Front End Developer

 What is Front End development?

Front End development and Front End programming languages create what a user interacts with

HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the three Front End languages

Each language has a specific function

HTML CSS JS

 A Front End web developer creates visuals — the visual representation of a user’s request within a browser, a need for which began in the mid-1990s with the development of the commercialized internet we know today.

The first website ever consisted of a few links about the world wide web project. While a Front End developer was not needed yet, there was a language and protocol that served as the foundation for more exciting websites to come. HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) tables were a revolutionary step to organize content on websites and graphics added visual appeal in the early 1990s. Early websites were still clunky and unintuitive by today’s standards, but it was an important step in web development.

Soon, Front End development would flourish with the introduction of JavaScript in 1995 and Flash in 1996. By 1998, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) were created and all the tools a Front End developer would need were now available to make modern sites.

Over the last 20 years, what was the start of Front End development has expanded way beyond HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Flash development has faded in popularity in favor of HTML5. While JavaScript has brought interactivity to the internet, developers have developed frameworks to streamline the process. JavaScript frameworks like React are now used to quickly develop user interfaces efficiently. Redux is another JavaScript framework commonly used with React or Angular, that lets developers create predictable and easily testable applications. There are even more JavaScript frameworks that eliminate redundant coding tasks.

Key takeaway → Front End development and Front End programming languages have led to the dynamic and interactive internet we use daily. Front End development combines three programming languages, JavaScript frameworks, and design skills to create a website based on a particular set of needs.  

Who is a Front End developer?

Helps create the user experience within a browser

Requires creative, technical, and communication skills

Employment and salary projections are promising

A Front End developer (dev) works with designers and Back End devs to create a website. Front End devs use programming languages and frameworks to create what a user experiences in a browser.

Everything a Front End dev does ensures a great user experience. All the neat flourishes or seamless page loading is the result of a Front End dev. While a developer may care about a site’s appearance, their job is first and foremost about performance. Front End devs need to be both creative and technical because they work with both web designers and Back End devs.

Web devs can indeed be designers, but the two are distinct roles: a web developer brings a designer’s creation to life through various mockups and frameworks. Front End devs don’t create graphics or design elements, but they do create the interface and the different dynamic elements to create an immersive experience.

On our homepage, the graphic enlarges and the text shrinks when you hover over a button while using a desktop computer. It’s a subtle stylistic flourish created by a Front End dev.

Another example would be how a site looks on a desktop or on a smartphone. Sites have to be responsive because a user might visit from a desktop, smartphone, or tablet. A good website tailors its user experience to best fit the device’s display and it’s the job of a Front End dev to implement this design.

Front End dev need to have both technical and creative skills as part of their daily job requirements. They need to have the imagination to understand how a website will look while having the technical ability to turn a vision into reality. This also has to happen in a completely seamless and intuitive way for the user. Developers also need to consider a site’s responsiveness as the world goes increasingly mobile. A slow, or poor experience, will be punished by both Google and users.

Beyond the hard skills, Front End devs need soft skills to communicate across multiple teams. That means learning how to communicate needs to designers, Back End developers, and team members who may not have much technical knowledge. It’s one thing to write code and it’s another thing entirely to explain coding.

With increasing demands for digital experiences, Front End devs are highly sought after. Web dev jobs — which include Front End and Back End devs — are projected to grow 15% between 2016 and 2026 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While median salaries can vary wildly, even the most conservative estimate for a Front End dev is much higher than the median salary for all occupations. The median salary for a web developer is $67,990 compared to the median salary of $37,690 for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Average Front End dev salaries are higher on sites like Glassdoor and Indeed. On Glassdoor, the average annual salary for a Front End dev is $92,783. The average salary on Indeed is $108,303 per year. Average salaries for junior Front End devs are lower — $60,425 on Indeed and $79,511 on Glassdoor. Senior Front End devs earn an average of $120,000, according to Glassdoor.

Take note that some Front End devs can earn less or more than average based on location and industry. We recommend looking at various websites to get an understanding of a potential salary based on your experience, location, and preferred industry.

Key takeaway → A Front End dev is vital to a user’s web experience. They work as a part of a larger team to create what a user sees and interacts with within a browser. Front End devs use HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, JavaScript frameworks, and code libraries to achieve this.