What is a frontend developer?
Definition: A frontend developer is a software developer who creates the user interface of a website/application and everything visible to the user.
They focus on creating the visual interface, which acts like a bridge between the user and the functionalities of a website.
Responsibilities of a frontend developer
Their responsibilities depend on if they are working on a website, webapp, or application and include:
- Designing the website's structure.
- Utilizing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build webpages.
- Building frontend libraries.
- Implementing security features.
- Incorporating responsive web design for various devices.
- Writing functional documentation.
- Testing the prototype webpages.
- Website maintenance and code cleanup.
- Collaborating with backend developers, designers, and stakeholders.
- Ensuring the website runs at optimal speed and performance.
- Ensuring the website is consistent with the company brand.
- Incorporate feedback into building new solutions.
Programming languages used for frontend development
The three must-know languages for web development are:
- HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is used for creating the structure of a website and its layout. It adds elements like images, text, links, and headings.
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) uses the basis of HTML and controls the presentation of its elements and layout. It is used to add color, fonts, and responsivity.
- JavaScript is used to take the static elements of a website and give them dynamic properties like movement, interactivity, and a connection to the backend.
Besides this, they must know at least one JavaScript framework: React, AngularJS, and Vue. These frameworks provide more functionalities and make it easier to build websites because they are built on top of the core languages and have built-in code libraries.
Necessary skills for frontend developers
Besides the above-mentioned programming languages, a frontend developer must excel at:
- Testing the code in every stage of development and ensuring everything works as intended.
- UX/UI is needed to ensure the website is user-friendly, easy to use, and has a pleasant design.
- Responsive design makes websites work on any platform (mobile, desktop, tablet…).
- Debugging as many bugs will occur throughout development and every time the website needs to be updated.
- GIT allows developers to work together on the same problem and is needed to track changes to the source code.
- Web performance optimization (WPO) helps ensure faster load times and improves the user experience.
Along with technical skills, a frontend developer needs soft skills like
- Problem-solving, from figuring out how to implement new solutions to how to save time and resources.
- Teamwork as developers usually work with designers, backend developers, and project managers… and they need to align their work with the team.
- Communication on different levels of technicality as complex things need to be explained in the language of stakeholders.
