Magento Developer Certification
What is Magento?
The first step to understanding what Magento developers do and what the Magento certification means is to understand what Magento is.
Magento is an eCommerce Platform as a Service (PaaS) built to allow Magento developers the tools to create eCommerce websites.
Our blog has a great deal about Magento already outlined so we will just cover some basic points;
- Magento open source is free
- Magento is a platform on which to build an eCommerce website
- Magento does not have core features built-in, but rather has those core features ready to be customized
- Magento is highly customizable
- Magento offers the ability to host and manage many domains with a central admin.
Magento is not a plug and play type of service. The development of Magento covers a wide range of skills and tasks that can be overwhelming, even for some professional website developers.
What does a Magento Developer do?
Simply speaking, Magento developers are web developers that have expertise and experience working with the Magento platform. They work to build, maintain, and improve Magento websites. A Magento developer has the ability to work alone as a freelancer or within an eCommerce development company, such as NuEthic. Magento developers often focus their efforts in one of two categories; front end or back end.
Front End Magento Developers create the graphical interface of a website. This includes the designing and implementation of a friendly user interface and a compelling user experience. I recently covered user experience and the benefits of going to headless commerce here. Back End Magento Developers focus on building features for Magento websites through existing plug-ins, extensions, or creating custom code.
While no two websites are built exactly the same a Magento developer will have the same general tasks. This includes the installation and configuration of Magento along with the themes taken from the provided designs. Optimization, whether it be performance or search engine optimization, will also usually fall onto the Magento developer. Of course, installing all the plug-ins and extensions to create a functional eCommerce store will be the responsibility of a Magento developer too. If you are looking for a recommendation for a good Magento developer, reach out and we can help.
Magento Certification
Magento Certified developers are uncommon because of the competitiveness of the certifications. The exams are designed to single out the best Magento developers through rigorous testing of skills. The test emphasizes maintaining a high quality of Magento developers while the core Magento team adds new features and options. There are eight unique developers courses offered from Magento, for a fee ranging from $195-$295
How to get Magento Certification
If you are planning on obtaining your Magento Certification there are numerous sources out on the web to help you study and prepare. The courses offered through Magento University also include study materials. At the time of writing this, the test is composed of 60 multiple choice items that the student has 90 minutes to complete. A score of 64% or higher is needed to pass the Magento Certified Professional Developer exam.
but…
The evolution of eCommerce has sparked a rise in demand for Magento developers. In fact, most online stores are based on the Magneto platform as it is favored heavily by programmers and retailers throughout the world. This means that even with a Magento developer certification, the competition is tough and only getting worse
How to stand out as a Magento Developer
To stand apart from other Magento developers, you need to showcase your talent and be ready to work hard. With proper guidance and time, the skills used in Magento can be mastered. However, no matter how much experience you have in programming before starting with any Magento development, begin with the basics. Get familiar with Magento programming to be a better Magento developer.
Follow Magento Related Blogs
Following Magento related blogs and articles is an easy way to stay current on new developments and to enhance your knowledge. Through the blogs, you can connect with other Magento developers to network and establish relationships with. Possibly the best benefit is the comment sections of Magento blogs. Post ideas and questions and have a wide audience clear doubt or help you with some knowledge.
Analyze Thoroughly to Check for Mistakes
When you finished coding anything in Magento, check it to make sure there is no way to optimize it or make it run any smoother. You will learn from your mistakes and as you correct these things and optimize the sites you will gain a working knowledge of how to fix bugs and problems faster. Take your time, especially when first starting to not overwhelm yourself.
Sign Up for Magento Events
Industry Magento events take place all over the world. When possible, take part in these events. You gain knowledge from experts on the Magento platform and it also offers another opportunity to network with fellow Magento developers. Going to these events also allows you to stay up to date on the changes happening to the Magento platform.
What Magento Certification Means
Having a Magento Certification means Magento trusts the developer to provide solutions to eCommerce websites using the Magento platform. Magento certified developers have several requirements to fulfill to be considered a Magento partner.
Magento describes a Magento Certified Developer as someone who “demonstrates a thorough understanding of Magento’s architectural concepts and the ability to customize Magento according to best practices.” The exam to become certified is geared towards developers that already have a basic understanding of other types of development. So, when you see that Magento certified developer certification, rest assured that you’re dealing with someone who has proven their ability to excel in performing the required task. You are also dealing with a developer that has approval from the platform creator.
Conclusion
Magento is not the easiest site to build your eCommerce site on. However the good far outweighs the bad when wanting a scalable eCommerce platform that you have incredible ability to customize. The development is made easy by entrusting the build to professionals who have built and maintained several Magento based eCommerce websites.
NuEthic is a Magento Certified Development Company ready to turn your vision into a website. Schedule with us today to see how we can help!