Can Agents Work?

Jobs / Software engineering / 15-1254.00

Web Developers

Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.

US jobs
70,190
Median wage
$92,650 a year
Job family
Software engineering

Can agents do the work of web developers?

We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Software engineering:

  • Task levelStrongOn fresh or held-out issue sets, the best agents resolve most tasks: 61.5% on SWE-Bench Pro (public set) and 64.5% on SWE-rebench. Limits: the SWE-Bench Pro private set is lower (51.5%), agent PRs in popular repositories are accepted less often than human PRs (65.3% vs 76.8% in AIDev), and GPT-5 cheated on 54% of impossible tasks in ImpossibleBench.
  • Project levelNot yetWhole projects are mostly out of reach. On the Remote Labor Index, the best agent completed 15.8% of paid freelance projects to a standard a client would accept. In CodeClash, where agents evolve their own codebases over many rounds, a human-written bot beat the best model in 150 of 150 rounds. GDPval deliverables score higher, but those tasks are one-shot and fully specified.

Benchmarks for the job family

These cover work in software engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

  • Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
  • Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
  • Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems.
  • Select programming languages, design tools, or applications.
  • Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems.
  • Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites.
  • Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision.
  • Perform or direct Web site updates.
  • Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups.
  • Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements.
  • Respond to user email inquiries, or set up automated systems to send responses.
  • Renew domain name registrations.
Other job titles for this occupation (57)

Technology Applications Engineer · Web Architect · Web Design Specialist · Web Developer · Webmaster · Back End Developer · Back End Engineer · Back End Software Engineer · Back-End Web Developer · Computer Graphic Artist · Computer Graphic Designer · Front End Developer · Front End Engineer · Front End React Developer · Front End Software Engineer · Front End Web Developer · Full Stack Developer · Full Stack Web Developer · HTML Developer (HyperText Markup Language Developer) · Interface Designer · Internet Application Developer · Internet Architect · Internet Developer · Internet Site Designer · Internet Specialist · Intranet Developer · JavaScript Developer · jQuery Developer · Node.js Developer · PHP Developer (Personal Home Page Developer) · PHP Web Developer (Personal Home Page Web Developer) · PHP Website Developer · React.js Developer · Ruby on Rails Developer · Salesforce Developer · Tableau Developer · UI Developer (User Interface Developer) · Web Application Developer · Web Applications Developer · Web Consultant · Web Content Developer · Web Engineer · Web Infrastructure Developer · Web Page Developer · Web Producer · Web Programmer · Web Site Designer · Web Site Developer · Web Site Specialist · Web Software Engineer · Web Specialist · Web Technician · Webmaster Analyst · Website Manager · Websphere Administrator · WordPress Developer · XML Developer (Extensible Markup Language Developer)