How to Become a Front End Developer

18-May-2022

There seems to be no one who is not online these days. The uses of the internet extend not just to the connectivity and communication with one another that takes place through social media, social networking, and emails but reaches far beyond that. The internet also is a valuable source of knowledge and a convenient medium for paying bills and making purchases. 

Every web program contains a section where users can engage. The welcome page, menu, site map, and other things that ease navigation and utility greet you when you log onto a website. All of these elements are referred to as the "front end." The user interface, which is the element of the website or app created for consumers to use, is included in the front end.

With a whole lot of people seeking to build a career in the website world, how to become a Front End developer is another pertinent question. 

Let us discover the ways and means of how to become a Front End developer in this article and help prospective professionals get on with their career plans.

A Brief Highlight on What is a Front End Developer

A front-end developer also often called the Front End Web Developer, is a person who handles and is tasked with the job of designing interface and execution. This interface is required by the users in order to access the program in question. A web designer is tasked with the role to craft the face of the website, how it looks and how it feels. Using coding languages like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, the front-end developer ensures that the design works online.

We should take the time to define the terms "front end developer," "back end developer," and "full stack developer." To put it another way, a front-end developer is in charge of the components of a website or app that consumers view and interact with. A back-end developer handles "behind the scenes" issues including infrastructure and databases. A full-stack developer is a hybrid of the two, a jack of all crafts who can handle the entire design process from start to finish.

It will be worth noting that the line between front-end and back-end development is increasingly blurring these days. This can be attributed to the factor that many of the responsibilities that used to be handled by back-end developers are increasingly being handled by front-end developers.

Last but not least, there are full-stack engineers. They are full-stack developers with project management experience who are skilled in computer network and system configuration, management, and maintenance.

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Front End Developer

To know how to become Front End Developer also necessitates having the knowledge of the task that a Front End Developer performs and the relevant skills to perform those actions.

The roles and responsibilities of a Fron End Developer are:

• Design and arrange websites

• Create features to improve the user's experience.

• Finding the right blend of utilitarian and attractive design.

• Make sure the website is mobile-friendly

• Create code reusable in the future

• Ascertain that web pages are optimized for maximum speed and scalability

• Use a variety of markup languages while creating web pages

• Maintain brand consistency throughout the design

What are the Skills Required to be a Front End Developer?

As the commander of the website or application development, the Front End Developer requires a well-stocked personal toolset. As a result, a front end developer must be able to:

• Have a degree in Computer Science or a related subject

• Be familiar with coding languages including CSS, JavaScript, HTML, and jQuery.

• Recognize server-side CSS.

• Have familiarity with software in graphic design(E.g, Adobe Illustrator)

• Understand the fundamentals of SEO.

• Excellent problem-solving and communication abilities to effectively communicate with managers, coworkers, and clients

• Possess strong interpersonal skills

How Much Does a Front End Developer Make? 

Salary of a Front End Developer

A Front End Developer earns an attractive salary and perks. In the United States, a Front End developer makes an annual average of USD 86,178 per the report of Glassdoor. According to Payscale, a "typical" front-end developer can earn a yearly income of $71,350.

A junior Front End Developer earns around USD 49,000 on average- this may be owing to the fact that they are at the starting point of the career with a lesser level of responsibility and expertise.

Now that you know extensively about what the Front End Developer position entails, Let us now get to the plan on how to become Front End Developer.

Some Simple Steps About How to Become Front End Developer

Following these few steps should probably be your mantra that will help you become a Front End developer 

Learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Note that these coding languages are the foundation for web and app development. Hence, mastering them is a must. Fortunately, it's not a really tough task. There are numerous online tools accessible to assist you in furthering your knowledge of coding languages. Learn about the jQuery and JavaScript frameworks for additional credit.

Acquire Relevant Knowledge

This entails feeding on various books and articles regarding lessons on Front End Development. You can better grasp the various coding languages if you understand how things work on a website. Check out some YouTube videos to help round out your learning experience.

