Front End Developer: How to Become, Skills, Salary and More

Introduction

Front-end development, referred to as client-side development, is the process of building a website or online application's User Interface (UI). It is referred to as client-side because everything in a web application takes place on the end-user device. It determines how each website element will appear and work. The graphical user interface and user interactions comprise the complete user interface. Everything you see when you visit a website, such as the buttons and UI components, media, messages, forms, and animations, is produced under the front end. Let’s understand this in more detail.

Front-End Developers are a subgroup of Software Developers with a focus on front-end development. In addition to developing the user interface, they balance design, functionality, speed, and scalability. They also ensure that the website loads correctly on all browsers (cross-browser), operating systems (cross-platform), and devices such as mobiles, tablets, and computer monitors (cross-device). Tools and technologies necessary to build a website's front end are always increasing. Beginners seeking to enter the front end are typically confused by the number of front-end tools and frameworks because they do not know what they must understand.

If you want to become a Front-End Developer but don't know where to start, you're at the right place. This article will take you through the required resources, technologies, frameworks, and programming languages to help kick-start your career as a front-end developer.

What Is Front End Developer?

A front-end developer architects and develops websites and applications using web technologies (i.e., HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) The primary objective of obtaining these skills for a front-end developer is to build the appearance and functioning of a website.

• HTML (HyperText Markup Language) displays information on a browser using different tags such as image and paragraph tags.
• CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language to style webpage by adding colors, margins, etc.
• JavaScript is a programming language used to add functionality to a website.

For example, you create the structure of a login form by writing HTML. Then you can make it appealing by styling CSS. You will write JavaScript. JavaScript will validate the inputs and transfer the data to the backend.

Front-end developers must get familiar with the most recent tools and technology utilized in this field, as the techniques for producing websites are always evolving.

The purpose of creating websites and online apps is to provide users with information in a way that is easily understandable. One of the greatest issues these experts confront is that these websites are accessed on various devices with varying sizes and resolutions.

What Does A Front-End Developer Do?

A front-end developer is responsible for ensuring that site users may interact with the page easily. In addition to debugging, they combine design, technology, and programming to code a website's aesthetic. When you visit a website, everything you see, click on, and otherwise interact with is the result of the dedication of a front-end developer.

Although company-to-company variety exists, a front-end developer's duties often involve any or all of the following:

• Improving the user's experience.
• Implementing principles with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.
• Design and maintenance of the user interface.
• Implementing mobile website design.
• Developing solutions that enhance site interactivity across all browsers.
• Managing the workflow of the software.
• Implementing the finest SEO tactics.
• Fixing problems and conducting usability testing.

Skills Required Front End Developer in 2023

Consider one of your preferred websites. Perhaps you like its great usefulness, or perhaps you appreciate its aesthetic qualities. The pleasure and convenience you enjoy on that website are primarily due to the efforts of a front-end developer.

There are several sorts of web developers, all of whom contribute to the development, analysis, and maintenance of the websites and apps that power businesses and organizations, ranging from non-profits to big e-commerce endeavors.

While a back-end developer may construct the infrastructure that enables a website to handle inquiries, data requests, and novel search patterns, a front-end developer makes all of this accessible and user-friendly. The front-end developer skill set particularly focuses on the user environment and experience.

Learn Programming Languages and Master a Frontend Framework

There are three fundamental languages that any front-end developer must learn: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In addition to understanding HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, front-end engineers who are familiar with backend programming concepts, programming languages, and SQL have an extra advantage.

After learning the languages, one can also learn some frameworks like React, Angular, etc., that ease the development process and help create more beautiful and interactive user interfaces.

We will discuss these languages and frameworks later in the article.

Problem Solving Ability

Problem-solving is not a technical ability like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or numerous implementations and libraries; it is fundamental to front-end development. Being good at resolving non-developer difficulties indicates that you are also good at resolving code problems. So much of effective problem-solving consists of splitting a large task into smaller pieces and addressing them one by one.

Graphical Design Sense

A place with aesthetic appeal conveys your brand's value in a manner that connects with your target audience. It may also offer credibility to your website and position you as an industry leader. A streamlined user experience makes it simple for users to rapidly locate the information they want. This can indirectly increase your site's search engine results.

