How to become a front-end developer? A front-end developer creates websites and web applications, the front-end developer is responsible for the things a user can see. It’s one of the popular and highest-paid professions. Anyone can be a front-end developer, there is no need for a degree or certificate to work. The thing necessary is an understanding of front-end development fundamentals and frameworks.
In this article, I am going to share how you can become a front-end developer and which skills you needed to be a front-end developer. The purpose of this article is to guide beginners and provide them a line to follow and learn skills of front-end development.
What is front-end?
Every website and web application has 2 aspects: front-end and back-end. The front-end is what users can see and interact with such as clicking on buttons, filling out forms, scrolling, and so on. The back-end is events occurring behind the web page which is not visible to the user such as database connection, form submission, and so on.
What is the difference between front-end and back-end development?
| Front-end Development | Back-end Development | |
| Rendering Method | Browser-side | Server-side |
| Typical Stack | MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, Node.js) | LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Perl/Python) |
| Languages/Frameworks | HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Angular, React | Java, C, Python, Ruby on Rails, PHP |
| Priorities | User experience, Content layout, Image rendering, End-device compatibility, Interface responsiveness | Data integrity, Server responsiveness, API security, Integration management, Service orchestration |
| Tracked Metrics | Page load times, Graphic rendering times, Crash rates, Session durations, User ratings/feedback | Server response times, HTTP call failure rates, Query/Response time, Load Capacity |
| Job Titles | Front-end Developer, Web Developer, UI/UX Developer | Back-end Developer, Systems Programmer |
Which skills are required to be a front-end developer?
Whenever you look at any web page, there are three things you look at the web page, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. These three things need to learn and are the foundation of front-end development.
To become a front-end developer, you need expertise in these three and a lot of practice.
- HTML: Learn how to create a structure with HTML.
- CSS: The next step is CSS, to style and set the layout of the web page.
- JavaScript: The next is JavaScript to create interactive pages for users.
- Libraries and Frameworks: Learn and keep practicing CSS and JS libraries and frameworks such as Bootstrap, SASS, jQuery, and React.
- Tools and Technologies: After libraries and frameworks, you need to learn about different tools like version control systems, which will allow you to track your code changes and it is best for teamwork. Examples are GitHub, Beanstalk, etc
- Start building projects: After learning these things, you need practice and the best thing for doing practice is to start building projects. Start with creating a simple static website. You can find many websites online, and start copying any websites for practice.
What are the roles and responsibilities of front-end developers?
As we discussed above, the front-end developer is responsible for what users can see. Front-end developer needs to implement web design and structure, enhance user experience, and make sure the web page is responsive on all screen sizes.