Ethical Hacking vs. Web Development [Comparison Guide]

Ethical hacking and web development have become equally important in technology. Organizations require developing websites to establish a strong presence online. On the other hand, organizations depend on ethical hacking to improve their security by identifying the potential loopholes in the networks and systems. The scope of both ethical hacking and web development is vast. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between the two.

If you are wondering can a web developer, be a hacker, the answer is a yes. To gain more clarity, it is essential to understand the roles of both ethical hackers and web developers.

In this comparison guide, you will explore ethical hacking vs web development. Let’s begin!

What is Web Development?

An increasing number of companies are now shifting to digital platforms. The first step to growing companies’ online presence is to build a website. Web development or website development refers to creating, developing, and maintaining websites and web applications. It may also include web programming, web design, data management, and even web publishing. However, the main focus of web development is the programming and coding of the website that ensures optimum website functionality.

What is Ethical Hacking?

Ethical hacking is an authorized attempt to gain unauthorized access to a system, data, or application. To carry out ethical hacks, ethical hackers duplicate the actions and strategies used by malicious users. It is mainly done to test the existing defenses of the company's systems. Unlike malicious hacking, ethical hacking is approved, planned, and legal. It deals with investigating the networks and methods of the organizations to identify the potential weak areas. Ethical hacking is all about gathering and analyzing information to enhance the security of networks, systems, and applications. 

Many people think, 'can a web developer become a hacker.' Well, the answer is 'yes.' However, they need to have the essential skills to become a hacker. To hack a website, it is also vital to know how the websites work. You can take a Certified Ethical Hacker Certification course to enhance your knowledge and skills. 

Ethical Hacking vs Web Development [Comparison Table]

Ethical hacking and web development are both essential fields in the tech industry. One is focused on securing systems, while the other is on building them. Both are important and have a lot to offer to businesses that need their services, but they have different goals and methods. 

Web development vs. ethical hacking; are both great career options. Both of these jobs are in high demand, but they are very different from each other.

Parameters	Ethical Hacking	Web Development
Definition	Ethical hacking tests the security of a computer system, network, or application.	Web development is the process of creating websites by using programming languages and web page design tools.
Goals	Ethical hacking aims to find vulnerabilities that could be exploited by an attacker and make recommendations on how to fix these vulnerabilities.	Web developers use various technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP to create web pages that can be viewed in a browser.
Programming Knowledge	Along with HTML, Python, Java, JavaScript, SQL, and CSS, ethical hackers may also need to know about cryptography. It enables them to protect sensitive data like passwords from being stolen by malicious hackers who might try to break into systems using brute force methods, such as dictionary attacks or rainbow tables.	Web developers require knowledge of programming languages like HTML and CSS.
Educational Requirements	Ethical hackers may not need any formal training. Some hackers have computer science degrees, but they often learn on their own through online courses or by studying other hackers' work.	A web developer usually has a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field.
Process/Knowledge Requirements	Ethical hacking requires more specialized knowledge than web development does.	Web development usually has a more structured process than ethical hacking does.
Advanced Knowledge of Computers and Networks	Ethical hacking requires advanced knowledge of computers and networks.	Web development does not necessarily require this level of expertise for one person to complete a project successfully.
Average Annual Salary	The average ethical hacking salary is $89,900 /yr.	The average annual web developer salary is $73,000/yr.
Examples	Hacktivism, Identity Theft, Malware Hacking, etc.	Netflix, Uber, Pinterest, Google Docs, etc.
Why Hired?	Ethical hackers are typically hired by businesses or organizations to test their systems and find vulnerabilities before criminals or competitors can exploit them.	Individuals/businesses typically employ web developers as contractors who create websites as part of an ongoing project or on an as-needed basis.

Basic Difference Between Roles: Web Developer and an Ethical Hacker?

The basic difference between a web developer and an ethical hacker is that a web developer is responsible for building websites. Still, an ethical hacker breaks into websites legally to identify security issues. A web developer focuses on developing secure websites, while an ethical hacker is responsible for checking the security issues of the websites. Want to know how can web developers hack? For that, you need to get a Cyber Security Certification online. It can efficiently equip you with all the essential knowledge and skills required to hack companies' websites ethically.

