A webmaster (from web and master),[1] also called a web architect, web developer, site author, or website administrator, is a person responsible for maintaining one or many websites. The duties of the webmaster may include ensuring that the web servers, hardware and software are operating correctly, designing the website, generating and revising web pages, A/B testing, replying to user comments, and examining traffic through the site. As a general rule, professional webmasters "must also be well-versed in Web transaction software, payment-processing software, and security software."[2] Due to the RFC 822 requirement for establishing a "postmaster" email address for the single point of contact for the email administrator of a domain, the "webmaster" address and title were unofficially adopted by analogy for the website administrator.
Webmasters may be generalists with HTML expertise who manage most or all aspects of Web operations. Depending on the nature of the websites they manage, webmasters typically know scripting languages such as JavaScript, PHP and Perl. They may also be required to know how to configure web servers such as Apache HTTP Server (Apache) or Internet Information Services (IIS) and be a server administrator. Further, webmasters may also act as website designers on smaller-scale sites.[3]
An alternative definition of webmaster is a businessperson who uses online media to sell products and/or services. This broader definition of webmaster covers not only technical aspects of overseeing website construction and maintenance, but also managing website content, advertising, marketing, and order fulfillment.[4]
Core responsibilities of the webmaster may include the regulation and management of access rights of different users of a website, the appearance and setting up website navigation. Content placement can be part of a webmaster's numerous duties, though content creation may not be.
Some webmasters of larger sites may also deal with heavy volumes of email, which are often questions related to the content on the website or general computer-related inquiries.