Market research-based graphic design might help you attract your target audience. It puts you in the search engine results for the terms prospective customers use to locate services similar to yours. The proper graphic design strategy improves your paid and organic search engine rankings. Creating a uniform brand experience across all platforms helps boost your social media marketing.

Your website's ultimate objective is to create new clients for your firm. Graphic design and other website elements persuade customers to proceed with the sales process. Clear and well-designed calls to action direct consumers toward your principal offering.

Typography

A website should be able to express the business's mission and values to its online visitors. And in today's digital age, typographic typefaces are the easiest and most effective method to accomplish it. Typography website design is entirely individualized; it is an extension of a brand's identity. It is of the utmost importance that the fonts used for a website's typography be appropriate for the industry. The website's font should suit the company's brand image.

Using typographic typefaces in website design helps maintain uniformity and creates an aesthetically pleasant and professional appearance. Typography contributes to the content's attractiveness and the website's readability, all of which contribute to a great user experience.

Collaboration and Communication

Even as a front-end developer, it is imperative to communicate well and cooperate with other team members to achieve deadlines. Communication, cooperation, and coordination are crucial success criteria for agile software development initiatives.

What Is The Front End Developer Salary In India?

As we have discussed, front-end developers are responsible for designing and implementing the user interface. They employ technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to make the UI (User Interface) visually appealing. Again, Front-End is split into two sections: UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience). The user interface integrates Front-End development with User Experience through graphical means.

User Experience (UX) refers to the whole experience a user has with a product or service. UI is used for design tasks, whereas the front-end is utilized for development responsibilities. It is one of the most profitable occupations expanding by the day. The front-end developer's salary in India is approximately between 5 lakhs to 15 lakhs per annum.

Why Become A Front-End Developer?

The digital network is one of the greatest advantages of the current, fiercely competitive world. Every business has a website, and there are millions of websites. This major factor opens doors for job seekers in web development.

There are several aspects of web production that job applicants must understand, including evaluation, development, design, coding, and maintenance. Front-end development, which includes, but is not limited to, CSS3 and HTML5, is a possibility that job seekers might look for.

These are some of the reasons why you should consider pursuing a career as a front-end developer:

Front-End Web Developers Have a Bright Future

Organizations from all over the world desire to enter the digital realm. Post-COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of enterprises desire to use online client contacts. To stay up with the ever-changing business environment, companies with existing websites desire to enhance them continually.

According to tech recruiters, if you are a talented developer, you have the freedom to select the organization and type of job you choose to work in. It appears as if there will never be a lack of work prospects for front-end web developers, either today or in the future.

Front End Developers Are Rewarded Generously

With little to no experience as a front-end web developer, you may make around three lakhs per year, which include bonuses and incentives. With 1 to 4 years of expertise, you may easily make around 4.5 lakhs per year. When you have about 5-9 years of experience, you can expect your pay package to be around 8.5 lakhs per year, and with over ten years of expertise, you can earn an astounding 13.5 lakhs per year. Remember, the salary depends on several factors and can be astounding if you have the required skills a company desires.

Front End Web Developers Have Excellent Employment Outlook

As they progress, front-end web engineers are presented with several options for advancement. Typically, they have experience in related subjects such as web design and programming. Therefore, after gaining some practical experience and training in these sectors, they can develop into project managers, team leaders, and technical directors. In addition, they always have the option of freelancing, consulting, or starting their own business.

Learning Front End Development Is Simple

To become a front-end web developer, a degree from a prominent university is no longer required. You may learn the necessary skills to become a competent developer with the appropriate mindset and assistance. According to technology recruiters, persons with expertise in technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, which are not difficult to learn, are in great demand.

The Work of a Front-End Web Developer Is Versatile

One-fourth of web developers work from the comfort of their own homes! Yes, many firms do permit remote work for developers. Therefore, if you are the type of person who dislikes the 9-to-5 routine, this job is for you. Again, working from home might be advantageous for some and others might prefer working from the office, this job gives you the freedom to choose between them.

Large Corporations Employ Front-End Web Developers Daily

There are a wide variety of firms that employ developers. Tata Consultancy Services, Cognizant, Amazon, Accenture, and Sapient Corporation, to mention a few, are constantly hiring. These are some reasons for considering a career as a front-end web developer However, if you want to have a successful career as a developer, you must be eager to acquire new tools and approaches, as new technologies often arise in this sector.

