Are you looking to venture into tech as a career or to improve your skills? Other than coding, there is a lot more the tech industry has to offer.
Different people go into development for various reasons. Most people choose it because of its flexibility, the high returns, and the chance to pour out their creativity.
In today’s job markets, having technical skills in designing or modeling software is an attractive feature that most employers are looking for. While tech is broad, this article will focus on the specifics of being a Front End Developer.
What is Front-End Development?
A front-end developer is someone who implements the desired design and interfaces onto a website using code, according to johnkavanagh.co.uk. The three main languages used for the job include HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But how do you become a front-end developer?
You can learn lots of these languages and skills when you choose to major in tech, especially web development. To be a competent front-end developer, here are the skills that you will need.
1. HTML and CSS
HTML or Hypertext Markup Language, allows to make up web content that is distinguishable from regular text.
CSS or Cascading Style Sheets, on the other hand, allows you to present your document. So, you create using HTML, and present them on the website using CSS. Having a working knowledge of HTMl and CSS is therefore very important.
2. JavaScript and JQuery
JS is a programming language. It allows you to customize the appearance of your website. In case you need to use interactive features such as animations, you will use JS for that.
JQuery is a type of library that works with JS to make your programming work as simple as it can be.
3. Frameworks
Frameworks are the abstracts under which your program performs basic functionality. You can tweak the framework to fulfill user-defined functions. In front-end development, being proficient in both CSS and JavaScript frameworks go a long way in making your creations better and more attractive to interact with.
4. Responsive design
Long gone are the days when you had to have a computer to surf the internet. Now, websites are made in such a way that you can access every detail via your smartphone or tablet. However, to do so, you need to factor in a responsive design into your website so that it adjusts automatically to suit the device in use. Therefore understanding how responsive design works is a must-have skill.
5. CSS Preprocessing
Do you want to change your variables and functions every time you code? If not, good knowledge of CSS preprocessing will help you develop your programs easier and more flexibly. Besides, you can write the code in any language you are proficient in, and the preprocessor converts it to CSS in no time.
6. Debugging and testing
Whether you are developing a small website or a large online marketing website, bugs are unavoidable. And since you want to deliver high-quality, reliable, and practical designs, you must understand how to debug and test your software.
7. Automation and building tools
Understanding how automation and building tools work is a plus. Rather than going back to square one, you can go back to the previous version that was ok, and start working from there.
8. Browser Development and Performance Tools
Now, you have to gauge your final product. How well can users access your list of services? How fast does it respond? To answer these questions, you must know about browser development and performance tools, such as an inspector and JS console.