Web Development
Hire Web Developers for Sites, Apps and APIs
Web developers build and maintain the sites and applications your business runs on, from a five-page marketing site to a full product with accounts and billing.
The role
What web developers do
Most web work splits into the front end (what people see and click), the back end (data, accounts, integrations) and the hosting that keeps it running. Many developers cover more than one layer, but few are equally strong in all three, so match the hire to the layer your project depends on most.
Typical deliverables
- A responsive site or web app, deployed and working
- Source code in a repository you own
- API endpoints and a database schema
- Integrations with payment, email or CRM tools
- Setup notes: environment variables, deployment steps and access
Tools you will see
- JavaScript and TypeScript
- React, Vue or Svelte
- Next.js
- Node.js, PHP, Python or Ruby
- PostgreSQL or MySQL
- Git
- Vercel, AWS or similar hosting
Choosing
How to choose web developers
What to look for
- Live links you can open, not only screenshots. A real site shows load time, mobile layout and polish.
- Experience in the stack you will maintain after launch, not just the one they prefer.
- A proposal that breaks your brief into stages with clear outputs.
- Questions about edge cases: failed payments, slow connections, sudden traffic.
- A plan for handing over code, access and documentation.
Questions to ask
- 1Which parts of these projects did you build yourself?
- 2How would you split this project into milestones?
- 3What do you need from us before you start?
- 4Who handles hosting, backups and updates after launch?
- 5What happens if the scope turns out larger than expected?
Planning
Before you post the job
Front end, back end or both
A site that mostly displays content needs different skills from an app with logins, payments and data. Say which you need so proposals price the right work.
What drives cost
The number of page templates, custom features and integrations, and whether content and designs are ready. Unclear requirements cause most overruns.
Fixed-price or hourly
Fixed-price suits a defined build. Hourly or a Dedicated Hire suits maintenance and changes you cannot list in advance.
Hiring on Open Lance
- Posting a job and reviewing proposals are free.
- Each milestone is funded into escrow before work starts and paid when you approve it.
- Hire fixed-price, hourly, as a monthly Dedicated Hire, or buy a packaged Drop-In.
- Client fees are shown before you pay and added on top of the work.
FAQ
Questions about hiring web developers
Do I need a designer as well as a developer?
If you have no designs, usually yes, or hire a developer whose portfolio shows design work. Building without agreed designs tends to mean paying for rework.
Who should own the code and hosting accounts?
You should. Keep the repository, domain and hosting in your name, and make the handover part of the final milestone.
Can one developer build and then maintain the site?
Often, yes. Agree the build as a fixed-price project, then move ongoing updates to an hourly contract or a Dedicated Hire.
Related
Related skills
Post a job for web developers
Describe the work and compare proposals. You only fund the first milestone once you have chosen someone.