Discover everything you need to know about pursuing a front-end Developer Career, including required skills, programming languages and more!
Front-end development is more than just colouring in the lines set by the back-end. It's about crafting and curating a completely organic experience for the user. Masters of form and function, front-end developers are the digital artists bringing the internet to life, effortlessly bridging the user with back-end applications. They are an indispensable part of the stack and some of the most in-demand specialists in tech.
If you’re looking to start on the front-end developer career path, you should always begin by mastering the fundamentals, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. As you progress up the career ladder, however, you’ll learn all about responsive design, frameworks like React or Vue, and other vital tools that will help you on your path in the ever-evolving tech industry. For a deeper look into what a typical day might look like, check out our page A Day in the Life of a JavaScript Developer. But let’s start with the basics.
In the modern digital world, the role of a front-end developer has expanded and evolved beyond just putting pixels on a screen. It’s a more considered and complicated job than it once was and involves ensuring not only that those pixels are all in the right place but that they create a seamless, efficient, and enjoyable user experience.
In a nutshell, front-end development, or client-side development, is the art and science of creating the visual parts of a website or web application that users interact with. It focuses on the user interface and user experience, with the aim of providing an interface that is not only visually appealing but also functional, easy to use, and accessible to everyone, regardless of the device they're using or their abilities.
While front-end development focuses on what users interact with directly, back-end development deals with the servers, applications, algorithms, and databases that the user never sees.
Imagine you’re building a house. The front-end represents the paint, windows, and doors while the back-end is all the plumbing, electrical systems, and foundations. Just as both parts need to work together to create a habitable home, both the front-end and back-end need to work in harmony to build a functional website.
While coding is, of course, an important piece of the puzzle, being a front-end developer isn’t just about knowing your way around a few coding languages. It encompasses a breadth of skills, including, from a foundational perspective, a solid knowledge of HTML/CSS and JavaScript. However, the toolbox, as it were, is always expanding.
Responsive design: Ensuring websites look and function well on all devices, particularly mobile, which is an increasingly important consideration as mobile internet use starts to overtake desktop internet use.
Version control/Git: Keeping track of changes, understanding different versions of your project and ensuring smooth team collaborations.
Testing/debugging: Identifying and fixing issues in code, ensuring optimal site performance.
Browser developer tools: A mastery (or deep knowledge, at least) of various development tools for all browsers allows developers to test and refine applications.
Performance: Understanding how to optimise load times and general site performance.
Command line: While not as intuitive and immediate as a graphical user interface, mastery of the command line can be beneficial in some situations. Indeed, if you know all the commands, it can be much faster and more efficient than any other interface.
Cross-browser development: Ensuring compatibility across various browsers is vital. While Chrome is the most popular browser, there are several other browsers such as Safari, Edge and Firefox to consider.
Content Management Systems (CMS): While it might feel like you’re playing with inferior toys, so to speak, a basic familiarity with platforms like WordPress and Wix can be a bonus, as many websites rely on them and some clients might expect you to know how to get the most out of them.
Every expert had to start somewhere so aspiring front-end developers shouldn't feel overwhelmed by the vast number of tools and languages. You’ll get there eventually. Just remember to start with the basics and add skills as you go. With persistence, passion, and (perhaps most importantly) patience, anyone can ascend from basic coder to advanced code master. The basic skills any junior front-end developer should possess include:
While HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are definitely the Holy Trinity when it comes to front-end development, they're just the tip of the iceberg and if you want to progress. Additionally, you’re going to need to spend some time with more specific tools. Webpack and Babel, for example, can be used to improve efficiency and can be crucial for larger projects, while Vue is a relatively new and easy-to-learn JavaScript that could be used as a gateway into learning some back-end skills.
Salaries for front-end developers vary based on location, experience, and expertise. The average entry-level front-end developer salary is around $50,000 to $70,000 annually, with experienced developers earning upwards of $100,000 or more. However, salary is always going to vary depending on where you’re based, your experience level and whether you’re working in-house or remote. Always check local surveys and platforms like Glassdoor for more precise data.
Location doesn’t always correlate with skill though. Remember, a developer in San Francisco, for example, might earn significantly more than a developer in Mumbai, though that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be exponentially more qualified. It's not just about the money either - the intangible joy of creativity and satisfaction of a well-executed project are rewards that many developers cherish.
While algorithms are more commonly associated with back-end development and software engineering, a basic understanding can be beneficial for a front-end developer as it gives them an extra skill to reach for that sets them apart from the pack.
The core trio of languages used by front-end developers are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Beyond that, developers may work with TypeScript, SCSS, or LESS, though there are dozens of others.
Begin with the core trio and once you're comfortable, move on to advanced CSS techniques and JavaScript frameworks and libraries such as React, Angular, or Vue.js.
Beyond basic proficiency in HTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript, familiarity with a version control system like Git, understanding responsive design principles, and a basic grasp of performance optimisation are also helpful when applying for junior front-end developer positions.
Start by building personal projects to hone your skills and then start contributing to open-source projects. Seeking internships or entry-level positions can also provide valuable experience, though understand these are often unpaid positions.
Front-end developers can be considered a subset of software engineers. However, the term "software engineer" is much broader and can encompass many roles.
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