Front-End Developer Jobs - What Are the Essential Skills I Need to Become a Front-End Developer?

Learn Web Development Fundamentals

The initial action to take when attempting to become a Web Developer is to begin studying the basics of web development, such as comprehending HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and JavaScript.

Aspiring Web Developers are utilizing coding bootcamps to quickly gain knowledge of the subject. Coding bootcamps have been successful due to their intensive, condensed, and results-oriented nature – the emphasis is on preparing students for employment as quickly as possible, making them an increasingly beneficial investment for someone looking to become a Web Developer. According to Indeed, the vast majority (80%) of U.S. companies have employed someone who has gone through a coding bootcamp.

The benefits of attending coding bootcamps are becoming increasingly evident. Web development is an area that interests individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including those who are switching to a new profession in the middle of their career. These individuals are looking for a simple and effective way to develop their skills. Employers are starting to prioritize skills and experience more than educational background, making it so that anyone who can demonstrate their capabilities is on the same playing field as those who have a college diploma in Development.

It is essential to understand that Web Developers, more so than many other professions, need to be dedicated to continual learning in order to stay informed of the transformations in web development, programming languages, instruments, and tendencies. It is essential for someone who is in the middle of their career to go through retraining, regardless of whether or not it is the same field they initially began in.

What Is a Front-End Developer?

A front-end web developer takes the designs created by someone else and turns them into reality using different programming languages like HTML/CSS and JavaScript. If you take a glance at any website, the majority of what you can observe in the visible areas, from the page organization to the menus for navigation, was likely crafted by a front-end developer.

You may be curious about what it takes to become a front-end engineer. In the majority of situations, the terms “programmer” and “technician” are comparable. If you spot a job advertisement with the label “front-end engineer,” don’t be scared, it is essentially the same as a “front-end developer.”

Front-end vs back-end

What is the distinction between front-end developers and back-end developers? Front-end web developers work on the client side of a web page or application, which is what the user can see and interact with. Back-end developers are responsible for the inner workings of a website or app, which is known as the “server side”. They use programming languages such as Java, Python, C#, and so on.

The way a user sees the interface is the front end, while the technical aspects of the program are the back end. Read more about back-end development here.

Front-end job titles

Although “front-end developer” and “front-end engineer” are the most widespread job titles for people working in the front-end, there are other positions that have similar responsibilities and assignments. Here are some illustrations: A web creator who specializes in front-end engineering with proficient design abilities. May focus more on design than coding.

Web developer: A more general term to describe front-end, back-end, or full-stack (both ends) developers.
UX/UI developer: Front-end developer with interaction design skills.
WordPress developer: A front-end developer that specializes in the WordPress platform.
Mobile developer: A front- or back-end developer that focuses on mobile apps instead of web pages and apps.

Choose a Development Specialization

As you advance in your abilities, it will be essential to pick a particular field to focus on. But what are the types of web development? All Web Developers are categorized into three main types:

Front-End Developer. A Front-End Developer works on the “client-side” of web development, meaning any portion of the site or app that users interact with. This can include a site’s layout, design, and the way users interact with it.
Back-End Developer. A Back-End Developer works on the “server-side” of web development. This is focused on the way a site functions and can include databases, servers, networks and hosting, and more.
Full-Stack Developer. A Full-Stack Developer is familiar with both front-and back-end development and works with both sides of a website.

Learn Key Programming Languages for Web Development

No matter what your area of focus is, you must figure out how to code and become familiar with a few different programming languages that are used in web development and web design. So, what are the most common programming languages?

Three families of programming languages form the basic tools involved in virtually all aspects of web development:

HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
JavaScript

This is only the start; there is much more to come. Web development is so expansive and multifaceted that it would be impossible to list all of the possible tasks it includes and all the coding languages and markup languages that can be used for them in this context. Fortunately, as an expert, you can discover and focus on the ones that are most effective for you.

Common front-end developer responsibilities

Now that you understand what a front-end developer is, what tasks does this type of developer typically perform? Some common duties and tasks might include:

Turning static designs into functional web pages (i.e., a graphic designer hands you a design and tells you to replicate it using HTML/CSS and JavaScript)
Improving the look and UX of web or mobile apps to deliver positive experiences to users
Identifying, troubleshooting, and resolving performance issues
Working with other departments/teams and possibly clients directly to gather requirements, learn about needs, and provide technical expertise and recommendations
Implementing new front-end components and tools
Testing and updating web and/or mobile applications
Making sure interactions work smoothly (e.g., animations, scrolling)
Collaborating with back-end software engineers, other front-end developers, designers, business analysts, etc. to get projects done
Making sure code is in line with accessibility and usability standards
Participating in the complete development process from concepts and designs to deployment and launch

No two positions as a front end developer will be the same, as each company has its own expectations and tasks for the job. The specific duties you will be expected to perform will be contingent upon whether you are a beginner front end developer or have more seniority and expertise.

