What is a frontend development?

As a beginner web developer, while reading all the tutorials how to start coding and land a job, you can hear about: frontend, backend and full stack development.

In this article, I would like to be focused only on frontend development.

Easily said, the frontend development is an entire process of creating the user interface part of an app.

Every, little more complex application contains frontend and backend stuff. Practically, frontend part is obligatory, it is hard to release a functional platform without an interface.

What is meant by an interface? The definition from the dictionary can be like that:

User interface is the field when human-computer interaction occur.

What does a frontend web developer do?

Frontend web developer cares about mentioned interface and layout of a website/platform. When you visit an Instagram on a browser, probably login form will appear. All the inputs of an username, password and buttons to sign up or sign in are the part of an interface.

Frontend developer decides about the style and placement of different components/images, animations on the page, interactions with some forms, etc.

To sum up,

frontend developer ensure that the layout and appearance of an application is smooth, easy to navigate and intuitive.

Technologies used in a frontend web development

As a frontend web developer it is necessary to start with three fundamentals:

• HTML, CSS and JavaScript

In web development, practically everything is build with those technologies. Browsers display a page from source code in HTML, which is styled in CSS. All the interactions are coded in separate JavaScript files.

For newbies, it is highly recommended to start with building very basic platforms/pages in pure HTML, CSS and JavaScript. The more this skill is mastered, the easier is to jump into different frameworks of JavaScript.

Next technology is one specific framework of JavaScript. Framework can boost an efficiency of built apps to a very enormous level. As a react developer, I can not even compare platforms I coded in a pure JavaScript to those coded in react.

The three fundamental frameworks/libraries of JavaScript are:

• React js,
• Angular,
• Vue js.

Apps coded in React js contains less lines of code and are computed faster and compiled effectively in a browser.

The same result in pure JavaScript requires much more lines of code, many boring declarations of basic variables and functions. Moreover, react js allows to create components in jsx, what is extremely easy and fast, comparing to standard HTML.

Despite the basic technologies mentioned above, a frontend developer can use any other different tools. Mentioning version control system is crucial. However, the developer in the serious company is provided with a ready graphics, presented in apps like figma, adobe, affinity, etc.

In my job, when I am doing my frontend part of a work, I always base on sketches in figma.

Professional frontend development has to be supported by UI/UX designers.

Being consistent with a style among all subpages of a web application is the key for releasing successful platform, which will be engaging customers from all around the world.

Skills demanded in a frontend development

This part is an addition for all informations included in previous paragraphs. Frontend developers have to characterize:

• Great communication skill,
• Teamwork,
• Problem solving,
• Creativity.

In my opinion, frontend developer has to cooperate with designers. It is practically impossible to obtain ready designs and do it like it is sketched. All company wants to release the best product as possible, designers and developers have different point of view.

Why not to consult with designers, the practical flow of a current feature, before and after design process? It will save time for both of the sides and improve the product.

After a discussion and brain storm with designers, there can be many problems. Some of them needs creative solutions. Developer is obligated to find the most optimal, efficient and good looking result.

Conclusion

Frontend development is the overall process of creating user interface of the app.

Technologies used in a frontend web development are standardized: html, css and JavaScript. In the professional development it is demanded to implement framework /library and some additional tools.

Frontend developer has to be characterized by: communication, teamwork, problem solving, creativity.