Front-end development deals with the client side of an application where users see and interact with that web application. Front-end developers work on a web application’s visual elements using languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to structure and create functionality on pages. Everything the users see, click, and touch on the website is because of the front-end developers’ environment.
To become a front-end developer, you will need to understand web standards and best practices, including concepts like cross-browser compatibility and accessibility. You will have to have some basic knowledge to code in HTML, which gives web content structure and meaning, CSS, which styles the web pages, and JavaScript. This all allows dynamic functionality on the web.
Understanding JavaScript and front-end frameworks, jQuery, CSS preprocessors, RESTful services/APIs, content management systems, testing and debugging, and git/version control are all parts of what front-end developers utilize on a day to day basis.
Important web tools to learn that can allow you to comprehend concepts or perform tasks more quickly include Bootstrap, GitHub, CodePen, Angular.JS., React, and Chrome DevTools, to name a few.
Front-end developers focus on user experience, which involves website speed, functionality, and efficiency, ensuring there are no bugs and a cross-browser functionality capabilities.
Front-end development concepts are relatively easy to learn. Still, mastering front-end development is difficult as there is such limitless amounts to learn in the field, and the web environment is ever-evolving. To stay up to date with the web industry, the WDRL, or “Web Developer Reading List” https://wdrl.info/archive is a great place to start.
Other resources to learn about front-end development include free online courses, including Free Code Camp and Stack Overflow’s web development forum.