Frontend

A Front End Developer works on the client side of the project, building the visible part of an app or website. She creates a user interface: web pages, menus, forms — usually based on a prototype provided by a designer.

It's a Front End Developer who ensures the logical operation of all the website interface components and the correct display of content, buttons, navigation, and other elements. The Front End specialist integrates into a website many third-party services, such as Optimizely and Google Ads. 


Job responsibilities

  • Create cross-browser, adaptive web pages 
  • Write scripts, program interactive elements on pages
  • Refactor existing projects
  • Develop testing of front-end code 
  • Optimize code for fast page loading
  • Ensure data validation before submitting it to the back end 
  • Participate in the development of a component library, writing reusable code
  • Advise UX / UI designers on the technical feasibility ( ability to implement in project ) of ideas and concepts.


Skills

  • Proficiency with the must-have combination of HTML (HTML5, W3C and WHATWG specifications), CSS, and JavaScript (ECMAScript 6)
  • Experience with JavaScript frameworks and libraries (jQuery, React.js, Backbone.js, Angular.js) and CSS frameworks (for example, Bootstrap)
  • Familiarity with CSS preprocessors (Sass, Less, Stylecow), and in some cases . CSS collectors (Grunt, Gulp)
  • Knowledge of methods and kits for structuring CSS code (OOCSS, BEM, SMACSS)
  • Proficiency with version control systems (Git (most often), CVS, Mercurial, or others)
  • Experience with debugging tools
  • Sometimes, knowledge of additional languages (TypeScript, CoffeeScript).


A Front End Developer must be able to work with the REST API. Usually, she needs to know, in general, how the back end works. Understanding of the principles of UI / UX design and SEO optimization is a plus. Understanding of popular CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal) may be useful on some projects.

FAQ

INDIGO Tech Recruiters have prepared answers to common questions about Front End Developers . If you are interested in more information, please contact us.

1. Does a Front End Developer of desktop software need the same skills as a Front End Developer for the web?

In software development, Front End may refer to the presentation layer, a user interface rather than the data access layer. In web development, the client side is usually called the front end, and the server side is called the back end. As these principles differ, the skill set differs. The technologies used for software development depend on the OS. For example, a developer might use the C programming language and the Win32 API to code for Windows, or Linux “kernel-user space” API coding for Linux software, or a cross-platform library, such as Qt (for C++). Also, there are some frameworks that allow building Desktop apps using typical Web Front End technologies: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for example, Electron).
You don't need a developer to make a simple website using a template theme and WordPress. A job as a WordPress developer usually means creation of customized themes and plugins.
Although HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the three pillars of the front end , a developer must be able to use the jQuery library. As a rule, knowledge of CSS preprocessors, LESS/SASS, is also required.
Create a vacancy with a list of responsibilities and skills relevant to your project. Post it on job boards and on specialized Facebook groups or Telegram channels for IT specialists. In this way, you can find a junior specialist, or maybe a middle front end developer . Experienced professionals are rarely actively looking for a job. You need to contact them through LinkedIn and find ways to interest them. If you need an experienced front end developer , it's better to entrust the search to a professional recruitment agency.