How to Become a Front End Developer?

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the three most important skills for Front-End Development roles. Note that front-end web development is not limited to just three skills/Technologies; there are other technologies you will need to master to flourish as a Front-End Developer in 2023.

Let's examine these key abilities in depth.

Master the Programming Languages

There are three fundamental programming languages that any front-end developer must master. The following are:

HTML

HTML is an abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language. It is utilized to create any website's "skeleton" or foundation. It outlines the overall structure and content of a website. HTML is used to add the items you see on the screen, such as buttons, photos, sliders, date pickers, messages, and lists. This markup language is composed of tags that identify or suggest how information should display.

HTML can also apply minimum styles such as colors and fonts to these components. However, CSS is the preferred method for styling things in front-end web development.

CSS

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets, which allows you to apply styles such as colors, fonts, layouts, and animations to your web pages. With CSS, you can also create responsive websites that adjust their layout and styles based on the resolution and orientation of the user's device, allowing for a smooth experience on any device.

CSS enables you to style many components simultaneously. Tag, class, and id selectors target HTML components for styling. Then, we can use these selectors to build style rules with property names and values such as "font-size," "background-colour," "margin-left," etc.

JavaScript

Now that a website is constructed layout using HTML and decorated it with CSS, the next step is to add activities to the webpages. This is achieved using the programming language JavaScript. It increases the website's interaction. You may also design dynamic UI components using JavaScript. Your website gains functionality from JavaScript.

For instance, opening a menu when a button is clicked, updating the progress in a progress bar, sending a request including your username and password to an authentication server after clicking the "Login" button to determine if you are a valid user, etc. Your website's responsiveness to user actions on the page is enabled via JavaScript.

The HTML, CSS, and JavaScript markup languages may be compared to the human body. HTML plays the function of the bones and the organs. CSS - height, eye color, hair color, skin color, skin texture, facial structure, hand form, etc. - plays a part in the appearance and looks. JavaScript performs physical processes, including the digestive and neurological systems.

Study Frameworks

A framework is a piece of software that simplifies the creation and upkeep of huge projects. Frameworks are collections of core software modules that comprise pre-written code that may be utilized by programmers to address typical programming tasks, such as managing AJAX requests or attempting to design a file structure. In addition, they outline the criteria for building the app's architecture: you have a skeleton that must be developed and modified in compliance with the specifications. Examples of frameworks include utility applications, code libraries, scripting languages, and other software that aids the creation and implementation of several components of a big software product.

Using frameworks, developers may build project-specific functionality without starting from scratch.

Therefore, front-end frameworks are software products/tools/platforms that support the development of front-end components of online applications.

Explore some of the most popular frameworks that any front-end developer must be familiar with:

Angular

Angular is the dominant front-end framework on the list of web front-end frameworks. It is a framework for the development of complex and efficient single-page apps. Google built this Typescript-based programming environment. Angular is a component-based framework for building scalable online applications and a collection of well-integrated tools and modules for developers.

Depending on your demands, Angular allows you to build single-page applications to enterprise-level systems. Currently, YouTube and Google Translate use it. In addition to its many capabilities, it is one of the most popular frameworks.

React

React, often known as ReactJS, is a popular front-end JavaScript toolkit for creating user interfaces and associated components. Its distinctive features are Virtual DOM and how it manages document access and modification. Each HTML element serves as an object, and the DOM interacts well with HTML and XML documents, leading them to behave similarly to a tree structure.

React, powered by Facebook, has been recognized as an exceptional front-end tool library. Components are created with a combination of HTML quotations and tag syntax using the JSX scripting style. It disassembles bigger components into smaller ones that may be managed independently and separately. This functionality will likely increase the overall productivity of developers.

jQuery

jQuery is one of the earliest accessible frameworks and remains popular among developers. John Resig designed jQuery, a compact, quick, feature-rich, and one of the greatest front-end JavaScript frameworks (library, to be precise). It is a cross-platform framework designed to simplify HTML client-side scripting.

jQuery simplifies operations such as event handling, Ajax, animation, page navigation, and manipulation by providing an API compatible with many web browsers. jQuery's flexibility and adaptability have transformed the way designers write JavaScript.