Practice

Practice and Practice alone can bring you to an expert level just as true as the old adage practice makes perfect. You may start by developing modest pieces of a user interface by employing your learned skills and letting it expand gradually. Don't be concerned if you make mistakes. Learning often comes more from making mistakes and errors than from displaying faultless performance. 

Get to Know the Command Line

If you wish to work in web design, you need to have a basic awareness of topics such as exhibiting files and file system navigation. On a similar point, you should become familiar with the features of the Shell, which is a text-based interface for accessing operating system functions.

Understand Version Control

One of the risks of coding is that it will break if you make a minor change. You will see that even with your trial to fix the problem, it doesn't;t return to its normal state. This is why version control is a crucial element and a skilled or expert Front End Developer understands the criticality. There is a large number of version control systems you can choose from, but Git is the most common.

Improve Your Skills

Look at some of the tutorials, tools, and open-source projects available. There are limitless resources easily accessible online to learn and sharpen your skills. Some are completely free which allows you to learn without spending any money, a few of them are - Bootstrap, CSS Layout, etc.

Sign up for a Course 

Take a course in front-end development. There's nothing like learning from seasoned professionals in a disciplined setting. You can do this either by physically attending classes that can be time-consuming or by taking an online course. There are numerous suitable courses available, but we'll show you an exceptional and well-tested choice that will exactly suit your requirements later on. 

Do Internships

Develop your skills as a junior front-end developer. Working under more experienced people is sometimes the best way to learn new abilities, which is exactly what a junior front-end developer or an intern does. Of course, the salary is lower, but there are fewer requirements. Additionally, your exposure to experienced individuals will boost your learning rhythm and will be highly valuable.

Build Projects

Education without application is mere amusement, as they say!! So now you must put all of your front-end development knowledge and skills into practice. You can begin by creating a few mini-projects, such as a quiz game or a to-do list, and then progress to larger projects, such as an audio player or a chat platform. It will provide you with much-needed hands-on experience and extensive Front End development exposure. Additionally, you may discover new facts or concepts while working on projects that you would not have learned from a book or lesson.

Contributing to open-source projects is also highly encouraged because it will not only improve your abilities but also your credibility and reputation, which will help you land some excellent job possibilities.

Create Portfolio

If you want to start a career as a Frontend Developer, this is one of the most important factors to consider. Whether you're looking for a position in a company or want to start your own business, you need to demonstrate to recruiters or clients your previous work to get recognized. Furthermore, particularly for novices, you can begin by developing a simple static website for yourself on which you can display your finished projects, as well as the tools and technologies you use and your contact information. A well-designed portfolio can undoubtedly assist you in better demonstrating your abilities, giving you an advantage over others.

Join communities of the Frontend Developers

Lastly, you must network with the correct people in the Front-End Development field who can assist you in all aspects of becoming a skilled Front-End Developer. These individuals, for example, may supply you with learning resources, inform you of current industry trends, answer your questions, and, most significantly, land you some fantastic job prospects.

These are the necessary ways that will enable you to become an excellent Front-End Developer. To be successful in the tech industry, you must study the above-mentioned abilities or follow the techniques with consistency and determination. Most importantly, you must continue to learn and stay up to speed with the latest developments in the Front-End Development area. And, given the development and demand in the Web Development field, there appear to be plenty of chances for Front-End Developers in the near future.

Overall, anyone interested in becoming a front-end developer has a promising future. According to recent assessments, the United States will have a developer shortage of around 1 million by 2020. According to similar studies, the rest of the globe will have it far worse.

Web developer employment in the United States is expected to expand 15% between 2016 and 2026, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rate is significantly higher than the national average for all vocations.

These figures may however seem unbelievable, but when you consider the circumstances, they are not that shocking. More user interfaces are required as Internet usage grows, particularly on mobile devices, leading to more job generation for front-end developers. Web development's potential is tightly linked to the popularity of the Internet, which is increasing with no indications of slowing down.

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