How to Become a Magento Developer: The Ultimate Guide

With over 200,000 active developers and about 7,000 new tech jobs posted every single day, the demand for top software engineers has never been higher. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software engineer is the fastest growing occupation in the U.S. That means that now is a great time to become a Magento developer! In this blog post, you’ll learn everything you need to know to become a Magento developer. Whether you’re just beginning your career as a software engineer or you want to pivot into a different field, this article covers all of your bases. 

How to become a Magento developer

To become a Magento developer (or any other programming language engineer), you need to get a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. You could also transition into programming from another field, like marketing, design, or business, but you’ll need to get up to speed on programming. A lot goes into becoming a software engineer: You’ll learn about design, development, data science, and business. You’ll need to be prepared to spend around two years in a full-time program to get the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in this field.

How to become a Magento certified developer?

If you’re looking to land your first Magento development job, you’ll want to consider getting certified. Getting certified shows employers that you’ve committed to your field and are actively improving your skills. There are a few popular certifications for Magento developers, and each one can be helpful on your career path: 

• Magento Certified Solution Specialist - This certification is open to anyone who’s interested in Magento, even if you haven’t built an eCommerce site before. It’s great for beginners who want to get their foot in the door at an eCommerce company. 
• Magento Certified Developer - This certification is a bit more advanced because it covers topics like API integrations, deployment strategies, and architecture best practices. You can’t just study for this certification; you need to have built a few eCommerce sites before you can sit for the exam. 
• Magento Certified Design Specialist - This exam is more design focused. If you’re a designer who wants to build eCommerce sites using the best design practices, this is the certification for you. 

Magento certifications exams

To pass a Magento certification exam, you need to earn a certain number of “points.” You can do this by attending conferences, finishing online courses, or reading books and whitepapers. For each certification, you can earn points by:

• Attending an on-site or virtual conference - Conferences are a great way to meet other Magento developers and get advice from experts in the field.
• Completing a course - You can find free and paid courses on almost any topic related to eCommerce development. 
• Reading a whitepaper or book - You can find recommended books on each certification page.

Magento platform and tooling requirements

Before you dive into the Magento certification exams or full-time development, it’s a good idea to learn the language and tools of the trade. You can do this by building a few simple Magento sites with sample data.

• The programming language - You’ll write code in either PHP or Ruby, so make sure you’re fluent in one of those languages before you get started.
• An integrated development environment (IDE) - To write code, you’ll use a software program called an IDE. Popular IDEs include Brackets, Sublime, and PhpStorm. 
• A source code control system - You’ll write code and store it in a source code control system, like Git, Bitbucket, or GitHub.
• A code debugger - You’ll use a code debugger to test your code and make sure it works correctly.
• A unit testing tool - You’ll use a unit testing tool to write automated tests for your code.
• A code quality tool - To write clean, professional code, you’ll use a code quality tool like PHPCS or Code Climate. 
• A database management system - You’ll store data in a database management system like MySQL or PostgreSQL. 

Path to becoming a full-stack Magento developer

Once you’ve built a few Magento sites and have earned your certifications, it’s time to find a job as a full-stack Magento developer.

• Start applying to full-time jobs. You can find job openings on companies’ career pages, websites like Indeed and Stack Overflow, or through tech-focused recruitment agencies.
• If you don’t find a job right away, consider freelance work. You can work on websites for clients or apply for freelance jobs on websites like Toptal or Upwork.
• As you build your portfolio, you can also apply for remote work. There are lots of full-time remote jobs, and you can apply for them with your Magento certifications in hand.

Conclusion

Becoming a Magento developer is a great career move. The field is growing quickly, and there are a ton of career paths you can choose from once you’ve earned your certifications. If you’re interested in becoming a Magento developer, now is the time. Get your education in order, and find a job that lets you grow your skills and take on more responsibility over time.

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