Similarities and Differences Between Ethical Hackers and Web Developers

Now that you have a clear idea about the roles and responsibilities of a full-stack developer vs an ethical hacker, it is time to know about the similarities and differences. One of the essential similarities between ethical hacking and web development is that both are vital for the smooth functioning of an organization. However, a significant difference is that web development is mandatory while ethical hacking is optional. Most organizations opt for web development, but few companies go for ethical hacking to enhance the security of their networks and systems.

Now that you know the basic similarities and differences between the two, it is time to understand the differences in different parameters.

1. Responsibilities

Web Developer Responsibilities

As mentioned earlier, web developers are mainly responsible for constructing or building websites. They build websites according to the client's requirements and ensure that they meet users' expectations. They are responsible for the website's appearance and technical aspects, such as traffic handling capabilities, site speed, etc.

Some of the core job responsibilities of a web developer are:

• Writing well-designed, efficient, and testable codes by leveraging the best web development practices
• Creating the user interface or website layout by using the CSS or HTML practices
• Collecting and refining the requirements and specifications based on technical needs
• Creating and testing applications for websites
• Maintaining and updating websites
• Troubleshooting the problems of websites
• Monitoring the website traffic
• Creating and maintaining software documentation
• Staying updated with industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure the development of modern and highly functional websites. 

Responsibilities of Ethical Hackers

The following are the key responsibilities of ethical hackers: 

• Ethical hackers get into their own systems to look for weaknesses and potential threats. 
• They are recruited as a preventative measure against hackers who want to get past computer security.  
• Ethical hackers must meticulously record all of their discoveries and potential hazards. 
• The majority of the task for which they are employed by the organizations is accurate reporting of bugs and vulnerabilities that pose a security concern.  
• Ethical hackers are obligated to keep all of their discoveries private and never divulge them to third parties.  
• They must sign non-disclosure agreements in order to protect the organizations' information. 

2. Salary

Undoubtedly, the salary of a web developer is quite different from an ethical hacker. Several factors affect the salary package of web developers and ethical hackers. It includes experience, location, company, and skills. On average, the salary of a web developer is Total compensation  

$73,000 /yr. On the other hand, the salary of an ethical hacker is $89,900 /yr. Let's look at the web developer vs. ethical hacker salary based on experience.

Experience	Web Developer Salary Annually	Ethical Hacker Salary Annually
1 – 4 years	$66,500 /yr	$61,500 /yr
6 – 14 years	$79,700 /yr	$80,500 /yr
15 years+	$88,200 /yr	$120,000 /yr

3. Certification

After hacker vs programmer salary, next comes certification. To become a proficient web developer, it is important to take a certification course. Similarly, the knowledge hut certified ethical hacker certification is vital for successful ethical hacking. Here are the certifications you will require to make your career in web development and ethical hacking domain.

Job Role	Certifications
Web Developer	Google Developers Certification, AWS Certified Developer, MCSA: Web Applications, among others.
Ethical Hacker	EC Council's Certified Ethical Hacker, Certified Security Testing Associate (CSTA), among others.

4. Eligibility

Here is a quick view of the eligibility to become successful web developers and ethical hackers.

Job Role	Eligibility
Web Developer	Bachelor's Degree or Master's in Computer Science or IT
Ethical Hacker	Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or IT

5. Skills

The skills essential for web developers and ethical hackers are listed below.

Job Role	Skills
Web Developer	Visual design, user interface, user experience, understanding of SEO, proficiency in coding languages like CSS and HTML, and knowledge of programming languages.
Ethical Hacker	Computer networking skills, database skills, programming skills, basic hardware knowledge, and problem-solving skills.

6. Industries

The top industries that hire web developers and ethical hackers are listed below.

Job Role	Skills
Web Developer	Banking and finance, software publishing, consumer electronics, etc.
Ethical Hacker	Banking and finance, technology companies, consumer electronics, etc.

Which is a Better Career Path?

It is pretty challenging to say which is a better career path for web development vs ethical hacking. With the increase in cyber-attacks in recent times, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is high. The cybersecurity career path is likely to pay you more than software engineering.

But both career paths have excellent scope and opportunities. If you incline toward website design and development, web development is the right career for you. However, if you are more interested in the security aspects of websites, ethical hacking is the right choice for you.

Conclusion

The demand for web developers and ethical hackers has increased in recent years. It is likely to grow even more in the coming years. Enroll in the right certification course and boost your career.