How To Become A Front End Developer?

Front-end development or the client-side is the graphical/visual development side of an application or a website that a user can interact with.

For example, one of the top companies and widely famous amongst us all – Netflix.

Netflix’s front-end development is neat, precise, and aesthetic. In addition to this, their front-end developers focus on the user interface, user experience, and other aspects which are shown to the user.

Web development includes two sides: the front-end (client-side) and the back-end(server-side). Front-end development allows an interactive experience for the user while back-end development is the coding behind all the components working and existing.

Who is a Front-end Developer?

A front-end developer is a professional who develops the front-end (client-side) infrastructure of the application using a combination of markup languages like HTML, CSS, and programming languages or front end frameworks like React, Angular, etc. for an interactive, immersive user experience.

They focus on creating methods and designs that fit the user-centric approach with the help of enhanced website layouts, application visuals, and accessible interaction. From the colors and fonts to the designing aspects like sliders, drop-down menus, a front-end developer creates and manages it all for improving the user experience.

What Does Front-end developer do?

• Enhance the user experience of applications and websites.
• Build a front-end infrastructure with better designs, efficiency and accessibility.
• Ensure the design is adaptable for cross platforms like Linux, macOS, Windows, cross browsers like Safari, Firefox, and cross-device like PC, mobiles, etc.
• Be innovative with updated technologies.
• Collaborate and communicate with the back-end developers to keep them aligned with your vision and ideas.
• Test runs and looks out for errors.

What Is The Demand For This Role?

Over 1.8 billion websites on the world wide web
Web development is one of the top growing technologies this year.
Every Business is focusing on user needs.
Every industry is coming on the web for interaction.

These points are more than just facts. They are the marker of the defining surging demand for front-end developers. There is no denying that front-end development is quite in-demand amongst employers in present times. To understand why that is, let us read in more depth about these points.

Over 1.8 billion websites on the Internet

It is quite interesting about the number of websites on the internet. To maintain a seamless, interactive experience for the users and enhance the focus of users on their content, dedicated, highly-skilled front-end developers are required. Therefore, the higher demand for front-end developers.

Topmost Technology of 2021

The power and the features front-end development can produce is simply miraculous. No wonder why big tech giants like Amazon, Netflix focus on creating the visuals and application/website feel so live and interactive for their users. A front-end developer is responsible for all of this web development and maintenance.

The Web is the ultimate goal

Several businesses are expanding their horizon by going all digital for the customers/clients. From banking to education to finance, every sector is going on the web to take into consideration user demands for online bookings or online classes or online payments and so much more.

This in conclusion makes front-end developers top in the line for the most in-demand jobs in the technical field.

Therefore, it is an easy conclusion to draw from the above points that front-end development is one of the most in-demand jobs in India.

Front end Developer Skills

In order to become a successful front-end developer, here are the Top 10 Front-end Developer Skills Required

Technical Skills

Following are the technical skills required to be a great front end developer

HTML and CSS

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are one of the two most important languages of web development. These languages are the foundational blocks of building a website as HTML provides a structure while CSS gives a visual layout and makes it look attractive.

To develop a perfect client-side of the application or website, HTML and CSS are the skills you should definitely know how to work with.

JavaScript

JavaScript or JS is a text-based programming language that is used by the developers for server or client-side developments to make the website or application interactive. It can be embedded with HTML or CSS to give an interactive and engaging experience for the user on the application and website. It is one of the most diverse, dynamic, and highly in-demand languages that is used for many purposes. It is a must-have skill for every front-end developer.

Frameworks and Libraries

Frameworks and libraries are like the extensions of programming languages that provide a developer with elements and codes for the basic functioning elements like the search bar, login sections, and so much more.
Java and CSS, which are foundational languages for front-end development, have their frameworks and libraries to assist the developers for front-end development.

Therefore, a solid understanding of the basics of Frameworks like Bootstrap, Pure CSS, Apache Struts, Google Web Toolkit, etc, and Libraries like jQuery, Dojo Toolkit, etc could make the working process faster and more efficient.

CSS Preprocessors

CSS preprocessors are software that allows the developer to automate the generation of CSS. It is a faster way to avoid writing repetitive codes for CSS that works for the website.

A front-end developer could just write the code in preprocessor language that will be converted into a suitable CSS for the application or website.

Knowledge and proficiency in CSS preprocessors like SASS, Stylus, LESS, etc, will help a front-developer on a wide spectrum.

Version Control System

Version Control Systems are the software tools used by developers to manage and track their software source codes for errors, modifications, and updations. Knowledge about the working of version control systems like GIT and GitHub is quite a necessary skill for front-end developers.

Responsive Design

People use different devices while accessing an application or browsing through a website. One could prefer a computer while the other one prefers an Ipad or a smartphone. For this, a front-developer has to work on a design that operates, functions, and looks the same on all devices to enhance retention and interactive experience for people.