In 2015, jQuery was installed on 65% of the top 10 million highest-traffic websites, making it the most popular JavaScript library.

Semantic-UI

Semantic UI has been a new front-end framework on the market since 2014. It is a CSS framework based on organic language syntax designed by full-stack developer Jack Lukicthis. jQuery and LESS are utilized to power it. It swiftly surged to the top of the JavaScript projects on GitHub in 2015 and afterward.

Learn About Developer Software and Tools

Web development tools have greatly impacted in a few short years. Thanks to this advancement, we can leverage the power of well-tested libraries to improve our productivity and enjoy more responsive design options. Additionally, we may construct things collaboratively due to the development of version control systems.

From browser add-ons and plugins to code-optimizing processors, there have never been greater opportunities to create amazing online apps. However, since the number of web development tools increases practically daily, choosing the finest software for the job might be difficult. To help you get started, we've compiled a list of crucial front-end development tools. If you like to learn more about a certain one, please pick it from the list below.

Sublime Text

The best-in-class rate code editor with a well-designed, highly effective, and lightning-fast user interface. Sublime Text is undoubtedly the greatest (and most popular) text editor for this purpose.

The secret to Sublime's success lies in the program's vast array of keyboard shortcuts, such as the ability to perform simultaneous editing (making the same interactive changes to multiple selected areas) and quick navigation to files, symbols, and lines. Sublime is a text editor that is run by a single developer. Also, when spending more than eight hours daily with your editor, those few seconds saved on each procedure really mount up.

Chrome Developers Tools

Wouldn't it be amazing if you could change your HTML and CSS in real-time or troubleshoot your JavaScript while viewing a comprehensive website performance analysis? Google's Chrome Developer Tools allow you to do exactly that. They are included with Chrome and Safari and provide developers access to the inner workings of an online application.

In addition, network tools may be used to optimize your loading flows, while a timeline provides a more in-depth insight into what the browser is doing at any given time. Google releases an update every six weeks, so visit their website and the Google Developers YouTube channel to maintain your proficiency.

GitHub

It is every programmer's greatest fear to be working on a new project feature and making a mistake. Enter version control systems (VCS), and GitHub in particular. By deploying your project with the service, you may monitor any modifications or even revert to its prior state (making pesky mistakes a thing of the past).

There are several reasons why developers must utilize GitHub. The repository hosting service also provides wikis, issue tracking, feature requests, and task management for every project, in addition to a robust open-source development community (which makes cooperation across teams easy as pie). Now is the time to sign up for Git training, as many organizations will be looking for candidates with polished Git abilities, and working on a variety of open-source projects is a terrific opportunity to learn from the best and become engaged.

CodePen

Despite having existed since 2012, the ever-increasing number of individuals studying programming will make 2023 another banner year for this front-end community-favorite tool. There is hardly a better way to display your HTML, CSS, and JavaScript snippets, and as a result, their embeds are becoming more prevalent in online coding tools.

In addition to showcasing your GitHub profile, CodePen is an exceptionally valuable tool for web developers developing or revising their portfolios. It's an excellent approach to demonstrate the code behind your developed features and how they are presented to users.

Sass

Web development tools that save time are your greatest friend, and one of the first lessons you'll learn about code is "Don't Repeat Yourself" (DRY). The second thing you will likely discover is that CSS is typically not DRY. CSS pre-processors are a tool that will help you develop maintainable, future-proof code while minimizing the amount of CSS you must write (keeping it DRY).

Sass, an eight-year-old open-source project that essentially established the genre of current CSS pre-processors, is perhaps the most popular of these tools. The combination of variables, nesting, and mixins in Sass renders simple CSS when compiled, which makes your style sheets more legible and (most importantly) DRY. To be the greatest in this field, you must continually improve your skills and keep aware of the most recent trends, news, and tools.

Several firms provide specialized training for full-stack software developers. Scaler Academy offers courses to assist aspiring full-stack software developers in excelling in their specialties. You can enroll in the full-stack course offered by Scaler Academy and get one step closer to bagging your dream job as a full-stack developer.