have, it certainly grants a lot of credence to the aspiring developer, especially if their aim is to work for enterprise-level businesses. However, learning programming languages is not optional when it comes to mastering Magento.
Frontend developers should have a thorough knowledge of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. On the backend, proficiency in languages such as Python, Java, PHP and Ruby is crucial. Finally, Query Languages such as MySQL and Web Development Languages are needed to run Magento projects successfully.
- CMS Development Skills
Content Management System (CMS) software helps to create, manage and modify digital content. CMS is so integral to the digital world that all major brands (such as eBay, Amazon, and Facebook Marketplace) use a CMS in their digital infrastructure.
CMS technology offers a great number of features, chief among them being scalability. It is therefore not even a question as to whether developers need a strong grasp of CMS to complement their knowledge of Magento.
- Knowledge of SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
It is highly important that businesses get enough attention from their target audience, and SEO helps with just that. Magento sites developed based on SEO rank higher on search engines, making customer attraction a certainty rather than a hope. A developer well-versed in SEO techniques also reduces the need for a separate SEO/Marketing team to coordinate with.
- Maintenance Service and Support
For large projects such as creating an entire online store from scratch, tweaks and periodic fixes are inevitable. Developers can and must establish a very supportive role when it comes to resolving any and all issues that may arise after the end product has been delivered to the client. For this, punctuality and in-depth knowledge of Magento are non-negotiable for developers. Keeping up to date with the latest trends in Magento development is also important.
- Teamwork and Project Management
Every member of the development team should demonstrate satisfactory levels of coordination between clients, each other and the organization at large. They should be able to finish their allotted tasks efficiently and also help out their teammates, should the necessity arise.
- Time Management
In order to make the most of their limited time on each project, developers must first estimate how much time each project will take. Then, the team should divide the project into manageable portions for each of its members. Next, each developer must prioritize their tasks well. Lastly, in order to prevent burnout, small breaks at proper intervals would be optimal for enhancing performance at the job.
- Communication Skills
Developers must ensure clear, two-way communication between themselves, the client and the organization they represent. This means that they should enquire about their client’s requirements in a very comprehensive manner and also clearly communicate to said clients about their opinions on what would work best for each project. Moreover, developers must maintain constant corporate communication throughout the project so as to notify their organization of any updates to their projects.
- Creative Thinking and Attention to Detail
Strong attention to detail is certainly a must-have for any Magento developer. The functions, needs, and inner workings of their website must be thoroughly known by every developer responsible for the site. Moreover, as Magento involves a great deal of design, developers are expected to be very creative in the aesthetic sense. They should also be creative in coming up with strategies to improve business operations with regard to the store they set up.
- Professionalism and A Passion for Work
Professionalism helps in making a big impact on both the organization a developer represents and the client he/she works for. Such an attitude would reflect on the eCommerce site as well as the targeted customer audience. Another aspect that shines through to the customer side is the passion that a developer has for the work they put up. It conveys the experience, level of skill, and dedication that went behind the project.
Final Thoughts
Magento development is both a very demanding yet equally rewarding endeavor for online store developers. The technology offers a very powerful and valuable set of features that make it highly desirable for building eCommerce sites. In order to make the most out of the platform, however, the skills discussed above are essential. Through them, one can make a great impact on both customers and his/her organization’s profits.