This can be possible when a front-developer has fundamental base learning of responsive design principles, elements, and methods.

Testing and Debugging

Testing and Debugging the errors is an essential step of the whole development lifecycle. A front-developer writes thousands of codes and as a human, could leave some spots for error.

For this exact purpose, there are certain tools, tests principles like functionality test or Unit Testing and frameworks like Jasmine, Mocha, etc, to help the developers do a test run and look out for errors and configure a solution for them.

Therefore, a front-end developer should have the knowledge and understanding of such tools and methods.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Search Engine Optimization is a skill that focuses on driving organic traffic to the website. It is an intricate skill that requires certain strategies and good analytical skills for the same.

A front-end developer should be well-versed with SEO to make a website that could generate more traffic or inbound links. A front-end developer could then focus on the design to make it more aligned with SEO strategies.

Web building and Automation Tools

When creating a website, the front-end developer has to keep in mind the performance optimization of the website, the visuals, the web performance over different platforms and so much more.

For this, there are certain web performance tools like Gulp or Grunt, and automation tools like Flutter, React Native, etc for building a website adaptable to cross platforms (Linux, macOS, windows). A front-end developer should have the knowledge of such tools to build a website optimized for the client.

Soft Skills

Soft Skills are as necessary for a front-end developer as are technical skills. These skills determine the behavior of the developer as well as an attitude towards crisis.

Some of the soft skills required for a front-end developer are:

• Team Building
• Communication
• Creative Skills
• Problem-solving and Analytical Skills
• Open-Mindedness
• Management (Time, People, Project)

You must now be wondering, with such high demand in industry and highly skilled professionals, what is the pay like for a front-end developer?

Front end Developer Salary

Front-end developers are quite in demand by many employers from different industries – Banking, Education, Finance, Healthcare, etc. Their job role and the demand concludes to a significantly good average pay base for a front-end developer per year.

The average front-end developer salary is ₹487,445 per annum in India. The pay could go the minimum of ₹194k per annum to the maximum of ₹2/3 Million per annum.

Salary Based on Experience

Experience is a foremost factor in deciding the salary structure of a front-end developer. An experience in one’s life highlights one working culture, achievements, and space of comfort and knowledge.

One with more years of experience knows little details about the job profile and understands better means to tackle the problems. And hence, more experience years has better chances of higher salary per annum.

Look at the table and graph below to see how experience comes into play for a higher salary structure.

Salary Based on Location

Even in times of work from home, location is still a valid factor for deciding the pay structure for a front-end developer. Different cities have different opportunities and demands which all affect the average base pay of a developer.

Location matters for better payment options and deciding the cost of living. Let us look at the locations and their different average base pay per annum.

Bangalore, Karnataka

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Bangalore is ₹589,516 per annum and total pay ranges from ₹286k – ₹2m

Pune, Maharashtra

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Pune is ₹494,811 per annum and total pay ranges from ₹201k – ₹1m

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Chennai is ₹474,535 per annum and total pay from ₹192k – ₹981k

Mumbai, Maharashtra

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Mumbai is ₹443,923 per annum and total pay from ₹214k – ₹1m

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Hyderabad is ₹490,295 per annum and total pay ranging from ₹188k – ₹1m

Gurgaon, Haryana

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Gurgaon is ₹599,989 per annum and total pay ranging from ₹252k – ₹1m

New Delhi, Delhi

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in New Delhi is ₹512,043 per annum total pay ranging from ₹245k – ₹1m

Ahmedabad, Gujrat

The average base salary for a Front-end developer in Ahmedabad is ₹363,525 per annum and total pay ranges from ₹149k – ₹950k

You could see from the data above, cities like Bangalore or the Silicon Valley of India, New Delhi, Gurgaon have the front-end developer’s salary more than the average base salary of a front-end developer. Whereas the cities like Ahmedabad have an average salary for a front-end developer below their average base salary in India.

This shows clearly how location significantly matters in getting a higher average salary structure for a front-end developer.

Salary Based on Employer

The company has a very direct role in deciding the pay structure of an employee. A front-developer could significantly earn more at the top-tier tech companies than at the startups. There are many great companies out there demanding the position of a front-end developer with a good pay base.

The Top 10 Companies for a Front-end developer in India are:

• Amazon Inc, India
• Deloitte
• HCL Technologies Ltd.
• Capgemini
• Neosoft
• Tata Consultancy Services
• Wipro Technologies Ltd.
• Cognizant
• InfoSys Ltd.
• Accenture

Let us look at the average salary per year by these top recruiters –

Salary Based on Skill Set

A front-end developer requires different skills for different tasks. To stand amongst the crowd different skills affect the salary structure differently. In addition to this, the skillset requirement varies according to the job brief and duties.