Build Projects to Develop Your Web Developer Skills

Once you have a good understanding of the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, as well as a good foundation of programming knowledge, you are prepared to start constructing. As you progress, you will become more proficient with an expanding collection of web development capabilities. Some of these abilities are technical abilities, or “hard” abilities, such as coding in SQL or Python, exploiting the jQuery collection of features for more productive coding, or utilizing instruments like Git for version control. The most effective method for enhancing these web development abilities is to just begin toying around – the more you apply them, the more you’ll excel.

It is beneficial for Web Developers to have several web design abilities, but it is especially essential to comprehend responsive design. Web Developers are not typically responsible for the overall design of a website, but it is beneficial if they also have a good grasp of common design principles. Front-End Developers are especially proficient in creating the interfaces that users engage with, and their work is much more effective when they have a strong understanding of user-centered design.

Build a Web Development Portfolio

A captivating Web Developer portfolio that displays your most powerful abilities is your top asset when applying for web development positions. When creating a portfolio that will be unique from the rest, three factors should be taken into consideration.

Your Web Developer portfolio should include a wide range of web development projects. You should not include every job you have ever done in your professional portfolio; rather, you should make sure to only put your best and most varied achievements in it. Pick out your best work to display, but make sure you have a good variety to show that you have a thorough comprehension of all the components of the job. When applying for a Web Developer job, take some time to look into the company and the position you are hoping to be hired for and then make alterations to your portfolio to emphasize the most pertinent examples and omit those that are unrelated.

Consider what sets you and your work apart. Focus on the web development talents that make you special – not only in the projects you display in your portfolio, but in the portfolio’s presentation as well. If you are looking for a job in design, your portfolio website should be designed well, with a pleasant user experience and an aesthetically pleasing interface. Make sure that your portfolio for a Web Developer job is shown on a perfect website. That means no messy code.

Third, show your process. Employers are not only considering the outcome of your work, but also the manner in which you tackle challenges. Do not be scared to present each instance as an illustration, illustrating your ideas and the issue you were attempting to address with the undertaking. Providing information about the development of your projects can assist Recruiters and Hiring Managers in understanding your work better and conveying more than just an individual project. This is an ideal chance to show off your communication abilities, which are essential for doing well in a job.

Is Web Development a Growing Field?

Yes, the web development field is booming. In North America, the number of Developer jobs is over 1.3 million and has seen a 47,000 increase in the last two years. It is projected that the market will increase by 15% within the next five years. Mondo determined that the title of “Web Developer” was the most sought-after job in the tech industry and one of the most lucrative positions.

What Is the Salary of a Web Developer?

The analysis conducted by Indeed shows that the remuneration for Web Developers in the US is approximately $71,531, and Senior Web Developers receive an average salary of $95,325. Web development is an extremely profitable job that doesn’t require a college degree.

How Can I Become a Web Developer Fast?

Programming boot camps have grown to be a widely accepted selection for those who want to become Web Developers as they offer a practical learning experience and the opportunity to acquire employable abilities – in only 12 weeks.

Typically, Web Developers have begun their careers with a college degree in software engineering, computer science, or a related discipline. Yet, it is also feasible to originate from an entirely different field. It appears that more and more professionals are deciding to teach themselves computer programming, or take a course at a coding bootcamp, at a later stage in their careers. The results of BrainStation’s Digital Skills Survey showed that the majority of development respondents (55%) had initially pursued a different profession, and almost six out of ten (58%) had only been programming for five years or less.

Top Front-end Developer Skills

What are the most frequently needed abilities for someone in a front-end developer position?

I gathered my insights from four sources:

Job descriptions themselves
What coding bootcamps are teaching
Which technologies high-profile companies are using
Insights from leaders in the front-end web development space

Front-end developer job descriptions

Let’s examine what employers seek when they are recruiting a front-end programmer.

For the initial step, I looked through various postings for front-end web developer positions. Here’s what I did to find these job ads:

Used Indeed.com
Only looked at entry-level to mid-level listings (nothing senior level)
If I saw any mention of Flash, I immediately disregarded the listing (since it is an outdated skill)

As initially indicated, each job advertisement for a front-end job is distinctive and has a lot of qualifications, and you’ll be able to observe this yourself here! Nevertheless, there is no need to be concerned: you don’t have to have each and every one of these abilities.

Front-end technologies used by popular tech companies

It is helpful to be more specific when looking at job postings for front-end developers, as they can be quite varied. You should look into what technology your ideal company uses to decide what you should study. One of the simplest methods to accomplish this is to employ stackshare.io.

Here’s a quick look at popular companies’ front-end tech stacks:

Airbnb uses React, Sass, CSS/HTML, and JavaScript
Uber uses Node.js and React
Shopify uses React and TypeScript
Instacart uses React
Udemy uses React, Bootstrap, Node.js, jQuery, and HTML5
eBay uses JavaScript, Node.js, and ES6
Reddit uses JavaScript, jQuery, Node.js, React, HTML5, and Markdown

Consider to yourself: if you had the choice to work wherever, which organizations would you select? Look at job postings for front-end developers to find out what abilities employers typically seek, then acquire those skills to build the job you want.