Front end development is the practice of converting data into a graphical interface that a user can view and interact. The demand of front end developers is huge in variety of jobs and environments with high payment opportunities. They are the one responsible for designing and developing into a website that actually works. However, you need to have a specific base of skills that will make you attractive and stand out in the crowd of Front end developers.
This article features a list of skill that a front end engineer should possess:
HTML/ CSS :
HTML and CSS is one of the basic features that every front-end developer should be proficient at. HTML is an acronym for HyperText Markup Language. It describes the standard markup for every web pages. HTML is a building block which can be transformed easily while developing a web application according to the requirement. It provides the basic foundation required for your page.
Similarly, CSS is an acronym for Cascading Style Sheets which enhances the beauty of the websites created by HTML. CSS creates the page’s layout, color, font and every other type of style. These are the absolute essentials for being a front-end developer.
Javascript and its frameworks:
Javascript adds functionality to your websites. A simple web application can be created by the use of core HTML, CSS, and Javascript. It is also the most popular language among the developers. The developer should be able to handle ajax request, attach event listener and manipulate the DOM with Javascript.
There are different frameworks and libraries of Javascript such as ReactJS, NodeJs, Express, Angular, Vue JS, Ember and many more which offer a readymade structure for your code. These frameworks jumpstart your web end development process. Having a good understanding and knowledge of these frameworks unlocks higher level opportunities as well.
Responsive and mobile design:
With the increase in access to the internet from the mobile devices, it is no wonder that every front end developers must know how to build mobile-first websites that are responsive to all screen shapes and size. Understanding responsive design principles and its implementation in the coding side is a key for front-end engineers. Responsive design changes the site’s layout based on screen size and device of the user. The mobile design requires a different responsive design as the user’s experience differs when visiting sites on mobile than on desktop.
GIT and Version Control Systems:
Version control is one of the most important tools for every developer. It lets you keep track of the changes in the code over the time. Among many other version control systems, GIT is most widely used. It easily provides the revert features to an earlier version if you made any undesired changes in the code. Rather than manually fixing the errors, you can always undo and roll back to the previous versions trying again with a different solution.
Testing and Debugging:
Writing code is undoubtedly an important aspect of the front-end developers. Likewise, testing and debugging skills are another essential skills for them. In the process of writing codes, you’ll need to test your code for bugs along the way. Inability to test and debug would definitely hamper in building a web application.
There are a couple of different testing methodologies which comes as a part of web development, they are functional testing and unit testing. Functional testing is required to ensure a piece of functionality does everything it is supposed to do. Similarly, unit testing is another method that tests the smallest bit of code, that’s responsible for the correct operation of your site.
All of the above skills are the basic skills that you need to have as a front-end developer. Further, there are more advanced skills but excelling from the basic is a great step.