Let us look at some skills which have significantly better salary prospects for a front-end developer.

How to Become a Front-end Developer

Step by Step guide to becoming a great Front-end Developer

Get an Education Degree

An undergraduate or Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or any other related field is the primary step towards becoming a front-end developer.

Getting the right education and degree is important to understand the basic concepts and fundamentals of web development, basic skills, and comprehensive knowledge about the computer programming and front-end department.

Although an educational degree is not a requisite for every company, however, is preferred by many organizations.

Enhance your Skills

There are so many skills required to become a front-end developer starting from learning about the fundamental markup and programming languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript to having in-depth knowledge about version control systems, testing and debugging principles and so much more.

You cannot just brush up through all the skills instead, learn them step by step to work on proficiency and efficiency. Different skills will take you a long way in becoming a successful front-end developer.

Train yourself in Coding

Coding is an essential part of your position. A front-end developer, whether starting fresh or switching jobs, should practice coding daily. Code for different functionalities, code with different software, code on different platforms.

Master your coding and learn to find errors and configure a solution. It is also advisable to be proficient in problem-solving questions and sufficient practice in Data structures and algorithms skills. Practicing to code daily could enhance your work and efficiency.

Find your community

Technology Sector is one of the fastest and biggest sectors in our country. There is likewise, a huge community out there for web developers- experienced, freshers, aspirants. Find your community on Discord, Reddit, or other interactive platforms and learn from them.

Share your opinions, get to learn their perspectives, update yourself about the new learnings. All of this will help you gain different perspectives and support from people like you. It boasts one’s confidence.

Build a work portfolio

Experience as we read above matters a lot even in deciding the salary for the developer. In addition, working is a crucial step towards becoming a front-end developer for two reasons.

First, when you start work in small organizations, you work on real-time projects, explore different opportunities and work on a wide spectrum with varied work roles. It helps you make a portfolio of your projects, achievements, and a roadmap of your journey.

Second, working or interning from your college days gives you early exposure to the working of the organizations, your domain of work, and how your industry works. Plus, you meet new people and learn new things every day.

Upskill yourself

After landing yourself into your dream job, do not stop learning. Growth and success are possible only when you upskill yourself with time. There are so many new technologies evolving, new updates in the software, keep learning those skills. It will give you a chance to grow professionally and find something better than your previous job or, it will help you work better and faster. So, do not stop growing and learning.

Ask for feedbacks

Feedbacks are always important. Ask for feedback from your heads, your team members, and even yourself. Your managers will give you feedback on your performance, your team will give you feedback on your personality, and, you as a self analyzer will analyze on a holistic approach.

The work does not end on asking for feedback, it starts after. Learn about your strengths and shortcomings and work on them. This is not a pathway written in stone but a general guide to how to start and work on becoming a successful front-end developer.

Front end Developer Job Description

A front-end developer is a professional who has a keen eye for programming and designing at the same time. The front-end developer’s responsibility is to create components that are responsible for developing a user front for the website or the application.

A front-end developer will ensure the visual layout, the functional elements of the website/application and create an immersive, interactive, and optimized experience for the user. The developer is also responsible for ensuring the efficiency and brand consistency on all pages for the website and application.

A developer should also communicate with the back-end developers, managers, and other team members to align the ideation and execution of the complete web and application development.

Front-end Developer Job Roles and Responsibilities comprises of the following –

• Planning the structure and layout of the website or applications.
• Aligning design preferences with user experiences.
• Developing features to enhance the user experience.
• Ensuring designs that are responsive and adaptable for cross platforms, cross browsers, and devices.
• Optimizing web pages for maximum speed and scalability.
• Utilizing modern technologies and the latest tools for building websites and applications.
• Monitor and test run the code for errors and functionality errors
• Use frameworks and libraries for reusable and repetitive codes.
• Maintain a proper repository for your database.

Front end Developer Resume

You might be a great front-end developer with excellent work experience and skill set. But if you do not know how to write a resume that features your skills, achievements, and strengths, it could give you a drooping start.

A well-written resume is the first glance, a first impression of the employer about your personality, your work, your qualities. It needs to be well structured and well written that is pleasing and easy to read.

Here are some tips on how to structure a front-end developer resume:

Pick the right format

The format is crucial for a structured resume. A good resume should not be pages long with headings and para in rows like an essay.

Try formatting your resume with a format that in 1-2 pages could clearly highlight you, your education, experience, achievement, and skills.

Start with a Summary or About yourself

A resume summary is like a compelling opening statement about yourself. It should not be very detailed yet a brief account of you as a front-end developer. And, if you are starting afresh write a resume objective that talks about your personality, your aspirations, and a promising self who is ready to be a front-end developer.

Elaborate on your Work Experience

People tend to write the company name and just the number of working months in the company in the experience section. You must avoid that. Explain your role and work journey in the company, but in bullet points.

