Whether you are a student or have worked in the IT industry in web programming, you need to these practical and important skills to become a better frontend developer. Most companies require these skills, and showing that you already have them as part of your skillset will help put you at the top of the list at recruiting time.
What is a Front End Developer?
Front end development is what makes a website look the way it does, and front end developers are the people who wield the tools to make it a reality. They use HTML, CSS, JavaScript to design and build interfaces for websites or web applications so users can view and easily interact on them.
The goal of website design is to make it easy for the user to open and use the website. This is more difficult that it sounds because users come to the website from many different types of devices all with different sizes and resolutions. A front end developer needs to consider all of these variables when designing a website. It is their responsibility to make sure the website appears correctly on different browsers, different operating systems, and all those different devices.
To become a front end developer requires a number of skills, but there are three skills that absolutely must be mastered: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They also need to possess other skills that employers are looking for that might not be so obvious. Below we offer our top eight skills that make a good front end developer.
1. HTML and CSS
HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) are the most basic languages used to develop web interfaces. They should also be the first two languages you learn when you want to be a Front End Developer. Without mastering these two languages, you will not be able to design a website.
2. JavaScript
JavaScript allows you to create a variety of interactive features for your website, which helps users easily use the website and subsequently spend more time there. JavaScript is arguably the most popular web development language in the world and is especially important to front end developers.
3. jQuery
jQuery is a miniature JavaScript library. It helps simplify interactions on the website including event handling, CSS animation, and other effects on the website. This free, open-source software also makes it easier to add plug-ins on top of JavaScript, which increases website versatility.
4. JavaScript Frameworks
As a front end developer, you should also have a working knowledge of JavaScript frameworks such as AngularJS, Backbone, Ember, and ReactJS. Frameworks make working with JavaScript easier and smoother, and allow programmers to easily add convenient functions for end users.
5. Front End Frameworks
Front end frameworks contain pre-written, standardized code that give front end developers a solid foundation for their designs but also leave room for flexibility. The most popular CSS and front-end framework today is Bootstrap, which helps make website design faster and more standard. It is also the framework that most front end developers need to know and use well.
6. Experience with CSS Preprocessors
Preprocessors are programs that help speed up CSS code. A CSS preprocessor adds functionality to the CSS to make the CSS scalable and easier to work with. It processes the code before you publish it to your website, making it cross-browser-friendly and well-formatted. According to actual job listings, SASS and LESS are the two most in demand preprocessors.
7. Responsive Design and Mobile Design
Currently, the internet penetration or access rate from mobile devices is much higher than it is for desktops, so mobile design skills are something that catch the eye of employers and recruiters. Responsive design is a website design that can be compatible with a variety of mobile devices with different display sizes and is another important skill set employers like to see.
8. Problem solving skills
Knowing how to implement a design in the best way, how to fix bugs, how to recognize frontend code operations and coordinate it smoothly with backend code are all part of a day’s work for front end developers. These all also encompass problem solving skills, which are paramount for front end developers to possess and continuously develop.
Becoming a frontend developer is easy, but it is also challenging. It is a role that requires imagination, attention to detail, and thoroughness so that your website or application with run smoothly and be eye-catching. The trick is to be patient, curious, and always eager to cultivate new knowledge and increase your technical skills.
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