The days of merely using one device to access a web application are long gone. Consumers increasingly use a variety of devices, many of which are mobile, such as smartphones and tablets. JQuery reduces common operations that require numerous lines of JS code into a structure that can be executed with just one line of code. It’s how to hire a front end developer a collection of plugins and extensions that make using JS on your website faster and easier. The cornerstones of web development are CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and HTML (HyperText Markup Language). You might have been awestruck quite a few times while scrolling beautiful websites with complicated yet smooth features.
Testing is an important part of front-end development because any errors that are noticed on the site speak poorly of the entire business. Another skill, which is not exactly coding, is knowing how to work with version control like Github. “For someone just starting out as a developer, attending these conferences is a great way to network with other programmers and learn about what’s happening in the space,” he explains. That led her to pursue engineering at Sharif University of Technology in Iran and later a Ph.D. in computer engineering at the University of British Columbia in Canada. Keep up with the latest web development trends, frameworks, and languages.
Root says HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the core essentials to any career in front-end development. From there, it’s useful to know about the different component frameworks like React, Vue, and Lit. When it comes to landing your first front end developer job, it’s also okay to start small.
Knowing the basics of HTML is essential to starting your front-end development career. HTML is the foundation of modern web pages ever since its creation and continues to be to this day. Additionally, CSS development is the building block for the design aspect of your website. Things such as the layout of your page, the colors, images, and even the font of your website rely on the usage of HTML and CSS. Building the page structures, keeping the design up-to-date, responsive and pleasant for the user requires a lot of creativity and constant learning.
Of course, front end developers do more than design and code a website’s look and feel. Below, we’ll cover some of the more common additional skills these professionals rely on in their work. Many actions a developer performs daily require skills like JavaScript or HTML coding, with a great deal of overlap in their day-to-day responsibilities.
Proficiency in front-end frameworks empowers developers to leverage best practices and community support. This results in faster development cycles, code reusability, and the ability to build robust, feature-rich web applications with ease. By mastering JavaScript, front-end developers can create highly functional and engaging web applications that deliver pleasing user experiences.
Impress the client, and a one-off job can lead to a full-time position. If you’re on a budget, or you simply want to test the waters, try a free online course. One good option is freeCodeCamp, which provides well-structured classes on topics such as responsive web design, JavaScript algorithms, and front-end development libraries. As you’re learning the fundamentals, YouTube video tutorials can provide valuable explanations, examples, and context. As with many other occupations, gaining work experience is important when it comes to improving front-end development skills. Just as re-skilling must also include ‘soft skills’, non-technical skills are vital to personal and professional development, but cannot be conveyed in a classroom or tutorial.
For example, if the site were to undergo a massive update and the update causes some major slowdowns, reverting to an older version quickly is important to upkeep the customer experience. How to deal with a project and each small task is an everyday struggle of a frontend developer but step by step, together with the team, the issues are solved. However, if something doesn’t work on the website it is the frontend dev’s duty to rectify it! Solving the problems and making it all work should be a mindset of each professional developer. Writing tests for your apps is a great skill but definitely, you can land a job without it.
When personal interaction and real-time feedback is a priority, consider an in-person class at a local college. If you prefer to work at your own pace, you can find online courses through services such as Coursera, Skillshare, and Udemy. Bootcamps like these offer great opportunities for coders or programmers who are seeking ways to transition into a different career without needing to return to college. Furthermore, version control systems can double as backups of original source code, making collaboration easier. Git version control system, for example, allows multiple developers or teams to upload or download source code changes.
Most businesses are hesitant to employ junior developers and their reluctance is understandable. However, as we’ve shown earlier, a junior front-end developer can be an invaluable member of any development team and may even help supplement your existing setup. Most importantly, they form the basis of any future developers that will find their way into the software and IT industry. Since junior-level developers have limited experience and industry knowledge, their salaries are typically bracketed according to their job titles too.