It gives a roadmap of your journey over the years as a front-end developer.

Education section should be clear

Clearly mention in your education section about your graduation year. There are situations when you start applying early and are still about to complete your degree, mention that properly. The same applies to extra courses or diplomas you are taking on the side.

Tailor your Skills according to the job

There are many must-have skills for a front-end developer. But you need to put in the skills first, you have acquired. Second, look thoroughly at the job role and tailor your resume accordingly.

Suppose you are proficient in Python, Java, and C++ and if the recruiter is looking for a developer with Python skills, mention that. Make a list that is easy to glance at and suffice your role requirements.

Enhance your resume

Give a little boost to your resume with extra sections. Sections like hobbies or interests, certifications, work really on a resume. In addition to this, you could also attach a cover letter to your resume as well.

A cover letter is like a humanized form of your resume that does not talk numbers but formally talks about your interest in this industry, your goals, your aspirations, your learnings. It gives a nice touch to your resume.

You can also attach a link to your work or portfolio to your resume as well. Read your resume again before sending it off to companies.

How to Prepare for Front-end developer interviews?

Front-end developer interviews are rigorous but not impossible. With proper planning, preparation and perseverance, you could crack the interview with ease. Read below for some tips and steps to prepare for a front-end developer interview.

Plan everything out

There is nothing better than planning out your whole course of action. Planning and giving a layout of your situations gives you standing about your position, your targets, and your actions. Plan about:

• Everything you need for your interview like the skills, practice time, experience, degree, etc.
• Your course of action is whether you will work on your resume first, or start reading on concepts, etc.
• Your targets like estimated time for preparation, or a daily study timetable, etc.

Planning this will give you a fair idea of where you want to go and how.

Be a master of the fundamental concepts

It’s time you do not go unprepared for an interview. Formulate a timetable to read upon the fundamental concepts of front-end development. CSS, HTML, and JavaScript are the three essential languages. Study everything about them.

Even if you are an experienced professional it is better to brush up on your basics for your interview written or coding tests.

Practise your skills

While preparing for interviews, you do not have much time to learn new skills. However, it is advisable to practice the skills you know for perfection. Practice daily different skills with different challenges. Challenge yourself every day for proficiency and mastery.

Read previous interview experiences

Reading about previous experiences could give a glance at the style and level of the interview process for a company. It gives you perspective on do’s and dont’s while preparing. Solve previous interview questions.

Some of the previous year questions for front-end developer interviews are:

• What is Big O notation, and why is it useful?
• What frameworks have you used? What are the pros and cons of each? Why do people use frameworks? What kinds of problems do frameworks solve?
• Describe a few ways to communicate between a server and a client.
• What is the event loop?

Keep updating your resume

Start working on your resume. If you are a fresher, you have to start from the beginning so give yourself sufficient time to prepare a good front-end developer resume.

If you are an experienced employee, start looking for changes or modifications and proofread your resume before sending it out.

Remember to take breaks

During your preparation time, do not forget to relax. Too much stress will have probable chances of ruining your interview experience.

So, take sufficient time for resting your mind and rejuvenating yourself physically.

Conclusion

If questions like front-end developer a good career choice, or if front-end development salary bothers you, then you should take a deep breath.

A front-end developer is one of the crucial and in-demand jobs of the present times. With the increase in the number of websites and applications, there is a surging demand for a front-end developer as well.

Top-tier companies like Netflix, Amazon, TCS, Deloitte, and other companies are looking for front-end developers who could create and design a user front that is efficient, user optimized, and interactive.

Working as a front-end developer is a road towards new learnings every day. From learning about different updates in technology to new skills every day.

If you want to grow and learn and be a part of the team that defines the face of a website or application, then this profile is perfect for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a front-end developer do?

A front-end developer is a technical professional who is responsible for designing and maintaining the visual front of a website or an application. It is also known as the client-side i.e. a side that the user can interact with.

Is Front End Developer a good career?

Yes, a front-end developer is a good career choice. It is in demand by some of the top-tier companies like Amazon, Deloitte, HCL, etc. Plus, the average pay base per year for a front-end developer is quite good. All in all, an in-demand position, good pay, and new learning every day.

What are front-end technologies?

The three fundamental front-end technologies and languages are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Some of the front-end frameworks and libraries are Angular, Bootstrap, React, and many more.

What are front-end developer skills?

The top 10 Front-end developer skills are

• HTML & CSS
• JavaScript
• JavaScript and CSS frameworks and Libraries
• Knowledge of Version Control Systems like GIT
• Testing and Debugging Skills
• Responsive Design Skills
• Fundamentals of Control Management System
• Knowledge of automation and web building tools and methods
• Soft Skills like creativity, problem-solving, time management, communication skills, team-building skills