Pretty much sure that whenever you browse a website, the first thing that makes you decide whether you’re going further with the particular website or not is the look and feel of it. Undoubtedly, no one prefers a website or application to have an inferior user interface or design.
The man who ensures this better look and feel & user interface for the websites is the Front-End Developer!! Front-end development is indeed the talk of the town and one of the most rewarding career options since its inception. In fact, various IT giants such as Oracle, IBM, Capgemini, and many more offer numerous jobs for frontend developers, and the average frontend developer salary is around 5-7 LPA in India.
Now you might be wondering that Who are Front-end Developer or What Front-End Developer actually does? So Let’s understand it
What does a Front-End Developer do?
A Front-End Developer is responsible for the development of the user interface of the website. In general, frontend developer skills include working on the design & layout aspects of the websites alike Back-End Developers who are responsible for server-side processes such as database management, API integration, etc. A Front-End Developer is also concerned with the implementation of visual elements that can enhance the website performance and can provide a better user experience. f
Roles & Responsibilities of Front-End Developers
- Implementation of web design and structure
- Come up with different ideas to enhance the user experience
- Ensures that the web design is responsive, secure & scalable
- Stay updated with the latest web design trends, etc.
So, as of now, you have known about who is a Front-End Developer and what are its roles & responsibilities. Now let’s move forward and discuss the pathway that one needs to follow to make a career in the Front-End Development domain. Firstly you need to keep in mind that there are not any specific educational qualifications that you need to possess to become a Front-End Developer. Whether you’re any graduate or non-graduate, experienced or fresher – if you want to learn Front-End Development to make a career in it then yes you can!! All you need to do is command over the required technical and non-technical skills with practical exposure.
However, you may have heard about getting a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or any other related field to make a career as a Front-End Developer, right? This is said because of a few noteworthy reasons – first, having a relevant academic background helps you to understand the fundamentals of computer programming and web development more comprehensively which further helps you a lot while learning front-end development. Secondly, various companies require candidates to have a particular degree while recruiting for Front-End Developers, so it becomes easier for you to get some worthwhile career opportunities.
How to Become a Front-End Developer?
Now, let’s come to the skills and approaches that you’re required to follow to become a proficient Front-End Developer:
1. Learn HTML, CSS & JavaScript
You even can’t imagine becoming a key player in Front-End Development by skipping or ignoring these three technologies – HTML, CSS & JavaScript. These are the building blocks of front-end development. All in all, HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is concerned with the structure of the web page whereas CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) looks after the styling of the web page. Moreover, if we talk about JavaScript, it is the client-side programming language that is used to implement interactive functionalities such as animations, audio/videos, maps, and many more on the website.
You need to learn the syntax, features & implementation of these languages for creating a website. There are various online platforms available over the web from where you can learn these technologies and can practice your skills as well.
2. Get Familiar with Front-End Frameworks
Once you’ll get done with HTML, CSS & JavaScript, now you need to learn several Front-End frameworks as per your requirement and convenience. In general, the Front-End frameworks are libraries of already written codes and these frameworks make the front-end development easier and more efficient due to various features such as reusable components, etc. If we particularly talk about CSS, Bootstrap is the most popular framework in this domain. Moreover, there are various other renowned frameworks such as Angular, React, Vue, etc. that can be taken into consideration for frontend development.
Also, you don’t need to learn every single framework out there instead you’re required to pick out the relevant ones based on various factors such as project requirements, market trends, ease of learning, etc.
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3. Learn Other Relevant Tools & Technologies
Now it’s time to dive deeper into the ocean of Frontend Development and learn about several other crucial tools and technologies. In this context, you need to have a sound knowledge of the Version Control System that allows you to track and control the changes in the source code more conveniently. Some of the most popular version control systems that can be taken into consideration are GitHub, Mercurial, Beanstalk, etc. Also, you need to learn about Responsive Design that is concerned with the compatibility of web page UI with different devices such as computers, phones, tablets, and others. It is a more crucial aspect in Frontend Development as it is directly linked with the User Experience.
Furthermore, you need to know about Command Line as well along with the GUI functionalities. You’re also required to get familiar with several Browser Developer Tools that help you to enhance the quality of the User Interface. Several other prominent tools and technologies that can also be taken into consideration are Testing & Debugging, CSS Preprocessing, Web Performance metrics, etc. Indeed, getting proficient with these technologies will help you to become a competent front-end developer.
4. Build Projects
As they said – Education without application is just entertainment!! So now you need to apply all your learnings & skills of front-end development in the practical world. You can start it by building several mini-projects such as a Quiz Game, To-Do List, etc. and then switch over to projects like Audio Player, Chatting Platform, and others. It will give you some much-needed hands-on experience and the utmost exposure to frontend development. Also, while creating projects, you may end up with various new things or concepts that you might not learn from any book or tutorial.
You’re also strongly recommended to contribute to open-source projects as it will not only enhance your skills but will also build your credibility and reputation that eventually can help you to get some worthwhile career opportunities.
5. Build a Portfolio
It is one of the most crucial aspects if you’re looking forward to starting your career as a Frontend Developer. Whether you’re searching for a job in an organization or planning to start something on your own, you need to showcase your previous work to the recruiters or clients to get noticed. Moreover, especially for beginners, you can start it by creating a simple static website for yourself where you can list your completed projects along with the tools & technologies you work upon and your contact details. A well-created portfolio will surely help you to demonstrate your skills in a better way that will provide you an edge over others.
6. Connect with the Frontend Developer’s Community
Lastly, you need to connect with the right people of the Front-End Development domain that can help you in all the possible ways of becoming a proficient Front-End Developer. For example, these people can provide you the learning resources, make you aware of the latest industry trends, can resolve your queries, and most importantly can land you up some ravishing career opportunities. You can opt to join Front-end Development Subreddit, several prominent communities such as Stack Overflow, GitHub, TapChief, etc. to connect with some brilliant minds. Undoubtedly, it is also one of the most-effective ways to enter the professional world from the learning environment.
Apart from the above-mentioned technical skills or approaches, there are several soft skills as well that are also required to be taken into consideration to become a proficient Front-End Developer. First and foremost, you need to have some good communication skills as you’ll be required to act as an intermediate between Web Designers, Backend Developers, Testers, etc. Moreover, you are also expected to have better Creativity, Problem-Solving, and Collaboration to excel in the Front-End Development domain.
Conclusion
So, these are the required approaches that are adequate to make you an accomplished Front-End Developer. However, you need to learn the above-mentioned skills or follow the approaches with consistency & dedication to get success, and most importantly, you’re required to keep learning and stay updated with the latest trends in the Front-End Development field to make yourself competitive in the tech world. And considering the growth and demand of the Web Development domain, there seem ample opportunities for Front-End Developers in the upcoming times as well. So, what are you waiting for – start your journey to become a Front-End Developer now!!
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